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Health Care Health Care Reform Healthy Living Nutrition

The simple reason the medical-home study failed…

This week, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a comprehensive study that has major health implications. Major because the negative findings should change how Americans think about health and healthcare. Plus, the findings validate a belief this doctor holds as truth. First my belief, then the study. One blog is enough for […]

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Health Care Healthy Living Nutrition

The CVS tobacco decision is no small thing — Keep the chips and soda please

Yesterday, CVS Caremark announced that its 7600 stores will stop selling tobacco products. Company leadership said that selling tobacco is not consistent with being a health company. This decision, which takes effect in October 2014, will result in 2 billion less revenue. I am no business person, (though, as an observer of humans, I follow […]

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General Medicine Health Care Healthy Living Nutrition Uncategorized

Health lessons from Reverend Al Sharpton…

However you see the Reverend Al Sharpton, one thing is certain: you see less of him now. His Twitter pic tells you he is proud of his 167-pound weight loss. Good for him, he should be. If you care about health, the disappearance of the Sharpton-of-old is worth mention. His story teaches us a lot, […]

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Doctoring Healthy Living Knowledge Nutrition Reflection

Healthy Privilege, Social Fabric, Education — Perspective means a lot.

Perhaps writing about health matters from the perspective of a cardiologist/bike racer is a little like parenting: At times the message seems less than compassionate, even though it’s born out of concern for others, knowledge and a tincture of middle-age experience. The many excellent comments on my recent telomere/heart-health post stirred me to write a […]

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General Cardiology Health Care Healthy Living inflammation Nutrition

Heart health is not about Telomeres…It’s much simpler than that

A recent study on healthy lifestyle changes got me thinking about why heart disease remains the most deadly human disease. A small study of just a few motivated men with low-risk prostate cancer garnered attention because it contained two important key words: Ornish and Telomeres. Everyone knows Dr. Dean Ornish. And most of us know […]

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General Cardiology Healthy Living Nutrition

Coenzyme Q10: Could it be the real deal?

Admit it: You were surprised a legitimate study came out in support of Coenzyme Q10 supplements. You probably looked away at first, nervous a colleague would notice your interest in something complimentary or alternative. It’s shocking, isn’t it? What if the purveyors of supplements are right about something? Part of me so wants it to […]

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Cycling Wed Nutrition

Cycling Wed: Eating your way to heart health

I have always been a nutrition agnostic: Eat real food, less of it, and go out and play every day. I wasn’t sure the details mattered that much. Keep it simple. This view may need updating. You have probably seen the news: A recent trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, strongly supports […]

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Exercise General Cardiology Healthy Living Nutrition

Do doctors know how to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol?

Blood pressure and cholesterol problems affect millions. These are the bread, butter and sugary drinks of Internal Medicine and general Cardiology practice. It stands to reason then, that the treatment of these basic maladies would be well agreed upon. Guidelines and expert consensus statements would be clear and up-to-date. But this is far from reality. […]

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Cycling Stuff Cycling Wed Healthy Living Nutrition

Cycling Wednesday: New Year’s resolution

It’s January 2nd. It’s past time for resolve. Since one of the themes of this blog is healthy living through good choices, it would seem self-evident that I would resolve to eat better, rest more and exercise smarter. Given my slow-twitch make-up, smarter exercise means more strength and flexibility work. These would be the easy […]

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Healthy Living inflammation Nutrition

In the Prime post up — On healthy eating and one of Cardiology’s biggest errors

Hi all, I have a new post up over at the Courier-Journal’s In the Prime/Voices section. It’s about a new study released this week on heart-healthy eating. I went to the well again on the metaphorical “elephant in the room.” The study was important because it sheds light on one of the biggest mistakes made […]

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Healthy Living inflammation Nutrition

In the Prime post up over at the Courier-Journal –Nighttime eating and biology.

An admission: In the evening, I like to snack. Perhaps you do too? It’s a common problem. A weakness even. Or is it? I used to think it didn’t matter what time one eats. It’s simple arithmetic: eat fewer calories than you burn off and all would be well. But maybe I was wrong. (Shhh). […]