If you’ve lived in the US for longer than a few weeks, you know there’s just something about attorneys general and their endless quest for publicity. After all, jailing petty criminals must become tedious and if you’ve got any political ambition at all you need to set your sights higher. Seeing the words “attorney general” […]
“I Just Gain All The Weight Back Again”
Our patients have been having some real success with the HCG Weight Loss Program here at WholeHealth Chicago. Next week we’ve scheduled a sort of dog-and-pony presentation on HCG weight loss. If you’re interested, call and reserve a seat. If you can’t make it, don’t fret. We’ll be hosting more of these programs and in […]
The Mystery of the Dying British Bus Drivers
More than 50 years ago, epidemiologists in the UK realized that the death rate among British bus drivers was twice that of bus conductors. This was from all causes of death—heart attacks, cancer, strokes, everything. During their investigations, they concluded the villain was inactivity. Back then, and until recently, there were two operators on every […]
Winter Without Depression: A Workshop
As the clocks roll back and the first snow falls, you pull out winter gear right along with your annual dread of the bone chilling, windy darkness of a typical Chicago winter. Walking and other outdoor activities are challenging if not impossible. Driving, parking, and waiting for public transportation are a real annoyance, and many […]
“Just Have Your Doctor Write A Letter…”
Once, a long time ago, when I was in third grade at Oglesby School some minor illness kept me at home watching afternoon TV. When I returned, a well meaning classmate asked “You got your note?” I’m certain beads of sweat appeared on my forehead. “What note?” “Your note-for-being-absent.” He said it fast, like it […]
Getting Off (Or Avoiding) Blood Pressure Meds
Posted 01/05/2015 If you’re currently taking a blood pressure medication OR your doctor has remarked that she’ll be keeping an eye on your “borderline” high blood pressure OR high blood pressure runs in your family and you have concerns about it, please read this Health Tip closely. The issues surrounding blood pressure are far more […]
Getting Off Antidepressants (Or Avoiding Them Altogether)
There’s an uncanny similarity between antibiotic and antidepressant prescribing in the US. If you’re currently taking one or both, took them in the past, or are considering taking one or both now, know that the odds are very strong you don’t need either of them. Numerous clinical studies confirm that both antibiotics and antidepressants are […]
How To Get Off Statins
Getting off statins is easy. Stop swallowing the pill. If you’re not in a potentially high-risk group (as described below) and your doc prescribed a statin to get your cholesterol down a bit, you won’t have a heart attack or a stroke that day or week or probably that decade. There’s no “statin withdrawal” and […]
Getting Off Your Meds, Part 1
Wait, don’t tell me. You’re taking a constellation of medications and you’d really like to stop. You hear the announcer listing all those side effects in TV commercials. Worse yet, you’re already experiencing some of them. You’re angry that every day of your life you pop a handful of…what is it you take exactly? You’re […]
WTF Happened To My Sex Drive?
I don’t mean to catch you mid-croissant on this topic, but I want to report the latest research on a woman’s libido and its relationship to her masturbation activities. If you’re a woman in your mid-40s or older, partnered or not, straight or gay, you may have noticed something about your sex drive you’re not […]
Lyme: The Latest, Part 2
Last week we looked at the fundamentals of Lyme disease and the different ways it can manifest. This week, diagnosis, treatment, and (first things last) prevention. Diagnosing Lyme The antibodies your body makes in response to infection with the Lyme spirochete underlie the two most common diagnostic tests for Lyme disease. The first antibody test […]
Lyme: The Latest
I’d guess that Lyme disease nears the top of the “more info please” requests I receive from both Health Tip readers and WholeHealth Chicago patients. There are three good reasons for this concern: Lyme disease is definitely on the upswing, both actual patient numbers and geographic spread. Treatment, especially for chronic Lyme, can be a […]
Your Body Keeps Score
This may be an emotionally difficult Health Tip for some of you. Imagine you’re a small child and for as long as you can remember, no one’s face has ever lit up with a smile when you walked into a room. In fact, to avoid being struck by a family member, you’ve learned a variety […]
Depression, Inflammation, and You
Posted 11/03/2014 You might not immediately think conditions as apparently disparate as depression and inflammation could be linked. Right up front, let me say if you’ve got a history of depression or anxiety, you’re not alone. With 11% of Americans over age ten taking antidepressants daily, we can probably triple that percentage to estimate the […]
No More Colonoscopies! (For Most of Us)
If you’re approaching 50, you’re facing issues unique to your next half century. Oh, sure, there are lots of good things to anticipate, like joining AARP for discounts on Depends or joining one of their affordable bus tours to the Dells. You can even fantasize about retirement, though it may be years and years away. […]
Children, Media, Health, and An Exciting New Kids’ Film App
I’ll be honest, this Health Tip starts out grim and depressing. That doesn’t give you permission to do a quick-draw on the delete button and move to the safety of your Facebook page. Listen up. Somewhere in your life, you’re probably involved with kids. They may not be your very own, but maybe you’re an […]
Overdiagnosed and Overtreated: Where’s Mine?
I recently read that mild high blood pressure is turning out to be one of the most overdiagnosed and overtreated health conditions. Untold millions are taking meds they probably don’t need, possibly experiencing unpleasant side effects in the process. The actual history–why we’re all taking inordinate amounts of blood pressure meds–was revealed when it was […]
Should I Get The Flu Shot?
It’s time again to ponder the flu immunization. When it comes to flu shots, I take a far more conventional approach than many patients at WholeHealth Chicago expect of a doctor who considers himself alternative/integrative. After reviewing some of the popular online alternative medicine newsletters warning people away from flu shots, it’s my sense that […]
Low-Carb vs Low-Fat: The Debate Is Over!
It’s mind-boggling how long this acrimonious debate has been raging among various experts. I remember myself as a fat little kid first hearing the word “calorie,” but was too busy chewing my second Snickers bar to pay much attention. By 11 or 12, I was taken (or rolled) to a weight loss “specialist” and remember […]
At the Corner of Criminal and Customer: Why Would Anyone Shop At Walgreens?
Sometimes when I hand a patient a prescription she’ll ask, “Where should I get this filled?” “Pretty much anywhere except Walgreens,” I answer, “unless you actually enjoy long waits and, if you’re taking a pain med, getting a humiliating third-degree runaround from the pharmacist. Me? I wouldn’t buy a toothpick from the place.” I usually […]