Heart Disease
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“Poor protoplasm” and coronavirus: How the state of our overall health affects our ability to weather COVID-19
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
During my medical training in the 80s, we treated a lot of very sick patients. When things went south, as they inevitably did, we fatalistically blamed patients’ declines on their “poor protoplasm.” What is poor protoplasm? As with the oft-quoted…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
Top Ten worst health stories of 2019 (Part 1)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s that time of year again! Time to pay homage to some of the worst accomplishments of waning 2019: Worst songs, worst movies, worst fashions, worst tech gifts, etc. This week, I’m reprising my annual rendition of the year’s worst…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
Leyla Weighs In: The dangers of very low cholesterol
By Leyla Muedin MS, RD, CDN
Cholesterol is not a foe in and of itself. Here’s why: Cholesterol is a necessary substance in our bodies. It’s part of all of our cell membranes—the phospholipid membrane. As much as 80 percent of cholesterol is produced by the…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
The weak case against saturated fats
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Saturated fats continue to be demonized by health “authorities.” The American Heart Association persists in recommending: “Eat an overall healthy dietary pattern that emphasizes: a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish.” It urges…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
Ask Leyla: What does my elevated LDL say about my heart risk?
By Leyla Muedin MS, RD, CDN
Q: I am a 71-year young man in excellent condition. At my last physical, my HDL was 63, triglycerides 55, and LDL is 173. I’ve been told this is on the high side for LDL. How do I reduce my…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
Does this statin make me look fat?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s been conclusively demonstrated that people who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs—especially women—are more prone to Type 2 diabetes, the kind associated with being overweight. So much so that the FDA issued a black box warning saying that statin drugs could…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
Fish oil declared worthless for heart disease . . . until it became a profitable drug!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
We’ve long been convinced that fish oil was heart-healthy. It totally makes sense. The first intimation that it was beneficial came in the 70s from epidemiological studies of Eskimos who, consuming massive amounts of oily fish and whale and seal…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
You should get a second opinion on statin use—and here’s why
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I’m often called upon to render a second opinion on whether a patient should take a statin or not. The scenario is usually something like this: A middle-aged patient undergoes a routine blood test and is told by their physician…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
Ask Leyla: How concerned should I be about Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)
By Leyla Muedin MS, RD, CDN
Q: Recently I have been reading about the amount of AGEs in various foods. Meats are among the highest, especially when roasted, grilled or otherwise cooked at high temperatures. How concerned should a person be about the amount of AGEs in…read more
Categories: Heart Disease
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Though we think of declining estrogen as the hallmark of menopause, it's actually common for…
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Up to 12 percent of Americans have ulcers at some point in life. Peptic ulcers…
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Gallbladder disease is a modern illness. An estimated 20 million Americans have gallbladder disease. The…
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Q: My mother is otherwise healthy, takes no medications and walks daily for exercise, but she…
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More mask misdirection (and some possible clarity): I’m finally getting a handle on this mask…
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We are living in unprecedented and unpredictable times. It seems every day brings new recommendations…