Doctor Doctor!

Last week we were discussing health issues and how men in particular avoid going to the doctor. We spoke to our resident GP Dr Dom who suggested that some may be embarassed about particular symptoms and this may lead to them putting off making an appointment.

So we harnessed the power of the radio show and invited you to email in any illnesses or ailments you were experiencing and we would seek expert advice and email you back.

Some of the queries we recieved seemed to require the help of an expert in nutrition so we enlisted the help of Aveen Bannon of the Dublin Nutrition Centre. Here are a couple of the queries we received and her replies;

Listener;

I am just wondering if you could get the doctor to give me
some advice on a health issue I have been worried about. I am a very picky
eater, very picky. But it isn’t by choice. I can’t eat anything I haven’t
trained myself to eat over the course of a few months. I don’t eat any
meat/fish/chicken etc. and I don’t eat many vegetables either. I cannot eat
any food that is hard in texture and I generally stick to carbs such as
potatoes and bread. I feel like I’m having a panic attack when people try
and force me to eat new foods – I get hot, upset, and angry. I don’t go out
to eat because I am worried I will be put under pressure to try something
new.
Is there something more to this than just being picky? I would absolutely
love to try new foods but I have a genuine fear which stops me.

Aveen;

There is a condition called neophobia where people are very afraid of trying
new foods. Sometimes people can have difficulty swallowing and they can
become very anxious at the idea of new foods. I would suggest going to your
GP and maybe trying to discuss this with a psychologist who specialises in
food disorders. There are places available that specialise in eating
disorders. Most of us tend to think of eating disorders only relating to
anorexia or bulimia where in fact there are many different forms. I would
definitely try and seek help and make changes at your own pace.

Listener;

For the past 3 or 4 years I’ve had constant problems with my stomach.
Basically I’m always full of wind which I can never get up (drinking
anything fizzy is a nightmare), I’ve got an on and off burning feeling like
heartburn in my stomach but gaviscan doesn’t work and can’t eat anything
near as much as any of my mates. I’m a 21 year old guy, 5’9, just over 9
stone and I’ve had this since roughly 17 or 18. Any suggestions would be a
great help as nothing has worked so far.

Aveen;

This could be irritable bowel syndrome and you would probably need to be
assessed by a dieitian. It might be a good idea to see your GP first to rule
out any other possible diagnosis but a dietary assessment could be useful.
Often people might have a few food intolerances and you might just need to
eliminate a few foods that aggravate your stomach. Simple dietary changes
could really improve how you feel and help you gain a little weight too.

For more information or to contact Aveen log on to www.dnc.ie