Take care when using wire brush to clean barbecue grill
Q: You have written about the dangers of wire brush bristles getting into grilled food. Is there a way to clean off the backyard barbecue grill that avoids that problem?
A: Emergency physicians have reported injuries when people inadvertently swallow wire bristles trapped in their grilled food (Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, April 2016). Using a wire brush to clean the grill can create a problem that may be quite serious (Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, October 2018).
Such brushes should be replaced at least every two years. Readers have other suggestions for cleaning the grill, such as wiping it down with a damp paper towel or using a nylon scrubber. One person recommended sliding an onion over the hot grill to clean it.
Q: A few years ago, I thought I was experiencing early-onset senility: depression, lack of concentration, near-paralysis when faced with decisions to make. It threatened to ruin my career.
At the time, my doctor told me it was stress and that I should take it easy. Then I started waking at night with the painful sensation that my hands were three times their normal size (they weren’t). A new doctor ran tests that showed a vitamin B deficiency. A transdermal patch with vitamin B12 made an immediate and dramatic difference. We never found a reason for the deficiency.
A: Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to symptoms such as numbness and tingling in hands and feet, balance problems, memory difficulties, burning tongue, confusion, depression and even dementia. In addition to testing for low vitamin B12 levels in blood, doctors may need to test for high levels of methylmalonic acid — a more reliable marker of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin patches are relatively new and somewhat controversial. You can usually correct vitamin B12 deficiency with a relatively high dose of oral B12. Monitoring is essential to make sure you are achieving the proper level of this essential nutrient.
Q: I am a 73-year-old woman with a long history of high cholesterol. I have had a severe reaction to all statin drugs and can’t tolerate any of them.
My total cholesterol was almost 300. After taking red yeast rice twice a day along with Welchol for less than a year, my total cholesterol has come down to 184. My HDL is 44 and my LDL 80.
So far this has been the only thing that has worked. Even eating a healthy diet did not work. What are the side effects of taking red yeast rice long term?
A: Red yeast rice is an ancient Chinese food that was also used traditionally as a medicine. It contains compounds called monacolins. These are related to statin medications.
Many people appear to tolerate red yeast rice better than statins. That may be because the dose is generally lower.
Side effects of red yeast rice are similar to those of statins (International Journal of General Medicine, online, April 30, 2019). Be alert for muscle pain and weakness, elevations in blood sugar and nerve pain.
You can learn more about red yeast rice and other strategies for managing lipids in our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health. Anyone who would like a printed copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (70 cents), selfaddressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. C-8, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. A PDF version can be downloaded for $2 from our website: peoplespharmacy .com.