ASK THE DOCTORS
May 09, 2006
<b>Can eucalyptus work on asthma?</b><br>Dear Doctor,<br>I sometimes get an attack and fail to breathe. A doctor once told me this could be asthma. We don’t have that disease in the family. If I use eucalyptus (steaming), can it help me?
Can eucalyptus work on asthma?
Dear Doctor,
I sometimes get an attack and fail to breathe. A doctor once told me this could be asthma. We don’t have that disease in the family. If I use eucalyptus (steaming), can it help me?
B
Dear B,
Asthma is a disease of the lungs characterised by episodes when the airways narrow. There is heaviness in the chest, difficulty in breathing, a dry cough and wheezing. Symptoms come and go and things like changes in weather or allergies may cause them to come. Asthma has a tendency to run in families, although this is not necessarily so. Another cause of attacks of such difficulty in breathing is ‘panic’ or ‘anxiety’ attacks when one feels anxious, starts breathing very fast and may faint. Don’t treat yourself. See a doctor.
I want to grow fat
Dear Doctor,
I am 26. I finished my studies and I am working with no serious problems. But I remain slender and weigh only 52kg. I want to gain weight.
Mary
Dear Mary,
First calculate your ideal body weight. Take your height in metres, square it and multiply first by 18 then 25. Your ideal weight should be between these two figures. This is from the formula for Body Mass Index. Many people gain weight after studies. If your weight is less than the ideal above, you need to think about how you are maintaining it. Are you eating normally (at least three substantial meals a day)? The only way one can gain weight is by eating more than one needs. It is not necessarily good to gain weight. If your weight is within the normal range you should not worry.
Dr Paul Semugoma
semugoma@hotmail.com. Write to Ask The Doctor, Box 9815 Kampala or health@newvision.co.ug
Dear Doctor,
I sometimes get an attack and fail to breathe. A doctor once told me this could be asthma. We don’t have that disease in the family. If I use eucalyptus (steaming), can it help me?
B
Dear B,
Asthma is a disease of the lungs characterised by episodes when the airways narrow. There is heaviness in the chest, difficulty in breathing, a dry cough and wheezing. Symptoms come and go and things like changes in weather or allergies may cause them to come. Asthma has a tendency to run in families, although this is not necessarily so. Another cause of attacks of such difficulty in breathing is ‘panic’ or ‘anxiety’ attacks when one feels anxious, starts breathing very fast and may faint. Don’t treat yourself. See a doctor.
I want to grow fat
Dear Doctor,
I am 26. I finished my studies and I am working with no serious problems. But I remain slender and weigh only 52kg. I want to gain weight.
Mary
Dear Mary,
First calculate your ideal body weight. Take your height in metres, square it and multiply first by 18 then 25. Your ideal weight should be between these two figures. This is from the formula for Body Mass Index. Many people gain weight after studies. If your weight is less than the ideal above, you need to think about how you are maintaining it. Are you eating normally (at least three substantial meals a day)? The only way one can gain weight is by eating more than one needs. It is not necessarily good to gain weight. If your weight is within the normal range you should not worry.
Dr Paul Semugoma
semugoma@hotmail.com. Write to Ask The Doctor, Box 9815 Kampala or health@newvision.co.ug