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Email askdoctordave@cbs4denver.com
Health Section
John writes: I recently received an e-mail on the benefits of using asperagus as a possible cure for cancer. It listed several "documented" case files showing that in some instances complete remission. Directions were to puree the asparagus and take two teaspoons daily once in the am and the other in the pm. They quoted an article from a cancer medical publication as fact. Any verification that you know?
Dave: This is a new one for me, though I suppose someone could make a claim about any thing for any cure these days. Asparagus is a good vegetable with lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber- and making a puree doesnt remove any of the nutritional benefits.
Terry from Arvada wants to know: How many shots will my six year old need this fall to prevent the flu?
Dave: It all depends on whether your youngster has been immunized against the seasonal flu, and whether we'll be told kids (or grownups) need one or two shots to get protection from H1N1. Here's a possible breakdown for everyone:
Seasonal flu shot if immunized in past-- one shot
H1N1 vaccine if only one is needed-- now two shots
Never been immunized from seasonal flu-- now up tp three shots
Then told we need two H1N1 shots-- now we're at four
So at this point, we'll have to wait and see how many the shots the CDC says we need for H1N1, but you can see the potential exists for a lot of pokes.
Candy from Denevr wants to know how often blood tests are needed to check liver function in people who take statin drugs to lower cholesterol. Her old doctor said every 6 months; her new one says every year is enough.
Dave-
A tough call. The general recommendations that come with many statin drugs say to check liver function before starting the drug, then at 12 weeks, then every 6 months. Somer people will have it also checked just a month into the start of treatment. i think most of us follow this general rule, although I think if youve been on something for many years and nothing has changed with your liver, it might be worth asking whether less frequently is OK. I frankly am not sure how much doctors agree on this point.
BTW, as for checking cholesterol, a lot depends on how youre doing. If its sky high, checking every 3 months isnt too crazy (but once again, everyone is different) I think one thing to keep in mind is we often do a two-fer: a tube of blood can measure both cholesterol levels as well as liver function- you just need to fast for the chol test
John from Denver wants to know whether the heart protective effect from red wine can be found in grapes.
Dave: They can, provided you go with the deepest, red or purple grapes you can find. Several studies have shown that these contain potent amounts of flavanoids, the antioxidants that seem to relax blood vessels as well as providing anti-cancer protection. One of the problems with some of the research is the amount of grapes you need to eat: a serving (half cup) seems to do the trick.
Joan from Denver: Over the past three weeks, my right eyelid has been twitching. It doesn't hurt and I can see ok. Should I see my doctor?
Dave: It's hard to diagnose things like this over the internet, so let's start with: if you have a medical symptom, you should talk to your doctor. Now, here's the scoop with eyelid twitching, in general. In most cases, it's not a big deal. We're not really sure why it happens, probably some irritation or over-sensitivity of a nerve in the area. The vast majority of time, the twitching is caused by stress, fatigue, too much caffeine, anxiety, or eyestrain. Even allergies and alcohol can be a cause. So, look to see if any of these fit, try to fix it, and see if the twitching calms. BTW, the medical name for the condition is called EYELID MYOKYMIA.
Tom from Highlands Ranch: I was reading about Jeff Francis and his injury to his shoulder. What exactly is a labrum? Does it have something to do with shoulder dislocations?
Dave: The labrum of the shoulder is actually a round cup of cartilage that forms a bowl, or a socket, for the ball of the upper arm to fit in. And as a baseball pitcher, or actually with almost any other type of sport, you can have a small piece of this cartilage tear- the types and varieties of tears are numerous, mainly because the shoulder can move in so many different directions- unlike, say, a knee. Here's one way to think about a torn labrum: it's as if a little flap of tissue gets wedged or caught in the shoulder as the arm moves to throw a ball. And that really hurts... as well as take away from the speed of your pitches. Lots of different surgeries to repair a tear, and the recovery can be tough. For a pitcher- it's many months- and odds of complete recovery not as high as with other injuries- but nonetheless it's something that with rehab and hard work may allow Francis to take the mound for the Rockies again.
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