Category Archives: Health stories
Slate: Is It Ethical to Prescribe Placebos?
It May Be Fake, but Trust Me—It’ll Work When is it kosher for doctors to prescribe placebos? Slate, March 16, 2011
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 … Continue reading →
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 … Continue reading →
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
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
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
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,
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
O, the Oprah Magazine: The problem with plastic
Problems with Plastic The Controversy Over BPA Heats Up O, The Oprah Magazine, May 2009
Marie Claire: Fertility 101
Fertility 101 What you need to know about biological clocks and fertility. Marie Claire, Jan 2009
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, … Continue reading →
Filed under Health stories, Sport
Tagged as health, New York Times, sport, triathlon
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
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
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
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 … Continue reading →
Bitten: the essential facts about Lyme Disease
Bitten 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 … Continue reading →
