Obesity medications have captured everyone’s attention. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have each come out with injectable medications that have proven to be both safe and very effective. Doctors (including me) have been prescribing them frequently. However, patients are constantly frustrated by poor insurance coverage and high costs. On top of that, the drugs need to be injected, which is discouraging to some.

It always surprises me when I run across a patient who is lacking a sweet tooth; they are certainly members of a minority. But let’s keep in mind that sugar is not found only in candy and soda; it’s in most processed foods, from pasta sauces to some peanut butters, rice, bread, crackers, yogurt, and much more. When we rely on quick meals and snacks, we find considerable amounts of added sugar.

My patients are smart and knowledgeable, but I find that many mistakenly believe that they are allergic to medicines, and in particular, penicillin. This belief might be based on a distant memory, or on something they were told by their parents. Others believe that the experience of an upset stomach, nausea, or other side effect indicate an allergy. Still others may have experienced a rash or other symptom that was actually due to the illness, and not to the medicine. Still,

While consuming kiwi fruit will not likely put me out of business, I am impressed with its many health benefits. Have some – and while you’re at it, work on your balanced and healthful diet.

Early in my career, the rock stars of the pharmaceutical industry were the Viagra reps. They were treated like royalty when they visited medical offices, often because they left samples behind. There are new stars these days: the GLP reps. By now, almost everyone has heard of Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, or Zepbound. (These four names actually represent only two different drugs, as each drug uses a different name depending on whether it is intended to treat obesity or diabetes.

Did you know that some 85% of us will get an HPV infection in our lifetime? HPV is a group of more than 150 viruses, and is spread primarily through sexual contact. (Note that it is possible to get an HPV infection through non-sexual activity, such as non-sexual skin to skin contact.) HPV includes mostly low-risk strains (which cause warts). However, the high-risk strains are associated with an increased risk of certain cancers (cervical, anal, penile, and oropharyngeal). A

Are your black plastic kitchen tools, toys, and to-go packages safe? An alarming recent study concluded that they are toxic, and as a result, my kids tossed their kitchen utensils. A week later, the environmental advocacy group Toxic-Free Future announced that their initial results were incorrect. I was slow on the uptake and did not throw mine away. Evidently, I saved some money. Sometimes we panic before having all of the facts. Toxic flame retardants actually can get

Who has heard of POTS? It’s not a Disney character, or items in our kitchen. More and more people are being diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, a condition that causes the heart to beat faster than normal when we transition from sitting or lying to standing. The name actually does make sense: P ostural relates to the position of the body, O rthostatic refers to standing upright, T achycardia means a heart rate of over 100 beats per minute, and S yndr

I have been asked to write an article about the health benefits of consuming mushrooms. This is quite difficult for me, as mushrooms are my one irrational dislike. But I do like a challenge, so here goes my most honest attempt. Mushrooms are a fungus; neither fruit nor vegetable. They grow in a variety of colors and sizes, and instead of producing seeds, they release microscopic spores that form under the cap. They grow above ground, or on the surface of a food source. They