Health: ingrown toenails, colds/bronchials, swollen glands

May 1, 2002

Greetings, all!

I have been reading the digest with interest and saw that someone mentioned colds and bronchial troubles being influenced by environment and I think I've experienced that myself. I have been working for two years in this old trailer with poor ventilation and not a high level of cleanliness. I have noticed that the more time I have to spend there (usually cooped up, especially with the weather we've had this past year being so crazy), the more often I have a cough, sniffles, and so on. My spouse actually finally got out of a job that seemed to be slowly killing him...he's allergic to mold and so on..and this place actually had it growing on the walls and from the heating/cooling vents! He complained many times, but nothing was ever done about it, and he was constantly sick.

I also would be interested in hearing more about how to protect against these things for as long as I have to work here.

Hmm..my next topic. The same person also mentioned ingrown toenails. I seem to get those myself all the time. I've been told you have to cut/clip the nail straight across, but that always leaves uncomfortably sharp corners. Any suggestions on how to prevent and/or heal ingrown toenails?

And lastly...but most importantly. My oldest daughter has been getting a swollen gland in her throat (the time before this last time, it was both sides)...it seems to usually be on the right side. It is located directly under her jaw line, in the neck, near the (what do you call that?) hard (tendons?) part on the side of her neck. It is the size and shape of a capsule...but one of those large capsules ("horse pills" people say about this size medicine). I have taken her to the doctor and mentioned it a few times...actually had her there a few times when it was hard. Each time the doctor says it's nothing to worry about, that it is a symptom of a cold or what-have-you. I, however, am starting to get worried. She's got it again and she seems to get a sore throat at the same time...or right before it becomes hard. An acquaintance of mine says that she has an autoimmune disease (can't remember what it is called) that has that as a symptom...or maybe an early warning sign and that she has been told that the disease usually shows itself in puberty (which my daughter is going through still...and I believe the hardness/swelling started showing up around the time she started puberty). Am I crazy to be worried and concerned and to wonder if the doctors don't know what they are talking about? I was worried before my friend mentioned the disease she has. Also, my daughter has had two different doctors know about this and look at it...three if you count the two that were in the same practice. Is there anything I can do to help this problem?

Thanks for any info/input.

iHn...

Sorcha

May 2, 2002

Hi Sorcha,

> Am I crazy to be worried and concerned and to wonder if the

doctors don't know what they are talking about?

Sorry, I don't have the answers for you, but NO I don't think you're

one bit crazy to be concerned about this. Many people have been

from doctor to doctor on something before finally getting the

diagnosis that should have been obvious in the first place. All I

can think of for your daughter would be some cleansing and general

building up of her system...... but I'm not the expert here at all.

I hope some will chime in.

Oh, one other thing is I'd get her eating on the blood type food

lists

(http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~sshapiro/ER4YT/FoodLists_TOC.html)

That might make a big difference in her overall health (did for me).

I'm glad your DH got out of that bad job. At work are you concerned

about inhalants or contact problems? Can you identify the source?

It sounds like you also need to work in a healthier building.

Melinda

May 5, 2002

First, read Leviticus Chapter 14. They knew more about molds in houses in

ancient times than they do now, it seems. Sure, we can classify the stuff,

and we have incredible chemicals that can wipe this stuff out (and make it

come back sooner) -- but we still know very little about why it hits one

location and not another.

People who let a workplace get that unhealthy and won't do anything abou it

should be reagarded the same as common criminals. In fact, in many cases

people like that have committed other crimes, and those who find and expose

those crimes are doing a service to society. Keep that in mind.

I could write a book about these environmental problems. In fact, i have.

But that's a long story for another time (privately).

Protecting yourself against molds is generally a matter of making sure your

immune system is strong. There are many ways to do that, and specific

techniques will in some cases depend on your body type. Nutrition,

exercise, and herbs all play a part. Getting lots of fresh air into the

area helps a lot. You also need to do everything you can to reduce other

environmental stress factors, such as avoiding wearing new clothes with

formaldehyde in them, using only certain nontoxic cleaners at home, and

staying away from heavy electromagnetic fields.

Some people have reported success using an oil of Meleleuca (also known as

Tea Tree Oil) on ingrown toenails.

The location of the swelling on your daughter's neck is possibly associated

with the thyroid gland. Giving her a bit of seaweed mixed in a regular

dish, or having her take a kelp tablet occasionally, would be a good idea.

If this does not directly affect the problem immediately (within 12 hours)

then it's something else. It could also be tonsils, but that seems a bit

odd that the swelling is where you described if that's the case. But the

sore throat is another indicator, so Golden Seal might help as well. But

try the thyroid thing first, in case that's what is going on. Keep in mind

that many cases of autoimmune disease are connected with environmental

problems such as molds.

Be really careful. It would appear that your doctor doesn't really care

much -- and would not be a trustworthy source of information if that's the

case. And you're getting some bad information somewhere along the line. It

might be a good idea to write down stuff when people who know what they're

talking about tell you something. Then, you can compare the notes with a

good doctor.

At 05:06 PM 5/1/02 -0400, you wrote:

> Greetings, all!

>

>I have been reading the digest with interest and saw that someone mentioned

colds and bronchial troubles being influenced by environment and I think

I've experienced that myself. I have been working for two years in this old

trailer with poor ventilation and not a high level of cleanliness. I have

noticed that the more time I have to spend there (usually cooped up,

especially with the weather we've had this past year being so crazy), the

more often I have a cough, sniffles, and so on. My spouse actually finally

got out of a job that seemed to be slowly killing him...he's allergic to

mold and so on..and this place actually had it growing on the walls and from

the heating/cooling vents! He complained many times, but nothing was ever

done about it, and he was constantly sick.

>I also would be interested in hearing more about how to protect against

these things for as long as I have to work here.

>

>Hmm..my next topic. The same person also mentioned ingrown toenails. I seem

to get those myself all the time. I've been told you have to cut/clip the

nail straight across, but that always leaves uncomfortably sharp corners.

Any suggestions on how to prevent and/or heal ingrown toenails?

>

>And lastly...but most importantly. My oldest daughter has been getting a

swollen gland in her throat (the time before this last time, it was both

sides)...it seems to usually be on the right side. It is located directly

under her jaw line, in the neck, near the (what do you call that?) hard

(tendons?) part on the side of her neck. It is the size and shape of a

capsule...but one of those large capsules ( " horse pills " people say about

this size medicine). I have taken her to the doctor and mentioned it a few

times...actually had her there a few times when it was hard. Each time the

doctor says it's nothing to worry about, that it is a symptom of a cold or

what-have-you. I, however, am starting to get worried. She's got it again

and she seems to get a sore throat at the same time...or right before it

becomes hard. An acquaintance of mine says that she has an autoimmune

disease (can't remember what it is called) that has that as a symptom...or

maybe an early warning sign and that she has been told that the disease

usually shows itself in puberty (which my daughter is going through

still...and I believe the hardness/swelling started showing up around the

time she started puberty). Am I crazy to be worried and concerned and to

wonder if the doctors don't know what they are talking about? I was worried

before my friend mentioned the disease she has. Also, my daughter has had

two different doctors know about this and look at it...three if you count

the two that were in the same practice. Is there anything I can do to help

this problem?

>

>Thanks for any info/input.

>iHn...

>Sorcha

>

May 8, 2002

Thanks for the info, Michael!

I appreciate it. I am going to follow up on your advice.

iHn...

Sorcha<<First, read ...

Be really careful. It would appear that your doctor doesn't really care much -- and would not be a trustworthy source of information if that's the case. And you're getting some bad information somewhere along the line. It might be a good idea to write down stuff when people who know what they're talking about tell you something. Then, you can compare the notes with a good doctor. >>Join Excite! - http://www.excite.comThe most personalized portal on the Web!