Health pearls

I had the pleasure of going to the 2019 International Conference of Nutrition in Medicine sponsored by George Washington University and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. This year’s speakers included researchers from Harvard, Yale and Brown, as well as Dr. Ostfeld from my alma mater, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. The initial lecture was ...

*Hypertension in Either Partner Can Delay Pregnancy Time*  A study from China of 2,234,350 eligible couples, spanning from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016, showed that preconception hypertension in either partner (high blood pressure in pre-pregnancy period) would prolonged the time to pregnancy. Women with hypertension were found to have 21% lower rate of pregnancy compared ...

Always up for a day out in nature, Lady Docs gathered at OASIS farm in Gaithersburg, MD this weekend to plant and harvest over 150 pounds of produce. OASIS (Organization for Advancement of Services for Individuals with Special needs) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals with special needs. It is an amazing project of Dr. Chitra ...

This blog probably will be among the longest ones you have seen from me.  I often warn my women friends whenever I write a long email, to tell them what I think about the week, from political news to social issues to all the “interesting” events happening to me that week.  I advise them to empty their bladder, make a cup of coffee or tea and some snacks, and sit somewhere ...

For decades, in the United States, there has been very little talk about measles - for good reason. Thanks to the effectiveness of the measles vaccine that was initially available in 1963, and improved upon in 1968, rates of measles steadily fell until an outbreak in 1989. After that, the recommendation was updated to require two doses of the vaccine instead of one, and rates ...

Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS, is not an actual medical diagnosis, but a term used to describe negative symptoms associated with viewing digital screens such as computers, tablets and smart phones.  CVS can present as tired eyes, dry eyes, tearing, blurred vision, eye pain, headaches and neck pain. Tired eyes can result from staring at a computer screen for long periods ...

Psychiatry, like retail, has busy seasons. Unlike retail, psychiatry’s hectic periods occur secondary to fluctuations in seasonal light exposure, rather than during major holidays. For years, I treated patients for worsening, or new onset depression, around Halloween, October 31.  Some of this was Seasonal Affective Disorder, some simply the effects of diminishing light ...

Over the past several weeks, we’ve posted a series of articles about osteoporosis, including lifestyle measures for prevention and a 3-part series on exercises to improve bone density and decrease falls and bone fractures. As a neurosurgeon, I am asked to consult on vertebral (spinal) fractures.  Osteoporosis is an important risk factor for acute compression fractures. ...

March was colon cancer awareness month. I am a little late in my blog this year but want to give a shout out to getting screened – you can prevent or detect this cancer early with a colonoscopy. Colon cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in the US, with approximately 50,000 people expected to die from colon cancer this year. Colon cancer deaths have dropped ...

*Osteoporosis, a Brief Overview.* Let’s talk about a process that we should think about when we’re young so we can try to prevent unfortunate events as we age.  First, here are a few important definitions. Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone mass leading to fragility of the bones and increased fracture risk. Osteopenia is its less severe sidekick and sarcopenia is loss ...