Peanuts Getting a Bad Rap?
Eating peanuts might actually reduce the incidence of developing peanut allergies, according to a new studypublished in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study which began in 2006 followed 640 children over four years, at a time when current pediatric practice was to keep high-risk children away from peanut products for the first three years of life….
Can I Go Out And Have A Cheeseburger Now? 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report
Mass media’s interpretation of medical reports is often suspect. Who wants to buy a newspaper with headline, “Not Much Is New.” The new proposed dietary guidelines do make some changes, but they don’t exactly live up to the recent headlines suggesting that eating cholesterol-rich foods doesn’t matter. Here are some essential points: ~ Cholesterol in…
Platelet Rich Plasma – Fountain of Youth?
Within 24 hours, the topic of platelet rich plasma came up twice. A friend of mine said that a nurse who he sees at his gym had suggested he might try Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for chronic pain following a torn biceps tendon and he wondered what I (mind you, a retired gastroenterologist) thought. That…
Recognize and Overcome Seasonal Affective Disorder
Overcome Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) As we are in the peak days of winter and have less and less natural light, it’s important to talk about SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. There are two types of SAD, namely fall onset SAD and spring onset SAD. The fall version usually affects an individual in late fall or early winter and…
A Rash of Measles Cases in the United States
Measles was thought to be virtually eliminated in the U.S., reaching an all-time low of 37 cases in 2004. However, it’s in the news again. Dr. Thu Tran’s father-in-law, Dr. Sam Katz, developed the vaccine in the 1960s and infection rates decreased steadily. Unfortunately, a later-discredited study linking vaccines to autism caused some parents to withhold these vaccines from…
Bones Building Strategies
1. Incorporate Calcium Rich Super foods Although dairy foods are a rich source of calcium, milk, yogurt and cheese are only part of the solution of incorporating calcium-rich foods in ones diet. Think beyond dairy. Knowing that an 8 ounce glass of milk contains 300 mg calcium, use the following references to compare additional dietary…
January Health Pearls: Walnuts and Alzheimer’s, Formaldehyde in E-Cigarette Vapor
Walnuts as Super Nuts for Memory The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) reported a significant positive relationship between walnut consumption and cognitive function in adults of all ages, gender and ethnicity. These findings are similar to those published in earlier studies. In this survey, adults between 20-59 years old who reported walnut consumption…
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…