Crash Diets and Heart Disease?
Q. My friend is trying a crash diet to lose weight, but I have heard crash diets can actually harm your heart. Is that true?
A. There are an endless number of fad diets marketed today. New variations are introduced every week. These diets all have one thing in common: they typically limit certain foods or entire food groups (carbohydrates, protein, etc) or focus on eating a particular food. All promise rapid and significant weight loss. None have been proven to offer long-term health benefits. Over an extended period of time, some diets have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and, possibly, some cancers. Additionally, most who use these diets regain their weight after the diet ends. The safest and most effective way to lose weight remains a sensible, well-balanced calorie-restricted diet, coupled with regular exercise. Unlike fad diets, this combination has been proven to reduce cardiac risks and improve quality of life.
C. Samuel Ledford, M.D., FACC
Cardiologist
Chattanooga Heart Institute
2501 Citico Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37404
Ph. (423) 697-2000
www.chattanoogaheart.com
The Best Crown for You
Q. There seem to be many different types of crowns out there: metal, metal-free, porcelain. Which one is the best and why?
A. Crowns come in many varieties; there is no best crown for all applications. There are two main categories of crowns: full metal and tooth-colored. Full metal crowns usually mean gold crowns. Gold crowns are the strongest crowns made, but often are not as aesthetically pleasing as other types of crowns. Tooth-colored crowns have many different variations.
The following provides an overview of crowns available today:
• Porcelain Fused to Metal: Strong crown with proven durability. Most tooth-colored restorations are still done with this material.
• Zirconia: New studies show zirconia crowns are as good as porcelain fused to metal crowns, with superior aesthetics.
• Alumina: Same aesthetics as zirconia crowns, but according to recent studies, alumina is not as strong as its zirconia counterpart.
• Full Porcelain: Most beautiful of all crowns. The compromise is in the strength, which is not rated for posterior teeth. Great for veneers.
• Full Porcelain CAD/CAM: More of a technique than a material. Milled in the dentist’s office, this procedure provides fast-service aesthetics. They are operator specific, so results can vary. These restorations are strong and durable and can be used for posterior teeth.
Technique has a tremendous amount to do with how a crown looks and functions, in the short-term and long-term. Selecting the right material and using an appropriate technique will provide a crown that is not easily seen once placed permanently, as well as a durable restoration to last many years.
There are many brands and variations available for crowns, as well as other materials that are occasionally used. This information gives you a good starting point in talking to your dentist when making a material selection.
Mark McOmie, D.M.D.
McOmie Family Dentistry
5999 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Ph. (423) 899-1112
www.mcomiedentistry.com
Good to be Exposed?
Q. A friend recently told me kids are more prone to developing asthma and allergies when they are not exposed to germs, such as dirt and pets. Is this true?
A. Yes, if you believe researcher D.P. Strachan’s “hygiene hypothesis,” first published in the British Medical Journal in 1989.
According to Strachan, we are born with an immature immune system that needs to be stimulated and ‘trained’ to develop normally. When our immune system is exposed to viruses and certain bacteria during early life, TH1 lymphocytes could be stimulated, leading to the development of a non-allergic normal immune system.
In a sterile environment, the immune system overreacts to food, environmental stimuli and viruses, which results in TH2 stimulation and the development of asthma and allergic diseases. Limiting exposure to bacterial and infectious diseases increases the risk of developing asthma and allergic diseases.
Community studies have shown that allergic diseases are more prevalent in industrialized countries compared to ones that are more rural. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute estimates that asthma is 1.75 times greater in prevalence today than in 1980. National data indicates that the number of children with asthma has doubled in the past 15 years.
Children raised in rural environments, especially with farm animals, have a lower incidence of allergies. Children enrolled in day care early in life, those raised with multiple siblings, and children growing up with pets have a lower incidence of allergies and asthma.
Although there is much support for the hygiene hypothesis, it doesn’t satisfactorily answer the question of why there are more asthma deaths in some of the nation’s inner cities, where the environment is not “clean”.
Susan Raschal, D.O.
Covenant Allergy & Asthma Care
1350 Mackey Branch Drive, Ste. 114
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Ph. (423) 468-3267
www.covenantallergy.com
Hips that Hurt!
Q. I sit for long periods of time at work. At the end of the day, I am stiff and sometimes I feel a shooting pain in my hip. I can’t quit my job. Is there something that I can do to correct this?
A. Hip pain is common and can have several different causes. The two most common sources of pain that radiate in to the hip region are an arthritic ball-and-socket joint, and secondly, a pinched nerve in the low back. Both problems are very treatable and oftentimes treatable without surgery.
The mainstay of treatment is to first accurately identify which problem is causing pain in your hip. This routinely can be performed with an evaluation by your primary care physician or a specialist. X-rays are often useful in leading to a proper diagnosis.
If your condition appears to be hip arthritis (ball-and-socket joint problem), simple medications, such as Tylenol or anti-inflammatories (such as Advil), can be useful.
If your condition is felt to be related to an aggravated nerve in the low back, physical therapy is frequently helpful, as are the medications mentioned above. Additionally, sometimes simple cortisone injections can help make the problem disappear.
Complaints such as yours are very common throughout our individual lives. A simple evaluation typically reveals the answer. Problems such as yours are likely treatable with simple measures and usually do not require surgery.
Jay Jolley, M.D.
Cervical and Lumbar Specialist
Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics
2415 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37404
(423) 624-2696
www.sportmed.com