How to Live to 100

Research from Denmark shows that life expectancy is increasing steadily and there is a good possibility that by controlling life factors, most everyone can live to be 100. Of course, living in a high income, first world country is the first factor. The Danish experts report that since the 20th century, people in developed countries are living about three decades longer than in the past.Check

Answer to Medical Challenge.

The answer to yesterdays Medical Challenge is...drumroll....#4 - Intraabdominal Cancer.The nodule is called a "Sister Mary Joseph's" nodule and is a lymphatic metastasis to the umbilical region. This 12 year old girl had decreased appetite, vomiting and weight loss. A CT scan showed a large pelvic mass originating from the ovary, hepatic metastasis, ascites and a mass through the

What is the Diagnosis?

How good of a diagnostician are you? This challenge from the New England Journal of Medicine is tough. (I missed it the first time).Q: This 12 year old presented with decreased appetite and vomiting. What is the most likely diagnosis?1. Endometrioma2. Hernia3. Keloid4. Intraabdominal cancer5. Urachal duct cyst.Click on the image for a better view and make your guess. The answer will be posted

King Tut Died From Malaria

In 1922 the intact tomb of King Tut was discovered in Egypt. Technology shows us that the boy died around 1324 BC and was probably around 19. Anthropologists from Egypt, Germany, Italy and other countries studied DNA and performed tests on 16 royal mummies and found that four, including King Tut, had contracted a severe form of malaria called Plasmodium falciparum. Tut also had a broken leg

Anthem Blue Cross Receives Shame Award

EverythingHealth feels justified in awarding this weeks Hall of Corporate Shame Award to California Anthem Blue Cross. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said Anthem Blue Cross "violated state law more than 700 times over a three-year period by failing to pay medical claims on time and repeatedly failed to respond to state regulators as they investigated complaints over the last

Mother's Diet May Prevent Infant Allergies

Why do some kids get allergies and some don't? A new study published in Allergy 2010 may give us some answers. The women who ate more green and yellow vegetables, citrus and high beta carotene while they were pregnant had fewer babies with eczema. They also found that foods high in vitamin E lessened the risk of having a wheezy baby.The researchers from Fukuoka University in Japan studied 763

Genius On The Edge is a Great Read

I am one who loves medical history and Genius On The Edge - the bizarre double life of Dr. William Stewart Halsted, was a captivating read. For those who don't know, Dr. Halsted is known as the "Father of Surgery" and practiced medicine after the civil war. Written by author physician, Dr. Gerald Imber, the medical facts are sound and the story is fascinating for any reader.We learn that in

Winter Blog Break

EverythingHealth will have a blog hiatus for the next week. For great reading, check out the links on the right side of this blog. The other health bloggers are excellent...but make sure you come back.

Stuttering Caused by a Genetic Mutation

Stuttering has always been a fascinating phenomenon to me. Stuttering is a speech disorder where the person repeats or prolongs a sound and doesn't have a normal flow of speech. I have known severe "stutterers" who have undergone speech therapy without much help. There have been famous singers (Mel Tillis is one) who stuttered severely when they spoke, but not when they sang.

Now for the

Modest Hospital Gowns

While the U.S. argues about health care reform and Blue Cross Anthem raises rates a shocking 39%, somehow our "socialist" brothers across the Atlantic are able to implement better hospital gowns.The British government of Bristol, England commissioned designers to develop a better hospital gown. The U.S. born designer Ben deLisi, who has designed for Kate Winslet and other stars came up with a

Colon Detoxification

The internet is full of colon cleansing methods that tout the benefits of colon detox. I saw one website that showed long "worms" that live for years in the colon that "need" to be removed with special expensive potions. One of the most common questions for GI doctors is about colon cleansing and if it is beneficial. I don't know any physicians who believe the colon needs "detoxification" or

Report a Doctor and Go to Jail

Two nurses in Texas reported a physician to the Texas Medical Board for unethical and unsafe behavior toward patients. They directed the Medical Board to six cases where Dr. Rolando Arafiles should be investigated for improper prescribing and surgical procedures. In one case he performed a failed skin graft without surgical privileges. He also sutured a rubber tip to a patient's crushed

Total Knee Replacement

This is why my knee is still stiff at 6 weeks post-op. ( Not for sensitive eyes.)

Can I Eat It Off The Floor?

Michael Jackson's Doctor Charged with Manslaughter

Dr. Conrad Murray, the Huston, Texas cardiologist celebrity doctor to Michael Jackson will be charged with involuntary manslaughter today in the Los Angeles courtroom when he voluntarily surrenders.He has been virtually underground since June 2009, after he gave the singer a powerful anesthetic (Propofol) and other sedatives that were blamed for his death.Propofol is a strong anesthetic that is

Beleagred Health Care Providers

I went to my physical therapist yesterday for knee treatment and we talked about the fact that Blue Cross is cutting their reimbursement to the point that the cost of providing care will not even be covered. All I could do was lament with him and listen. One insurer even told him (the owner of the business) to just "make the sessions shorter and don't give as much care." As if that is how it

Blog Followers

If every visitor to EverythingHealth signed up to be a "follower of the blog", I would have over 1,000 new followers a day. Come-on. Make my day!!!

Health Insurers Boom

One patient informed me today that her Anthem Blue Cross insurance premium went up by $89.00 this month. She is responsible for a large up front deductible and she is (thankfully) healthy and ends up paying out of pocket for her health care because she seldom meets the deductible.A 2nd patient sent me this from the Wall Street Journal:UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s fourth-quarter

Detecting Ovarian Cancer is Difficult

The thought of ovarian cancer strikes fear for many women. Although it is not the most common cancer for women (Breast, Lung, Colon and Skin Cancer are more common), it is one of the most deadly because we have no early screening tests for ovarian cancer and it is usually advanced when detected. Women have been told that paying attention to "symptoms" and informing their physicians may be the

Cool Science for the Day

Check out the water droplet. Who knew?