Q: I heard that having an apple and an egg a day is enough to keep you healthy.

A:While apples are rumoured to keep doctors away, one apple is not nearly enough and neither is one egg. Apples provide essential fibre to keep your bowels moving well and preventing constipation. Then again, it has to be eaten with the skin and not made into juice. A healthy diet includes four to six helpings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Eggs provide protein. An average size egg contains six grams of protein. The requirement is one gram per kg of body weight so an egg in no way covers the protein requirement. Lack of sufficient protein can leave you feeling weak and tired.

Mortifying leak

Q: If I cough, sneeze or even laugh loudly a few drops of urine come out. This started after the birth of my first baby. It is very embarrassing.

A:Nearly 40 per cent of women develop this problem in a mild or severe form after a normal delivery. This is because the pelvic muscles get stretched and then may become lax. It is aggravated by weight gain.

To improve the tone of the pelvic muscles, consciously tighten them several times a day. Each time you pass urine stop for a few seconds and then restart. If you have gained weight, try to lose it with exercise and a sensible diet.

Painful bend

Q: My penis is bent downwards when erect. It makes passing urine difficult.

A:This condition is called chordee. It is usually discovered by parents in childhood and surgically corrected. You need to see an urologist. You may require surgery but only a surgeon can take this decision.

Pill for knees

Q: I have pain in both my knees. There is a crackling sound on movement and I find it difficult to walk. I was prescribed chondroitin sulphate. I don’t want to take tablets unless they work.

A:Some orthopaedicians swear by chondroitin. They feel it increases lubrication in the joint, reducing pain. Others are not so sure and say there are really no objective studies proving its effects. Side effects are minimal. It is contraindicated in pregnancy and prostrate cancer.

The choice of treatment for knee pain is limited. If obese, lose weight, do knee-muscle-strengthening exercises, apply capsaicin containing ointment on the knee and then apply ice. When the pain is really severe you can take a painkiller. (These do have side effects if used long term.) You can try the chondroitin and see if there is improvement after a week to 10 days. If nothing works you may have to consider surgery.

Easy weight loss

Q: I am really obese. I weigh 137 kilos. In desperation I signed up for “nonsurgical liposuction”. This involves being massaged for an hour followed by a sauna type of treatment. Initially I lost two kilos but the weight has stabilised after that. But a lot of celebrities seem to endorse this treatment.

A:The only sure way to lose weight is to cut down on your food intake and increase exercise. There are all kinds of gimmicks on the market — shakes that you drink instead of a meal, constant feeding through a nasal tube, bariatric surgery, vibrating belts and special diets. Non surgical liposuction is usually a combination of laser and ultrasound with or without injections. It is more successful in sculpting than in absolute weight loss.

With all these techniques, after an initial loss the weight stabilises and then starts climbing up again. Many people regain the weight they lost within a year.

Sustained weight loss can be achieved at the rate of one kilo a week with dedicated, motivated, single-minded adherence to diet and exercise. Since this involves a change of lifestyle it is likely to be successful.

Sugar loss

Q: I am diabetic and have been for many years. I am ashamed to say that I am poorly controlled, do not exercise regularly and of late have noticed memory loss and an inability to comprehend what my grown up children are saying.

A:Uncontrolled diabetes can cause cognitive decline at a faster rate than in the general population, especially if it is poorly controlled. You need to adhere to the diet the doctor has given you, take your medicines regularly and walk for an hour a day. To improve memory, do puzzles and memorise either poetry or religious books. You can and will be able to arrest the decline and even improve your brain function

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in