by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

It’s time for our monthly Twitter roundup. This time, we have a ton of tweeters and bloggers to highlight. If you’re not on Twitter but like reading health blogs, just skip to the second section.

But before I get to that: a quick plug for our free preview issue since the offer ends Sunday. My Family Doctor is a unique, fun-to-read, trustworthy, magazine written by health-care providers for the general public. We feature the latest information on how to prevent and treat disease, tell you which alternative remedies really work, and tackle widespread myths and rumors.

Now, on to the Twitter fun.

(more…)

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

President Obama’s pick for the new surgeon general, Regina Benjamin, M.D., is drawing a little controversy.  She appears overweight.

Here at My Family Doctor we have a little argument going on whether this should matter.

(more…)

“For portion control on foods that you pour out of a container, such as cereal and dry pasta, keep the accurate portion-size measuring cup right in the package. This way you can scoop out a portion instead of easily pouring out more food than you need.”

—Janel Ovrut, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., registered dietitian, Fitness Works at Work, Sherborn, Mass.

by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

For Baby Boomers and more, it’s just plain dangerous to eat at Denny’s! So says the activist group Center for Science in the Public Interest, often called “the food police.” They’re suing Denny’s because, they say, its food has too much sodium. Some of the meals have more than the recommended daily limit for salt, CSPI says.

What do you think: Is this lawsuit necessary or ridiculous? Please vote in the poll at the end of this post. Here’s the background.

(more…)

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

The FDA released a public statement that pill splitting may be hazardous to your health.  They advise against the growing practice of asking your doctor for a tablet twice the strength you need, then halving it to make two doses. My Family Doctor has advocated this in the past as a way to save money.

They cite four reasons “why splitting is risky.”

(more…)

“Give the lifetime gift of nature to your grandchildren! Take them for walks, teach them gardening, talk with them under a tree, teach them how to respect and care for nature and to have fun in it.

“Nature nurtures, decreases stress, reduces depression and increases skills and joy just by being in it. It is a gift that lasts a lifetime and they can teach their children. Your grandchildren will love these times and you are creating wonderful memories for them.”

—Donna LaMar, Ph.D., Psy.D., clinical psychologist, The Farm: Where Living Things Grow Inc., using nature in therapy, Fremont, Mich.

What are your favorite active things to do with kids? Please share in the comments section.

“Almost every patient I have seen wants whiter teeth, and some opt for in-office whitening and other use store-bought kits. A secret weapon that I tell them all about is the mouthwash with whitening properties by Listerine. It helps maintain the whitening treatment and also whitens teeth that haven’t been treated.”

—Dana Gelman-Keiles, D.M.D., board-certified dentist, Northern Westchester Dental Center, New York

“Restaurant portions are two to three times what you would serve yourself. Plan ahead by splitting an entrée, or doggy bagging before you even start. The more you are served, the more you are likely to eat, so only serve yourself a reasonable portion.”

—Jill Jayne, M.S., R.D., president and “Rockstar Nutritionist,” Note to Health LLC, with interactive health presentations

How do you save calories? Please share your tips in the comments section.

by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

In our blog post about Twitter this week, we’re linking to interesting health articles and blogs, so even if you’re not on Twitter, you can benefit.

For those of you on Twitter, we thought it would be interesting to see who we tweeted about the most in June.  We’ve included a few of the posted links.  Enjoy!

Some People We Retweeted Most:

@2ndhelping
Recipes to make your own spice mixes. Fun!

(more…)