General Health FAQs: Your Questions Answered

I used to get so much mail with general health questions that I decided to put this page together. They are not in any particular order, except for the #1 question, which can change. If you are looking for a sexual health answer see the sex faqs. . ~ Amy ~

Q. I sweat so much all the time. The wet marks under my arms is embarrassing. Is this a physical or an emotional problem? I have tried many deodorants. Help!.

A. This is common problem for teens. We all sweat different amounts, and the amount our sweat smells also differs. Certain materials make you sweat more — particularly artificial materials. Try and wear only pure cotton clothes. Make sure that you wash regularly to get rid of the sweat — bathing or showering twice a day helps. You say that you have many deodorants, try one with an antiperspirant in it. The best ones for sweating contain aluminum chloride hexahydrate.

Sweat is part of our body’s cooling mechanism. Water on your skin’s surface evaporates and helps you cool down. Sweat itself doesn’t actually smell, the odor is caused by the action of bacteria.

Profuse sweating that occurs at times other than in hot conditions or after exercise is sometimes due to a disorder called hyperhidrosis. This disorder is marked by perspiration produced in abundant among by overactive sweat glands. When you’re a teenager it is not uncommon for hormones to be causing overactive sweat glands. However, there could be other causes like hyperhidrosis.

Excessive sweating may be all over the body or be limited to certain areas of the body. This condition affects both men and women and usually begins during childhood or at puberty, but improves spontaneously for many people in their twenties. (I know I had it too when I was about 14 – 16).

The hyperhidrosis itself can cause anxiety or distress for people who have it, which leads to additional sweating. Make an appointment with a health care provider to make sure that what you have is primary hyperhidrosis (rather than an underlying condition that causes profuse perspiration, known an secondary hyperhidrosis, which would require treating the underlying condition first, often resolving the abundant sweating as well). Take this opportunity to get more information and to discuss your treatment options and their possible side effects.

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Q. I have a really bad sweating problem. I always have clammy hands and feet. What can I do? It’s very embarrassing and I know people notice, I am afraid to touch anyone because of my sweaty hands. Help!

A. Sometimes clammy hands and feet are genetic. Carrying a small container of corn starch or baby powder with you and applying it after washing your hands may work for you. I know this is hard for guys, you can keep it in your backpack. If the perspiration persists, see a health care provider to see if you have hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating of the palms of your hands and feet. There are treatment options that may help dry your hands and feet and leave you feeling more comfortable too.

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Q. Does chocolate causes acne? My mom says yes, but my science teacher says NO!

A. There is no scientific proof that chocolate causes acne. I repeat, there is no relationship between zits and chocolate! So, enjoy some chocolate, AND look elsewhere for what causes acne. Check out the acne article, I think it will clear some things up for you. No pun intended.

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Q. Is smokeless tobacco safer than cigarettes?

A. NO WAY! It’s true that many people think smokeless tobacco (also known as chewing tobacco or snuff) isn’t as bad as cigarettes. One study quoted said that 77 percent of kids thought cigarette smoking was very harmful, but only 40 percent thought smokeless tobacco was harmful.

The truth is that smokeless tobacco use is connected with all sorts of problems. Smokeless tobacco can cause bleeding gums and sores of the mouth that never heal. Eventually you may end up with cancer of the tongue or salivary glands. Tobacco is tobacco: it all contains nicotine, and nicotine is very addictive! It stains your teeth a yellowish-brown color. It gives you bad breath. It can make you dizzy, give you the hiccups, even make you throw up. (Definitely NOT cool!)

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Q. I have asthma and am athletic. Can I take my medications & play sports? I have heard that asthma medications are not allowed for sports participation.

A. It’s very important for athletes with asthma to take their asthma medications. Confusion developed because of a medication called ephedrine. This is a stimulant drug that can also help asthma. Stimulant drugs (like ephedrine, amphetamines, and caffeine) give the athlete an unfair advantage and are not allowed in Olympic and other competition. These drugs have a number of side effects, including increased aggressiveness, higher blood pressure, increased heart rate, loss of fluids, and anxiety.

FYI, Olympic officials have limited the amount of caffeine they will allow their athletes to take. Some athletes find that too much coffee will cause increased urination and may lead to dehydration. If you have any question about your asthma and medications, speak to your health care provider who prescribed them.

Q. I crave chocolate everyday. Is this normal or am I addicted to it?

A. Women’s health expert, Dr. Pamela Talley, says that chocolate cravings are driven by the change in balance of male and female hormones in our monthly cycle. That same flux can be the cause of periodic acne that some women experience. Chocolate and other food cravings are part of a larger serotonin issue which is why Prozac is often the treatment of choice for Premenstrual symptoms.

Roseanne Rust, a registered dietitian, suggests one reason that people might crave chocolate is that it has some amphetamine-like properties. “Also, the cannabinoid-like fatty acids mimic the effects of marijuana, producing euphoria”.

Five Hundred years ago, Spanish conquistadors called chocolate the “Food of the Gods”, when they first discovered it in South America. That kind of reverential attitude hasn’t altered much over the centuries, we still love it. In 1996, Americans consumed 1,412,685 metric tonnes according to the International Office of Cocoa, Chocolate and Sugar Confectionery in Brussels Belgium (and they should know, they make the best chocolate in the world). The U.S. Chocolate Manufacturers Association says that each of us consumes 5.32 kilograms or about 12 pounds per year.

So when you need a little afternoon pick me up, you can now confidently turn to chocolate. But don’t forget even though cocoa powder itself is intrinsically low in calories, all the added ingredients that help make it so tasty are high in caloric content. However it is not the kind of fat that is related to a rise in cholesterol levels and may indeed be beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels. Before chocolate-phoria over takes you, one last point, applying cocoa butter to your skin can trigger acne. But eating it should’t contribute anything worse than feeling very, very good.

NUTRIENT BREAKDOWN OF ONE OUNCE OF MILK CHOCOLATE:
147 calories
2 grams protein
9 grams fat
16 grams carbohydrate
65 milligrams calcium
65 milligrams phosphorus

References: * Roseanne Rust, certified dietician, regular columnist for the Meadville Tribune, May 2000.

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Q. I have a habit of cracking my knuckles. What makes that “popping” sound when they are cracked? My friend says it will make them bigger, is this true ?

A. It won’t make them bigger, but it could over time. When you crack your knuckles, you are actually pushing the joint either into or out of its normal position. In either case, when you do this, gas, mostly nitrogen, is displaced and escapes from the joint space. This displacement of gas causes the “popping” and “cracking” sound of knuckles, and a few other joints. Not all joint “popping” sounds are caused by escaping gases. In some joints, most notably the hip, the sound is made by ligaments moving over the bone.

On the other hand, escaping gas seems pretty innocuous, right? Wrong. Your friend wasn’t too far off when she/he told you that cracking your knuckles would make them bigger. By cracking your knuckles, what you are doing is pushing the joint further than its range of motion would normally allow. This puts stress on the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint together and in place. Ligaments behave a little like rubber bands — you can pull and stretch them a lot; but, eventually they won’t return to their original shape and length.

After years of pushing your joint past its normal range of motion, it may become “hypermobile.” If the joint is very mobile (as in the hand), the joint surfaces might wear out. If this happens, the body responds by laying down more bone. Although this sounds like the body healing itself, in reality, matters are made worse. Usually, the bone is not laid down smoothly and the joint surfaces become rough. So, spurring or sharp spots will develop in the bone of the joint in question. Eventually, you may have rough surfaces moving against each other, to which the body might respond by swelling, increasing the amount of fluid and blood in the area. In the end, you could have a joint (“arthro”) that is inflamed (“-itis”).

Of course, little research has been carried out in this area, so it’s difficult to say with a high degree of certainty that knuckle and other joint cracking will lead to arthritis or other joint diseases. But it’s fairly safe to say that repeatedly pushing a joint beyond its normal physical range is not a good thing to do. And years down the road, you could possibly end up with arthritis in your hands, not just big knuckles like your friend said! I still crack mine and I have arthritic hands… oh well.

Q. What is human sperm made up of?

A. I’ll assume you are asking about sperm plus the seminal fluid (a.k.a. semen) which contains the sperm. Each sperm or spermatozoon, (spermatozoa = more than one of them) is actually made up of three parts, the head, the midpiece and the tail.

The head contains chromosomes or genetic material (DNA) and on the outside of the head enzymes needed for the penetration and fertilization of an egg. The midpiece contains “stuff” that provides energy for the locomotion of the tail. The tail helps the sperm swim.

Let’s go back to the inside of the head of the sperm. All normal cells have 46 chromosomes but sperm have half that number or, 23. If and when the sperm joins ups with the female’s, egg (ovum) which also has 23 chromosomes, together they add up to 46 chromosomes. The middle section controls the sperms activities.

The sperm or (spermatozoa — which are the little swimming critters) make up only about 5% of what a man ejaculates each time he ejaculates. This represents about 100 to 400 million of them! Therefore, they are very, very, very tiny, in fact a single sperm is the smallest cell in the body. The rest of what a man ejaculates in his “ejaculate”, which is about a teaspoonful (5 ml), is made up of water, sugar, protein, vitamin C, zinc, and prostaglandins.

Semen or seminal fluid is the mixture of sperm and the secretions of the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and the bulbourethral glands.

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Q. I fart a lot. Where does it come from and how do I stop this?

A. Most people have gas (flatulence) or fart between 12-16 times a day, and get rid of about a pint of gas. Some gas is from the air you swallow when you talk, chew gum and eat too fast. It’s also from the gases released when your body’s bacteria digest food. This gas is usually a mixture of methane and hydrogen sulfide — that’s the rotten egg smell that some people experience.

Some foods can make gas worse. Cabbage and eggs are great at producing gases. Limit your intake of lentils, peanuts and soybeans (although they are all very good for you). Trying to digest lots of fiber — vegetables, brown rice, soybeans, etc. can make you fart more than normal. Keep a record to see if some foods make it worse and then avoid those.

If it’s any comfort, you’re not alone. There’s a company that manufactures fart proof undies — ones with a charcoal filter in them to get rid of hideous whiffs. I don’t have their url, sorry about that.

Recommendations: Eat fresh papaya (it contains papain) and fresh pineapple (contains bromelain). These are great sources of beneficial digestive enzymes. I often eat pineapple after a vegetarian meal. Avoid carbonated beverages as those bubbles have to escape from somewhere, you will burb or fart!

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Q. My mom had a TIA, what is that?

A. It stands for: transient ischemic attack, go there ->.

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More soon!

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