Category: Medical Mondays

Brain Food: Five Things You Can Consume To Help Fend Off Mental and Neurologic Illness

What we consume daily can have a significant implication on how our brain functions and what mental illnesses we may acquire.

An unhealthy diet may increase your risk for psychiatric and neurologic conditions such as depression and dementia.

Healthy diets may be protective.

Here are five dietary items to keep your brain on the right track:

  • Fish oil is loaded with DHA and EPA two polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 fatty acids) that can decrease psychosis and depression.
  • Berries have polyphenols which reduce the oxidative stress of free radicals in the bloodstream and slow cognitive decline.
  • Alcohol, always in moderation (one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men), can improve your cholesterol decreasing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Coffee has anti-oxidant properties and may increase insulin sensitivity improving blood sugar and has been found to reduce your risk for stroke and improve depression.
  • Chocolate (the darker the better) because of plant polyphenols called flavanols, has anti-oxidant properties and has been shown to reduce heart attacks and stroke and possibly improve mood in the short term.

The bottom line is a diet that is Mediterranean, based on high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and unsaturated fats, or what is termed a “whole diet” which is fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high quality meats and fish, can help make you less likely to develop depression or anxiety and reduce your risk of dementia, heart disease and stroke.

Adult Acne?! Here Are Some Myths And Facts About Adult Acne!

New research has shown late-onset or adult-onset acne is becoming increasingly common in women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s.

Acne affects over 50 percent of women between the ages of 20-29 and over 25 percent of women between the ages of 40-49.

This same research also found that women are more affected by adult acne than men.

Here are ten myths and then the facts about adult acne:

  • Adults don’t get acne. Not true and it may look different, more like reddish nodules around your mouth and jaw.
  • Eating chocolate and drinking soda gives you acne. The idea that chocolate and caffeine cause acne has never panned out in studies.
  • Stress causes acne. Maybe stress plays a role in worsening current but not any good evidence to show stress causes a breakout.
  • Don’t wear sunscreen, it will aggravate your acne. Key here is to pick the right sunscreen like zinc oxide.
  • You have acne because you’re not washing enough. Twice a day is probably better than once but more than this may actually dry out your skin too much.
  • Acne is just a cosmetic problem. Acne can have lasting consequences in how you feel about yourself and leave permanent scars.
  • You just have to wait and let acne go away with time. There are many treatments available from your primary care Doctor or Dermatologist.
  • You can “clear up” a pimple by scrubbing at it. Don’t pick or scrub as this is the number one way of getting a scar.
  • If you’re an adult, just go to the cosmetics counter and get a good face cream or cleanser. Get help from the experts who are trained to treat acne and can do much more than the over-the-counter products.

Consult with your primary care Doctor about what are the causes and risk factors for adult acne and what he/she can do to treat your acne.

Whether it be prescription medicines, lifestyle changes, home remedies or alternative methods, there is hope and help on how you can treat/prevent adult acne.

My Sinus Infection Does Not Need An Antibiotic?

We’ve all suffered at one time or another from what is called a sinus infection.

Our first reaction is usually to call our Doctor’s office to request an antibiotic to get rid of it.

New guidelines from our infectious disease experts now state that most people who have a sinus infection should NOT be treated with antibiotics because the drugs are unlikely to help.

Although sinus infections are the fifth-leading reason for antibiotic prescriptions, 90-98 percent of cases are caused by viruses, which are not affected by antibiotics.

Prescribing antibiotics for a viral sinus infection does not change the course of the infection and instead can spur the development of drug-resistant superbugs and expose patients to side effects unnecessarily and add to the cost of healthcare.

What are the causes of a sinus infection?

  • Most sinus infections are caused by a virus.
  • Sinus infections are rarely caused by a bacteria.
  • Other causes of a sinus infection include allergies, pollutants, fungal infections, structural problems in the nasal cavity, or a weak immune system.

What are the symptoms of a sinus infection?

  • Headache
  • Nasal congestion
  • Post nasal drip
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
  • Bad breath

What can I do to treat my sinus infection at home when it is a viral infection?

  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Use a clean humidifier or cool mist vaporizer.
  • Avoid smoking, second-hand smoke or other pollutants.
  • Take acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen to relieve pain or fever.

When should I seek my Doctor’s help?

  • Symptoms last for 10 days or more and are not improving.
  • Symptoms are severe and include a temperature of greater than 100.4 degrees F, nasal discharge and face pain for three to four days in a row.
  • Multiple episodes of sinus infection in the past year lasting 4 weeks or more.
  • Symptoms that are not relieved by over-the-counter medicines.

What you put in your mouth may affect your prescription medications. Avoiding drug interactions

Two out every three patients who visit a Doctor leave with at least one prescription medication.

Almost 40% of the US population receive prescriptions for four or more medications.

Consequences of drug interactions with food and beverages are more common the more prescription medications a person takes.

Examples of drug interactions with food and beverages:

  • Grapefruit juice can cause an increased level of certain blood pressure medications, anti-anxiety medication Buspar and the insomnia medication Halcion.
  • Licorice can increase the level of the heart medication digoxin and reduce the effects of the blood pressure medications hydrochlorothiazide and spironolactone.
  • Chocolate can potentiate the class of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) and cause the stimulant drugs like Ritalin to increase their effect or the sedative sleep aids like Ambien not to work as well.
  • Alcohol can increase or decrease the effects of many drugs but can increase the possibility of liver toxicity in patients with liver problems taking Tylenol.
  • Milk has been shown to decrease the effectiveness of the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and Levaquin.

Examples of drugs interacting with dietary supplements:

  • Saint John’s Wort is an herb and an inducer of liver enzymes and can decrease the effect of oral birth control pills, blood pressure and cholesterol medications as well as the effect of Viagra.
  • Ginko biloba can decrease the effectiveness of anti-seizure medications.
  • Ginseng can increase the effect of blood thinners like warfarin, heparin, aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increasing the risk of bleeding.
  • Garlic can increase the effect of warfarin an aspirin.
  • Vitamin E can increase the effect of warfarin.

Tips to avoid problems:

  • Always read labels carefully.
  • Learn about the warnings for all drugs you take.
  • Keep drugs in their original containers.
  • Ask your Doctor what you need to avoid.
  • Check with your Doctor before taking any over-the-counter drug when taking prescription drugs.
  • Use one pharmacy.
  • Keep a record of everything you take and inform all of your health care professionals of what you take.

Estrogen Can Lower The Risk Of Breast Cancer And Heart Attack In Some Women!

A woman’s menstrual cycle is controlled by the hormones estrogen and progesterone circulating in their bloodstream.

As women enter into their 40s and 50s these levels start to decline and she begins to develop the symptoms of peri-menopause or menopause.

These symptoms include hot flashes (flushing), insomnia, bone changes, a lack of a menstrual period and unwanted aging.

Hormone replacement therapy, most commonly done with synthetic estrogen and progesterone, is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms (flushing) and other symptoms of menopause.

However, there are important distinctions that must be made between taking estrogen plus progestin and estrogen alone in terms of benefits and risks.

Conventional wisdom prior to a recent report had been that estrogen may increase the risk of breast cancer in women, especially when taken in combination with progestin for the treatment of the symptoms of menopause.

The recent report from the Women’s Health Initiative, which began in 1991, reported findings that women who have previously had a hysterectomy and take estrogen alone have a markedly reduced risk of breast cancer and heart attack.

However, the positive data pertained to women in their 50s for this benefit as women in their 70s actually experienced a greater incidence of heart attack.

The association of treatment combining estrogen and progestin and an increased risk for breast cancer and heart attack remains true.

So this is the bottom line:

  • Estrogen alone and in your 50s, good.
  • Estrogen alone starting in your 70s not necessarily good and your risk factors need to be considered on an individual basis before taking.
  • Estrogen and progestin should only be used after considering all risks by your Doctor and for a limited duration.

Next week we will look at the alternatives to the synthetic estrogen and progestin hormones known as the bio-identicals.