Pulmonologist safer bet than herbs

Dear Dr. Gott: I am 59 years old and do a lot of coughing. My doctor says I have lung disease that is related to my years working at a coal-generating power plant. Friends have urged me to self-medicate with Tahitian Nonijuice. It’s an expensive remedy. What is your advice?

Dear Reader: To my knowledge, Nonijuice is not an effective remedy for any type of acute or chronic lung disease. Save your money, ask your primary care physician for a referral to a pulmonologist, and follow the specialist’s advice about further testing and treatment.

You may have job-related pulmonary disease that is permanent but treatable (with medication and/or oxygen supplements).

If you smoke cigarettes, stop. Follow the specialist’s recommendations.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Pulmonary Disorders.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: I’ve heard the saying that “our nails are the windows to our health.” Why do I have white spots under my nails? Is this a vitamin deficiency?

Dear Reader: It’s often been said that eyes and skin are also “windows” to health. Nonetheless, the nails frequently tell a lot. They can be brittle from malnutrition, blotchy from a vitamin deficiency or soft from inadequate calcium in the diet.

In addition, rounded nails are seen in conjunction with chronic lung diseases, hemorrhages may appear under the nails in the presence of bloodstream infections, and certain glandular deficiencies may cause nail changes. Periods of fever are frequently associated with white bands on the nails that become more obvious as the nail grows.

The most common cause of nail abnormalities is simple aging. As we enter old age, our nails become ridged and pitted. The color may change to opaque or yellow, especially in the presence of chronic fungus infection.

While it’s true that white spots under (or in) your nails could be caused by a nutritional deficiency, if you’re otherwise in good health, I’d attribute the markings to the aging process – or, perhaps, to minor infections, such as colds, that you might have had weeks before. To be on the safe side, ask your doctor about this.