May 24, 2011

• Medical Food For Thought

  I havent done anything educational here for a while. No, it has just been comics, and occasional mentions of my travels (still have a ton of australia posts to do) or my love life (spending time with girlfriend takes precendence over updating the intarwebs). Medicine works its way in every so often as well.

  SO today, I am going to learn you all good about some handy dandy food products you can use for medical conditions. Please note, none of this constitutes actual medical advice, as for all you know I could be a cabbage farmer in Siberia (bUy our cabbage, it makes you strong like bull!)

  Cranberry Juice:

  This is the one you probably all know about already, but a recent review of the medical literature shows that cranberry juice may actually be helpful for preventing UTI’s in woman who expereince them recurrenctly

  Coffee:

  Caffeine is structurally remakrably similar to theophylline, an old-timey treatment for asthma little used today. Although we have access to beta blockers and inhaled corticosteroids, should you be on vacation and suffering from an asthma attack with no nearby hospital and no meds on hand, downing as much coffee as you can should help ease your breathing while en route to proper medical care

  Honey (yes dear?):

  Yet another cochrane study although of much lower quality showed that honey may be better than placebo in relieving the pain of partil or full thickness burns…so next time you have a sunburn, dribble some honey on it. Also effective? the tannic acid in lipton tea bags…slather yourself in a little english breakfast and watch as that burn fades away!

   

  Vinegar:

  In one that is close to my heart, especially during the summer season, vinegar should be liberally poured over any jellyfish stings, as it will prevent the undischarged stinging cells from firing. Contrary to popular belief, urinating on it will not work and will just embarass you and whoever you are urinating on…unless you are into that sort of thing, which is an entirely different problem.

   

  Bacon!:

  Myiasis is tissue infestation by fly larvae (Order Diptera). There are different types of cutaneous myiasis, including wound-infestation, migratory and furuncular. Furuncular myiasis results from the fly larvae penetrating the skin where they feed in the subcutaneous tissue. The larvae still need to pop up for air now and then, so seeing a wriggling white thing with black “eyes” (respiratory spiracles) poking out of a skin lump is a dead give away. There are two important types of fly that cause furuncular myiasis. The human Bot fly (Dermatobia hominis), found in Central and South America, and the Tumbu or Putsi fly (Cordylobia anthropophagia) from Central and Southern Africa (plus at least one case from Portugal!).

  The furuncles are left covered with bacon fat. This encourages the larvae to exit the skin, either due to suffocation or an attraction to bacon. After about 3 hours the bacon fat is carefully removed with forceps at the ready to help fully extricate the larvae

  

  So if any of you were planning a trip to central america, or africa, keep some bacon handy, it might just prevent some uncomfortable furuncles…plus you will be able to eat bacon!

   

  So there you have it, dont say I never taught you anything

  -Dr J

  • 1:31 pm
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