Dr. Donohue: Olive oil has a nutritional four-star rating

Syndicated Columnist
Published Wednesday, August 04, 2004

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have read that in olive-oil-producing countries (Mediterranean countries), the people have very few heart problems because of all the olive oil they ingest.

I take aspirin daily (doctor's advice) to thin my blood.

If I were to take olive oil daily, would this soften my arteries, or would it cancel aspirin's effect? Put another way, would this help or hurt me? -- J.B.

ANSWER: Olive oil can boast of many things that have earned it a nutritional four-star rating. Foremost is the fact that it is a monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats, chemically speaking, have one ("mono") less hydrogen atom per molecule than they could hold. Such fats lower blood cholesterol levels, keep arteries free of obstructing buildup and reduce the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

Saturated fats, on the other hand, do just the opposite. They are called "saturated" because they hold all the hydrogen atoms they can possibly contain. They are filled to the brim with hydrogen. Examples of saturated fats are whole-fat dairy products, like butter, and meats marbled with animal fat.

Olive oil has other selling points. It contains antioxidants. Oxidants are byproducts of cell chemistry. If they are not neutralized, they damage cells. It's the body's equivalent of rusting. The antioxidants of olive oil give your body an undercoating that prevents it from rusting.

Olive oil also has polyphenols, substances that protect the body from infection by revving up the immune system.

All in all, olive oil comes out a winner.

Olive oil does not undo the benefits of aspirin, which works by preventing blood clots from forming within arteries. Aspirin and olive oil work hand in hand.

Don't forget the other elements of Mediterranean people's diets. They eat lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts and cereals, and have a moderately high intake of seafood and a low intake of meat. They also drink wine. Olive oil cannot take all the credit for these people's health.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My child just returned from camp with pinkeye. I have three other children, and I am afraid they will catch it from him. Is there any medicine I can give the children that will make them less likely to come down with pinkeye? -- O.W.

ANSWER: Most pinkeye comes from a viral infection. The infection causes, in addition to the reddened eye, a watery discharge, and the infected feel like someone has thrown sand in their eye. Frequently, viral pinkeye comes with or just after a cold. It is highly contagious, so much so that people infect their other eye within a week after the appearance of the first eye's symptoms.

There is no medicine that will protect others from acquiring an infection or that will shorten the duration of a person's infection.

However, simple hygiene measures can limit the potential of transmission. The infected child should be instructed not to touch his eyes and to wash his hands frequently. His towels and washcloths should not be shared by any other member of the family. The same goes for any clothes he wears. His bedding should be kept segregated from the rest of the family's.

Bacterial pinkeye is a different story. The eye discharge in bacterial infection is thick. Usually only one eye is involved. There is no association with a previous or current cold. Antibiotic drops are useful for this kind of pinkeye.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I had a problem with constipation and tried your (and many others') suggestions. It was finally discovered that I had a low thyroid. Upon taking thyroid medicine, the constipation troubles were solved. I thought I would let you know about this possibility. -- E.F.

ANSWER: I deserve a big "duh" award. No discussion of constipation should omit the possibility of a sluggish thyroid gland. Thank you for jarring my brain into action.

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