Ask the experts

Natural Health, June, 2008 by Bernadette Sukley

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Q Is organic dry cleaning better for me and the planet than conventional dry cleaning?

YES. About 80 percent of conventional dry cleaners in the U.S. use a chemical compound called perchloroethylene, also known as perc, as a dry cleaning solvent. According to the EPA: "People exposed to high levels of perc, even for brief periods, may experience serious symptoms. Those include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, confusion, nausea, and skin, lung, eye, and mucous membrane irritation. Perc might cause effects at lower levels as well. Studies in laboratory animals indicate that exposures to high levels of perc can produce effects on the developing fetus that include altered growth, birth detects, and death."

Switch to a natural solvent C[O.sub.2] is a natural substance that organic cleaners use to press out stains. It doesn't have the hazardous exposure issues associated with perc. It is a safe alternative.

Quiz your cleaner If a cleaner calls itself organic, ask what technology or solvent it uses for dry cleaning. A healthy alternative to perc, besides liquid carbon dioxide, is petroleum; otherwise, wet cleaning is a better choice than dry cleaning.

Go online Another way to find a cleaner using carbon dioxide is to check out the website findco2.com.

--Joseph DeSimone, Ph.D., director, NSF Science & Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes

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Q Are garlic extracts as good for you as the real thing?

YES. EXTRACTS CAN EVEN BE BETTER--but they are effective only for certain people.

Fresh garlic has many established benefits: In clinical trials, it has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, prevent plaque build up, and lower cholesterol levels. Garlic's effects are mostly attributed to its high levels of sulfur compounds and antioxidants. To achieve these benefits, you should eat at least one to two cloves of garlic a day. That's a lot of garlic, and raw garlic, of course, has a distinct, strong odor and can cause indigestion.

Try a garlic supplement You may have better success with aged garlic extract (AGE) supplements, which are odorless and easy on the stomach. AGE supplements go through an extraction process that involves oxidizing the garlic to make it an active antioxidant. Research has shown that AGE may not only reduce or inhibit plaque formation in the arteries but may also be better than garlic alone at lowering elevated homocysteine levels (an amino acid related to high risk of heart disease) and improving cholesterol levels in the blood.

Reduce high cholesterol In a 2006 study at our lab, involving 29 high-risk people over a one-year period, patients lowered their cholesterol levels by 12 percent with Kyolic aged garlic extracts. (The study was funded by Wakunaga, the Japanese company that makes Kyolic.) Plaque buildup was reduced by 60 percent, and blood pressure, homocysteine, and LDL cholesterol oxidation levels all dropped.

Watch your diet AGE should be taken as part of a health regimen aimed at reducing or inhibiting plaque formation in the arteries. Cutting back on fat and getting plenty of exercise is just as important.

--Matthew Budoff, M.D., lead garlic researcher at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

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Q What is the best way to treat a cut?

FIRST STOP THE BLEEDING, then think "CDP": dean, dress, protect.

Stop the bleeding Almost all bleeding can be stopped by applying direct pressure with clean gauze for about five minutes. If you're taking blood thinners like Warfarin, you may bleed longer. If bleeding starts again after five minutes of continuous pressure, reapply pressure and go to the emergency room. If the cut is more than about a quarter inch deep or more than one inch long, you may need stitches.

Clean the cut Flush the wound with plain water and wash with soap to keep bacteria from thriving in the cut. Avoid using perfumed soaps, which may irritate cut skin.

Dress with ointment For antibiotic ointment, use bacitracin. Do not use triple antibiotics since they contain neomycin, which causes an allergic reaction in some people. If you have pain, redness, swelling, or if pus appears around the wound 48 hours after you are injured, go to the emergency room. Infected cuts are more difficult to care for and may leave scars.

Protect with a bandage After applying medicament to the wound, cover it with a standard bandage. If you prefer your dressing and coverage in one, try cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives or liquid stitches. They bring the edges of the cut together and form a protective barrier. It dries clear, so you can keep an eye on the healing process. Just don't use liquid stitches with ointment or a bandage.

Stay healthy Update your tetanus booster every ten years. If you have diabetes, your wound may heal more slowly so attend to it carefully.

--Richard O'Brien, M.D., emergency room physician at the Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, Pa., and spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians