“Should I get the flu vaccine?” Both patients and friends ask me this question every year. I don’t tend to tell my patients what to do regarding whether or not to get vaccinated because of the explosive controversy surrounding this issue. Instead, I share with them what I know about the flu vaccine, the pros and cons, and let them decide for themselves. Last winter, I had a total of five patients with serious cases of influenza, a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus that can infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Patients complained of sore throats, fever, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Medicine
There are some causes of reversible dementia that most doctors never even consider, unless they’ve been trained in environmental medicine. A patient of mine, Ellie, told me that she had put her 70-year-old mother in a nursing home because of her confusion and loss of memory. The dementia had been developing gradually, but had escalated recently to the point that she could no longer care for herself adequately. Ellie’s mother had also developed several other symptoms, including anxiety and unpredictable outbursts of anger—totally out of character for her normally sweet nature. The neurologist they consulted had ruled out the most … Continue reading
Since up to 20% of all cases of dementia are reversible, it’s important to search for the potential culprits. In the case presented below, there was more than one possible culprit. A few years ago, Bill, a 65 year-old attorney from California, noted increasing problems with his memory. The symptoms progressed to the point where Bill feared he could no longer continue practicing law. During our phone consultation, I could hear a tone of resignation in his voice. He felt certain it was his destiny to get dementia since his father had suffered from dementia in the last ten years … Continue reading
Almost twenty years ago, Roger, a 70-year-old retired computer programmer, came for a consultation, accompanied by his wife who did most of the talking. She reported Roger had begun to have moments of confusion and disorientation and even got lost driving home from work, a route he had driven hundreds of times. I did a detailed neurological exam, including a mini-mental status exam. Roger was unable to do simple calculations in his head and could not remember the three objects I named and then asked him to repeat after five minutes. He was visibly agitated during the testing. I ordered … Continue reading
Ten years ago, William, a 58-year-old physicist from Albuquerque, came for his first appointment, at the urging of his wife, saying he had signs of early dementia. He had delayed getting evaluated because he was afraid of the diagnosis. It wasn’t until he began making potentially critical mistakes in his work that he realized it was time to get help. He was despondent, fearful he would have to quit the work he loved. I took a comprehensive history and discovered he ate a healthy diet, exercised regularly, and kept his mind very active. There was no history in his family … Continue reading
There’s a refrain you might have heard or used as a kid in response to insults hurled your way. “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Did you really believe that words could never hurt you? As a fourth year medical student I had a deeply disturbing experience that permanently changed the way I speak to my patients. During my two-month rotation in the pulmonary department, I learned about all sorts of conditions related to the respiratory tract. My job was to take a complete history and perform an abbreviated physical exam on each … Continue reading
During my training as a young doctor in the early 1980s, a mentoring surgeon confided in me that, on rare occasions, he used raw honey on wounds that didn’t heal. From the conspiratorial tone of his voice, I understood I was not supposed to talk about home remedies to anyone. The mere mention of honey in connection with wound healing ran the risk of sounding ignorant and unprofessional. After stepping off the golden path of mainstream medicine and practicing on my own in the early 1990s, I had the freedom to practice medicine in a way that was more nurturing … Continue reading
How accurate are bone density scans in predicting one’s risk of pathological fractures? It seems obvious that the less dense the bones are, the greater the risk of fracture. Yet, in my medical practice, I’ve seen patients who have been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis based on their bone density scans, and yet they live their entire lives without having hip or wrist fractures, compression fractures of the spine, or any other problems with their bones. And, conversely, there are patients who have normal bone scans who have suffered frequent fractures. These results suggest to me that there is no sure … Continue reading
We were raised with the belief that drinking milk builds strong bones. Milk is indeed loaded with calcium, an important component of bones. The belief made sense. But, early in my medical training, I read several studies that shattered the certainty of the beliefs about milk and strong bones. At that time, in the early 1980s, the highest rates of osteoporosis were found in the US, Canada and northern Europe, countries that consumed large quantities of dairy products. And, to my surprise, in the countries with the lowest rates of osteoporosis—like China and Japan—the traditional diet did not include dairy … Continue reading
Caroline came to her appointment with great reluctance after giving in to her friends’ insistence that she see me. She was fed up with doctors and was not happy about telling her sad story to yet one more doctor. It was challenging taking Caroline’s history. She was angry. She said, “I’m sick of doctors. They haven’t been able to help me. I’ve wasted so much time and money—for nothing. I’m only seeing you because my friend practically forced me to. I doubt there’s anything you can do for me. No offense.” I answered, “I’m not offended. I actually know what … Continue reading