The Health Blog

If you are extremely sensitive to a food, have a history of anaphylactic reactions to food, or of life-threatening asthma attack, your doctor will advise whether it is safe for you to test foods or not, but you should always take emergency precautions before testing and not test unsupervised. If you have no such history, such precautions would not be essential.

If you have had immediate allergic reactions to a food, or are nervous about testing, one useful test you can carry out prior to actually eating the food is the Cheek Test. Smear a small amount of the food or its juice on the skin of your cheek and leave for half an hour. If you develop symptoms in that time, do not test-eat the food without further consulting a doctor. This is a useful test to do for babies and young children.

How to Monitor Symptoms

Before starting to eat, note down how you feel, and whether you have any specific symptoms already so that you will notice any change.

Eat the food you want to test, as a single food (see below for full advice). If you have a history of allergic reaction, you may only need to eat a little and your doctor may advise you not to eat too much. If you have no clear history of allergy, you may need to eat a lot of the chosen food: you may only react if you eat a large amount and it is better to get a clear result on the first round of testing. (You can experiment later to see if you can tolerate smaller amounts.)

Next, wait and see if symptoms develop. Note down any adverse changes (physical or mental) that you notice, and the time when they occur. Most people find that, if they are going to react, symptoms start to develop within the first four hours after eating. Delayed reactions can occur, especially with proteins and grains, and you can develop symptoms up to eight hours later or even the next day.

Do not take food or drink other than water for at least four hours after testing so that you do not confuse the results. Some people like to test foods in the late afternoon or evening, so that they can be at home resting and are able to monitor symptoms for several hours after eating.

If you get very hungry when testing or on an exclusion diet, a drink of hot boiled water helps quell hunger cravings and get you through to the next meal or snack.

If you feel worse the next day or get withdrawal symptoms, these will confirm any symptoms that you noted on eating the food.

If you have no reactions to a food first time round, it can be a good idea to wait a week (or a minimum of four days) before eating it again, and then repeat the test to be absolutely sure of negative reaction.

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Angio-oedema (water retention) is characterised by puffiness and swelling of the tissues and deeper levels of skin. As small blood vessels enlarge in an allergic reaction, fluid escapes from them into the surrounding tissues and causes the swelling. This can be painful and give a burning sensation. The swelling is commonly found around the face, lips, tongue, eyes, and also in the hands, feet and legs. Occasionally, it can be dangerous if it causes blockage of the airways.

Angio-oedema often accompanies urticaria , like urticaria, it can be caused by false allergy reactions to foods and chemicals. Aspirin is a common trigger.

Asthma

If you have asthma, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• wheezing

• shortness of breath

• constriction of the chest

• cough

These symptoms can also be caused by other diseases, such as bronchitis or heart disease; asthma can be distinguished by measuring changes in the diameter of the airways of the lungs. Severe asthma is readily recognised, but mild asthma can go unidentified. Tightness of the chest, and shortness of breath are often accepted as normal, or go unperceived. A dry, persistent cough, especially in children, can often be a symptom of mild asthma. In a severe attack, a dry cough often becomes productive as phlegm is produced.

Asthma can occur immediately on meeting an allergen, or as a late phase reaction several hours later. Attacks are often bad late at night; this is linked to changes in the blood levels of a hormone, adrenalin.

Asthma is not always caused by an allergic reaction. It can be triggered by irritants, such as smoke or fumes. Cold air, exercise, or a viral infection can all cause asthma without allergy being involved. Stress, particularly emotional stress and anxiety, can also trigger or aggravate asthma.

Asthma can also be a symptom of food intolerance, chemical sensitivity, or of false allergy reactions to foods and chemicals.

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Oven Cleaners

Most oven cleaners are based on caustic soda and are highly corrosive and irritant, even to normal, healthy people.

The best way to keep your oven clean is never to allow grease and spills to become encrusted. Wash it down each time you use it while it is still warm with a solution of sodium bicarbonate in hot water (one tablespoon to 300 ml/1/2 pint water), or clean with washing-up liquid. Never allow grease to build up. It is hard work, but make it a habit and it will save you using a noxious cleaner.

If the oven is already dirty, sprinkle salt or sodium bicarbonate on to the moistened surfaces when the oven is warm, and allow them to stand for some time. Rinse and wash thoroughly.

Washing soda is a very effective oven cleaner, but it cannot be used on self-cleaning liners or on certain enamels as it will damage the surfaces. Read your cooker’s instructions or contact the manufacturers to find out if you can use it.

Silver Cleaners

Most silver cleaners are solvent-based and give off fumes. To clean tarnished silver, make a solution of one part washing soda and 20 parts water in a washing-up bowl. Put in a piece of aluminium foil. Immerse the silver and leave for about one minute. This causes a chemical reaction (non-hazardous) and the tarnish from the silver is transferred to the foil. Rinse well, dry and buff with a dry cloth. Chrome can be polished with a solution of sodium bicarbonate.

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Here you will find instructions for cooking the following foods for weaning:

• Amaranth • Rye

• Buckwheat • Sago

• Millet • Tapioca

• Oats • Vegetable and fruit juices

• Rice

If your baby is chemically sensitive, use filtered or bottled water.

Amaranth

Serve puffed amaranth, mashed with a little water.

Buckwheat

40 g (1 1\2 oz) buckwheat flakes 300 ml (A pint) water

Stir the flakes into the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To cook in a microwave, put the flakes and water in a large, covered bowl. Heat at full power for VA minutes. Stir, then heat at full power for a further VA minutes. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Make sure that the mixture is cool enough before serving.

Millet

65 g (2 1\2 oz) millet flakes 300 ml (1\2 pint) water

Mix the flakes into the water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until the porridge thickens. Turn off the heat. Cover tightly and leave to stand in a warm place. Thin with water if necessary before serving.

To cook in a microwave, follow the instructions for Buckwheat (above).

Oats

40 g (11\2 oz) porridge oats 300 ml (1\2 pint) water

Stir the oats into the water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring.

To cook in a microwave, follow the instructions for Buckwheat (above).

Rice

Either cook ordinary rice (white, for preference) in water and liquidise with boiled water to a fine puree, or give ricecakes or plain rice puffs, salt and sugar-free (Kallo brand available from wholefood shops). (Baby must be able to chew to take these.) Alternatively, cook 50 g (2 oz) rice flakes in 300 ml (1\2 pint) water, following the instructions given for Buckwheat (above).

Rye

Give Ryvita Original Crispbread if the baby can chew, or soak the crispbread in water, mash it a little and give it by spoon.

Sago

25 g (1 oz) pearl sago 300 ml (1\2 pint) water

Mix the sago and water in a saucepan. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly, then cover and allow to simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. The mixture will turn clear and soft when ready. Add more water if necessary.

Tapioca

20 g (3\4 oz) pearl tapioca 300 ml (1\2pint) water

Follow the instructions given for Sago. Vegetable and fruit juices

You can make your own vegetable and fruit juices by simmering a 25-50 g (1-2 oz) piece of vegetable, or 50 g (2 oz) dried or fresh fruit in 600 ml (1 pint) water, then straining for a thin, flavoured drink, or liquidising for a thicker juice.

Fennel, carrot and parsnip can be popular drinks. Try also apricot, fig or prune fruit drinks.

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If you have intractable problems with damp or are in a very mouldy location, say near a river or canal, you may have to consider moving house to a drier situation. If you cannot move, or have very specific damp problems, you could consider using a dehumidifier to keep down humidity and mould levels. If you do use one, you need to take great care that the dehumidifier itself is not a source of moulds. Mould spores can grow on the inside, and in the collecting containers of dehu-midifiers; they are then blown back into the room with the drier air. If you use one, you must empty it frequently and keep it scrupulously clean, often wiping it down inside with a Borax solution.

If you have an intractably damp cellar, porch or cupboard, keep its door closed as much as possible, and seal it with draught-proofing material. Mould spores can seep through a house from such an isolated source, and opening a door frequently or leaving it open will blow moulds constantly through the house.

Moulds are found in house dust wherever it collects. Using filters on a vacuum cleaner can prevent moulds being dispersed around the room in the vacuum exhaust.

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Learning to have pleasurable sex without intercourse is a good way to expose some myths about sex. Many men think that an erection is necessary for a woman’s sexual pleasure, but in fact it is not. A woman can experience much joy and achieve orgasm without an erect penis being in the picture. That does not mean that a woman won’t enjoy intercourse, just that ifs not always necessary. Like many of us, Caroline felt that intercourse was “real sex,” and other pleasures didn’t quite qualify. Learning otherwise made her feel better and enjoy sex more. And realizing that sex and pleasure don’t require an erection is reassuring—and re-energizing—to many men.

Once genital touching is permitted, the therapist might explain that the woman should gently caress the man’s penis until he gets an erection. Then she stops touching until the erection goes away—without the man ejaculating. The lovers can then repeat the exercise. Doing this several times gives the man practice in getting, losing and regaining an erection. It’s reassuring to both partners to realize that an erection once lost is not gone forever.

Or the man might caress the woman. Some men have always been the more active partner in sexual encounters, and they may find it difficult to relax and let their partner give pleasure to them, as the exercises require. One way around this is for the man to caress and stroke his lover first. Initiating the exercise may make it easier for him to then let his companion take the lead.

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To diagnose leaky veins you often need to have a cavernosogram. This test has been around for a while, but recently if s become more widely used to check out vein problems. It can provide important information which just isn’t available any other way.

The cavernosogram test takes about 20 minutes, and while it involves sticking a small needle in your penis, it is an otherwise painless procedure. You are given an artificial erection with a penile shot. The doctor then injects some dye into the penis which makes any leaky veins show up on an X-ray. If everything is normal, the dye should just stay in the erect penis. But if a man has leaky veins, the dye will leave the penis and show up in the veins. With this test, your doctor can determine the size and location of the leak.

Another test, the xenon wash-out, gives some of the same information but unfortunately can’t pinpoint the location of the leak. Because the cavernosogram gives more information, if s usually preferred.

The crucial thing about vein abnormalities is that they can be exceedingly difficult to diagnose. If a doctor doesn’t look for them, vein problems are easy/to miss. Any leak in the system may be a lifelong problem, or it may develop after years of satisfactory erections. Eric, a 40-year-old fisherman, had always enjoyed sex very much. He never had problems with erections. A large and very strong man, he prided himself on his health and the effort he put into keeping physically fit. But two years ago, Eric developed a problem maintaining his erections. He didn’t know what was wrong and neither did his steady girlfriend, Margie. As time went on, Eric’s difficulty increased. He went to several doctors, but no one could find anything wrong with him. Finally, Eric was referred to a urologist who specialized in potency problems.

Sure enough, Eric checked out fine on every test—but one. That test showed that he could blame his veins for the change in his potency. At this point, we don’t know just what makes some veins fail after functioning well for years. Fortunately, Eric didn’t have to resign himself to the situation. He had a choice between having the veins repaired, or having a penile prosthesis.

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There are lots of self-help sexual aids on the market, many of which are sold with the claim of fantastic powers. While some of them do work for some men, you should never use any of these devices without first consulting your physician. You need to find out if your potency problem is caused by a medical condition, which in itself requires treatment. Consulting a doctor before you buy anything might also save you a lot of money, disappointment and even harm to your health.

Cock Rings

One common aid used to boost potency is the cock ring— and it does work for some men. After a man has attained the best erection he can, the cock ring will hold the blood in the penis to keep it erect. These rings may be helpful for men who can get an erection but have difficulty maintaining it. But used improperly, they can cause pain and even permanent damage. A man who cannot become erect at all usually will not find them helpful.

Cock rings are sold in sex shops and by mail order houses. They are often made of thick rubber like material, which stretches easily so the ring can be slipped around the base of the penis once an erection is present. The rings come in different types of designs; some even have bumpy areas to stimulate the woman’s clitoris.

If, after consulting your physician, you decide to try a cock ring, it is essential that you observe precautions. You should use the ring only for short periods of time—never over 30 minutes. This is very important, because otherwise the penis can swell and make removal difficult and painful. Think of how your finger swells if a too-tight ring is left on.

So, clearly, being able to get the ring off easily is of prime importance. Some rings stretch easily for removal, others have snaps which you have to unfasten. Only use rings which can easily and quickly be removed or cut off. If you can’t get a ring off, it can cut off the blood supply, which can cause gangrene and possibly require amputation of the penis. Therefore, plastic, wood or metal rings, or thin elastic or rubber bands which can be lost in the skin and difficult to remove, are absolutely not recommended. One man kept a metal cock ring around his penis for several days. When this unfortunate fellow finally came into a hospital emergency room, the ring was literally cutting into his penis, causing profuse bleeding. It took a special saw to cut the metal and remove the ring.

If you have pain, your penis feels tender or you see any type of discoloration on the organ, remove the ring immediately. And if any of the symptoms or discomfort persist after removal, see your physician without delay.

And we hasten to add that a man with poor sensation in his penis should never use a cock ring, because he won’t feel the warning signs that tell when a ring is causing damage.

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It’s important to know that after either type of prostate surgery, a man will retain his ability to feel an orgasm, but he won’t ejaculate any fluid. Because the prostate produces part of the fluid a man ejaculates, after surgery he has less fluid to discharge; what does come out goes back into the bladder. This isn’t harmful, and the ejaculated fluid simply mixes with urine and is discharged when the man voids.

Some research suggests that just knowing what to expect after prostate surgery can help a man keep his potency. So here’s our advice for prostate patients.

• Be sure you understand why the doctor is recommending prostate surgery.

• Specifically, ask how it will affect your sexual functioning. Make sure you get a clear and comprehensive answer.

• If you’re having a radical prostatectomy, make sure your doctor is familiar with the new nerve-sparing methods. Some large tumors cannot be treated this way; if your physician advises against the new techniques, be sure you understand the reasons, Make sure you understand the pros and cons of any alternative treatment.

• Make sure your wife understands the procedure and the amount of time it will take you to recover. Encourage herto discuss with you and the doctor any concerns she may have.

For those patients who do lose potency after prostate surgery, penile prostheses or penile shots (discussed in chapters 7 and can enable a man to get and maintain an erection.

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Many drugs can interfere with erection. Here is a list of the more common troublemakers. In some cases doctors aren’t sure if the drug is really causing the problems; with almost all of these drugs, some men may experience potency problems while others remain unaffected. If you think one of them may be contributing to your erection problem, consider switching to another drug or type of treatment. But be sure to talk over any change with your doctor first. Stopping a drug treatment on your own can be dangerous.

Fortunately, the negative effects of drugs on potency are almost always reversible, though it may take some time for your system to get back in gear after you quit taking the drug.

Generic Name Brand Name

Blood pressure medicines and

diuretics

Thiazides Diuril, Esidrix,

Hygroton and

others

Spironolactone Aldactone

* Hydralazine * Apresoline

* Minoxidil * Loniten

Methyldopa Aldomet

Clonidine Catapres

Reserpine Serpasil, Sandril

Guanethidine Ismelin

Bethcmidine

Pargyline Eutonyl

Phenoxybenz- Dibenzaline

amine

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