A diet high in dairy products could make your acne worse
Q: After years of treatment by a dermatologist for persistent acne, my daughter went to a naturopath who advised her to stop consuming dairy products. Within a few weeks, her skin was perfect.
A: For decades, dermatologists maintained that diet didn’t matter with regards to acne. They preferred to treat pimples with antibiotics because they produced predictably positive results.
Now, however, many doctors are trying to limit the use of antibiotic pills for this condition (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, February 2019). There is growing recognition that long-term use of antibiotics can alter the bacterial balance (microbiome) of the body.
Scientists have found that your daughter’s experience is not unusual. A diet rich in dairy products appears to make young people more susceptible to acne (Nutrients, Aug. 9, 2018). Avoiding milk as well as food with a high glycemic index can be helpful.
Q: About 30 years ago, I got shingles from my hip to my knee. A doctor told me to get a bottle of original Listerine and rub it on often. It took about a week or two, but the Listerine got rid of that terrible pain. I didn’t develop blisters.
A: Shingles is a painful rash that may occur many years after a person suffers chickenpox. This infection is caused by a herpes virus called varicella zoster. Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, famciclovir or valacyclovir may speed healing if taken early enough.
Sixteen years ago, another reader shared a similar story: “What is the miracle of Listerine? Twenty years ago I got shingles. I had a blistery rash, and it really hurt.
“My doctor told me to keep rubbing Listerine on it. The itching stopped, the rash disappeared and the pain went away for good.”
We have no idea why Listerine might be helpful against shingles pain. We could find no research in the medical literature, though some doctors seem to know about this home remedy.
Q: I often see suggestions that certain foods could be effective against dementia. Are there any studies with results on this?
A: There are in fact some scientific data that support a produce-rich diet to reduce dementia risk. One of the most recent was published last month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (April 22, 2020). The scientists used data from a very long-running study, the Framingham Offspring Cohort. People who consumed diets with the most plant compounds called flavonoids had the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.
Where do you find flavonoids? Fruits and vegetables are the best sources. Americans get a lot of their flavonoids from apples, pears and oranges. Tea and cocoa are also good sources, along with blueberries, strawberries and red wine (in moderation).
Diets with lots of vegetables and fruits and very little processed food have also done well in studies of heart disease. You might recognize this as the backbone of a Mediterranean diet or the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) regimen. Both have been the subject of randomized controlled trials.
So far as we can tell, both your heart and your brain will benefit if you fill your plate with colorful berries, fruits and veggies.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Send questions to them via www .peoplespharmacy.com.