ask-the-expert
I recently had my first experience with gout. I had blood work done, which showed high levels of uric acid. I was given a list of many foods I should avoid, but the list is so extensive! I?m not sure what to eat besides fruits, and vegetables. What do you recommend to balance my diet? I want to be strict with my intake and get better results in my next blood work in 3 months.
When I sweat, it's really painful. It feels like I'm being stabbed into my back and upper chest with needles. There is no rash, only an occasional itch. Sometimes the sweating comes on quickly and out of nowhere, as if it were a hot flash. But I've gone through menopause and I don't get hot flashes any more.
For the last year or so, I’ve been suffering from serious pain in my Achilles tendon anytime I run or walk at a fast pace. I’ve been to a podiatrist, whose only advice after x-rays and several appointments was to stay off my feet and wear a boot to bed. Isn’t there anything more I can do, or am I doomed to sit on the sidelines at the ripe old age of 37?
I have an 8-month-old son and a 4-year-old daughter and they both have asthma. My husband wants to enroll them in swimming lessons this summer. He said someone told him that swimming is good for kids with asthma, that it’s supposed to exercise their lungs and make them stronger. I think the opposite — it’s a lot of exercise for little kids and would only trigger their asthma and make them start coughing again. Does swimming really help kids with asthma?
I’m considering pregnancy at the age of 51. What are the health risks – both for me and for the baby?
I found out my friend’s daughter has a sore on her back infected with MRSA. I had also noticed a sore on the head of one of their dogs, but only after I pet the dog. Should I be concerned?
I have been diagnosed with gallstones. What foods can I eat to help them dissolve so I don't have to have surgery?
I occasionally see flashing lights, like lightening, that other people don’t see. What could cause this?
I saw a program on the news about calcium buildup in the heart. I take 1,000 mg of calcium every morning and have about 3 glasses of milk daily plus the milk on my large dish of cereal. Is this too much calcium? Is there any danger from taking in more calcium than you need? Can it cause calcium buildup in my heart?
I woke up 5 days ago with what looks like a little “burst” vein in my left eye. Since yesterday it has become much worse and has spread out to the left side of my eye. Now half my eye looks blood shot. Could this be because I am taking a beta blocker?