An excerpt from Adultish: The Body Image Book for Life. The way that different foods (for example, fats), are talked about in the public and online isn’t always scientifically correct. People can have very strong opinions about food, but this doe…
Category: Conditions
Live longer, die shorter: the surprising health secrets to a vital old age
An excerpt from 21st Century Schizoid Health Care: Essays and Reflections to Keep You Sane on Your Medical Travels. Over a decade ago, a landmark ten-year study by the MacArthur Foundation shattered the stereotypes of aging as a process of slow, geneti…
Understanding and supporting loved ones with celiac disease: a guide from 2 gastroenterologists
Living with celiac disease can be a profound challenge, not just for those diagnosed but also for their friends and family. A strict gluten-free lifestyle is essential, and providing thoughtful, informed support can significantly improve the quality of…
Stop calling me “doctor”: the nurse practitioner’s fight for recognition
I introduce myself to the patients as a nurse practitioner (NP), but they still call me a doctor. Even worse, some of the staff refer to me as “doctor.” I imagine they do so out of respect, but no matter how many times I correct them, the e…
The deadliest condition in emergency departments deserves a new diagnostic approach
Today, most emergency departments (EDs) face overcrowding, high patient volumes and a strain on our increasingly limited staff and resources. As a result, the average patient experiences ED wait times of about two-and-a-half hours, with some reaching n…
Why prayers alone couldn’t save my friend from cancer
I was raised in the Catholic Church. The solemn, reserved, respectful quiet as the priest whispered out his occasional reverent chants. That’s what I knew. That was the only thing I grew to love of the Catholic faith. This friend of mine. We met …
Gaps in the pediatric care of autistic children
P.K. presents for a medical evaluation to the early intervention program. He is 26 months old. P.K.’s parents self-referred to the early intervention program because of concerns regarding a delay in his development. The mother reports that he is …
When words aren’t enough: the heartbreaking truth about suicide
They died by suicide—that is the politically correct way to say it. I want to be politically correct, but I am not sure words can dampen the impact. Someone just lost a friend, a son, a partner, a child. Somehow, we believe if we say the words prettily…
How in-home care gave this couple a new lease on life
An excerpt from Get What’s Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs. Carmella Mason has been a caregiver since her husband, Frank, had a heart attack fifty years ago. They were in their 80s when we spoke. Frank likely owes …
Parents in crisis: How physicians can help
Did you hear the news from the U.S. Surgeon General recently? Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory called “Parents Under Pressure,” outlining the ways in which the 63 million-plus parents and caregivers in the U.S. are struggling—really stru…
