People have been searching for a miracle drug–a single compound that could cure all that ails us–for hundreds of years. And the search hasn’t been terribly successful. But over the past decade or so, science may have gotten as close as it ever has to that ever-elusive miracle drug. Best of all, it’s either free...Continue reading
Cut Out Soda, Cut Your Risk of Diabetes
Americans consume nearly 130 pounds of added sugars per person every year. This includes both sugar and high fructose corn syrup. These sugars lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease and can be found in sweetened drinks, syrup, honey, breads, and yogurts. Since the 1970’s sugar consumption has decreased 40%, this is slightly misleading since...Continue reading
Train Your Body to Want Less Salt
Many men develop a workout regimen that targets various parts of the body – legs, arms, abs – starting with low weight and repetitions and gradually easing their way up to higher ones. This works wonders for addressing one aspect of a healthy lifestyle: muscle-building exercise. But what about healthy eating?? It turns out your...
The Underrated Importance of Clean Hands
As a parent, it’s been a constant battle to get my kids to wash their hands–whether that’s before eating, after going to the bathroom, sneezing, petting an animal, or for any other reason. And as a human being, I’m constantly restraining myself from pointing out to non-family members–especially other adults–that they need to wash their...Continue reading
FNA Mapping: A Tool for the Trade
Do you have a favorite tool? Maybe a great cooking pot or utensil that really works for you. Possibly a shiny, worn and weathered but perfectly performing baseball glove, or a dinged and pockmarked surfboard that handles virtually every swell. Whether you’re a carpenter and fan of curly maple, or a car hobbyist who likes...Continue reading
How to Treat Male Sexual Dysfunction
A wide variety of treatment options are available for male sexual dysfunction. You and your doctor will decide which treatment is best for you based on any number of factors. The National Institute of Health has approximated that 5% of 40-year-old-men between 15% and 25% of 65-year-old-men experience erectile dysfunction on a long-term basis. However, more commonly...Continue reading
Marriage is Good for Your Heart
Regardless of your feelings about marriage, you may want to give it a try–especially if you’re concerned about your health. Researchers at New York University studied 3.5 million people and found that married people have lower risks of vascular disease, coronary artery disease, aneurysms, and other heart-related conditions than those who are divorced, single, or...Continue reading
I laughed at my thinning hair
I’m serious. I looked in the mirror and I saw, for the thousandth time, the stealthy retreat of my hairline and the patch of thinning hair that spoke this message to me: You are getting older, J. For years, I noticed the gradual change in my hairline with a bit of dread. It didn’t matter...Continue reading
Are UTI’s Getting Harder to Treat?
Over prescription of antibiotics for infections has been a continuous issue in the healthcare community, even after the CDC declared antibiotic resistance as a serious health threat in the last few years. Researchers have called for a further intervention to stop unnecessary use of antibiotics, who are not likely to benefit from taking them. Treating these cases with...Continue reading
Public Health in Action – A Silent Health Crisis
Of all the things in the fields of both public health and healthcare that pique my interest and attention most, it’s health disparities, specifically the numbers 5 and 7. In a country as productive and innovative as ours, it’s a particularly vexing reality check whenever I’m faced with those two numbers, which I’ve listed below...Continue reading