WHAT FOOD IS SUITABLE FOR MY BLOOD?

Dear Doctor,

My child is just developing teeth, but recently suffered diarrhoea. My neighbours are saying this is because of the teething process. Is it true or just a myth? Are there any defects the child could get when developing milk teeth?

Rene

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Dear Rene,

Diarrhoea during teething is common among babies. This is due to multiple factors. A baby has excess salivation while teething. This saliva is swallowed in the gut and tends to loosen the bowels causing diarrhoea.

Due to teething, the infant has discomfort in the gums creating an urge to chew things as it helps to relieve the discomfort. For this purpose a baby who starts to crawl can pick up any object lying around and chew it. The object may be contaminated and chewing on it causes infectious microbes to enter the body causing diarrhoea. Same thing can happen with pacifiers given to a baby, if they are not clean. Even a clean pacifier can be put on the ground by the baby and then put back in mouth. Thus he exposes himself to risk of infection and diarrhoea.

Mild fever can accompany the diarrhoea due to inflammation of gums and should not be a cause for worry. So far as the diarrhoea is not severe and there is no fever, there is no need to worry. Just give him plenty of fluids or oral rehydration solutions. 

Bananas are also useful in stopping diarrhoea as well as replacing potassium. But if the diarrhoea is severe, with or without high fever the baby would need care in a hospital.

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DOES MILK HELP IN TREATING A HANGOVER?

After drinking alcohol, the body becomes dehydrated. This happens because the kidneys are stimulated to pass out more water. Along with water, electrolytes are also lost. It also lowers blood glucose levels due to effect of alcohol on the liver, it is unable to release stored glucose in the blood.

The body is also depleted of vitamin C, some components of vitamin B complex and also fat soluble vitamins due to a binge of alcohol. The inner lining of stomach is also irritated. The net result of this is that the next day one has a severe headache, muscular pains, nausea and vomiting, sense of fatigue, one or more of these symptoms.

Drinking milk does help to get over some symptoms of hangover. But it is certainly not a very good choice as popularly believed. It does help to overcome dehydration and provide electrolytes. But it is not the best agent for it. Drinking plain water would be just fine.

Fluids like ginger ale and coconut water are better choices. Fruits like banana and orange are also useful. Bland foods like toast and crackers also help in minimising symptoms of hangover. The risk of drinking milk after a binge of alcohol is that it can be thrown up. The milk protein casein can interact with stomach acid, causing milk to curdle up and induce vomiting.

The benefit of milk is that it induces good sleep, due to stimulating release of serotonin (chemical giving sense of well being and inducing sound sleep). It is said that drinking plain water in between alcohol can prevent or minimise symptoms of hangover.

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WHAT CAUSES ONE TO SNORE A LOT?

Snoring occurs when air does not move freely in nose and throat while sleeping, causing surrounding tissues to vibrate producing the sound. The person affected may not even realise that he is snoring, but it is definitely disturbing for the partner. The quality of sleep of affected person is also affected.

Obesity is a common cause for snoring because along with excess body weight even the throat and nasal tissues become bulky. One can have snoring due to obstructed nasal pathways. Deviated nasal septum and nasal polyps, enlarged tonsils, are some conditions which can cause it. Men have a narrow air spaces as compared to women, hence are more prone to develop snoring. Relaxation of the muscle tone of nose and throat can also cause snoring. This is commonly due to use of alcohol, sedative pills.

Deep sleep and aging can also cause snoring in some individuals. It can be due to a long soft palate or uvula (soft elongated tissue hanging at back of throat). Lying flat while sleeping increases risk of snoring. Habitual snorers are at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnoea, which itself can give rise to many health problems. There can be frequent interruptions of breathing say just for 8-10 seconds, though the individual does not realize it. This leads to low oxygen delivery to the blood and tissues causing sense of tiredness.

Over time it can cause pulmonary hypertension. Due to poor quality of sleep, one tends to feel drowsy and weak in the day. The person can have headache in day time. Due to these factors, he may have reduced physical activity and become obese. It tends to cause high blood pressure with its associated complications like heart problems or stroke.

If there is an underlying medical problem causing snoring, treating the problem can help cure it. Reducing body weight if overweight, regular physical exercise, avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills, establishing a regular sleep routine, are some of the measures to prevent snoring. Sleeping sideways instead of flat on the bed is also useful.

Mouth appliances as used by athletes also help in preventing snoring. There are certain throat exercises which can help prevent snoring. Repeat each vowel (a, e. i, o, u,) aloud for 3 minutes, few times each day, is among the remedies. Doing these exercises regularly will definitely help a person who is snoring.

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DOES GROWING A BEARD HAVE SIDE EFFECTS?

Men all over the world have an option to keep a beard or trim it for personal, religious or fashion reasons. A well kept beard is said to act as a filter keeping harmful microbes away from the mouth. It may also save some time of the daily morning routine of shaving the entire face, i.e. cheeks and chin. It hides defects like acne and a double chin.

However, there are some side effects as well with growing a beard. People realise that keeping it clean and well in shape takes more time than a quick overall shape. The beard hair can harbour millions of germs, which increase the risk of infection, particularly in conditions of lowered immunity. It can also contain dandruff like scalp hair which can result in visible white flakes and white flakes falling on shirts. In case of poor beard hygiene it can also harbor louse.

Graying of the beard hair also occurs with advancing age, necessitating use of hair colours/dyes or one is left with option of having a beard of mixed colour. Unknowingly food particles may stick to the beard causing it to look dirty and can also become a source of infection.

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CAN I CHANGE THE SOAPS I USE TO SHOWER?

Dear Doctor,

I normally change the soap I use for showering every two weeks. Are there any dangers this poses to my skin health?

Collin

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Dear Collin,

Soaps are made from natural oils, fats and carbolic acid. Colour and some scent are added to make it more attractive and fragrant.

Soaps have the ability to remove scum and dirt when in contact with water. Hence they help to remove dirt and clean the body. The basic ingredients of all soaps are the same, the main difference being in the additives like glycerine and chemicals for fragrance, among others.

Hence, basically all soaps are same. If you wish to change soaps due to the different scents or contents it is fine. Using too much of soap is also not good as it can cause dryness of the skin.

Once in a while a person may have allergy to one or more contents of a particular soap, resulting into itching and rashes after using it.