Most nutrition experts agree on a fundamental belief made famous by author Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much. Mainly plants.” Pollan’s writings reflect that “food” refers to real, unprocessed food, and that what Americans buy in supermarkets and consume is, for the most part, far from real.
Continue reading “Gut-Wrenching Facts about Processed Foods”Wearable Technology Changing Medicine
Are you considering purchasing wearable technology this holiday season, like the Oura Ring, the FitBit, or an Apple Watch? These technological innovations are being developed at a dizzying pace and are not only utilized for personal reasons, but are showing up in medical education, at conferences, and in research, as well.
Continue reading “Wearable Technology Changing Medicine”Cardiometabolic Health and The Thyroid
Cardiometabolic health is often an overlooked aspect in the management of hormonal health and, specifically, thyroid health. The two are intricately connected, displaying a complex, weblike relationship that is both interdependent and bidirectional.
Continue reading “Cardiometabolic Health and The Thyroid”Every Patient Has a Story to Tell: Narrative Medicine
Narrative Medicine uses a patient’s background and language to assist in clinical practice and research and is an effective and often cathartic approach to individualized healing. When physicians are able to address the personal “stories” that may work in conjunction with physical illness, we can validate the experience of the patient and promote a stronger relationship between patient and physician.
Continue reading “Every Patient Has a Story to Tell: Narrative Medicine”COVID-19 Brings Attention to Cardiometabolic Health
Every day I see patients with varying health challenges, many of whom are additionally metabolically unhealthy. With the risk of COVID-19, poor cardiometabolic health has gained more attention, and some experts are even referring to it as a pandemic within the pandemic. As a preventive integrative physician, I see this as an opportunity for many to focus on metabolic health and, hopefully, make lemonade from lemons.
Continue reading “COVID-19 Brings Attention to Cardiometabolic Health”Approaching Wellness through Salutogenesis
Physicians spend a lot of time detecting and attempting to “fix” patients’ health issues. Over time, I have retrained myself to focus on reframing health goals to include not only the absence of disease, but the importance of living optimally and vibrantly.
Continue reading “Approaching Wellness through Salutogenesis”Genetic Testing Needed in Routine Health Care
As many of you know, throughout my career in medicine, preventive medicine, identifying and reducing the risk of disease, has been my passion. Genomics, or the study of a person’s genes, has become a game-changer in the field of preventive medicine, not solely because of what health complications may affect our futures, but mainly because of what is happening in our bodies today. Research shows that genetic testing may be a more sensitive indicator of health than family history, personal history, exams, or imaging studies. For this reason, I feel strongly that genetic testing should be a part of routine health care.
Continue reading “Genetic Testing Needed in Routine Health Care”The Bitter Truth
We have all heard that too much sugar is bad for us. While sugar is clearly a villain, the lack of bitter in our diet also impacts our health.
Our Changing Climate, Our Health
The next time you see your physician, consider discussing the impact that climate change and environmental hazards are having on your health. While the interactions of human health and the environment are complex, we are seeing dynamic and interacting forces that span from the level of personal to global. One of the world’s oldest and most respected medical journals, The Lancet, has referred to climate change as the “biggest global health threat of the 21st century.”
Continue reading “Our Changing Climate, Our Health”Seasonal eating; shift your diet to reflect the bounty of nature’s harvest
As we enter the autumn season, it’s a great time to start thinking about shifting our diets to reflect the bounty of nature’s harvest available in the fall. By focusing on seasonal eating, we can become more in tune with nature, with our body’s’ needs, and on doing what’s best for the environment.
Continue reading “Seasonal eating; shift your diet to reflect the bounty of nature’s harvest”