Dear Nutriman,

The more we learn, the more we realize how much there is still to learn!  A degree in Nutrition can help you in a person-centered career, such as dietetics, exercise nutrition and health promotion, public health and community nutrition, international nutrition, or health education. Make sure you visit the Career Services website (our service is one of the best in the country!) to help you clarify your goals.

Human Ecology offers the option of admitting a student for transfer into the bachelors program to complete what for some is a second degree when that degree is substantially different than the first one (rather than starting 100% from scratch).  If you are interested in pursuing this further, you should contact Darryl Scott, Director of Admissions for Human Ecology at 607-255-5471 or ds42@cornell.edu.  It is important to note that students are not eligible for financial aid for a second undergraduate degree.  However, a conversation with Mr. Scott will enable you to explore your alternatives for approaching nutrition study at Cornell or elsewhere, as well as how those options can be financed.

You may also want to visit the Cornell Mature Students Association web site at http://www.rso.cornell.edu/maturestudents/ to gain some perspectives on study for people outside of the 18-22 age bracket, as well as to see what resources are available to non-traditional students.

Finally, if you have not done so already, you might want to speak with nutrition professionals in your area.  Ask them about their field, what they do day-to-day, and what formal training they received.  This can better prepare you for study in nutrition, and may help you to formalize the best approach for this study.

I wish you luck in your educational pursuits.  Perhaps we'll be seeing you on The Hill again soon!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear  workout-wonder,

I asked Cutter Cramton, the Assistant Director of the Wellness program, for suggestions for you.  He thought it would be best for you to contact him at 255-5060, so he can know a little more about you individually.  Then he could "prescribe" the appropiate exercises for you based on your size, condition, goals,  history, etc. He explained that "many exercises if done improperly or if the individual has any past injuries could cause more harm than good."  After speaking with you, he would be happy to send some exercises in campus mail or instruct you where to go for more information.  I hope you'll follow up with him and take the opportunity of the break to focus on your health and well-being! (Of course, exercise is an excellent way to de-stress during exam and paper/project weeks, too.)

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Girlfriend,

Drinking milk on an empty stomach does not pose a problem for carbohydrate absorption in most people.  Perhaps you are thinking of lactose intolerance. With lactose intolerance, there is a decreased ability to digest (break down) and absorb the carbohydrate known as lactose in milk.  The reason for this is a decreased production in the small intestines of the enzyme that digests lactose, called lactase.

Lactose intolerance can be genetic or it can be induced temporarily by gastrointestinal illness or antibiotic treatment.  The degree of lactose intolerance and the symptoms experienced vary with individuals and may vary over time.  Most individuals with lactose intolerance can digest up to a certain amount of lactose, but if they consume too much they can develop symptoms.  A small percentage cannot tolerate even trace amounts of lactose in products and have to read labels carefully in order to avoid it.  Symptoms may range from moderate gastrointestinal discomfort to pain, nausea, diarrhea and/or constipation.

People with mild lactose intolerance can better tolerate dairy products when consumed with other foods.  This slows down the digestive process and gives the intestines more time to manage the lactose load from the milk.  THAT may be the information your question was based on!  People with lactose intolerance can also more easily digest cheese and yogurt than plain milk, because those foods are cultured by bacteria that break down some of the lactose.  Commercial products are available that include lactase to aid digestion, such as Lactaid enzyme tablets and Lactaid-treated milk, which can help people with lactose intolerance.

As for milk helping with sleep--
First, some people fall asleep more easily if their stomach is not completely empty.  This is an individual thing, and does not necessarily require milk--another food would work, but be careful not to overdo it before bedtime!  Second, many people have an easier time relaxing and winding down to go to sleep if they follow a similar pattern from night to night.  A warm glass of milk or some quiet music provides just the reminder to call it quits for the night.  Finally, as you pointed out, milk is nutritious, so a cup before bed can contribute postively (300 mg) toward your calcium needs for the day (1000 mg).  But, these are not "rules," just suggestions.  Sweet dreams!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Grandchild,

You are indeed a caring and loving person. It is hard to live so far from those we love, especially when we hear that they are suffering and we feel so frustrated at not being able to help.  Do your grandparents want to come to live with you?  If so, then you may have already checked into immigration laws. There may be a resettlement agency near you that can help you with your healthcare issues. You can also contact the Office of the Aging or Senior Citizens Association in your town.

A doctor or pharmacist may be able to give you the information you need on reducing or stopping drugs.  Because of drug interactions, you would need to specify what drugs, how much, how often, and other pertinent information like your grandmother's diabetes. There may also be a Breast Cancer Alliance office in your town to help with your questions.

Regarding your grandmother's speech, a speech therapist could offer you some insight in those areas.  I wish you the best as you try to comfort your grandmother in her final years.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear shocked,

I would like to think we would all be warned of such lethality.  No one at Gannett has heard of such a fact.  However, smoking does affect the body's ability to absorb vital nutrients.  The more you smoke, the more vitamin C you lose from your tissues and blood. That loss combined with the fact that the damage that smoke inflicts on your cells causes your body to need more vitamin C to repair them, spells trouble. Additionally, Vitamin C is one of the body's main antioxidants, which are linked to the prevention of a number of diseases. By reducing the body's ability to absorb this vitamin, smoking increases your risk of developing these diseases.

A smoker would need to take in about 2000mg a day of vitamin C to counteract the loss -- natural C in the diet alone would not be sufficient. Smokers would need more antioxidants, mainly fruit and vegetables, to try to minimize the damage inflicted. Why not just not smoke?

Http://webMD.com is a reliable website for health information.  Many websites have their own pills to push, so be VERY careful when looking for information over the web.  True scientific sites just do not get the traffic to show up on your search engine readily. Try http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/facts /lifestylemanagement/smokingnutrition.htm or http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20000913/01/ or http://www.epa.gov/nceawww1/ets/pdfs/tab-5-15.pdf.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear niece,

It is fun to have nice nails! It's hard to tell you without a two-way conversation, but there are a few issues to consider. You do need to eat a balanced diet to maintain good nail strength - if you are not getting an appropriate amount of protein in your diet, this can be a problem. If you are eating a balanced diet it is doubtful that any vitamin deficiency is causing the problem - but a single daily multi-vitamin probably won't hurt.

There are, in fact, various illnesses that can affect nail growth, color, deformities, etc. You could have a clinician examine your nails to see if there seems to be a medical problem or if you seem to be just a "brittle nail" person. You are either "normal" - in the sense that there are a lot of other people (generally women) whose nails are quite brittle - or nobody knows what the "abnormality" is.

Taking a look in any drugstore or the cosmetic section of a department store or online, it is clear that you are tageted by companies trying to sell you a quick solution. Many nail products that claim to improve nail strength won't hurt, and perhaps some might help (talk with a cosmetologist).  Manufacturers of gelatin products used to tout their edible gelatins as nail strengtheners. If it is very important, you could explore the artificial glue-on nails as a way to protect your natural nails from breaking. Weigh this against the expense, time and discomfort and limitations placed on your physical activity by these products.  Keeping your nails shorter might also help.  Good luck.

Uncle Ezra