Guest Post By Alan Greene, MD Participatory Medicine and the e-Patient Right before our eyes there’s a dark hole in what we see. Not only don’t we see some of what’s right in front of our face, but we don’t even notice the gap. Our illusion of a seamless visual world is so strong that scientists used to think that the spot where our optic nerve enters the back of each eye gave us our…
Read More...How to be an Empowered Health Consumer
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Empowered health consumers know how to take charge of their health and are proactive in their care. Whether they’re surfing the web for health information, visiting their doctor or health care professional, or a patient in the hospital; empowered health consumers know how to question and communicate. This blog is a continuation of the “He Said, She Said” post where I promised to give you tips about how to…
Read More...H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine Follow-up: Our Reader Writes…
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA — Ms. Parker writes: “Thank you again for your answers, you have been so very helpful in my decision to get vaccinated against swine flu. I am proud to say I received the vaccine a few days ago and everything was absolutely fine, I had no side effects at all. I am otherwise very healthy other than asthma but being vaccinated has given me peace of mind and will…
Read More...Questions Every Woman Should Ask Her Doctor
The single most important question every woman needs to ask her doctor is “What do I need to do to be healthy,” says Robin H. Miller, MD, a board certified internist, integrative medicine specialist and co-author of “The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond”. When it comes to women’s health the three major areas that are top priority include: heart health, breast health and bone health. It’s important to talk with your doctor or…
Read More...Feeling Completely Worn-Out and Extremely Tired? Find Out What It Could Mean
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Her muscles and joints ached. Her throat was raw and sore and throbbing headaches came on without warning. She felt foggy-headed all the time, and had trouble remembering simple thoughts or following reruns of familiar TV sitcoms. Even though she was bone-tired all the time, she had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. And there was no stamina for everyday tasks, let alone the activities she enjoyed doing with…
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