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 VITAMIN VITALITY
A recent study in the Journal Of The National Cancer Institute reported that megadoses of multivitamins increased the risk of advanced or fatal prostate cancer in men. This is scary news! How worried should I be?
Kat
Waxahachie, TX
Don’t be scared! The study you referenced has many limitations. The group of patients selected, were genetically predisposed and the length of the study was only five years. (A typical study of this type is generally performed with a healthier population and the study is a minimum ten-year study including patient follow-up.) Taking a daily multivitamin is good for you, but don’t overdo it. One multivitamin once a day does the trick. The best way to obtain your vitamins, however, remains through your diet. Key protective foods include fruits and vegetables, of course, which are good sources of antioxidants vitamin C, E and beta carotene. Oh, and adding fresh lemon in water creates an alkaline environment which both infections and cancer dislike. Delicious! —PF
NOT FOOLING ANYBODY
I’ve recently tested positive for HIV and haven’t spoken with my doctor. I am afraid of starting any treatment and have heard stories of people who live happily and healthy without treatment. Am I fooling myself or is this, in fact, possible and true?
Michael S.
via Internet
Testing positive for HIV can be a traumatic experience and you shouldn’t go through it alone. I think it is imperative that you see an HIV care provider as soon as possible. An experienced provider will be able to offer you the necessary insight on what you can expect and help to answer any questions you might have. It also is necessary for you to have a full assessment and baseline blood tests. However, before you even begin to worry about medication, it is important for you to know if you even qualify for treatment. Not everyone who is HIV positive gets started on medication right away. There are guidelines and other variables to consider. It has been suggested that individuals who become HIV positive can live out their full life expectancy as long as they maintain their health and immune status. Whether this means going on medication or not is a question that only you and your health care provider can answer. HIV care is individualized according to each person. Don’t let your fears get in the way of your health. Take the first step and talk to your doctor. —FS
DOCTOR, ANYONE?
I recently moved to New Hampshire and am in need of a new doctor. I don’t really know anyone here to ask for opinions. I want to find someone who fits my requirements, such as being gay-friendly. Are there any databases of information about physicians (like 1-800-DENTIST, but for doctors) to help me in my search?
John
via Internet
Since you are new to the area, you may consider contacting the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association through their website, glma.org. This group represents the interests of more than 80,000 GLBT physicians. GLMA was founded in 1981 to combat homophobia within the medical profession. Their online physician referral database is one of their outstanding services. However, once you begin to meet people, you will get a lot of referrals through friends, which generally proves to be the best recommendation for a physician you’ll be comfortable with. I find my best referrals are those from other gay patients—so word of mouth about a particular health care provider is a great source. You may also want to check out the local gay Yellow Pages or contact your local gay and lesbian center. Other suggestions would be to check out the provider listing at gayhealth.com. Or you may want to visit the office of one of those providers listed or you have heard about. Observe the waiting room for gay-friendly literature. Also, if you’re interested in being a patient, observe the wording on the forms. Do they use the words life partner or partner rather than husband or wife? Remember, you want your doctor to be caring, compassionate and humanistic. As William Osler said, “Medicine is not taught in the classroom, but at the bedside.” You want to be able to really talk to your doctor about any problem you may have. —PF
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