Ask Dr. Weil: To treat a staph infection, try using medicinal honey

A The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is often found on the skin and in the noses of healthy people, and may or may not cause problems. It has been estimated that, at any given time, 25 percent to 30 percent of the population has staph bacteria in the nose, but only some of those infected have symptoms. These bacteria can cause anything from minor skin infections (pimples) and boils to such potentially life-threatening diseases as pneumonia, meningitis and toxic shock syndrome.

Some 500,000 hospital patients in the United States develop staph infections every year. Disturbingly, these infections seem to be increasingly resistant to the penicillin-related antibiotics used to treat them. The worst infections result from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, and options for treating them are dwindling.

Standard treatment for staph infections of the nose is regular application of an antibiotic ointment (over-the-counter or prescription), but some of these infections can be stubborn, taking up to a year to subside. If this approach hasn't helped, you might try using medicinal honey instead. Researchers at the University of Waikato in New Zealand have found that honey's antibacterial activity can even stop the growth of MRSA bacteria. They've also shown that honey has no adverse effects on healthy tissue and can be safely inserted into cavities and sinuses to clear infection. Don't try this with ordinary supermarket honey. Two medicinal honeys available commercially include manuka honey from New Zealand and Medihoney from Australia.

To help your body address the infection, I also suggest that you take astragalus (Astragalus membranaceu), the root of a plant native to northern China and Inner Mongolia known for its immune-boosting effects. You can buy astragalus preparations in most health-food stores. The dose is two capsules or tablets twice a day unless the product directs otherwise. You can continue treatment with astragalus indefinitely.

Fasting for weight loss?

Q What do you think of the "Master Cleanse" fast? I've heard that it can help you lose weight fast, but I wonder if it is safe.

A "Master Cleanse" is a perennially appearing restricted diet that requires you to drink a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water anywhere from six to 12 times a day and eat nothing else. This one is a real oldie. It was created in the 1940s supposedly as a treatment for ulcers and came into style in the 1970s after publication of the book "The Master Cleanser" by Stanley Burroughs, who devised the program. The latest surge of attention came after singer/actress Beyoncé Knowles told Oprah Winfrey on television that she had used the fast to drop 20 pounds in preparation for her role in the movie "Dreamgirls."

Knowles has reportedly regained the weight, as have most of the dieters who have been enthusiastic in print about how fast you can lose weight guzzling the sweet-sour-spicy concoction. I can tell you that there's nothing special about Master Cleanse that promotes weight loss — it works because you're consuming far fewer calories than you would to maintain your weight. If you follow the program, you're also supposed to drink a laxative tea in the evening and a combination of water and sea salt in the morning to promote waste removal. I'm told that if you do that, you had better not stray too far from a bathroom.

I first came across the Master Cleanse in the 1970s and tried it a few times, once for a week. Back then it was not promoted as a way to drop pounds, but rather to give the digestive system a rest and to remove toxins from the system. It's not really a fast, because you are taking in calories. I'm not opposed to cleansing regimens of this sort. They may be useful, may make you feel good, and may give you a chance to think about what you are putting into your body.

But fasting and near-fasting routines such as the Master Cleanse are not effective weight-loss tools. They alter your metabolism in a way that may make it harder for you to lose weight or easier to regain the weight once you go back to the way you normally eat. Most people compensate for the deprivation of the regimen by increasing their caloric consumption afterward.

If you really want to lose weight, forget about drinking lemon juice and maple syrup, and learn the basic facts about nutrition and optimal health, including the glycemic index, anti-inflammatory diet, and learn to recognize any unhealthy relationships with food.