The man in 558
Coming in to meet the students, housestaff and patients for the first day on service always excites me. This Monday was no exception. What awaited me? How many patients would I need to see? What lessons could I impart?
When I arrived we had 11 patients, 2 new and 9 had arrived previously. Going through the list, while routine, always stimulated questions and teaching opportunities. Sometimes the team had questions for me. Sometimes they had a mischievous sense of putting me on the spot. I always love that interplay.
When we got to the man in 558, they told a sad story of an angry man with terminal cancer. He had acc...
Source: DB's Medical Rants - February 25, 2019 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: rcentor Tags: Medical Rants Source Type: blogs
Should I be eating more fiber?
You probably know the basics about fiber: it’s the part of plant foods that your body cannot digest, and there are two types — soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Both types of fiber are good for us.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel. It is the form of fiber that helps lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, and regulate blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber is found in black beans, lima beans, Brussels sprouts, avocado, sweet potato, broccoli, turnips, and pears.
Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive system relatively intact, adding bulk to stools. It is the form of fiber that preve...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - February 21, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Katherine D. McManus, MS, RD, LDN Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Health Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs
A patient gives the gift of poop
In broken English, against the backdrop of the emergency department’s chaos and clatter, Mr. Simon relayed his story: unintentional weight loss, gradually yellowing skin, weeks of constipation. He punctuated his list of devastating symptoms with laughter — exaggerated but genuine guffaws. Over the next few days, as the medical student responsible for his care, I […]Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - February 15, 2019 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/allie-gips" rel="tag" > Allie Gips, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Emergency Medicine Gastroenterology Source Type: blogs
Integrative approaches to reduce IBS symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a gastrointestinal condition that involves abdominal pain and altered bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, or both), affects over 10% of Americans. Though some find the condition merely a nuisance, for many individuals it can be quite bothersome and disruptive. While medications can sometimes offer relief, some individuals do not respond to medications or find the side effects intolerable. Fortunately, there are several well-studied, nondrug, integrative approaches that can help to reduce IBS-related symptoms and restore a sense of control over one’s life.
Stress reduction
IBS is well kno...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - February 11, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Michelle Dossett, MD, PhD, MPH Tags: Digestive Disorders Health Mind body medicine Stress Source Type: blogs
Cracker Bowel: Why Grains are Toxic to the Human Gastrointestinal Tract
We are told to eat “healthy whole grains” to boost fiber intake, maintain bowel regularity and intestinal health–but the exact OPPOSITE is true. Wheat and grains, especially modern wheat and grains, contain an entire collection of bowel toxins.
Banish wheat and grains from your diet and you are on the path to recovering gastrointestinal health and freedom from dozens of common gastrointestinal conditions.
Transcript:
Hi everybody, Doctor William Davis here. I call this video “cracker bowel”, because wheat and grains are a collection of very potent bowel toxins. You know, it’s ironic is...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - January 28, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates colitis constipation gallstones Gliadin grain-free grains IBS Inflammation irritable bowel lectins obstipation wheat belly Wheat Germ Agglutinin Source Type: blogs
Post-hospital syndrome: Tips to keep yourself or a loved one healthy after hospitalization
If you or a loved one have ever been hospitalized, you know that the primary focus of the hospital team is on diagnosing and treating the condition that put you in the hospital in the first place. The medical team works to treat a patient’s condition until the patient has improved enough to continue treatment and recovery out of the hospital.
But recent findings have brought attention to an important issue that doesn’t strike until after you’ve left the hospital — post-hospital syndrome.
What is post-hospital syndrome?
Post-hospital syndrome can be defined as a period of vulnerability lasting up to seven weeks afte...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 23, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Jeremy Whyman, MD Tags: Caregiving Health Healthy Aging Managing your health care Source Type: blogs
Thyroid Tune-Up
I am re-posting a classic Wheat Belly Blog post from a few years ago. Despite all our discussions about thyroid issues, there continues to be an enormous information gap: undiagnosed hypothyroidism, gross mismanagement sufficient to impair weight loss and increase cardiovascular risk, dismissing the importance of iodine, and ignorance among healthcare providers. This Thyroid Tune-up is therefore an updated version of the previous post.
Imagine that all the cars in your neighborhood run poorly because nobody bothers to tune-up their autos. I show you how to tune the cars and, lo and behold, 80% of the cars now run great. B...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - January 6, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates autoimmune gluten-free grain-free grains hypothyroid levothyroxine Synthroid Source Type: blogs
16 Ways to Get a Dementia Patient to Eat More Food
Alzheimer's and dementia patients often eat less, and have difficulty eating, because of problems like chewing, swallowing or digesting food.Alzheimer's and dementia patients sometimes lose interest in eating. This can happen for a long list of reasons including loss of taste, the ability to smell, memory loss, and thinking they already ate.Medications can also effect appetite, and can increase constipation.When a person has Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, these problems can becomemore pronounced, and often effect mood, behavior, and physical functioning.Topic -How to Get an Alzheimer's Patient to Eat More FoodB...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - November 19, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: assisted living and memory care facility care of dementia patients dementia care dementia patients refusing to eat do people with Alzheimer's forget they ate help alzheimer's senior care Source Type: blogs
How Do You Get an Alzheimer's Patient to Cooperate
What to do when dementia patient refuses care.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomOne of the biggest problems we face as caregivers isHow to get an Alzheimer's Patient to cooperate.In order to get an Alzheimer's Patient to cooperate you need to make some changes in the way you communicate.If you continue to try and explain why you want cooperation you are usually using too many words.Trying to convince a person living with dementia rarely works.Instead of convincing you need to learn how to use fewer words; and,how to guide your loved one.Here are 7 good articles that should help you accomplish this mission.Subscribe to ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - October 22, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care home alzheimer's cooperation care of dementia patient dementia care how to get cooperation Source Type: blogs
What happened to the grasshoppers?
When I was a kid, grasshoppers were everywhere. I walked through a field every day to get to school and grasshoppers were everywhere, jumping back and forth across my path, frequently banging off my legs. At night in summer, the backyard was filled with fireflies that we’d chase and capture in jars to watch up close. And there were butterflies of many colors and varieties everywhere, flitting from flower to flower.
Today, I don’t see any grasshoppers. In fact, I haven’t seen one in over 40 years. I saw one—just one—firefly this past summer in my backyard. And I can count the number of butterie...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - October 22, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Agribusiness bowel flora Inflammation microbiota prebiotic probiotic wheat belly Source Type: blogs
What is keto flu?
Many people have decided to try the ketogenic diet for weight loss. The most recent evidence shows that reducing your carbohydrate intake to a minimum may help you shed a few pounds, at least in the first few weeks to months. However, we don’t really know whether, over the long term, achieving and maintaining ketosis is better for weight loss than other diets. Almost any intervention can cause undesirable consequences, and the ketogenic diet is no different. One of the most well-publicized complications of ketosis is something called “keto flu.”
What is keto flu?
The so-called keto flu is a group of symptoms that may...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - October 18, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Marcelo Campos, MD Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Health Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 36-year-old woman with refractory constipation
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 36-year-old woman is evaluated for a 12-year history of refractory constipation. Her symptoms began after a difficult childbirth. She has constipation marked by straining, bloating, and a constant sensation of incomplete emptying. She sometimes has 4 or more days between bowel movements. When she does have a bowel movement, the stool is soft-formed. Trials of several fiber supplements, lactulose, milk of magnesia, docusate, bisacodyl, polyethylene glycol, and lubiprostone have provided only transient relief fo...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - October 13, 2018 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions Gastroenterology Source Type: blogs
Can I Become Addicted To My Depression Medication?
What is depression medication?
Depression medication, also known as antidepressants, are prescription medications used to treat moderate to severe depression. When taken under the supervision of a medical professional and according to their prescribed dosage, depression medication can work well to help people manage their symptoms and lead happy, healthy lives.
Depression is more than just feeling sad, or needing to be cheered up. Often times, people can become frustrated that nothing is making them feel better, when in reality depression is a chemical imbalance that needs to be treated. Depression symptoms can include:
T...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - October 12, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Recovery Depression Depression Treatment antidepressants depression disorders depression medication dual diagnosis Source Type: blogs
There ’s a fascinating psychological story behind why your favourite fictional baddies all have a truly evil laugh
By guest blogger David Robson
Towards the end of the Disney film Aladdin, our hero’s love rival, the evil Jafar, discovers Aladdin’s secret identity and steals his magic lamp. Jafar’s wish to become the world’s most powerful sorcerer is soon granted and he then uses his powers to banish Aladdin to the ends of the Earth.
What follows next is a lingering, close-up of Jafar’s body. He leans forward, fists clenched, with an almost constipated look on his face. He then explodes in uncontrollable cackles that echo across the landscape. For many millennials growing up in the 1990s, it is an archetypical evil laugh.
S...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - October 11, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: evolutionary psych guest blogger Laughter Media Source Type: blogs
There ’s a fascinating psychological story behind why your favourite film baddies all have a truly evil laugh
By guest blogger David Robson
Towards the end of the Disney film Aladdin, our hero’s love rival, the evil Jafar, discovers Aladdin’s secret identity and steals his magic lamp. Jafar’s wish to become the world’s most powerful sorcerer is soon granted and he then uses his powers to banish Aladdin to the ends of the Earth.
What follows next is a lingering, close-up of Jafar’s body. He leans forward, fists clenched, with an almost constipated look on his face. He then explodes in uncontrollable cackles that echo across the landscape. For many millennials growing up in the 1990s, it is an archetypical evil laugh.
S...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - October 11, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: evolutionary psych guest blogger Laughter Media Source Type: blogs
