Needing to wear glasses has long been viewed as a mark of geekiness without any other real significance. “Just bad luck”, the medical experts said. “Your eyeball is just shaped wrong and there is nothing you can do about it”. Dissenting voices, especially from the fuzzier end of the alternative medical spectrum, promoted eye exercises […]
The Heart of the Matter
Pooh-poohing Mind-Body Interaction 😉 I surprise patients some times when I tell them that I do not believe in what is often called “mind-body interaction”. My explanation, though, convinces them not to run away and look for a different doctor. The idea that thoughts affect the body and physical disease alters emotions is right, […]
Putting One Foot in Front of the Other Equals Success
The recent, very brief hot spell here was good for the souls of Northern California residents who were feeling guilty about how beautiful and temperate our summer has been compared to everyone else’s. I especially loved it as the mild weather helped me train for and achieve a goal I set for myself a couple […]
Social Support to Change
Most of us are social creatures. Other people are very important to our enjoyment of our daily lives. This has important impacts on our health. Most of the time we think about this because of the difficulties social influences can present. A person who is working to overcome drug or alcohol addiction usually faces pressure […]
Use Medication Only When You REALLY Need To
It is always smart to avoid overusing medication. Two recent studies are convincing reminders of this wisdom. In one study, 2 million Britons using statin drugs were found to have unexpectedly increased risks of cataracts and kidney failure. While other problems like liver and muscle damage, are well-known, these links were a surprise. Also surprising […]