DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 76-year-old man in relatively good health. Would you please clarify the value (or lack thereof) of tea? Because of a previous belief that all tea, especially green tea, was beneficial, I began drinking all types of it instead of coffee. I subsequently read that tea inhibits the absorption of iron. This was the case with me. When I went to donate blood, my iron count was too low to donate. I stopped drinking tea and took iron pills for a while. My blood count returned to normal.
DEAR READER: For people who think they might be anemic, a simple iron-deficiency panel can be ordered by their physicians.
Foods high in iron include nuts, whole grains, green, leafy vegetables, beans and red meat. Citrus fruits, juice or supplemental vitamin C tablets taken at the same time as eating iron-rich foods help the body absorb iron.
Adversely, some foods, such as coffee, tea, egg yolks, soy products and milk block the absorption of iron. For this reason, they should be avoided by some anemic people.
Green tea has been used for more than 4,000 years for medicinal purposes and has received a lot of publicity recently. It is purported to reduce the risk of some cancers, bolster the heart's resistance to cardiovascular disease, detoxify the body, boost the immune system and increase longevity.
I certainly don't think there is any harm in drinking green tea. But, with so many things in life, moderation is the key. When used appropriately, green tea can be beneficial, with few if any adverse reactions. When used in excess, however, green tea may cause anemia, affect blood clotting and cause symptoms associated with too much caffeine.
Check with your doctor, but I endorse a reasonable amount of green tea as part of your regular routine.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report: Blood: Donations and Disorders." Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, No. 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
DEAR DR. GOTT: Should we be concerned about the reports of lead in things made in China, such as dishes, cups and quilts? I have many dishes and am afraid to use them.
DEAR READER: To begin with, people used to call dishes "china." While many dishes certainly came from China and were named appropriately, the connotation stuck. Now a plate or bowl, no matter where it is manufactured, is referred to as china. The media recently covered a news item that some serving dishes manufactured and glazed in Mexico were found to contain lead. People who were in possession of such pieces were urged to test the products for lead content.
If you have any doubt about what you own, I suggest you purchase a home-use kit that can detect lead in plastic and metal toys, painted surfaces, fine china, ceramicware and jewelry. There are numerous companies available online, such as www.leadinspector.com, that sell kits. Spend the money, get the peace of mind, or do without those much-loved dishes.
Now, on to the quilt issue. I can't imagine in my wildest dreams how a quilt could contain lead unless it is made from a metallic component. Let's put this one out to the readers for their input.
DEAR READER: For people who think they might be anemic, a simple iron-deficiency panel can be ordered by their physicians.
Foods high in iron include nuts, whole grains, green, leafy vegetables, beans and red meat. Citrus fruits, juice or supplemental vitamin C tablets taken at the same time as eating iron-rich foods help the body absorb iron.
Adversely, some foods, such as coffee, tea, egg yolks, soy products and milk block the absorption of iron. For this reason, they should be avoided by some anemic people.
Green tea has been used for more than 4,000 years for medicinal purposes and has received a lot of publicity recently. It is purported to reduce the risk of some cancers, bolster the heart's resistance to cardiovascular disease, detoxify the body, boost the immune system and increase longevity.
I certainly don't think there is any harm in drinking green tea. But, with so many things in life, moderation is the key. When used appropriately, green tea can be beneficial, with few if any adverse reactions. When used in excess, however, green tea may cause anemia, affect blood clotting and cause symptoms associated with too much caffeine.
Check with your doctor, but I endorse a reasonable amount of green tea as part of your regular routine.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report: Blood: Donations and Disorders." Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, No. 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
DEAR DR. GOTT: Should we be concerned about the reports of lead in things made in China, such as dishes, cups and quilts? I have many dishes and am afraid to use them.
DEAR READER: To begin with, people used to call dishes "china." While many dishes certainly came from China and were named appropriately, the connotation stuck. Now a plate or bowl, no matter where it is manufactured, is referred to as china. The media recently covered a news item that some serving dishes manufactured and glazed in Mexico were found to contain lead. People who were in possession of such pieces were urged to test the products for lead content.
If you have any doubt about what you own, I suggest you purchase a home-use kit that can detect lead in plastic and metal toys, painted surfaces, fine china, ceramicware and jewelry. There are numerous companies available online, such as www.leadinspector.com, that sell kits. Spend the money, get the peace of mind, or do without those much-loved dishes.
Now, on to the quilt issue. I can't imagine in my wildest dreams how a quilt could contain lead unless it is made from a metallic component. Let's put this one out to the readers for their input.