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just ask terry

Just Ask Terry - April 02, 2010

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q.  Dear Terry, ”Thank you for the opportunity to ask you questions. There are not many people who would make themselves available to answer questions regarding vitamins and nutrition. Personally, I think this is great and I also appreciate your Friday email newsletter. I do have a question, not for myself, but for my father, who is constantly plagued with gout. Can you offer any suggestions as to how we can eliminate the drugs he has to use and how he can keep his gout under control?”  Eunice S., Owensboro, KY

A.  Dear Eunice, Thank you for the kind words. I enjoy helping people improve their health through natural diet and supplement use. While drugs are always important in certain cases, in my opinion, we are overly medicated in this country. Selecting a natural supplement, in many cases, can be more effective than drugs and medication—and safer, too. Now, about your father’s gout. Gout was always considered to be the “rich man’s disease” – too many good foods and too much alcohol. So, reduce red meats, dairy products and any organ meats (such as liver), and reduce any form of alcohol at least until the gout is alleviated. There are a number of natural solutions that may be very useful for your father, including celery seed extract. It has been clinically studied and is highly recommended by James Duke, one of the premier plant experts in the world. Another very useful natural medicine is freeze dried cherry extract, which is effective for reducing uric acid levels, which in turn reduces gout symptoms and flare-ups. I recommend 750 mg capsules, 3-6 capsules daily. I would always consider a high potency curcumin and boswellia combination to reduce the inflammation surrounding the painful area. Recently, a study showed that drinking 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day can cut down gout attacks by almost half. The authors speculate that staying well-hydrated dilutes the circulating uric acid in the blood stream which is what triggers gout in the first place. [Neogi T, et al "Drinking water can reduce the risk of recurrent gout attacks: Abstract 2038" Arthritis Rheum. 2009; 60: S762-63.] So making some changes to daily food choices, adding clinically-studied dietary supplements, and drinking 8 glasses of water a day can dramatically reduce gout symptoms. However, please encourage your father to talk with his doctor about using this protocol for his condition.

Q. Terry, “I don’t like using laxatives for the constipation that I’ve lived with almost all my life. I never thought about the effects a laxative may have on my colon until I read an article on the abuse of laxatives. I would like to find something more natural to give me better elimination.”  Kim J., Tucson, AZ

A.  Dear Kim, I agree that it makes good sense to wean yourself off laxatives, and I think you can do it in a more natural and non-abusive manner. First, you need to investigate the cause of your constipation, if you have not already done so. Constipation can be a sign of dehydration, lack of fiber in the diet, medication side effects, sluggish bowel function, or even more serious illnesses, so it is important to make sure there is not an underlying problem you need to address. Assuming that your constipation is NOT due to an underlying illness, I would suggest using a good fiber product such as psyllium seed or flax seed. You may be just lacking an effective level of fiber to stimulate the movement of the colon. Start off with a small dosage, a teaspoon or two a day, and then gradually increase your dosage of fiber until you have a more normal bowel movement.  Remember—when you take fiber, you need to increase your fluid intake. Fiber is a super sponge, and it works best if you are drinking adequate amounts of water (6 to 8 eight ounce glasses) every day to “plump up” that sponge so it can better do its job. Also, taking too much fiber at one time, or too many times on a daily basis initially can cause some intestinal disturbances such as bloating and gas.  Don’t be discouraged. Good probiotics (the healthy bacterial cultures in yogurt) can greatly diminish these issues. At your favorite health food store, I would ask for a good probiotic designed for healthy intestinal tract function. The probiotic and a good fiber should give you better results together than either alone. 

Q.  Hi Terry, “I have been taking medication for an ulcer, but it still bothers me. My doctor changed my medication several times, but nothing seems to heal my ulcer.  Jack O., Syracuse, NY

A.  Dear Jack, Ulcers can be a serious medical condition. I would definitely consult your physician before you make any changes to your medication. You need to check if these supplements are right for your particular health circumstance. That said, there is some very good research on a special licorice extract known as DGL, for “deglycyrrhizinated licorice.” DGL is licorice that has a compound called glycyrrhetinic acid, which can cause problems with blood pressure when used at high dosage levels, removed. Personally, I think DGL stands for, “darn good licorice”! In clinical studies, DGL outperformed medications normally prescribed for ulcers, like cimetidine (Tagamet). I remember one lady telling me that she worked with her doctor for years with a bad case of ulcers, and after someone told her about DGL, she was back to normal within two weeks. These results may not be typical, but it has been my observation that DGL can really speed the healing of ulcers and inflammation of the lining of the stomach. You may not find this prescribed by your local physician, but integrative doctors and clinics are starting to incorporate these clinically studied supplements into their practice, and they are having excellent outcomes. Unfortunately, no drug company wants to promote DGL, because it is a natural product and cannot be patented, or its rights controlled by a single company. Here is a case of the natural plant extract outperforming any drug for ulcers. 

Q. “I have been congested in my nasal passages and now have a sore throat and laryngitis.  What do you recommend since I’ve tried everything I could think of?”  Les R., Melbourne, FL

A.  Dear Les, First, Les, you need to check with your health care professional to make sure it is a simple sore throat and not a more serious underlying condition. If that’s the case, I have a perfect solution for you. I would recommend using a combination of eucalyptus oil and oil of Myrtle in a soft gel capsule. Swallowing the capsule will be very effective, but I like to go one step further and let one or two of the softgel capsules melt in my mouth and swish the oil around in my mouth and let it trickle down my throat.  This works wonders for sore throat, laryngitis, sinusitis, and even bronchitis. There have been several clinical studies in Europe on the use of plant oils for a variety of upper respiratory conditions with significant effects compared to drugs or placebos. In fact, in Germany, where natural medicines are routinely prescribed by physicians, the number 1 and number 2 products of all natural products sold are for the two most common conditions, sinusitis and bronchitis. These are treated by natural medicines. For many of our common problems such as cold, flu, sinusitis and bronchitis, and many other health problems, a natural plant extract or plant oil should be considered first for a short course before we resort to drugs. If the condition suddenly worsens or does not clear up in a short period of time with a natural plant medicine treatment, I would then opt for a consultation with my healthcare professional. 

Q. Dear Terry, “I have been to my health food store looking for a good probiotic, but I saw so many different products and different counts of bacteria that I left confused. Do you have any advice?”  Larry C., Memphis, TN

A. Dear Larry, I’m not surprised at your confusion, since probiotics are one of the fastest growing categories in the health market, as well they should be. They have a tremendous benefit for the entire body--not just the intestinal tract. Probiotics can improve the immune system, lessen lactose intolerance, help with irritable bowel issues, prevent yeast overgrowth, support clear skin, help prevent cancer, and improve both constipation and diarrhea. Personally, I think the strain of bacteria is far more important than the number of bacteria or the count. Some products range from one billion to as high as 200 billion. I think a good count of bacteria is in the 5 billion range. Do not be concerned so much with the count, but ask your health food store retailer for a high quality probiotic, clinically studied specifically for your particular purpose. Make sure the brand is guaranteed to deliver a certain number of live probiotics. Some companies only guarantee the number of live bacteria at time of manufacture, which means that unless you are swallowing the pills right off the assembly line, you don’t know what benefit you are getting. If this is just a general question concerning a good probiotic, and not for a specific purpose, most good brands in the 5 billion range will be effective.  Under the right conditions, the bacteria will multiply exponentially. Healthy amounts of fiber are the preferred food source for many good probiotics, so increasing dietary or supplemental fiber can really improve how well probiotics work. This will create an environment for the bacteria that will cause fantastic and phenomenal growth, which in turn has a more powerful impact on your health. 

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