Vitamin D and physical function: Is more better?
The popularity of vitamin D has been surging in recent years, largely because of the growing list of its proposed health benefits. But not all of the claims are backed by evidence. For example, there...
View ArticleMy fall last fall: Reaction time and getting older
I remember it like it was just last year — because that’s when it happened. I found myself on the ground with a separated shoulder. I’d gone for a run, wasn’t paying attention to the terrain, and...
View ArticleHow useful is the body mass index (BMI)?
Do you know your BMI? Increasingly, people know theirs, just as they know their cholesterol. If you don’t know your BMI, you can use a BMI calculator available online, including this one at Harvard...
View ArticleRunning injury? Maybe you’re doing it all wrong
If exercise were a medication, it’d be a blockbuster. That’s because exercise has been linked to a long list of remarkable health benefits and just about everyone can take advantage of them. That’s why...
View ArticleMedical news: A case for skepticism
When you read medical news, do you ever get drawn in by the headline only to find the details deliver something quite different (or less) than expected? Or do the findings sound so dramatic that you...
View ArticleTaking your medications as prescribed: Smartphones can help
If you’re like most people, you may have trouble remembering to take your medications as prescribed. If that’s true, your doctor may have called you “noncompliant” or, perhaps, “nonadherent.” Whatever...
View ArticlePhysical therapy after hip replacement: Can rehab happen at home?
Chances are good that at some point you or someone you know will have hip replacement surgery. I can say that with some confidence because it’s a common operation that’s becoming more common all the...
View ArticleThe truth about tequila and your bones
Tequila could reverse osteoporosis! Drinking tequila is good for your bones! Have a Third Margarita — Because Tequila’s Great for Your Bones! Talk about misleading headlines! These are prime examples....
View ArticleHere’s something unexpected: Sunbathers live longer
Surprising, right? But that’s the conclusion of a new study that compared the life spans of many people with varying amounts of sun exposure. They found that among nearly 30,000 women in Sweden, who...
View ArticleTai chi may be as good as physical therapy for arthritis-related knee pain
Osteoarthritis — the age-related, “wear-and-tear” form of joint disease — is the most common type of arthritis. And the knee is the most commonly affected joint. In fact, almost half of the population...
View ArticleTaking advantage of incidental findings
Have you ever gone looking for one thing and found another? Maybe it’s that favorite pen you find under the couch cushion when you’re searching for your keys. Or perhaps you stumble across the leftover...
View ArticleThe times, they are a-changin’ (and bringing new syndromes)
When are symptoms due to a medical condition, and when are they just a part of life? That’s the question that came to mind as I read about “computer vision syndrome.” So, what is a syndrome, anyway?...
View ArticleWhat Michelangelo’s hands (can and can’t) tell us about arthritis
This just in: researchers have discovered that Michelangelo had osteoarthritis, not gout as previously thought. The findings are based on depictions of the hands of the painter and sculptor as rendered...
View ArticleThe U.S. longevity gap
It’s not hard to find someone praising the quality of this country’s healthcare. I’ve often heard it called the best in the world – and that’s a widely held belief among politicians, public officials,...
View Article“Double dipping” your chip: Dangerous or just…icky?
Double dippers are everywhere – the 4th of July barbeque, family reunions, Super Bowl parties, anywhere chips and dip are a staple. These are the people who take a bite and dip their chips a second...
View ArticleTossing flossing?
The burning question in the news last week was this: should you bother flossing? The answer for decades has been “of course.” And it’s likely you’ve heard something similar from your dentist. I know I...
View ArticleKnee replacement: Life changing or a disappointment?
While there are more than 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is by far the most common. It’s the age-related, “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis that affects almost everyone fortunate enough to live...
View ArticleThe most important health problems (and why they matter)
I once took care of an elderly patient who wasn’t particularly interested in some of the preventive measures I was recommending. He liked to say “you gotta die of something.” True enough. But that’s no...
View ArticleThe truth behind standing desks
Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling Are you reading this while standing at your desk? There’s a good chance that you are — standing desks are all the rage. These desks allow you to work at your “desk...
View ArticleWhat exactly is cupping?
Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling The 2016 summer Olympics had its share of exciting performances, upsets, and photo finishes. But for days after Michael Phelps’s first appearance at the games, it...
View Article