Why Don’t We Say ‘ADD’ Anymore?
When I was younger, I often heard people say things like “I’m so ADD right now!” to refer to periods when they had trouble focusing. Others would talk about “ADD meds,” like Adderall or Ritalin. Invoking ADD, or attention-deficit disorder, felt rather common in the ’90s and early aughts. The term was also used interchangeably […]
Vitamin D fails to reduce statin-associated muscle pain: Study is the first placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to study this
Patients who take statins to lower high cholesterol levels often complain of muscle pains, which can lead them to stop taking the highly effective medication and put them at greater risk of heart attack or stroke. Some clinicians have recommended vitamin D supplements to ease the muscle aches of patients taking a statin, but a […]
At risk for diabetes? Cut the carbs, says new study
While low-carb diets are often recommended for those being treated for diabetes, little evidence exists on whether eating fewer carbs can impact the blood sugar of those with diabetes or prediabetes who aren’t treated by medications. Now, according to new research from Tulane University, a low-carb diet can help those with unmedicated diabetes — and […]
Natural Disasters During Pregnancy Have Big Implications For Kids’ Mental Health
When a child is diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, there often follows a wave of parental guilt: What caused the problem? Could it have somehow been prevented? Although doctors are not able to pinpoint the cause of an individual child’s ADHD, depression or anxiety, we do know that genetics and environment both play a role […]
Here’s What Nutritionists Order When They Get Chinese Takeout
We’ve all got our favorite American adaptations of Chinese cuisine, even though they’re often far removed from the authentic dishes found overseas. Menu items in the U.S., like General Tso’s chicken, chop suey and fortune cookies, are still beloved by many because — no surprise — they taste so darn good. “Chinese American food is […]
Cooking up mealworms into a tasty, healthful, ‘meat-like’ seasoning
Beetle larvae, such as mealworms, are often considered to be creepy, crawly nuisances. But these insects are edible and could be a healthful alternative to traditional meat protein sources. Today, researchers report that they’ve cooked up mealworms with sugar, creating a “meat-like” flavoring. It could someday be used in convenience foods as a tasty source […]
My Vet Recommended These New Dental Chews And Now My Picky Dog Is Obsessed
For certain dog breeds, gnarly teeth often come with the territory — a fact that didn’t quite dawn on me when I was 23 years old and scooping up the jankiest-looking pup in the shelter. My beloved Chihuahua mix, Maeby, is now 15 years old, and over the last decade and a half she’s weathered […]
Who Should Trans Athletes Compete Against?
The debate over transgender athletes is often framed as one between two opposing sides. One side suggests that biology is of paramount importance in sport, that the biological differences between transgender women and cisgender women provide the former group with unfair advantages, and that if women are to succeed in sport, then trans women must […]
What Is the Time Value of Money?
We most often think of money in terms of its monetary value. And this obviously makes sense in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, however, monetary value does not capture the whole picture and can lead to bad decisions and worse outcomes. That is why, especially as physicians, we need to consider the time value of […]
New Insights Into Link Between Kidney Stones, Urinary Tract Infection
Kidney stone disease (KSD) and urinary tract infection (UTI) often coexist, and stone removal may reduce the risk of recurrent UTI, authors of a systematic review concluded. The review showed a bidirectional nature of the relationship between KSD and UTI, as stone formers had a high prevalence of UTI and patients evaluated for UTI had […]