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Sugarless Gums Can Cause Digestive Woes

Posting Date: 06/20/2005

Q. My husband is plagued with diarrhea. He?ll be okay for a week or so. Then for no apparent reason, he has diarrhea. He?s been eating two coconut macaroons a day for about two weeks. We thought that had taken care of the problem, but it appeared again today.

I read that sugarless gum could cause diarrhea. He chews it every day. Can you tell me about this?

A. Many readers report that eating two coconut macaroon cookies daily helps control their chronic diarrhea. But why treat a problem that might be avoided?

Sugarless gum could be the culprit in your husband?s case. Sweeteners in sugarless gum such as sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol and xylitol are poorly absorbed from the digestive tract. When the residue reaches the large intestine, it can cause gas and diarrhea. Your husband should try giving up

the gum to see if that solves the problem.

Q. I have a new use for Vicks VapoRub. It keeps ants away from my hummingbird nectar feeder!

I used to coat the wire hanger of the feeder with Vaseline. The ants would walk right to the edge of the Vaseline, then retreat, until dust made the Vaseline less sticky.

Now that I put Vicks on the wire hanger, those ants don?t even go near the feeder. They turn back at least 8 to 10 inches from the wire hanger. Of course, this isn?t a medicinal use for Vicks, but some of your readers have hummingbird feeders.

A. Camphor, eucalyptus and menthol, which provide the distinctive smell of Vicks VapoRub, are probably responsible for repulsing the ants. Thanks for sharing your discovery.

Others have told us that Vicks keeps squirrels away from bird feeders. It has also been used for mosquito bites, headaches, paper cuts, nail fungus and coughs.

Anyone who would like our Guide to Unique Uses for Vicks may send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped, self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. Vi-76, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.