Doctor Column
Not All Calories Are Created Equal — ‘ISOCALORIC’ (Not) ‘ISOMETABOLIC’
June 15, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Over the past 35 years, the number of calories we ingest has increased significantly. More importantly, the quality of the calories we take in has dramatically plummeted.
“What’s It All About?” — Calories, Weight Loss, Basal Metabolic Rate
June 5, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
As gasoline fuels cars, calories fuel our bodies. A calorie measures the energy in the food we eat. Today, it seems everyone is counting calories. The human body requires a minimum amount of premium fuel (good calories) to keep the engines of its organs running smoothly. That is to say, the interactions of foods and digestion provide the vital energy needed by the heart, kidneys, lungs and other systems to function well.
“Tension-Type” Headache? What it is and what it is not
May 25, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Headaches can be baffling. They can be divided into two categories: Secondary headaches are symptoms secondary to a known disease process. For example, the headache might be due to sinusitis or tumors. Primary headaches, such as tension-type and migraine headaches, have no known recognized disease process causing the pain.
Five Herbal-Drug Interactions
May 15, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Ginkgo biloba is one of the most extensively studied herbs in the U.S. and Europe. Ginkgo is a spectacular tree that has been in existence for millions of years. It can live for more than a thousand years, grow to a height of 122 feet and is considered by some to be one of the wonders of the world — a “living fossil.”
Peptic Ulcers, H. pylori and Two Australians
May 5, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
For many years, peptic ulcers were considered to be caused by too much acid in the stomach, as well as, being a psychosomatic problem (a physical disease) brought on by mental stress and anxiety.
Earth Day, Fasting and Hypoglycemia — Low Blood Sugar
April 22, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Earth Day, first observed in 1970, is expected to energize a billion people in over 180 countries on April 22 to dramatize the need to protect our environment.
Clinical Trials: “Are They Safe or Dangerous?”
April 10, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
In the late 1950/s and early 1960’s, pregnant women worldwide used a “wonder drug” promoted to combat a variety of conditions including morning sickness, insomnia and depression. Thousands of women who took the drug were horrified when they gave birth to babies with misshapen hands, feet, arms or legs.
Five Alarming Food-Drug Interactions
March 28, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Medications have cured many sick people. However, medications when combined with certain foods have made many healthy people sick. Some foods decrease the absorption of drugs in the body and make them less effective, because not enough drugs get into the blood stream. On the other hand, certain foods can interfere with the excretion of drugs increasing the amount of them in the body. The more drugs in the system, the greater the possibility of toxic side reactions.
The Significance of Waist To Hip Ratio — Are You An Apple or A Pear?
March 8, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Smoking is presently the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States However, obesity is in position to overtake that cancer enabler and become the leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S.
Special Needs of Vegetarians. ‘What You May Be Lacking in Your Diet’
February 24, 2017
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
People can be passionate about their diets. At times, it seems that on one side of the fence someone is opining, “In order to be healthy, your body needs beef, fish or chicken.” On the other side, another is screeching, “You’re crazy. A vegetarian diet is perfectly healthy.” There is room for both of these attitudes but is a vegan diet perfectly healthy?
