2 weeks Ago
Q. You've written about grape juice and Certo. Why should it be grape juice? I have been using this combination to lower my LDL cholesterol.
As an added benefit, my joints ache less. A. It is quite possible that your lower cholesterol is due to pectin, the primary ingredient in Certo (Nutrition Research Reviews, Sept.
26, 2024). If that's the case, grape juice is simply a reasonably palatable way of consuming the pectin. On the other hand, grapes are rich in polyphenols and so is grape juice.
Consuming the juice can reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure (Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Jan. 10, 2020). We don't have scientific studies on how Certo and grape juice affect arthritis.
However, a placebo-controlled trial found that a combination of red grape juice with bilberry juice reduced infl ammation (BMC Nutrition, Nov. 22, 2021). A different pilot study found that purple grape juice alone can lower infl ammatory markers (Complementary Therapies in Medicine, November 2020).
Other readers report that pomegranate juice with Certo can also provide relief from joint pain. People are also reading..
. Q.M y husband has had constipation for years, though it was mostly more annoying than scary.
At times, he had to drink magnesium citrate to get some relief. We currently are doing everything that we can, so he takes Miralax daily, eats prunes, drinks prune juice and uses supplements like fiber pills and stool softeners. I make nutritious meals with veggies, protein, starch and fruits.
To give him some extra energy, I bought protein shakes with 30 grams of protein. He loved them, so he began drinking them twice a day and it bound him up for three weeks. We tried Fleet enema and magnesium citrate suppositories, but nothing worked.
Finally, I took him to the emergency room where they administered an industrial-sized enema. That worked! Why am I asking for your help? The drink gave him energy, but the constipation was awful. Is there something he could drink that would not cause unbearable constipation? A.
A person eating a normal diet won't usually get energy from additional protein. But if you have a blender, you could make satisfying shakes or smoothies at home, using whey or powdered egg, soy or pea protein as the protein source. We like to add frozen bananas (peel before freezing!) and frozen berries, which should provide a good amount of fiber.
Fiber is critical for normal digestive function. When an older person like your husband develops severe constipation, it makes sense to ask his doctor to check if it is an early sign of Parkinson's disease. That could call for treatment in addition to our 10 tips for combating constipation, which you will find in our "eGuide to Controlling Constipation.
" This online resource is found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com .
Q. I have experienced erectile dysfunction problems, even with Viagra. I have long enjoyed diet tonic water containing aspartame sold by one particular company.
When it was no longer available, I switched to tonic water containing saccharin instead of aspartame. My erectile dysfunction is no longer a problem. Connection? A.
We could find no scientific studies to confirm an association between aspartame and ED. However, research on mice suggests that aspartame may be harmful for the male reproductive system (Environmental Toxicology, February 2021). We did find a link between sweetened soft drinks and erectile dysfunction (Central European Journal of Urology, Sept.
6, 2011). In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.
PeoplesPharmacy.com . Their newest book is "Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.
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