GETTYYou may have an intolerance to a
filler, or inactive ingredient, in the
vitamin. Most supplements and
prescription medications add fillers
for reasons like helping the pill keep
its shape or extending its shelf life.
In fact, fillers can make up 99% of
the ingredients in a pill. That’s why
I a lways adv ise check ing w it h your
doctor before taking a new vitamin
or supplement. Since many fillers
are food-based—like soy, carra-
geenan, sugars and sugar alcohols—
they can cause bloat and gas if you’re
sensitive (or allergic) to them.
Checking the ingredients list and
switching to a brand without any
fillers you may be sensitive to should
eliminate your symptoms within a
day or two. Also, look for products
certified by the National Sanitation
Federation (NSF) since they’ve been
tested to ensure t hat t he contents
match what’s on the label.A
Q:When I wake up, my heel and
calf are so stiff, it hurts to walk. It
started after my Zumba class last
week. What could this be?
A:It sounds like you may have pulled
your Achilles tendon, which is a com-
mon injury in women who wear heels
daily. Pushing quickly off your feet—
like you do when you’re jogging, danc-
ing or even taking a Zumba class—can
cause a pull in the band of tissue that
connects the calf muscles to the heel.
Thankfully, it sounds like you caught it
early! I suggest wrapping your foot and
ankle with an ACE bandage during the
day to keep swelling down, and add-
ing support by swapping out heels for
a supportive f lat or sneaker if possible.
At night, elevate your leg and ice the
area—10 minutes on, then 10 minutes
off—repeating two to three times.
The challenge of repairing an
Achilles pull is resisting the urge to
exercise through it. So take a break
from Zumba for two weeks and do the
following exercises daily, which will
help stretch the tendon to ease pain:
Holding the railing, stand on a stair on
the balls of your feet, with your heels
hanging over the edge. Gently raise
and lower yourself 10 times. Next,
stand a foot away from a wall, place
your hands on the wall and slowly lean
in, bringing your chest to the wall and
keeping your feet f lat. Hold for 10 sec-
onds. Do three sets of each exercise.
Also, if you can, try some yoga.
Downward dog is an especially good
pose because it stretches the calf
muscle to loosen the Achilles tendon.
To do: Start on your hands and knees,
t hen push up to form an inver ted V.
Press your hands and heels into the
f loor and let your head hang. Hold
the pose for five breaths.
If you’re sti l l experiencing pain
after doing these exercises for two
weeks, see your physician or a physical
therapist for more recommendations.
Q:I’ve been researching whether
the aluminum in my antiperspirant
raises the risk of breast cancer, but
all the information I see is conflict-
ing. I’d love an M.D.’s opinion.A:Aluminum physically blocks sweat
glands to reduce perspiration and odor.
Some experts say this prevents natural
detox, leading cancer-causing toxins
to accumulate. But there are no strong
studies that link breast cancer risk
with antiperspirants or deodorants
that contain aluminum. And in my
opinion, it’s more important to avoid
deodorants that contain parabens (sy n-
thetic preservatives) and fragrances.
The reason? Parabens have
estrogen- like effects in the body and
have been linked to obesity and can-
cer. And the vague terms “fragrance”
and “perfume” mean the product
could contain one or more of 3,000
chemicals the company doesn’t have to
list. To find a deodorant that’s free of
potentially harmful chemicals, search
the cosmetics database at EWG.org. A
brand that gets top marks: Purely Great
Natural Deodorant, $11, Amazon.com.38 First for women 8/26/19
doc on call
Save yourself a doctor’s
visit with this adviceEver since I
started taking
a multivitamin,
I’ve been so
bloated and
gassy. What’s
going on?Q
health
Should I switch to a
new antiperspirant?What’s causing this
pain in my calf?
Cindy Geyer, M.D., is
the Medical Director at
Canyon Ranch Wellness
Resort in Lenox,
Massachusetts, and a
faculty member at The
Center for Mind-Body
Medicine in Washington,
DC. To ask her a question, send an
email to [email protected].Put FIRST to
work for you!