Primary care physicians serve as healthy role models for their patients. But doctors don't always practice what they preach. From sleep issues and high stress to poor diet and weight problems, traditional primary care doctors report in the national MDVIP Physician Health Survey that the demands of their medical practices are negatively impacting their lives–which can affect the care they provide their patients. 

Coffee and donuts go together. The pairing even inspired the name of worldwide donut shop and coffeehouse – Dunkin’ Donuts. Why does coffee go so well with donuts, as well as coffee cake and pie?

In 2003 a new weight loss fad began emerging—high protein diets. For a while, these high-protein, low-carb diets seemed like the Holy Grail of weight loss.

Over time, many people found these diets difficult to sustain and associated with some health issues. The diets fell out of favor as a lifestyle but were still used as a quick weight-loss strategy. Yet, in the wake of high-protein diet heyday, many Americans were left with a sense that a high protein and low carbohydrate diet is healthy.

Eating Too Much Protein

Early menopause has long been associated with symptoms like weight gain, bone thinning and insomnia, but new research also links early-onset menopause and type 2 diabetes.

Late summer conditions create the perfect storm for people who suffer from migraines. High temperatures, high humidity and sun glare are common migraine triggers. So is dehydration. And late summer is the beginning of fall allergy season, with ragweed pollen and mold spores swirling in the heat. And—you guessed it—environmental allergies and sinus problems can also trigger migraines.

The gut microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes that live in our guts – may play a key role in overall health and several diseases. There’s also early evidence that different strains of gut bacteria can help protect against some cancers and heart disease.

We’re learning more about the gut microbiome every day, but we already know some eating choices can help or harm it. Here are some simple ways you can improve the health of your gut.

Introduce more “good” bacteria, naturally.

Eating the right foods for your heart is especially important if you have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACSVD), which occurs when plaque builds up in your arteries. A heart-healthy diet can also help prevent ACSVD. But if you’re confused about what to put in your grocery cart, you’re not alone.

Blue Zones are the places on earth where people stay healthier and live longer than other parts of the world. These include the Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Okinawa, Japan. What do these very different places around the world have in common? 

Now that the holiday season has ended, many of us will begin focusing on New Year’s resolutions. Weight loss consistently ranks as one of the most popular resolutions, along with other weight-related goals like drinking less alcohol, eating healthier foods and getting fit. However, the financial burden, emotional toll and fatigue left in the wake of the holiday season makes January one of the most stressful months of the year and stress can be a major road block in achieving goals, particularly weight loss.

Too many of us have felt the pain and hopelessness of Alzheimer’s disease. Today, more than 110 years after it was first discovered, we still do not have a cure.

There are treatments that can help with some of the symptoms, such as memory loss and confusion. But the relief is temporary. Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia in older people, will inevitably progress.

However, there may be ways to help prevent this devastating illness: simple, healthy choices you can and should make long before any sign of dementia appears.