When people talk about Vitamin D, it usually has to do with bone health. And last week I did a post that talked about the many benefits of getting enough D—and the health risk associated with not getting enough. Two recent studies highlight even more of those risks, especially for African-Americans: arthritis pain in the...Continue reading
Category: Family
Vitamin D Deserves an “A”
There’s a lot of controversy about Vitamin D and estimates of how many American have a deficiency range from 8 percent to nearly 80 percent. But what isn’t debatable is that Vitamin D (which is actually not a vitamin at all, but a hormone) plays an important role in an astonishing number of conditions throughout...Continue reading
When it Takes Three to Make a Baby
I’m a big fan of science and technology, but I’m not sure I’m completely on board with this recent development. Scientists in Oregon have just created human embryos using genetic material from three parents. Yep, three. The new technique was apparently developed as a way of helping babies avoid inheriting certain rare genetic conditions from...Continue reading
On the Fence about Whether Your Kids Should Have Flu Shots? Just Do It—Now
Between August 1, 2004 and May 5, 2012, 829 children in the US died from the flu, according to a new study by researchers at the CDC. And a third of those kids died within three days after symptoms first appeared. Unfortunately, by then it’s often too late. The solution? Make sure your kids get...
Want Grandchildren? Make Sure Your Sons Aren’t Overwieght
Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that obese boys between 14-20 have 50 percent less testosterone that boys the same age whose weight is normal.
Coffee With Sam: Abigail Hirsch On Marriage and Divorce
I recently had the opportunity to have a virtual cup of coffee and chat with Dr. Abigail Hirsch, marriage specialist, practicing clinician, co-author of The Power of Two, and blogger. Dr. Hirsch has some great advice on marriage: how to make it work, keep it happy, and keep your partner satisfied (in all senses of...Continue reading
Under Pressure: The Real Reason Our Joints Creeeeeak…
There’s no question that the cartilage in our joints wear deteriorates with age. But if you’re overweight, your chances of developing arthritis or joint problems–especially in the hips and knees–goes way, way up. Obese people are twice as likely as non-obese people to develop arthritis, according to Dr. Richard Iorio, an orthopedic surgeon and a...Continue reading
Is It Nuts to Want to Live to 100?
How many times have you ever said something like, “I’d give my left nut to [fill in the blank with something you really, really want…]”? Of course you didn’t really mean that—and if you were suddenly presented with whatever it was that you wanted, you’d try to find another way to pay for it. So...Continue reading
Men and Suicide: Much More Than a Mental-Health Issue
Anyone who’s ever looked at suicide statistics knows that men are 3-4 times more likely to kill themselves than women are (women, however, attempt suicide more). But what a lot of people don’t realize is that men in lower socio-economic groups—especially men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s—are significantly more likely to commit suicide than...Continue reading
Have You Seen Your Penis Lately? Size Matters (But It’s Not What You Think)
While that may sound like the punch line of a joke, this is no laughing matter. According to a new study, a frightening percentage of men have guts that are so big that they haven’t seen their penis for quite some time. And a belly that large is a ticket to a shorter (by as...Continue reading