To Your Health, by Dean F. Giannone, M.D.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Licorice, Grapefruit, and Your Medications

You wouldn't think that eating something as simple as licorice or grapefruit could negatively affect your health. But if you're taking certain medications, you need to be wary of these foods. There are several interactions between licorice and medications. Licorice can increase the levels of Digoxin... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

The ICU and the Value of Prayer

There's a bit of a conflict when trying to tie religious practices to medical care. Many people pray for sick relatives. They put religious mementos at bedsides in the hospital. But medical care is typically based on data, while religion is rooted in blind faith of higher powers. Well, here's some... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, May 9, 2005

Need Vitamin D? Go Outside

Older people require vitamin D, along with calcium, for maintenance of bone strength. There are vitamin D and calcium/vitamin D supplements available. But for maximum vitamin D acquisition, go outside. Your body makes vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight. Ultraviolet B rays (UVB) from the sun cause... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, May 6, 2005

Some Interesting Information

Do you get confused by some of the medical news that hits the media? Does some of the information that we send your way not make much sense? Well, you haven't seen anything yet! In this week's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, there appeared two articles that were particularly both... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, May 5, 2005

Prognostic Heart Markers - Predict The Future

Traditionally, we have our heart disease risk factors that allow us to infer who is at risk for future heart disease. These include age, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking and family history of premature heart disease. But how seriously... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Is Deadly Ephedra Coming Back?

I just read on CNN.com that ephedra might be coming back to market. The FDA is considering reversing the ban on Ephedra, also known as Ma Huang. This would be a dire mistake. Remember, Ephedra has killed people. Remember the ills of ephedra: Can cause heart failure Can cause seizures Can cause... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005

Options For Allergies

It's that time of year again. The grass is growing. Flowers are in full bloom. Flowering dogwood and pear trees are in their colorful splendor. And you're coughing, sniffling and sneezing. It's allergy season, and you have a headache and a runny nose. We've spoken previously about the utility and... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, May 2, 2005

The Harms of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Despite the loads of bad press, way too many women are still taking postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT), either on their own volition or on the advice of their physicians. While HRT used to be the standard of care for postmenopausal women for protection of the heart and bones, we now... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, April 29, 2005

What's With This PSA, Anyway?

The PSA test is often requested as a gauge of prostate health. It has utility in the discovery of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostate cancer. But how useful is it? Is it even worth testing for? We will discuss the use of the PSA test for screening purposes, not for people already... Sign in to see full entry.

How Much Protein is Enough? Or Too Much?

Proteins are all the rage these days. Protein is an essential part of our daily meal planning, necessary for the maintenance of lean body tissue and certain body processes. Intense weightlifters and those on carbohydrate-restricted diets practically live on proteins alone. But how much protein is... Sign in to see full entry.

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