Supplements not as good as food

Dear Dr. Roach: What is your recommendation for weight gain supplements?

H.B.

Answer: I don’t recommend weight gain supplements, except under unusual circumstances. Most people do better eating food than using supplements such as protein powders.

Increasing one’s healthy fat intake can help improve weight as well as reduce demand on the lungs. Consuming protein and energy supplements almost never has a benefit compared to when healthy people eat well.

Dear Dr. Roach: I just read your recent column regarding Raynaud’s, and I’m a bit confused. My fingers and toes tend to get cold, so I always wear socks in the winter, even though I live in Southern California. Sometimes I will put on two pairs of socks.

This past winter, I noticed that my toes would sometimes be red when I took the socks off. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to when it happened. My doctor then diagnosed me with Raynaud’s.

You stated that with Raynaud’s, toes can turn either white or blue. Is there some other medical condition that would cause them to turn red?

M.F.

Answer: The classical progression in an attack of Raynaud’s is the affected fingers or toes will turn white, then blue, then red. However, not everybody has the classical color change, and you might be missing the white or blue color change, since your feet are in your socks (I recommend wool) and shoes.

Your doctor’s diagnosis seems likely to me; though, of course, I can’t be sure there isn’t something else. Blockages in the circulation to your toes are worth considering.

Some people are so sensitive that the temperature doesn’t need to be very cold at all to cause an attack. While warmer footwear will help, keeping your entire body warm is important in preventing Raynaud’s attacks.

That may mean you having to wear warmer clothes than other people, even when the weather feels warm to others.