I consider myself a connoisseur of ice cream. One of my favorite treats. The fact that I tend to be a little lactose intolerant has never stopped me from accepting an invitation. In fact, I can turn down almost any dessert, but ice cream remains victorious in every case. Well… until yesterday. Of all treats I generally expected ice cream to be less tampered with. I mean really…. how hard is this; milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla. Can you imagine my surprise when I read the back of an admittedly “less expensive” ice cream and saw Propylene Glycol listed as an ingredient.
A mother once came to me and asked if there was anything that can be done for her child that was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. A new mother once called me after a conversation with her sister, who was a patient in my office. Her sister had seen me adjusting an infant and had mentioned this to her. Her baby was not eating and the doctors were considering putting her daughter on Prilosec for acid reflux. While I am fairly confident that killing the stomach acid of an infant will be effective in removing the symptoms, the question still remains: “Is it healthy to do so?” Stomach acid is required to absorb important nutrients. Allergies, Autism, ADHD or Asthma: What do these all have in common? A FAILURE TO ADAPT.
As a father of 3 competitive young gymnasts, I know something about this. I am not just their dad, I am their doctor too. Seeing your kids perform in athletics can be exciting and it’s fantastic for their development. However, it is also important to make sure they are performing in a way that is creating more health and not damaging it.