What is Needed for Supplements and Vitamins

With constant messages and studies that contradict each other, it is no wonder patients are confused about vitamins and what is needed to stay healthy.  While most supplements cause no harm, except to the wallet, people do sometimes forgo needed good health habits with the erroneous assumption that they are doing the right thing by popping lots of vitamin pills.  Based on current research, here

Breast Milk Ice Cream - FAIL

Say it isn't true! A restaurant in London is planning on serving breast milk ice cream called "Baby Gaga".  The expensive treat will cost £14 pounds ($23 US dollars) a serving. Where does this breast milk come from?  Mothers answered an ad that was placed online and are selling their milk to the restaurant for £15 pounds for every 10 ounces of milk.

One of the donating mothers said she believes

Ex-Convict Sisters Can't Share Kidney Because of Obesity

I posted before about the bizarre case of two sisters who had spent 16 years in prison for stealing $11 from two men.  They were sentenced to two life terms in prison for the robbery until Tennessee Gov. Hailey Barbour granted Jamie Scott an early release because of kidney failure that cost the State $200,000 a year for dialysis.  He also released her sister, Gladys on the condition that she

Animal Testing

Medicare Scammers Busted

I am always happy when I read about fraudulent doctors, nurses and businessmen getting busted.  Medicare is, unfortunately, a program that lends itself to crooks.  The more of these crooks that get prosecuted and sent to jail, the happier I am.  Each of these busts should be made public.  This time Federal authorities have charged over 100 doctors, nurses and physical therapists with massive

White Coat Hypertension

"But doc, my blood pressure is always normal at home."  I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard that line and I know it is true.  When some patients come to see me, their blood pressure is abnormally high (above 130/90) and this is known as "white coat hypertension."  Although it has been thought to be from anxiety about seeing the doctor, even long established patients who have no

Ganglion Cyst

At least once every quarter, for all of the years I have been in practice, I see a patient with a swelling on their wrist, ankle or foot.  This common problem is a ganglion cyst.  These cysts are located on tendons and occasionally are tender but more often just seem to develop painlessly for no reason.  The tendon sheath may rupture suddenly or slowly and allow the fluid to bulge out.  The