Swollen feet

I am a 49 year old male and my feet are always swollen at the end of the day. Is there something I can do for this?

There are many things that can cause feet to swell up. If your blood pressure and kidney are fine, it may be that you are up on your feet all day. Being upright on your feet all day is a common reason for feet to swell up especially if you have varicose veins.

My best advice is to wear come type of compression stockings. You do not need to buy those expensive stockings that cost over $70. Go to a retail store like Walmart and they have decent compression stockings for $15. Wear the stocking first thing in the morning and that will prevent the feet from swelling. The stockings will also make your feet refreshed at the end of the day. The great thing about compression stockings is that they will also prevent development of varicose veins. These stockings come in all colors, sizes and gradients. Please do not buy these stockings from a vein doctor or any doctor for that matter- they will rip you off by charging you $50 and above for a pair of stockings.

Can i reheat food the next day?

Is it safe to reheat and eat meat the next day?

Sure it is safe. This advice is usually given to morons, who do not know the first thing about bacteria or food. When you cook food, the heat kills the bacteria. But if the food is left outside at room temperature, it can be contaminated from fingers, utensils and other items in the kitchen. So if you are going to reheat food, it is best to store the food in the fridge after it is cooked. Next day, warm the food up. There are many people who cook food and leave it out for several days and then wonder why they develop diarrhea. There unfortunately is no cure for stupidity.

Will i develop Sjogren syndrome?

Are there any risk factors that can place me at risk for developing sjogren syndrome? my mother has it and I am worried that I may develop it also.

Sjogren is most common in females in their child bearing age but any one can develop this disorder. However there are a few known risk factors for sjogren disease. These include:

Age. Sjogren tends to occur in middle age females. The symptoms typically arise in the 3-5 decade of life.

If you are a female then your chances of developing sjogren are high.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis or any other autoimmune disorder , your chance of developing sjogren are high.

Finally if anyone in the family has sjogren, then you are at a high risk for developing this disorder

Best advice, watch out for dry eyes and dry mouth and see the doctor at the first sign of these symptoms.

Sjogren disease- do i need treatment?

I have had sjogren disease for a few months. I have no symptoms and am wondering if I really need treatment from doctors?

Well, sjogren syndrome is progressive. It does come and go in a cyclical fashion. These periods of rest and flareups are unpredictable, but each time it presents with more severe symptoms. If you ignore your sjogren disease it can cause a number of complications that include poor dentition- the lack of saliva will lead to loss of your teeth, bad breath and a very painful mouth.

Yeast infections are very common in patients with sjogren,. The one way to prevent them is maintain good oral hygiene
Most people develop vision problems. The drying of the eyes leads to extreme sun sensitivity, blurred vision and corneal ulcers.

As the disease progresses it can cause damage to your lungs, kidneys, liver and nerves. Many people develop numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. Sjogren syndrome is a systemic illness and progressive. I do not think you should take this disorder lightly. My best advice is to speak to a rheumatologist. If you muck around with sjogren syndrome, it can make your life miserable.

Sjogren and pregnancy

I am 35 years old and have been diagnosed with sjogren. Is it safe to get pregnant?

Well, this is something you need to speak to your doctor and obstetrician. While some women have carried a pregnancy without harm to the baby, you must understand that sjogren disease can affect the baby. The antibodies which cause sjogren can pass through the placenta and harm the fetus. Best advice, think about this and discuss with your doctor. No one can predict what will happen to your baby. There is a chance that the baby will be born fine but there is also the possibility that the baby may be harmed. A delicate situation where I do not have the expertise to give advice.

Vitamin D for heart disease

Can vitamin D reverse my coronary disease?

The simple answer-NO. You can eat all the vitamin D you want, it will not do anything for your heart disease. There has been a lot written lately about vitamin D and how it benefits people with coronary artery disease. This is utter nonsense. The fact is that there are no clinical studies to support these statements. The people who advocate vitamin D are the ones who sell it. It should also be remembered that vitamin D pills are not a substitute for the conventional heart medications. If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, maintain a healthy weight, eat more veggies than meat, do not smoke, exercise regularly and get a regular check up with your doctor. If you listen to the charlatans who recommend vitamin D for plaque reduction, you will end up dead sooner than you think.