Why do doctors always want their patients to use fragrance-free lotions? I swear every time I ask about one that’s sold at a cosmetics counter, they recoil and recommend one of those medicinal ones. Are they really that bad?
For most people, fragrance-containing lotions are no more dangerous than fragrance-free, and will not cause any problems. The problem is that many people have sensitivities to the various products they add to give a certain scent. Often people do not know they have this sensitivity until they use a lotion with a certain fragrance. These sensitivities can manifest as simple irritation to the skin, causing some redness and itching. More rarely, they can also cause a larger allergic reaction, which may require medication to treat. If there is a certain fragrance-containing lotion that you are dying to use, I would recommend trying it on a small patch of skin first for a few days to see if you will have a reaction to it. If you are someone who tends to have sensitive skin, however, I would definitely recommend trying to stay with fragrance-free products.
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A website talks about using vinegar to lose weight quickly. It said Hollywood stars are using this whenever they have a big event coming up. What does it do? Does it work?
Honestly, this was something I had never heard of prior to reading your question. A quick Google search leads to several sites proclaiming the numerous health benefits of drinking vinegar (specifically apple cider vinegar, apparently) including weight loss, better diabetic control, killing off harmful bacteria and viruses in your gut, and lowering your blood pressure. The claim is that it can reduce fat storage, increase fat burning, improve blood sugar and insulin response, as well as reduce appetite. Unfortunately, like most things that seem too good to be true, these claims falls squarely into the “likely not true” category. I searched the scientific literature as well as reviewing some of the source material that folks have based this weight loss claim. Most studies have been done in animals, which do not necessarily correlate in humans. There have only been a few human trials done, two of which had 12 and 16 participants respectively, which is certainly not a large enough pool to draw any meaningful conclusions. Interestingly, the 16 patient study noted that although patients drinking vinegar seemed to have a lower appetite, researchers noted this was due to the nausea participants had from drinking the vinegar, which certainly doesn’t seem like an ideal way to lose weight. The most often used study to show any link is a 2009 Japanese study. Again, the participation was only 175 patients, and they define “obesity” different than America does. However, in that study after 12 weeks was only about two to four pounds compared to those taking placebo, which is far less than you would expect to lose with simple calorie reduction.
There is some evidence that vinegar may help regulate blood glucose levels, which may have a benefit in the diabetic and pre-diabetic populations, however further research needs to be done before making any definitive claims.
So, quick answer: no, there is no evidence that it will make any real difference for weight loss. The only solidly proven way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake and increase your calorie expenditure (exercise and daily activity). I like to have patients track what they eat and therefore their calorie intake using smartphone apps like MyFitnessPal. These apps allow you to log what you eat and your exercise. Talk to you doctor further for a more personalized weight loss plan.
Can prescription drugs hurt your liver? What can you do to minimize the damage?
In a word: absolutely. Everything that goes into our body is metabolized and/or processed for removal in one or both of two places: the liver and the kidneys. That means every prescription drug, over-the-counter medication, alcohol, drugs or supplements must exit the body going through one or both places. One of the biggest medications that can be toxic to the liver is plain over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol). Now, as with all “toxins,” the devil is in the dose.
People with a normal functioning liver can take quite a bit of Tylenol without problem, but even a normal liver should have no more than 4000 mg of Tylenol a day. Something to keep in mind, is that several other medications, including many over-the-counter cough and cold meds, specialty headache meds, sleep meds and some narcotic pain medications include acetaminophen. This amount counts toward the daily limit, so remember to count it.
Most probably know that alcohol is metabolized in the liver, which is why heavy drinkers can have liver damage. Your doctor will be able to discuss which of you medications go through liver and which are excreted by the kidneys.
Doctors do keep an eye on your medication list and make sure what we give is not going to cause more problems than the potential benefit. As far as minimizing risk, the biggest thing you can control is not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, following all recommendations from your doctor, and not starting any over the counter supplements without first discussing it with your doctor.
My child is entering school this year and I’m worried about him getting sick just by being in that environment. We’ve gotten the necessary shots. But is there anything else that I can do?
Congrats on your child starting school! Your concern over him or her getting sick is certainly understandable. Luckily, you have already done the most important thing by getting all of his or her vaccinations. The easiest and best ways to reduce transmission and picking up microbes like viruses and bacteria include: frequent hand washing, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and avoiding touching your eyes, mouth and nose. We recommend getting your child and everyone in the house their yearly flu shot once season starts (we usually start giving these in October). If you child is sick, it is best to keep them home to help prevent transmission to other children.
If they have a fever, usually it is best to keep them home until 24 hours after the fever breaks. If she or he is put on an antibiotic for a bacterial infection, wait until 24 hours after start of medicine to return to school. Unfortunately, it is likely at some point your child will get sick at school. The best ways to try to limit this is the simple steps like frequent hand washing listed above.
What good is a gall bladder if people can have them removed and not seem to be affected?
You have just asked a great evolutionary question, my friend. First let me explain what the gall bladder does. The gall bladder is a small sac-like organ nestled next to the liver. The liver makes several enzymes that help digest our food, one of which is something called bile. Bile helps to break down fats in our diet. The liver stores bile in the gallbladder. When we eat, especially a meal with a lot of oil or fat, the stomach sends a signal to the gallbladder to squeeze, which dumps bile into our intestine to break down these fats. Occasionally, people’s gall bladders stop working normally.
Gallstones occasionally develop, which are most often made up of cholesterol in the bile. These stones can cause a blockage in the duct connecting the gallbladder to the gut. When this happens and bile cannot get out of the gallbladder, inflammation and infection can occur, which may require having it removed. Other times, the gallbladder stops pumping normally, which would be another reason to remove it. Some folks have gallstones, but do not have any symptoms, and do not require surgery. Common symptoms that your gallbladder is having issues include pain in the right upper part of your belly, especially after a big or fatty meal. You can also have nausea with the pain. Sometimes a gallstone blocks the duct for a few hours after a meal, then if the stone moves the pain subsides.
For the second part of your question, if someone does have their gallbladder removed, the liver still produces bile, it just has to excrete it into the gut itself. Some people do have issues with fatty meals after surgery, including mild pain or diarrhea. Some have more loose stools than they did prior to surgery due to increased fat content in the stool. So while it isn’t essential, it does help some with fat digestion. We certainly recommend holding onto yours unless it give you trouble!
