Malchemy: Converting health to sickness
Alchemy is an ancient pursuit dating back some 40 centuries, an effort to explore immortality, panaceas that cure any and all human diseases, and the conversion of, say, lead to gold to generate endless riches. It was also a collection of efforts that helped divine scientific exploration and explore early chemistry.
So what is “malchemy”?
Malchemy (mal = bad) is my term for the magical conversion of healthy, slender, well-adapted humans with healthy skin, bones, teeth, and gastrointestinal tracts to that of obese, fatigued, bloated, red-faced, disease-plagued humans, a startling and dramatic transformation. Whi...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - August 30, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates blood sugar grain-free grains Inflammation undoctored wheat belly Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 70-year-old man with heartburn
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 70-year-old man is evaluated in follow-up for heartburn of 7 years’ duration. He has frequent nocturnal reflux but has not had odynophagia or dysphagia, and his weight has been stable. He was recently started on once-daily omeprazole with good control of his symptoms. He has a 30-pack-year history of cigarette smoking and continues to smoke.
On physical examination, vital signs are normal; BMI is 29. The remainder of the physical examination is normal.
He is concerned about his long-term heartburn sympto...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - July 21, 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
Depression: Common medication side effect?
This study is especially thought-provoking, given that more and more people are taking medications with depression or suicidal thoughts as possible side effects. The CDC just released updated data showing a troubling recent rise in suicide rates, and that 54% of those who die from suicide do not have a known mental health disorder, so this is an important public health issue.
That said, it is important to note: in this study, people who used these medications were more likely to be widowed and have chronic health problems, both of which are associated with a higher risk of depression. And many (but not all) of these medica...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 16, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Monique Tello, MD, MPH Tags: Anxiety and Depression Drugs and Supplements Health Source Type: blogs
The fecalization of America
I’ve been lately discussing the issue of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, a situation in which bowel microorganisms (especially of the undesirable Enterobacteriaceae variety such as E. coli and Shigella) ascend up from the colon and colonize the ileum, jejunum, duodenum, and stomach. This has numerous health implications that are only beginning to be appreciated: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, psoriasis and other skin rashes, restless leg syndrome, diverticular disease, heightened body-wide inflammation, increased risk for colon cancer—SIBO is either synonymous with these condition...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - July 9, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates bowel flora dysbiosis Inflammation microbiota prebiotic probiotic sibo small intestinal bacterial overgrowth undoctored wheat belly Source Type: blogs
Might Depression Be Linked to One of These Popular Medications?
If you’re taking beta blockers, certain kinds of anxiety drugs, certain types of painkillers (including ibuprofen), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (used to treat acid reflux), ACE inhibitors (used to treat high blood pressure), or anti-convulsant drugs, you may be at greater risk for depression. That’s according to a new, large-scale study published earlier this week in JAMA.
However, this was a correlational study, so it can’t say that these medications actually cause depression or not. It may be that people with greater health problems are more likely to take one of these medications and be depressed abo...
Source: World of Psychology - June 15, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: John M. Grohol, Psy.D. Tags: Depression General Medications Psychiatry Research Drugs cause depression popular medications Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 41-year-old woman with burning epigastric and chest pain
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 41-year-old woman is evaluated in follow-up after presenting to the emergency department 1 week ago for burning epigastric and chest pain. In the emergency department, a complete blood count and liver chemistry studies were normal, but a radiograph of the chest and upper abdomen demonstrated calcified gallstones. The pain resolved with administration of a liquid antacid, and omeprazole was started. The pain had been present intermittently for approximately 6 months prior to the emergency department visit. It o...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - April 7, 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
MKSAP: 67-year-old woman with degenerative joint disease
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 67-year-old woman is evaluated during a routine examination. She has a history of hip and knee pain related to degenerative joint disease. The joint pain is now well controlled with diclofenac, which was started 3 months ago. A previous trial of high-dose acetaminophen was not effective. She does not have any gastrointestinal symptoms, and she takes the diclofenac with food most of the time. Her medical history is otherwise notable for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Her parents bot...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 3, 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
What A Concept!
I met with a pharmacist yesterday or a pharmacologist. It was great. When I had my annual physical with my primary care doctor in September, she was concerned about my medications and interactions.The pharmacologist went through my entire list of medications - prescription and OTC - and asked why I was taking each one. Then she went through and looked up possible interactions with them. She gave me some advice which I found very helpful.Because I am on Prilosec for GERD from a sliding hiatal hernia, I need to take it in the morning, 30 minutes after my thyroid medication and then wait another 30 minutes before eating. I wa...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - November 21, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: doctors medical advice medications prescriptions Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 67-year-old woman who takes diclofenac
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 67-year-old woman is evaluated during a routine examination. She has a history of hip and knee pain related to degenerative joint disease. The joint pain is now well controlled with diclofenac, which was started 3 months ago. A previous trial of high-dose acetaminophen was not effective. She does not have any gastrointestinal symptoms, and she takes the diclofenac with food most of the time. Her medical history is otherwise notable for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Her parents bot...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - August 5, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions GI Medications Orthopedics Source Type: blogs
Why is magnesium so important?
One of the six core strategies in the Undoctored Wild, Naked, and Unwashed program for health and weight loss is restoration of magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency is alarmingly common in today’s world. Why? Our reliance on filtered water that has had all of the magnesium removed, the reduced content of magnesium in modern crops, and the widespread use of proton pump inhibitors—-drugs prescribed to treat acid reflux and ulcers while reducing magnesium absorption.
Remember those darned phytates in wheat and other grains that bind magnesium and other positively charged minerals in the intestinal tract, preventing absorp...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - July 18, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Undoctored Wheat Belly Lifestyle a fib constipation Dr. Davis grain-free grains health healthcare heart rhythm hydrochlorothiazide kidney stones oxalate sudden death Source Type: blogs
Pharmaceutical Product Hopping: A Proposed Framework For Antitrust Analysis
Skyrocketing drug prices are in the news. Overnight price increases have riveted the attention of the public, media, and politicians of all stripes. But one reason for high prices has flown under the radar. When drug companies reformulate their product, switching from one version of a drug to another, the price doesn’t dramatically increase. Instead, it stays at a high level for longer than it otherwise would have without the switch. Although more difficult to discern than a price spike, this practice, when undertaken to prevent generic market entry, can result in the unjustified continuation of monopoly pricing, burdeni...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - June 1, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Michael Carrier and Steve Shadowen Tags: Costs and Spending Drugs and Medical Innovation antitrust drug reformulations Hatch-Waxman Act prescription drug prices product hopping Source Type: blogs
Are there any good doctors?
Are doctors who follow “consensus guidelines,” rank high on quality standards set by hospitals, and adhere to rules set by the drug and medical device industries really providing “health”? Would you call a regimen of Lipitor, hydrochlorothiazide, aspirin, metoprolol, Prilosec, and Naprosyn “healthy” because it was prescribed by a “good” doctor?
Health is not provided by doctors; revenue-generating healthcare is provided by doctors–there’s a difference, a big difference.
Health is something you achieve on your own with results that are SUPERIOR to the results doc...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - June 1, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Undoctored Wheat Belly Lifestyle diy healthcare prescriptions sick care Source Type: blogs
Did Big Pharma BUY Big Media?
Healthcare is at the top of the list of societal problems in the U.S.
Healthcare interactions are unsatisfying to most people, costs are out of control and cost every American nearly $10,000 per person per year while bleeding 17.5% of GDP, more than any other nation on earth for a system that ranks low or last in quality compared to other developed countries. For a problem as big as healthcare, big enough to cripple the entire economy in addition to bankrupting more and more Americans, you would think that media reporting would be filled with debate, criticisms, and in-depth coverage about the problems in healthcare.
But...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 2, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Undoctored abc bias big pharma cbs cnn drug industry fox gluten grains health healthcare illness media nbc pharmaceutical tv wheat Source Type: blogs
H. pylori, a true stomach “bug”: Who should doctors test and treat?
In 1982, two Australian scientists discovered that a certain bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, was a common cause of persistent stomach inflammation and stomach ulcers. This realization revolutionized ulcer treatment.
While fairly common, this infection usually causes no symptoms, but it can sometimes lead to ulcers in the stomach or the very first part of the small intestine (duodenum), and to certain types of stomach cancer. There is also evidence linking H. pylori infection to other conditions like iron-deficiency anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. The bacteria are thought to spread through contaminated water, vomit, or f...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 5, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Wynne Armand, MD Tags: Digestive Disorders Health Infectious diseases Tests and procedures Source Type: blogs
Are there raccoons in your garden?
Imagine that you are planning to plant a garden in springtime. You clear the soil of grass and weeds, sift out the rocks, fold in some manure or composted material to enrich the soil. You then plant seeds for squash, peppers, maybe some heirloom carrots. You water the garden and then wait for the seeds to sprout, hoping for a glorious bounty of veggies in a couple of months.
But you forgot that there are raccoons, rabbits, and deer in the neighborhood, creatures eager to eat your work. Sprouts come up, leaves, then young vegetables—only to disappear overnight after a raccoon or rabbit feast.
So it goes with the garde...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - December 3, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Wheat Belly Lifestyle bowel flora gluten grains microbiome prebiotic probiotic Source Type: blogs
