Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes: EBM in Practice
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has established guideline statements for the management of HbA1c in non-pregnant adults using medication. They considered the research behind guidelines set by four other major physician organizations for treating type 2 diabetes. After reviewing that data, they have proposed four guidelines for use when treating patients. These are non […]
What Is Evidence-Based Medicine?
The term evidence-based medicine (EBM) dominates the scientific literature related to the treatment of disease. In short, the use of EBM is intended to treat patients based on the best available science and research; only the largest, best designed, and strongest studies are used when setting up the standards for treatment. That seems to make […]
A New Approach to HbA1c
Type 2 diabetes is a significant problem in North America and it’s spreading throughout the entire world. The treatment standard has always focused on controlling blood sugar, especially HbA1c. Normal is less than 5.7%. For most individuals, reducing the HbA1c to under 6.5% has been the goal for pharmacologic treatment. HbA1c is a protein found […]
Spring Break!
Paula and I are taking this week off for Spring Break, but as you can see we’re spending it in Michigan where it isn’t exactly beach weather. We’ll be back with more health news next week. What are you prepared to do today? Dr. Chet
The Truth Behind the Obesity Paradox
In my opinion, the short answer to the obesity paradox is that it doesn’t really exist. But what fun would that be? That doesn’t teach you anything. Let’s take a look at the problems with the research that contributed to this paradox. Study One: Dialysis, BMI, and Mortality A study of dialysis patients led […]
Does a Little Extra Weight Keep You Alive?
The Rotterdam Study was begun in 1991 to investigate the risk factors of cardiovascular, neurological, ophthalmological, and endocrine diseases in people 55 and older (1). The study is still ongoing, but periodically subsets of subjects are examined to find out which characteristics are associated with these diseases. In a study published in 2001, researchers reported […]
What Is the Obesity Paradox?
Did you ever hear something that didn’t seem to make sense? That seemed to go against everything you thought to be true? One example of this is something called “The Obesity Paradox.” I’ve seen a few headlines this week that have talked about it, so it’s time to address it in the Memo. One of […]
Special Memo: 28 Years!
Paula and I are celebrating our 28th wedding anniversary today. Yep, the photo is our wedding picture from 1990—a couple of crazy kids (in their late 30s) vowing to tackle life together. It’s been a great experience, through more good times than not. In the movie As Good as It Gets, Jack Nicholson says one […]
Research Update on Vaping
Tin, aluminum, lead, and zinc: those are the metals that were found in the aerosol generated by various e-cigarette devices in a recently published study. Sounds like exactly what you want to inhale deep into your lungs, right? Researchers in Maryland recruited volunteer vapers to test the liquid in the tank, the aerosol, and the […]
Do Calcium Supplements Harm Your Heart?
Over the past few years, concern has grown about the relationship between heart disease and calcium intake. A couple of studies have shown a possible association between calcium intake and cardiovascular disease. In an article also published this month in the Journal of Women’s Health (1), two clinicians reported on a number of studies including […]
