Click here for the Health Tip link. This all began when one of the pharmaceutical reps brought in some “treats” for our staff. Bringing morning snacks is one of those strange drug company rituals that’s been occurring for decades across the US. And recently, snack dispensing is on the rise because new government restrictions make […]
Category: Healthy Lifestyle
Achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can include visits with a lifestyle medicine provider, nutrition counseling, meal planning, stress management and exercise and sleep plans.
Insomnia
Virtually all of us have experienced problems with sleep at some point in our lives. Sleep problems come in a variety of forms. Perhaps you’re unable to fall asleep, or maybe staying asleep is the problem, or perhaps you awaken unrefreshed two or three hours before you’d planned. The end result is that you’re tired the next day, or grouchy, or you can’t concentrate. And the next night arrives accompanied by that lurking fear: What if it happens again? Fortunately, most insomnia is transient, meaning that it clears up by itself.
Heart Disease Prevention
We’re constantly hearing about how heart disease is the nation’s “number 1 killer.” Yet if I took a survey of my patients, I’m sure most of them would say they’re more worried about cancer than having a heart attack. Especially my female patients. So when the subject comes up, I take the time to point out that heart disease kills about 500,000 women each year–more than 10 times the number who die of breast cancer–and half those deaths are from heart attacks. To which I quickly add there are more effective strategies for preventing a heart attack than there are for preventing any other chronic disease.
Cancer Prevention
Every person on the planet fears getting cancer (and believe me, doctors are just as frightened as everyone else). But in a very dramatic way, we have made one major advance against cancer: We know, in many cases, how to prevent it. Actually, we really don’t have a way to prevent all types of cancers (yet!), but we’ve made great strides with specific cancers, most especially lung, colon, and skin cancers, all of which can be avoided to a great extent. Experts now think that lifestyle choices contribute to about 75% of all cancer cases. Here at WholeHealth Chicago, you will find general guidelines for avoiding all cancers, from getting regular screening exams that make early detection possible to increasing your intake of cancer-fighting antioxidants.
My Annual Smoking Rant
Click here for the Health Tip link. You needn’t bother reading this if you’re a non-smoker or you don’t know a soul who still smokes. If you do know a smoker, do a favor and forward this piece. You never can tell. Your forwarded e-mail might trigger the decision to quit and believe me, an […]
Laugh Your Troubles Away
Click here for the Health Tip link. It’s been one tough day. Your boss chewed you out for something that was clearly her own doing and your computer crashed. The dry cleaner lost your favorite suit. Your car is making an odd but expensive-sounding noise. But wait–don’t pull a blanket over your head or reach […]
I Went to the Doctor and I Left Feeling Much Better
Posted 03/10/2009 At WholeHealth Chicago we view health care differently than most conventional doctors, so when patients share sentiments like the one in the headline, it makes our day a very good one. Following the original definition of the word “doctor,” we see ourselves as teachers, not body mechanics (or in my case, someone who […]
Toxic Food Syndrome, Part 2
Posted 02/06/2009 What surprised me most about toxic food syndrome (TFS) is the number of chronic medical conditions that have been linked to it. Now certainly not every person with one of the following conditions can attribute the symptoms to toxic foods, but if I or a family member was suffering from any of these, […]
Toxic Food Syndrome
Posted 02/03/2009 • A 35-year-old woman who has had two unsuccessful sinus surgeries and still remains chronically congested.• TR, 44, described by the rheumatology department of a leading Chicago teaching hospital as having “seronegative rheumatoid arthritis,” meaning she had all the features of rheumatoid arthritis but her blood tests were negative for the condition.• A […]
Q&A: New Year’s Resolution
Click here for the Health Tip link. Q: Dr Edelberg, if you could recommend one new year’s resolution to your readers and patients, what would it be? A: Let’s face it, 2008 has been a very rough year and we keep hearing that it may be a walk in the park compared to 2009. During […]
All Your Vegetables Soup
Click here for the Health Tip link. The Triple Whammy Food Plan focuses on eating a wide variety of nutrient-packed fruits and veggies. Carbohydrate timing using complex carbs is at the heart of eating the Triple Whammy way, to help your body generate feel-good serotonin all day, keeping energy and mood up. Read more in […]
Holiday Food…and More Food
Click here for the Health Tip link. Weight gain around the holidays is an American tradition. Let’s face it, we work and live in a giving society, where the gift of “bulge” comes in the form of holiday cookies, cakes, candy, care packages, office parties, holiday dinners, and desserts. Making healthy eating choices this time […]
Preventing Flu
Click here for the Health Tip link. The advice in this health tip works for preventing virtually all virus infections, including the flu. Of the 150,000 genetic variations of mushrooms on our planet, it’s guesstimated that about 5% have useful medicinal properties. Of these, we know something about just a scant handful. Like every other […]
Natural Remedy for Gum Disease (Gingivitis)
Click here for the Health Tip link. There are few words in health care that make my toes curl more than “gum scaling.” They’re like a fingernail drawn slowly across the blackboard of life. When patients come in for a check-up with me, they get their gums checked, a quick effort to save them from […]
Your Brain: Maybe It’s a Human Version of Computer Overload
Maybe there’s nothing wrong with your brain at all. Maybe it’s a human version of computer overload.
Stop and reflect on the amount of information our parents or grandparents dealt with every day and compare it to the volume of 24/7 info-tainment most of us are exposed to today.
What’s Happening to My Brain
That’s a question I hear from patients several times a week. The inquirer, usually a woman in her late forties or early fifties, knows for certain something is wrong.
Basic Foods for Cupboard, Fridge, and Freezer
When a young family member set up life in his first apartment, the inevitable shopping list for stocking the kitchen posed a good question. Just what are the basics you need to function day-to-day and meal-to-meal?
Breathe Out Stress
Click here for the original post. This breathing-out-stress exercise can be done when you’re all alone, with eyes closed in a quiet place, or when chaos seems to surround you, such as rush hour traffic (but with your eyes open and hands on the wheel). Sit quietly in a straight-backed chair with your eyes closed, […]
Staying Smart
Click here for the original post. Readers of this newsletter age 40 and up have, to a person, one perpetually lurking fear: that they will they get dumber with each passing decade. You suddenly go blank trying to locate the right word or match a name with a familiar face. Or you walk into your […]
Q&A: Alcohol and Breast Cancer
Click here for the original post. Q: I wanted to ask your opinion on the recent research that shows drinking even moderately can raise a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer by 30 percent. I enjoy my nightly wine, and this new information really has me wondering. A: When you’ve been in practice as long […]