It May Be Fake, but Trust Me—It’ll Work
When is it kosher for doctors to prescribe placebos?
Slate, March 16, 2011
Category Archives: Health stories
· 10:50 pm
Los Angeles Times: The New Mammography Guidelines, a Year Later
The change in mammogram guidelines After a federal panel pulled back its recommendations for screenings, a debate continues to rage about the wisdom or risk of it.
The Los Angeles Times, March 7, 2011
Here, I write about the US Preventative Services Task Force breast cancer screening guidelines and explain why the Task Force recommended against routine mammography for women in their 40′s.
· 10:49 pm
Los Angeles Times: Chose the Right Health Charity
How to chose a health charity.
How to vet a charity before you give.
The Los Angeles Times, December 6, 2010
· 10:47 pm
Los Angeles Times: the Downside of Breast Cancer Awareness
The downside of awareness campaigns
Despite the pink ribbon push, cancer deaths have dropped only slightly. And the focus on awareness may be pushing more women into treatment unnecessarily.
The Los Angeles Times, October 4, 2010
· 10:46 pm
Runner’s World: Find the Right Specialist for Your Injury
Quality Care
When you’re hurt, speed recovery by finding the best specialist for your injury.
Runner’s World, July 2010
· 10:43 pm
Runner’s World: 7 Most Common Running Injuries
The Big 7 Body Breakdowns
How to avoid (and recover from) the most common running injuries.
Treat and Prevent Running Injuries
Runner’s World, March 2011
· 6:14 am
Miller-McCune: convincing the public to accept new medical evidence
Rational Arguments: Convincing the Public to Accept New Medical Guidelines
In the age of “truthiness” it’s not the evidence, but the narrative that matters most.
Miller-McCune, April 20, 2010
· 6:13 am
Reader’s Digest: Vitamin Truths and Lies
Vitamin Truths and Lies
Why most vitamin supplements won’t make you healthier and might even hurt you.
Reader’s Digest, April 2010
· 6:09 am
Los Angeles Times: Sharing Bad News Via Social Media
There are Many Ways to Share Bad News
More people are using electronic forms of communication to share medical news and updates. Web pages, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and blogs can spread the word quickly, but critics believe such news demands a more personal approach.
Los Angeles Times, April 19, 2010
· 6:07 am
Los Angeles Times: Hospice Primer
Hospice Care Helps Patients and Loved Ones
Here’s what you need to know about this increasingly popular end-of-life care.
Los Angeles Times, January 22, 2010
· 6:04 am
Los Angeles Times: The Trouble With Mammograms
The Trouble With Mammograms
The exams lead to overdiagnosis, causing women to go through treatment for breast cancers that wouldn’t kill them.
Los Angeles Times, August 17, 2009
· 6:02 am
Los Angeles Times: exercise genes
Blame Your DNA?
Study: Genes may detemine if you’re a fitness fanatic or a couch potato.
Los Angeles Times, September, 2009
· 6:00 am
Reader’s Digest: how to spot a bogus health fad
How to Spot a Bogus Health Fad
Learn what to ask before buying into the latest health fad.
Reader’s Digest,
· 5:59 am
Runner’s World: the pill problem
The Pill Problem
The right drug can relieve pain and discomfort—or put you in a world of hurt. Why you should think twice before popping a pain pill before running.
Runner’s World, May, 2009
· 5:57 am
O, the Oprah Magazine: The problem with plastic
Problems with Plastic
The Controversy Over BPA Heats Up
O, The Oprah Magazine, May 2009
· 5:53 am
Marie Claire: Fertility 101
Fertility 101
What you need to know about biological clocks and fertility.
Marie Claire, Jan 2009
March 21, 2011 · 5:39 am
New York Times: Why have recent triathlon deaths occured during the swim portion?
Deaths Draw Attention to Triathlon Swim
While triathlon deaths remain rare, a puzzling resemblance is beginning to present itself: all recorded deaths in the last two years have happened during the swim portion of the event.
The New York Times, July 31, 2008
Filed under Health stories, Sport
Tagged as health, New York Times, sport, triathlon
· 5:37 am
New York Times: Should parents give their kids placebos?
Experts Question Placebo Pill for Children
Should deception play a role in helping a child feel better?
The New York Times, May 27, 2008
· 4:55 am
Men’s Journal: Ignore this health advice
Health Advice You Can Safely Ignore
Seven bits of conventional wisdom that turn out to be dead wrong.
Men’s Journal
March 20, 2011 · 5:28 am
New York Times: The American Cancer Society’s deceptive awareness campaign about skin cancer
Doctors Balk at Cancer Ad, Citing Lack of Evidence
Some doctors are questioning a cancer society ad campaign on sunscreen because most skin cancer is not life-threatening.
The New York Times, July 10, 2007
· 5:13 am
O, the Oprah Magazine: My Achy-Breaky Parts
My Achy-Breaky Parts
That stabbing pain in your neck. That weird pang in your hips. And, ach your aching back. Can this body be saved, or at least temporarily put out of its misery? Christie Aschwanden tells how to handle the inevitability of aging, from snaps and pops to crackles and crunches.
O, The Oprah Magazine
March 19, 2011 · 10:14 pm
Bitten: the essential facts about Lyme Disease
What every hiker needs to know about Lyme disease.
Backpacker
A feature package about Lyme disease, including risk factors, symptoms and stats, prevention tips and a sidebar about the controversy about chronic Lyme disease. This story first appeared in Backpacker magazine, and was reprinted in Men’s Health.
