There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that only happens in medicine. Not the physical kind, though that’s real too, but the kind that sets in when you know exactly what a patient needs and you also know that the science simply isn’t there yet. I’ve felt it in the clinic. I felt it during...
Almost everyone has probably experienced getting a fever at least once in their lives, right? Have you tried having a sponge bath to help bring the body temperature down? It must have helped a lot, even if you had to take medications. Have you ever suffered from constipation, and it was resolved...
A good friend recently asked me if I had problems reconciling giving vaccines with my Catholic beliefs. I told him that there was absolutely no conflict, and I mentioned that Pope Francis, during the Covid-19 pandemic, strongly advocated for vaccination . Pope Francis specifically mentioned that...
Majority of people may have experienced loose bowel movement at least once in their lifetime. Acute diarrhea may last for a day or two as a result of consuming contaminated food or food poisoning. It can also be caused by viruses, such as in gastroenteritis (commonly referred to as the stomach...
The attack on Iran by the US and Israel and the resulting retaliation had the unfortunate consequence of closing the airspace above the Middle East and stranding thousands of travelers. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar are major global airline hubs, and any disruption in their operations has massive...
Let me be honest with you: I didn’t fully understand self-regulation until I sat in Teacher Ana Quijano’s self-regulation workshop and experienced Kaizen in Leadership Excellence Achievement Program (LEAP) innov8 this weekend. I thought I did. I’m a physician. I know the science. But knowing...
March is dedicated to all the women as the country celebrates National Women’s Month. Dedicating an entire month to advocating for women did not stem from a whim. There are at least three legal bases for National Women’s Month. Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, signed by the late President Corazon...
A substantial portion of the cases I see in the clinic are prospective overseas workers who test positive on screening for infectious diseases during their pre-employment screening. While being diagnosed with an infectious disease you didn’t know about is stressful enough, this is further...
Have you ever found yourself losing control and giving in to your cravings, only to feel guilty or disgusted with yourself afterward? Your mind may be telling you not to give in to your food cravings, but your body tells you otherwise, and you just succumb. Is it because you are too weak to resist,...
Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and the weeks that follow are busy days for infectious disease doctors like me. Roses, chocolates, and hot dates give way to genital ulcers, penile discharges, and itchy perineums. The usual diagnoses? Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Throw in unwanted...
You have been taking care of your face. Good skincare, maybe some treatments, your skin is in good shape. But then you catch yourself in the mirror—arms out, or in a swimsuit—and something feels off. Your face says one thing. Your body says another. There’s a clinical term for this:...
Do you rarely eat fresh food or home-cooked meals? Do you often find yourself eating at a restaurant, or using food delivery apps, or going through a drive-thru? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your lifestyle eating pattern, according to Dr. Robert Kushner, is a “convenient...
