Hepatitis C – What Is It, Who Can Get It and Why Is It In The News? written by Julia Korenman, M.D.
Hepatitis C has been in the headlines recently. This is a chronic illness that affects 3-4 million people in the US and one of the main diagnoses leading to liver transplantation. In the past year, new medications have been approved to treat this disease, making testing more attractive as patients now have treatment options. Hepatitis…
Escape the Yo-Yo Diet Trap: Define Your Own Nutritional Success
For years, the health and fitness industry has preached that the “calories in and calories out” model was the most effective weight loss recipe. Let’s not argue with the logic of this. If you spend more energy than what you take in, you sure will get into caloric deficit and your weight will drop. I…
Osteoporosis – How Can Fractures Be Prevented?
Winter is upon us and along with holiday cheer comes the beautiful yet hazardous snow and ice. Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease, characterized by a decrease in bone density, which can lead to fracture. Bone is living tissue. Existing bone is constantly being replaced by new bone. Osteoporosis (OP) occurs when…
The Wizard of Oz
I’m often asked what I think about Dr. Oz’s advice. The Dr Oz Show has almost 3 million viewers per day, which makes him an influential source of medical information. He dresses in surgical scrubs, takes advantage of his standing as a physician, and excitedly reports about ‘miracles’ for weight loss and advocates for ‘anti-aging’…
December Health Pearls: Gardasil 9 Vaccine: Pollution Exposure and Risk of Autism, Dysfuntional Sleep and Childhood Obesity
1. Gardasil 9, the New Version of A Cervical Cancer Vaccine. Earlier this month, the FDA approved the Gardasil 9, Merck’s new version of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, to be given to females from 9-26 year old, and males from 9-15 years old. Gardasil protects the recipients against nine strains of HPV, as compared…
Caribbean Travelers: Bring Your DEET!
Are you headed to warmer weather for the holiday break? In addition to bringing sunscreen and your bathing suit, do not forget to pack mosquito repellant if you are venturing to the Caribbean islands. One year ago, the first cases of Chikungunya, a viral illness that causes severe joint pains and fever, were detected in…
Heart Attack or Panic Attack?
Sarah comes into the office complaining of chest pain, sweating, racing heart, and shortness of breath. She is worried about having a heart attack. Physical exam and EKG are all normal. What is the next step for Sarah who is having a panic attack? First, of course, we treat her panic attack with a low…
Medical Marijuana – Joint Controversy
As laws change in different jurisdictions, many questions arise. Is marijuana safe? If alcohol and cigarettes kill more people than marijuana does, why are the former legal and the latter generally illegal? Can a doctor legally grow marijuana and prescribe it medically in jurisdictions where both activities are legal? As over 20 states now have…
What Are Neonatal Teeth? And What Is A Dental Home?
It was a regular day at the office when I received a phone call from my Pediatrician colleague about a dental issue with a 1 week old infant in their office. The doctor and lactation consultant were concerned about the presence of 2 whitish tooth-like structures in the anterior part of the lower jaw. I…
Some Points to Consider When Choosing a Health Insurance Plan
Whether you’re looking over choices through an employer or participating as an individual, there are some basic features to explore. This information came my way through MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society. It’s brief and well-organized and meant to be shared with our patients, so rather than re-invent the wheel, I’ll just paraphrase the essentials…