Primary Care
November 3, 2013
More Discouraging News on Herbal Supplements
BMC Medicine article on DNA barcoding of randomly chosen herbal products yields troubling results.
October 18, 2013
More on “Low T”
Testosterone is not everything and is overmarketed. Twin bathtubs are quaint. Women's libido is the next frontier, but far in the distance.
June 15, 2013
Advance Catastrophication Not Effective Clinical Approach
The sky is falling. My headache must be a brain tumor. Advance catastrophication raises a patient's anxiety and rarely is helpful. Doctors need to proceed thoroughly and calmly but still rationally protect against risk to the patient in a timely fashion.
June 15, 2013
How Bubbe Killed Zayde With Love and Deli
Traditional Jewish ethnic food, especially delicatessen, is typically extraordinarily high in salt and saturated fat. It probably unwittingly contributed to the early mortality of the patriarchs of prior generations.
June 5, 2013
Sensible Intake of Calcium and Vitamin D
Vitamin D and calcium are essential for bone health and normal bodily metabolism. Parts of the medical community got overly enthusiastic in the last decade and suggested unnecessarily and possibly harmfully large intake of both nutrients. Sensible daily intake from diet and supplements is 1000 mg calcium and 1000 IU of vitamin D for most…
April 29, 2013
The Sea (Salt) Around Us
How much salt should I eat? Why does salt matter? What foods contain the most salt? Can I do anything to reduce my salt intake while still having tasty food?
April 4, 2013
Chest CT Scans to Screen for Lung Cancer
Chest CT scans on an annual basis have been shown to find lung cancers in former long-term smokers early enough to reduce mortality by 20%. We should consider starting annual chest CTs for all current and former serious smokers.
March 31, 2013
How Much Are Those Nuts and Olive Oils?
Extra virgin olive oil and healthy tree nuts (walnuts and almonds) are available inexpensively at Costco and probably other bulk retailers. The Mediterranean diet does not at all need to be an expensive diet.
March 27, 2013
Mediterranean Diet, Olive Oil, Nuts Beat BRPPS for Health
The NE Journal (2/25/13) published a study from Spain that showed that overweight middle-aged people at high risk for stroke, heart attack or death from cardiovascular disease can reduce that risk by almost 30% with a "Mediterranean" diet compared to a diet higher in starch but lower in fruits, vegetables and legumes, olive oil and…
March 26, 2013
Pharma Wants to Suit You to a T
Men in midlife may experience reduced energy, strength and overall feeling of vigor, in addition to reduced sexuality and sexual performance from low testosterone levels. I am making a regular effort to focus more diligently on this issue with all of our men. Big Pharma is rapidly generating new treatment alternatives.
March 17, 2013
The Forces of Darkness Are Still Strong: Fluoride
An Op-Ed Commentary in the Lincoln Journal on March 7 reminded me that the forces of darkness and ignorance are alive and strong even in our communities. The writer proposed to remove fluoridation from our water despite almost seven decades of clearly beneficial results. I had to respond.
January 31, 2013
Eggs Are Back! Had They Ever Left?
The British Medical Journal (www.bmj.com) just reported that a review of studies of egg consumption determined that there was no increase in heart attacks or strokes related to regular eating of eggs.