Published April 21, 2011

Is the pink ribbon just a front for drug companies?

You’ve probably seen all the amazing advertisements with pink ribbons these days. Pink is a hot color these days, as it represents the fight against breast cancer. And who doesn’t want to fight breast cancer? While I fight breast cancer in my patients almost daily, I’ve always been uneasy about these programs. And now I know why.

The pink ribbon represents just one advocacy association. There are a bunch of other non-profits that fight for these diseases.

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Published April 20, 2011

The surprising cause of gout –
and why your doctor won’t tell you about it

Gout has made an incredible comeback in the last 10 years. It used to be that this “disease of kings” was barely known. When I mentioned gout to a patient, they would look at me like I was speaking a foreign language. But today, there are commercials on TV about gout. So what is gout, and how do you get rid of it?

Gout is a highly painful and often disabling condition. It hits when uric acid crystals form in your joints. This creates an intense immune reaction. Your white blood cells rush to the area to try to wipe out the “foreign” crystals. In so doing, it can cause a lot of damage to your joints.

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Published April 15, 2011

Increase your stroke risk by 48% when you drink this....

Cancer, heart attacks, and stroke are three of the biggest killers in the U.S. As you may know, sugar-laden soft drinks can contribute to cancer and heart attacks. They increase your risk for diabetes. And diabetics are at significant risk for these two illnesses. But do soft drinks cause strokes?

A recent study found that it’s not the sugar-laden soft drinks you have to worry about if you want to avoid stroke. Oh, they may contribute to strokes, just like they do with cancer and heart disease. But this large new study says a similar concoction may do more than just “contribute” to strokes.

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