Yesterday, we spent some time talking about one way that pandemic stress could be keeping you up at night. So today, I want to share some good news: Recent research has also identified a simple [...]
Category: Reality Health Check
Is pandemic stress giving you nightmares?
I spend a lot of time talking to you about the importance of good, quality sleep. And with both COVID-19 and the seasonal flu poised to give our immune systems a run for their money this winter, [...]
Like it or not, viruses are vital to human life
No one likes viruses. At a minimum, they’re capable of making you feel miserable for a few days. And in the worst cases, they lead to lethal pandemics—a reality we’re all well acquainted with by [...]
The deadly hazards of a bad attitude
I thought I’d cap off this week’s heart disease discussions with another interesting tidbit I came across recently—one that suggests that a bad attitude may be a bigger hazard to your health than [...]
What you feed your gut matters
Earlier this week, I talked to you about a quick cardiovascular screening tool that I wasn’t necessarily fond of. So, today, allow me to share one novel approach that I am excited about: [...]
The AHA weighs in with more useless diet advice
Sometimes it feels like I’m practicing medicine in a bubble. And every time I poke my head outside of that bubble, I am utterly confounded by what I find. Case in point: A new scientific [...]
Could a simple at-home test help curb the spread of COVID-19?
I really admire people who think outside of the box. In medical school—and especially in public health school—we were taught to look critically at every problem, to evaluate it, and to consider [...]
Cannabis outperforms opioids yet again
In my view, it’s a complete tragedy that doctors still prescribe opioids. Because these notorious pain drugs aren’t just dangerous. They also don’t even work especially well. (And this is true [...]
These common medications can steal your memory
Well, here we go again. Another year, another shocking new report on the risks of anticholinergic drugs. This huge class of medicines includes allergy medications (antihistamines), drugs used to [...]
Push back prediabetes with this fall spice
With coronavirus still upending business as usual all over the country, it can be hard to focus on anything else. But after devoting the rest of this week’s Reality Health Check articles to news [...]