Chronic Stress- Surging Glucocorticoids

In some ways we are not so different from a zebra on the Serengeti. If we are threatened with bodily harm, just like the zebra being chased by a lion, our adrenal glands kick into high gear and secrete adrenalin and glucocorticoid hormones. These hormones can keep us alive in an emergency. Blood rushes to our most needed organs (heart, lungs, muscles). Digestion shuts down and we stop salivating.

Multitasking

Yesterday's post on DWD, Driving While Distracted, now has more to back it up. I'm always happy to think my musings could be universal. Today, the New York Times has a great article on why it is not in our best interest to multitask. I have thought for some time that we are becoming a nation of people with ADD the way we drive, read, talk on the phone, drink lattes and apply eye makeup,all

DWD - Driving While Distracted

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission, 500,000 drivers a day are talking on handheld cell phones while they drive. The National Mutual Insurance Company reported 73% of the people they surveyed talked on phones while driving and 19% of motorists did text messaging while driving. Driving and talking on hand held phones make us 4X more likely to have a serious crash. It is

Embryo Ethics

Advances in medicine always bring challenges that are unexpected. Embryo screening before in-vitro fertilization usually helps parents have a healthy child. We can test for hundreds of fatal birth defects, childhood diseases and even some diseases that don't occur until adulthood. These tests are done before implantation of an embryo in infertility clinics and parents can now even choose the sex

New Innovations in Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy, the screening scope test that looks for polyps and cancers in the large bowel, may be replaced with new methods for diagnosing colon cancer. We've all been waiting for a new technology that will eliminate the awful cleansing prep the day before, the IV sedation and the hassle of spending an entire day undergoing an expensive screening test for colon cancer.Yes, screening colonoscopy

Buy Dove Soap

The new Dove Soap campaign is not only brilliant marketing, it is Madison Avenue with a mission. These commercials break down the classic stereotypes of beauty in our society and empower women to accept themselves as they are. What would really make a difference is if you men out there would call your pre-teen or teen daughter to the computer and show her this video. Young girls are facing images

Seniors vs. Children

I was alarmed to read a new study released by the Urban Institute that reported how children are becoming a diminishing national priority in America. The report examined federal spending from 1960-2006 and found the share of domestic spending targeted to children's programs declined from 20.1% in 1960 to 15.4% in 2007. At the same time, the spending on adults is eight times greater than spending

Another Order of Poison Please

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfbTO0GlONUIf you are interested in EverythingHealth, this video speaks for itself. The main fat guy (sorry to be pejorative but it is deserved in this case) is probably only 40 years old. As my mother used to say "Just because it is there, doesn't mean you put it in your mouth". People, people....this is poison to your body.

Drug Ads-Illness of the Month

One reason President George Bush is so beholdin' to the pharmaceutical industry may be because their drug ads on TV and in magazines are keeping this economy going. If those ad revenues stopped, we might see some major broadcasting networks shutting down their lights. The next time you are watching prime time TV, just notice how many ads are for pharmaceuticals or medical devices that require a

Heel pain - Plantar Fasciitis

My right inner heel is killing me. It started a few weeks ago after playing tennis and each time I play I wake up limping the next morning. I can press on one area of my heel (calcaneous) and "ouch" that's where it is. I have the most common cause of heel pain in adults....plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs more frequently in women and is often seen in runners and dancers who use

It's Time to Quit Smoking

No-one has been able to answer my question of why Hollywood still has so many attractive characters smoke in movies. I suspect the tobacco manufacturers use "payola" to have the most beautiful stars light up. A study was done that shows there are more smoking scenes in movies now than there were in the 1950s. Just be aware the next time you watch a movie and notice if the cigarette adds anything

Under the Knife- Tips for Surgery

In any given week I have several patients or friends who are having surgery. "Come and go", outpatient surgery is the fastest growing type of surgery. Even though surgery has become about as common as getting a haircut, patients should not be cavalier about it. There is a growing awareness nationwide about patient safety and improving quality and surgery is one area that is getting a lot of

What Are the Medical Journals Saying?

This weeks brief synopsis from the medical journals:Antioxidant Supplements and MortalityMany people are taking antioxidant supplements, believing it will improve their health and prevent diseases. Researchers in Copenhagen did an extensive review of all studies published worldwide and to see if antioxidant supplements improved health. They included 68 randomized trials with 232,606 participants

The Future is Here

When I was first practicing medicine, the cell phone had not yet been invented. There was no such thing as a calling card. I had to have dimes and quarters with me at all times and I knew where every phone booth was located from Marin to San Francisco. If my beeper went off, I needed to be prepared to find a pay phone quickly so I could phone the patient or hospital. Often I needed to turn my car