It’s been a difficult month for patients and physicians alike. As a doctor, a mom and a daughter, I’ve been worried about a lot of different people. My 85-year-old mother, for example, lives in New York, about 1,300 miles from us. At first, I was worried about whether I should fly up to see her or fly her down to stay with us. I’m worried about her because she’s in the most at-risk group for complications from coronavirus. And if she stays home she will be by herself for weeks. Thankfully, my brother (and his family) lives nearby and can keep track.

You’re probably hearing a lot about different drugs that are being used to treat coronavirus. For example, choloroquine and its brand-named cousin Plaquenil were recently in the news.

The coronavirus is interrupting much of our normal routines right now, and most of us are spending a lot more time at home. Fortunately, many of your MDVIP benefits are still there for you — like having tools to support healthy living 24/7, inside and outside of the doctor’s office.

Reach Your Doctor 24/7

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the term social distancing has become a buzzword. Social distancing means remaining out of group settings (like church, small groups and restaurants), avoiding mass gatherings (like concerts, sporting events and festivals) and maintaining distance from other people when possible – think of this as a six-foot circle.

Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on what is healthy and what isn’t when it comes to eating. Should you eat fewer carbs or less fat? When should you eat more meals or fewer? Should you fast? What about superfoods? Is that plant-based burger healthy?

Nearly every day a new study comes out telling us what we should and shouldn’t eat. Peruse some recent headlines, for example:

Veggie burgers have been on the market for years. But when Burger King added the Impossible Burger to their menu, vegetarians and folks trying to limit their red meat intake might have thought they found heaven on Earth. 

Food manufacturers may have figured out how to improve the taste of meatless burgers, but what about the nutrition? Are plant-based burgers, which are highly processed, healthier than traditional hamburgers? 

Highlights from Kimberly Collins’ Nominations

The wife of a 94-year-old patient who had a recent fall felt his health was declining. She was scared and unwilling to call 911. Sensing her desperation, Kimberly drove six miles to their house and convinced them to call 911. Kimberly stayed by their side until the paramedics arrived. As a result, the patient was treated in the hospital and is now making a recovery in rehab.

Oprah’s 2019 annual list of favorite things included blue light blocking glasses -- prescription or non-prescription eye wear that filter out blue light on the higher end of the visible light spectrum. Blue light blocking glasses supposedly ease eye strain, help you sleep better and have gained popularity over the last few years. In fact, sales of these glasses are expected to surpass 27 million dollars by 2024, according to Market Watch. But are blue light glasses worth the investment? Here’s what you need to know.

Got milk? Despite the many dietary experts who have for decades been warning Americans of possible health issues tied to drinking milk, a new study claims drinking the dairy staple can slow aging.

To be sure, milk is polarizing. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) claims milk is healthy, while Harvard School of Public Health says it’s not.

Many people associate heart disease with men. But heart disease is also a woman’s disease. In fact, more women die from heart attacks each year than men. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women.

You might be thinking – what about breast cancer? Surprisingly, heart disease claims the lives of 300,000 women each year compared to 40,000 lives from breast cancer.