This may sound like a stupid question - I love carrot juice, and I was wondering if it really helps you have good vision?
It is not a stupid question, and there is some truth to the fact that carrots help your eyes. It will not change your vision if you have some other reason for your vision to be bad; however, some of the vitamins and nutrients in carrots contain pigments that help on the outside of your eye, as well as on the inside part of the retina. Carrots may also help to decrease the risk of macular
Vitamin D and Colds
by Dean Heller MD November 2nd, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
My doctor suggested that I take vitamin D supplements. He said besides just generally being good for my body, that I get too many infections, and vitamin D can help. Is that true?
Vitamin D is important for your body, as it helps with many functions, including bone growth. If your doctor has checked your vitamin D levels, and they are low, then there is benefit to supplementing; however, the data on improving your defense against the common cold is not very strong. In fact, a recent study showed no benefit. But that is not the only reason to take vitamin D
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Vitamin D is important for your body, as it helps with many functions, including bone growth. If your doctor has checked your vitamin D levels, and they are low, then there is benefit to supplementing; however, the data on improving your defense against the common cold is not very strong. In fact, a recent study showed no benefit. But that is not the only reason to take vitamin D
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
by Dean Heller MD October 26th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
My doctor says that I was born with a "Bicuspid Aortic Valve." He also said that it will not be a problem for many years, if at all, but I still want to know more about it. Help!
Bicuspid aortic valve occurs in about 1 1/2%of the population. The aortic valve, is the valve between the heart and the biggest blood vessel in the body, the aorta. It prevents blood from leaking back into the heart, and it allows the blood to move forward and feed oxygen and nutrients to the body. It usually has 3 leaflets that almost look
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Bicuspid aortic valve occurs in about 1 1/2%of the population. The aortic valve, is the valve between the heart and the biggest blood vessel in the body, the aorta. It prevents blood from leaking back into the heart, and it allows the blood to move forward and feed oxygen and nutrients to the body. It usually has 3 leaflets that almost look
Anatomy of the Heart
by Dean Heller MD October 19th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
I have had a heart murmur for a number of years. I went to a cardiologist, who explained that I will likely not have a problem for years; however, he also said that I will eventually need a valve replaced. They have told me a few times what causes the murmur, but I can never remember all of the medical terms and names of the valves correctly. Can you review that for me?
Medical terminology can be very confusing. Here is a quick overview of the heart anatomy. There are 4 chambers of the heart:Â 2 atria and 2 ventricles,
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Medical terminology can be very confusing. Here is a quick overview of the heart anatomy. There are 4 chambers of the heart:Â 2 atria and 2 ventricles,
Automated External Defibrillator
by Dean Heller MD October 12th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
I was in the airport the other day, and I saw someone who was having a serious medical problem. There were a number of people around him, who were airline passengers, but they seemed to know what they were doing. They used one of those machines you see on the wall to help. What is that thing? And how would I become trained like them?
Great question. You can easily be trained for CPR. If you go to your local hospital or fire department, they will tell you when they have CPR training available. Many people are trained every year,
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Great question. You can easily be trained for CPR. If you go to your local hospital or fire department, they will tell you when they have CPR training available. Many people are trained every year,