Natural Health and Herbal Remedies Blog

Several health spas were recently closed down for a short time when some of their patrons complained about developing genital herpes after using their facilities. Public health workers investigated those spas but failed to demonstrate any herpes virus in the water of their hot tubs, on benches, or elsewhere, the Journal of the American Medical Association (250:3081) reports.

Nevertheless, the report continues, they were able to show that live herpes virus can survive on plastic and tiled surfaces that are kept warm and moist. Conceivably, then, scantily clad or nude patrons who have genital herpes could contaminate surfaces in a steam room, hot tub, or pool area, thereby infecting others who sit in the same place soon afterwards. Since the hot tubs and pools of spas are known to be responsible for the spread of other infections, such as conjunctivitis and boils, there is some reason to be concerned. Nevertheless, the Journal report concludes, it is unlikely that genital herpes spreads in the same way since the virus probably needs to be frictionally rubbed into the skin or onto a mucosal surface before it can take hold sufficiently to produce an infection, if that is any comfort.

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Since they can be counted upon to reduce the ocular pressure, eyedrops that contain the beta-blocker drug timolol (trade name Timoptic in the U.S.A.) have become one of the most popular drugs for glaucoma, a letter to the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association (253:3092) states. Not surprisingly, therefore, there have been many reports of side effects with timolol eyedrops, 63 percent of which have occurred after the drug has been absorbed into the general circulation. Among these, there have been cases of impotence, some of which have lasted (while the patient continued using the eyedrops) for over four years. Almost invariably, the impotence promptly disappears if the drops are discontinued, only to occur again when they are reinstated. The moral of this story is that anyone who becomes impotent should suspect that a medication could be responsible, even if eyedrops are the only one they are taking.

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High Fiber Diet

Despite their number and variety, all high fiber products have one thing in common: they are plant cell remnants that cannot be digested, the U.S. Pharmacist (12#7:42) reports. Without providing calories, they take up space in the stomach and intestines and thereby help to satisfy hunger.

Some, like wheat bran, increase the bulk of the stools but are sometimes constipating. Others, like oat bran, also tend to make the stools softer and more easily passed. Oat bran has a very useful cholesterol-lowering effect as well. For many, a mixture of these brans may be ideal. Salad, vegetables, and fruit (especially if unpeeled) also provide some dietary fiber.

Dietary fiber tends to bind onto other substances in the intestine and thereby prevents them (at least, in part) from being absorbed. This is one of the ways in which they help us to lose weight. However, fiber can also interfere with the absorption of some medications and essential nutrients (i.e., calcium). Accordingly, people who depend upon medicines for blood pressure, heart failure, or epilepsy, etc., or who are taking calcium for their bones should consult their doctors before starting a high fiber diet.

Pritikin Diet

Dr. Nathan Pritikin founded an institution named after him that champions both a diet that is high in fiber and low in fat and cholesterol, and a lifestyle that includes a lot of exercise. He died in 1985 from cancer. At autopsy, his heart and coronary arteries showed no trace of atherosclerosis (“hardening” from fat and cholesterol deposits), the New England Journal of Medicine (313:52) reports. This is remarkable because, 30 years earlier, before he started dieting and exercising, he had severe coronary disease, with dangerously high blood levels of cholesterol. By practicing what he preached, Dr. Pritikin rid himself completely of arterial disease and set a good example for us all.

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Whenever your blood pressure (BP) is to be taken, whether you are doing it yourself or someone is doing it for you, you should keep several factors in mind so that you can get the most accurate reading.

The U.S. Pharmacist (11 #7:15) reports that one should rest for at least 15 minutes before a blood pressure reading is taken. This is important because the BP rises to compensate for the increased amount of blood that pools in the legs by gravity as when one is moving about. Without this compensatory increase of BP, the amount of blood flow to the brain would become inadequate during periods of physical activity. The height of one’s BP, furthermore, depends upon how active one has been just before it is taken.

In addition, Geriatrics (37#3:38) suggests that whenever possible blood pressure readings be taken with the patient standing. They stress that the decision to change antihypertensive medication dosage should never be based solely upon sitting pressures. This is because when elderly people get up onto their feet, the blood pressure tends to fall, and this drop is especially profound in people taking treatment for hypertension.

Because an abnormal artery in one arm can give mislead-ingly high blood pressure readings on that side, the pressure should be taken from both arms. The arms, furthermore, should be supported on a table, etc., since a dangling arm gives falsely high blood pressure readings.

Since your BP will also rise if you inhale tobacco smoke or consume caffeine, do not smoke (or even sit near any smokers) or drink coffee, etc., for at least an hour before your pressure is taken.

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As pointed out in the previous articles, the idea that parts of our brain are gradually being destroyed by traces of aluminum that we absorb from our food and drinking water can no longer be easily dismissed. Aluminum is not only used by many of our cities for water purification but also is an ingredient in a wide variety of medicines, cosmetics, and foods. In fact, it is rather frightening to discover just how widely aluminum is used.

It is disturbing to find aluminum in so many cake mixes, salad dressings, pickles, baking powder (not baking soda), and processed cheese. Some (but not all) ready-to-sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese products (and other grated cheeses) contain an aluminum salt to enhance pourability. There is also an aluminum compound in several of the most widely used brands of table salt (to help it retain pourability under moist conditions). Fortunately, some brands of “sea salt” remain aluminum-free. These are available in most large supermarkets.

Many lipsticks, skin creams, and lotions contain aluminum. Because it is inexpensive, light and fluffy, and imparts a creamy smooth texture to their products, manufacturers regard aluminum as a good “filler.” Alum, please note, is also an aluminum compound.

As the main active ingredient, an aluminum compound is also included in most antiperspirants (sprays, sticks, and roll-ons). The compound temporarily poisons sweat glands, thereby providing fairly long-lasting dryness. For the same reason, presumably, aluminum features in many feminine hygiene products.

A large number of common medicines, including several brands of aspirin, contain aluminum. One should try to avoid any medications containing salts of aluminum. Since there are usually aluminum-free equivalents for them, we suggest you read medicine bottle labels and, if necessary, discuss this with your pharmacist. Fortunately, the marketplace offers alternative products that are aluminum-free and, by reading labels, we can protect ourselves.

Other ways we can avoid unnecessary aluminum intake is by discarding our aluminum pots, pans and percolators and by drinking from bottles rather than from cans.

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