"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
A recent outbreak of severe diarrheal illness in the midwest, affecing over 400 people, appears to be related to bagged salad distributed there. Cyclospora is a parasite that is an unusual cause of diarrhea, but is the definite agent in this outbreak. This outbreak shows that bagged salad may not be safe, as a general …
When I go to the gym, I’ve seen a large fridge full of boxes of cool coconut water and have wondered ‘What’s the deal here?”. Am I nuts (Coconuts?) Turns out that coconut water is a good source of carbohydrate (simple sugar), potassium, and sodium for replenishing liquids lost during strenuous exercise. It contains a …
There has been controversy about screening for lung cancer. This has gone on for many years, as the chest xray has been deemed quite imperfect in screening for this issue. On the other hand, the overdiagnosis of benign nodules with it’s attendant unnecessary lung biopsies and complications, as well as the radiation from CAT scanning …
I love Google and use it all the time when I search the internet, but Doctor Google is different. Doctor Google is great for my business. Why? Because invariably, when patients ‘google’ their symptoms they come up with many serious possibilities that scare them, and have them coming into the office to be checked out …
Hormone therapy for women is an area of controversy that continues to evolved. The issues are well -being, menopause symptom control, cancer risk, dementia risk, and heart risk. The interaction of hormones on all of these issues is complicated and the research on the pro’s and con’s of supplementation remain somewhat unclear, despite efforts to …
Concussions have become and increasingly legitimate concern in athletics and there has been a lot of press given to this of late, particularly in the NFL. That said, there are concerns in casual sports as regards the potential for head injuries of consequence, and toward that end, I have two links for you that are …
Melanoma is the skin cancer that is most concerning, as it has the most potential for serious complications and a difficult course. Although the vast majority of melanomas are found and cured readily, melanoma has a risk that is far greater that other skin cancers like basal cell and squamous cell. To assist physicians & …
Home runs in cancer treatment are the goal, but often-times the incremental increases are the treatments that add together to make a difference. The latest data from England show that a Radium injection can provide substantial improvements in patients with far-advanced prostate cancer. I have had patients receive this treatment and have seen successes. This …
Read More “LATE STAGE PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT IS NICE ADDITION”
Yes….childish….but when you’ve got it, flaunt it! After a years absence from the top list, Hopkins is once again the #1 hospital in the U.S. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/usnews
Paul Davies is an ASU physics professor and an expert in astrobiology (the potential formation of life on distant planets). If an ALIEN comes to visit our world, it is said that Davies will be among the first scientists contacted to interact with them (far fetched….yes….but this is actually the case.) His latest foray into …
Read More “NEW ‘CANCER THEORY’ FROM ASU PHYSICIST PROMOTES INTEREST”
Weight loss is a challenge for nearly everyone. There is no simple fix and different approaches work for different people. Good Calores, Bad Calories is a fascinating book that is a valid criticism of our general impressions of what is healthy and what is not in the area of foods, and also, gives a strong …
Supplementation with Omega 3 fatty acids, the healthy fats that come naturally from fish sources and also are used as supplements like Mega Red, has shown an association with prostate cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute report shows a statistical increase in men with high levels of Omega 3’s, having more ‘low grade’ and …
Read More “OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS MAY INCREASE RISK FOR PROSTATE CANCER IN MEN”
Statin medications have had a profound effect on heart disease across the world, but there are a variety of limitations with these medications including lack of effect, side effects, and inadequate results in patients at highest risk (inability to achieve ‘goal’ levels of cholesterol.) Enter a new treatment, a medication that is a ‘biological agent’, …
Read More “NEW ‘SUPER CHOLESTEROL REDUCING’ MEDICATION IS COMING…AND IT WILL REQUIRE A SHOT”
In a recent study of oiver 1,000 patients with colon cancer, discovery at colonoscopy proved to be an important factor in longer survival. Patients who were discovered to have colon cancer by colonoscopy were found to have an earlier stage of disease and a longer life-span. This is just another study suggesting the benefits of …
Patients often ask for a list of exercise and stretches they can do at home and it’s difficult to find a nice, succinct list to suggest. Here is a list of 9 simple strength exercises listed in the Harvard Medical School Health Report. 9 STRENGTH EXERCISES