Testicular cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in younger men, aged 15 through 35. Luckily with early detection and treatment, about 96-99 percent of patients with testicular cancer survive this diagnosis and remain cancer free for 5 or many more years after. Even when testicular cancer is caught in more advanced stages, the cure rate is...Continue reading
Want Tastier Food? Ditch the Salt and Take a Slow, Deep Breath
Humans have been adding salt to our food for thousands of years and for good reason: It makes just about everything taste better. Not saltier–just better. Why else would people put it on foods like grapefruit, watermelon, cheese, and caramel? Salt works its magic in several ways. First, it suppresses bitter tastes, which allows the...Continue reading
5 Alcoholic Spirits to Keep You Healthy
The medicinal properties of alcohol have been hyped for almost as long as alcohol has been around. Before prohibition, doctors would prescribe various alcoholic beverages for differing aliments. Even today, there are reputable medical doctors who recommend a drink before writing a prescription. You may not find an FDA daily recommended allowance label on these...Continue reading
What is Herbal Viagra and what did it do to Lamar Odom?
Over-The-Counter Viagra for Erectile Dysfunction As a urologist at Urology Associates, with over 10 years of expertise in erectile dysfunction and sexual medicine, I’m often asked about the legitimacy and safety of over-the-counter (OTC) herbal “Viagra” supplements that are made to assist with erections. This year, these inquiries skyrocketed following the tragic news of Lamar Odom’s overdose at...Continue reading
African-American men at higher risk for prostate cancer
African-American men have the highest risk of developing prostate cancer, compared all other races. A study from the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Pennsylvania suggests that there are specific genes that may indicate aggressive prostate cancer in African-American men. The researchers believe that their results may partially explain the reason for ethnic disparities in prostate...Continue reading
Mental and Physical Health: You Can Have It All For a Song
Just about everyone loves a good song. Whether you’re watching The X-Factor, The Voice, or Glee, or singing in a choir, a karaoke bar, the shower, your car, or on stage, there’s something almost magical about the combination of words and music. Actually, it’s more than magical. There’s a growing body of research suggesting that...Continue reading
Can you be allergic to your sperm?
They sat in front of me, notes in hand, having read all they could, and looking somewhat concerned. “We read that vasectomy reversals don’t work because of antibodies that men make to their sperm. Is this true?” Don the Immunology Hat Practically speaking, the world’s first immunologist was the formidable warlord King Mithridates VI of...Continue reading
My “Normal” Lifestyle Almost Killed Me
I was living what I thought was a “normal” lifestyle when all of a sudden I was facing death. One day I was visiting family, the next I was in the hospital experiencing dizziness and shortness of breath. I soon learned I had three blocked arteries, and would quickly need triple coronary bypass surgery to...Continue reading
When Noise Makes You Crazy
Most of us have negative reactions to certain sounds, the most famous of which is probably chalk or fingernails on a blackboard. (Interestingly, as chalk and blackboards go the way of the floppy disk, many people are just as bothered by the sound of dry erase markers squeaking on whiteboards.) But there’s a big difference...Continue reading
Could peer mentors help people with apnea get a better night of sleep?
Imagine going to sleep and having someone jab you 30 to 80 times an hour, every hour, until your alarm goes off. How rested would you feel in the morning? That’s how one patient describes what it feels like to suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea interrupts breathing sometimes hundreds of times a night. The...Continue reading