Five Ways to Create a Healthier, More-Humane Menu for Your Family
Creating healthy eating habits for my family has on my mind since my kids were born. But as we become more aware as consumers, we also begin to think about how our purchasing habits impact the rest of the food system. I love the ASPCA’s increased efforts to create more humane practices for farm animals... CONTINUE READING→
The Sperm Count Tempest in a Teapot
Like monsoon season, this storm surfaces every several years, and has for decades. And it does so with seemingly undiminished intensity. Human sperm counts are falling, and we are headed for extinction. Analysis Paralysis The latest published report came in the form of a meta-regression analysis, the latest, uber version of the ordinary meta-analysis, filled to the brim with... CONTINUE READING→
Treating Depression: An Expert Discusses Risks, Benefits of Ketamine
Controversial option seems to work when other methods fail Up to a third of patients with depression don’t respond to traditional forms of treatment. For those patients, the dark fog that hovers over their lives feels like it will never lift. But a new treatment called ketamine has recently made waves all over the internet.... CONTINUE READING→
How Much Is Too Much? Why It’s Important to Know Your Limits with Alcohol
Imagine showing up at your friend’s house to watch the big game, and there’s no beer in sight. That would be an anomaly, wouldn’t it? Alcohol is so ingrained in our culture that most social settings seem bare without it. So you have a beer. And then another. From here, the most important question is... CONTINUE READING→
Sexual Harassment Is Everyone’s Problem
Dear Mr. Dad: Over the past month, I don’t think there’s been a day without a news story of some famous person being accused of sexual assault or harassment. I’m disgusted by these men’s behavior, but I’m concerned that one group of victims is being left out: men who are assaulted or harassed by women.... CONTINUE READING→
What Is a Pathologist?
While you may never meet one, a pathologist can impact your medical care in important ways. Here’s how: Several years ago, a contest sponsored by Yale Medicine’s Department of Pathology invited local middle-school students to answer the question “What is a pathologist?” in order to win a powerful microscope. “I still laugh at the answers we got,” says Jon... CONTINUE READING→
Get Outdoors: Four Ways to Boost Your Well-Being While in Nature
One of the easiest ways to improve your overall wellbeing is to spend more time in the great outdoors. So put down your smartphone and get ff the grid for a few hours or, heck, an entire weekend. Here are four ways to enjoy the benefits that nature provides for both your mind and body.... CONTINUE READING→
Exercise That Doesn’t Discriminate: What CrossFit Gets Right
For decades, lifting weights was the exclusive domain of men. Ten or fifteen years ago, you’d have been lucky to have seen a few female athletes pumping iron. Recently, though, with the popularization of CrossFit and other similar exercise programs, women feel much more welcome in weight rooms around the country. In fact, one recent... CONTINUE READING→
Peripheral Artery Disease: Rerouting Blood Vessels to Save a Patient’s Legs
Treatment of PAD has undergone a revolution since the first time Steve Valvanis had the condition. Steve Valavanis thought he put his circulation problems behind him 20 years ago, when he had major surgeries on both of his legs to replace his blocked arteries. But, in 2015, when the 64-year-old Mystic resident was playing golf... CONTINUE READING→
Miscarriage Grief: Not for Women Only
Dear Mr. Dad: Just after our first trimester, my wife and I lost our baby. I’ve been focusing on being there for her and supporting her every way I can. But this miscarriage has hit me pretty hard too and I’m having a tough time coping. Part of the problem is that I feel guilty... CONTINUE READING→