Tell Me a Real Story
by Staci Mandrola Charlotte is three and a half years old. She loves stories. I tell real stories. John tells made up stories. The first words we hear when Charlotte walks in the house are “Tell me a story, PaPa!” Stories put me on a path more than 40 years ago. The path to being a doctor and then a hospice and palliative medicine doctor. I listened to my grandmother tell stories about her physician father leaving the house to check on a woman in labor or a dying patient. He might not return for days. His payment ranged from a chicken to a milk cow to a beat up John Deere. I listened to my dermatologist father tell the...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - May 10, 2016 Category: Palliative Care Tags: mandrola narrative physician The profession Source Type: blogs
A Year in Review: FDA 2015 New Drug Approvals
The approval of first-of-a-kind drugs rose last year to forty-one, resulting in the highest level of newly approved U.S. drugs in nineteen years. The total number of new drugs approved last year was even higher at sixty-nine. The rising figures reflect an industry-wide desire to research and develop drugs for rare and hard-to-treat diseases.
The newly approved drugs serve to advance medical care and the health of patients suffering from many ailments, including various forms of cancer, heart failure, and cystic fibrosis. Additionally, more than 40% of the new therapies were approved for treatment of rare or "orphan" dise...
Source: Policy and Medicine - January 13, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
Athletes follow the Wheat Belly lifestyle
I recently discussed why and how, by following the Wheat Belly lifestyle, carb loading is no longer necessary to engage in exercise, even long distances. In fact, carb loading is a destructive process that, over time, accelerates joint destruction/arthritis, cataract formation, hypertension, heart disease, dementia, and other conditions (via excessive, repeated, and irreversible glycation of proteins; see the original Wheat Belly for further discussion).
The process of converting from carb-loading, grain-eating athlete to that of no carb-loading, no grain-eating athlete requires 4 to 6 weeks, the amount of time necessary ...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 5, 2015 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Wheat Belly Lifestyle carb loading gluten grains jogging low-carb marathon running triathlon Source Type: blogs
NSAIDs — Yet another dubious “health” product at CVS
Now that the ‘healthiness’ of products sold at CVS stores is a matter of public discourse, it seems a perfect time to mention the common pain relievers known as Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs).
It just so happens that two FDA advisory committees are meeting today and tomorrow to discuss the cardiovascular risks of NSAIDs. The Arthritis Advisory Committee and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee will hash out details on labeling, and will likely offer comment on whether naproxen (Aleve) may be the least risky NSAID from a cardiovascular standpoint.
I’ve written a lot about the ...
Source: Dr John M - February 10, 2014 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr John Source Type: blogs
I hate heartburn
I really, really, really hate heartburn. I am at the point where I could even say I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really hate heart burn. I get heart burn all the time.I take Prilosec (or the cheaper version from Costco) daily. I take tums as needed. I watch what I eat.I have a hiatal hernia which is on the border between being big and small. It is 3cm and small is considered 3cm, so I guess its middle sized. It helps contribute to heart burn.I am also on meloxicam for my back which is an anti inflammatory and has a tendency to irritate stomachs. But if I don't take it, I get more aches and ...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - June 20, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: heartburn Source Type: blogs
