February 2011 – Dr. Walt Larimore

28Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Are full-body airport scanners safe?

Air travel has not been the same since September 11, 2001, when 3 commercial airplanes were hijacked and transformed into lethal weapons. Air passengers have since become accustomed to increased security, but the latest attempt to detect would-be terrorists has been mired in controversy. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun to ramp up the deployment of whole-body backscatter scanners at security checkpoints in airports across the United States. These scanners deliver narrow, low-density x-ray beams over the entire person, front and back. The radiation is delivered at high speed and reflects off the body and presumably on objects that may be hidden on the person; the aim is to detect any hidden weapons or explosive devices. However, despite assurances from the TSA and the US Food and Drug Administration…

28Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Taking small breaks from sitting may help heart and metabolic health

Heart Health

Does lunch in front of a computer make us eat more? Two of my recent blogs warned of sitting too long in front of a computer at work: Does lunch in front of a computer make us eat more? Computer time may be linked to increased heart risks Now Bloomberg News reports that "taking small breaks from sitting down such as standing for phone calls or walking to see colleagues may trim office workers' waistlines and help their heart and metabolic health." (more…)

28Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Update on Anastasha’s Family — Exciting news!

Marriage and Family Health

Readers of this blog were deeply touched by the journey of family physician, Craig DeLisi, his wife, Tonya, and their children during the prenatal life, birth and death of their daughter and sister Anastasha. (You can read the series here) (more…)

25Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Scalp cooling may help patients undergoing chemotherapy save their hair

Cancer

One of the more disturbing parts of some chemotherapy regimens, at least for my female patients, is the partial or complete loss of their hair. There's been almost nothing we physicians could do about this problem ... but that may be changing: (more…)

25Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Shingles vaccine dramatically reduces risk of outbreaks

Children's Health, General Health, Parenting

Readers of this blog know of my fondness for immunizations. For my patients, I recommended the shingles vaccine for people 60 years of age or older and the chicken pox vaccine for children. Unfortunately, both vaccines are quite underutilized. For those of you who are unvaccinated against the varicella zoster virus, I hope this blog will help you to consider updating your vaccinations. (more…)

25Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Screen time (TV and computer) may be linked to increased heart risks

Children's Health, Heart Health, Mental Health, Parenting

In multiple past blogs (see below) I've told you of the harms of too much screen time (TV, computer, video games, etc.) for your children. Many experts join me in encouraging you to limit your children to no more than two hours a day (at an absolute maximum). Now we're beginning to see more data on us adults. (more…)

23Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Spoilage and labeling errors with some omega-3 and -6 supplements

Alternative Medicine, Nutritional Health

A new report on the quality of omega-3 and -6 fatty acid supplements made from seed oils was recently released by ConsumerLab.com. Only 11 of 17 products selected for testing met quality criteria for freshness and labeling. (more…)

23Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

“Eggsploitation” documentary tells women of egg donation risks

Bioethics, Woman's Health

Advances in medical technology frequently come with ethical problems, as well as scientific concerns and issues. Egg donation, for women, is no different. Jennifer Lahl of the Center for Bioethics and Culture has been one of the leading advocates for women in terms of highlighting the problems they face with egg donations, which provide scientists for eggs frequently used in cloning and embryonic stem cell research. (more…)

23Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Music really does effect the brain

Mental Health

It turns out pople like music for the same reason they like eating or having sex: It makes the brain release a chemical (dopamine) that gives pleasure," according to a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. (more…)

21Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Bright light therapy may benefit older patients with depression

Mental Health

The New York Times "Well" blog reported that, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, bright light therapy, currently used to help patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), may also benefit older patients with depression. (more…)

21Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Study warns that splitting pills can be dangerous

General Health

Physicians frequently recommend that caregivers split pills to give patients smaller doses than are available by prescription, but that process can produce wide variation in dosages, particularly if a commercial pill-splitter is not used and often even if one is employed, Belgian researchers report. (more…)

21Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Physical activity helps improve walking speed in those with osteoarthritis

General Health, Joint Health

MedPage Today reported that, according to a paper in Arthritis & Rheumatism, "increasing physical activity over two years can improve function and even walking speed among adults with osteoarthritis of the knee -- regardless of their level of activity." (more…)

18Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Even More Evidence That the BCP Causes Unrecognized Abortions

Bioethics, Woman's Health

I’ve published two academic articles on the likely association between the birth control pill (BCP) and unrecognized abortions (the so-called “post-fertilization effect” of the pill): (more…)

18Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Pop Star’s Use of Salvia Puts Hallucinogen in the Spotlight

Children's Health, General Health, Parenting

After a video surfaced on the Internet of pop star Miley Cyrus -- giggling and semi-coherent, holding a bong -- many wondered what the 18-year-old singer had inhaled. According to Cyrus, her addled state was the effect of taking in smoke from the leaves of the Salvia divinorum plant, including its active ingredient, a potent hallucinogen called "salvinorin A." (more…)

18Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

New clinical guidelines on tonsillectomies in children published

Children's Health

I find that most parents and many primary care physicians are confused about when a child should and should not be considered for a tonsillectomy. The CNN "The Chart" blog is reporting that, according to Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, of SUNY Downstate Medical Center, "over half a million tonsillectomies are done every year in the United States." (more…)

16Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Anger at God Common During Times of Crisis

General Health, Mental Health, Spiritual Health

Although people rarely talk about it, almost everyone experiences anger toward God at some point in their lives, commonly after the diagnosis of a serious illness, the death of a loved one, or a trauma. (more…)

16Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

FDA advises against purchasing drinks sold as supplements for sexual enhancement

Alternative Medicine, Men's Health, Nutritional Health

It seems that there are new warnings almost weekly from the FDA regarding potential dangers of certain over-the-counter natural medications (herbs, vitamins, or supplements). The reason is that these substances are virtually unregulated here in the United States and unscrupulous manufacturers constantly take advantage of this to make money at your expense. (more…)

16Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Taking low-dose aspirin and NSAIDs can be a challenge

General Health, Heart Health

I have many patients who are taking low-dose (81 mg) aspirin (ASA) daily and who wonder if they can take a Non-Steroidal Ant-Iinflammatory Drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) for pain or fever. (more…)

14Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

A Dozen of My Blogs About Chocolate

Nutritional Health

Here are my last dozen blogs about chocolate from over the last year or so. Enjoy! Literally!! And, Happy Valentine's Day!!! (more…)

14Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Is Chocolate the Next Super Food?

Mental Health, Nutritional Health

Giving your sweetie chocolate for Valentine's Day may show you care for their health as well as their heart. (more…)

14Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Chocolate: The Love Drug . . . And Why It’s Good for You

Mental Health, Nutritional Health

For many, Valentine’s Day is the greatest of holidays, because it celebrates love and ardor. One of the most widely offered Valentine’s Day gifts is chocolate. Chocolate is a complex material possessing numerous compounds, which act upon the brain, producing a sense of delight that no other substance can replicate. (more…)

11Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

What Natural Medications are Possibly Effective for the Common Cold?

Alternative Medicine

Possibly Effective: ANDROGRAPHIS (Possibly Effective) View ALL Products Containing: ANDROGRAPHIS Common cold Some clinical research shows that taking a specific andrographis extract, in combination with Siberian ginseng (Kan Jang, Swedish Herbal Institute) orally, significantly improve symptoms of the common cold when started within 72 hours of symptom onset. Some symptoms can improve after 2 days of treatment. It typically takes 4-5 days of treatment before there is maximal symptom relief (2744,2773,2774,5784,10795,12380). Some research suggests this combination of andrographis and Siberian ginseng relieves cold symptoms better than Echinacea or placebo in children (12381). BIFIDOBACTERIA (Possibly Effective) View ALL Products Containing: BIFIDOBACTERIA Respiratory tract infections Some clinical research shows children ages 3 to 5 years who attend day-care centers have significantly fewer influenza-like respiratory symptoms when given milk containing a specific combination…

11Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Echinacea demonstrates little benefit in treating common cold

Alternative Medicine

In my book, Alternative Medicine: The options, the claims, the evidence, how to choose wisely I write, "Millions of people take echinacea because they're convinced it works to combat the common cold, for which there of course, is no cure." (more…)

11Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Patients knowingly given placebo report relief

Bioethics, Medical Economics

Placebo treatment, it turns out, can actually significantly influence subjective symptoms. (more…)

11Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Tips for parents: Do NOT use children’s medicine cups

Children's Health, Parenting

Wouldn't you think that the measuring cups that come with childhood medications would be accurate? Apparently that's NOT the case. (more…)

09Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Update On Anastasha’s Family – 3 months after birth and death

Children's Health, Parenting

Many of you followed my blog series on Anastasha. Here's the most recent information I've received from her daddy, family physician Craig DeLisi, about how their family is doing since the loss of their newborn daughter, Anastasha, who passed away not long after birth from anencephaly: (more…)

09Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Interview: Dr. Walt Says Opportunities Abound To Bring Faith Into Medicine

International Health, Medical Missions

Here's an interview with me, from HCJB Global, about my teaching time at a large international medical conference in Quito, Ecuador, last month. (more…)

09Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Dr. Walt Teaches “Spirituality Plays Key Role” at Annual Medical Conference in Ecuator

International Health, Medical Missions

Last month Barb and I were privileged to travel to Quito, Equator to participate in a medical mission trip and for me to teach at a large international medical conference. Here's an article from HCJB Global about my teaching and the conference: (more…)

09Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Investigator Planned to Make Vast Profit From Autism/MMR Vaccine Scare

Bioethics, Children's Health, Medical Economics, Parenting

Andrew Wakefield, the lead author on the 1998 study that reported a link between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and a new condition of regressive autism and bowel disease called autistic enterocolitis (AE), was planning to market a prestudy diagnostic testing kit with expected yearly sales of 28 million pounds (43 million US dollars), a new paper published online in the BMJ reports. (more…)

07Feb 2011 by Walt Larimore

Does lunch in front of a computer make us eat more?

Nutritional Health

Many of us eat lunch parked in front of a computer, but that habit might be boosting our appetite for dessert, a small study suggests. (more…)