Blog

When Artificial Dyes in Food Becomes a Red Flag

February 21, 2025

"Red is a powerful color," a report by the folks at Scientific American proclaims, "the color of love and of hate. ... Some of the hue's significance has a biological basis. Many humans get [...]

Some Thoughts on Poor Eating Habits to Chew On

February 14, 2025

As the saying goes, "you are what you eat." This mantra of sorts was said to have first been coined as early as 1826 by French philosopher Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Its meaning has [...]

Sobering Thoughts on an Alcohol Alternative

February 7, 2025

An August Gallup poll reveals that nearly half of Americans now view alcohol consumption as bad for health. Notes Jamie Ducharme in a Time magazine report, "drinking, at least in moderation, [...]

Is It No Longer Considered Safe to Wine and Dine?

January 31, 2025

As I pointed out last week, tobacco consumption in the Americas goes back over 1,000 years. And today, if we have learned anything, it is that it is one very old and deadly habit we can't seem [...]

Does Lowering Nicotine in Cigarettes Elevate the Smoking Issue?

January 24, 2025

According to World History Encyclopedia, the act of smoking tobacco "in the Americas goes back over 1,000 years when natives of the region chewed or smoked the leaves of the plant," which grew [...]

Beware of Sugary Beverages and Loaded Popcorn

January 17, 2025

If you subscribe to the resolution of eating healthier in 2025 but don't know exactly where to start, Dr. Federica Amati, a registered public health nutritionist with the Association for [...]

Eating Healthier a Top Resolution but Tough to Carry Out

January 10, 2025

Well, sure enough, it wasn't long after the ball dropped in Times Square, and the last sparkler across the land had fizzled, that tallies as to the most popular New Year's resolutions for 2025 [...]

Time for Closer Look at Potentially Harmful Food Additives

January 3, 2025

When this year's favorite New Year's resolutions are compiled and reported upon, I believe (or maybe just hope) "eat better in 2025" will be a prominent one. That means steering clear of [...]

How Seasonality Effects Sleep

December 20, 2024

To say it's cold outside is a relative statement. It depends on where you live and how one defines "cold." As America is the fourth-largest geographic country in the world, temperatures here [...]

Fighting the Bliss Point Formula

December 13, 2024

Back in 2013, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Michael Moss released a book that was destined to become a bestseller. Some would proclaim it to be one of the best books of the [...]

The Power of Walking, Talking and Positive Thinking

December 6, 2024

Say you happen upon an older individual walking along at a brisk pace. It's midday and they are wearing just regular street clothes, nothing that would be considered exercise wear. But they [...]

Saving Recipe Needed to Solve America’s Food Safety Issues

November 29, 2024

At this point, it should surprise no one that many of the foods Americans eat nowadays are ultra-processed and spiked with chemical ingredients designed to enhance their flavor, texture, [...]

Some Cold Remedies Now Taking Heat

November 22, 2024

If you read my offering from last week, then you know I was addressing the fact that, despite modern medicine's many breakthrough cures and treatments, there remains no cure for the common [...]

The Common Cold Comes Without a Cure

November 15, 2024

Over the last century or so, we have been able to develop countless breakthrough medical treatments, many proving to be lifesaving. Thankfully, this pattern of medical advancement continues as [...]

The Stakes Are Raised as Gambling Grows

November 8, 2024

As a sports fan, I have felt for some time now the inescapable and escalating presence of slickly presented pathways to placing a wager or two, or more, on a sports outcome. It's become a [...]

Never Too Soon to Improve Your Life

November 1, 2024

It is a time-honored tradition that with the arrival of another year folks make resolutions and set goals for themselves. According to a Pew Research Center survey from January, "Three-in-ten [...]

Storms Have Passed, But Health Consequences Remain

October 25, 2024

According to USA Today, for the doctors and staff of Asheville North Carolina's Mission Hospital, the only designated trauma center in the western part of the state, "it's been a colossal [...]

The Sleep-Wake Cycle Running Off the Rails

October 18, 2024

You say you're desperate to enjoy a better night's sleep? Know that a lot of folks are right there with you. According to a recent survey by the Sleep Foundation, "more than a third of U.S. [...]

How Health Risks Affect Our Healers

October 11, 2024

In America, we place a great deal of weight on the concept of care. As is the case in other developed countries, it's a word that gets thrown about a lot, especially in the context of health care [...]

Muscling in on the Signs of Aging

October 4, 2024

Of all things, a line from a 1966 Rolling Stones song recently popped into my head: "What a drag it is getting old." I don't recall people taking exception to that lyrical statement back then, [...]

The Overlooked Importance of Living Color

September 27, 2024

The world we live in is filled with so many colors. Yet have you ever stopped for a moment to consider how just the experience of being exposed to these colors may be subconsciously impacting [...]

Stress Stacking Up as Election Nears

September 20, 2024

As reported by U.S. News, a recent survey from the Thriving Center of Psychology states that "72% of Americans are stressing about the upcoming election." Based on what we are seeing, this [...]

Downturn in Teen Vaping Good News, But Health Risks Remain

September 13, 2024

In what is considered a win for public health officials, the recently released 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey reports that a half-million fewer school-age kids vaped — a practice that [...]

Labor Day Used to Be About Taking on Too Much Work

September 6, 2024

Here's hoping you and yours had an enjoyable Labor Day holiday on Monday. Yet I'm betting it's left a lot of folks feeling a day behind in their workload because of it. For countless others, [...]

Good Exercising Judgment Not as Easy as Some Think

August 30, 2024

In today's world, physical inactivity remains a problem. In fact, it has become a major concern. As reported by Healthcanal, in 2020 just 24.2% "of U.S. adults met guidelines for aerobic and [...]

Healthy Oils a Slippery Subject

August 23, 2024

This is a commentary about oil. Not the crude stuff, but the various extracts that have been used, some since the beginnings of recorded history, to improve human health. I was reminded of this [...]

Some Juicy News on Health

August 16, 2024

The juice of the pomegranate, so uniquely sweet yet tart, is derived from a fruit that long ago cropped up throughout the Mediterranean and is steeped in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Now, [...]

Fine-Tuning to Find the Health Benefits of Sports

August 9, 2024

While striving for excellence in sports may be an obvious goal of the Olympic Games, a less heralded one is promoting the health benefits of sport. This goal is as important in the host country, [...]

Do the Self-Diagnosed Have a Fool for a Client?

August 2, 2024

In many ways, coverage of the Olympics and Paralympic Games represents a much-needed unifying and normalized experience for us. It couldn't come at a better time given the divisive, fear-inducing [...]

The Many Unrecognized Impacts of Trauma

July 26, 2024

It is entirely possible that I have recently been overdoing it in focusing too much on psychological threats to public health. For example, the many reports of the debilitating effects rampant [...]

With the Rise in Social Isolation Come Fear and Anger

July 19, 2024

In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, recognizing the significant challenges that loneliness, social isolation and mental health issues pose to college-age Americans in the post-pandemic [...]

Is Measuring Pain on a Scale of Zero to 10 the Best We Can Do?

July 12, 2024

Before becoming a journalist and bestselling author, Elisabeth Rosenthal worked as an emergency room physician. As a graduate of Harvard Medical School and a physician, she had to make the same [...]

What We Think We Know About Hydration Could Be Wrong

July 5, 2024

We are now going through some scary times when it comes to the extremely hot weather blanketing parts of the country. As I mentioned last week, the Environmental Protection Agency says these [...]

Travel Advisory: Don’t Underestimate the Threat of Extreme Heat

June 28, 2024

It stands to reason that extreme heat in certain circumstances can pose a severe threat to a person's health. From everything I'm reading, this year's vacationers need to take special heed if, [...]

Red Flags Go Up on Our Social Media Obsession

June 21, 2024

The impact the internet and social media have on modern society is clear, troubling and seemingly ever-increasing. The influence that it may have on our brains is now a central topic of [...]

Muscles, a Movie and Military on My Mind

June 14, 2024

When it comes to entertainment, for me there are few things better than watching a good action-packed movie. One of those things is being in an action movie. It's been a while for me, but I am [...]

Cancer Wakeup Call for Young Adults

June 7, 2024

"Cancer"; just reading or saying the word can be immediately disturbing. It is a deadly disease that affects us all in one way or another. CNN reports that an "American Cancer Society report [...]

Cannabis Now Tops Alcohol as Daily Drug of Choice

May 31, 2024

As recently reported by The New York Times, a new study shows that "for the first time on record, cannabis has outpaced alcohol as the daily drug of choice for Americans." The study was published [...]

Synthetic Drugs vs. Nature’s Way

May 24, 2024

For years a group of researchers have followed the activities of the wild orangutan population in the Gunung Leuser National Park on the island of Sumatra, where the Sumatran orangutan is [...]

The Costs of Big Pharma

May 17, 2024

It was the subject of a Reuters wire story that broke last Tuesday that many may have missed or overlooked. It contained an official statement from Pfizer confirming the death of a toddler due to [...]

The Things We’ll Try to Reinforce Healthy Eating

May 10, 2024

Let's see. There are the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, the Grammy Awards, the Country Music Awards, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, even the Film Independent Spirit Awards. There are so many [...]

Getting Older: The Club No One Wants to Join

May 3, 2024

According to a study published in the American Psychological Association's Psychology and Aging journal, over a 25-year period, 14,000 German Aging Survey participants' perceptions of when old [...]

When It Comes to Weighing Drinking Habits, How Much Is Safe?

April 26, 2024

It seems a natural thing nowadays to see no harm in drinking one or two (or more) cups of coffee a day. Yet it wasn't all that long ago when such a coffee-drinking habit was thought to lead to [...]

Loneliness Is a Public Health Problem That’s Not Growing Old

April 19, 2024

The term "blue zones" refers to select areas around the world with the highest share of people over age 100. By studying these areas, it is believed the findings might lead to community [...]

The Longer the Flight, the More Grounded the Health Concerns

April 12, 2024

Last week, I presented a rather pivotal question posed by Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, senior faculty editor of Harvard Health: "Are you worrying about the right things?" Among his examples of [...]

Are We Worrying About the Right Things When It Comes to Health?

April 5, 2024

Do you worry about your health? Who doesn't? According to Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, senior faculty editor of Harvard Health Publishing, a pivotal question to ask is: Are you worrying about the [...]

Seeing the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8 Could Be Life-Changing

March 29, 2024

As you likely have heard, read or witnessed, the first lunar eclipse of 2024, which also occurred during a full moon, took place last Monday, March 25. According to EarthSky, it was projected to [...]

The Health Benefits of a Multi-Species Household

March 22, 2024

Emotional exhaustion brought on by chronic stress and psychologically taxing events is now recognized as a dangerous and debilitating force in this country. According to research conducted by the [...]

Is Daylight Saving Time Darkening Your Day?

March 15, 2024

I don't know about you, but I was not prepared for the second Sunday in March. I woke up that morning at what I believed to be the usual time, but it was black as a winter's night outside. I was [...]

Why We Should Be Ultra Concerned About Ultra-Processed Foods

March 8, 2024

I wrote last week about how many health experts believe our country is in the grips of a nutrition crisis. I know I have been beating the drum on this issue of poor diet-related chronic disease [...]

We Need to Find Our Way to Foods That Fight Disease

March 1, 2024

Processed foods very well could be making us sick. It is not a hard conclusion to reach. Jerold Mande is CEO of Nourish Science, a new non-governmental organization focused on solving the [...]

We’re Beyond Tired; We’re Sleep Deprived

February 23, 2024

At some point in your life, you may have been facing a big and perplexing decision, and someone might have given you the advice to "sleep on it." This adage is derived from an age-old bit of [...]

Getting ‘A Head’ of Wellness

February 9, 2024

Loneliness has reached epidemic levels in this country. "No news here," some might say. Stories about this public health problem are constantly in the news. I have written about it myself. But I [...]

Should Major Sporting Events Come With a Health Warning?

February 2, 2024

In a recent post, Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, senior faculty editor at Harvard Health, is quick to admit to the many upsides to watching sports. "The excitement of competition and the bonding and [...]

Time for a Step-back Look at New Technology

January 26, 2024

Time moves on and things change — as we know, not always for the better. Examining our relationship with change came to mind when considering an installment of the NPR podcast series "Body [...]

Why Working While Ill Is Bad for Business

January 19, 2024

"It's that time of year, again, when everyone appears to be getting sick — your family, your friends, your co-workers," USA Today's Adrianna Rodriguez recently proclaimed writing about the [...]

Resolving to Better Understand the Act of Eating

January 12, 2024

Around this time of the year, many people are settling in on their New Year's resolutions. Lots of folks might have already given up on theirs. Their intention was probably a good one, but [...]

Can Awe Moments and Other Small Actions Bring Joy in 2024?

January 5, 2024

If you've had a tough 2023 (and it sure looks like lots of folks have), it might be hard to turn the page to 2024 with gusto. How soon thoughts of comfort and joy associated with Christmas can [...]

Mental Health Toll From COVID Epidemic Continues

December 29, 2023

"As one day blurs into the next and one month into another, the consequences of sustained stress can rise to the surface in subtle ways," I wrote roughly two years ago at the dawning of the New [...]

Maintaining Wellness During the Holiday Season

December 22, 2023

It's reported that a lot of people are expected to get sick this holiday season. Maybe lots more than usual during these winter days given a recent NBC Today Show report labeling it as the year [...]

A Christmas Classic and a Needed Reminder

December 8, 2023

Since moviemaking first became an industry, watching an engaging movie has provided one of the traditional means available for escaping, if only for a couple of hours, from the pressures and [...]

Sweet Inspiration to Be Found in a Few Just Right Words

December 1, 2023

The right slogan when we hear it or read it can be inspiring. And I hope you will find the one I offered last week to be so: "Smile and the world smiles with you." There are lots of ways to [...]

A Holiday Season Full of Challenges Needs a Saving Grace

November 24, 2023

As I write this, Thanksgiving is just days away and will have passed by the time you read this. Know that my wife Gena and I are wishing and hoping for a great time for you and yours during this [...]

When Does a Healthy Dose of Anger Become an Overdose?

November 17, 2023

I was recently reminded of a posting some months ago by Dustin Grove, an award-winning anchor/reporter for WTHR-TV in Indianapolis on the station's social media platform. "Why are we so angry?" [...]

Why Managing Your Z’s Is Never a Breeze

November 10, 2023

Are you tired of the constant twice-annual changing of clocks? Is it impacting your ability to get a good night's sleep? Know that you are hardly alone. And whether you are a fan of moving the [...]

The Many Roadblocks to Living Longer

October 27, 2023

The news was shocking. In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that life expectancy in this country is now the shortest it's been in nearly two decades. Even more [...]

Smashing News About Pumpkins and What You Should Be Eating

October 20, 2023

It seems that no Halloween festivities would be complete without a decorative pumpkin or two. According to History.com, the act of carving pumpkins into all manner of jack-o'-lanterns first [...]

New Medical Terms to Learn, and Too Much Jargon

October 13, 2023

A recent Forbes post by Dr. Sachin H. Jain caught my eye. It was about jargon, those often head-scratching, made-up terms, expressions or acronyms within a particular industry or professional [...]

Better Health Starts With Healthy Habits — As if We Didn’t Know

October 6, 2023

In 1944, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt prepared for a fourth run at the presidency, his state of health was in serious decline. According to an essay by historian and University of [...]

On Attention Issues, Forgetfulness and Things We Can’t Control

September 29, 2023

Science tells us that, as a species, humans have especially big brains. They also tell us that as we have evolved through the ages and developed, expanding our knowledge and capabilities, our [...]

America Is Growing Old, and Not in a Good Way

September 22, 2023

In the eyes of the nation's health experts, the recent decline in the life expectancy of Americans that has occurred over the past few years should be especially alarming to us all. "America may [...]

So Much Standing in the Way of Healthy Habits

September 15, 2023

A new study has identified eight lifestyle habits that, if adopted, may significantly extend a person's lifespan. You may have read about this. It was widely reported. Could this be a much-needed [...]

When Herbal Medicine Becomes Mainstream

September 8, 2023

It appears that we are seeing a cultural shift in this a country. It is one of many. It comes in the form of the continued rise in the preference for natural, herbal goods, says a recent Market [...]

Is an Out-of-Shape Nation Seconds Away From Better Health?

September 1, 2023

Based on new state maps of adult physical inactivity prevalence in this country released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January, most states show that more than 1 in 5 are [...]

Take the Time to Exercise Your Mind

August 25, 2023

As we get older, we soon find ourselves up against Father Time's little game of takeaway. A look at signals of aging provided by WebMD offers an example of what one can expect to lose as we [...]

That Johnny Appleseed Fella Knew a Thing or Two About Health

August 18, 2023

By now, we all are familiar with the principle that diet is a major component of a person's overall health and wellness. It is said so often. But is it possible to eat your way out of a chronic [...]

Health Consequences of Growing Old Continue to Escalate

August 11, 2023

There used to be this thing called the "golden years." Where did they go? It seems like now when you approach an age group that used to be celebrated, the worst news awaits. Dr. Benjamin Han is a [...]

Is It Safety Last on America’s Roadways?

August 4, 2023

Back in March of 2021, the headline of one of my weekly columns asked a provocative but important question: What's driving the turn of our roadways into speedways? As we ventured out onto [...]

The Problem of Contradictory Health Information

July 28, 2023

Back in January 2022, the World Heart Federation, a Geneva-based health advocacy organization that represents a number of heart associations worldwide, decided to make its position crystal clear [...]

The Summertime Dangers Blazing Down Upon Us

July 21, 2023

Even with summertime temperatures soaring to extremes, people are drawn to finding relief by splashing around in backyard or municipal pools, lakes, rivers and beaches. It is important to [...]

Our Hearing Is Fading and People Aren’t Listening

July 14, 2023

In the World Health Organization's announcement of the 2021 observance of World Hearing Day, they state that "nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide — or 1 in 4 people — will be living [...]

Soaking Up the Sun Requires Protection

July 7, 2023

As recently reported by USA Today's Adrianna Rodriguez, extreme heat "is the deadliest weather-related event in the United States. It kills more people than tornadoes or hurricanes — [...]

Time to Take the Wheel on What’s Driving Anxiety

June 30, 2023

In July 2022, Forbes published an article on a pressing question of the day. Is anger and anxiety in the post-COVID workplace "the new normal?" Back then, rates of anger, anxiety and aggression [...]

Pain Treatment Needs To Be a Greater Priority

June 23, 2023

Pain is considered by far the most common chronic ailment in America. It's more common than diabetes, depression and high blood pressure. According to a new study published in JAMA Network Open, [...]

The Risks of an Off-Balance Life

June 16, 2023

Bruce Lee today is viewed by many as much for his philosophy as for his athletic skill and artistry. A quote attributed to him you'll often see is: "Balance your thoughts with action. If you [...]

The Problem With Pain

June 2, 2023

To feel pain is a basic human experience that we all share. But for a clinical explanation of what pain is, there are no easy answers. We experience pain in so many ways that are very specific to [...]

New Alzheimer’s Research Signals Hope

May 26, 2023

According to data from a new Harris Poll commissioned by the American Academy of Physician Associates and shared exclusively with Time magazine, more than 70% of U.S. adults feel the health care [...]

As Public Health Emergency Ends, Serious Problems Remain

May 19, 2023

As stated in a recent American Medical Association report, "while the federal government may be declaring an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency, there are still significant, longstanding [...]

Problems With Health Care Services — Take Your Pick

May 12, 2023

The health care system in this country, depending on who you ask, is either under attack, changing for the better or changing for the worse. The following is an attempt to count a few of the [...]

Food for Thought: Heart Disease Still the Biggest Killer

May 5, 2023

Heart health is back in the news in a big way lately, and the new news is based upon an old topic — eating habits and diet. It comes from the American Heart Association and its announcement [...]

Every Month Should Be Stress Awareness Month

April 28, 2023

April is Stress Awareness Month. In just three days, we will have to say that it "was" Stress Awareness Month. Where the heck did April go? I meant to discuss it but got so busy on other things I [...]

AI Applications in Health Care Producing Both Promise and Fear

April 21, 2023

It is natural when someone coughs to speculate about what that cough means. Maybe just a clearing of the throat or the start of a cold. Maybe it's the onset of an allergy or maybe something [...]

Overwhelmed by AI and Just Who to Trust?

April 14, 2023

It is no secret that loneliness in this country has reached epidemic proportions. TV's Dr. Phil recently dedicated an entire show on the subject. For this episode, he focused on a group of Gen [...]

From Missing Meds to Support for Women Warriors

April 7, 2023

There seems to be one thing after another emerging in today's world that makes achieving or maintaining good health seem near impossible. Take access to common and necessary maintenance [...]

Obesity Epidemic Out of Control

March 31, 2023

Approximately 9 million people die every year of hunger and hunger-related diseases, more than from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, reports TheWorldCounts.com, an online service that [...]

Technological Advances in Health Care Both Friend and Foe

March 24, 2023

As recently reported by USA Today's Tony Leys, Bette Helm, 71, lives in a nursing home located in Knoxville, Iowa, a small city in Marion County of about 7,500 people. Like many small rural [...]

Settling Disparities in Care and Getting Back to Treating the Whole Patient

March 17, 2023

What is happening to the blissful joy of country living? While it remains for those who can afford it, for others it seems to be slipping away. As I reported last week, finding a family doctor or [...]

Celebrating the Sacrifice and Skill of Good Old Country Doctors

March 10, 2023

For people living in rural America, finding a family doctor or adequate health care services has never been easy. Says Rian Dundon in a timeline.com report: "Country folk have been bootstrapping [...]

It Seems Anti-aging Efforts Are Taking on a New Life

March 3, 2023

As if we needed more proof of the adage, "You are what you eat," a study recently published in Nature Aging has demonstrated that calorie restriction may, among other benefits, also slow aging in [...]

A Losing Fight With Loneliness

February 24, 2023

"But only the lonely know why, I cry, only the lonely." These are now classic words of the chorus of a Roy Orbison song that became his first smash hit back in 1960. It obviously resonated with [...]

Sports Gambling Here to Stay; It’s a Bet There Will Be Problems

February 17, 2023

Gambling is considered one of the oldest vices in the world. Some would say that's too harsh a description when it comes to wagering on sports. After all, putting a bet down on an outcome can be [...]

When Did Respecting Your Elders Become Passe?

February 10, 2023

It should surprise no one that advancing technology and advancing age don't exactly go hand in glove. People of my generation tend to struggle with it or work around the wired world where we can. [...]

Seeing Dog Days Ahead for Science

February 3, 2023

American humorist Dave Barry once observed that "you can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" And [...]

Dry January Leaves Behind Sobering Thoughts

January 27, 2023

For those of you who have successfully navigated Dry January without a slip up, your liver, heart and skin all thank you. Dry January is said to be an observance gaining in popularity during the [...]

Still Falling Short on Meeting the Health Needs of Veterans

January 20, 2023

As a U.S. Air Force veteran, past spokesperson for the U.S. Veterans Administration and Veteran Foundation's Veteran of the Year Award recipient, I will always have unwavering regard for those [...]

Unseen Effects of Witnessing Damar Hamlin’s Traumatic Injury

January 13, 2023

"Where were you on the evening of Monday, Jan. 2?" This may be a question that hangs around for quite some time. The full story of the evening's massive impact is yet to be fully played out. For [...]

Resolving Nursing Shortage Critically Important in 2023

January 6, 2023

The news report seemed hardly new, and I suspect it is not all that surprising. "Nursing is in crisis, fueled by burnout (and) exhaustion," reports New York Times health and science reporter [...]

New Year Gets Chilling Reception

December 30, 2022

As the holiday season draws to a close, we have moved from a holiday based on gratitude to a celebration of the birth of Christ (and other religious-based holidays) to settle on a time for [...]

Christmas Togetherness: Why It Matters

December 23, 2022

That advice last week about getting out and enjoying the great outdoors? You may want to put a check on that for a while. "Chicago residents yearning for a snowy white Christmas are likely to get [...]

Taking Flight From Holiday Stress

December 16, 2022

The refrain "It's the most wonderful time of the year," forever associated with the song by Andy Williams, has become an enduring holiday standard. But a lot of folks in today's world find their [...]

The Time Has Come to Walk It Off

December 9, 2022

From Little League to the big leagues, from Pop Warner to the pros, when an athlete has a minor tweak or injury, or is frustrated or dejected, common advice is for them to "walk it off." Says the [...]

Food Without the Stuffing

December 2, 2022

With Thanksgiving behind us and the remainder of the holiday season quickly approaching, it seems like a perfect time to talk about a seasonally popular subject matter: food. Michael Pollan, the [...]

Cigarettes and Their Substitutes Court a New Generation

November 25, 2022

I think we all could agree that preventing an addictive habit before it begins is the best course of action you can take. The problem is, when it comes to young people, there is so much working [...]

Drinking and Smoking to Relieve Stress Stir Up Health Concerns

November 18, 2022

It may not be surprising to learn that deaths caused by alcohol use in the United States spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. As reported by CNN and others, the Centers for Disease Control and [...]

Wake-up Call for the Changing of the Clocks

November 11, 2022

You have now had about a week to settle into it, so how has this switch back to standard time been for you? With such a critical national, local and regional election cycle underway (I'll save [...]

The Deteriorating Effects of Stress and Anxiety

October 28, 2022

Last week, I focused on the concept of how food can be medicine and how what you choose to eat can be one of the most important lifestyle choices a person makes in influencing health. But it is [...]

Inflammation Consequences of a Bad Diet

October 21, 2022

According to Harvard Health, inflammation plays a central role in many of the most challenging diseases we face today. So, what is our first line of defense? To alleviate symptoms, the common [...]

What We Eat Matters

October 14, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed us in so many ways. We find ourselves often lost in the middle of the process of sorting it all out. And in that process, we are seeing two very different and [...]

Is Suicide a Preventable Death?

October 7, 2022

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate suggests that 20%-40% of premature deaths in this country are preventable. But what does that mean, exactly? According to an analysis by [...]

Will We Ever Get Our Heads on Straight?

September 30, 2022

Citing conditions such as prolonged isolation and loss from the pandemic, as well as other stressors like inflation and rising crime, a panel of medical experts last week made an unprecedented [...]

A Sobering Need To Fortify National Public Health Response

September 23, 2022

In response to a hot day in the past, people would often exaggeratedly refer to the heat that day as a "real killer." It is just one example of how we often dismiss or fail to see a threat to [...]

Heat, Pollution and the Great Outdoors

September 16, 2022

The great outdoors. There is nothing quite like it, especially being among nature's greenery. It does wonders for the mind and body. I have written often about the health benefits of the Japanese [...]

Planting the Seeds for a Better Way of Living

September 9, 2022

During my adult life, I have always tried to approach things with a sense of purpose. Eating became no different. Focusing on food that is nutritious and that aids in warding off disease and in [...]

Sounding Off on Hearing Loss in the Military

September 2, 2022

As I reported last week, more people in this country experience hearing loss, and the negative experiences that come with it, than you might imagine. One estimate by the National Institute on [...]

The Problem of Hearing Loss Is Finally Being Heard

August 26, 2022

Gael Hannan is a successful author and an editor and blogger for the website HearingHealthMatters.org. Earlier this year, she started off one of her blogs with the following observation: "Hearing [...]

When Did Growing Old Become So Disrespected?

August 19, 2022

There should be rewards for living a long life. Yet too often in today's world there seem to be only penalties, presented with a heaping serving of disrespect or as yet another punchline to a [...]

More on Where Religion and Medicine Meet

August 12, 2022

In 2008, Science 2.0, a nonprofit blogging site for academics created to discuss science-related subject matter, posted research from Brandeis University on the current state of chaplaincy [...]

Where Religion and Medicine Meet

August 5, 2022

At University Health hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, COVID hospitalizations had been running high in January, notes Gina Kaufmann, a locally based NPR correspondent. Medical teams once again [...]

Fighting off the Damaging Effects of Extreme Heat

July 29, 2022

As I relayed last week, Time magazine's Angela Haupt warned in a recent report that the wave of extreme temperatures we are now experiencing are not only unpleasant and irritating but they are [...]

Will an Early Heat Wave Bring Debate of Permanent Daylight Saving Time to a Boil?

July 22, 2022

Back in March, you might recall the rare event of a U.S. Senate united in agreement — in this instance, calling for the end to the twice-a-year disruption caused from switching between [...]

Public Restroom Problem Needs Solving, Not Neglect

July 15, 2022

The concept of public health is an interesting one. It can mean different things to different people because the health interests of the entire population make up its definition. The Centers for [...]

Link Between Mental Health and Physical Health May Be Changing

July 8, 2022

Though months have passed, we might never forget the heart-wrenching story of Joe Garcia, the grieving husband who, hours after placing flowers at a memorial to his wife, Irma, reportedly died of [...]

Lack of Quality Sleep Can Be a Real Killer

July 1, 2022

No doubt about it, hot summer nights can make it tough to sleep. Longer daylight that runs into the evening hours can make it harder to fall asleep. We get off our bedtime schedule. We have a lot [...]

Stress, Loneliness and a Question Too Rarely Asked

June 24, 2022

We should no longer be surprised when we hear that prolonged stress can increase the risk of health conditions such as asthma, ulcers, heart attack and stroke. Various studies over the years have [...]

Signs of Unhealth Weigh Heavy on America’s Hospitals

June 17, 2022

If you and I were to apply a medical diagnosis to the nation's hospitals and health care systems, according to current news reports, the ultimate costs as well as chances for full recovery would [...]

Benefits of Improving Indoor Air Quality Go Beyond COVID

June 10, 2022

Ralph Marston, the publisher of The Daily Motivator, once inspiringly advised readers to "breathe in the sweet air of limitless possibility and make life as rich as you know it can be." It is [...]

COVID and Fentanyl Disproportionately Affect Native Americans

June 3, 2022

Some of you may know that I was born in Oklahoma, and that my DNA includes being one-quarter Cherokee. I am proud of it. The Cherokee are a remarkable people who have been around since time [...]

Long Overdue Health Care on the Horizon for Toxic-exposed Veterans

May 27, 2022

It is one thing to appreciate those in the military who serve our country. It is another to provide them the support and care they have long needed and have earned. This appears to be a point [...]

Even in the Military, Asking for Help Should Never Be a Liability

May 20, 2022

Beginning in 1999, Congress officially designated May as Military Appreciation Month. It is intended as a specified time in which we are encouraged to show our appreciation of all those who serve [...]

The Shameful Treatment of Teens’ Troubling Mental Health

May 13, 2022

What is it about our high school years that make them remain so fixed in our minds as we age? Why are these three or four years among all the years that came before and after so worthy of [...]

For the Pandemic, the Numbers Don’t Tell the Full Story

May 6, 2022

A couple of weeks ago, the Associated Press and others predicted that in a matter of weeks, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 would surpass 1 million. That it has taken longer than expected to [...]

Stress Is Taking a Toll. Will It Result in Lasting Damage?

April 29, 2022

In late 2021, inside Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital, one room outside the intensive care unit had been prepped for a special kind of healing. According to a post on the Cleveland Clinic [...]

Indicators Facing Wrong Direction for the Health Care Industry

April 22, 2022

As I reported a couple of weeks ago, a recent NBC News investigation revealed that regulatory filings and internal documents show that an estimated "40-plus percent" of the country's hospital [...]

Pets as a Prism for Viewing Our Mental Health

April 15, 2022

In an opinion piece earlier this week in the Los Angeles Times, author Malathi Raghavan, a clinical associate professor at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, writes about the daily [...]

Why Doctors and Nurses Need Our Support More than Ever

April 8, 2022

Dr. Richard E. Besser is president and chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, and previously the chief health and medical editor at ABC News. In a recent [...]

US Mental Health Continues Its Decline

April 1, 2022

Imagine that, in addition to weathering the constant stream of crises that have befallen folks over the last two years, circumstances ratchet things up to a level higher than any individual could [...]

Time to Shed More Light on the Health Hazards of Permanent Daylight Saving Time

March 25, 2022

I admit that when I wrote last week complaining about the public health downsides created by the annual switch to daylight saving time, I was unaware of the Sunshine Protection Act, even though [...]

World Events, Time Change and Anger Piling on Pandemic Pressures

March 18, 2022

Don't care much for the constant mid-March ritual of moving our clocks ahead one hour? According to Beth Ann Malow, a professor of neurology and pediatrics at Vanderbilt University, 63% of [...]

The Search Goes on for New Ways of Treating Brain Conditions

March 11, 2022

Among the military veterans interviewed for a recent Kaiser Health Network story on the role service dogs have played over the years in helping veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder was [...]

We Were Already Angry and Burned Out — Now What?

March 4, 2022

According to a January 2021 Psychology Today report, while being hit the hardest during the first year of the COVID-19 breakout, research showed older Americans responded by being psychologically [...]

Canines Providing Much More Than Comfort

February 25, 2022

Dog days are here — and I am not talking about the weather. Just look around. As confirmed by a recent MarketResearch.com report, pet ownership has soared during the pandemic. Despite the [...]

Putting the Brakes on E-Bike Riders’ Dangerous Need for Speed

February 18, 2022

Just another brief news item of yet another traffic collision. This one happened on a busy San Diego County street on a Thursday evening around 5 p.m. last December. A 17-year-old boy on an [...]

Getting Through a Pandemic That Has No End Date

February 11, 2022

Imagine you are an athlete who has suffered a debilitating injury. After the initial shock, disappointment and worry about what happens next, you lock in on a recovery plan. You commit yourself [...]

Releasing Anxieties on Roadways Leads to Deadly Consequences

February 4, 2022

Pop Quiz. Answer the following questions as honestly as you can: Do you regularly drive over the speed limit? Find yourself trying to beat a traffic signal that just turned red or is about to? [...]

The Pandemic Is Affecting Us on a Level We Haven’t Yet Come to Terms With

January 28, 2022

A couple of weeks ago, I reported on the findings of a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll showing that nearly 9 in 10 of 1,000 registered voters surveyed believe that our nation is in the thick of [...]

Where Resolving to Lose Weight Goes Wrong

January 21, 2022

NPR reports that this past year, half of all New Year's resolutions in the U.S. were based on fitness and "nearly half were based on weight loss." We also know that by March, many resolutions [...]

In the Face of Mental Health Challenges, Seek to Find More Flow

January 14, 2022

Last week, I once again echoed concerns about the pandemic's "long-haul" damage to everyone's mental health. It's not the first time I've rung that bell. As recently as October, I wrote about [...]

Ongoing Mental Toll of COVID and the Need to Keep Optimism Alive

January 7, 2022

As we set our sights on the new year ahead, we are all doing so feeling, in varying degrees, the effects of two long years of pandemic life. As one day blurs into the next and one month into [...]

Outlook for 2022 Now Open to Speculation

December 31, 2021

It is a time when we generally take inventory of the year about to pass and maybe even make a resolution or two on how we might enact some self-improvement. As for me, this year feels like it [...]

When Rising Pandemic Numbers and Holiday Celebrations Collide

December 24, 2021

Like today, the safety of gift shopping, family gatherings and church services was on Americans' minds... back in December of 1918. Since COVID has come on the scene, there have been many [...]

Pandemic Spiking Blood Pressure While Nursing Shortage Grows

December 17, 2021

As reported in the New York Times, new research shows that as the pandemic has increased, so has the nation's blood pressure readings. For one, Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, president of the [...]

Barriers for the Disabled Run Deeper Than Fixing Sidewalks

December 10, 2021

In a report issued in May 2020, the American Psychological Association speaks of mounting psychological distress caused by the pandemic, affecting the general population and especially certain [...]

Opioid Epidemic Public Health Emergency and Security Threat

December 3, 2021

Today in America, the drug epidemic stands as the deadliest it has ever been, nearly doubling in the past five years. The emergence of the synthetic opioid fentanyl is now driving one of [...]

Fentanyl-Laced Drugs Make Epidemic Deadliest Ever

November 26, 2021

Announced last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reported by NBC News (among a multitude of other news outlets), America's drug epidemic has taken the deadliest turn in [...]

The Challenge of Finding What Soothes the Pain

November 19, 2021

In the journal JAMA Network Open, research on the long-term effects of contracting COVID-19 shows that at least 50% of COVID-19 survivors experience numerous physical and psychological health [...]

Ageism and Scam Artists Take a Toll on Older Americans

November 12, 2021

As reported last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics, along with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children's Hospital Association, have responded to a shocking [...]

In the Wake of the Pandemic, a Mental Health Tsunami?

November 5, 2021

There is no shortage of news, seemingly daily, of new or continuing human problems that have reached the crisis point. Beyond the pandemic, there is the supply-chain crisis, a global energy [...]

How the Mail Could Be Delivering a Message on Age Bias

October 29, 2021

Get ready for some new old news. As reported by Forbes, a recently released study from the Commonwealth Fund foundation shows that 23% of Americans 65+ who needed help with the activities of [...]

Thinking About Where the Anger Comes From

October 22, 2021

As widely reported in a series of articles in the Wall Street Journal titled "The Facebook Files," leaked documents from Facebook show that the company has known in acute detail for at least two [...]

Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Technology?

October 15, 2021

I really don't like the idea that my smart phone is smarter than me — that it can do all these things that I can't either imagine or figure out. It leads me to think that maybe it's too [...]

Who’s To Blame for the Addiction Crisis?

October 8, 2021

As reported by Reuters News Agency, a trial involving four large pharmacy chains was to begin last Monday as the Ohio counties of Lake and Trumbull seek to convince jurors of the pharmacy chains' [...]

Coffee News and Getting to the Root of Addiction

October 1, 2021

As if a cup of coffee wasn't expensive enough, a recent Associated Press report says the industry is predicting its cost will go up even more by the end of the year. Numerous reasons are listed. [...]

The Struggle for Closure as Covid Rages On

September 24, 2021

Recently installed on a large grassy expanse of Washington D.C.'s National Mall near the Washington Monument is a sight that is hard to ignore. Covering the area, there are more that 600,000 [...]

Some Lessons From 9/11 Seem Hard for Us To Remember

September 17, 2021

With lessons learned from 9/11 so widely, recently and painfully recounted, the story of suffering and loss that continue for more than 100,000 fellow Americans must not be forgotten. We cannot [...]

If You Think We’re Eating Too Much Junk Food, You’re Right

September 10, 2021

A recent news release by strategic consulting and market research firm BlueWeave Consulting reveals that the global processed snacks market was worth $390.3 billion in U.S. dollars in 2020. The [...]

Where’s the Soft Landing for the Sick?

September 3, 2021

I have written a lot about the debilitating and often accelerating effects of anxiety created by the world we now occupy, as well as generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD and other mental health [...]

What To Do With All the Bad News?

August 27, 2021

When it comes to wildfires wreaking havoc across the country, there seems to be no safe distance to be found from their fallout. This point was made even more troublingly clear by a new report [...]

Wildland Fires’ Noxious Smoke Brings Air Pollution

August 20, 2021

When a single wildfire can ravage (as of Monday) nearly 867 square miles — an area roughly the size of the Olympic city of Tokyo — it is impossible to ignore. When it threatens to [...]

When the Heat Is On, Caution Is Needed

August 13, 2021

The heat of the Olympics is officially over, but prevailing excessively high temperatures will not only continue, but loads of people will also be seeking the heat. As science journalist Sarah [...]

Why Sweat Is Swell

August 6, 2021

In the last two weeks, I've never seen such a parade of sweaty people on TV. I mean this in the most positive of ways. I'm speaking of the best athletes in the world competing at the Olympic [...]

The Number of Americans Living With Alzheimer’s Is Growing

July 30, 2021

It is easy to lose track of other major public health concerns while the news covers the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19. Yet the list of other health threats is extensive: opioid abuse, [...]

Health Threat of Extreme Heat Is a Serious One

July 23, 2021

I have been talking a lot lately about the disorders associated with exposure to constant stress. It is time we add a completely different form of stress to this list of things we must be [...]

Swapping Skyrocketing Bad Behavior for the Joy That’s Missing

July 16, 2021

Last week, I reported how what the American Institute of Stress refers to as "COVID Anger" appears to be a growing condition that is spilling out onto America's roadways in the form of dangerous, [...]

Is Covid Anger Spilling Out Onto America’s Roadways?

July 9, 2021

I hope you and your family had a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday weekend. If you took to traveling the roadways, you had a whole lot of company, and I pray you navigated your travels [...]

PTSD Threat Grows as Awareness Lags

July 2, 2021

In 2010, the U.S. Senate dedicated June 27 as National PTSD Awareness Day. Four years later, it decided to designate the whole month of June as National PTSD Awareness Month. If you missed the [...]

Some of What Is Known of Impact of the Pandemic May Surprise You

June 25, 2021

As I pointed out last week, we are marching through summer with two sets of habits: some good, some bad. Some of these habits existed before the pandemic and some were established during. This [...]

Parts of Pandemic Lifestyle Could Be Habit Forming

June 18, 2021

As stated by Wendy Wood, a research psychologist at the University of Southern California, and reported by the Washington Post, we carry two sets of habits with us as we take one step closer to [...]

Are We Ready to Get Real in Facing Mental Health Challenges?

June 11, 2021

When Naomi Osaka, the No. 2 ranked woman in the world in tennis, refused late last month to participate in post-match news conferences at the French Open because those conferences contributed to [...]

Meals on Wheels Deliveries Staving Off Hunger and Isolation

June 4, 2021

In the residential neighborhood of Berwick on the east side of Columbus, Ohio, lives 88-year-old Deloris Harrington. Harrington has lived alone since her husband passed away in 2016. She now [...]

Study Finds Trust in our Public Health System Eroding

May 27, 2021

According to a new February report from the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, "36% of nonelderly adults and 29% of children in the U.S. have delayed or foregone doctor care" [...]

Rural Communities Left in the Lurch for Medical Assistance

May 21, 2021

Some of you may remember a little film from 30 years ago starring Michael J. Fox called "Doc Hollywood." In it, he plays a hotshot young physician driving his Porsche cross-country to an awaiting [...]

Shining Some Light on ‘Cave Syndrome’

May 14, 2021

Before antibiotics, sunlight was used to speed up the healing of wounds, according to the Sunlight Institute. "All nature including humanity is solar-powered," they go on to remind us. "Sunlight [...]

Ways Mental Health Assistance Is Taking Off

May 7, 2021

Beyond her job as chief medical correspondent for ABC News, Dr. Jennifer Ashton maintains a daily medical practice where she sees patients ranging from teenagers to women in their 80s. As [...]

On the Subject of Grief and Gratitude

April 30, 2021

I am writing this after hearing a fresh batch of stark and shocking news — yet another reminder of the psychological and social costs that await us in the post-pandemic world. The world's [...]

The Price of Pushing People Toward the Great Outdoors

April 23, 2021

As I recently reported, though older people have borne a higher burden of illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, surveys over the last year are showing people aged 50 and over [...]

More on Building a Better Normal After the Pandemic

April 16, 2021

As we emerge from the closeted lives we have been living for the past year, trying to shed light on what the post-pandemic world will be like, we must start with a fundamental question: What will [...]

Can We Build a Better Normal After the Pandemic?

April 9, 2021

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a report by The Zebra, the nation's leading insurance comparison site, on the growing threat posed by extreme speeding on the nation's roadways. The report spoke of [...]

Experts Say To Watch the Weight and Spend More Time Outside

April 2, 2021

There is no way around it. During the isolating environment of the past year, we have all developed some bad habits. They have developed out of necessity — like relaxed at-home eating [...]

What’s Driving the Turn of Our Roadways Into Speedways?

March 26, 2021

As reported in The Washington Post, a teenage pedestrian died in August after being hit by two cars along a portion of Indian Head Highway bordering Washington, D.C. It took place a few miles [...]

With Less Spring in Our Step, Welcome to Daylight Saving Time

March 19, 2021

During this new moment within the current pandemic, where more and more experts are imagining a "light" at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, a real beam has shone upon us. March 14 marked a shift [...]

Health Workers Overwhelmed By COVID-19 Lacking Needed Help

March 12, 2021

It is not hard to think of doctors in charge of hospital units as type A personalities who expect a lot from themselves and those in their charge. Or to conjure up visions of doctors and nurses [...]

Lingering Ills of Isolation Yet To Be Known for This Pandemic

March 5, 2021

In the desolate frozen landscape 2,415 miles south of Christchurch, New Zealand, stands McMurdo Station. As recently reported by Tara Law of Time magazine, this Antarctic research base has served [...]

Reminders of Why We Will Get Through This Pandemic

February 26, 2021

A recent opinion piece by Susanna Schrobsdorff, editor at large for Time magazine, tells the story of Navajo Zoel Zohnnie. A welder by trade, Zohnnie calls home the Southwestern region known as [...]

Big Thinking Breeds Results, Even During COVID-19

February 19, 2021

Yet another coronavirus-related headline this week. This one comes from data provided by Johns Hopkins University that, for the first time since November, average new daily coronavirus infections [...]

Lifestyle Medicines as a Pathway to Pandemic Recovery

February 12, 2021

Though new coronavirus cases are reported to be on the decline in the United States following the deadly post-holiday peaks last month, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. [...]

The Mental Health Challenges of Pandemic Recovery

February 5, 2021

Mental health is a medical issue. That is a plain fact. We are currently trying to look ahead to the flickering beam of light that leads to pandemic recovery and imagine what it will take to get [...]

US Life Expectancy Drops as Aversion to Exercise Remains Unchanged

January 29, 2021

As recently reported by NPR, according to analysis by researchers at the University of Southern California and Princeton University, the coronavirus pandemic appears to have further shortened the [...]

Bare Feet Are Made for Walking

January 22, 2021

As a recent Healthline report reminds us, when a toddler is learning to walk, parents are encouraged to let this process happen naturally. Without shoes. Says the report, "That's because shoes [...]

Dietary Guidelines and Adopting a Post-Pandemic Mentality

January 15, 2021

In the midst of a mind-bending week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines. Developed without normal [...]

Finding a New Way to Look at the New Year

January 8, 2021

This is not a piece about New Year's resolutions. It seems too raw and unpredictable a moment for that. Consider, for a moment, from where and what we are emerging. It is now being described by [...]

A Small Piece That Might Fit a 2021 Wellness Journey

January 1, 2021

Congratulations. Susanna Schrobsdorff, an editor at large for Time magazine, recently noted that, as we face the new year, we have just made it through literally the darkest month of the year. In [...]

Another Stone in a Seawall To Meet the Pandemic Tide

December 18, 2020

On Monday morning in New York City, shortly after 9 a.m., critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first person in this country to receive the Pfizer and BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. In [...]

As Pandemic Ramps Up the Attack, Will Defenses Hold?

December 11, 2020

The New York Times recently reminded us that frontline health care workers — more than anyone else — have been the one constant in the face of today's pandemic. Says the Times' [...]

When Giving Thanks Is Not Enough

December 4, 2020

"See that Thanksgiving celebrations are restricted as much as possible so as to prevent another flare-up," a news report warns. It is a message sure to have been repeated in various forms around [...]

Case Surge Comes With Successful COVID-19 Vaccine News

November 20, 2020

Finally, a glimmer of good news related to the pandemic — delivered during some dark days as new COVID-19 infections are averaging well above 100,000 per day in this country. As I am sure [...]

Is Your Tolerance Tank Running on Empty?

November 13, 2020

The holidays are upon us. A time for celebration. Yet how are we supposed to pull that off when not just our own health but also the overall health and well-being of the country are in jeopardy? [...]

Need More To Mask Up and Germaphobes To Calm Down

November 6, 2020

As we enter the cold and flu season, it seems to me that there are some residual benefits from continued COVID-19 safety measures — such as mask wearing, hand hygiene and physical [...]

Why We Must Push Through Pandemic Fatigue

October 30, 2020

A recent Newsday article passed along this reminder of our not-too-distant past: "During the height of the pandemic, the daily toll of infections, hospitalizations and deaths was grim and [...]

Balancing Life Today Is a Shaky Proposition

October 23, 2020

Fall is here, and with it, many experts are weighing in on the extra precautions older adults should be taking to protect themselves. Not mentioned, as far as I can tell, is one major risk of [...]

Bursting a Bubble of Pandemic Grief

October 16, 2020

Try as we might to grab onto the positive, COVID-19 continues to keep us awake at night and haunt us during the day. It is clear it will be with us for a while. We may think that thoughts of [...]

Pandemic Leaves Marks on Our Dreams and Sense of Mortality

October 9, 2020

Sleep should be a welcome break from the daily grind of life during the pandemic. For many, it has instead become a welcome mat for a world of bizarre, often frightening, pandemic-induced dreams. [...]

Pandemic Progress as a Third Wave Looms

October 2, 2020

As I discussed last week, the news of the day never seems good, and the pileup of such stories takes a toll on our psyche. It can lead to a daily cycle of negative thoughts and emotion-driven [...]

The Sickening Effects of the News Cycle

September 25, 2020

Not only does the daily news never seem good, but the bad news seems to be escalating out of control. It is constantly repeated and, as a result, worsened. I admit it is a pattern I am by no [...]

Why You Shouldn’t Defer Medical Treatment During the Pandemic

September 18, 2020

As reported last week, serious depression has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, during the past six months, the growth of U.S. [...]

Mental Health Woes Now Tripled in US Since COVID-19 Outbreak

September 11, 2020

As I discussed last week, from the outset of this pandemic, with each day filled with isolation and uncertainty, mental health issues have continued to worsen in this country. According to a Pew [...]

COVID-19 Mental Health Curve Needs Flattening

September 4, 2020

According to projections from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of new cancer cases in the United States between 2010 and the end of 2020 will have gone up about 24% in [...]

Sun Rising on Role of Vitamin D in COVID-19 Fight

August 28, 2020

As a recent front-page Los Angeles Times report reminded us, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck America's second-largest city, its homeless population was viewed as a "time bomb" about to go off. [...]

Shuttered Movie Theaters Scene of Unfolding Cliffhanger

August 21, 2020

As a poor kid trying to find my way — almost too many years ago than I care to count — I was living for a time in Wilson, Oklahoma. Every weekday after elementary school, I would [...]

Wake-Up Call to the Importance of Sleep

August 14, 2020

Just like living in the pandemic, writing about it can take a toll. So, I was happy to find important health-related news to report on that required no reference to COVID-19. It comes in the form [...]

Return of Televised Professional Sports Is More Than a Game

August 7, 2020

There have been emergency postponements and even cancellations of major sporting events in the past, but I think we all could agree that the global athletic hiatus we have witnessed in response [...]

The Uncertain Direction of Public Transit

July 31, 2020

As recently reported by Time magazine, in addition to dwindling fare collections, tax revenues that help subsidize transit systems are taking a dramatic hit. "Perhaps nowhere is public transit [...]

Countering Fear That Spreads Like a Virus

July 24, 2020

On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data that suggests the number of people infected with the coronavirus in different parts of the United States is anywhere [...]

Forgotten Pandemic History and Face Mask Resistance

July 17, 2020

When we finally reach that point where we can look back with some distance and remind ourselves of what this pandemic was like, what will we think? More importantly, what will we be able to say [...]

Beware the Superspreading Coronavirus Event

July 10, 2020

As widely reported, last Monday marked the 28th day in a row the country's rolling seven-day average of daily new COVID-19 cases shattered all previous records. As reported by UPI, in my home [...]

Packed Bars and Young Adults Driving COVID Surge

July 3, 2020

Here is a recipe for a cocktail you do not want to mix during the upcoming holiday weekend. It starts with a tight, confined venue. Next, smash together a mixture of young adults absolutely [...]

A Sink-or-Swim Moment in This Pandemic

June 26, 2020

The year was 1950, and America was a nation racked with uncertainty and fear. North Korean Communist forces invaded the South, and we were in the grips of another war. President Harry Truman [...]

Coronavirus Pandemic Continues

June 19, 2020

According to an MSN report, a Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus driver, whose name was not released, died of complications from COVID-19 last week. This 23-year employee [...]

Ups and Downs of Businesses Reopening

June 12, 2020

It has been half a year now since early reports began streaming in from a large city in China of strange and frightening symptoms sickening dozens of people — the foreshadowing of the [...]

Breaking the Coronavirus Anxiety Cycle

June 5, 2020

As recently reported in a story from The New York Times, a 59-year old California man, gravely ill with liver disease, had waited weeks for news of an available transplant as his health declined. [...]

Giving Lifeguards Their Due as Their Risks Increase

May 29, 2020

Memorial Day honors those who died in active military service for our country. The weekend leading up to it also marks the unofficial start of summer for many Americans. To say that Memorial Day [...]

We All Must Soldier On

May 22, 2020

Last week, I joined with others in concern regarding just how this intervening time of isolation has changed us and how those changes will reshape the world that awaits us post-quarantine. A [...]

As Lockdown Eases, Other Uncertainties Lie Ahead

May 15, 2020

After months of the pandemic lockdown, we have arrived at a decisive time. Communities around the country and around the globe are starting to take dramatic next steps as they try to move toward [...]

What Airlines Post-Coronavirus Procedures Can’t Mask

May 8, 2020

In 2018, lawmakers passed legislation calling for regulators to set more constricting rules regarding minimum leg room requirements and the width and length of commercial airline seats, as well [...]

Vaping Teens May Be Ignoring COVID-19 Risks

May 1, 2020

As cited last week, a recent study published online in the Chinese Medical Journal found that, of 78 patients with COVID-19, those with a history of smoking were 14 times as likely to develop [...]

Attention Smokers: Please Stop

April 24, 2020

As suggested last week, adopting a healthy lifestyle can stave off chronic disease and boost a strong immune system — one that can fight off bacteria and viruses. As a recent example, a [...]

You Are What You Eat During Pandemic Isolation Period

April 17, 2020

Whatever recovery looks like once the novel coronavirus pandemic eases and we begin to establish a new normal, we should all agree that things will be different. Our behaviors and rituals will [...]

Finding the Hero Within the Face of a Pandemic

April 10, 2020

As reports continue to come in of medical professionals thrust into the frontlines of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, communities around the country have stepped up the efforts to [...]

How Shall We Honor Those on the Frontlines of the Pandemic?

April 3, 2020

Last week, I shared an opinion piece written by Gregory Jasani, an emergency medicine resident at the University of Maryland Medical Center. In it, he issued a stern warning to all who disregard [...]

Dangers of Being Delusional When Sizing Up New Coronavirus

March 27, 2020

Attention all knuckleheads. I'm talking about those cyclists and runners who have been crowding New York's parks, hanging out at California beaches or frolicking in Florida during spring break. [...]

Are We Focusing on the Wrong Things in Combating the Coronavirus?

March 20, 2020

From the outset, there was consistent assurance from public health experts that stocking up on surgical masks will not reduce your chance of catching a common cold, the flu or the novel [...]

Are Airlines Finally Cleaning Up Their Act?

March 13, 2020

The idea of commercial airlines being vessels for the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 reminds me that in today's world of air travel, we have, for years, taken certain risks when we fly [...]

Coronavirus Risks Reward Some

March 6, 2020

Something appears to be outpacing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus: the fear of contracting it, whether well-founded or not. It seems to be [...]

Shielding Against Brain Trauma Needs To Be a Societal Goal

February 28, 2020

I'm just guessing, but I imagine it would be hard to find a top expert in health or science who would not admit there's a lot we don't know about traumatic brain injury prevention and treatment. [...]

No Time for Downtime Anymore

February 21, 2020

This past Monday was Presidents Day, a designated federal holiday where offices and many government institutions were closed. Still, a surprising number of American workers both in and outside of [...]

Time to Give Coffee a Break

February 14, 2020

With the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak dominating the news — as it rightly should — I thought I would offer up a familiar subject for contemplation. Something that you [...]

Though Life Expectancy Rose Slightly in 2018, It Is Hardly Enough

February 7, 2020

When we look at the things we try to avoid in life, you would hope that escaping premature death would be top of the list. After all, it speaks to our basic human drive for survival. Yet, in our [...]

Thoughts on Traumatic Brain Injury

January 31, 2020

In October 2006, some 30 hours after departing Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., I stepped off a C-130 troop transport plane and on to the tarmac of Iraq's Al Asad Air Base to fulfill a [...]

From Old Age To New Medicine

January 24, 2020

A wise man named Jules Renard once said, "It is not a question of how old you are, but a question of how you are old." No matter how we look at the issue of aging, one thing is clear: People age [...]

Calling Off Alcohol for a Change

January 17, 2020

For more than a decade, "Dry January" has served as a resolution calling for a month-long break from alcohol. If you want to jump on this wagon, it is never too late to start by stopping. Whether [...]

Slamming Doors on Rural Hospital Care

January 10, 2020

While final statistics have yet to be revealed for New Year's Eve, it is a good bet that they will show a sharp uptick in emergency room visits beginning around midnight. Long before that hour, [...]

Health Issues We Should Aim To Resolve

December 27, 2019

If you are preparing a list of New Year's resolutions and are looking for a starting point, the folks at the American Medical Association annually assemble a list of 10 wellness-focused [...]

Crisis of Vaping Among Kids Clouds Holidays

December 20, 2019

During the holidays, I think we all tend to respond to the positive and inspirational stories around us. The problem is that in writing about health and wellness at this particular moment, I am [...]

1 Low Opinion of High Tech

December 13, 2019

As I noted last week, I often have a low opinion of high technology and its overall impact on our lives and health. I know that some experts will say this fear is overblown and today's [...]

Opting for a Low-Tech Holiday Season

December 6, 2019

I could be wrong, but it seems that with each passing year, it becomes harder and harder for us to properly reflect on the true meaning of what that good old holiday spirit signifies. Such [...]

Do We Grow From Tragedy?

November 22, 2019

It seems that every year around the holidays, numerous stories appear in the media of people skirting death or overcoming tragedy. These are certainly stories that need to be told. According to a [...]

Remembering Veterans Is Not Enough

November 15, 2019

As we close the books on Veterans Day 2019, I cannot help but search for a message that will resonate from this national holiday — a day where we honor and show appreciation for all who [...]

Surviving in an Increasingly Divided World

November 8, 2019

Last week, I touched upon how the current political environment — where anger seems to be the animating force — is resulting in turmoil and distress at such a level that health [...]

A Healer in the House Above the Political Stress

November 1, 2019

As a recent study has confirmed — as if we didn't know — the current political environment has gone far beyond merely heated and toxic. The result of this turmoil is that we now live [...]

The Health Toll of Being Lonely

October 25, 2019

A recent study published in the journal Health Psychology, based on interview responses from more than 19,000 married people up to age 90 between 1978 and 2010, suggests that married people who [...]

The Long-Term Toll of Electronic Cigarettes and Regulatory Inaction

October 18, 2019

News earlier in the year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating that the number of middle and high school students who use electronic cigarettes has risen by more than 50% [...]

No Federal Law Regulates Tattooing; Welcome to the Wild West

October 11, 2019

A number of years ago, my wife, Gena, was given multiple routine MRIs to check on an arthritic condition. To generate a better image, a contrast dye is often routinely injected into the area of [...]

How Exercise and Movement Reduce Pain

October 4, 2019

It remains the single most common medical complaint by patients. It is sensory, emotional and perceptual — seemingly all at the same time. The way we experience it varies greatly. No two [...]

From Polypharmacy to Polypills: Where Will It Lead?

September 27, 2019

In September 2018, I talked about health issues related to "polypharmacy," a word new to me at the time used to describe individuals taking multiple medications (five or more drugs concurrently), [...]

Suicide in the Age of Unprecedented Growth of Those 65 and Older

September 20, 2019

As mentioned last week, to generate discussion and stimulate action toward resolving a major heath issue, Sept. 8-14 was designated as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week. What I failed to [...]

Suicide Rates Rising, Prevention Needed: There’s a Lot to Live For

September 13, 2019

At times, there are issues we would rather not talk about but must. Certainly, suicide has historically been high among them. Yet it stands today as the 10th-leading cause of death for people of [...]

The Health Care Conversation Few Are Having

September 6, 2019

I'm no doctor, but I can recognize a prescription for disaster when I see one. What would you predict as the prospects of a profession where one practitioner commits suicide every day, the [...]

The Effects of Extreme Heat, Persistent Pain and an Exercise Tip

August 30, 2019

The long hot summer of 2019 is at last drawing to a close, and we already know it's one for the record books. July proved to be the Earth's hottest month on record. That said, 2019 is unlikely to [...]

Diet and Exercise One-Two Punch Against Alzheimer’s

August 23, 2019

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Just the thought of contracting this disease — which can rob us of our ability to think, learn and remember and [...]

Tiny Drop of Blood Could Lead to Huge Alzheimer’s Breakthrough

August 16, 2019

In just the past few years, billions of dollars have been put toward ending cancer. We know the importance and urgency of achieving this goal. We accept it and support it. What we are less aware [...]

Health Measured From Head to Toe

August 9, 2019

Last week, I explored how the way we perform everyday movements and positioning of our head — without knowing it — can bring on chronic neck pain. Most neck pain is something we do [...]

Addressing Chronic Neck Pain

August 2, 2019

Throughout our lives, we are saddled with carrying around this weighty orb — about 10 to 12 pounds' worth — in a constant balancing act while we swing it this way and that. We can't [...]

Heat Waves and the Risks They Present

July 26, 2019

At this point in the summer, sunburn might be among the least of our concerns. A dangerous heat wave has blanketed roughly two-thirds of the nation, and as I write this, final reports of the toll [...]

The Work Ahead in Preventing Premature Death

July 18, 2019

Last week, I hammered away on the concept that we are what we eat and the idea that by making better food choices we can inoculate ourselves against those things that might damage our health. Dr. [...]

Food Is Medicine

July 12, 2019

Have you ever wondered where the phrase "you are what you eat" came from? As pointed out on the Culinary Lore website, this statement, regardless of its origin, is not just a simple observation [...]

Good Old-Fashioned Fun in the Age of Digital Distractions

July 5, 2019

I hope everyone had a safe and fun-filled Fourth. Independence Day is a time for family, friends and fireworks. It is time to maybe attend a public event, have a backyard barbecue or take a trip [...]

The Work Ahead in Preventing Premature Death

June 28, 2019

In the modern world, there have been steady increases in life expectancy. It has more than doubled in the last two centuries — that is, until now. As widely reported, for the third year in [...]

‘Deaths of Despair’ — America’s Unfolding Tragedy

June 21, 2019

As noted in a recent Chicago Tribune editorial, the term "deaths of despair" is not something that emerged from refugee camps or war-torn cities or famine-wracked villages in poverty-stricken [...]

What Is Driving the Rise in Mental Health Issues?

June 14, 2019

To build a more in-depth understanding of the effects of the constant parade of fragmented, ever-shifting images that make up today's digital experience, research science needs to go beyond [...]

Selfie-Inflicted Deaths a Sign of Bigger Problems

June 7, 2019

By November 2013, the term "selfie" had been used so frequently that the Oxford English Dictionary chose it as its word of the year. Two years later, 24 billion selfies were posted on Google. [...]

The Weighty Issues Surrounding Ultraprocessed Foods

May 31, 2019

As discussed last week, studies of our immune system continue to demonstrate its central role in heath. We have also learned that, as a rule, if we feed this system well, it will protect us well. [...]

New Treatments in the Fight Against Melanoma

May 24, 2019

As I noted last week, more Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other forms of cancer combined. Even though incidence rates continue to climb, skin cancer remains one of [...]

Beating Back Skin Cancer

May 17, 2019

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined. In recognition of the scope of this problem, the month of May has [...]

Age Discrimination — Commonplace in America

May 10, 2019

We see the image of a stooped-over old man, selfish, confused, disdainful about the world and snapping at everyone around him. Or the 50-something employee, technologically inept, struggling to [...]

The Assault on the Pursuit of Happiness

May 3, 2019

International researchers, policymakers and public health practitioners, I am guessing, were happy for the opportunity to gather at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Health last month for a forum. They [...]

The Links Among Parents, Kids and Runaway Stress

April 26, 2019

We live in a sometimes-crazy world that moves at lightning speed. We all know what stress feels like. I felt more than a tinge of it in reaching my deadline for this article. Stress is hard-wired [...]

Pollen Becoming Impossible to Avoid

April 19, 2019

Spring has sprung. The weather is warming. The flowers are blooming. And noses are running, and eyes are watering. For the estimated 20% of Americans allergic to pollen, even under the best of [...]

Health and Human Flourishing

April 12, 2019

In our nation's drug overdose crisis, a crisis that shows no sign of slowing, the U.S. Surgeon General's office estimates more than 20 million people in our country have a substance use disorder. [...]

High Potency of Legal Marijuana Creating Health Concerns

April 5, 2019

In a bit of encouraging news, recent combined data from the Tobacco Products and Risk Perceptions Survey and the Health Information National Trends Survey revealed that an increasing number of [...]

Vaping Danger — Teen Nicotine Addiction Ahead

March 29, 2019

When an epidemic is forecast, standard operating procedure is to immediately closely monitor the situation. Communication systems, platforms and procedures are tested to assure operability. [...]

Our Disrupted Human Immune System

March 22, 2019

Hardly a day goes by when we do not read about how some juice concoction or pill or yoga pose will "boost" our immune system. Putting all such claims aside, Matt Richtel, Pulitzer Prize-winning [...]

Add ‘Nature as Medicine’ to Your Health Prescription

March 15, 2019

Correcting poor eating habits is among the great health challenges of our time. It is a root cause of death, disability and soaring health care costs and is even linked to diminished military [...]

Think of Food As Medicine

March 8, 2019

You may see me as "one of those health nuts." Rather than getting into that (though I might agree), let's focus on another variety of nuts — tree nuts. According to a study by nutrition [...]

Factors and a Solution to the Question, ‘Too Old to Drive?’

March 1, 2019

On the heels of last week's discussion of "a pill for everything," we can add the development of a pill to reverse aging. The idea of a "fountain of youth" pill may have been scoffed at by [...]

The Pill Solution to What Ails Us

February 22, 2019

Are pills the solution to all that ails us? It is a question that seems to come up often in our modern society and one that is sure to crop up anew following a banner year for newly approved [...]

We Know Pain, but What Is It Really?

February 15, 2019

According to National Retail Federation estimates, fewer people celebrated Valentine's Day this year than last, yet they spent more — in excess of $20 billion in this country. As for young [...]

The Thorny Problem of Finding Who’s to Blame for Drug Overdoses

February 8, 2019

As prescription and illicit opioid overdose deaths continue to rise in the United States, lawsuits against makers and distributors of the painkillers are also growing rapidly. According to an [...]

‘You Are What You Eat’ Has Never Been More True

February 1, 2019

As covered last week, preventable causes of death in this country have grown more common, to an all-time high. As a result, life expectancy in this country is on the decline. You have to ask [...]

Time to Reverse the Odds of Preventable Death

January 25, 2019

For the first time since records have been kept on such things, the odds of someone accidentally dying from an opioid overdose in the United States are greater than those of dying in an [...]

Cancer Death Rates Dramatically Decline

January 18, 2019

Reminders of progress made in advancing public health are always important to acknowledge, if only as a reminder of how much more we can accomplish. A new report from the American Cancer Society [...]

E-Cigarettes Fueling a Dangerous Turn in Tobacco Use

January 11, 2019

If you are currently serving in the military or you are a veteran, you are more likely to be a cigarette smoker than a civilian is. The likelihood is even greater if you are (or have been) [...]

The Price of Teenage Cool: Nicotine Addiction

January 4, 2019

Not surprisingly, most top resolutions for the coming year remain relatively unchanged from previous years'. They revolve around health, such as exercising more, eating healthier and, for many [...]

E-Cigarettes and Nicotine for a New Generation

December 28, 2018

We have reached that point in the year when we are taking stock of the things we have to be grateful for as well as the things we resolve to change. On the thankful side, according to an annual [...]

Weighing a Doctor’s Advice on Nutritional Supplements

December 21, 2018

Last month, I reported on vitamin and mineral supplements that roughly half of all Americans routinely take and are said to make up 5 percent of all grocery sales in the United States. When faced [...]

Sounding the Snooze Alarm on the Sleep-Deprived

December 14, 2018

I left off last week's conversation with the mention of some of the results of the largest experimentally controlled study on sleep deprivation to date. Developed by Michigan State University, [...]

A Wake-Up Call for the Sleep-Deprived

December 7, 2018

What is a person to do when two essential habits of busy health-minded Americans come into conflict every weekday morning? Time does not allow for both. One has to give. Does one get a healthy [...]

Thanksgiving Has Passed; Will Gratitude Live On?

November 30, 2018

My hope is that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, a day so steeped in tradition. A day centered on the communal meal, the joining of family and friends old and new. A day set aside for [...]

Vitamins — Nothing Like the Real Thing

November 23, 2018

What's on the menu for discussion today? The more than 90,000 dietary supplement products for sale. They make up a market valued at an estimated $35 billion annually in this country. We are [...]

Dietary Supplements and the Search for the Magic Pill

November 16, 2018

In the 1985 Academy Award-winning film "Cocoon," three residents in a retirement home discover that swimming in a pool containing the pods of an alien life form allows them to absorb alien [...]

Where Is the Plan to Ease the Pain?

November 9, 2018

Pain can take many forms. There is throbbing pain, stabbing pain, phantom pain, acute pain and chronic pain. Regardless of what we call it, we all know what it feels like. Pain can be both [...]

The Case of the Stress-Filled Shrinking Brain

November 2, 2018

I told myself I needed to move on. I'd covered the issue of stress numerous times in the past, most recently in April. Then I read the following news: According to a recently released study [...]

The Case of the Stress-Filled Shrinking Brain

November 2, 2018

I told myself I needed to move on. I'd covered the issue of stress numerous times in the past, most recently in April. Then I read the following news: According to a recently released study [...]

The Health Toll of Being Lonely

October 26, 2018

A recent study published in the Health Psychology journal, based on interview responses over a period of years from more than 19,000 married people up to age 90, suggests that married people who [...]

‘Pitifully Small’ Progress Made in Addressing Mental Health

October 19, 2018

An important new report (three years in the making) has finally been released by The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health, showing the progress made in recognizing mental health and mental [...]

Live Long and Eat Like a Mediterranean

October 12, 2018

In 2015, I reported on the sleeping habits of three tribal groups whose lifestyles roughly match up with living conditions found during the Paleolithic period. Like the ancient tribes of 40,000 [...]

Healthy Options Are Not Slowing Fast-Food Problems

October 5, 2018

There's little doubt that the healthy lifestyle movement in this country over the last decade or so has brought about many positive changes to America's eating habits. Today, people are much more [...]

Harvard Study Shows Health Benefits of Being Part of a Religious Group

September 28, 2018

A recent report from Blue Cross Blue Shield Health of America confirms that major depression is on the rise among Americans. It found a 33 percent jump in diagnoses of major depression from 2013 [...]

The Push and Pull of What’s

September 21, 2018

Turmeric, as most folks may know, is a yellow root of ancient origin. Derived from a plant similar to ginger, it has found use through the ages for medicinal purposes and has long been thought to [...]

The Challenge of Making Technology Work for Us

September 14, 2018

Last week, I reflected on an idea shared by many health experts: we have become a no-vacation nation. Despite compelling health reasons for taking time off, as Americans we have convinced [...]

America Becoming a No-Vacation Nation

September 7, 2018

Another glorious three-day Labor Day weekend has passed, and I hope you enjoyed some time off. Did you feel a bit cranky on your first day back to work? You know what I mean — irritable, [...]

More on New Therapies Fighting Chronic Disorders

August 31, 2018

Last week, I raised a concern that new emerging approaches to the social and psychological aspects of medical care and treatment do not receive the funding or attention they deserve. I discussed [...]

New Therapies Show Promise in Fighting Chronic Disorders

August 24, 2018

Not long ago, the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California hosted 54 special visitors. On arrival, these guests were escorted to a gallery closed off to other museum visitors. In this private [...]

Getting Outdoors During a Long Hot Summmer

August 17, 2018

As we count down the days of summer in what is now officially the fourth hottest year on record, it is important to remind ourselves that sweltering conditions are not just oppressive and [...]

A Healthy Approach to Enjoying the Summer

August 10, 2018

I do not want to rain on anybody's parade, but according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2018 is on pace to be the fourth hottest year on record. The bad news I [...]

Owning A Dog Can Make Your Life Better Right Now

August 3, 2018

I speak dog. My wife and kids are also fluent in dog. Chances are you are as well. As Jeffrey Kluger, senior editor of science and technology for TIME magazine recently reported, we have all [...]

Alcohol: That Other Substance Abuse Problem

July 27, 2018

A couple of weeks ago I reported that a large number of drug overdoses today are being attributed to new drugs, especially fentanyl-related substances. Many experts believe that the problem of [...]

New Super Heroes Need to Step Up to Defeat Superbugs

July 20, 2018

I love a good super hero movie, even if I am not in it. I am hardly alone. "Avengers: Infinity War" is said to have earned more than $1.1 billion in just two weekends. With the fate of the planet [...]

Opioid Overdose Deaths and Sky-High Deductibles

July 13, 2018

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, in 2015, more than 20,000 overdose deaths in this country were directly [...]

Danger Sign At The Speed Of Life

July 6, 2018

Last week I reported the news that deaths by suicide in this country are up 25 percent since 1999. According to federal data, deaths attributed to opioid overdose and alcohol abuse are now at the [...]

Suicide and The Loss of Life’s Meaning

June 29, 2018

The statistics are staggering and the recent high profile cases make them impossible to ignore. Deaths by suicide in this country are up 25 percent since 1999. According to the Center for Disease [...]

Robot Bees Are Coming — Be Afraid

June 22, 2018

Last week I discussed a movement now afoot — one that my wife Gena and I support — calling for the ban of certain agricultural insecticides known as neonicotinoids that scientific [...]

Pesticides and the Death of Honeybees

June 15, 2018

You might say my wife, Gena, has a bee in her bonnet. For a while now, we have been raising honeybees on our Texas ranch. We are among the estimated 115,000 to 125,000 beekeepers in the United [...]

When Saving Lives Brings on Medical Bankruptcy

June 8, 2018

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating, chronic condition that affects more than two million people worldwide. Its exact cause is unknown and its symptoms include paralysis, tremors, pain and [...]

A Price We Pay for the Things Medical Insurance Does Not Cover

June 1, 2018

The price of healthcare in the U.S. is the highest in the world. Yet, we as a nation are not getting our money's worth when it comes to affordable health care — far from it. Many folks [...]

What Elevates a Major Health Concern to an Emergency?

May 25, 2018

When categorizing public health problems, the word "epidemic" is often applied to emphasize those of great impact. It is no longer merely associated with the rapid and widespread advance of [...]

Major Depression and Anxiety Levels are on the Rise in America

May 18, 2018

Feeling a bit depressed or in a state of high anxiety? Do you have the feeling that you are not alone when it comes to being racked by such feelings? You may be on to something. According to a [...]

Walking All Over The Rights Of The Ambulatory Disabled

May 11, 2018

In a byline story published in 2017 in the publication Higher Ed, Valerie Piro recounts her experiences as an incoming college freshman exploring options among her top picks of colleges to which [...]

Seeking Answers To Medical Problems While Setting Pills Aside

May 4, 2018

As pointed out in a recent report by CNN's Erin Gabriel, color permeates all aspects of our lives. It shapes how we perceive the world and is an essential part of our cultural identity. Yet how [...]

Has the Opioid Epidemic Begun to Turn a Corner?

April 27, 2018

Wouldn't you know? No sooner do I come out questioning the effects of the recent commitment by policymakers and the medical establishment to upping the ante in addressing the nation's opioid [...]

The Importance of Lifestyle Changes and Immunotherapy

April 20, 2018

After being declared an official public health emergency in 2017, it is fair to ask, where are we today in regards to the opioid crisis that grips this country? I would venture to say not very [...]

From Lonliness to Stress and Depression

April 13, 2018

Loneliness is a very powerful trigger. It can trigger stress and it can trigger depression, or a depressive episode. All of these reactions, when drawn out, come with negative health [...]

The Fight Against Loneliness

April 6, 2018

Along with the isolation of our seniors, many experts believe that an across-the-board loneliness epidemic is developing in the United States. It is worth looking at what such an epidemic could [...]

Aging In Place In America

March 30, 2018

There is a movement afoot in this country. Some call it revolutionary. More than 110 new age "Villages" have cropped up in the United States. There are another 120 in development according to the [...]

New Research Shows Exercise Can Restore an Aging Heart

March 23, 2018

According to the Arkansas Heart Hospital, within the average human, about 2,000 gallons of blood travel daily through about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Because of its vastness and essential [...]

We Are What We Eat

March 16, 2018

This week, on a tributary of the Amazon River deep in the jungle of Bolivia, we end our trek around the globe examining those places where people live longer and healthier. Here lives a group of [...]

Learning From Those Who Live Long and Well

March 9, 2018

Last week I talked about the villagers of Tianna. Located in central Sardinia, their remarkably low mortality rates and high life expectancies have resulted in a percentage of centenarians three [...]

Thoughts On Living Long and Well

March 2, 2018

According to the Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School, this particular molecule is one of the most important molecules for life to exist. Take it away and you are dead in 30 [...]

Depressing Takeaway from the Winter Olympics

February 23, 2018

C FORCE BY CHUCK NORRIS RELEASE: FRIDAY, FEBURARY 23, 2018Updated: Fri Feb 23, 2018

Last Word On Flu Yet To Be Sounded

February 16, 2018

The Olympic Winter Games of Pyeongchang will be the first Olympic Winter Games with over 100 gold medals up for grabs, which means lots of opportunities to recognize excellence and for awarding [...]

The Super Bowl Game Within The Game

February 9, 2018

As the 2018 Super Bowl final stats are tallied and the equipment packed away, viewers are sure to be left with a lasting memory of one of the event's most competitive and dramatic start-to-finish [...]

The Sad State Of Water, The Driver Of Nature

February 2, 2018

What can be said about water? There is so much. It is found everywhere on Earth and, wherever water flows, you will find life. Scientists call it the universal solvent. Almost every substance can [...]

The Problem With Approaching Medical Treatment Purely On Past Practices

January 26, 2018

As the 2017-2018 flu season drones on, it continues to be classified as a "moderately severe" event. To date, an estimated six percent of all Americans have sought medical care for flu symptoms. [...]

From Firestorms to the Flu, We Live in a World of Extremes

January 19, 2018

One thing I expect we all can say about the past year is that, from hurricanes to droughts to wildfires, 2017 is a year defined by disaster. In 2017, according to the National Centers for [...]

Lettuce Stop The Rise In Memory Loss

January 12, 2018

It is always encouraging to find that a lifestyle choice you are making is a correct one when it comes to protecting health. My family and I enjoy eating salads, and most recently have become [...]

A Crowd Of Loneliness

January 5, 2018

I recently touched on our fundamental human requirement for interconnectedness as something we far too often fail to see as a basic need. What David Allan, CNN editorial director of Health and [...]

A Sobering Assessment As We Enter the New Year

December 29, 2017

As the toasts ring out for the New Year, let me add my best wishes to you for a long and happy life. When you consider this simple toast in view of life expectancy today, it is a declaration that [...]

The Season To Stress

December 22, 2017

It should be the season to be jolly, yet sadly, too many folks are describing this time of year as more stressful than magical. Welcome to what is commonly known as the "holiday blues." A [...]

Health Advice Seems Ever-Changing

December 15, 2017

Why is it that nutrition is always so confusing and conflicting? Could it be that in today's world of nutrition, everybody is selling something? The nutrition industry is just that: an industry. [...]

Does Industry Suppress News You Need To Know?

December 8, 2017

Now playing on a device or flat screen near you is a series of ads — 11 years in the making — alerting viewers that tobacco companies designed cigarettes to make them more addictive. [...]

The Hurdles To Healthy Living

December 1, 2017

If you were to walk through the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York, you might happen upon something that seems completely out of place. Before you would be a thriving three-quarter-acre urban [...]

Senior Citizens at Great Risk of Having Drugs Over-Prescribed

November 24, 2017

As noted last week, the practice of prescribing opioids to treat pain is symbolic of what has been called one of the largest shifts in the culture of medicine to occur over the past three [...]

Opioid Epidemic Points To Bigger Problem Of Poor Regulation

November 17, 2017

I recently reported on the president's declaration of the America's opioid crisis as an official public health emergency. At the time, I noted that the president was awaiting final [...]

Why We Are Suing Pharmaceutical Companies

November 10, 2017

Modern medicine clearly cannot cure everyone. The medical community fails a great many patients. It certainly failed my wife Gena and, as I have written, that failure very nearly killed her. Five [...]

Curbing The Opioid Epidemic

November 3, 2017

As mentioned last week, the obesity epidemic affects us all, from the individual to society. According to research by the World Obesity Federation, in 2014 the U.S. paid $325 billion per year to [...]

High Price We’ll All Pay For Obesity

October 27, 2017

Perhaps the biggest disappointment about the latest news on obesity rates in this country, is that they are continuing to rise at all, even slightly. It was fully expected by health officials [...]

Obesity Reaches Highest Level Ever

October 20, 2017

I have often written about obesity. As I report on unfolding news of the struggle to solve this ongoing health crisis, I try to balance this coverage out with other health issues, news and [...]

Health Issues of Rural America

October 13, 2017

In the initial weeks following Hurricane Irma, people in the most rural parts of Florida worried they would be overlooked and forgotten. Many in the least populated counties swept up in the [...]

Turning To The Power Of The Mind In Treating Pain

October 6, 2017

Last week I touched on the need for modern science to look beyond standard research and standard therapy in finding approaches that will not only successfully treat Post Traumatic Stress [...]

The Storm Has Passed

September 29, 2017

Last week I talked about how once an extreme weather event passes, people in the affected areas are not out of harm's way. Emerging health hazards often follow these events. According to Dr. Asim [...]

Health And Safety Remain A Concern Long After Hurricanes Pass

September 22, 2017

Following flooding in cities from Jacksonville, Florida to Charleston, South Carolina, the devastating aftereffects of Hurricane Irma continue to mount. Millions throughout the southwest remain [...]

Finding A True Sense Of Community In The Wake Of Hurricanes

September 15, 2017

Along with my wife, Gena, our hearts and prayers go out to Floridians and all those suffering from the devastating impact and aftermath of Hurricane Irma. At last report, more than a quarter of [...]

Facts On Inflammation And Final Thoughts On Hurricane Harvey

September 8, 2017

What do broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapes, cherries, avocados and olives, as well as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and anchovies, all have in common? They are [...]

Health Tips You Need To Sleep On

September 1, 2017

Science has long acknowledged that we are not all the same in the way we respond to a wide variety of things from diet to exercise to medicine. In the same vein, health risks do not affect [...]

Unleashing The Body’s Ability To Heal Itself

July 21, 2017

In recent weeks, my focus has been on modern medical practices in America. What I haven't mentioned is it's a field dominated by chronic and complex diseases such as heart disease, [...]

Making A Case For Alternative Medicine

July 14, 2017

Dr. Keith D. Lindor is Executive Vice Provost and Dean of the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. He is an international authority on liver disease, current president of the [...]

Time To Get Serious About Drug Side Effects

July 7, 2017

I wrote last week about the harrowing, near death experience my wife Gena endured, triggered by a contrast dye called gadolinium, commonly used during Magnetic Resonance Imaging procedures. An [...]

How Magnetic Resonance Imaging Treatments Nearly Killed My Wife

June 30, 2017

It may be little known that most people will receive an incorrect or late medical diagnosis at least once in their lives. According to a 2015 report by the National Academy of Medicine, about 12 [...]

‘Lead Free’ Needs To Be Applied To Food

June 23, 2017

What do we think should be the allowable levels of lead in baby food? How about none? It shouldn't even be a point of discussion. Zero should be the goal. Unfortunately, according to a new [...]

Study Finds World Is Overweight Or Obese And We’re Leading The Way

June 16, 2017

I have written on the health issues caused by obesity many times in this space. It's hard to talk about issues related to health and not reference this growing global problem. So when headline [...]

Are We Doing Right By Our Military Veterans?

June 9, 2017

Beyond designated holidays and formal observances, it's important that we continue to ask whether we, as a nation, are doing right by our military veterans. The Veterans Administration is [...]

Virtual Reality May Be Real Deal in Preventative Health Care

June 2, 2017

Sandra Goldsmith, 74, a member of the congregation at South Los Angeles' Holman Unified Methodist Church, clips a glasses-like device onto a smartphone and peers in. Instantly she sees herself [...]

A Yawn, A Sneeze And A Crack Of The Knuckles

May 26, 2017

We all share certain reflex behaviors in common that to this day remain little understood by science. Take yawning, for example. A yawn, we know, is a sign of boredom. But a yawn can also be [...]

Access To Healthy Food Spoiled For Too Many

May 19, 2017

Famous Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme once said, "You don't need a silver fork to eat good food." The problem is, when we start equating "good" food with "healthy" food, fulfilling this [...]

Coffee is Good, Soda is Bad

May 12, 2017

According to a recent report from the National Coffee Association, sugary drinks aren't the only beverages of choice currently on the rebound. After four years of decline, consumption of coffee [...]

The Resurgence of Sugary Drinks

May 5, 2017

As revealed by new data released a few months ago by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the promising trend over the last two decade of Americans abandoning sugary drinks seems to be [...]

Keeping On The Sunny Side

April 28, 2017

The concept of light and darkness as opposing forces of nature has been infused in human text since our earliest beginnings. The Bible's divine proclamation of "Let there be light" is one [...]

Spring As A Prescription To What Ails Us

April 21, 2017

For some folks the sounds of spring is not that of a songbird, a babbling brook or the wind in the trees. For many, it is more closely aligned with a sneeze, a cough and a [...]

Does The Mind Rule The Body Or Vice Versa?

April 14, 2017

Bill Kochevar, 56, fed himself a pretzel and then took a drink of water. You may have heard about it. It made the news. As a result of an accident that occurred more than eight years [...]

Smell the Roses, Blow Out The Candle

April 7, 2017

C FORCE BY CHUCK NORRIS RELEASE: FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017Updated: Fri Apr 07, 2017

Inside Information and its Threat To Good Health

March 31, 2017

On average, we spend only about five percent of our time outside. And that time could include things like taking out the trash. Not necessarily what we would call quality time. The other 95 [...]

Why We Can’t Slack Off On Dealing With Obesity

March 24, 2017

As I mentioned last week, according to a recent study, although the percentage of American adults who are overweight or obese keeps climbing upward, the percentage of Americans who are attempting [...]

Health Takes Two Steps Forward And Two Steps Back

March 17, 2017

Diet and exercise — two things we think of as a foundation for healthy living. Just consider the findings of a recently published report in the International Journal of [...]

Time For A Technology Reboot 2.0

March 10, 2017

I thought I was finished a couple of weeks ago making my point about our need to start relying less on technology and to start making more of an effort to escape its grasp. Then this news came [...]

The Trouble With Food Labels

March 3, 2017

Contrary to popular belief, foods don't "expire." And most foods you buy are in fact perfectly safe to eat well past the "sell by" date you see on the label. They obviously may not taste as good [...]

Little Things Mean a Lot

February 17, 2017

Little things mean a lot. That there are lots of little things out there that we can do, adjustments we can make, that could prompt both immediate and long term benefits to our [...]

Resetting The Sleep Clock

February 10, 2017

"To sleep, perchance to dream" is an age-old saying. Have you ever wondered what the ultimate purpose of sleep is? Rest assured, science has pondered and probed the question for a long time [...]

The Chemical Imbalance of U.S. Regulation

February 3, 2017

You know something's up when the two largest discount retailers in the United States — Wal-Mart Stores Incorporated and the Target Corporation — take it upon themselves to direct [...]

Friendship as a Prescription for Good Health

January 27, 2017

Last week I touched on the power of the mind in healing and the science behind unlocking the mechanism of the mind-body connection. A good example of this is the lack of scientific [...]

No New Drugs for Depression on the Horizon

January 20, 2017

For some folks, I'm sure this will be anxiety-inducing news. According to a recently published analysis by the University of Oxford, it could be at least 10 years or more before any new [...]

I’ll Have Mine with Cheese

January 13, 2017

C FORCE BY CHUCK NORRIS RELEASE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017Updated: Fri Jan 13, 2017

A Crowd of Loneliness

January 6, 2017

Last week, I touched on our fundamental human requirement for interconnectedness as something we far too often fail to see as a basic need. What David Allan, CNN editorial director of Health and [...]

The Holidays

December 30, 2016

As we near the close of a celebratory though hectic and emotional time of year, it's important to remember all the many people who don't get time off work to enjoy the season with their loved [...]

Maintaining Optimism in a Time of Uncertainty

December 23, 2016

For generations, working-class families have steadied themselves in the struggle to get ahead by the notion that, in this country, a better life was possible if we just worked hard. For the most [...]

Doctors, Depression and the American Dream

December 16, 2016

A report has revealed that, among the clinically depressed, doctors have far higher rates of depression than the average person. According to a recent study from Brigham and Women's Hospital as [...]

What will it take for us to Do Right by Our Veterans?

November 25, 2016

Since its inception at the end of World War I, Veterans Day has served as our opportunity to honor those who have served, as well as those who continue to serve, in our country's armed [...]

The Expanding Waistline and Thinning Ranks of Today’s Military

November 18, 2016

On the eve of Veterans Day, a massive veterans spending bill died in congress and it hardly made a sound. It was aimed at expanding health care and education among a number of other benefits, and [...]

Veterans Day Breakthrough Needed

November 11, 2016

I am proud to say I am a former member of the United States Air Force. And, like many young men in America of my generation, this military experience played an important role in instilling in [...]

Junk Food as a Human Rights Issue

November 4, 2016

While, as reported last week, the war on dietary fat is now officially over, the fight against junk food is about to escalate. According to a report released this week by the Associated Press, [...]

Say Goodbye to the High-Carbohydrate/Low-Fat Diet

October 28, 2016

We like certainty. We seek it; we're comforted by it; it helps us clearly understand what's before us in our constant and primal quest for safety. Uncertainty, on the other hand, is [...]

Diet and Nutrition Biggest Risk Factors for People’s Health

October 21, 2016

As noted last week, a report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington revealed that while the world population has gained more than a decade of life [...]

Aging, Health and the Power of Plants

October 14, 2016

Are you ready for a little good news for a change? According to a recent study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington titled "The Global [...]

Your Money or Your Life

October 7, 2016

Legendary comedian Jack Benny was known for his ability to milk a pause for a laugh like no other. He also developed a persona of being extremely tight fisted with his money, which was a source [...]

A Distress Call for Needed Sea Change in Attitude

September 30, 2016

An estimated 20 million students have now entered their college freshman year in this country. The grueling four years ahead should not be expected to be easy, nor should they be. Such is the [...]

The Military’s Battle to Change its Mind and What’s at Stake

September 23, 2016

As if we needed any more evidence of the connectivity of mind and body in determining our overall health, neuroscientists at the University of Pittsburgh have just provided it. Their study, [...]

A Story of Man’s Best Friend for Maybe 30,000 Years Now

September 16, 2016

As we say goodbye to those "Dog Days' of Summer," let's also be reminded that this period of time between July and early September really has nothing to do with hot, sultry weather and its [...]

A Story of Endocrine Disruption and Why We Need to Know it

September 9, 2016

Just a little over 52 years ago, best-selling author and ecologist Rachel Carson was famously called to testify before Congress. A year had barely passed following the publication of her [...]

A Child’s Sweet Obsession Can Lead to Sour Results

September 2, 2016

As I mentioned last week, according to a 2006 study, the typical kid in the United States will see, on average, 4,000 food-related advertisements per year. A whopping 98 percent of those ads [...]

A Final Word for the Folks the Brought You the Olympics

August 26, 2016

I told myself that I was done with subject. Enough with writing about the Rio Olympics and the parade of commercial messages that steer us to food and beverage choices that are wrong for us, [...]

An Olympic Hurdle in Reaching Health and Fitness

August 19, 2016

Many things influence a person's eating habits. Knowledge of what is considered healthy and what is not would be one, but I doubt it would make it to the top of the list. Certainly, at this [...]

Do The Olympics Inspire Health and Fitness?

August 12, 2016

With a whopping 6,755 hours of Summer Olympics programming via multiple networks and 4,500 hours of live-streamed digital coverage to feast upon, it got me to wondering what might be the health [...]

Senior Citizenship a Blooming Business

August 5, 2016

I'm sure it's no shock to you to learn that people nowadays are working well into what used to be retirement age. In a continuing reversal of a 1980s trend of taking an early exit from the [...]

The Power of Having Kids in the Kitchen

July 29, 2016

It seems like with every scan of the TV viewing menu nowadays you are bound to come across a show with kids cooking in competition with other kids, maybe with even a "Master Chef" title on the [...]

Ruminating on Child-Rearing in a Dangerous and Violent World

July 21, 2016

Last week I touched on the shocking number of deaths that occur in this country due to prescription drug abuse and a concern about how readily available prescription drugs are to teens and [...]

A Surprising List of the Most Dangerous Drugs

July 15, 2016

This past Sunday's front page story in the Los Angeles Times sounded an increasingly familiar and alarming cry: More than 1 million tablets of OxyContin — by far the nation's both [...]

Pesticide Goes Against the Grain

July 8, 2016

Yes, we consume a shocking amount of junk food in this country. In fairness, here's some good news about eating habits: Americans are also adding more whole grains, nuts and seeds to their diets [...]

Toxins Entrenched in Our Food Supply

July 1, 2016

Last July, I wrote a story about the widely publicized Food and Drug Administration findings that trans fats are no longer generally recognized as a safe food additive. I went on to talk about [...]

Simple Advice on Living Healthier

June 23, 2016

As pointed out in the past, despite everything we know and has been said about the health benefits of exercise, a recent study shows us that 43 percent of employed adults do not exercise nearly [...]

New Ways of Looking at the Unseen Wounds of War

June 16, 2016

It seems when it comes to the lingering and troubling health issues faced by many of today's combat veterans, it often takes extreme measures to remind us of our need to do more. Like summiting [...]

Aging and the Power of Positive Thinking

June 10, 2016

According to the Census Bureau, the number of Americans 65 and older is expected to nearly double by the middle of the century. By 2050, 83.7 million Americans will be 65 or older, constituting [...]

Labeling Problems With the Food We Eat

June 3, 2016

Major changes to nutrition labels on food packages became final last week and you can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from public health advocates across the country. You no doubt [...]

Let’s No Longer Leave our Veterans Waiting for Care

May 27, 2016

For our veterans to have to wait long periods of time to receive care is not only unacceptable to us, but to elected officials as well. When faced with evidence that some vets were left waiting [...]

Victory Gardens are Blossoming Again

May 20, 2016

Armed Forces Day on May 21, and the Memorial Day weekend that follows, is a time to honor, remember and recognize those who serve and have served our country, as well as those who have died in [...]

May is a Month to Salute Our Military

May 6, 2016

May is "National Military Appreciation Month." Congress first designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999, thanks to the efforts of Senator John McCain and others in [...]

Teens Need to Wake Up to the Need for More Shut Eye

April 29, 2016

I doubt if it's ever been easy to navigate one's teen years. As an extremely shy kid, it certainly wasn't easy for me. Yet when you throw in the magnifying influence of technology, it's easy to [...]

Putting More Numbers to the High Costs of Unhealthy Eating

April 22, 2016

Following last week's news that the growing occurrence of diabetes has now become what the World Health Organization is calling a defining issue of concern for global public health, comes a [...]

Fighting Increasing Rates of Diabetes and Obesity

April 15, 2016

As noted last week, global obesity has more than tripled among men and doubled among women in the past four decades. In the face of such a global health threat, equally shocking is the number of [...]

The Staggering Cost of the World’s Widening Waistline

April 8, 2016

It's time we stopped beating the drum about the perils of obesity.

According to a new international study, we need to put the drum aside and start sounding a stage three alarm bell [...]

A Force of Nature CHUCK NORRIS HEALTH AND EVENTS BLOG

A Force of Nature
CHUCK NORRIS HEALTH AND EVENTS BLOG