by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Once I told a perfectly sane, intelligent and otherwise coherent patient to wait in the exam room to have blood work drawn. He smiled, said thanks and followed me out the door. I told him again he needed to come back into the room and wait to have blood drawn. He smiled, said thanks again and walked down the hall to leave. When he opened the door to go to the reception area I had to gently restrain him so he would actually listen to what I was telling him. He had no fear of the lab work itself. He was just nervous about being in an unfamiliar setting and didn’t comprehend what I was telling him.

If you’re like a lot of patients, you forget much of the advice your doctor gives you during an office visit by the time you walk out the door. You’re nervous, traumatized or more concerned about getting out of the building in one piece. Either that or the doctor was too rushed to give you the information in the first place.

We have a new article that provides general instructions on what to do after treatment for some common ailments. (The advice is generic. Always get specifics for your case.) I also wrote a follow-up on common misconceptions I see in my office.

Have you ever made any mistakes treating yourself at home?

James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H., is the publisher of www.MyFamilyDoctorMag.com, a Web site written by health-care providers for the general public.

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by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

Heard about the Johnson and Johnson recall? News came out today that they’ve expanded it. Most of the news stories I’ve seen about it don’t link to the list of recalled products so we thought we’d post a quick link. Here ya go:

http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com/

The site mentions specific lots of Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, Rolaids, Simply Sleep and St. Joseph. The complaint is some of these medicines have a musty odor and have caused a small number of people to experience fun stuff like nausea or diarrhea.

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by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

Just around the corner loom … dum, dum, duuuuum … New Year’s resolutions! Let the dieting begin!

This week, we focus on one type of diet that has not only your waist size but your entire physical health in mind: the food combining theory.

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by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

Impending kiddie sugar high scaring the heck out of you? How ’bout enticing them away with a steaming bowl of boiled jack o’ lantern guts (i.e. pumpkin soup)?

We’ve scoured the Web (get it? spider? no? OK) and unearthed pumpkin recipes galore.

Whatever you pick, just don’t tell the kids it’s healthy … unless you really want to scare them.

Happy Halloween!

—

• Healthy Halloween recipes–great for children, adults and parties.

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“Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest; therefore it adds volume to fill you up without adding extra calories.  Weight loss genius!  A common complaint often expressed by people on a weight loss diet is, “I’m hungry.”  A wise dieter knows that it’s not only how much you eat, but what you eat that makes the difference between a rumbling stomach and a fully belly.

“Fiber creates a sense of fullness that will leave you satisfied and better prepared to pass up seconds. If you build your meals and snacks around high fiber choices like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins and good fats, you’ll have a great combination that will make it less likely you will overeat.”

—What’s Your Diet Type?: Use the Power of Your Personality to Discover Your Best Way to Lose Weight, by Heather K. Jones, R.D., Mary Miscisin, M.S., and Ed Redard, M.D., May 2009, Hatherleigh Press, $19

“Once you announce that you plan to do something, the prospect of doing it becomes more real. At that point someone other than you is expecting something.  Even if that person doesn’t have a stake in your change, it makes a difference to know that someone is aware of your plan.  It’s a form of accountability.  If you don’t do whatever it is you plan to do, someone else will know that you didn’t do it.”

—A User’s Guide to Therapy: What to Expect and How You Can Benefit, by Tamara L. Kaiser, M.S.W., Ph.D., October 2008, W.W. Norton & Co., $18.95

IF YOU LIKE …

dessert

… TRY …

angel food cake topped with unsweetened frozen berries and fat-free whipped topping. (Let the berries defrost and get nice and juicy; add some fresh if you like.) One serving is around 200 calories.

—Jennifer Neily, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., L.D., health and wellness, exercise and sports nutrition expert in Dallas, Texas

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Of course not, you say.  Ridiculous.  But could a report by ABCNews.com about 64-year-old Oregon woman Barbara Wagner suggests otherwise?  When she was dying of lung cancer, the state insurance refused to pay for her cancer treatment because the drug didn’t give her a “5 percent survival after five years.”

Sarah Palin recently stirred up some controversy when she wrote she thought the congressional universal-health overhaul would lead to a “death panel,” a central group of chosen ”experts” in charge of making life-or-death decisions for everyday people.  She thought those disabled or elderly would fare the worst.  While many claim her assertions are ridiculous, the conservative online publication American Thinker suggests Wagner’s story is an example of just such death panels.

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by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

We’re tired of wondering.

As the world’s governments prepare for a potentially huge outbreak of H1N1 this fall, we regular people are left to wonder, what’s the big deal?  Are we supposed to be worrying?  Running around in mass panic?  Moving to caves in the hills?  Or is this all just a bunch of sensationalism?

So we’re going straight to the experts—to ask them our questions, and yours.

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IF YOU LIKE …

butter on baked potatoes

… TRY …

olive oil and balsamic vinegar for more flavor and less saturated fat.

—Robyn Priebe, R.D., C.D., Director of Nutrition, Green Mountain at Fox Run women’s health retreat, Ludlow, Vt.