October 17th, 2011 by DrWes in Opinion
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There they were, little maroon flags outside three patient exam room doors. You could almost hear the game show host ask the question:
Will it be Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3?”
So I asked the medical assistant, “Who’s next?” and she pointed me to Door #2.
It was a new patient with a familiar problem, one I’ve seen probably a thousand times before. Another day, another case. Bada bing, bada boom. Nothing to it. You would think that all cases, and all people are the same in some ways. Certainly, those managing our health care system of the future would like us to believe it’s so simple: just another case of heart failure (what can go wrong?) or supraventricular tachycardia (love that one, there’s NOTHING hard about that!) or maybe a few PVC’s (Check). Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
April 14th, 2011 by admin in Health Tips
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At a Harvard Medical School talk on migraine and food, a nutritionist from Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center delivered a message that people in the audience probably didn’t want to hear: “There are no specific dietary recommendations for migraine sufferers,” said Sandra Allonen. But she did have some advice to offer—and she emphasized that the connection between food and migraine is a very individual one.
Several foods have been associated with triggering migraine. None of them has been scientifically proven to cause migraines, explained Allonen, but many people report a link between eating these foods and getting a migraine. Possible migraine triggers include: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Harvard Health Blog*
December 31st, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
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Sometimes a picture’s worth 1000 words. Poor kid. My sister-in-law snapped this photo today. Not a fun way to enter a new year… I think we’re all feeling a little bit like this, with the economy “messed up” and record unemployment levels. Let’s hope that 2010 brings some relief!
December 20th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
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Like a good Rochesterian (Rochester, NY that is), my husband decided to shovel the snow off our balcony after the 2-foot-deep deposits threatened to melt into our condo’s window cracks. I was comfortably blogging away in our living room when I looked up to find Mr. DrVal had built me a miniature snowman, complete with a heart made from the last tomato of our now fully dead Roma tomato plant.
A few amazing things about this photo: 1) How can ripe tomatoes still be growing at the end of December in Washington, DC? 2) How did he get Frosty’s hat to stay on his head? 3) How did he find my secret scrub stash and why did he wear them out to shovel snow?
Anyway – I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a rather charming and creative way to spend a Sunday after a snowstorm. But watch out, Frosty: I’d like to eat your heart out!
December 19th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
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How deep is the snow? Judging by my balcony, at least a foot and a half. I asked Mr. DrVal to demonstrate for you with a tape measure – of course, our mischevious kitty, Ona (full name is Ona Riss Kitty) wanted to be in the photo as well.
I caught these guys (second photo) digging out a Politico newspaper vending machine. Seemed like a very DC thing to do.
Of course, having grown up in Canada, the snow storm didn’t faze me much. I ventured out to get a salad, some frozen yogurt, and to see the movie Avatar. That was well worth the walk to the theater (saw it in all its 3-D wonder)!
Mr. DrVal summed it up with his usual dry wit, “It’s The Lion King meets An Inconvenient Truth.”
Please go see it though – the effects are really amazing.
All in a winter’s day…