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Experts offer tips for women to ease discomfort during mammogram
Mammograms can be uncomfortable, causing some women to skip the potentially lifesaving annual exam. But experts at Baylor Health Care System in Texas offer tips on how to ease any possible discomfort during the procedure. • Don't drink coffee, tea or caffeinated soft drinks during the week before a mammogram. Caffeine can make breasts tender and lumpy, which may lead to discomfort during a mammogram. Chocolate and some over-the-counter pain relievers also contain caffeine. • Don't use deodorant, perfumes, talcum powder, or oils on the day of a mammogram. These products can leave a residue that can be picked up by the X-rays, obscuring the mammogram and possibly interfering with the results, leading to the need for a second mammogram. .
Tea tree oil not a proven remedy for acne
Q. My son has bad acne. What foods should he avoid? What's the best treatment? And what about tea tree oil? A. Amazingly enough, acne is not worsened by chocolate, soft drinks, fried foods, shellfish or milk products. In a study, 65 acne patients who ate two concentrated chocolate bars a day for a month did not get worse. A survey of 47,355 nurses found no association between severe teenage acne and eating pizza, sweets or french fries. But if certain foods worsen your son's acne, then by all means avoid them. Regarding tea tree oil, a systematic review of six electronic databases concluded that the data was promising but not compelling. And witch hazel bark, Vitex agnus-castus, bittersweet nightshade, brewer's yeast and Chinese duckweed don't seem to work.
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