Is It Snoring? Or Is It Sleep Apnea??
Loud snoring isn’t just a nuisance, it can be a significant health issue. About half the time, it predicts the presence of sleep apnea, in which the snorer stops breathing for a short period, many times per hour. As the muscles in the back of the throat relax during the night, they collapse and impede…
How to Take the “Lag” out of Jet Lag
Have you ever suffered from jet lag? It can be miserable—sleepless nights and severe fatigue during daytime hours when you are supposed to be wide eyed and ready to take on the world. It is especially difficult if you work overseas frequently. Having just returned from a trip to Asia myself, I offer these tips…
More June Health News: OTC Acne Treatment, Adolescence and Indoor Tanning, Probiotics, Aspirin and Pancreatic Cancer.
1. FDA Warning on OTC Acne Medications: Many teenagers I see as patients have been using various over-the-counter (OTC) topical acne medications such as lotions, gels, cleansing pads, face washes, face scrubs etc… These products save them from having to see dermatologists or their primary care doctors. They tend to be cheaper than products prescribed…
The Air Is Thinner Up There — What Does That Mean?!
Each year in the United States 30 million people travel to altitudes above 6500 feet to ski, hike, marvel at the scenery or just relax. Nature’s beauty at that altitude is amazing, but warrants precautions before and during the visit. HIGH ALTITUDE PHYSIOLOGY – What do we mean by, “The air is thinner up there?” Whether…
June Health News – The News is Bad for Red Meat and Soda, Good for Seafood and Veggies
1. Red Meat Consumption and the Increased Risk of Breast Cancer: Women, how much red meat do you eat a week? For years, many scientists have tried to link red meat consumption to a variety of cancers including breast and colon. I have patients who eat only “organic” red meat to avoid the allegedly high…
Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy and Strong
Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy and Strong You can do many things to keep your children’s teeth healthy and strong. Make sure they have a healthy diet, brush every day with fluoridated toothpaste, and see a dental professional regularly. However, it is especially hard to keep tooth decay from developing in the teeth of very…
Menopause 2014: An Update from the American College of Physicians Annual Meeting 2014
Although the existence of “Andropause” is very controversial in the medical community, there is no doubt that every woman goes through menopause, whether surgically induced or as a natural consequence of aging. In the United States, the average age of menopause is 51 years of age. So to balance out my last article on Andropause,…
I Have Ticks In My Colon?!
Well, not ticks, but ‘tics’ – or diverticuli. What are tics, anyway? This is a question that I am often asked following a colonoscopy when they are commonly found. Diverticuli are basically a pouch or sac off the colon wall created by herniation of the inner lining of the colon. They pop out through a…
More May Health News…
1. More patients will die from pancreatic cancer than from breast or prostate or lung cancer. My mother in law Dr. Cathy Wilfert was a medical student at Harvard University in the 1960s and she told me the students in her class heard about pancreatic cancer but never personally witnessed a case. Now, it seems…
Water Exercise – For Memorial Day and Year Round
Perhaps you think of pool exercise as being only for skilled swimmers or for those needing rehab for a joint. Well, think again! Swimmer or not, water is a great medium for athletes to cross-train, those with joint or weight-bearing issues to exercise, and for everyone to have a fun time. As someone who spends…