Do you suffer with scaly, itchy skin that blisters and peels? I know this may sound like a dreadful condition to live with but the truth is that eczema is on the rise. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, 9 – 30% of the U.S. population has some type of skin ... Views: 1677
Sometimes I’ll see a patient who comes in complaining of having feelings like their mind is racing, they’re forgetful, distracted, have difficulty concentrating, lose patience with their jobs, or other projects. It may even occur to the point that they impulsively quit, are frequently ... Views: 982
It wasn’t too long ago that doctors who used alternative medicine methods of healing patients were labeled quacks. In fact, I remember the funny looks from fellow colleagues when I told them I thought herbal products and supplements had a lot to offer traditional medicine!
In addition, ... Views: 862
Are you one of those guys who are burning the candle at both ends and maybe only getting 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night? Are you also one of those guys having problems with his sex drive and feeling out of sorts? Well, recent studies done in the last 3 years show that these symptoms could all be ... Views: 2074
It’s hard to believe that people would actually pay to have their faces injected with a bacterium that causes paralysis of the face muscles. But that is of course what millions of Americans do every year and the number continues to increase. Since the procedure received FDA approval in April ... Views: 1325
My patients frequently ask me if using nutrition bars would be of any benefit to their overall health or weight loss plan. I admit, even I grab one of these bars every now and then for a quick snack, or even lunch on a really busy day sometimes. In fact, I would much rather have my patients ... Views: 568
It’s that time of year again when the days are getting shorter and cooler, furnaces are starting to kick on again, and flu season is just around the corner. It’s the time when many of my patients come to me complaining of certain symptoms that they think may be the flu.
However, when I ask ... Views: 1215
More and more patients come to me convinced they know the nature of their medical condition. It’s not surprising because people nowadays “google” everything and sometimes find out more than they need to know.
Just yesterday, I saw a patient who swore she had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome because ... Views: 2703
With all the stressors of today’s hectic paced lifestyles and economic uncertainty, less than optimal nutrition, and deprived sleep patterns, it’s no wonder more and more of my patients complain of getting headaches. Did you know that about 90% of the population gets at least 1 headache a year? ... Views: 1583
Have you noticed that older people seem to be obsessed with being regular? I know it may sound amusing, but the older people get, it seems the more concerns with constipation they have. In fact, constipation is one of the most common ailments in people over age 65, especially women, accounting ... Views: 742
One of the hardest things I have to do as an orthopedic doctor is tell a patient that he or she has rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When people see me for pain, it is sometimes difficult for them to explain exactly what is happening to them. Some describe their symptoms as “mystery” pain because ... Views: 871
Your body is a miraculous machine! Think about all the systems that have to work together to keep you feeling and functioning at your highest level. As an anti-aging doctor I try to prevent health problems from occurring in my patients by taking a pro-active approach to their well being. One ... Views: 900
This is the time of year when I may see several patients with symptoms of what they call “a touch of the flu” - a little sneezing, perhaps some coughing, maybe a sore throat, some chest congestion, tired, headachey, maybe even a little queasy stomach with some diarrhea. More often than not, ... Views: 1519
Living a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important things you can do to slow down the aging process. This includes eating whole foods, exercising daily, not smoking, and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum. Maintaining a healthy weight is right up there too for protecting your body ... Views: 648
A patient named Richard recently came to me for what he described as pain in his heel. His story is not unlike others I’ve heard and I believe it’s worth repeating in his own words:
“I’m a construction worker and have to be on my feet most of the time. My feet never gave me any trouble until ... Views: 1900
Many of my patients are over the age of 50 and as a result may have more skin related conditions than people who are younger. One such condition that seems to be more common in older people is Shingles, a viral infection that causes a painful rash. It is estimated that half the population who ... Views: 1391
With summer just around the corner, I know I’m going to start seeing a lot more patients with ear complaints and injuries. Why? Many ear conditions and injuries arise from things associated with warm weather and busier outdoor activity, like water sports, motorcycles, and amusement park rides, ... Views: 2233
Many of the requests for health advice I get from my patients involve taking care of their heart – what can they do to prevent or improve heart ailments? I’m always pleased when a patient wants to take a pro-active role in their heart health as it is one of the most important things you can ... Views: 1094
When it comes to staying healthy, I advise my patients to shop in the produce section of their local supermarket. There they will find all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that protect and repair cells from damage caused by free radicals. It is believed that veggies hold the key to ... Views: 635
Did you eat your veggies today? For some people the answer to this question is a resounding yes! While others find it hard to force down two veggies a day never mind the 5-9 servings recommended by leading health experts. Vegetables are vital to your good health, especially the dark green, ... Views: 845
Like many of my patients, you may want to turn over a new, and healthy, leaf for 2011. As I tell my patients, one of the most important things you can do for your health is to know your risk factors for heart disease. Heart disease in America is still one of the number #1 killers. Being ... Views: 961
Clogged arteries are responsible for a number of ailments including heart pain, high blood pressure, and peripheral arterial disease. Many of my male patients are shocked when I tell them that plaque build-up may even be causing their erectile dysfunction. How can that be? All of these ... Views: 1949
Once we pass the age of 40, we become prone to developing certain vision related conditions like cataracts and possibly macular degeneration. However, as I tell my patients, become proactive now to protect your vision! First, let me explain a little about both of these conditions.
Cataracts ... Views: 777
I have several patients who are nonsmokers. So they think. They don’t actively put a cigarette to their lips and smoke it, but if they’re living with someone, or are consistently around someone who smokes in their presence, I make a note in their chart as, second hand smoker.
That’s right. ... Views: 1761
With uncertain economic times and the responsibilities of their busy lives, it’s no wonder that many of my patients are having a hard time sleeping these days! So what do they do? Many of them take the nation’s bestselling sleeping pill Ambien, to help them sleep better.
From my experience ... Views: 728
Does hip pain limit your everyday activities such as walking up and down stairs or getting up from a seated position? Do you have trouble sleeping because pain keeps you awake? If you are reading this, chances are you can relate to some of these symptoms. You may even be taking prescription ... Views: 914
Every now and then a patient will tell me that their urine looks “funny” sometimes. When I ask them what they mean by that, they invariably tell me that it seems to change colors. They’re concerned if these color changes are anything to worry about. Here’s what I tell them:
What Color Is ... Views: 638
Let’s talk about dandruff, a subject most of my patients are embarrassed to bring up. No one likes to mention it but dandruff happens to lots of people at sometime in their lives. You know what I mean, an itchy, flaky scalp that sheds constantly, causing white flakes in your hair and on your ... Views: 759
If you’re like me, or many of my patients, you likely grew up being told to drink your milk; it’s good for you. Sound familiar?
Used to be pasteurized cow’s milk was considered the healthiest thing you could drink. Today, we now know that regular, pasteurized milk can contain hormones and can ... Views: 788
I would bet that if I did a survey amongst my patients, just about all of them would have at least one scar, big or small, somewhere on them. In fact, about 43 million Americans have scars of all types, sizes and severity. Even though they’re so common, scars anywhere on your body, especially ... Views: 1085
Are you bloated with puffy bags under your eyes? Feeling low on energy for no particular reason? You sleep well enough, you’re trying to eat healthy, you exercise a few times a week, and your life has nothing catastrophic happening at the moment. So why do you feel so blah?
Well, if you’re ... Views: 8614
When it comes to your back, you can’t be too careful! Sometimes all it takes is the slightest move or twist to lay you up for days, even weeks at a time. You know what its like if you’ve ever suffered from severe back pain. It makes you feel older than you are and you ask yourself what caused ... Views: 1341
Many of my patients have asthma – ranging from mild cases with occasional symptoms and others who cannot be without a rescue inhaler. The American Lung Association reports that some 23 million Americans have asthma, about 1/3 of them children.
In fact, the incidence of asthma occurring in ... Views: 735
Several decades ago, many doctors were fairly in the dark about the role that diet played in human health. In fact, most doctors received little education in nutrition and the role that vitamins and minerals play in staving off disease. Doctors were taught to focus on treating the symptoms of ... Views: 889
If you have ever suffered from a pinched nerve you know how painful it can be. Chances are you experienced numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve or a tingling, “pins and needles” feeling. Some of my patients tell me they feel a sharp or burning pain which is ... Views: 4227
Many of my patients love fish as do I. It’s a good source of protein, heart-healthy Omega-3 fat and delicious! Living in an area surrounded by water, fresh fish is abundant. However, I would like to share with you an important pitfall of eating fish too often – mercury (Hg) levels.
As yet, ... Views: 724
Are you one of the millions of people who love bagels for breakfast or bread with dinner? Let’s face it bread is one of the staples in the food chain that has sustained hungry eaters for centuries.
Why then is there so much talk about the adverse affects of consuming gluten? Bread is ... Views: 7964
“My memory seems to be going” is one of the most common complaints I hear from patients these days. From losing keys, forgetting appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, where the car was parked, these little lapses in memory are fairly common. When my patients experience these memory glitches, ... Views: 2257
Having a condition that requires you to take a certain medication everyday, perhaps several times a day, can be life-changing and maybe even a little upsetting. It doesn’t help when it also causes you to gain unwanted weight that may range from a few pounds to 100! Plus, the added weight gain ... Views: 754
Many of my male patients complain of being tired, stressed out, and just feeling like they’re burning the candle at both ends! I like to call this “too busy syndrome”, fatigue that’s caused by overly-busy schedules and not enough down-time to just hang-out and relax.
There is a difference, ... Views: 6590
Some of the most common health issues my patients face today are weight control, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Did you know that the three of them are related? Yes, they are. They belong to a group of metabolic disorders called “metabolic syndrome” and can put you at risk for ... Views: 479
“I’m worried my hair is falling out! My hairdresser told me that my hair is much thinner than it used to be and I’ve noticed a change in thickness myself. I thought only men lost their hair when they got older.”
As a dermatologist I frequently hear this complaint from women. Although men ... Views: 573
One of the most common complaints I hear from many of my over-45 age patients is that their love-battery seems to be permanently low and they just can’t seem to re-charge it. They’ve tried Viagra, sexy videos, devices, bought new wardrobes, but still their love life seems to be more fizzle than ... Views: 1890
Like some of my patient’s over 40, you may begin to experience pain on one side of your hips/buttocks, some numbness or tingling running down your leg, or even weakness in your legs. You may find it harder and harder to sit comfortably or even have sharp pain when trying to stand or walk. If ... Views: 895
Lately I’ve seen patients with a lot of muscle tension in their neck and shoulders. Their shoulders are hunched up under their ears, and their necks so stiff they can barely move them. Severe neck and shoulder stiffness and pain may require physical therapy to alleviate symptoms, but I’d like to ... Views: 3366
My patients often ask me if there is anything they can do to get rid of those unsightly parentheses-like lines on the sides of their mouth, or those crinkly crow’s feet around their eyes. They want to know if I know of some magic wrinkle cream that will erase the lines that seem to have sprouted ... Views: 3539
In Part I of Memory and Aging, I explained to you how growing older can affect your memory. I also gave you some brain-healthy things you can do to keep that incredible shoulder-top computer retrieving all its data well into your advanced years.
Here in Part II, I would like to talk to you ... Views: 1921
I see patients almost daily with some form of psoriasis. For some people, psoriasis causes only occasional, mild irritation. But for others, this skin disease causes severe symptoms which are difficult to treat.
I remember one patient who had suffered since young adulthood. Other doctors ... Views: 830
Pop, soda, or soda pop, whichever name you prefer, let’s face it, is an American icon. I, like many of my patients, grew up with it and couldn’t get enough of that ice cold blast of sugary delight hitting the back of my dry throat after playing outside on a hot summer day. Who can forget all ... Views: 1033
Of all the things we have to concern ourselves with, preventing “internal rust” is not likely to be on your list. However, it should be as it’s one of the most important things you can do for your health not only to stay looking and feeling younger but to avoid serious disease.
But what do I ... Views: 1148