A new scientific report supports research suggesting that even low levels of pollution — well below the current national regulatory cutoffs — may harm our health. Outdoor air pollution stems largely from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil), which generate noxious gases, smog, and soot. Smog, which makes air look hazy, is created …
Two things I have accomplished, in different realms, seem like they would require entirely different skill sets, yet I have discovered an unexpected overlap. The first is overcoming a vicious addiction to prescription painkillers, and the second is training to be a health and wellness coach. The common skills and practices of these two experiences …
How to recognize and tame your cognitive distortions Read More »
When should you see a gynecologist? The answer is simple in some ways, more complicated in others. If you’re a woman or a person with female reproductive organs, experts recommend that you start seeing a gynecologist when you become sexually active, or at least once before the age of 21. Good gyn care, as this …
Gyn Care 101: What to know about seeing a gynecologist Read More »
In a perfect world, indulging in a daily portion of French fries instead of almonds would be a simple choice, and no negative consequences would stem from selecting the salty, deep-fried option. But a Harvard expert says we should take the findings of a new study supporting this scenario with, er, a grain of salt. …
French fries versus almonds: Calorie for calorie, which comes out on top? Read More »
Hospitals across the country are still scrambling to recover from the toll of an ever-shifting pandemic. What does that mean if you wind up in an emergency department (ED) due to an illness or accident? What should you know and what can you expect? As an emergency medicine doctor at a large teaching hospital, here …
Repeating the story: What to expect in the emergency department Read More »
It’s time to make summer plans, and for many families those plans include summer camp. After the past couple of years, the idea of getting out of the house, being active, and seeing other children sounds very appealing. While COVID-19 is still with us, vaccines and the fact that so many people have gotten sick …
If dementia is a general term that means thinking and memory has deteriorated to the point that it interferes with day-to-day function, what are the top three disorders that cause dementia in older individuals? Did you think of Alzheimer’s disease? Good! Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. Did you also think of vascular …
LATE: A common cause of dementia you’ve never heard of Read More »
The blood supply in the US is critically low. Donations dropped off so dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic that the American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis. And since donated red blood cells only last about six weeks, supplies cannot be stockpiled in advance. A severe shortage could require difficult decisions about who …
Blood donations are down — so why restrict blood donors by sexual orientation? Read More »
We all have habits we’d like to get rid of, and every night we give ourselves the same pep talk: I’ll go to bed earlier. I will resist that cookie. I will stop biting my nails. And then tomorrow comes, we cave, and feel worse than bad. We feel defeated and guilty because we know …