Study shows food allergies can be linked to eczema
Q: I was plagued with several patches of eczema, especially around my lips. The dermatologist prescribed a cortisone cream that kept the rash at bay. However, ingesting that much cortisone shut down my underactive thyroid.
I suffered through several years of embarrassing rash until I took a short stab at veganism. Within a couple of days, the rash cleared up completely. As I added animal protein back into my diet, it became clear that eggs were the culprit.
I recommend that anyone suffering from eczema do a few food challenges to eliminate the possibility of food sensitivities before turning to topical or oral medications that may have serious side effects.
A: Thank you for the suggestion. Food allergies can indeed trigger eczema (Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, July 20, 2020).
Q: My husband has horrible body odor. He showers every day, but he still smells terrible. It’s not only his underarms; it’s his whole body. I think it’s coming from the inside. Could certain foods be causing it? Please help.
A: We don’t know why your husband smells. However, there is a condition called “trimethylaminuria” in which a person’s sweat, breath and urine smell like rotten fish (Drug Discovery Today, July 2020).
This condition is rare, and scientists have not done much research on its treatment. The smell can be controlled in part by avoiding fish, poultry, eggs and red meat in the diet and washing with a low pH cleanser such as Alpha Hydrox moisturizing body wash, Cetaphil, CeraVe foaming facial cleanser or Sebamed.
In mice, a garlic compound called allicin helped reduce the buildup of TMAO that causes the bad smell. We don’t know if eating garlic would help humans, however. You may need to find a health professional who is familiar with trimethylaminuria diagnosis and treatment to see whether this is responsible for your husband’s problem.
Q: I took omeprazole for years, but when I learned it could weaken my bones my doctor switched me to ranitidine (Zantac). I was pleased to be using something safer for my reflux, but then I read that ranitidine may contain a cancer-causing chemical.
What else could I take to ease heartburn symptoms? I do not want to return to a PPI.
A: Have you considered famotidine (Pepcid)? It is in the same class as ranitidine, but its different chemical makeup means it has not been linked to potential carcinogens. Like ranitidine, it is available without a prescription.
Q: I recently read in your newsletter that supplements of vitamin D and calcium might prevent recurrences of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. I’ve been taking vitamin D and calcium for years. I still got BPPV, which made my head spin.
My neurologist referred me for physical therapy. The therapist did the Epley maneuver twice on my first visit and repeated it again later. It worked like magic! Now if I think the vertigo is returning, I try to do it myself at home.
A: People who are low in vitamin D appear to benefit more from the supplements to prevent BPPV recurrence (Neurology, Aug. 5, 2020). designed to reposition the calcium crystals in the ears and is the best treatment for BPPV. It is not too hard to do these movements at home.