My Doctor Medical Group

Intermittent Fasting Shows Promise for Treating Diabetes and Heart Disease

Paul Abramson MD — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:05:29 +0000

Right up there with the very well-marketed Paleo diet, intermittent fasting (IF) has achieved popular attention in the past year for its potential role in achieving rapid weight loss. But now there is mounting evidence that this approach to eating may have specific benefits for those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Intermittent fasting can be [...]

Oh no, I’ve gotten into poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac. What do I do?

Lauren DeDecker CPT — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:00:50 +0000

A topical post based on recent experience, unfortunately. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are common plants in the genus Rhus, found throughout the United States and in Africa, often near hiking trails. Four in five people are allergic to urushiol, a compound found in the plant’s sap that causes a itchy and painful allergic [...]

A natural remedy for varicose veins

Paul Abramson MD — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:39:45 +0000

Horse chestnut seed extract has been shown to have some effect when used orally for symptomatic treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, such as varicose veins. It may also be useful for relieving pain, tiredness, tension, and swelling in the legs. It contains a number of anti-inflammatory substances, including escin, which reduces edema and lowers fluid [...]

Did you get a pustule at your blood draw site? Consider Behcet’s Syndrome.

Paul Abramson MD — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:23:35 +0000

The original description of Behçet’s syndrome included recurring genital and oral ulcerations and relapsing uveitis. This disease is also associated with cutaneous hypersensitivity; 60%–70% of patients will develop a sterile pustule with an erythematous margin within 48 hours of an aseptic needle prick. It is more common in Japan, Korea, and the Eastern Mediterranean area, and [...]

A Medically-Supervised Self-Tracking Program Might Work Better for Migraines #quantifiedself

Lauren DeDecker CPT — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 03:34:14 +0000

There’s a growing body of research supporting the methodologies we use in our medically supervised Quant Coach Program here at My Doctor Medical Group. If you get violently ill every time you go on a roller coaster, what do you do? Unless you are a peculiar breed of masochist, you likely avoid roller coasters at [...]

New Avian Influenza A H7N9 Virus in China: The Next Pandemic?

Paul Abramson MD — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:02:47 +0000

It’s not time to panic. The latest April 14, 2013 update on the H7N9 Avian Influenza A outbreak from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports 11 additional cases of human infection have been laboratory confirmed. Three cases are from Shanghai, two from Jiangsu, four from Zhejiang and the other two from Henan. There [...]

Bone Broth: #Paleo Goodness or Lead Toxicity Risk?

Lauren DeDecker CPT — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:00:24 +0000

The consumption of bone marrow and bone broths have become more commonplace, and even hip, with the rise in popularity of the Paleo Diet, Perfect Health Diet and GAPS Diet. Bone broths are meant to be a staple in evolutionary-type diets as a rich source of calcium and other minerals. It is made by submerging [...]

Review: “Be Fruitful” book on fertiliity by Victoria Maizes MD

Paul Abramson MD — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:00:42 +0000

Book Review: “Be Fruitful: The Essential Guide to Maximizing Fertility and Giving Birth to a Healthy Child,” by Victoria Maizes MD of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Many challenges face parents wishing to successfully conceive and give birth to a healthy child today. Drawing on her expertise in integrative medicine, Dr. Victoria Maizes integrates [...]

Updated: Novel respiratory coronavirus identified in travelers to Middle Eastern countries #travelmedicine

Paul Abramson MD — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:00:56 +0000

Public Health Agency of Canada: February 15, 2013 US Centers for Disease Control: March 7, 2013 Update: A total of 14 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection have been identified, with 8 deaths. There seems to be an association with recent travel to the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan) and influenza A (H1N1) co-infection. Patients [...]

How much will a sprained ankle cost me in the ER? Somewhere between $4 and $24110. #costsofcare

Paul Abramson MD — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:37:38 +0000

You sprain your ankle badly, and aren’t sure if it’s broken or not. It’s 6pm on a Friday evening, so you head to the ER to have it x-rayed. At triage you ask “how much might this cost me?” Typically, nobody working in the hospital at that moment will be able to even take a [...]