Although doctors still stiffen visibly in the presence of the word “malpractice,” today fewer cases than ever are filed. Over the past 20 years, instead of settling claims quickly, malpractice insurance companies fought back. This turned the tide as fewer and fewer cases ruled in favor of the plaintiff. Malpractice attorneys, paid on a contingency […]
The Benefits of Mindfulness
More than ever before, researchers and scientists are studying the health benefits of mindfulness practices for a wide variety of conditions. And they’re discovering overwhelmingly similar results: mindfulness decreases mood disturbances, enhances coping skills, and promotes wellbeing. Enter “benefits of mindfulness meditation” into your search engine and you’ll find dozens of articles and studies published […]
B12 Deficiency: Still America’s #1 Missed Diagnosis
Over the years of writing Health Tips, I was surprised to discover that one I’d written a few years ago about vitamin B12 deficiency had received the most comments and questions from readers. Since there have been some interesting developments in both the diagnosis and treatment of B12 deficiency, and since B12 deficiency remains so […]
With Summer’s Arrival, A Lyme Disease Refresher
In H.G. Wells’ novel (and Steven Spielberg’s movie) War of the Worlds, aliens from Mars invade earth, fully intending to destroy it. Earthlings are losing against the Martians until suddenly the latter start dying off. Scientists later discover the aliens had no immunity against earth’s bacteria and paid the price with their lives. With the current […]
It’s All In Your Head—Go See A Psychiatrist
Before today’s Health Tip, an update. We’ve moved into our new center at 2265 N Clybourn Ave and want to thank our outstanding team for their services and support: Architect Josh Hutchinson, 34/TEN Architecture General Contractor Jerry Sorvino, AST Construction Services Design and Project Manager Marla Rubin, Ensemble Graphics Information Technology specialist Marty Rocha, Nitram […]
“My Breath Smells Like An Open Sewer”
Robert’s breath had become his worst nightmare and as a consequence he knew was starting to isolate himself socially. For three years, he’d tried every over-the-counter remedy. When he walked, Tic Tacs rattled in several pockets. Robert had seen specialists, had his teeth cleaned every three months, and followed a twice-daily oral regimen that included […]
My Memory’s Just Not The Same…Is This Worrisome?
Immediate answer: The newest research shows that your own impression of your memory–not anyone else’s, and not any particular test–could be the very first sign of mental decline as you age. Longer answer: We all have episodes of forgetfulness no matter how old we are. Ask any high school senior confronted with the SAT vocabulary […]
Testosterone Replacement For Men: Probably A Good Idea
It’s an interesting phenomenon that more women ask about testosterone therapy for the men in their lives than men ask for themselves. And when a man does ask, the question is usually couched with hesitations, “Uh, my…wife wanted me to…uh…ask about…you know…testosterone.” There are good reasons for hesitation. For men, the symptoms of age-related testosterone […]
Addyi: Big Pharma Botches a Viagra for Women
I hardly know where to begin. This is all too bizarre for me. If you’re a regular scanner of cash register magazines, you’ll be reading about Addyi, released by Big Pharma and approved for something called female hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which is essentially no or low sex drive. This story is about a […]
A Personal Experience With Side Effects
We’d prefer not to know that all drugs (all of them) are potentially poisonous. Check this out by reading the “overdose” section of the lengthy version of the package insert accompanying your prescription. We don’t set out to intentionally overdose ourselves on common pharmacologic selections–meds for blood pressure, diabetes, birth control, anxiety, sleep, and so […]
The Medical Arms Race and You
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the phrase “arms race” became a less frequently used part of our vocabulary. Before then, both the US and the Russians had been developing, building, and stockpiling larger and more threatening weapons, in the process draining wealth and increasing, rather than decreasing, the odds of armed […]
What Having A Medical Team Actually Means
It’s quite common for a new WholeHealth Chicago patient filling out our forms to answer the “How can we help?” inquiry with “I’m seeing too many doctors and they don’t communicate with each other” or “I want all my health care in one place with one doctor who knows me.” Having worked as part of […]
You Can Prevent Weight Gain
Before you dismiss this Health Tip with a stifled yawn and an “Oh, sure. Just stop being a little piggy,” you should know about a study published last week in the British Medical Journal tracking the weight-gain patterns of an astonishing 124,086 men and women in the US over 24 years. In fact, if you’re […]
Two Pleasant Steps To Increase Longevity
I’m sure there’s been a moment in your life when, on the receiving end of yet another jeremiad from the medical profession advising against one more of life’s little pleasures you shouted “Enough already!” You think back on all your sacrifices: those delectable doughnuts, the Marlboros that partnered perfectly with your favorite cocktail, Big Macs, […]
Fox News (Wait, I Mean Frontline) On Nutritional Supplements
Not being a TV watcher, I’d never actually seen PBS Frontline until I received some emails from patients and medical colleagues asking for my reaction to what sounded like a Fox News rant against the nutritional supplement industry. Since it’s my belief that such exposé-type shows exist mainly to enhance ratings, I wasn’t enthusiastic. If […]
Behind The Scenes In Healthcare: Your Med Is Denied
Your insurance company sent me a 17-page fax with your name on it. Yes, really, 17 pages, eviscerating my paper tray, guzzling my toner. In its ads, your insurance company cynically crows about its concern for the environment, so I doubt a hard copy will ever arrive in the mail. Your name is on page […]
Persistent Patient: Linda and the Thyroid-Gut Connection
Persistent Patient: Linda and the Thyroid-Gut Connection Linda, an accomplished woman in her late 30s, was not a happy camper. She arrived for the first time at WholeHealth Chicago certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that she had an underactive thyroid gland. Linda had read all the websites, especially Janie A. Bowthorpe’s Stop the […]
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a centuries-old practice, with evidence of use by the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) empress and concubines. This is a gentle, safe, and effective method of combatting signs of aging and erasing years from your face while enhancing your health and beauty from within. Acupuncture offers numerous benefits to those wishing to […]
Getting Tough With Your Immune System
No reasonable physician (I modestly include myself here) can refrain from crowing delightedly when a new clinical study confirms the value of a treatment he or she had been using for years, even if that treatment had contradicted prevailing standards. Ever since I learned something about natural medicine, I’ve been reluctant to prescribe antibiotics for […]
Obsessing Over Regrets
We each have our own personal stash of regrets, and when they surface our language trends to the elegantly named counterfactual conditional phrasing: “If only I had married Bob, I would have been happy.” Well, you didn’t marry Bob (instead you married The Jerk), and in any case there’s no guarantee Bob isn’t his own […]