Jet Lag
If you have experienced jet lag, you don’t need me to tell you about the annoying symptoms. By definition, the problem occurs when the body clock is affected by rapid travel across three or more time zones.
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Dieting and Energy Levels
There is no doubt that the amount of food we eat, as well as choices, that we make can affect numerous aspects of our overall health. One area of particular interest is how our diet affects our energy levels and sleep patterns.
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Dr. Brian McDonough on Teens and STDs
I am still getting feedback at the office from last week’s dramatic statement by the C.D.C. that one in four teens between the ages of fourteen and nineteen has been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (or S.T.D.). I am not surprised.
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Saliva Divinorum
It is called Saliva Divinorum and it’s getting a great deal of attention these days. You may not have heard of it but for a growing number of people looking for a quick high, it is a legal, but no less dangerous option.
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Hip Osteoarthritis
Knee and hip osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans. Most who live in pain due in part to confusion about what therapies are most effective.
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Placebo Effect
It’s another case of people thinking that something is better just because it costs more. People in marketing have known this for years, and a recent Duke study has found the concept crosses into health care as well.
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Cutting Calories, Losing Weight
We all know that you lose weight by cutting calories and we also know quite well it’s very difficult to cut calories for one major reason…hunger. But there might be a very simple solution out there and it’s worth looking into.
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Reducing Stress During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a crucial period in any woman’s life. The most obvious issue is doing all you can to have a healthy baby, which includes eating right. Not consuming alcohol and avoiding cigarettes are al crucial steps.
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Caring for A Loved One
There are numerous medical specialties. So, it is not surprising that there are a wide variety of medical organizations.
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Childhood Obesity
A new report in The American Academy of Pediatrics makes senses and it reinforces what doctors have been telling their patients for years. Cutting kids’ television and computer time helps them lose weight.
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Foot Blisters
To this day, it goes down as a classic study…one which supports the concept that scientists will study just about anything at any time. The report was from the University of Missouri Columbia. The researchers looked at socks and foot comfort and found that sweaty socks made from 100% cotton are the worst offenders when it comes to causing blisters.
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Prenatal Care
Prenatal care may be one of the most important parts of pregnancy and an excellent way to increase the odds of having a healthy child.
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Daycares
It’s a tough decision for any parent faced with choosing a daycare. There are numerous daycare choices people can make, but how do you make the choice that’s right for your child?
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Latex Allergies
It is not uncommon for doctors to treat patients with latex allergy, although it often takes people suffering from the conditions months to figure out they have it.
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Drunk Driving
On the surface, it looks like great idea, especially we are trying to limit the number of accidents caused by drunk drivers, and I don’t think anyone would argue with that idea. Breath-testing devices that prevent a vehicle from starting if there driver’s blood alcohol level exceeds a preset limit can cut down D.W.I. problems.
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Obesity and Strokes
Here’s yet another good reason to keep the weight off, especially if you’re woman. The report comes from last week’s meeting of The American Stroke Association in New Orleans.
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Getting Along With Others
I’ve been waiting for a study like this. It’s a reason to tell people why it’s a good idea to be kind to each other and smile. Yes, we all know there are psychological advantages to being nice and there is no doubt that it’s easier to get through the day if you’re in good spirits, but an Oregon study takes it to the next level.
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Obesity and Cancer
The more weight you carry on your body, the greater your odds of developing cancer. According to a study in the journal The Lancet, this is true for a wide variety of cancers.
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Exercising During Pregnancy
Is it good to exercise during pregnancy? Absolutely. I am a big supporter of exercise during pregnancy.
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Exercising in Groups
I have to admit it, I’m one of those people who have tried to enjoy jogging, but despite my best efforts, I find it quite boring.
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Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa attacks more than one out of every hundred women. Teens and young adults are most vulnerable.
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Tibial Band Tightness
It is called Tibial Band Tightness. You probably have never heard about it because it isn’t talked about that much, but it is very common, especially as we get older.
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High Blood Pressure and Children
Children can get high blood pressure. Clearly, high blood pressure in children is not as common as it is in adults, but its clear children can have high blood pressure and the problems associated with it.
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Latex Allergies
Talk about irony…latex gloves were developed by Johns Hopkins surgeon William Halsted in the late 1800’s and now latex gloves have been banished at Hopkins. You might be wondering why?
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Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a very important time for both mom and baby, and one of the biggest responsibilities for an expectant mother is to do whatever she can to protect the unborn baby from potential harm.
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Violence in Schools
Over the past few years, we heard many distressing stories about violence in our schools and there is no doubt it can be unnerving, but according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the problem is actually not as bad as we might thinkon a national level.
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Diabetes
When people are diagnosed with diabetes, many initially feel defeated…as if they’re somehow flawed.
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Medication Side Effects
When we take prescription medications, most of us take them to treat a specific problem, but we rarely think about side effects unless a problem pops up. But if you really think about it, every medication has one or more side effects.
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Peppermint Oil
Complimentary and alternative medicine have become a major part of the way many people approach health and wellness, and although many physicians are still reluctant to embrace it, a growing number are learning more and more about these other treatments and journals are starting to provide helpful information.
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Fuctional Ovarian Cysts
Many women have what are called Functional Ovarian Cysts and don’t even know it because they cause no symptoms and go away without treatment in one to two months or after one to two menstrual periods.
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Acute Low Back Pain
It may just be the most common reason patients over thirty visit the doctor…acute low back pain. Each day, almost 6% of people suffer from back pain and in a large survey almost 20% of people responding said they had back pain in the past month.
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Internet Safety
You need to be more careful than ever when it comes to protecting your kids on the Internet. That‘s the word from a new study in the journal Pediatrics.
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Seasonal Affective Disorder
For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the winter can be a perilous time.
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M.R.S.A.
There’s no doubt that the best way to deal with the super bug M.R.S.A. is to prevent exposure in the first place. Of course, this is easier said than done and it requires vigilance.
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Menopause
I have good news for women approaching menopause or dealing with some of the symptoms of the change of life and it comes with the University of Pennsylvania. Women who experience headaches, irritability and mood swings as menopause nears will likely see these symptoms diminish as menopause progresses.
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Atherosclerosis
Perhaps you have heard of the apple versus pear theory or weight and heart disease? The basic premise is that people who carry their weight in their bellies are more likely to have heart disease and problems than those who have it distributed through other parts of their body.
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Hypertension Treatment
It should not be surprising. After all, our genes determine so much of how our body behaves. But a new report from the University of Miami has found that a person’s genetic make-up seems to influence how he or she reacts to certain hypertension medications.
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Reducing Stress
We are approaching what many psychologists call the roughest time of the year. Think about it, spring is months away, it seems to be dark when you leave the house and dark when you return. And tax season is heading into full gear. So, short of a vacation, what can you do?
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H.I.V.
It’s more than two decades since H.I.V. reached the nation’s consciousness and despite the devastating nature of the illness, there have been many major advances.
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Oral Allergy Syndrome
It is called Oral Allergy Syndrome and there is an obvious culprit that starts to bloom in mid-August. It’s ragweed.
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Protein Studies
I want to warn you that this is a very technical story, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. New research in the journal Science has focused on what is called “a resurrected protein.”
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Exercising During Pregnancy
Should you exercise when you are pregnant? The answer is yes, but there are some things that you have to take into account before you start exercise.
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Bipolar Disorder
It is called Bipolar Disorder, or Manic Depressive Illness, and for people who live with the condition, it can be debilitating leading to a series of ups and downs as mood swings seem to vary for no reason at all.
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Weight and Your Friends
I am sure you’re well aware of the things that can make it difficult to keep the weight off. A sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in fat and sugar are two major culprits, but according to a recent Johns Hopkins study, you might want to add your friends to the list.
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Religion and Medicine
You may not have noticed it, but it was a highly charged study, one that was quite controversial. The report in The Annals of Family Medicine found religious doctors are slightly less likely to care for poor and underserved patients than doctors who say they aren’t religious.
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Fevers and Children
Many parents become concerned when your child’s temperature goes up. There is definitely a fear of fevers that people have and it’s not unreasonable, but not all fevers are a cause for worry.
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Folic Acid and Pregnancy
There are many arguments, pro and con, about taking certain vitamins and supplements, but there are little arguments about women taking folic acid if they are considering having a baby.
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Pituitary Glands
Most people don’t even know it exists, but there’s little doubt that it may be one of the most important structures in our body. The pituitary gland sits on the base of the brain and controls almost all the body’s hormones.
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Rosacea
Is your face red even when you haven’t been out in the sun or exercising? It is possible that you have a condition called Rosacea.
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Vitamin D and Cancer
Recently, there have been a number of important studies looking at Vitamin D and calcium supplements and how they may help prevent cancer.
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Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine
When most of us talk about vaccines, we think about preventing a disease from occurring. Most of the common childhood vaccines are designed with this in mind, but in the future, don’t be surprised to see vaccines that are made to treat illness.
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Mastectomy and Breast Cancer
Each year, about 50,000 women undergo mastectomy as a treatment for breast cancer.
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C.D.C. Vaccine Education Campaign
The C.D.C. is initiating a new education campaign which makes a great deal of sense. What they’re doing is starting to try and educate parents about the importance of certain vaccine like Meningitis, M.M.R., D.T.P and the new H.P.V. vaccine.
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Seasonal Allergies
So you think the end of the summer will be the end of allergies because of a reduction in grass and pollen? Well, think again. It will not be long until the start of ragweed season which unofficially begins in mid-August.
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Long Flight Health Tips
This is the time of year when families are traveling and with flight to far away places like Europe and Asia discounted, it is more affordable than ever to travel the world. That’s why a recommendation by The World Health Organization isso important.
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Glaucoma
It has been called by some, high blood pressure of the eye, but it exacts a terrible toll. Glaucoma is the leading cause of permanent blindness in the world.
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Breast Cancer
I have a question for you. What is the most common form of cancer in women? It’s breast cancer.
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Summer Exercise Risks
We are now heading into the dog days of summer and despite the heat and humidity, there is no doubt that people will continue to go out there and exercise. But in the heat there is a problem when people engage in high levels of summer activity whiletaking certain common medications.
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Gila Monster and Weight Loss
The Gila monster is a venomous lizard that lives in the southwestern part of the United States. But for people who need to shed pounds and have diabetes, the monster may not be quite so monstrous anymore.
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New Skin Cancer Test
It’s a fascinating test. According to researchers at the annual meeting of The Society for Investigative Dermatology, applying a simple tape to a suspicious mole or freckle and pulling off the R.N.A. for genetic analysis can actually help determine if the mole is Malignant Melanoma or a less serious problem.
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Risky M.R.I. Medicine
We don’t think about it much, but medications used during common laboratory studies can lead to problems and patients as well as their doctors need to be aware.
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High Blood Pressure and Pregnancy
It’s important to watch for signs of high blood pressure all throughout a woman’s life, but during pregnancy, it is crucial.
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Alzheimer's and Non-Inflammatory Medicines
There has been a theory for many years that taking certain anti-inflammatory medicines can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, but a new study refutes the claim and finds the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Naprosyn and Ibuprofen don’t have that much of an effect if at all.
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Muscle Mass
You have probably noticed that as we get older, we lose some of the muscle mass in our bodies. Over time, we can lose muscle mass in places like our arms, shoulders and legs. This is a natural part of the aging process. But like most aspects of aging, you can do certain things to slow down the process.
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Metal Implants
I am asked the question quite often by my patients who've had orthopedic surgery requiring metal implants. Will my implant set off the airport metal detector?
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Screening Mammography
It's been touted as a major weapon in the battle against breast cancer…the use of screening mammograms with computers.
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PMS
There was a time when many health professionals did not take Premenstrual Syndrome (or P.M.S.) seriously. Fortunately, those days are gone and there is medical agreement that P.M.S. affects many women just before their menstrual cycles.
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Electronic Health Records
It's one of the hottest topics in medicine today…electronic health records have been proposed as a solution to improving health quality in the United States.
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Trans Fats
New York started the trend of banning trans fats from cooking, and a growing number of states have considered joining the parade. New food labeling requires that amounts of trans fats be reported in packaged products. So, is it wise to give allthe attention given to trans fats?
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Video Games and Teens
Call these two studies more blows for video games, the first will not surprise you.
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Alternative Therapies
In Europe, alternative medical therapies are used far more commonly than here in the United States and there was a very interesting study reported at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Lyon, France.
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