Columnists Archives

Dr. William B. Applegate and Dr. Christopher C. Colenda: A broken system and broken promises on health care | Columnists

October 13, 2020

Many of Trump’s allies and supporters have disingenuously tried to praise the job our current president has done. It is hard for us to fathom that our older patients can accept these assertions given the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Others will attribute these sad events to “misfortune” or “bad luck.” Our interpretation is that these events, particularly for older voters who supported the current leadership, are an unprecedented betrayal.

Dr. William B. Applegate is president and Dean Emeritus of Wake Forest University Health Sciences and professor of medicine, geriatrics and gerontology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Christopher C. Colenda is president emeritus of West Virginia University Health System in Morgantown, W.Va., and dean emeritus of the College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Sciences in Bryan, Texas.

Also contributing to this column were Dr. Dan G. Blazer, a professor emeritus of the Department of Psychiatry and

To Your Good Health: Night urination is a sleep disruptor | Columnists

October 12, 2020

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| Good Health

ANSWER: There are several reasons for you to be concerned. Your BMI is 28.3, in the overweight range. Your age is 64, which tends to predict progression to diabetes at a higher rate than younger people. You are taking Lipitor, which also tends to speed progression to diabetes. Finally, your A1C is 5.7%, which is just in the prediabetes range. With all of these, you have a significant risk of developing diabetes in the next few years.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing diabetes. The most important are diet and exercise. Your diet should have very little concentrated sweets, such as fruit juice or candy. You should also avoid processed starches, such as white bread, white rice, and pasta — all of which are rapidly converted to sugar, starting as soon as your saliva starts to digest them. A dietitian nutritionist can provide

To Your Good Health: Poll worker looking for clarity on Election Day COVID risks | Columnists

October 11, 2020

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| Good Health

Health care workers taking care of people with known COVID-19 wear multiple layers of personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, gowns and face shields. Gloves are changed after every interaction and then hand hygiene is performed. This combination is very effective (though sadly not perfectly), but the best PPE can be hard to find. I would obtain PPE now if you plan to work. Multilayer cloth masks provide protection and are easy to obtain.

A 30-year-old and a 60-year-old have about the same risk of acquiring COVID-19, but a 30-year-old has much lower chance of having a severe complication.

The question of quarantine is one of local guidelines, and my advice to you or your son would depend entirely on the local prevalence in your area.

While health care workers go into the field understanding that there may be some risk to themselves from taking care of sick and potentially

Midlands Voices: Let’s focus on meeting Nebraska’s rural health care challenges | Columnists

October 11, 2020

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| Community Health

Rural communities that are vibrant, growing and healthy enjoy a handful of similar resources. One is access to education, and another is access to health care. Ask yourself this question: “Would I move my family to a community that does not meet my needs and expectations as they relate to education and health care?” The answer is no!

Access to health care services is vital to recruit and retain businesses and the jobs they bring. After a great deal of hard work, Gothenburg was able to create the right environment to attract Fortune 500 companies. Access to quality health care services was critical to this process. To many seeking the good life in rural Nebraska, driving 20 miles, instead of 100 for a checkup or procedure, is a deal maker. It means employers seeking to fill jobs can ensure future employees that health care for their families is readily

To Your Good Health: Surgery is standard treatment for penile cancer | Columnists

October 10, 2020

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| Good Health

DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about cancer of the penis? I can’t seem to find information. — S.S.

ANSWER: Cancer of the penis is quite rare in industrialized nations, accounting for less than 1% of all cancers in men. By contrast, it is quite common in parts of Africa, Asia and South America, where it can account for 10% to 20% of all cancers.

One risk factor is phimosis, an inability to retract the foreskin. Circumcision decreases risk of penile cancer, but careful lifelong hygiene (thus avoiding phimosis) reduces the risk of penile cancer to the same level as seen in circumcised men. Human papillomavirus is another risk factor, found in 30% to 50% of penile cancers. HIV infection and tobacco use are other risk factors.

Surgery is the standard treatment for cancer of the penis. The goal of treatment is to preserve as much of the

5 tips that help simplify health insurance annual enrollment | Staff Columnists

October 10, 2020

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| Better Health

Tip 2: Take advantage of a plan that offers telehealth visits and other resources to help you navigate health from home. An increasingly popular health care choice, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been telehealth or virtual visits, which enable people to connect 24/7 with a health care provider via a smartphone, tablet or personal computer. It’s designed to be an easier, more affordable way to talk to a doctor about common health issues. Often, telehealth is available to members of employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare Advantage plans.

Tip 3: Review plan benefits that can help you save money, like wellness incentives. Many health plans now offer financial incentives that reward you for taking healthier actions, such as completing a health survey, exercising or avoiding nicotine. Many plans, including Medicare Advantage plans, offer gym memberships and wellness programs for members at no additional cost.

Tip 4: Anticipate next year’s health expenses.

To Your Good Health: Reader’s dermatitis trigger more likely stress than sanitizer | Columnists

October 9, 2020

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| Good Health

DEAR DR. ROACH: Like everyone, I have been using a lot of hand sanitizer and a lot of disinfecting wipes throughout the day. Do these sanitizing products get absorbed through the skin and build up in our bodies? I ask because I have come down with a difficult case of seborrheic dermatitis on my face, though I don’t use any of these products on my face. My facial skin has always been hypersensitive, so I was thinking, if this is my weak spot, maybe the ill effects of the sanitizers and disinfecting wipes would show up there. — A.H.

ANSWER: Hand sanitizers use alcohol to kill bacteria and disable viruses. The alcohols used in approved sanitizers are not well absorbed through the skin, but if they were, your body is able to metabolize the small amounts that come through.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin condition. Although its cause is

To Your Good Health: Strict rules sometimes necessarily restrict blood donations | Columnists

October 8, 2020

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| Good Health

DEAR DR. ROACH: I lived in England in 1985-1986, during the mad cow disease outbreak. Since then, I have been ineligible to give blood. It is one of the few questions they ask. This has been 35 years and, obviously, I don’t have and have never had the disease itself. Is this still a valid reason to rule me out as a blood donor? — B.R.

ANSWER: Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was epidemic in the United Kingdom (and to a lesser extent, Ireland and France) from 1981 to 1996. By preventing blood donation from people who lived in the U.K. for more than six months during that time period, it is estimated that 90% of future vCJD could be prevented in the U.S.

Incubation periods of 40 years have been reported for a similar disease, kuru, which is why the prohibition against blood donation remains. However, the absolute risk is very

To Your Good Health: Surgery is a valid option for male breast cancer in a 90-year-old | Columnists

October 7, 2020

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| Good Health

Even with his medical issues, surgery is relatively low risk, and the benefits in understanding treatment options and their expected benefits, as well as reducing risk of complications from local tumor growth, makes this a strong recommendation. Of course, it’s your father’s decision, but I agree with his doctor’s recommendation.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have diabetes, and I was looking at different types of traditional herbal teas to cut down on caffeine and to try to help my diabetes. I always double-check to make sure none of the ingredients interacts with my medications. I read the tea that I am considering is an inactivator of cytochrome P450 3A4. I am taking metformin, Arthrotec, Paxil, Eltroxin and Ventolin. Must I worry? — N.E.

ANSWER: The cytochrome P450 system is a major way the body has of detoxifying medications. Some medicines and a few foods (notably grapefruit juice) can affect the P450

Dana Milbank: Trump’s good health and consequences | Columnists

October 5, 2020

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| Good Health

He has rescued friends from legal consequences while teeing up probes of his opponents, and his Justice Department has provided justification.

He has produced falsehood after fabrication, and the White House has tried to use the federal government to make whatever he said seem true.

He has avoided taxes and congressional oversight and directed public funds to his private business interests with impunity.

Two decades ago, another Republican president, George W. Bush, told us: “My hope is to change the culture from one that has said, ‘If it feels good, do it; if you’ve got a problem, blame somebody else,’ to one in which every single American understands that he or she are responsible for the decisions that you make.”

Now we have a president who personifies the feel-good culture and blames his problems on just about everybody else — Democrats, governors, foreigners, immigrants, minorities, scientists, the media, you name

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Tag: Columnists

Dr. William B. Applegate and Dr. Christopher C. Colenda: A broken system and broken promises on health care | Columnists

To Your Good Health: Night urination is a sleep disruptor | Columnists

To Your Good Health: Poll worker looking for clarity on Election Day COVID risks | Columnists

Midlands Voices: Let’s focus on meeting Nebraska’s rural health care challenges | Columnists

To Your Good Health: Surgery is standard treatment for penile cancer | Columnists

5 tips that help simplify health insurance annual enrollment | Staff Columnists

To Your Good Health: Reader’s dermatitis trigger more likely stress than sanitizer | Columnists

To Your Good Health: Strict rules sometimes necessarily restrict blood donations | Columnists

To Your Good Health: Surgery is a valid option for male breast cancer in a 90-year-old | Columnists

Dana Milbank: Trump’s good health and consequences | Columnists