Don't Get Sick!
This article was a continuation of a post about the story of GS when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. While in the hospital, she was seen by a hospitalist and she was advised to be mindful of gluten intake too. GS was told that gluten can also cause symptoms similar to CD Knowing that…
Crohn’s disease (CD) is of particular interest to me because I know someone close to me that was diagnosed with CD. It was a scary time. During medical school about 30 years ago, we were taught that CD is only seen in young Caucasian males in their 20s. Presently, as people adopt a “westernized…
Paracelsus said, “The Dose Makes the Poison.” It means that the poison is in the dose of a substance and not the substance itself. Sola Dosis Facit Venenum We encounter the concept every day. Alcohol in moderation is preventive for heart attacks. But if you have too much alcohol, then you can get into trouble….
Let’s say you live in an old house that has seen better days. The floors are getting rickety, the roof is leaking, and the walls, countertops, and cabinets are old-fashioned and tired-looking. You hired a handyman to do the remodeling. But instead of buying new lumber and supplies for the project, he cleaned up and…
This post is a continuation of the previous article, Metabolic Syndrome and the Pancreas. The recent post described the progression of the pancreatic disease from fat infiltration, nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD) to nonalcoholic steatopancreatitis (NASP) characterized by chronic inflammation resulting in scarring and even pancreatic cancer in some patients. The pancreas serves a vital function in…
What is the Pancreas? The pancreas is a vital organ located behind the stomach. It makes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon. It is connected to the gallbladder system and intestines by small tubes that conduct the bile and digestive enzymes to go to the duodenum to digest fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. Insulin…
O.O.D.A. means Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. The OODA loop was developed by U.S.A.F. Colonel John Boyd, a fighter pilot, military strategist, and Pentagon consultant. The OODA loop was initially used for air-to-air combat as part of the Energy-Maneuverability theory. It has been used in the military, sports, business, and litigation. We live in a…
Definition The Kaizen way was popularized by Masaaki Imai. It means improvement. The Kaizen Way is a method adopted by the Toyota Motor Company and other successful companies to make small improvements to make production more efficient. The changes that are made appear minute to make a difference, but over time, numerous small incremental changes…
This post is more like a book review than an original article. I read China Rx: Exposing The Risks of America’s Dependence on China for Medicine by Rosemary Gibson and Janardan Prasad Singh. It is a worrying read about the state of medications in the U.S. and worldwide. The book is well researched and has…
Trans fats are dreadful because it raises your risk of developing a heart attack by increasing your LDL and lowering your HDL. It damages the blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Read more about blood vessels in The Magical Endothelium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released in 2015 the, Final Determination…
G.M. is a 61-year-old male who decided to do intermittent fasting after I discussed with him the benefits of fasting. He started out weighing 172 lbs with a waistline of 36 inches. At that time, he was also having frequent nonspecific vague abdominal pains. He saw his primary care physician and several specialists and had…
We all screw up. No exemption. Everybody makes mistakes, and mistakes have consequences. Every single one of them, whether you like it or not. What if we pile up all our missteps, faults, blunders, snafus, white lies, and sins in one pile? It could very well be a gigantic pile. What if there is an…
How about a meal that you can cook in 20 minutes or less with minimal preparation and clean up? And at the same time make you feel full and pleasured after eating without any guilt knowing that what you had is the best for you? It is generic meat and bone soup stock that you…
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” George Orwell. Animal Farm That animal is the fatty liver. As of 2016, 1 in 4 people have fatty liver, also known as Hepatic steatosis or Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).1 NAFLD is an abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver. It develops…
This article is a segment of the series, Diseases Associated with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Metabolic Syndrome is diagnosed if three of the following conditions are present: fasting blood sugar more than 100 mg/dl, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL, and high blood pressure of more than 130/85. Please refer to this article for more details. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)…
Sarcopenia means “little muscle.” We lose muscle mass beginning at age 30 and every year, a person may lose 2% of their muscle mass. Dynapenia is the age-related loss of muscular strength not related to a neurologic or muscular disease. The causes of sarcopenia and dynapenia include immobility, sedentary lifestyle, change in protein metabolism (more…
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Infertility The main clinical features of PCOS include menstrual irregularities, sub-fertility, hyperandrogenism (high testosterone or male hormone), and hirsutism (hairy). The report, Polycystic ovary syndrome, and metabolic syndrome explain how PCOS can cause infertility. Insulin resistance, found in metabolic syndrome, leads to a high insulin level (hyperinsulinemia, HI). HI is needed to “push”…
“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.” Doctor: “I want you to have some tests done right away. I am concerned that you may have metabolic syndrome. That will put you at risk for a heart attack and stroke.” You: “Sure, doc. Thanks for your concern. What do I do?” Doctor: “First, I…
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is the swelling of the prostate gland. The prostate is located below the urinary bladder in men. Enlargement of the prostate gland causes difficulty in urination. Acute urinary retention is painful. If prolonged, urinary retention leads to kidney failure. That is why the insertion of a rubber catheter inside the penis…
The Fantastic Brick Road Imagine yourself walking in an old town, enjoying the scene, enjoying the fresh air, and appreciating the culture. You notice something different about the brick road. The road seems to be alive. It changes its width to accommodate travelers. The more traffic, the wider it gets, and the less traffic, the…
