Research suggests that when it comes to your overall health, opting for higher-quality, minimally processed foods over lower-quality, nutrient-poor foods is key—and perhaps even more important than the amounts or proportions of foods you eat. Small, consistent food swaps can make a big difference.
Should patients with a history of splenectomy receive prophylactic antibiotics for dental procedures?
What kind of side effects does quinine have?
Is there an age limit for colonoscopy? My 93-year-old father was bleeding from the rectum. We got conflicting opinions on whether he should have a colonoscopy.
I was told I have a curved colon. What is this?
When it comes to under-the-radar health conditions, deep-vein thrombosis is at the top of the list. Most of my patients have never heard of this common problem. Yet deep-vein thrombosis puts more than one-quarter million Americans in the hospital each year, and complications from it are responsible for upwards of 100,000 deaths.
Food sequencing calls for eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates to help stabilize blood sugar and control appetite. Research suggests this pattern may reduce blood sugar spikes and lower hunger hormones, and it may naturally lead to eating fewer carbohydrates.
Home microbiome tests are pricey and not yet scientifically reliable. Stay on top of your gut health by skipping the test and focusing instead on following a fiber-rich, Mediterranean-style diet that minimizes meat and processed foods.
A long-running study found that closely following the MIND Diet was linked with significantly slower age-related brain changes, including 20% less shrinkage in grey matter—equivalent to slowing brain aging by 2.5 years. However, it’s not known if these changes translate to better brain function.
A study pooling data from more than 180,000 adults found that consuming more omega-3 fats (as found in fatty fish) was linked to 18% lower odds of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Regularly eating omega-3-rich seafood may be a reasonable strategy for reducing the risk of AMD.