Our society attributes emotional attachment to the heart. Phrases such as "kind-hearted" or "cold-hearted" or "heartbreak" suggest that we think of the heart as the source, or the victim, of experiences that trigger intense emotional responses. Many of us have heard of people who lost their life mate, and died soon after, "of a broken heart". From a scientific perspective, this had not been proven if it was even possible until very recently. In 1990, in Japan, doctors describ

Entire textbooks are written about diabetes, and this blog will only scratch the surface of this condition. The goal is to give a simple overview of this condition, and why it is important to understand. Alabama and Mississippi have the highest rates of diabetes and obesity in the nation. This is not a coincidence. Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where your body's cells become resistant to insulin, and as a result, blood glucose levels rise. This results in potential short ter

I get asked this question on a daily basis - what can I do to cut the amount I pay for medicines? This is a common problem patients face, and doctors grapple with. First, why do medicines cost so much? Because drug companies have to pay scientists to design drugs, put it through testing first in a lab, then on animals, then in humans, then in a large scale human trial, just to get it in front of the FDA. The FDA has become much more demanding of the pharmaceuticals after gett

So you got a stent in an artery of your heart......hopefully your doctor talked to you about the changes to your life you will need to make moving forward, and the five medications that we know to save lives after a heart attack. Here are my thoughts on caring for your heart - note that this blog does not replace the advice of your doctor. Nor does this blog constitute medical advice. These are general principles I use to discuss with my patients. There are always unique situ