Medical Hotline with Dr James Wright

foot condition
Tinea is commonly picked up in shower stalls, around swimming pools and on pathways. It can be treated naturally, with barefoot walking in the surf along the beach. The sand abrades the soft, itchy tissue, while the salt water acts as a mild antiseptic. Tea tree oil is often effective also, as is lavender, geranium, birch or lemongrass. A doctor will often prescribe Tolnaftate drops or an antifungal oral medication if it persists. Wash your socks then dry them in the sun along with your shoes, which kills the tinea germ.

avoid diabetes
Diabetes can be prevented. Begin by losing weight (if obese), lowering your blood pressure (if elevated), taking more exercise, cutting out alcohol—and eating peanuts. This is among the recommendations from the Journal of the American Medical Association. Regularly eating more nuts, but especially peanut butter, significantly reduces risks. Ideally this should replace refined grain products and red and processed meats. Although nuts are up to 70 per cent fat, they are of the “good” unsaturated kind, and also contain magnesium and fibre, which also helps lessen the likelihood of the condition developing.

less stress
To treat stress, first try to identify what’s causing it—too many late nights, workplace friction or excessive workload, irritability with others—then correct what you can. If there’s nothing you can do, see a doctor who practises relaxation therapy. They usually produce good results.

testing times
Women should commence regular smear testing soon after the start of sexual activity or around the age of 20. If clear, then repeat tests are suggested at two-yearly intervals for life. That’s also a good program for breast checks. Maybe consult a female doctor to avoid embarrassment.

foot treatment
Thickened, cracked heels that snag stockings and look unsightly can be treated by massaging regularly with vitamin A creams. Ung Vita is one that’s been used for years. The skin needs this essential vitamin. In more ancient days, the condition was symptomatic of arsenic poisoning, which, although uncommon today, is occasionally seen in those exposed to arsenic-treated wood.

summer spots
Freckles are caused when melanin, the pigment in the upper skin layers, reacts to sunlight and turns brown. If this is irregularly spread, freckles form. To avoid their formation, and more serious problems, apply an SPF30+ skin cream before venturing outdoors, and wear a hat. The condition is more probable in redheads and blondes, among whom sunburn is also more likely and more severe.

feeding problem
Small children will sometimes refuse food, tightly clenching their jaw when it is offered. This can be the result of an allergy to the food offered, and is quite common. Try an immunologist for tests to discover the offending food, and for advice on suitable alternatives. Also, little ones tend to gradually accept a wider range of foods as they become older.

DVT threat
Deep vein thrombosis can result from sitting at a desk for long periods. Reduced blood flow in the leg veins, wherever you are, can lead to blood stagnation and clot formation. If sitting, regularly move the feet or walk for a few minutes every hour. A daily walk tones the circulation and reduces risks.

sleep naturally

Q: I suffer from insomnia. I’ve tried valerian, but I’m not sure that it is works.

A: Valerian is a mild, unpleasant smelling herb that’s been used for centuries to help induce sleep. But everyone is different and, like any medication, the reaction of the brain varies. Other factors—stress being the worst—can reduce its activity. Valerian is often combined with passionflower and hops (available as Sedacalm). A hop-filled pillow can also be sleep inducing, as is a warm milk drink, which contains tryptophan, a natural sedative.

Extract from Signs of the Times, December 2003.

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