May Health News
1. Type 2 Diabetes: Two Meals or Six Meals? As a type 2 diabetic, haven’t your physicians often advised you to eat multiple small meals instead of 3 big meals to better regulate your sugar level? That has been how I counsel my diabetic patients. Well, you might have heard of a recent study from…
A Few Words on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus – MERSCoV
The latest word from the World Health Organization about MERS – a virus that is new to humans – is that there is no broad risk to the public. People are concerned because it is caused by a coronavirus, the same type of virus that caused the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak in 2003…
The NERVE! Chickenpox Returns as Shingles
I’m prompted to write this having seen a new case of shingles each week for the past month – not too surprising with 1 million cases occurring yearly in the US. Since we have treatment that works better the sooner the patient seeks care, it’s important for people to recognize it. The varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox…
Andropause: Truth, Fiction, or Both? A lecture from the American College of Physicians (ACP) Annual Meeting 2014
Much controversy surrounds the concept of a possible male menopause. Dr. Kristen Gill Hairston, an associate professor in endocrinology from Wake Forest School of Medicine gave an excellent summary of the symptoms of low testosterone, medical evaluation and possible treatments at the ACP (American College of Physicians) annual meeting. She cautions that only patients who…
The Forces of Nature: Life, Gravity, Time and Prolapse
Co-author Joanna Hess, PT, DPT, Physical Therapist at Restore Motion Editor’s Note: In honor of Mothers’ Day, we thought we’d discuss a common problem that can affect all women, although it is more commonly seen in those who have given birth — one of the less rewarding consequences of motherhood. “Something is falling out!” You’re in…
Coffee – More Anti-Oxidants To Go With My Chocolate
For those of you who read my blog on chocolate, you may be starting to wonder about my dietary habits. Coffee and chocolate are daily staples and I suspect that I am getting a hefty amount of caffeine per day. My dark chocolate habit, albeit moderate, likely results in 10 mg of caffeine being ingested….
Pollen Vortex — Part 1 of 2
Have you heard that this winter’s polar vortex is turning into the spring’s pollen vortex? It’s true! In my office, every spring we gear up for the high pollen count spring season. This year, we have a fun name (pollen vortex) to accompany the misery. The medical term for “hay fever” or pollen allergies is…
A Break from Myanmar’s Diary…More April Health Pearls…
1. Is smoking marijuana harmful to the brain function of young people? In what way might it harm their brain? A collaborative study between Northwestern University’s medical school, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical school showed how casual smoking of marijuana in the age group 18-25 can change the areas of the brain affecting emotion…
Safe Sleeping – The Latest in Newborn Positioning and More
When speaking to a new parent, it usually takes less than two minutes before conversation turns to the topic of sleep. Not surprising, given the many issues surrounding sleep (or the lack thereof!) in the first few months of life. One of the latest pushes in safer sleep practices is awareness about the risks associated…
What’s New in the Brain: Update in Neurology from the American College of Physicians Annual Meeting 2014
Last week I had the privilege of attending the ACP Annual Meeting where 10,000 internists from the United States and the international community meet to attend talks on the state of the latest in the field. Dr. Martin A. Samuels, the Chairman of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, summarized some the major findings in Neurology…