"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Diverticulosis is a common condition, occuring in 60% of men and women 60 years old. These ‘pouches’ on the colon are generally asymptomatic and either remain unknown in a patient, are found at the time of colonoscopy, or come to attention when the patient develops a case of diverticulitis (inflammation of the diverticula ‘pouches’). That …
The latest guidelines for cholesterol treatment have been changed once again, and this time in good direction. Rather than focusing on ‘goal numbers’ the the measure of success, the newest guidelines for cholesterol treatment take a more moderate approach, and focus on getting the ‘right’ people on medication and lowering their cholesterol effectively, if not …
Theranos is a new company founded by a brilliant young woman scientist who has developed a technique for testing blood samples using microscopic quantities of blood. This has the potential to revolutionize testing, with sample size so small that results can be obtained with only a few drops of blood. Not only is this more …
I hear from patients that they have concerns that statins (cholesterol lowering medication like Lipitor, Zocor, etc…) can cause memory loss and that they have read this in the paper. This question has been raised at times and the information is mixed. On one hand, as a strong medication to prevent stroke, it is thought …
Headaches are among the most common maladies in humans, with 10% of Americans having migraine headaches, and it is among the top 20 disabling conditions worldwide. To assist in treatment and diagnosis of headache, the AMERICAN HEADACHE ASSOCIATION has issued a list of 5 items to consider in the evaluation and treatment of headaches: These …
Multitasking is a common feature of modern life…and I must admit that I am guilty of it at times…perhaps too often. It is an interesting phenomenon that I felt I understood…until I came across the research of Clifford Nass on this topic. Clifford’s obituary in the New York Times is what brought his research to …
Think you’re feeling old. See how Billy Collins, former poet laureate puts it:
I must admit to being a burger-junkie. How bad such burgers are for you is a matter of great discussion and certainly for those of us who have difficulty helping ourselves, it is cause for some consternation. To the rescue is the MAD COW CALCULATOR which provides a simple, and reassuring way to find out …
Remember “Hans and Franz?”…from Saturday Night Live. Two muscle-heads who want to ‘PUMP YOU UP’ Well….this was just the start of the hormone craze that has had a wide-range of influences in society, from Major League Baseball scandals, to issues in the local High School locker-rooms, and with the expanding advertising during football season …
Whether or not herbal supplements are of any benefit medically is an important question that can be investigated by well thought-out studies that are done honestly and with a scientific approach, but that issue is secondary to the question of the accuracy of product labelling of herbal supplements. A recent study from Canada, employing DNA …
Read More “TRUTH IN ADVERTISING…RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS”
My daughter is a devotee of the Dr. House show. She enjoys the medical mystery that underlies each episode and Hugh Laurie, the curmudgeonly star of the show. In talking to her recently about the program, it reminded me that the fellow who advises the show on the various medical maladies that House and his …
In a recent study of twins, by a group of research-based plastic surgeons, smoking was seen to significantly impact facial features of aging. This series of pictures is an interesting demonstration of what they noticed SMOKING & NON-SMOKING TWINS So….if you want to stay young….here is another reason to give up the cigarettes. As little …
A little-known jewel in Phoenix, The Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, was just brought to my attention by a patient this past week, and much to my delight and surprise. I’ve not been yet, but have checked out the website and will be going this weekend, if the weather stays beautiful A great way …
There is lots of information available on the flu in Arizona and around the country, and if you are on-line a lot, like I am , it’s easy to avail yourself of this information. First, I recommend our Twitter Feed and look for the BUGS IN TOWN report…that reports what we are seeing in the …
The recent edition of Scientific American had a good graphic explaining the caffeine content of the foods and drinks we consume. To most peoples surprise, Red Bull and 5 Hour Energy are not the biggest offenders. Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts give a lot more caffeine than almost anything else we consume (and home coffee for …