HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:TAKE A WALK- GET SOME SUN

After scaring us out of the sun, dermatologists discover its benefits. BLOOD PRESSURE AND SUN

LIVING OFF THE FAT OF THE LAND

A quick slideshow about fat, and what we should know about it. A few surprising facts. THE TRUTH ABOUT FAT

THE HEART; FACT AND FICTION

A few surprising answers on a subject we're suppose to know all about. THE HEART

THE SIXTH SENSE FREE THIS WEEKEND

The Sixth Sense may be my favorite novel in the Brier Hospital Series. It's dramatic, informative, and humorous...not an easy combination for an author. THE SIXTH SENSE

GOUT: no laughing matter

One of the most painful conditions I've seen in practice is acute gout. The cartoon about the patient complaining about the bed sheet being too painful is accurate. If you've had one attach, I guarantee you won't want another. GOUT

THE RISKS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Every once in a while research comes along that has dramatic implications. Why we need to sleep has been the topic of discussion, but now we see the need for sleep as a requirement for eliminating metabolic waste. Lack of sleep therefore leave excessive amount of waste products and may be the root cause of brain dysfunction including Alzheimer's. This NY Times article is worth the read. THE BRAIN AT RISK

DREAM ON!

I like this short quiz from WebMd. We need to know more about sleep, and especially how to get more (will get to that in a future post). DREAM FACTS

Patient Surveys: A New Era.

I just received this survey from Consumer's Union. You can choose to take it if you're a California resident. Such surveys are becoming increasingly common as medicine becomes more complicated making the relationship between patient and doctor more important. CONSUMER'S UNION SURVEY This topic was the subject of my first non-fiction book, I Love My Doctor, But... that I wrote last year. http://www.amazon.com/Love-My-Doctor-But-Lighthearted/dp/1484110943/ref=tmm_pap_title_0 If you're healthy or have only minor medical problems your relationship with your physician isn't that important. If you have significant medical problems, dangerous or persistent ones, the relationship is critical.

Deadly Passage by Lawrence W. Gold, M.D. going free

Deadly Passage, my high seas thriller will be free for three days starting 1/10/2013. Look at the reviews if you have questions.DEADLY PASSAGE

The truth about E-Cigarettes

I must be getting old. Smoking was cool and sexy, but "vaping"? It still sounds cool to light up after sex, but vaping after sex is going to need a good publicist. VAPING

ASTOUNDING IMPLICATIONS!!!

The more we know, the better we do. Medical school taught me many things that today we know aren't true: brain damage was permanent, eggs are bad for you etc. Now we see that genes aren't immutable and that environmental factors can alter them. The implications are simply astounding when you consider the world in which we live. SMOKING