A heartfelt vitamin
One of the scariest things about congestive heart failure is that many people don't know they have it until they wind up in the hospital, or worse. But if you're actually aware of your condition, nutritional therapy can improve your quality of life, along with your chances of living longer. In fact, recent studies have shown that vitamin D is extremely helpful in preventing heart failure.
In one study, researchers found that patients who supplemented with vitamin D had much less inflammation in their hearts than those who were given only a placebo. And, three years ago, another similar study showed that a vitamin D deficiency might actually cause congestive heart failure.
The good news is that there are plenty of healthy, tasty foods you can eat to get more vitamin D, such as eggs, milk, salmon, and healthy servings of free-range beef. But, even the healthiest vitamin D-rich diet might not give you all that you need. I would still consider supplementing with 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
Low-carb, not no-carb
You don't need me to tell you that the no-carb dieting craze is a fad, one that may soon be replaced by some other hard-to-follow and only slightly effective regiment that people will use to lose. But there is some evidence out there that cutting the right carbs can help lower your high blood pressure.
In one recent study, a group of Australian doctors found that hypertensive patients could lower their blood pressure by partially replacing just a few carbohydrate-rich foods with high-protein foods like lean red meat.
Now, I would never tell you -- or my own patients -- to cut out carbs entirely. That's just not practical OR healthy. After all, carbohydrates are your body's main source of fuel and energy. Instead, just focus on getting the right carbs, like whole grain breads and brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. And remember -- moderation is key.
Taking the sting out of swimmers ear
With beach and pool weather just around the corner, I thought I'd take a minute today to talk about one of the most common summer ailments -- swimmer's ear. This painful ear infection occurs when large amounts of water get in your ear and wash away your ear canal's protective coating of earwax. As the ear keeps getting wet, bacteria begin to grow, making your ear canal red, swollen, and painful.
To make matters worse, some doctors don't know how to properly treat this condition, and instinctively reach for their prescription pads. And unfortunately, some of the oral medications doctors typically prescribe for swimmers ear can actually produce strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can cause your infection to grow worse and spread.
In fact, oral antibiotic pills should only be used if the infection spreads past your ear canal and into your inner ear. Instead, ask your doctor about topical antiseptic and antibiotic drops, which are usually more effective and less likely to promote the spread of bacteria.
Of course, it's important to realize that swimmer's ear usually clears up pretty easily in healthy folks. But in diabetics, the same infection can actually invade surrounding tissues and become life threatening. Trust me -- I've seen several cases in the hospital, and it can get pretty ugly. So whatever the case, please make sure you see a doctor, and get those antibiotic eardrops.
Keep in mind that, most of the time, getting swimmers ear means you might have to spend a week or so out of the pool. Once the infection clears up, you might want to look for some good earplugs to wear when you're underwater. Also, www.ear-mart.com sells drops you can use to help keep your ears dry, preventing the spread of bacteria.
Good news
I'm going to be stopping by more often.
Starting Friday, June 16, you'll be receiving an extra House Call from me every week. I'll be able to give you even more in-depth information on the latest medical developments and studies that you need to hear about.
I'm looking forward to being there for you an extra day.
