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Medical opinion by John F. Ruhland, ND

Do you have health-related questions for Dr. John, the Naturopathic Doctor? Send them to the Free Press at 1463 E Republican #178, Seattle WA 98112, or email to [email protected]. Please keep questions short. The opinions expressed below are on general issues of health. They should not be construed as personal medical advice. Readers should seek a variety of information about any health concern before deciding on a treatment from a personal physician.

Dear Nature Doc: They are advertising that people should come in and get a CAT (CT) scan for up to $1000 to see if you have cancer or blockage of the arteries. Should people be investing in this? They say a doc is on the premises to read your chart and tell you if you have something to worry about.

Although I am opposed to exposing people to radiation, and yes, CT scans produce ionizing radiation, the idea of preventative testing is very attractive. A recent study on the full-body CT scans questions their benefits, because nearly half of the scans found harmless abnormalities. It is important to realize that what may appear insignificant to a surgeon may be highly significant to a holistic practitioner. If the centers offering these tests were to send their clients to Naturopathic Physicians for further evaluation, the results could allow early detection and the prevention of serious chronic diseases. My recommendation would be for people with undiagnosed symptoms to do a full body scan that does NOT involve ionizing radiation. Thermography is such a technology, and the new equipment is said to be able to detect abnormalities up to ten years before tissue damage occurs. Our clinic uses the latest thermography equipment for this purpose. I anticipate that within ten years, thermography will be a household word. It is non-invasive, and may detect abnormalities in nearly every organ system in the body.

Dear Nature Doc: We were told that it is normal for infants to develop diaper rash. Is this true? What are the Naturopathic treatments?

Although diaper rash is very common, it is not a good thing for babies to have. But there is a very easy and inexpensive solution. Keep a small mixing bowl on the baby's changing table with about two cups of water and about two tablespoons of vinegar. After each defecation, put a clean white cotton cloth in the mixture, wring it out, and wipe the baby's bottom until the cloth no longer picks up fecal matter. In some cases, this takes two cloths. You can alternate using white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, although both work well. Use organic vinegar and cloth diapers and change them frequently. Also, wool diaper covers allow maximum breathability for year-round comfort.

Next issue: The ads say drink more milk. What does the Nature Doc say?