Is Drinking Water Over-rated?

May 15, 2018 By Dr. Carol 15 Comments

dc John via Flickr

Every 5 years or so, the general physician has to help patients unravel the truth about the latest “drinkable” beverage trend.

Whether it’s the astronaut’s favorite orange drink, or one of the myriad of sodas (aka pop), diet, zero or regular, a powdered adult kool-aid like product to mix into good ole’ water, or more recently, all the “energy drinks”.

The billion dollar beverage industry is trying to tell us we could be smarter, sexier, have more energy and downright be cooler IF we consume their products. [Read more…]

5 Secrets Your Teeth Reveal About You

December 5, 2017 By Dr. Bola 10 Comments

Your daily habits, both the good and the bad leave clues on your body. If you exercise and eat well, a leaner physique is the clue it leaves behind, if you don’t sleep well, there might be dark circles around your eyes.

Since I lack the creativity of a mystery novelist, I get my kick from tracking the clues left by the habits of my patients.

Here are 5 clues left on the teeth from daily habits: [Read more…]

Does a Gluten-Free Diet Make Sense For You?

October 10, 2017 By Dr. Bola 31 Comments

elana’s pantry via Flickr

Gluten-free diet is the current fad. It all of a sudden became the bad boy of food- as if it were trans-fat or pink slime. Poor Gluten!

Unlike the other bad stuff in foods, gluten is a natural protein found in grains like wheat and barley. No genetic modification or hydrogenation involved. There is nothing synthetic about gluten.

Gluten is a good source of digestible fiber and harmless EXCEPT [Read more…]

What a Cocaine Addict Could Teach You About Allergies

May 16, 2017 By Dr. Bola 2 Comments

I didn’t mean to shock you there but as an eternal optimist, I look for the good in everything (almost).

Cocaine is not good for anything besides robbing folks of their minds and money but people who snort the poison sure have mastered the correct technique of using a nasal spray. [Read more…]

Drugs? My Kids? Never!

March 14, 2017 By Dr. Carol Leave a Comment

Prensa 420 via Flickr

Over the decades I am sadly humbled when teens and tweens come in for vague physical complaints and I find them to be either pregnant, under the influence of some illicit substance or both.

I practice in a busy suburban area so this is not the stereotypical area where one thinks of as high risk for these behaviors- but the fact is MOST drug use occurs in suburbia, NOT the inner cities. [Read more…]

Be “E” Free

November 22, 2016 By Dr. Carol 8 Comments

Recently, heading home after completing a long Friday night 12 hour shift, I had a brief nanosecond of anxiety as the realization that I had left my cell phone in my white coat pocket dawned on me.

Since it was a rare long weekend of no clinic or urgent care shifts, I would be without this “smart” communications line, calendar, browser, alarm clock, weather station, and electronic toy for over 48 hours-

[Read more…]

What Do I Eat?”

September 27, 2016 By Dr. Carol 4 Comments

Over the past 20 years, the myriad of diets, processed food choices, lifestyle advice from the media, guru’s and reported medical research community alike have left most women who come to see me disillusioned and confused.

“What do I eat then?” they ask. Everything does seem to be not good for you in someway according to someone. [Read more…]

How to Tell if That Discharge is an STI

September 6, 2016 By Dr. Bola 7 Comments

We all get freaked out by vaginal discharge. Chief of the worry is having contracted some sexually transmitted infection.

You might have towed the line and stayed faithful but what if the other party “steps out of line” or even worse; goes around town spreading some lovin’? [Read more…]

5 Tips for Having a Fun & Safe Time at the Pool

June 21, 2016 By Dr. Carol 1 Comment

Al Ebnereza via Flickr

Summer is well underway and the BBQ, beach, outdoor, and pool season welcomes us.

The following is a quick reminder of how to keep yourself and your family members, especially kids water safe.

A sobering statistic is that most drownings occurs in the home pool. Even more startling is the fact that the majority of kid drownings occur when other adults are around. [Read more…]

Sunshine vs Sunscreen- What Side Are You On?

June 7, 2016 By Dr. Bola 25 Comments

Joe Shlabotnick via Flickr

The issue of sunshine versus sunscreen is like being between a rock and a hard place.

You have all heard of how exposure to sun is bad for you. You’ve been told that sun exposure will kill you and that sun exposure causes skin cancer.

It’s only logically to see sunscreen as the savior from a painful, untimely death from skin cancer. [Read more…]

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