An excerpt from Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood. What is maternal ambivalence? Motherhood is a messy, loving process, filled with complicated and conflicting feelings that, though it’s hard to admit to, …
Category: Conditions
New dietary guidelines should prioritize plants and healthy beverages
As both a physician and a certified culinary medicine specialist, I know firsthand how a nutritious diet can prevent and treat diet-related diseases. Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions are becoming increasingly more co…
The untold toll of COVID-19: a doctor’s battle to save lives and family
Hello! Your friendly next-door ID physician here checking in! I haven’t submitted anything here in several years. I’ve been too caught up with my work and family to delve into my creative side. But the very recent news that we will have a n…
How DNA and hormones shape who we are
We move into every new year carrying beliefs from previous years. Scientific confusion and unresolved questions can sometimes cause society and families to become intellectually and emotionally divided. Centuries ago, we thought the Earth was flat and …
Endometriosis and fertility: What every woman should know
Introduction Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease affecting approximately 10 percent of reproductive-age women and is a leading cause of infertility. Despite its significant impact, it remains underdiagnosed and inadequat…
Ending physicians’ addiction to unhappiness
A large number of physicians are addicted to unhappiness. Practicing medicine is no longer fun, and they are frustrated working in an environment where they do not feel valued and appreciated. Forty percent of all physicians are looking to change their…
A stroke patient’s unwavering love: Caring for his wife amidst his illness
A 90-year-old gentleman has been admitted to our ward under the care of a neurologist. He was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke after experiencing weakness in his left upper limb and slurred speech. His mental status is fluctuating, and the stroke has …
How physicians can fight medical misinformation in the digital age
In 2019, a mother in the U.S. stood in a hospital, clutching her feverish toddler, tears streaming down her face. Just months earlier, she had declined the routine vaccination after reading an article claiming it was “full of toxins” and li…
Why empathy is the missing piece in modern health care
As I navigate this world, I often feel overwhelmed by its harshness, making peace and harmony seem elusive. Today, the atmosphere feels particularly heavy with distrust and anger, leaving me caught in a constant “me” versus “you”…
Helping your teenage patients with chronic headache move on to college
It’s getting close to that time of the school year. Your teenage patient with chronic headache/migraine is finishing up their high school education, either through the traditional or non-traditional pathway. They have chosen their next step—going…
