Weight, BMI and Waist Circumference – What’s the Significance
Jody Miller’s article published today describes how repeated weight measurement may be counterproductive for some people. Another number, the BMI, is often used as a way to evaluate body weight relative to height; it is the ratio of weight (in kilograms) to height (in meters) squared. Your BMI can be determined from a table or a calculator…
Take the Sting Out of Bee Stings!
Bees and I do not get along. A playmate in my first grade class in Corvallis, Oregon stumbled upon a yellow jacket nest, so one of my earliest memories is standing in a classroom of screaming children while bees swarmed the room. While pregnant with my first child and taking the Internal Medicine Board Examination,…
What Should I Do About My Reflux Medicine? Do PPIs Cause Heart Attacks?
Millions of patients in the United States take the acid blocking medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). The most common indication for long term usage is acid reflux or heartburn (GERD). PPIs include omeprazole and other “– azoles” whose brand names include Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix. Last week, an article was published in the…
We Just Stopped Complaining About Polar Freeze and Now It’s Hazy Hot and Humid!
Here in Washington, DC, we’re in the midst of our first real run of HHH — hazy, hot and humid — and reports of what ‘color’ code day it is. The determination of code yellow, orange or red is made on the basis of temperature and humidity, and is much more dependent on the latter….
June Health News: Peanut Allergy, Poor Sleep Links to Overeating, and More…
1. Infant Exposure to Peanut Products Reduces Risk of Peanut Allergy. The Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and conducted by the NIAID-funded Immune Tolerance Network (ITN), reported an 81% risk reduction in peanut allergy at age 5, in infants at high risk…
Get Ready for the Summer Travel Season!
As a travel medicine nurse for Foxhall Immunizations I consult with patients daily on what recommendations there are for traveling abroad. Research shows us that less than half of the world’s travelers actually seek travel advice. Ideally, a traveler should seek advice 4-6 weeks prior to traveling but the realistic time tends to be 2…
Teen Pregnancy – It’s More Than Just About The Baby
May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Teen pregnancy and births in the U.S. have reached historic lows, so it might be tempting for parents, healthcare providers, community leaders and others to think, “problem solved!” and move on to another really important teen issue. But here is the reality: Approximately 625,000 teen pregnancies still occur…
May Health Pearls
1. Gardasil 9 Vaccine: Potential 80% Reduction in Cervical Cancer A study conducted by the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute and the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) reported a potential 80% risk reduction in cervical cancer among children 11-12 years old who received the 9-valent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. The results were reported…
Hats Off To The Washington Post: Forget the Fitbit. Focus on Lunch.
A comical drawing of a young man exercising on the front of the Outlook Section of today’s Washington Post caught my eye. As did the title: Forget the Fitbit. Focus on Lunch. It is written by a cardiologist who is a consultant clinical associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in Britain. I am simply…