Linda at age 11

This is me at age 11. That was a long time ago.

Sometimes I feel my age. I have an old sacroiliac injury that has been causing me trouble. This morning it felt like burning in my right hip and lower back; then sharp pains started shooting down the back of my right leg. I called the chiropractor's office and they said Dr. MacDonald could see me at 11:20.

The treatment helped but of course I'll need to go back. A couple of months ago he explained that I have a torqued pelvis, my sacroiliac being a bit out of joint. A nerve was impinged, causing me odd symptoms like numbness in my feet sometimes. The injury goes back many years, maybe 15 or more. Sunday and yesterday we did some gardening and painting so I guess I overdid it and paid the price. Frustrating.

Updates on Dangers of Mercury

I've long been appalled by our casual attitude towards products containing mercury, a highly dangerous element. Two recent reports on mercury that apply to most of us are:

1. Silver-colored metal dental fillings contain mercury that may cause health problems in pregnant women, children and fetuses, the Food and Drug Administration said today after settling a related lawsuit.

2. The State of Maine did a study on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and how much toxic mercury is released when they break. They have strengthened their guidelines on what to do if one of these bulbs is broken. It's important for parents to note that "all types of flooring surfaces tested can retain mercury sources even when visibly clean... Cleaning up a broken CFL by vacuuming up the smaller debris particles in an un-vented room can elevate mercury concentrations in the room and it can linger at these levels for hours ...A vacuum can become contaminated by mercury such that it cannot be easily decontaminated..."

They recommend placing the pieces in a glass jar (without touching them) and sealing it instead of just using plastic bags. In some cases, you may want to throw out your carpet if it's been contaminated by broken fluorescent bulbs! Read their report and attachments if you have CFLs in your home so that you'll know what to do when one breaks. Oh, and don't just toss them in the trash when they burn out. They are considered hazardous and should be taken to a place that recycles them.

Osteopenia

I didn't know the definition of osteopenia until I looked it up after a nurse practitioner told me I have it. I had a bone scan for osteoporosis recently and it showed that the mineral density of my bones is lower than it should be. Since this puts me at future risk for osteoporosis, I'm supposed to increase my intake of calcium and vitamin D.

Yeah, I keep hearing that I need to increase them - also magnesium. I drink two cups of goat milk daily and I take supplements of calcium-magnesium and vitamin D3, sometimes D2 also. I have for a long time. But I need to take more. Not looking forward to it ... I take a lot of supplements already. My blood work always shows deficiencies. Sigh! I eat healthier than most people. It's not fair!

I read online that soft drinks can contribute to osteoporosis. I gave them up several months ago because I don't think the preservatives agree with me. Haven't seen any benefits though, just a drawback: more frequent heartburn.

Diabetes Assn. Accepts Low-Carb Diets for Weight Loss

The ADA has finally admitted that low-carb diets are a good way to lose weight. Read Jimmy Moore's blog entry on low-carb and diabetes. And don't miss Why the Low-fat Diet is Stupid and Potentially Dangerous by Regina Wilshire and Anthony Colpo.

Years ago I ate very low-fat for four months (and only lost 4 pounds). When I wound up in a doctor's office suffering from low-energy, he ordered a blood test and the results showed that I needed more protein. Not long after that, I started having more and more digestive problems and reactions to specific foods. So I can relate to Colpo's experience that after following a strict low-fat diet he "frequently felt tired after meals. I showed signs of leaky gut syndrome, racking up a rather impressive list of irreversible food sensitivities."

Meanwhile, my husband has been to his doctor for diabetes and gotten a prescription. We hope that this will keep his blood sugar from rising to an alarming level again (which it did on Thursday).

Is Non-fact milk dangerous?

I was surprised to see a new article stating that nonfat and low-fat milk seem to increase the risk of prostate cancer. Considering the movement to supply only low-fat milk in schools, this study raises a concern that we are doing harm while trying to do good.

A quick search revealed that a similar study was done ten years ago!

"A significantly increased risk of prostate cancer was associated with skim milk as compared to whole milk."

Veierod MB, Laake P, Thelle DS., 'Dietary fat intake and risk of prostate cancer: a prospective study of 25,708 Norwegian men.', Int J Cancer 1997 Nov 27;73(5):634-8

I also found a list of numerous studies linking high consumption of milk to prostate cancer.

Brief Family News

1. Marie is back in the USA, after spending the summer working in Egypt.


2. Frank had allergy tests today. They show that he is allergic to dust. The doctor gave him additional medicine for his long-standing cough.

Something that didn't happen

I was hoping that on our trip, our allergies and our coughing would clear up. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, although I felt a little better. We've both taken antibiotics and that didn't help either.

Also, there were some foods that I didn't have (notably chocolate) for the duration of the trip, and that didn't make a difference either.

Left: Frank at Jamestown Settlement. I believe that the carved face on a pole is based one of John White's drawings.

FCW at a Window

This picture was taken at Buffalo Springs Herb Farm.

FCW has been ill for over a week now - violent cough and nausea, hardly eating anything. He's been to the doctor twice. I've had a little cough too but otherwise I'm okay.

I think we both started coughing from mold allergy. We had a plumbing leak behind a wall in the bathroom for a long time. The plumber came out the first time two months ago. He fixed the shower handles that time; second time found nothing wrong but said we would have to make a hole in the wall to be certain. Dampness on the outside wall remained and one of the floor tiles was always damp, so finally Frank opened up a big hole behind the shower. Al fixed the leak but the smell of mold came into the house. Within a day we both started coughing.

We bought a dehumidifier, sprayed bleach in the wall and let it dry for a few days. Bought a light plastic access door and Frank installed it. Finally the air seems to be cleaner. Of course, the rainy spell we had did not help the situation.

Gut feelings

It was a strange coincidence that my daughter Marie and I had colonoscopies just a few days apart. She had the traditional kind and I had the virtual kind.

I thought I was avoiding the pain that I experienced a decade ago with the traditional kind. I remember waking up during the procedure and feeling sharp pain as the doctor tried to force a tube around a bend in my intestine. It was painful and alarming. I was relieved when they gave up, the doctor saying they had gone far enough anyway.

Several times since then I was told by doctors to repeat the exam. One time I scheduled it and later cancelled. I figure my occasional tummy pains are due to food sensitivities anyway, so why go through the trouble and risk of a colonoscopy.

When I learned that Winchester (VA) offers virtual colonoscopy, I convinced the doctor that it was the only way I would take the exam. He was not that keen on it but gave me the paperwork. The folks at Winchester Imaging were very helpful, although Fenton (not his real name) gave me the wrong prep liquid. Fortunately I read the instructions ahead of time and called their office to see if I was missing something. The sent me the correct medications and even a box of "low-residue" food for the day before.

I had to substitute for some of the foods because of allergies, and the technician advised me on what I could eat instead. It was more than just the clear liquid diet than I had last time, so I was pleased, although I had to buy white rice since the brown rice that I had in the cupboard would not do. (Fiber is a no-no.)

So until the medicine I took at night, I did well. But that bitter liquid tasted like poison. Later I took some pills. And later I had diarrhea until 4:00 in the morning. So I was tired, thirsty, and uncomfortable when we got to Winchester.

Fortunately I didn't have to wait long. The test is a CT scan and would be easy except that they fill the colon with gas so that the images are complete. Gas can be painful, and the amount used for this exam caused me plenty of pain. I found myself wishing I had chosen the traditional method. But it was over fairly quickly and I was able to leave as soon as I got dressed.

Would I recommend it? Well, that depends. If you have zero tolerance of pain, no. It does not require anesthesia and that means less risk but possible pain. Hopefully in future the process will be improved.

Click for info on Virtual Colonography.

I love my laptop but...

Sometimes I wonder about all that heat coming from my laptop. The first laptop pad I bought was not very comfortable, but I really like sitting on the couch with my feet up and my ibook on my lap.

I just purchased an Xpad and it's more comfortable than the first one.

Checking Google Scholar for studies on laptop safety, I found very little. I saw nothing on electromagnetic fields or wireless signals specific to using your computer on your lap, and the one report on laptop heat was about risks to male fertility.

The researchers concluded that

working laptop computers in a laptop position causes significant scrotal temperature elevation as a result of heat exposure and posture-related effects. This may have a negative impact upon spermatogenesis, specifically in teenage boys and young men. Further studies of such thermal effects on male reproductive health are warranted.(From Human Reproduction 2005)

It's been a tough week

I haven't been posting much this week, mostly because my husband is back in the hospital so I've spent most of my waking hours on the road, on the phone, or beside his hospital bed.

His surgery last week seemed to go well but the gas that they pump into his abdomen left him terribly bloated. On Saturday he felt very nauseous. When he started throwing up with great force, I called the doctor. Of course, I had to go through an answering service since it was Saturday, but before long I was talking to his doctor's partner. He had me drive Frank to the hospital in Winchester, which is an hour away.

After doing a CT scan around 2 AM, they transferred him to GW Hospital in DC, where the prostate surgery was done. There they did abdominal surgery and repaired a hernia, which had not caused any problems before. At that time they thought he might come home Wednesday or Thursday. But now it looks like he won't be released for a few more days because his digestive system just isn't working yet.

And something even worse happened on Saturday. My nephew's son died. Brave little Alex only spent a couple of years on this earth, and they were challenging ones. He was born with myopathy, very weak muscles that did not even provide enough strength to sit up or even to breathe without oxygen supplementation. I guess his little heart could not struggle on. I feel so sad for his parents and all the other people who knew and loved him. He was a sweet little boy.

I did not make it to Pennsylvania for the funeral because my husband needed my help here. But I can only help him a little, since his body has to heal and I can't make it progress any faster. He still cannot eat or drink anything; he is "fed" through a tube. Naturally he is not very happy but at least his siblings and daughters are calling him and trying to lift his spirits.

Update on my tea allergy

Last month I wrote about giving up green tea and chocolate in hopes of curing a chronic cough that had gotten really annoying. Well, the cough disappeared quickly. I figured it was caused by an allergy to tea because allergic testing two years ago had revealed that I was allergic to black tea, and green tea is from the same plant.

After a week of being cough-free, I tried chocolate again and had no reaction, so the allergy was at least only to tea, not chocolate. In place of green tea I am drinking St. John's Wort Tea and Essiak Tea. The latter is made from herbs that were supposedly used by the Chippewa Indians to treat cancer, so I imagine that it's as full of antioxidants as green tea is. It tastes good to me.

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Other topics in last month's blog

Stafford area historic sites, mountain snowfall photographs, pictures of squirrels, birds, and dogs.

Spelt versus wheat

Interesting page at Food-allergy.org explains why some people who are allergic to wheat can consume spelt and how new labeling laws are confusing by identifying spelt as wheat.

Jessica Simpson's Food Allergies

Celebrity Jessica Simpson has revealed to Elle Magazine that she has food allergies. Other commentators have noted that Simpson was recently featured in a pizza commercial, but it turns out that she cannot eat pizza.

This from Elle.com: Recently, Simpson tells me, after she was still feeling not quite right, an allergist delivered news that would chill the heart of anyone reared on Texan cuisine: She's allergic to cheese. And wheat. Oh, and tomatoes, hot peppers, coffee, corn, and chocolate.

Since I don't tolerate pizza either, I find it comforting that a celebrity cannot eat it. I used to enjoy pizza and even now when I smell it, I wish I could eat it. I'm not really tempted though - the wheat would make me sleepy but the stomach pain from eating cheese would probably keep me awake. And then there's the watering eyes from the yeast and the itchy skin from eating tomatoes. No thank you! I'll find something else to eat.

Allergy links

Someone emailed me suggesting a link to Healthopedia.com/allergies. From there I found a link to the Food Allergy Initiative, a non-profit organization that raises funds toward the effective treatment and cure for food allergies.

Also, I ran across a site for Ecochem "An earth friendly company... Nature Friendly Agro Nutrition." Their page on pesticide news summarizes a number of interesting articles: http://ecochem.com/t_news.html.

Follow-up with the eye-doctor

This week I went back to the ophthalmologist for a check-up on the floaters that I mentioned before. Upon examination Dr. Viti could see that I still have floaters although they haven't bothered me in months. I also have adie's syndrome (basically an enlarged pupil) and I asked him if it could spread to the other eye, which I had read about on a website. He said that this was unlikely at my age, since Adie's is most likely to show up in a person's 30's or 40's. (However, I was in my 50's.)
If you look carefully you can see that my left pupil (to your right, of course) is larger than the other one. It stays large until I use prescription eye drops. I've written about adie's pupil before. If you think you might have this condition, see a doctor or ophthalmologist right way because an enlarged pupil can be a symptom of more serious conditions.

Black, green and red tea blues

Shortly before our trip I had a cold and it made my chronic cough worse. I always figured the cough was due to allergy, since I have so many allergies and dust and mold are impossible to avoid. The cough sounded pretty bad while we were in California, and my husband said I needed to see a doctor and get a chest x-ray. What, for an allergy?

Hoping to avoid the hassle of an x-ray, I looked for a local allergist who might do extensive allergy testing. While researching allergists online, I recalled my previous allergy tests and all the things I was supposed to avoid. The last time I had extensive testing, I was looking for the cause of a cough. Oh, now I remember! The tests showed I was allergic to black tea and black pepper, in addition to all the allergens previously uncovered. And I gave up black tea and pepper (mostly - it is very difficult to avoid pepper in restaurant food). But I experimented with green tea and found two brands that I seemed to tolerate. They were decaffeinated since I am supposed to avoid caffeine.

But maybe green tea is part of the problem. And probably chocolate is part of the problem too - a little chocolate often sets off a coughing spell. So I decided to give up green tea and chocolate for a while. But I miss it especially since the weather is cold and tea and cocoa are warming and comforting. I can drink a little decaf but more than a cup gives me heartburn.

The cough improved. I decided the try rooibos (red bush) tea which is from a completely different plan than black and green teas. I bought some in Winchester and was looking forward to a nice hot cup. Well, just a couple of swallows set off a violent cough. I coughed and coughed until I threw up. My throat fell like it might be swelling so I took some liquid Bendryl. Within a few minutes I started feeling better.

I've been off tea for six days now and my cough is definitely much better. But it's not entirely gone. I may still have to go to a doctor. We shall see.

P.S. I just had a hunch - I've had reactions to fluoride before and black tea is high in fluoride. So I just looked up "fluoride in rooibos tea" and sure enough: Rooibos contains the minerals, copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. Well, whether or not that's the problem, I won't be drinking rooibos tea again.

Joseph Mercola writes about fluoride at high concentrations in tea and points out the risks of consuming too much fluoride, including hypothyroidism.

Update: Adie's pupil and other vision oddities

I have posted before about my vision problems and site statistics show that a lot of people hit my blog searching for these terms so I guess they share the same diagnoses: Adie's syndrome, floaters, and visual migraines. So for those folks, here's an update.

First, the Adie's syndrome, aka Holmes-Adie's or tonic pupil. I still have it (haven't heard of any real cure), but I found some details using Google Scholar. First, in NIH's database H.S. Thompson writes on the mystery of it's cause: We know where the damage is, and which nerves are involved. We even know something of how the nerves react after the damage is done, but we don't known what causes the primary injury... Not all "tonic pupils" are due to "Adie's syndrome"; some are due to local injury and some to a generalized peripheral neuropathy.

The writer comments on the lack of reflexes in the limbs that often accompanies the enlarged pupil. (I don't have normal reflexes in my right ankle.) Only 10% of patients with Adie's syndrome had completely normal muscle stretch reflexes... The muscle stretch reflexes in the arms were just as frequently imparied as those in th elegs, but the degree of impairment tended to be more severe in the ankles and triceps.

Some other article on Adie's:

• Neurology.org on depressed reflexes due to loss of large spindle afferents or reduced effectiveness of their monosynaptic connections to motoneurons.


• Is Adie's Pupil Caused by Migraine?
• 
  
• Chronic cough may be associated with Holmes-Adie syndrome

By the way, those who have Adie's and also a lack of sweating should ask their doctor about (or look up) Ross Syndrome.

As for the floaters and visual migraines, I haven't had either in a long time. They coincided with taking HRT, specifically oral progesterone. My opthalmologist did not believe there was a connection, my allergist said it's quite possible. I'm convinced it was cause and effect - I'll spare you the multiple instances.

Oh, and I finally found my lost glasses. They were at the library, where I volunteer occasionally.

Cereal Killers?

I'm finishing up another of the books on gluten sensitivity that Nancy loaned me: Dangerous Grains by Dr. James Braly and Ron Hoggan. I already read and returned a couple of the celiac books and I was surprised that this one had additional things to learn. It is carefully written from a doctor's viewpoint so it does not belong to the I could have written it myself category that I sometimes find in health books.

You can read highlights of the chapter on Psychiatric Issues in Celiac Disease on the Dangerous Grains website. While the authors do not say that wheat and rye are the main causes of mental illness, they make a case that these grains can contribute to mental distress, partly by decreasing blood flow to the brain in people who are sensitive to gluten.

Schizophrenia incidence During WW-II substantially decreased among European populations suffering grain shortages. Peptides derived from gluten grains have been implicated in schizophrenia, epileptic seizures, and vascular illnesses and are sometimes found to occur among patients who also have celiac disease. Like ergot, these peptides have recently been shown to affect blood flow within the brain, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism.

Depression is said to be one of the most common conditions suffered by the gluten-sensitive. Interesting - my personal reaction to wheat is grogginess. It makes sense that decreased blood flow to the brain would cause you to feel sleepy or depressed. Actually, I find that consuming yeast makes me depressed. (I tested allergic to both baker's yeast and brewer's yeast.) Same thing with molds, including small amounts of cheese and mushrooms. Within a few minutes of exposure, my mood drops drastically. There doesn't have to be anything sad going on, but it feels an awful lot like there is.

Forbidden Fruit

I've mentioned my food allergies before. Sometimes people ask why don't you cheat on your diet. Well, because I will suffer, that's why. But the week before last I took a chance and had just a little bit of fruit in some soy yogurt, figuring maybe the processing and enzymes would have made the fruit safer. It didn't.

My gums swelled and got very sore. This was 11 days ago and they still have not recovered completely. Last week I went to Frank's dentist (he had to go anyway so I went with him). Dr. Zale said my teeth were fine but my gums looked angry. He recommended salt water rinses. That was a week ago and there's been a definite improvement. Only the back left gums are inflamed and sore now. But even that is enough to make chewing and biting painful, so I've been eating soft foods. And I'm getting tired of them. My diet was already limited, and now I'm feeling hungry.

Why did I even buy that yogurt? Well, there are three stores in Harrisonburg that carry soy yogurt, none that carry goat yogurt, and nothing closer. (Harrisonburg is an hour from home.) When we were there two weeks ago, I went to Kate's Natural Foods and Kroger and neither one had any flavors that I can eat safely. We didn't have time to go to Sue's Nutrition before they closed so I decided to try some raspberry yogurt. Never again.

Funny thing, I don't tolerate soy except in yogurt. I use it as a salad dressing because vinegar does not agree with me.

My gums have reacted this way to fruit before and the awful thing is that when they swell a lot, particles of food get stuck between the gum and teeth. Last time I wound up having the dentist fix this and maybe I'll have to do it again. I hope not.