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It’s Walmart’s World…You Just Practice In It

By Erik Goldman

Americans’ use of medical clinics based in retail settings has risen 10-fold since 2007, and the number of patient visits to these quick-stops has soared, prompting a number of major hospital systems to get into the game. A national study by the RAND corporation, based on insurance data from 13.3 million people, indicates that the […]

I Can’t Believe It’s Not…Heart Disease

By Erik Goldman

A few shmears of omega-3 fortified margarine per day can reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and sudden death in older people with type 2 diabetes, according to new data from the Alpha Omega Trial. Dr. Daan Kromhout and colleagues, of the Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Holland, randomized 1,014 diabetic patients aged 60 […]

Ginger Root Quells Colonic Inflammation

By Erik Goldman

A daily dose of ginger root appears to downregulate inflammatory eicosanoids in the gastrointestinal tract, and may reduce the risk of colon cancer, according to a recent study by Suzanna Zick, ND, MPH, and her team at the University of Michigan Medical School. The investigators randomized 30 healthy individuals  to take either a placebo or […]

Medication Nation: Your Country on Drugs

By Erik Goldman

Judging from the types of medications we’re taking, it’s reasonable to conclude that we are a nation of hyperlipidemic, depressed, wheezing, tumor-ridden psychotics with major metabolic imbalances and a lot of pain. The Use of Medicines in the United States: Review of 2010, a report published by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, chronicles the […]

Purple Pills? Think B12 Deficiency

By Erik Goldman

The US spent nearly $12 billion on anti-ulcer medications last year, according to a new report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. It turns out those drugs do a lot more than just suppress stomach acid. They also increase risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 is essential for healthy neurological function, and deficiency has […]

Good to the Bone: Probiotics Improve Bone Mineral Density

By Erik Goldman

Probiotics, widely recognized for their positive effects on gastrointestinal health, can also increase bone mineral density and potentially help prevent osteoporosis—a fact that has been largely overlooked by American clinicians for almost a decade. Back in 2003, Japanese researchers studied the impact of a probiotic formula called OM-X, on the radial and ulnar BMD of […]

Neptune’s Blood Cells

By Erik Goldman

Jellyfish may be an annoyance for humans enjoying beach vacations, but they’re a vital element in the regulating the ocean’s temperature and nutrient balance. CalTech bioengineer and 2010 MacArthur Fellowship recipient John Dabiri has been studying the biomechanics of jellyfish propulsion with an eye toward developing human modes of transportation that replicate the jellyfish’s simplicity […]

DynaMed: Palmetto on Par with Placebo for Prostate Problems

By Erik Goldman

Saw palmetto has been a popular treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), a common condition in older men. However, recent evidence shows that the natural plant extract may not be as helpful as perceived. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital studied 369 men, 45 years and older, with peak urinary […]

A New Diabetes Risk Factor: Foreclosure!

By Erik Goldman

There’s a definite correlation between the rate of home foreclosures and the incidence of new cases of diabetes diagnosed among young to middle-aged adults, according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Researchers at the non-profit, non-partisan organization studied foreclosure rates by zip codes in 4 hard-hit states (AZ, CA, FL […]

Putting PSA Testing in Perspective

By Erik Goldman

The recent Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendation against routine Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) screening has a lot of guys pissing vinegar, with some calling the new report “a death sentence.” More moderate voices call for recognition of the limits of PSA testing while cautioning against sweeping policy moves. Integrative Urologist Dr. Geo Espinosa sheds some light.