Do Coeliacs Have More Varicose Viens?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and I received this answer.
Yes, studies suggest that people with celiac disease (CD) may have an increased risk of developing certain vein-related conditions, including a potential predisposition to varicose veins.
My mother had the worst varicose viens I’ve ever seen.
She was operated on in the 1950s, by an Indian lady surgeon, who performed her ward rounds in a sari, who my father told me, she was one of the most beautiful women, that he’d ever seen.
Although, my father was married twice, he didn’t seem to be a ladies’ man, although he had great loyalty from the ladies he employed, in his printing business. He also got on very well with my wife ; C, although they didn’t meet many times.
Artificial Intelligence To The Rescue
This evening, I had a Marks & Spencer Chicken jalfrezi with Basmati Rice for supper.
Marks put a green vegetable in the rice, which I’m not keen on as it gets stuck in the back of my throat.
So tonight, I picked it out with my hand before cooking, and put it in the food waste.
It didn’t make any difference to the cooking, but as I sat down to eat, I noticed that my right hand was going red.
As I’d never picked the dreaded green vegetable out of the rice before, I asked Google AI, if handling spices can make my hand go red and received this reply.
Yes, handling certain spices, particularly chili peppers, can definitely make your hands go red. This reaction is known as “Hunan hand syndrome” or “chili burn” and is caused by the chemical compound capsaicin.
That, certainly happened to me.
It might almost may have been worse for me because.
- My mother taught me to cook in the 1950s and she didn’t use lots of spices in her cooking. So I never learned about the dangers of spices.
- I have a leaking skin, which allows water in and out of my body easily.
- I have an immune system, like a platoon of the SAS on steroids.
So was this, why I was affected?
I then asked Google AI, “What do you do, if you react badly to chilli”, and received this reply.
If you experience a bad reaction to chili (caused by the compound capsaicin), consume dairy products (like milk or yogurt), acidic foods/drinks (lemonade or orange juice), or starches (bread or rice) for relief.
For severe symptoms like difficulty breathing or chest pain, seek immediate medical attention as it could be an allergic reaction.
For Reactions in the Mouth
The primary methods work because capsaicin is oil-soluble, not water-soluble. Water will only spread the burning sensation.
Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, and sour cream contain a protein called casein, which acts like a detergent to strip away the oily capsaicin molecules from your pain receptors. Whole or full-fat dairy products tend to be more effective than low-fat versions.
Acidic Foods/Drinks: The acidity in items like lemon or lime juice helps to neutralize the alkaline capsaicin molecule.
Sugary Foods: A spoonful of sugar or honey can absorb the capsaicin oil and provides a distraction from the pain.
Starches/Carbohydrates: Eating plain bread, rice, or potatoes can help by creating a physical barrier and absorbing the capsaicin molecules.
Oils/Nut Butters: Capsaicin dissolves in fat. Swishing with a bit of olive oil or eating a spoon of peanut butter can help dissolve and remove the capsaicin.
For Reactions on the Skin
If you experience a burning sensation on your skin after handling chilies:
Wash the area thoroughly with dish soap and water several times, as dish soap is designed to cut grease and oil.
Soak the affected skin in milk or apply yogurt/sour cream.
You can also try a paste made of baking soda and water, or soaking the area in a diluted vinegar solution.
If the pain is severe and persistent, over-the-counter pain relievers or topical corticosteroid creams may offer relief.
When to Seek Medical Attention
While a normal reaction to chili is an intense sensation rather than actual harm, a true allergy can be serious.
Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:
Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
Swelling of the mouth, lips, or tongue
Chest pain or heart palpitations
Uncontrollable nausea or vomiting
Luckily for me, a yogurt worked.
Conclusion
I shall use a suitable tool, like pliers or tweezers, when handling those dreaded green vegetables.
Do People Lose Their Vision In Low Pressure Weather?
My vision was rather poor a couple of hours ago, hence the reason for this post.
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post, and received this reply.
While people generally do not permanently lose their vision due to typical low-pressure weather systems, they may experience temporary blurry or altered vision. This is usually associated with the physiological effects of low barometric pressure on the body or the cold, dry conditions that often accompany such weather.
That would fit the problems I encountered.
Does Uncomplicated Pancolonic Diverticular Disease Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Over my forty years with C, I suffered from intermittent erectile dysfunction, but C generally knew how to cure it.
I do wonder if this was caused by having uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease during those generally happy years.
To check, I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this answer.
Yes, studies suggest that colonic diverticulosis (CD) is an independent risk factor for developing erectile dysfunction (ED). The association is likely related to shared underlying causes, such as chronic low-grade inflammation and vascular issues.
I can accept that!
As for about the first thirty years of our marriage, I was an undiagnosed coeliac, I feel I should ask if undiagnosed coeliac disease causes erectile dysfunction.
I received this answer.
Yes, undiagnosed celiac disease can cause erectile dysfunction (ED) due to the resulting malnutrition, hormonal imbalances, and inflammation. These issues can lead to sexual dysfunction, which may improve once the celiac disease is treated with a strict gluten-free diet.
That would certainly fit with my experience.
I do think, that if the link between undiagnosed coeliac disease is true, then in some cases testing of everybody for coeliac disease may avoid a degree of mental distress.
Can A Broken Humerus Affect Your Hand And Wrist Long Term?
Sixty-four years ago, my left humerus was broken at school and I don’t think the local hospital fixed it too well. I also don’t think I had the best of physiotherapy, after some of my experiences with physios since my stroke, which have been of a generally very high-quality, from both the NHS and private physiotherapists.
The wrist has not been misbehaving itself recently, so I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
Yes, a broken humerus can affect your hand and wrist long-term, especially if a nerve like the radial nerve is injured during the fracture or surgery. This can cause temporary issues like wrist drop, which is the inability to extend the wrist and fingers, often improving with therapy. In rare cases, if nerve recovery is incomplete, surgical procedures may be necessary to restore function, though most fractures have an excellent long-term outlook with proper rehabilitation.
Note.
- I certainly didn’t have proper rehabilitation in 1961 at Highlands Hospital in Winchmore Hill.
- I wonder if I have actually suffered from wrist drop in recent years.
- I suspect that now there are better treatments available.
Google seem to have scraped the article from the respectable Cleveland Clinic.
Why Has My Left Humerus Got Worse In The Last Few Months?
I wonder, if it is new BYD buses on route 141.
- I always sit or stand downstairs, as at 78, I don’t want too risk climbing the stairs.
- The buses are more pokey and the seats are narrower than say a Routemaster or other British bus.
- On Routemasters and other British buses, I usually sit on the far-right seat to protect the humerus.
- It is getting increasingly knocked if I sit in the left-hand seat of a right-sided pair, by peoples’ backpacks.
- The seats are narrow on the BYD buses, and if sitting in a left-hand seat of a left-sided pair, my left humerus rubs against the outside wall of the bus. This is worse with a large person in the right seat.
- If I sit in the right-hand seat of a left-sided pair, it’s usually better, but if there’s a large person in the left seat, because of the narrow seats, the arm get knocked.
- On the BYD buses, there are no forward facing seats downstairs on the right side.
- There are some forward facing seats at the right side at the back, but they are difficult for me to climb into.
- The corridor from the front to the back in the bus is narrow and I sometimes bump the left humerus.
- I met a lady with a pram, who finds the corridor narrow for her pram.
- The step-up and down into the bus is higher and puts strain on my knees, unless I get it right.
I do wonder if the BYD buses were designed around smaller oriental people.
I certainly never had these problems, when I was riding on on Routemasters and other British-designed buses.
For the next few works, I will avoid travelling on the BYD buses unless I can sit in the right-hand seat of a pair, by myself.
I can also stand, if the bus isn’t too full. Looking back, I feel, I don’t mind standing on the buses.
I will now be forwarding this post to those that know me well.
Does Ginger Make You Feel Good?
I ask this question, as yesterday, I ran out of the Marks & Spencer’s gluten-free stem ginger snap biscuits.
So after buying some this morning, I have just had three biscuits dunked in tea for my lunch.
I sometimes eat as many as four packets a week, so out of curiosity I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
Yes, ginger can make you feel good due to its many benefits, including easing nausea and indigestion, reducing inflammation, and improving circulation. It may also help relieve pain, boost energy levels, and promote relaxation, although it’s always best to consult a healthcare professional before taking supplements.
Google seems to be using this web page from Johns Hopkins Medicine, which is entitled Ginger Benefits, as a source.
I have a few extra thoughts about ginger.
Several Of The Posts On This Blog Have Mentioned Ginger
This link displays them all.
Is It OK To Eat Chocolate Rice Cakes With Uncomplicated Pancolonic Dulverticular Disease?
Since I have been diagnosed with uncomplicated pancolonic dulverticular disease, I have eating at least half a packet of Kallo chocolate rice cake thins most days.
Perhaps, the small amount of dark chocolate soothes my gut?
What does Google AI think about the title of this post?
Yes, it is generally considered OK to eat chocolate rice cakes with uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease (diverticulosis), especially if you are not experiencing a flare-up.
Diverticular disease guidelines for symptom-free individuals recommend a healthy, balanced, high-fiber diet, and there is no evidence that specific foods like nuts, seeds, or plain rice cakes cause harm or trigger flare-ups.
Whilst they don’t seem to cause harm or flare up, I shall continue to eat them.
I did ask Google AI “Do small amounts of dark chocolate soothe uncomplicated pancolonic dulverticular disease?” and I received this answer.
Small amounts of dark chocolate are not a treatment to “soothe” Uncomplicated Pancolonic Diverticular Disease; however, it can generally be included in the diet as part of a high-fiber approach for managing the condition. There is no evidence that it, or any specific food, causes or soothes the condition.
It doesn’t appear it will do any harm though!
A Quick High-Fibre Meal
I have been told that because of my uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease, I should try to stick to a high-fibre diet.
So how about beans on toast followed by strawberries?
Note.
- I use Heinz Snap Pots as it cuts the washing up.
- The beans had 7.4 g. of fibre.
- The bread had 5.25 g. of fibre.
- The yoghurt had <0.5g. of fibre.
- The strawberries had 9.5 g. fibre.
- That is a total of 22.2 g. of fibre.
I used a teaspoon to stir the beans, but then I use a lot of teaspoons, when I’m cooking.
I’ve Just Had An MRI Scan And I’ve Got A Pain In My Foot
I will try and use the AI functions of Google to make some sense of the title of this post.
These are the questions I asked.
Why Is My Left Foot Painful After An MRI Scan Of My Brain?
Google gave this AI Overview.
A foot pain after a brain MRI is likely unrelated to the scan itself. MRI scans are not known to cause pain in extremities, though some patients may experience temporary discomfort from having to lie still for an extended period. It’s more probable that the pain is coincidental, or due to another underlying issue unrelated to the MRI, such as a pre-existing condition or new injury.
Note.
- It is a hot day.
- I did a fair bit of walking to get to and from the MRI Scan.
- I don’t think it was lying still for an extended period.
- I felt a bit dehydrated after the scan.
Overall, my left foot is occasionally in pain and red. Certainly more often than my right! It doesn’t appear to be red today.
Can An MRI Scan Make You Dehydrated?
Google gave this AI Overview.
While MRI scans themselves don’t cause dehydration, staying well-hydrated is important, especially if contrast dye is used. Drinking plenty of fluids after an MRI with contrast helps flush the dye out of your system. Though dehydration can occur naturally, it’s not a direct effect of the MRI itself.
I didn’t have any dye.
But I was desperate for a drink, so I went into the first cafe, that I passed and had a coffee and cake.
Can An MRI Scan Stimulate Blood Flow?
Google gave this AI Overview.
While MRI machines don’t directly stimulate blood flow in the sense of causing it to increase, they can visualize and measure blood flow. Functional MRI (fMRI) specifically detects changes in blood flow related to brain activity as the brain uses more oxygen in active areas, leading to increased blood flow to those areas. Standard MRI can also be used to visualize blood vessels and assess blood flow, but it doesn’t directly cause the flow to change.
As I have now changed my shoes and socks to my slippers and the pain has disappeared, I suspect it was the new shoes.
I wrote this post, to show the quality of the answers of artificial intelligence to simple medical questions.
From my knowledge of data analysis, I suspect there’s much more to come with medical diagnosis using AI. Especially, if you login to a medical diagnosis computer system, that has details of your medical history.
I always remember my first B12 injection, after I had been diagnosed with coeliac disease.
Do Dry Eyes Make It Difficult To See?
My first eye test was performed by a friend’s father in a shed in his garden.
But he was a retired senior eye surgeon from Ipswich Hospital.
He told me, that I had the driest eyes he’d ever seen and that he didn’t think I’d ever be able to wear contact lenses.
The second part of his statement has proved to be true, but what does Google AI think of the first part?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this answer.
Yes, dry eyes can make it difficult to see, causing temporary blurred vision that often improves with blinking. This happens because the tear film, which keeps the eye’s surface lubricated, is insufficient or of poor quality, which affects focus. Dry eyes can also lead to other vision problems, such as sensitivity to light and reduced contrast sensitivity.
That certainly fits my experience.
I find that having a hot bath every morning and putting my head under water and then opening my eyes and giving them a good rinse. This was recommended to me, by an ophthalmologist and then approved by my GP.
The Anonymous Widower 