Should you try intermittent fasting for weight loss?
When trying intermittent fasting, both the quantity and quality of what you eat during your eating window matter. Intermittent fasting is a trendy topic that arises repeatedly in my clinic these days. I get it: restrict the time period when you eat, but within that time window eat as you normally would. No calorie counting. […]
Inflammatory bowel disease and family planning: What you need to know
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is commonly diagnosed when people are in their 20s and 30s, which is also when many people are planning families. Many people who have been diagnosed with IBD (which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) have questions and concerns regarding their fertility, conception, pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. Thinking about conceiving a […]
Promising therapy if PSA rises after prostate cancer surgery
Research shows a promising new option for men who experience rising PSA after a radical prostatectomy. Many men who undergo surgical treatment for prostate cancer (a radical prostatectomy) live out their lives without a recurrence of their disease. But 20% to 40% of them will experience a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels within 10 […]
Struggling to sleep? Your heart may pay the price
Growing evidence suggests that poor sleep is linked to a host of health problems, including a higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Now, a recent study on people in midlife finds that having a combination of sleep problems — such as trouble falling asleep, waking up in the wee hours, […]
The plant milk shake-up: Pea and pistachio join oat and almond
For the longest time, your milk choices were whole, 2%, 1%, and fat-free (or skim). Today, refrigerator shelves at grocery stores are crowded with plant-based milks made from nuts, beans, or grains, and include favorites like almond, soy, coconut, cashew, oat, and rice. Yet the fertile ground of the plant-milk business continues to sprout new […]
Can music improve our health and quality of life?
Music boosts our mood and well-being, and music therapy may help during treatments for certain health conditions. Times are hard. The current political climate, war, impact of global warming, continued inequities due to systemic racism, and ongoing physical and mental health challenges from COVID are taking a toll on our feelings of safety in the […]
Managing weight gain from psychiatric medications
While psychiatric medications can be essential for improving mental health and well-being, they often come with unwanted side effects. One particular side effect of many psychiatric medications is weight gain. In this post we will explore how these medications cause weight gain, and what you can do to lessen the impact of this unwanted effect […]
Preventing C. diff in and out of the hospital
Many people seek medical attention when they have diarrhea, usually when it is severe or is not improving. Doctors like myself ask questions to see what could be causing the problem: Food poisoning? Irritable bowel syndrome? Medication side effects? We also consider that diarrhea may be due to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). What is C. […]
Travel tummy troubles: Here’s how to prevent or soothe them
Traveling this summer and fall? Don’t forget to pack these digestion remedies. With COVID travel restrictions lifted, Americans are anxious to hit the road again. Some estimates suggest that 75% of us expect to travel domestically during the summer, and recent figures show that international travel from the United States more than doubled in May […]
Have lupus? What to know about birth control
Autoimmune disorders like lupus affect which contraceptive options are safe and effective for family planning. If you’re living with an autoimmune disorder, you’re certainly not alone. An estimated 7% of Americans have an autoimmune disease such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis — there are more than 80. For reasons that remain mysterious, autoimmune […]