Evening star., 1962-11-01
STOP
KILLING
YOURSELF
By Dr.. Peter }. Steinerohn

The day is long past when
people wear the badge of ul-
Ger with pride. Like gout
there is no longer any "sta-
tus" connected with stomach
ulcer. You will recall that
years ago only kings, dukes
and the very wealthy were
supposed to be susceptible to
such affliction as gout. Now
we know that the carpenter
who repairs the roof of the
palace, and the plumber who
repairs the pipes-as we'll as
the doctor who treats the
Observation-Disclosures come
down with the gout, too.
AND so 1T is with ulcer.
1t is not where you live (Hol-
lywood or New York - the
supposed ulcer-capitals of the
United States) but what you
are that determines whether
or not you'll suffer from
ulcer.
In my experience I have
found ulcer patients to be
typically tense, keen, over
emotional, Woodworking in
dividualS. A few years ago DR..
]. C. Yashkin put it this way:
ut would seem that peptic
ulcers occur in individuals
whose makeup may be char
acterized by rigidity, over
conScientiousneSs, and even
intolerance, in individuals
who are overly honest and
meticulouS, usually dynamic
and often aggressive"
There has even been some
question lately whether or
not top executives are more
prone to ulcer than others.
Some evidence says that they
have less such trouble than
their employees. This is un-
derStandable. Those on the
lower rungs, climbing up,
necessarily have their hands
stepped on occaSionally-and
this produces resentment and
animosity. And these char
acteriStics are like gasoline
for the fire of ulcer.
Although it is evident that
in the care of an ulcer you
will have better chance of
improvement if you follow
your doctors directions con-
corning diet and medication
there are other important
considerations. Perhaps even
more important.
You. must learn how to
come to terms with yourself
as a person. And with the
people in your environment.
That means getting along at
the office or shop or at home
with the human beings you
find there. Don't expect any
of them to be perfect-nei-
ther are you.
Keep remembering that an
ulcer feeds on tension and
resentment; and that relaxa-
tion and peace of mind favor
healing( and prevention).
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: After
observation and X-rays my
mother, who is 70, has been
told that she has cerebral
arteriosclerosis. Is there any
special diet? She loves butter
and cream and other foods
that are supposed to be bad
for this condition. She real
ly has no complaints except
occasional dizziness and I
wonder if we shouldn't leave
her alone and not bother
with dieting at this stage?-
Mrs. B.
IN A COMMON sense way
you have arrived at what I
consider is the correct an
swer. I have made it a rule
(of course there are excep-
tions) not to fiddle with the
way of life of a person who
has reached his 70S or 8Os.
Of course, if there is high
blood pressure, it is advisable
that such a person cut down
on salt; if there is diabetes,
a low carbohydrate diet is
advisable. But in a general
way, I say leave well enough
alone. Taking away your
mothers fatty foods will, I
think, upset her physical and
emotional equilibrium more
than it helps prevent the
slow progress of her cerebral
arterioSclerosis.
"a Bell Syndicate Featured
DR.. Steincrohn'S leatlet,
"Practical Pointers for Cor
onGry Patients" ,UiH be
mailed ON receipt of a
stamped, Selt-addreSsed en-
Uelope and 10 cents in coin
for handling. Address DR..
Steincrohn in care of The
EUening Star.