From Arthritis to Zoster

Randy Quaid uttered a pertinent line in “Independence Day,” when the aliens arrived en masse and started trashing the neighborhood:
“I been sayin’ it for ten damned years. Ain’t I been sayin’ it??”
I wasn’t long into medical practice when I realized that the system which brings drugs to the American market is fatally flawed. Early on, […]

A balanced immune system is the key to survival on a planet where we are but one of myriad species of organisms. Maintaining such balance is growing more and more difficult, however, because we are increasingly exposed to challenges that threaten our well-being. Since 1940, for instance, approximately 80,000 new synthetic compounds have been added […]

Okay. Several people have asked me where the “Doom” handle originated. Below is a journal entry that, I hope, serves to explain. It has been “doctored” for expediency’s sake: 
My friends call me “Doc.” My good friends call me “Doom.” Folks from the latter group (admittedly a small one) have toiled beside me through some very […]

It’s all about balance.
One of the things I appreciate about ayurvedic philosophy is its emphasis on achieving and maintaining balance. That’s something we cast aside long ago in our culture, for now we seem enslaved by the idea that—no matter what the cost—productivity and consumption must continue. Indeed, we have elevated this concept almost […]

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning it arises from our immune system’s inappropriate attempt to reject our own tissues. This, in turn, flips on the inflammation switch. There are several dozen known (or likely) autoimmune illnesses—lupus, sarcoidosis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, certain types of anemia, myasthenia gravis, and even some cases of diabetes are all […]