A mother, award-winning actress, renowned philanthropist and partner of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie appears to have it all. She is a vibrant woman who recently made the courageous decision to have a double mastectomy. Many women, especially those at heightened risk for breast cancer, may now be wondering if she made the best decision, and whether it is a decision they should also consider making.
Jolie underwent a preventive double mastectomy because she learned that she carries a rare mutation of the BRCA1 gene, which significantly boosts her risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. Her mother also died of ovarian cancer at 56. [...] Continue Reading…
Vomiting and diarrhea are common problems in infancy and childhood. Although many think of vomiting and diarrhea as “the flu,” it is not influenza.
Influenza is a viral illness causing high fever, headache, sore throat, cough, lethargy and other symptoms. Influenza rarely causes vomiting and diarrhea. The flu or influenza vaccine DOES NOT protect against vomiting and diarrhea. In most cases, a different virus causes vomiting and diarrhea, not the influenza virus. The virus responsible for vomiting and diarrhea causes gastroenteritis or an inflammation of the gastro-intestinal tract. The virus usually involves a fever and vomiting at the start of the illness, then diarrhea develops. Viral causes of diarrhea should resolve within one week. The diagnosis of gastroentiritis is usually based on symptoms, physical exam and sometimes the presence of similar cases in your community. In some cases, your provider may submit a stool sample to diagnose certain illnesses or rule out a bacterial or parasitic cause for vomiting and diarrhea. It is important to monitor the frequency and volume of vomiting and diarrhea. Monitor the amount of fluids and foods taken in and frequency of voiding or wet diapers. This information is helpful for your provider to understand the symptoms. [...] Continue Reading…
In Michigan, the spring and summer months bring an entire new array of outdoor activities that people of all ages take part in. One specific activity that only continues to grow in popularity is bicycling. Unfortunately, with popularity also comes an increased risk of danger. In fact, the death rate of youth bicyclists increases by 45% during the summer months alone (Safe Kids Coalition, 2009).
Why do these deaths occur? Most commonly, deaths due to a bicycle accident result because the bicyclist suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during the accident. The brain essentially acts as the computer of the body and when it undergoes trauma, it will stop [...] Continue Reading…
The start of the Boston Marathon is a special thing. I always experience nervous jitters as I enter “Athletes Village” on race morning which worsen as I proceed to the starting line. I get chills and usually well-up with emotion as our National Anthem is played. This year was no different. The starting gun went off, the legs started moving east toward Boston and I eagerly awaited the pain and excitement of the 26.2 miles ahead of me. The crowds seemed to be larger and more boisterous than my previous years here. Heartbreak Hill was just as painful as I recall from prior years.
I eventually entered Boston and took that final left turn onto Bolyston Street, where its amazing crowd didn’t seem to tire while offering continuous cheering. Approaching that Boston Marathon finishing tunnel after running 26 hilly miles is always just an incredible feeling. My legs were on fire and my lungs burned. My greatest annual running experience was again cherished as I crossed that historic finish line. I proceeded through the finish line and food/water areas while trying to not get sick. The physical anguish is so great that I promised myself, as I do every year, that this is the last marathon I’ll run. [...] Continue Reading…
Mainstream media is flooded with “popular diets.” Currently there are over 1,000 different diet books on the market. Each diet promises successful weight loss. Unfortunately, these diets are made up of many different weight loss strategies and stray from mainstream medical advice and healthy nutritional practice. Some popular diets such as Weight Watchers rely on long-standing medical advice like portion control and calorie reduction. Other diets however, seek to restrict certain nutritional elements in an attempt to cause a weight loss response in the body. The Atkins diet, for example, restricts carbohydrate intake, the Ornish diet restricts fat while the Zone diet attempts to moderate macronutrient balance and glycemic load. Unfortunately, data regarding the benefits, risks, effectiveness, and sustainability of popular diets is currently very limited. [...] Continue Reading…
Vehicle crashes due to distracted driving are a growing epidemic in the United States, and unfortunately the majority of accidents are caused by teen drivers. Accidents in this age group are typically caused by speeding, drinking and driving and/or distracted driving. Without any specific interventions to help alleviate these causes, this epidemic will only continue to grow.
The Governors Highway Safety Association recently reported that within the first 6-months of 2012, the death toll from vehicle crashes increased by 19% among teen drivers (16 – 17 year olds). Within the Borgess Medical Center Emergency Department (ED), it has been estimated that about 30% of all trauma that comes to the ED are due to vehicle crashes, and about 90% of these are due to distracted driving. [...] Continue Reading…
It was likely the most gruesome injury ever witnessed on a basketball court. Louisville basketball player Kevin Ware’s horrifying leg fracture (on March 31, 2013) may have been caused by previously undetected stress fractures or weakening of the bones.
Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York and a former sideline doctor for the New York Jets noted, “He came down hard, landing in an awkward way. That combined with an underlying bone issue or an existing stress fracture predisposes someone to this type of injury.” [...] Continue Reading…
Chances are you may know someone with Scoliosis- possibly from one of those screenings back in grade school. The prevalence of scoliosis is 1% to 2% in schoolchildren and 8% in those over 25. Many people choose to treat their scoliosis with the wait and see approach but there are other options.
As a physical therapist, I have done a lot of research on scoliosis management. I came across “The Schroth Method,” which is a treatment philosophy that attempts to restore the “normal” mechanics of the joints and muscles around the spine by focusing on posture, breathing and strengthening. [...] Continue Reading…
Filed under Recipes –
March 14, 2013 – 10:36 am
It’s Pi Day! Pi, as many of you may already know, is the mathematical ratio (rounded to 3.14) of a circle’s circumference to diameter. Celebrate with us by trying the Light & Lovely Strawberry Meringue Pie recipe from the Borgess Light Hearted Living Cookbook.
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup crushed saltines (about 12 crackers)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 pints fresh strawberries, divided
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 tub (8 oz) fat-free whipped topping
Now that you have the ingredients, you are ready to go! Follow the following steps and enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a mixing bowl, [...] Continue Reading…
Just what is Tourette’s syndrome?
Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder reported in 1885 by Gilles de la Tourette, a French neurologist, consisting of involuntary tics or movements. These tics are frequent, sudden, brief, intermittent and stereotyped. The frequency and severity of the tics may wax and wane over time.
What are the symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome?
There are two types of tics. The motor tics often consist of facial twitches, grimaces, shoulder shrugs, jerking, eye blinking, or obscene gestures. While the vocal tics may manifest as grunting, barking, sniffing, throat clearing, or swearing. [...] Continue Reading…
