The "Million Med March"

Today I attended the Million Med March held in cities across the US and here in Chicago.  It was sponsored by Docs 4 Patient Care, a grassroots organization of physicians, healthcare professionals, and concerned citizens who want to reform health care while preserving the integrity of the patient-physician relationships we enjoy in this country.  I [...]

This Week’s Health Headlines

Chronic fatigue syndrome linked to a little-known virus
Exercise improves survival in chronic kidney disease
Another big step taken in adult stem cell research
Feelings of being wronged may worsen your recovery from whiplash
Trying to quit smoking? Texting may help
Cruising in a convertible could harm your hearing

The 411 on H1N1

Here it is: the breakdown you’ve been looking for on the flu vaccines. Who should receive them? First- the regular seasonal flu vaccine, available now. You should get the flu vaccine this year. The only people who should not are infants less than 6 months, people with an egg allergy, and people with a previous reaction [...]

Use Listerine to fight… mosquitoes?

Some of you have possibly seen the e-mails going around that tout Listerine as an effective mosquito repellent. I decided to try it myself and… it seems to work. Most mouthwash products contain eucalyptus oil, which is known for its insect repelling properties. The only caveat: because the concentration of eucalyptus in the mouthwash is much lower than in commercially available repellents, the Listerine must be sprayed more frequently to keep up the effect.

Lessons from a Broken Alternator

About 2 weeks ago, the “Check Engine” light began to appear each time I started my car. When this happens, my emotions go through several stages. First, denial. “There’s probably nothing wrong, the light is just malfunctioning.” Next, anger. “I don’t have time to take my car in! Doesn’t it know this is a crazy week for me?!” Then I move into bargaining. “OK, car, if you can hang on for one more week, I’ll make sure to never again go over 3000 miles before changing your oil.” And finally… well, back to denial. “Hey, the light went off- I knew nothing was wrong.”

Love somebody? Check out their Checklist

Two dozen roses met my bride as she walked in the house one afternoon last week. “What are these for?” she asked. “From now on,” I announced, “every time you do what you just did, it’s an automatic two dozen roses.” She had just returned from her annual checkup, and it was time again for [...]