Looking to “shake” off extra weight for the summer? Get started by checking out these nutrient-packed smoothies! Loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables, these easy-to-make drinks will help you detox, beautify and energize all summer long.
Click here to learn more about each smoothie and get the recipes.
With Father’s Day approaching, it’s time to talk about men’s health. June is Men’s Health Month, and you should think about your fathers, husbands, brothers and sons. We men are suffering from a “silent health crisis in America,” according to Dr. David Gremillion from the Men’s Health Network. I agree. Men die at higher rates from the top 10 causes of death than women, including heart disease, cancer, stroke and suicide.
As a result, on average men have shorter lifespans and live with more sickness than women. The life expectancy gap is steadily increasing. In 1920, women outlived men by about one year on average. However, that gap has since increased to 5.2 years by 2007, with the gap being as high as 7 years at some points.
There are many reasons for this – one of them is the doctor. According to the Centers for Disease Control, women are twice as likely to visit their doctor than men for preventative care and check ups. Part of this explanation comes from the fact that women are more likely than men to report and act on health concerns. Women also tend to be responsible for the family’s health and may think about health care concerns more than men.
Men’s health isn’t just for men. Everyone can help promote and protect men’s health.
Here’s how you can do your part: Read more »
This week is National CPR Awareness Week. As a cardiothoracic surgeon, the heart is dear to me, and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is designed to help keep the heart going if someone goes into sudden cardiac arrest, which is defined as the abrupt loss of heart function – either from a heart attack or an electrical dysfunction.
Every year over 360,000 people experience a sudden cardiac arrest outside of the hospital. 90% die; however, if CPR is done it can double or even triple chances of survival.
What’s amazing is that anyone can do CPR. You should learn how to do CPR to save a loved one.
CPR involves pressing hard on a downed victim’s chest in a way that would help promote blood flow after the heart stops breathing. Older versions of CPR includes a form of mouth-to-mouth breathing that would also help the victim get the oxygen he or she needs. However, the prospect of mouth-to-mouth contact may sadly discourage some of us from doing CPR altogether.
Now, the American Heart Association is recommending hands-only CPR, which eliminates the need for mouth-to-mouth breathing. Studies have shown that it can be just as effective as CPR with ventilation.
The American Heart Association is celebrating this week by helping everyone learn about the importance of CPR. As they show in this video, it’s easy to learn and it can save someone’s life.
Read more »
All summer, if you live in the East coast you may hear a loud buzzing sound that may trick you into thinking your neighbor left the weedwacker on. This is the sound of cicadas, who are returning after a 17-year-long sleep underground.
And it’s making some people hungry.
Billions of these buzzing insects will emerge from their underground lairs from Virginia through Connecticut. Some of them have emerged already this spring after a 17-year hiatus. Don’t worry! These critters – though very loud and a little creepy – are generally safe. They don’t spread disease (like mosquitos) or intentionally bite or sting you (like bedbugs). Their main intention is to mate with each other and die soon thereafter.
Some are freaked out about cicada season because their presence feels like an infestation, while some are excited to add an extra item on the menu.
Because of their abundance, some have resorted to eating cicadas – after sautéing, boiling or deep frying some of them. Apparently, people have been eating them for thousands of years. Some have made special pizzas topped with cooked cicadas or dipped them in chocolate. One Missouri ice cream parlor whipped up a special cicada ice cream; however, the health department halted the second batch. Read more »
All this time, we physicians have warned you about the risks of eating too much red meat. We worried that the high saturated fat and cholesterol content was damaging to your heart; however, we got it wrong. Red meat is still linked to an increased risk of heart disease, but it’s not just from the fat. New research points to a substance found in red meat called L-carnitine. This new research suggests that L-carnitine, either from red meat or taken in supplement form, poses a threat to your heart. Prior to the latest research, we’ve promoted this supplement on this show. Researchers claimed that it could increase energy, speed up weight loss, and improve athletic performance. Some energy drinks add L-carnitine for this reason. Now, I’m saying DON’T take it!
Here’s how it works: After you ingest L-carnitine, it travels to your gut, and intestinal bacteria converts the L-carnitine into a substance called TMA, which then gets processed by the liver. The liver converts TMA into a compound that has been linked to plaque build-up in the arteries and heart disease. This conversion was most apparent in those who regularly ate red meat. Remarkably, vegans and vegetarians, even after consuming a large amount of carnitine, did not produce significant levels of TMA. It may be because they have different gut bacteria. Read more »
It’s the most common GI complaint in America, so it’s possible that you currently are or have been constipated at some point in your life. However, what if your constipation could kill you? Some say it may have happened to Elvis. What can you do to prevent it from happening to you?
On today’s show, author Mary Roach and I talked about wacky health trends, like purple diets, fecal transplants and vibration machines. However, I was most fascinated with constipation – are you surprised? – because, in some circumstances, it can be fatal! Keep in mind that this phenomenon is rare, but definitely worth learning about. Read more »
Allergies are a common nuisance. We may suffer from seasonal allergies that make us sniffle. We may break out in hives when eating certain fruits. We may avoid dogs or cats so we don’t turn into red-eyed, puffy monsters.
However, if you’re like me and 45 million of other Americans, you may have an allergy that can kill you. Read more »
Chances are you don’t. In fact, on average, most people think they’ve eaten 20% less than what they actually ate. Those who are overweight may be eating 30% to 40% more than what they actually think they’ve consumed. Why does this happen and what can you do to stop it?
Scientists call the being aware of one’s ability to watch what they eat “self-monitoring.” If you’re good at self-monitoring, you’ll be able to accurately guess the size and calorie count of what’s on your plate. Several studies have shown that we are worse at this than we think we are.
One classic study, which was published in 1982, selected 30 overweight women to participate. They were taken to a room, where they had to guess the size and calorie counts of 10 different foods from cottage cheese to potato chips. Each were placed in different-sized containers. Despite the size of the food container, most of the women thought each portion of food had fewer calories than it actually did. Read more »
This week is National Nurses Week, for the millions of men and women who dedicate their lives to providing top-notch health care. Over 3-million strong, nurses make up the largest group of all the different health-care professionals. There are more nurses than us doctors! However, I couldn’t do my job if it weren’t for the team of nurses who work by my side. Here’s how I work with nurses:
Imagine standing next to me in the operating room, where I’m surrounded by nurses who are just as involved with my patients’ care as I am. Before surgery, my patient rests in a pre-op area, where a nurse monitors their vital signs. As he or she is moved to the operating room, a circulating nurse takes over. This important person acts as the patient’s advocate, who ensures the operating room is safe and sterile. The circulating nurse interviews the patient and makes sure the surgeon (me) is aware of the patient’s allergies and medications.
As we prepare for surgery, another nurse, the nurse anesthetist, prepares medications and starts putting the patient to sleep with the assistance of the anesthesiologist. This is just one of many ways that nurses and doctors work together for you. Read more »
Feeling unhealthy or out of sorts? It’s such a common complaint, one that I hear all too often. So, that’s why I’ve decided to dedicate an entire week of shows to helping you reset. How? Detox cleanses.
A cleanse is a short-term change in your diet to help reduce toxins in your body. However, if you’ve been eating the same foods your whole life, introducing new foods or eliminating what you thought was healthy can be intimidating. That’s where we come in. Some cleanses out there are unhealthy and extreme. However, when approached in a moderate and smart manner, the right cleanse can help you transition to a healthier lifestyle.
Why is an occasional detox important for your body? Every day, we unknowingly ingest chemicals, pesticides and additives from processed foods and from the environment. We overload our intestines, liver and kidneys with toxins, alcohol, excess sugar and pollution. This can trigger a number of problems, like constipation, fatigue, or a lack of mental clarity. With a cleanse, you’re encouraging your natural damage-control systems to rid your body of these toxins, leaving you feeling refreshed. And, for some, there’s another positive side effect: weight loss. Want to know what we’ve got in store for you? Keep reading. Read more »
