If you’re around my age (not telling), you’ve probably had your blood drawn, maybe even regularly. Electrolytes, sugars, cholesterol, liver and kidney stuff, HIV testing and the like. But imagine that that same blood sample could tell you whether or not you have any one of 40 cancers? The future is upon us. Written in...Continue reading
Could Drinking Coffee Help You Live Longer?
For years studies have speculated that those who drink coffee may live longer. It appears that researchers may have pinpointed the discovery of why those cups of coffee could hold a key to longevity. New research published in the journal Nature Medicine has discovered an inflammatory process possibly driving the development of cardiovascular disease and...Continue reading
How To Reduce Your Exposure To This Silent Killer
You may be living in a home that could be raising your risk of developing lung cancer even if you are not a smoker or live with someone who does. What is the cause? An odorless, colorless, radioactive gas called radon. Radon gas has been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon...Continue reading
How to Get Financially Fit: Advice from an NFL All-Pro
If life in the NFL taught me one thing, it’s this: the future comes up quicker than you think. One day, I was a first-round draft pick. The next day, I was a Pro-Bowler. The day after that I was retired and asking myself, “OK, Ken, what’s next?” Getting financially fit is no different than...Continue reading
Your Cold and Flu Season Survival Guide
There’s no doubt about it: We are in the thick of winter. And while we have a fresh start to the new year, many of us may be experiencing the same old cold and flu symptoms we get every year. Through my position at the FDA and as a physician, I’m accustomed to giving advice...Continue reading
Should You Teach Your Child a Second Language?
Dear Mr. Dad: My husband and I are both American and speak only English. We’ve heard that it’s good to expose children to other languages. Is it really? If so, when and how do we do it? A: There’s absolutely no question that learning a second language is good for kids (and adults). Here’s how:...Continue reading
How Does a Good Doctor Get That Good?
A patient recently referred to me as the “Doctor’s doctor.” I was honored. And it led me to think: What makes a doctor really good at doctoring? Look it Up If you look up the term “Doctor’s doctor,” you might not find a formal definition for it. Among physicians and groups that rate doctors, it...Continue reading
Special Needs Kids Need Special Dads
Dear Mr. Dad: Our 5-year-old daughter has several special needs. My wife and I love her unconditionally, but I have to admit that parenting her has affected our marriage. Part of the tension comes from the fact that she and I don’t respond to the stress the same way. Do you think there’s anything we...Continue reading
The More the Merrier
Name something besides celebrity status that the following couples have in common: Rhea Durham and Mark Wahlberg, Tory Spelling and Dean McDermott, and Victoria and David Beckham. Bingo! They each have a brood of 4 kids. Whatsup with large families? A Big Brood I just got another birth announcement from a lovely couple in my...Continue reading
Infertility Problems: Not Just for Women Only
Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I are having trouble conceiving. After putting us through months of testing, the fertility doctor we’re seeing says that the problem is on my end. I’m devastated. I just assumed that women were the ones who had fertility problems, and I feel like a complete failure, as if I’m...Continue reading