Twenty to thirty years ago we witnessed a massive rise in asthma rates among children. It came to be considered a public health emergency not only because asthma was becoming so very common, but more so due to the dramatic increases in hospitalization rates caused by asthma. Asthma, an allergic disease, was not just increasingly annoying, it was an increasingly serious health issue. There is good news. First,...
A recent article in the NY Times caught my eye. I couldn’t have agreed more, and also less. Titled “Let’s (Not) Get Physicals”, it was a reflection on the problems with conventional routine physical exams. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/sunday-review/lets-not-get-physicals.html?pagewanted=all The time-honored tradition has been for a thoughtful patient to see her/his doctor for an annual exam. The article...
The Foods You Choose Can Help You Lose, Or Not Many people think that Americans are obsessed with celebrity, politics or some sport. Yes, we are, but our chief obsession is not on that list. Americans are truly obsessed with weight, especially losing it. One reason exercise is so important for those losing weight and improving their body composition is that our body’s response, after losing weight by cutting...
Newly released data, collected over nearly 40 years, indicate that runners live 5-6 years longer than other people. I like this but also have some doubts. I began running as a 12 year old, and after a few more months of surgical recovery, hope to resume this life-long habit. I love it. My work as medical staff at marathons and as Medical Director of the Santa Rosa Marathon are the confluence of my interests. ...
The mission of this site is to inform and empower you. Representing the sum of my experience as well as the latest clinical research, my perspective is often somewhat at odds with the simplistic articles appearing in the media. Applying the information here you can become healthier, stronger and hopefully happier. Look around and let me know what you think.
