Medical Advisor

Dear Dr Krop:
After a motorcycle accident years ago my health began to deteriorate. In addition to low energy levels, reactions to dust, perfume, cigarettes and car exhaust, I’m particularly concerned about my recurring skin eruptions. Can you guide me in the right direction?
--RT

Acute stress such as a severe accident can unmask a hidden allergic state. Your skin eruptions may indicate eczema, possibly exacerbated by a sensitivity to foods (including wine) and possibly molds and candida. These sensitivities may have started during hospitalization, due to poor nutrition, prolonged use of codeine as well as chronic use of steroid creams.

I recommend investigation of your allergies, particularly for indoor and outdoor inhalants and food and chemical sensitivities. An environmental physician would use appropriate serial dilution end point titration testing. If this is not available in your area, a naturopathic doctor could determine any sensitivities using electrodermal testing.

Elimination of any sensitizing foods for a period of six months and a four-day rotation diet with tolerated foods could improve your condition. Eliminated foods can be reintroduced after six months if tolerated but preferably on a four-day rotation basis (for example, wheat on day one and not again until day five), certified organic foods being preferred. Supplement with vitamin C, multi vitamins and multiminerals. Additional supplementation with evening primrose oil or flax oil works well for eczema.

You may be exhibiting signs and symptoms (low energy in the afternoon, cold limbs) of subclinical hypothyroidism and/or poor adrenal reserves. You could have thyroid antibodies checked to rule out Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. You can also check your own basal body temperature (the average of five temperature measurements taken under your armpit before arising each morning on five consecutive days). A normal temperature is 36.6--36.8 C. Any reading below 36.6 indicates that thyroid or adrenals may not be functioning well.

I would also want to explore the possible effect of any mercury amalgam fillings if present in your mouth since mercury may also affect skin and hormone functions. Try to find a complementary physician, naturopath or homeopath in your area who can help make sense of all the bits of information and formulate a plan for you.

Dear Dr Krop:
I have just been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and abnormal tissue growth in the esophagus. I consistently wake up with a bad acidic taste in my mouth, but only occasionally have heart burn. I am concerned about this developing into cancer and need to stop this over-production of acid up the esophagus. Can you offer alternatives that might help?
--LJ

H pylori bacteria is now well known to be associated with ulcers and hyperacidity as well as cancer of the stomach. If your doctor has not already done so, ask him for a blood test for H pylori bacteria. If positive, you should receive therapy with three specific antibiotics and an antacid for 10 days (be sure to take acidophilus while taking the antibiotics). In some cases bismuth alone can eliminate pylori.

However, your scanty description of symptoms and history doesn’t make the situation clear. You must also ascertain whether you are suffering from hyper- or hypoacidity.

If it is hyperacidity, continue the five steps you outlined in your letter (elevating your upper body while sleeping, eating small meals, frequent snacks, nothing after 8 pm, no alcohol, caffeine, spices and smoking). Avoid any anti-inflammatory medication such as ASA, Ibuprofen and Naprosyn. I would further suggest you decrease consumption of highly acidic foods, as well as eliminate any foods to which you may be allergic or sensitive. You can determine these either through elimination and rechallenge of individual items (convincing but time-consuming) or by an ELISA blood test, sublingual or intradermal provocative neutralization, or electrodermal testing. These tests may be available from a complementary physician or naturopath.

You may additionally use 15 milligrams of folic acid per day, two tablespoons of flax seed oil two times a day, 25-50 mg per day of zinc, 400 IU vitamin E and 10,000 units of vitamin A daily, as well as 1, 000 mg of vitamin B12 every two weeks. Try one cup of cooked flax seed on an empty stomach at least once a day, as well as one litre of juice from raw cabbage in divided doses daily during the healing stage. One or two chewable tablets of deglyrrhized licorice (DGL) three times per day is known to help decrease acidity as well a cure a gastric ulcer. Deep diaphragmatic breathing would be helpful for your hernia.

Medical advisors Dr Michael R. Lyon; Keith Stelling, MNIMH; Jozef Krop, MD; and Stephen C. Malthouse, MD will address readers’ letters from their areas of expertise. If you don’t specify a medical advisor, we will decide who is most appropriate. Please include a cheque or postal money order for $20 made out to: Canadian Health Reform Products Ltd, 7436 Fraser Park Drive, Burnaby BC, V5J 5B9