"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Wee Willie Keeler of the Baltimore Orioles had it right…..when he said to ‘Hit’em where they ain’t’; and now the official advice from the US Department of Health is that cholesterol in the diet is not a problem. Don’t get confused….cholesterol is still a concern, it’s just that most cholesterol (80+%) is made by your …
Read More “HIT’EM WHERE THEY AIN’T….CHOLESTEROL IS NOW ‘OK’ IN THE DIET”
Napolean said: “Bring me the lucky generals.” Why some people get cancer and others don’t is one of the great medical mysteries. Why some organs in our body are more likely to get cancer than other organs is part of that mystery as well. Is it genetics, environment, habits and exposures? Actually, we know that …
I am envisioning a day when my older patients with significant neurologic issues (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Dementias and Memory Decline of various types) will return to class to improve their brains and physical constitution. They’ll go back to school….and they’ll like it! This school would be called DDA …..Dr. Doug’s Academy (I’m riffing on an idea …
Resistant bacteria are constantly emerging in the real world. In the hospital, the pressures that broad-spectrum antibiotics apply to bacteria reproduction makes the bacteria ripe to respond with novel and aggressive resistance strategies. The recent UCLA Reagan Medical Center scare has brought this issue to light. This highly resistant germ, is called a CRE infections, …
I’m saddened to say that my father, Dr. Mervyn Lakin, passed away on September 1st, at 80 years-old, in his home in Scottsdale. He had struggled with lymphoma/leukemia for years and had been cared for and supported by so many of the medical professionals in our community, that his longevity was a testament to both …
When the flu season is high and viruses are all around us, it’s time to be careful of fomites. Fomites are objects that have germs on them and that allow the germs to transfer from one person to another; So…..a doorknob is a fomite; A shopping-cart handle is a fomite. The handles on your favorite …
Read More “DID YOU TOUCH THAT FOMITE???? WONDER WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT….READ ON”
What do I do about the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland? Does it affect me in any way? I’m concerned as the news continues to report about it…..BSL MY RESPONSE: Measles is a highly contagious virus characterized by fever, rash, and often pneumonia. It has been virtually eliminated from the United States through widespread vaccination …
Compression stockings can be helpful in patients with edema (swelling) but often these socks are uncomfortable and unsightly, so they are avoided despite potentially offering some benefits. Although diuretics can also be helpful in this situation, they may do an incomplete job or they just cannot be tolerated or are ineffective, so that stockings …
Here is a wonderful poem…..recently sent to me by a patient. I really captures a truth we all recognize…and that is what makes poetry special. Read >>>>>HERE<<<<< If you have trouble opening the poem…please enjoy this little video that we’ve posted before…..called OLDER THAN CHEERIOS.
Nutritional Immunity is a natural method for fighting infection, a defense that the body has developed to rob viruses and bacteria of vitally needed nutritional substances and thus prevent their ability to reproduce and cause infection. Researchers have reported that the body’s defenses fight with bacterial over iron molecules, to prevent the bacteria from obtaining …
Why do I say Exercise twice……because the first two lessons taught in Medical School at Hopkins were:#1 ….Never be afraid to repeat yourself….and #2 …Never by afraid to repeat yourself. As you all know, my number one recommendation for good health is exercise. In my book THE KEYS, I make exercise my first and number …
Robert Alico is a patient of ours who is making a difference through his commitment to fund research into an little known condition called SCAD …Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection. Through his effort, Robert has been begun this much needed discussion, brought about awareness, and provided funds to promote research. Below….is his open letter to the …
This photo from China, taken by a friend of mine who lives there, is a universal precaution we can all follow during the flu season and beyond. Notice that even in China, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control in the U.S.) has great credibility…..NOW GO TO IT!
Bowel movements are a personal experience, no doubt. We all have our own personal observations, and mothers observe their own movements and those of their children as they are growing, but as we mature, we tend to keep such topics to ourselves with a rare chance to discuss them outside the realm of humor or …
The flu vaccine this year is a rather poor match for the current strain circulating in the U.S. this year, making the flu shot less effective. The H3 strain of flu this year is different than the one in the vaccine provided for the 2014-2015 flu season. If you have had the flu shot, then …