Lifelong Health from Creators Syndicate

Science of Gratitude Holds Many Lessons About Health for 12/20/2007

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Thanksgiving was a wonderful time for me. My children were home, my sister and brother-in-law flew into town, and friends came over Thursday morning to partake in our traditional dinner that is identical to the one my wife's grandmother began hosting almost a century ago.

Apart from overeating, it was a time to reflect and give thanks for our many blessings. Though we traditionally think ...

Updated: Thu Dec 20, 2007

]]>

Faith's Role More Critical in Health Than in Politics for 12/27/2007

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

With the election year rapidly approaching, it seems this Christmas holiday has brought a renewed discussion on faith. It's as if everyone is asking whether faith should affect our choice for president. As for me, it's a perfect opportunity to back into health — what role does faith play in our health care?

Should physicians discuss issues of faith with their patients? Is it an inv ...

Updated: Thu Dec 27, 2007

]]>

Make Rational Resolutions To Live a Fit, Healthier Life for 01/03/2008

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

This year will be a big year for me: I turn 65, receive my Medicare card and become officially "elderly." For me and every baby boomer, now is the time to stick to those New Year's resolutions to stay fit and healthy. Remember, health is much more than "getting into shape," diet, exercise or an apple a day; it's paying attention to every aspect of your life. Consider these 1 ...

Updated: Thu Jan 03, 2008

]]>

Radiation From CT Scans Can Increase Risk of Cancer for 01/10/2008

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

If you have had any major illness in the past several years, you're likely familiar with the CT scan, or computerized tomography. Widely used to diagnose and screen for disease, CT scans have revolutionized radiology, allowing physicians to examine a patient's internal organs with incredible detail and accuracy.

In the last 20 years, the number of CT scans performed annually has increase ...

Updated: Thu Jan 10, 2008

]]>

Hospitalists Change Way Inpatients Are Cared For for 01/17/2008

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Anytime you are admitted to the hospital, there is one physician that you may have never previously met who becomes responsible for your care — the hospitalist.

Hospitalists are internists who develop special training in the care of hospitalized patients. In recent years, the specialty has expanded greatly and led many in the medical community to examine their newfound role in assu ...

Updated: Thu Jan 17, 2008

]]>

Young Woman's Death Was Not Insurance Company's Fault for 01/24/2008

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

In recent weeks, much attention has been given to the sad plight of a young girl's fight with her insurance company to receive a liver transplant. Struck down by leukemia, this 17-year-old had an unusual complication from a bone marrow transplant, which led to liver failure. Her physicians petitioned the insurance company to approve a liver transplant and, after initial rejections, the company ...

Updated: Thu Jan 24, 2008

]]>

True Health Care Change Starts With Physician, and You for 01/31/2008

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

In 2006, the United States spent $2.1 trillion on health care. Private citizens are spending $612 billion on insurance premiums and other out-of-pocket health care expenses. With 7,000 American adults turning 60 every day, the demands on the health system will only expand. Finally, it's clear that we must improve the current system to cut costs and ensure stability for generations to come.

...

Updated: Thu Jan 31, 2008

]]>

Wading Through Details of Medicare Coverage for 02/07/2008

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

For me, 2008 is a very big year. This year, I — along with Mick Jagger and every other 1943 baby — turn 65. I am officially eligible for Medicare. However, receiving that card in the mail is only the first step to taking advantage of every element of this governmental insurance.

With its many parts, components and payment plans, Medicare can be confusing for all of us. I thou ...

Updated: Thu Feb 07, 2008

]]>

If Medical Studies Raise Questions, Don't be Rash for 02/14/2008

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

A new scientific study shows that a blockbuster medication may not be as effective as once thought.

This time, researchers found that the cholesterol-lowering medication Vytorin was no more effective in reducing plaques, or deposits of fat and cholesterol, in carotid arteries than its generic counterpart.

With more than 100,000 prescriptions written for Vytorin each day, this rece ...

Updated: Thu Feb 14, 2008

]]>

Studies Show Generic Drugs Are as Effective as Brand Names for 02/21/2008

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

It always makes sense to go for the generic drug whenever you have a choice.

When it comes to choosing generic drugs over a brand name, American consumers are at a disadvantage. Through savvy marketing campaigns and strategic campaigning by generous pharmaceutical representatives, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year to promote the newest medications. Generics are thrown ...

Updated: Thu Feb 21, 2008

]]>

If Cancer Treatments are Futile, It's OK to Say No for 02/28/2008

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.4 million people developed some form of cancer in 2007. Though the technology to treat and cure cancer has improved immensely in the last few decades, cancer is still the second leading cause of death, with more than 1,500 Americans dying per day.

Thousands of patients and families across the nation face the wrenching challenge of fig ...

Updated: Thu Feb 28, 2008

]]>

Prevention is Preferable to Diabetes, Complications for 03/06/2008

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Diabetes is on the rise. A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine showed that between 1995 and 2004, the incidence of diabetes in people 65 and older increased by 23 percent, and now 62 percent of people over 65 have the disease.

Diabetics are at high risk for heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. It is a major cause of kidney disease and blindness. Within six years of diag ...

Updated: Thu Mar 06, 2008

]]>

Most in U.S. Can't Name Five Signs of a Heart Attack for 03/20/2008

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American adults today.

In the last 50 years, there have been incredible advances in the way we prevent, diagnose and treat heart disease. From massive public awareness campaigns to help adults adopt heart-healthy habits, to changes within the medical community to improve treatment options, there is a concerted effort to curb this health crisis.

Updated: Thu Mar 20, 2008

]]>

Antibiotics Won't Help: Important Facts About the Flu for 03/27/2008

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Despite vaccinations, influenza remains a serious health hazard, affecting 30 million to 50 million Americans each year. Influenza accounts for millions of days lost from work or school, 85,000-500,000 hospital admissions and, on average, 36,000 deaths each year, according to U.S. government statistics.

This year has brought on a particularly harsh flu season, because the current vaccine ...

Updated: Thu Mar 27, 2008

]]>

Alcohol, Other Addictions Increasing in Older Adults for 04/03/2008

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Recently, a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that 9 percent of community-dwelling Medicare recipients consumed excessive amounts of alcohol, which has the potential to adversely affect their health.

By all accounts, the number of older adults battling substance abuse will rise dramatically in the next 20 years. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service ...

Updated: Thu Apr 03, 2008

]]>

No Sitting on This News: Exercise Affects Longevity for 04/10/2008

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In the longevity game, we all know that exercise trumps nutrition. Fat or thin, exercise adds years to life, but one question persists: How much exercise is enough?

It has been an unending debate of how much, how long and how vigorously you should exercise. This month, researchers at the American Heart Association's Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism added interest ...

Updated: Thu Apr 10, 2008

]]>

Early Treatment Can Slow Progress of Memory Loss for 04/17/2008

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Alzheimer's Association recently issued a report indicating that for adults who live beyond age 55, the lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer's disease averages 17 percent in women and 9 percent in men.

However, in the past several years many researchers have identified a form of memory decline referred to as minimal cognitive impairment that may provide early indication of more seri ...

Updated: Thu Apr 17, 2008

]]>

Heartsaver CT Scan More Often a Heartbreaker for 04/24/2008

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Once again, new information about CT scans of the heart muddies the waters on the procedure, its effectiveness and its role in detecting heart disease. An article just published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that measuring the amount of calcium in coronary arteries using a heart CT scan is a sensitive predictor of heart attacks in men and women of all ethnic groups (blacks ...

Updated: Thu Apr 24, 2008

]]>

Variant Gene Increases Risk of Cancer in Smokers for 05/01/2008

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

More often than not, cigarette smoking leads to a long list of health problems. From cancer to heart failure, the effects of long-term smoking can arise in nearly every function of your body. And yet every once in a while, I see a patient who, at 85, has smoked for decades and gotten off virtually scot-free.

For those rare healthy smokers, we typically pass off their unlikely healthfulne ...

Updated: Thu May 01, 2008

]]>

Egg a Day Could Be OK, Based on 20-Year Study for 05/08/2008

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A remarkable study just published in the very influential American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of eggs on the risk of heart attack and stroke in middle-aged and older men.

Egg yolks contain high concentrations of saturated fats and cholesterol, and for years it has been assumed that too many eggs would increase cholesterol levels, predisposing egg lovers to heart a ...

Updated: Thu May 08, 2008

]]>