by Leigh Ann Otte

Embryonic stem-cell research has been in the news lately. But how much do you really know about it? Where do embryonic stem cells come from? Why do many researchers want them when there are also adult stem cells? And what’s a stem-cell line?

We’ve published a quick Q&A to fill you in on the basics, and a more in-depth debate between two experts. Each expert weighs the facts and forms a different opinion. We’re interested: where do you stand?

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Leigh Ann Otte is the managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com and a freelance writer, editor and blogger.

by Leigh Ann Otte

Today, 4/20, is National Pot Smoking Day. Yeah, it’s unofficial. But around the country, people will be smoking marijuana at 4:20 p.m.

So we thought this would be the perfect moment to examine a different side of this illegal drug: the medical one.

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by Leigh Ann Otte

Choosing skin-care products can be daunting. There are so many claims, ingredients, formulations—and prices!

So we went straight to the experts. We asked three dermatologists which products they’d recommend—brand names and all. And they said there are plenty of great finds right in your neighborhood drugstore.

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by Leigh Ann Otte

Our universal health-care debates consistently rank as two of the most popular articles on the site. But when the bill passed last week, the comments section lit up like crazy.

People seem to need an outlet—somewhere to rant or rave, rather than just listen to the pundits do it. At the beginning, the comments were so, um, passionate? that we had to bleep quite a few naughty words. Now, though the bleeping has slowed, the fire remains.

Have you felt the need to vent about your feelings on universal health care—positive or negative? How have you done it? Did it make you feel better?

You can check out the debates here:

• Doctors Debate Universal Health Care: Pros and Cons From the Experts
• Obama’s Health Care Plan: Doctors Debate Pros and Cons

Leigh Ann Otte is the managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com.

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

The most popular article in our latest e-newsletter took on a simple, long-time first-aid remedy: hydrogen peroxide. Believe it or not, it may do your cuts more harm than good.

After our managing editor tweeted a link to it, Twitter follower Ross Kennedy asked, “What about gargling with diluted peroxide?” Good question.

I’m not aware of any well-done studies that have shown that gargling with peroxide helps prevent infections. It probably doesn’t hurt, as long as it’s well diluted. (Otherwise, it can cause a burn.) One study did suggest that gargling with plain old water might help keep you cold-free. But the validity of its findings has been questioned.

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by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

Remember when the experts were telling us to eat more soy? Tofu, edamame—lap it up! Then, wouldn’t ya know it, we were told it causes cancer. Thyroid problems. Male infertility. Too much of a good thing …

In “The Soy Controversy,” registered dietitian Janel Ovrut considers the evidence to give us the bottom line: what we know and what we don’t about soy right now.

What do you think? Do you eat soy? Has it ever worried you? I, for one, love it. Roasted soy butter (like peanut butter), edamame, tofu … yum ….

by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

Did you know it’s legal to sell meat from cloned animals–but the USDA has asked companies not to because people are wary of it? We just posted a debate about whether it really is safe here.

Though meat from cloned animals isn’t supposed to be in your grocery store, meat from their offspring has been there for years. Proponents say it’s no different than regular meat. Skeptics say we don’t know that yet. What do you think? (You can share here or in the article’s comments section.)

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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 saying.

If you’re like a lot of patients, you forget much of the advice your doctor gives 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 & Johnson recall? News came out today that they’ve expanded it. Most of the stories I’ve seen don’t link to the list of recalled products, so we thought we’d post a quick link. Here ya go.

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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