Smoking Your Brains Out?

As a former smoker myself (I quit more than 25 years ago), I fully appreciate the pleasures of smoking. However, after what I’ve seen in the 20+ years I’ve been a clinician, no matter how pleasurable it might seem there is simply no upside to smoking - or any other form of tobacco use for that matter.

Smoking is literally a poison delivery system. I’m not nagging (yes, I am) but I want to update you on some research I read that reported on effects of smoking you may find surprising. I found this study a little scary.

Read on to see what they found out about smoking and your brain.

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Should You Be Checking Your Own BP? Yes.

I am a big believer in people checking their own blood pressures from time to time. In fact, I carry little cards around in my lab coat pocket and give them to my patients to carry in their wallets so they can write down the BPs they measure.

I don’t care where people check their BPs. Some of my patients have home BP monitors and others check theirs at the grocery or drug store.

Read this post to learn why checking your own blood pressure is a good idea.

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Making the Most of Your Medical Appointments

When medical professionals are in training – Nurse Practitioners, Doctors and Physician Assistants – we are taught to ask specific questions to help us arrive at a correct diagnosis. It is called “analysis of a symptom”. You as a patient, however, receive no training to prepare you to answer these questions.

Read this post and learn the questions you will be asked. If you are prepared with detailed answers, you will be able to make the most of your medical appointment.

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6 Post-Thanksgiving Tips for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season

I hope you enjoyed a bountiful and magnificent feast yesterday and ate until you couldn’t hold another bite! I hope you were surrounded by people you love and who love you back. I hope there was more laughter than tears, more comfort than stress, and more to be thankful for than you thought there would be going into the holiday.

So, the winter holidays are now upon us. I have a few suggestions for you to digest along with your Thanksgiving dinner. I want you to have a healthy plan for the days and weeks ahead.

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Update: How Long Should You Stay on Osteoporosis Medications?

Medical treatments are continually studied and recommendations to medical professionals are regularly revised. In this post I will update you on the latest recommendations related to the drugs used to treat osteoporosis and osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis). Click here if you would like to review an my post about the risk factors, detection and prevention of these conditions.

If you take Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva or Reclast (or if your health professional has recommended you take one of them) read this post to learn how get the most benefit from them.

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Wishing You a Healthy Flu Season and a Pneumonia Free New Year

It’s that time of year again – the leaves are turning, the weather is cooling off, the holidays are fast approaching - and that means flu season is, too. Yearly flu vaccination starts in September and continues throughout the flu season.

Here’s a tip - late October and early November are the best times to be vaccinated. Read this little primer on a yearly ritual. If you need vaccinated, now’s the time!

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How a Heart CT Scan Led to My Bypass Surgery

At his regular checkup, this man’s doctor recommended he get an expensive screening test called a heart CT scan (aka EBCT). This test is not covered by insurance and is not recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Even though he was having no symptoms, he chose to go ahead pay for the test himself and he’s glad he did. He has graciously allowed me to publish his story hoping it might help others. Read it here.

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What Adult Vaccinations Do You Need?

Do you remember your childhood vaccinations – the smell of alcohol that warned of the impending pain of needles? I sure do. I’ve had patients tell me they still get nervous around doctors and nurses and needles, all because of those awful shots. I hate to break this to you – but some of those shots have worn off and there are other vaccinations you need as an adult that you may not have had yet. Don’t get nervous, I can’t give you a shot over the Internet. But please read this post, shore up your courage and go get the vaccinations you need!

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Aging to Perfection: Part 2 - Wisdom

I don’t know about you, but if I am lucky enough to grow old, I hope I get there having aquired a little wisdom along the way. All I know so far is that wisdom has a price. Anything of real value does not come cheap and money can’t buy life’s richest gifts - they can only be earned. Here are some excerpts from an article about wisdom and the qualities of those who seem to possess it.

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Aging to Perfection: Part 1 - Maintaining Functional Capacity

My patients often say to me “It’s hell getting old.” My reply is always the same, “It beats the alternative!” Growing old is not for the faint of heart. This is the first of a two part post called Aging to Perfection. Part 1 is about how to maintain functional capacity and Part 2 is about wisdom.

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