House Call, MD

by Marissa Camilon, MD 2011 | camilon@myhousecallmd.com

What it is? Where can you find it?

When we were kids, vitamin C lozenges were the equivalent of candy. Actually, they were even better than candy because they tasted great and they were healthy. As we grow older (and become more educated), we have to ask ourselves if this is really true.  Is all that delicious vitamin C actually good for our bodies?

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a “water-loving” vitamin that, like other vitamins, cannot be made in your body and must be consumed as part of your diet. Luckily, vitamin C can be found in lots of foods (not just citrus fruits). Other sources of vitamin C include potatoes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cabbage, strawberries and spinach. Once inside your body, vitamin C plays a role in a number of metabolic reactions, including making collagen, transferring fatty acids into specific parts of your cells, assisting in hormone production and helping your immune response.  It is also considered one of the “antioxidant” vitamins. Read the rest of this entry →

by Tania Houspian, PharmD 2011 | houspian@myhousecallmd.com

Most patients know their medications by one of their two names. Even more patients will wonder why their medications need two names. Is it a first and a last name? Are they having an identity crisis? Why in the world can’t we just pick one name and all call it that? The answers to the questions above: are no, no and we do. For further explanation keep reading.

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by Georgina Lee, PharmD 2011 | lee@myhousecallmd.com

Does your mind wander when you’re trying to study or read the newspaper?  Do you tend to switch the subject often when you’re having a conversation?  Do people call you “hyper” or “energetic” when you go out?  If the answer is yes to any of those questions, we’d like to congratulate you on being just like the rest of us who exhibit normal behavioral tendencies (like constantly flipping between radio stations while driving).  Then how exactly is one diagnosed with ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)? Currently, about 3-10% of children and 4% of adults worldwide have ADD/ADHD with a strong propensity for boys over girls (4 boys to every 1 girl).  According to the DSM-IV criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), ADD/ADHD is considered a childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorder in which the person has either inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity (or both) as defined by the following:

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by Marissa Camilon, MD 2011 | camilon@myhousecallmd.com

What is infertility? When should you see a doctor?

In a world where one woman can become famous for having eight children and celebrities can have children at practically any age, some people lose sight of why this aspect of medicine even exists. Despite the media’s glamorization of the subject, infertility is not a condition taken lightly by the medical community. Infertility is a serious condition, just like diabetes, asthma or cancer, with proven medical treatments available. Many of us take the ability to become pregnant for granted; something we think happens with the blink of an eye. We have to remember that the chance of becoming pregnant is 20% per month of unprotected intercourse (not 100%). As physicians, we begin to investigate infertility after a couple tries a year of regular, unprotected intercourse that does not lead to a pregnancy. We pick one year as the cutoff because 85% of couples will conceive within that time frame. If you and your partner have been trying for that long, or even longer in some cases, it may be time to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility specialist.

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by Joshua Goldman, MD, MBA | goldman@myhousecallmd.com

Summer vacations provide the opportunity to travel all over the globe.  While you can’t take your gym with you during your travels, there are plenty of ways to exercise while on the road.  Follow these tips to stay in shape while enjoying your time away from home:

1. Make the commitment: We have a tendency to abandon our workout routine while traveling.  Our recommendation: Don’t!  Commit to working out 3-5 times per week no matter what during your travels and stick to it.  You’ll have more energy and feel better throughout your trip (it’s science).
2. Take advantage of the local resources: Each region of the world has unique natural resources to enjoy.  Incorporate each region’s unique attributes into your exercise routine.  Try rock climbing in Utah, rowing on the Charles River in Boston, biking in the Swiss Alps, running in the streets of Florence or the hiking in the jungles of Panama.

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