As a neurologist working in the COVID Survivorship Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, I find that my patients all have similar issues. It’s hard to concentrate, they say. They can’t think of a specific word they want to use, and they are uncharacteristically forgetful. Those who come to our cognitive clinic are among…
The creamy, pale green flesh of an avocado is full of nutrients closely tied to heart health. Now, a long-term study finds that eating at least two servings of this popular fruit per week is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Study co-author Dr. Frank Hu, the Frederick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition…
Discovering the cause of a disease is not easy. One reason is that the vast majority of diseases do not have a single cause. Instead, most diseases occur because multiple factors combine to cause the disease. One factor is genes. Some people are born with one or more genes that make them vulnerable to a…
In late March, the FDA approved a new therapy for advanced prostate cancer that is metastasizing, or spreading, in the body. Called Pluvicto (and also lutetium-177-PSMA-617), and delivered by intravenous infusion, the treatment can seek out and destroy tumors that are still too small to see with conventional types of medical imaging. Pluvicto is approved…
Most people want to feel energized and experience a sense of vitality. In the 1970s, Dr. John Travis created a spectrum of wellness, with illness on one side, a point of neutrality in the middle (when a person has no signs or symptoms of disease), and on the other side wellness. Wellness is a state…
We all experience moments of indulgence that lead to overeating. If it happens once in a while, it’s nothing to worry about. If it happens frequently, you may wonder if you have an overeating problem or “food addiction.” Before you worry, know that neither of those is considered an official medical diagnosis. In fact, the…
Ahem! Ahem! Ever feel the need to move the mucus that annoyingly sits all the way at the back of your mouth? Most of us do at one time or another. The sensation usually lasts for just a few days when dealing with symptoms of a common cold. But what happens if throat clearing lingers…
In parts of the United States and Canada, warming temperatures driven by climate change may be contributing to a rise in tick-borne illnesses. Ticks are now thriving in a wider geographic range, and appearing earlier and sticking around later in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. That means we need to stay vigilant about…
Concussions are very common — in fact, they are the most common kind of traumatic brain injury (TBI). While most people recover completely, concussions sometimes lead to lifelong problems, as we’ve learned from the experiences of former National Football League players. That’s why it’s important that we do everything we can to not just prevent…
When you think about progressive brain disorders that cause dementia, you usually think of memory problems. But sometimes language problems — also known as aphasia — are the first symptom. What’s aphasia? Aphasia is a disorder of language because of injury to the brain. Strokes (when a blood clot blocks off an artery and a…