When was the last time you heard a “diabeetus” joke? The answer is likely all too recent. Type 2 Diabetes is an extremely stigmatized condition — the majority of Type 2 diabetes patients report feeling stigma.[1] The public perceives Type 2 diabetes as a self-inflicted disease, worthy of derision. Unfortunately, some healthcare professionals also feel […]
Author Archives: Tim
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: Early screening for lung cancer gains momentum
Every year, over 150,000 people in the United States of America die of lung cancer, making lung cancer by far the leading cause of cancer death.[1] One reason why lung cancer is so deadly is that it often eludes detection until too late to save the patient. 80% of lung cancer patients are only diagnosed […]
11 Misconceptions about the Influenza Vaccine
Influenza, also known as “the flu”, is a contagious respiratory illness. It is caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs. Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, body ache, headache, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, chills, tiredness and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. In some cases, people with flu do not have […]
Stopping the Line for Patient Safety
At Toyota factories—yes, the car company—every assembly line has a big red button. And every worker has a responsibility to press the button if they feel something is amiss. This button stops the entire assembly line. Stopping the line could mean the difference between building a safe car versus building one that puts people at […]
Silent but Deadly: The Carcinogen We Love
The news constantly bombards us with headlines announcing yet another thing that may increase cancer risk. From pesticides to cigarettes, burnt toast to nitrates, the list goes on and on. Yet one carcinogen is rarely spoken of, and this carcinogen is far more potent than charred food. The carcinogen in question is alcohol. Research suggests […]
Tips for a Successful Back-to-School Season
Heading back to school following a relaxed summer can be a time of great excitement, and carries with it some anxiety for both parents and children. Parents can help to mitigate this by establishing a regular routine for their school-aged children, in an effort to make the 2018-2019 school year as successful as possible.
Putting Me First: Finding Work and Life Balance
What do sleep, meditation, downward dog and hydration have in common?
A Guiding Light in the Middle of the Night: the Life of a Medical Student
“Beep, beep, beep” – the one sound you dread to hear at 3 AM. As you get up from what you thought might be a few “clutch hours” of precious sleep, you see the numbers “6666” on your beeper – and your heart sinks… It’s the ER with your 7 th admission of the night. […]
New research shows job stress can lead to heart problems
People have long suspected that stress and anxiety can cause health problems in the long term, particularly heart problems. Now, new research suggests that this is more than just a suspicion. Now, a recent Swedish research program has developed data which indicate overwhelmingly that persons with high-stress jobs are at significantly greater risk of developing […]
Research shows missing microbes causing childhood cancer
t’s been a truism for as long as science has known about germ theory that letting children get dirty is good for their immune systems. Now, new research has shown that overprotecting children from germs is correlated with the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Professor Mel Greaves, of Britain’s Institute of […]