Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 20

to: Pharmacy, No. Q-20, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: peoplespharmacy. com.

We also discuss other approaches that can be helpful for such infections, including the Chinese herbs Andrographis paniculata and Astragalus membranaceus (Alternative Medicine Review, March 2011; March 2007). had underarm odor for four years, and been the most embarrassing thing. 16 and in high school. I wore sweatshirts and tried not to get close to people because I was so embarrassed. I even hug my boyfriend.

My armpits would start to smell five minutes after I took a shower, and deodorant made it even worse. I got so frustrated about it that I thought I take it any longer. I read that vinegar might work, and so might baking soda. I patted on some vinegar with a towel and let it sit for about five minutes. Then I patted it dry and put on some baking soda.

To my surprise, I smell five minutes later or even five hours later. I woke up the next morning and STILL smell! I am thrilled. We are delighted that vinegar is working for you. Many others also have had success with applying vinegar under their arms. Some readers, however, have been disappointed: left me smelling like sauerkraut and really work.

I tried milk of magnesia, and it works like a You can learn more about milk of magnesia (MoM) as a deodorant at PeoplesPharmacy.com. I love acting, but I suffer from stage fright. My doctor prescribed propranolol to ease my anxiety during a play. Fortunately, I experimented during the final days of rehearsal. The first night, I remember where I put my clothes during a scene change.

The second night, I recall my lines. It was a very strange and frightening experience. Instead, I took Benadryl an hour before going on stage, and it took the edge off my anxiety. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is not an ideal solution for stage fright. This antihistamine can be very sedating and might interfere with your best performance.

Propranolol (Inderal) and other beta blocker heart medicines like atenolol (Tenormin) and metoprolol (Toprol) have been used for years by professional golfers and musicians to steady their nerves and hands. The PGA banned beta blockers in 2008 as part of its antidoping policy. Another option for performance anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy. Readers of this column also report the herb valerian can be quite helpful: am a professional singer, and my daughter does public speaking for her job. We both swear by valerian.

It does the trick for nerves if you take it 15 minutes prior to performing or taking the My son is a vegetarian. He relies on beans and dairy for his protein. He eats lots of vegetables, especially broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and carrots. I am convinced that his diet is responsible for problem: GAS! He is so flatulent, we can hardly stand it. The smell is overwhelming.

Is there anything he can take to reduce the gas and the odor? The healthful vegetables your son eats often produce unpleasant smells. If he is lactose- intolerant, dairy products also may contribute. The best way to deodorize gas is with bismuth. Products containing this compound include Devrom (bismuth subgallate) and Maalox Total Relief or Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate). The stool will turn black, but this is not dangerous.

There are reports, however, that regular use (or overuse) of bismuth has been linked to reversible neurological symptoms such as tremor, muscle twitches, confusion and memory problems. As a result, your son might want to reserve bismuth for use prior to social occasions. We are sending you our Guide to Digestive Disorders with many recommendations such as fennel, turmeric, epazote or ginger that can help ease uncomfortable flatulence. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (65 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Pharmacy, No.

G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www. peoplespharmacy.com. Write to Joe and Teresa Graedon via their website at PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Their newest book is Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Vinegar and baking soda eliminate underarm odor from PAGE C1 By Nicole Brochu McClatchy Newspapers FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A single injection, then a five-minute wait. all it took for hundreds of stroke and traumatic brain injury patients from South Florida and nationwide to reverse years of debilitation. Now walking more steadily, reading more easily, concentrating better, speaking more clearly and regaining use of once-rigid limbs long after giving up hope that their bodies would ever respond. The 25-milligram shot at renewed independence is the brainchild of Boca Raton, physician Dr.

Edward Tobinick. His patented method for delivering the anti-inflammatory medicine, etanercept, to the brain is getting praise around the world as a in the treatment of chronic neurological dysfunction. said Dr. Rene Alfaro, an ophthalmologist from Mexico, of the single- dose injection that almost instantly restored much of his movement and cognition more than a year after an aneurysm and subsequent stroke incapacitated her left side. like a Within minutes of receiving the injection, Anna Alfaro walked without a cane, got up from a chair more easily and regained sensation in her left arm.

Hours later, with some of her left eye vision returned, she could see the phone clearly enough to dial a number for the first time since her illness. Her response is not unique. In a peer-reviewed study published Dec. 1 in the Adis medical journal, Institute of Neurological Recovery gave etanercept injections from November 2010 to July 2012 to 617 stroke patients and 12 patients who had suffered a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Of the total studied, more than 80 percent saw improvements in their ability to walk; more than 80 percent had less spasticity; and more than 85 percent exhibited improved motor function.

Improvements also were recorded in many range of motion, pain and cognition, as well as their ability to speak, see, swallow, concentrate and maintain bowel control. Hollywood, resident Jennifer Cody said the treatment gave her 59-year- old father, a former outdoor maintenance man, renewed independence 18 years after his stroke. five minutes, he was saying how clear his head Cody said. had always been so Now her father talks without slowed speech, confident enough to drive on the highway, he can roll down the window in his car, and he no longer drags his left leg behind him. does one-legged squats Cody said, with a laugh.

them to be able to do something like that for someone who had a stroke (so many) years ago, incredible. telling everyone I Though most people are satisfied after a single dose, Tobinick said he recommends a second shot after one month if patients saw some improvement but wanted more. About a quarter of his patients, including father, choose the second shot. The benefits reportedly are long-lasting. Tobinick said the first patients treated in November 2010 continue to enjoy improved mobility and cognition.

results represent a sea change in the therapeutic possibilities for stroke and TBI Steven Ralph, associate professor at Griffith University School of Medical Science in Australia, said in an article produced by parent company, Springer Media. do we see such a radical breakthrough in medical treatment as this for research published in numerous scientific and medical journals around the world has found that this therapeutic technique is also beneficial for treating sciatica and disease. for neurological said Tobinick, a board-certified internal medicine physician who has used his treatment method on more than 4,000 patients for various conditions. doing this every day of the Etanercept better known by its brand name Enbrel has proven effective in neutralizing TNF, the chemical that causes inflammation in the body, and has Food and Drug Administration approval for treating rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. What makes this therapy revolutionary is discovery of a way to deliver the medicine to the brain, counteracting for the first time diseases and injuries beset by neurological inflammation.

Tobinick found that by injecting the medicine at the back of the neck, then dipping the patient backward at a 45-degree angle for as little as five minutes, the drug enters the brain and spinal area through the cerebrospinal venous system and instantly fights the inflammation. makers warn of side effects from continued use, including headaches, upper respiratory infection and, in severe cases, immune system impairment, risk of cancer, heart failure and blood and nervous system problems. But stroke and TBI patients undergoing therapy are receiving only one, maybe two, doses of etanercept, the doctor said, so it is rare for his patients to see side effects. Because the use of etanercept is not FDA-approved, this treatment is not covered by Medicare or most insurance plans. The Alfaros paid $4,800, which included the injection and follow-up visits.

Tobinick thinks makers should use his research to seek expanded FDA approval, so the treatment can be more affordable and accessible. an operating room, without anesthesia, delivering medicine to the said Tobinick, who has been training doctors from around the world in his technique. changes life. They can do things they do At the Institute of Neurological Boca Raton offices, Anna quick, dramatic improvements had her husband in tears. The couple, with their 13-year-old son in tow, flew in seeking a glimmer of hope after doctors in Mexico City had assured them nothing more could be done for her.

real important thing is the daily things, the simple said Anna Alfaro, who had been dependent on a cane and no longer able to manage her glaucoma diagnostic center. me, this is the difference in my life. going back to C4 Albuquerque Journal HEALTH Monday, December 24, 2012 a candidate? The vast majority of stroke and traumatic brain injury survivors living at home or in a rehab center are candidates for the etanercept therapy, Boca Dr. Edward Tobinick said. The best patients are those with some residual function in their mobility and cognition, though he has successfully treated quadriplegics.

Patients who would not qualify for treatments are: Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, severe immune suppression or an active infection Hospitalized and have not yet been discharged Comatose For information, contact the Institute of Neurological Recovery at 561-353-9707 or go to strokebreakthrough. com. Injection shown to reverse stroke, brain injuries CARLINE Patient Anna Alfaro receives an injection in the back of the neck from Dr. Edward Tobinick. CARLINE Dr.

Edward Tobinick checks Anna mobility during a treatment at his Boca Raton, office. The treatment, a single injection, is aimed at helping brain injury patients recover movement. By Carolyn Butler Special To The Washington Post definitely the season to eat, drink and be merry. Some of us, however, take those festive guidelines a wee bit too seriously particularly with eggnog, mulled wine, champagne and other alcoholic beverages. Why do people drink too much during the holidays? lot of traditions at this time of year involve says Virginia clinical psychologist Diane Hoekstra.

with friends and family who you may not see all the time, and you really want to have a good time, and so you celebrate with a few drinks, which harmful as long as aware of your Unfortunately, that can be more difficult when not used to drinking a lot, as well as when guzzling seasonal cocktails that not particularly accustomed to. of us drink champagne or cognac or eggnog on a regular explains Daniel Z. Lieberman, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University. may know that three to four beers is my limit, but I have no idea what it is with brandy or eggnog, so possible to lose track much more The strife and strain that often build during the holidays can also play a role in overdrinking. at parties or getting together with extended family that maybe people necessarily feel totally comfortable with, and drinking is a way to grease those wheels a little says Lieberman.

is so much pressure to be happy during the holidays, so much pressure to be with loved ones, that if going through a difficult time, like with a divorce or a loss or you have someone in your life at this period of time, really Hoekstra agrees, adding that mental health concerns, stress and distress all go up during the holidays because of family conflicts, financial concerns and any number of other issues, especially for those with preexisting depression. many people medicate their pain or depression with alcohol, or use it as a potential stress she says. often see people who have a real alcohol problem drinking and doing things they normally do at this time of While it may seem as though the only consequence of too much eggnog is the occasional pounding hangover at work or at the holiday pageant at your school, boozing can have serious ramifications, starting with the documented uptick in drunken driving accidents and fatalities in the period. Beyond that, Lieberman notes that frequent drinking on the holiday party circuit can run your body down and hamper immunity during cold and flu season, not to mention damage your liver in the long term. Hoekstra adds that another major concern is getting so blitzed at an office holiday celebration that you say or do something you regret.

judgment is seriously impaired when drinking, which I think we all know can lead someone to engage in appalling, embarrassing, inappropriate behaviors that have potentially dangerous repercussions on the job, especially with rise Facebook and other social she says. Boozing can also play a role in holiday weight gain. Registered dietitian Cheryl Harris, of Harris Whole Health in Alexandria, points out that a glass of wine has approximately 100 calories, while many mixed drinks are in the 200-to-300- calorie range and eggnog is 400 or so calories per glass. adds up pretty she says, noting that also a to forget about all your other food plans after had a and thus to binge on Christmas cookies, pigs in blankets or whatever other goodies are in front of you. For anyone interested in trying to curtail their cocktail habit this Christmas or beyond, Harris offers a few simple tips that work no matter what your motivation for cutting back: Alternate sparkling water (or something else nonalcoholic) with any alcohol you consume.

Go for a wine spritzer, or add ice to wine or other drinks. feel as though having more alcohol than you actually are, and be drinking at a slower pace. Figure out beforehand how many drinks you will actually enjoy without feeling lousy the next day. easier to say no when you know that the third rum punch will give you a nasty hangover. After setting a drink quota for the night, spread them out over the course of the evening.

make drinking the focus of your partygoing. Choose something else, such as dancing, catching up with friends or taking pictures. Have a distinctly flavored hard candy in your mouth whenever you want to be drinking. Since flavors such as peppermint and cinnamon would taste atrocious with most alcoholic beverages, it will be an easy reminder that decided to stop. Always have some of what you love.

Studies have shown that when people know they are not allowed to have a certain food, cravings for that food increase. So even though eggnog is a calorie and fat bomb, have a small cup and enjoy it fully if what makes your holiday season complete, and then skip something else. Merry moderation to you: how to not overdo it.