• About Dr. Park
  • Dr. Park’s Bio
  • My Mission
  • My Practice
  • Testimonials
• Articles
• Breathe Better Podcast
• Sleep Better Blog
• Press Room
• Resources
• ASK DR.PARK

Subscribe

An Allergist’s Nightmare: The Micro-Poop Theory

 

One Western tradition that I find truly puzzling is the
custom of wearing shoes inside the house. Although some of
my non-Asian friends have banned shoes in their homes after
they have children, I still find that a majority of
Americans and Europeans continue to wear shoes inside their
homes. Unlike Eastern cultures that consider this practice
unsanitary, many Westerners don’t think much of it even
though this can be harmful for someone with allergies.

Leave Your Load Outside

As someone who specializes in treating nasal allergies, I
cringe whenever I see dog poop on the sidewalk. Imagine
that a beagle poops on the sidewalk in front of your
apartment and the owner is negligent in cleaning up after
the dog. You later walk home from work and as you approach
the entrance of your apartment, you see the dog poop just
in time to avoid stepping in it. You’re disgusted that it’s
just sitting there and that the owner didn’t have the
common courtesy to clean up afterwards.

Let’s say the next day the same dog poops again in the same
spot and the owner doesn’t clean up. The building
superintendent happens to be watering the garden, notices
the dog feces, and hoses it away towards the street into
the gutter. You then walk by a few minutes later, and step
in the area where the poop used to be, but you don’t notice
this since it’s now covered in a thin layer of water. You
walk through the lobby and up to your apartment.
Now this is where it starts to get really problematic. Many
people assume walking over lobby carpeting or the door mat
in front of your apartment would have wiped any residual
poop particles off your shoe. But think about this: if you
step in poop and take a towel and wipe it off vigorously,
is it really off? Even if it’s a wet towel, can you be
truly certain that your shoes are truly free of all fecal
matter?

This situation doesn’t just apply to dog poop. This also
applies to human phlegm, gum, dog urine, bird poop,
chemicals, car oil, pollutants, bacteria and molds and
whatever else you might find on the sidewalks of New York
City at any time of the day. How many different kinds of
germs or chemicals, organic or non-organic, are still stuck
to the bottom of your shoe when you enter your apartment?
“Yes”, you say, “but I clean the floors all the time with
disinfectant cleaning agents”. My answer to that is, “Yes,
you can mop the floors every day, but you literally can’t
mop after every new footstep”. Your carpet is like the
towel that you originally used to wipe your shoes off with,
only now you’re living on it. Even worse, you let your 8
month old toddler crawl on your freshly mopped floor, not
realizing that it’s already been contaminated by your
husband after he came home, bringing home his daily dog
poop.

This is not even considering the amount of toxic chemicals
found in most cleaning agents. Unless you put your shoes
through a mini-shoe wash with soap and water before
entering your apartment every time, it’s impossible not to
bring in microscopic pieces of contaminants into the
apartment.

Go East And Tread Lightly

In Far Eastern cultures, it’s customary to take off your
shoes before you enter your home. You can either enter
barefoot, with socks, and more commonly, using indoor
slippers. Given this scenario, there’s less of a chance of
the scenario mentioned previously. This is not to say that
there aren’t any germs present already in your carpet or
floors. However, in this case, you’re not adding an
additional load of microscopic pieces of dog poop, urine,
dirt, or spit inside your apartment.

In this age of paranoia about germs and flesh-eating
bacteria, every other hand-soap is “anti-bacterial”, and
cleaning agents are measured by their 99.99% germ killing
abilities. I can’t help but to see this major disconnect,
where we’re obsessed about germ-free hands, but totally
ignorant about the pseudomona riding on the soles of the
shoes worn inside homes.

Disinfecting Versus Desensitization

One of the major theories about why there are so many
people with allergies today is that as a society, we’re
using too many antibiotics, whether it’s through
prescription medications, anti-bacterial soaps, or even
disinfectants. Because your immune system learns to
differentiate itself from foreign substances by exposure,
over time, chronic long-term exposure to dust or any other
type of allergen, allows your body to learn that low levels
of dust are tolerable. This is similar to what happens when
you get allergy shots. It’s just another form of
desensitization. What this means is that if you don’t have
a low level of exposure to common allergens or foreign
substances, then your body thinks it’s a brand new foreign
material and initiates an allergic reaction.

However, the kind of bacteria that we introduce into our
living room via our street contaminated shoes presents a
much different scenario. In this situation, the type of
contaminants on the soles of your shoes are not only
“foreign” to most living spaces, they’re toxic.

Are We Allergyphobic?

I realize my micro-poop theory is a little far fetched, but
this is only an extreme example of common situations that
we as a society stress about too much. We probably don’t
need antibacterial hand-soaps. Regular soap is fine to
remove dirt, viruses or bacteria. The amount of dog poop
tracked into the apartment is probably too miniscule to
cause any harm. But the thought of bringing in your
poop-laden shoe into my house after a few wipes on the
lobby carpeting is still a little unsettling.

I know there are people who have objections about going
shoeless in the house. Floors can be cold, our feet look
ugly, and sometimes our feet can smell. But let me leave
you with the one thought: Would you prefer your toddler to
be exposed to her father’s foot sweat, or someone else’s
dog’s poop?

What To Eat When You’re Sick and Tired

Studies abound linking sleep apnea and diabetes.

Unfortunately, many if not most patients who get diagnosed
with a sleep breathing problem still maintain a Standard
American Diet (SAD). It’s not that they’re unconcerned
about their health. Many on the contrary exercise regularly
and try to eat as best they can. Yet when their job or
lifestyles keep them running around all day (see my article
Give Me A Break) it’s difficult to take the time to think
about what they eat.

Recently, I interviewed Alyse Levine, a registered
dietician with expertise in helping busy urban
professionals optimize their food
and lifestyle choices in order to meet their personal
health goals.

In this interview, Alyse answers some of our toughest
questions on how to eat well when you’re at risk for
diabetes like:

* How to control your blood sugar level with food and
not with medications

* When to eat and when not to eat

* How to stay motivated to eat right and to lose weight

* Foods that can help you breathe better and sleep
better

* Why some “good foods” can be bad for you

* Best low sugar, high power snacks to take with you
when you’re On-The-Go

* Tips on what to order and where to go when you’re
eating out

* How to decipher confusing nutrition labels

And much much more…

==============================================================

Alyse Levine is a registered dietician with a Masters
degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She lectures to
numerous corporations like Nike, Arrowhead, Subway, and
Ryka fitness apparel. She is also a nutritional expert with
the Discovery Health’s “National Body Challenge 2008″.
Alyse has appeared in many publications including Shape,
Marie Claire, Maxim, In Touch Magazine and more. She is
also the founder of Nutritionbite based in Los Angeles. You
can find Alyse at www.nutritionbite.com.

Tired of Being Tired?

Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) is very common condition that could explain chronic fatigue in many people. In most cases, it goes undiagnosed. It’s been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, attention deficit disorders, fibromyalgia, cold hands or feet, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, TMJ, and acid reflux. Hear Dr. Park talk about this newly described syndrome, and how you can possibly begin to wake up more refreshed every morning. http://www.doctorstevenpark.com Media files Click Here to listen! (MP3 Format Sound, 10.9 MB)

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a well known sleep related breathing disorder that is not diagnosed in 80-90% of people in this country. One of the common misconceptions is that one has to be an older obese snoring man to have obstructive sleep apnea. This statement may be true, but this description only makes up a certain segment of people with this condition. Even young, thin, non-snoring women can have significant obstructive sleep apnea. Untreated, it can lead to or aggravate hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease, heart attack or stroke. Find out if you may have obstructive sleep apnea and what you can do to treat this condition before medical complications arise.

Download mp3 file

Surgery for Snoring & OSA

In this episode, I discuss surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea, once you have exhausted all other conservative options. Treatment for snoring will be discussed as well. If you haven’t listened to the previous segments on airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea, it will be helpful. Click to download mp3 file or click here to listen in your browser  

Quit Struggle-Free: Interview with George Wissing

According to recent statistics from the American Lung Association, smoking is the number one source for preventable deaths and premature mortality than any other drug or substance. Yet, despite these grim statistics, smoking is still a huge  problem for many people. The problem is that the willpower in overcoming this addiction seems powerless. But according to George Wissing, the author of Stop Smoking For the Last Time: You Can Unlock the Power to Quit Struggle-Free, your willpower has nothing to do with it. With hypnosis and neuro-linguistic programming, Mr. Wissing has helped countless smokers quit in about an hour. The following conversation that I had with George Wissing could provide some fascinating insight on how you can gain power to break your smoking habit for good this year. http://www.quitstrugglefree.com Media files f3da1a42-47a4-79c1-4694-34d72397aaa7.mp3 (MP3 Format Sound, 23.1 MB)

What to Eat When You’re Sick and Tired

Studies abound linking sleep apnea and diabetes. Unfortunately, many if not most patients who get diagnosed with a sleep breathing problem still maintain a Standard American Diet (SAD). It’s not that they’re unconcerned about their health. Many on the contrary exercise regularly and try to eat as best they can. Yet when their job or lifestyles keep them running around all day it’s difficult to take the time to think about what they eat.

Recently, I interviewed Alyse Levine, a registered dietician with expertise in helping busy urban professionals optimize their food and lifestyle choices in order to meet their personal health goals.

In this interview, Alyse answers some of our toughest questions on how to eat well when you’re at risk for
diabetes like:

* How to control your blood sugar level with food and
not with medications

* When to eat and when not to eat

* How to stay motivated to eat right and to lose weight

* Foods that can help you breathe better and sleep
better

* Why some “good foods” can be bad for you

* Best low sugar, high power snacks to take with you
when you’re On-The-Go

* Tips on what to order and where to go when you’re
eating out

* How to decipher confusing nutrition labels.

* How to find the right nutritionist in your area.

Download (MP3 Format Sound, 36.8 MB) or Click here to listen in your browser.

http://www.nutritionbite.com

The Truth About Acupunture

Get Moving: Interview with Fitness Expert Tara Marie Segundo

Get Moving: Interview with Fitness Expert Tara Marie Segundo

Everyone knows that exercise is great for your health. It can help you trim down, gain stamina, decelerate the aging  process etc, etc, etc. Then why is it so hard for us to get  started? The answer is: You need a plan.

As a WNBF Natural Figure Pro and certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Tara Marie Segundo, M.A.
was able to explain this and many other questions we have regarding exercise. http://www.taramariesegundo.com

d9b3b4f0-4a8c-b8f2-9d77-181bf655e851.mp3 (MP3 Format Sound, 43.2 MB)

The New York Deli Phenomenon

One of my biggest pet peeves is whenever I order a deli sandwich, the deli guy sometimes forgets one or more of my requested ingredients. For example, if I order a roast beef on a roll with lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, onions and sweet peppers, the last few ingredients are typically left out. Usually, it’s the ingredients listed at the end, never the first few items. Ever since I noticed this, I watch the sandwich maker like a hawk. I hate it when they have to turn their backs to me to make a sandwich, since I can’t see what they’re doing. Every time I let my guard down, I always regret it.

You may be asking by now what this has to do with sleep and breathing and medicine in general. Unfortunately, too much.

When it comes to medical diagnoses, many physicians are guilty of the same phenomenon. For example, when I had to learn about obstructive sleep apnea in medical school, I had to memorize a long list of signs and symptoms. Usually, they’re listed in order of importance. By the time you get to the 39th or 40th sign and symptom, your brain can’t memorize any more. Most multiple test exams in medical school test you on the more common signs or symptoms, and rarely an unusual one. So by default, we tend to memorize the items higher on the list.

But this is where the problem starts. For example, going back to the obstructive sleep apnea example, the most frequent findings that are mentioned in textbooks or in a lecture are: older, obese, snoring, male, and big neck. Since these were the features first described in obstructive sleep apnea, no wonder. But if you read further down the list or look at published studies on this condition, you’ll find dozens or even hundreds more common and uncommon features that no one has time to list out when asked about this condition. So lecture after lecture, I’ve seen the same description about obstructive sleep apnea: typically seen in older, snoring, obese men, and untreated, can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. It still continues to this day, even with numerous studies showing that obstructive sleep apnea can occur even in young thin women that don’t snore. Of course, in a young thin woman complaining about sinus infections or fatigue, sleep-breathing problems are near the bottom of the list.

Despite the facts that doctors know about obstructive sleep apnea in the typical patients, they forget about the second part: the link with heart disease, heart attack and stroke. It’s shocking to me how many people I see that have suffered from heart attacks or strokes that are found to have significant obstructive sleep apnea when eventually tested. The same can be said about sinusitis, throat infections, ear infections, etc. Too often, ear pain alone with no obvious infection is treated with antibiotics.

It’s obvious that a human being is not a deli sandwich. To label a person with “sinusitis” is like saying, remember to add nasal congestion, yellow pus, fever, facial pain, poor sleep, ear fullness, or post-nasal drip. The problem is that this list gets whittled down to yellow pus and facial pain. Or that obstructive sleep apnea patients snore and are overweight, Yes, the majority of people with these symptoms will have the respective conditions, but you’re missing out on many other patients that only have poor sleep or ear fullness for sinusitis and post-nasal drip for obstructive sleep apnea.

So if you have post-nasal drip, and are treated for allergies, no wonder the medication didn’t work. Without getting a full and complete medical history and thorough physical exam, it’s hard to get a complete picture of what’s going on. In this age of managed care and rushed doctor’s visits, it’s no wonder that we end up treating the symptoms only and almost never the true cause of the illness, leading to missed diagnoses and incorrect treatment regimens.

Unfortunately, the New York Deli phenomenon will continue, with doctors making diagnoses and prescribing treatment based on incomplete pictures. Just as an incomplete sandwich just doesn’t taste right, an incomplete history and examination can lead to an unsatisfying outcome.

Next Page »

Copyright © 2008 Dr. Steven Y. Park - Unique Information About Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Snoring, and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome · Design by rebwebdesign