Q-Fever is a flu mimic that causes prolonged flu- like symptoms and pneumonia. It is caused by a small bacterium Coxiella Burnetii, which is re- leased from infected female mammals, especially when they give birth: cattle, sheep, cats, dogs and rabbits. There was a recent series of cases at a Florida school, where a classroom rabbit had bunnies, exposing the children.
Avoiding carbs known as FODMAPS (trust me, you don’t have to know the acronym’s long name), may help prevent irritable bowel syndrome. Vocabulary words to remember for these short-chain carbohydrates include fructose, lactose, fructans (found in wheat), galactans and polyol sweeteners. Remembering this list is important in fending off this painful syndrome because the body has a hard time absorbing these items. They remain in the GI tract and become a source of “GI tumult” when the gut bacteria ferment…
Seeds can be a concentrated source of health. Flax seed lowers blood pressure and reduces risk for breast and prostate cancer. Sunflower seeds have also been linked to reduced risk for breast cancer. Other studies show benefits for improved cognitive function. Pumpkin seeds raise the good cholesterol (HDL) and also re- duce breast cancer risk.
A number of immune-modulator drugs are used today with good success in treating rheumatoid arthritis. The object of a study recently written up in Arthritis Research and Therapy was to see which ones reduced the benefit of flu vaccine. As it turns out the drugs that work on tumor necrosis factor (TNF) had only a mild effect in reducing antibody production from flu vaccine. These drugs include Humira, Enbrel, Remicade and Cimzia. Drugs that severely reduced antibody production were Rituxan…
Eczema affects up to 20 percent of the population and its incidence is steadily increasing. Eczema is often difficult to treat because it is a multi-factorial disease with numerous causes and triggers. One therapy that has gone in and out of favor is the use of antihistamines. Proponents argue about their benefit based on positive responses in many patients. Detractors argue that they don’t help everyone, and that all they are capable of doing is controlling the itch, not really…
Dear Dr. K: How can I be sure my four-year old asthmatic daughter actually gets her rescue inhaler dose? That is an excellent question and one that all parents of asthmatics should ask themselves. There are actually several ways to answer your question. On a very practical level, if the symptom you were treating (cough, wheeze, shortness of breath) goes away within a few minutes of the treatment, then most likely, your daughter got the medicine and it helped. Also,…
Patients afflicted with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis – 170,000 of whom died in 2013 of this untreatable (at least with antibiotics) form – may take hope from new research reported in Lancet this month. New studies are investigating a novel therapy using infusions of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (AMSC) to improve immune response against this virulent strain. The new therapy is actually working for many patients.
Rootology is an herbal therapy for allergy and respiratory problems that is becoming quite popular. It utilizes a number of plants and herbs from traditional Chinese medicine. Ingredients used include xanthium fruit, magnolia flower, platycodon root, angelica root, Forsythia, cinnamon, schizonepeta, ledebauriella root, schiganda, chrysanthemum, anemarrhena root, philodendron bark and licorice root. Once considered homeopathic by academic scientists, new research shows that many of these ingredients are truly allopathic (conventional). This in turn leads to the dichotomy that this therapy…
Gustatory rhinitis is a food allergy mimic with symptoms of profuse runny nose and/or post-nasal drip that occurs with eating. However, the symptoms are not brought on by an allergy to the food, but rather a neurologic reflex. As the brain sends signals to the GI tract to digest food, it mistakenly sends a signal to the nose to make mucus.
Sucrose/fructose intolerance is a mimic of food allergy. It is caused by gut fermentation of the inadequately absorbed sugar found in certain foods. The resultant symptoms are nausea, bloating, gas and diarrhea. The treatment is avoidance of the implicated food sources: cane sugar, beet sugar, all fruit and fruit products, corn syrup, most legumes, wine and beer.