Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
2018 Health Goals: Part 2
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoNow that you’ve written it down your health goal or goals for 2018, I have a question for you. Were your health goals really what you’d like to change about your health or was it limited by your thought process? Here’s what I mean. Did you write down your goals or did you start to […]
2018 Health Goals: Part 1
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoIt’s that time of year to set goals for 2018. There are many areas of your life for which to set goals, but let’s focus on your health goals. I want you take some time and write down your health goals for 2018. There are three areas that most people want to change: their body […]
Santa, Rudolph, and Merry Christmas!
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoThe final question about Santa Claus has to do with his girth. How can he deliver gifts all over the world in one night while being so heavy? Here’s something that we all need to understand: just because people are overweight, that doesn’t mean they can’t be fit. Fat and fit? You better believe it. […]
Why Does Santa Have Dimples?
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoLet’s continue with our light-hearted look at science and health by answering a major question about the Christmas icon Santa Claus: What causes his dimples? Wait a minute, wait a minute. Dimples? Yes, it’s right there in the poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas”: His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry! Sometimes they’re hidden […]
Why Do Santa’s Eyes Twinkle?
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoWhenever you see Santa Claus, he always seems to have a twinkle in his eye. You might notice that in people as well; Paula did and asked me to find out how that happens. Whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or anything else, if you live in the U.S., you’ve probably heard lots of Christmas […]
Why Do Statins Fight with Grapefruit?
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoOne of the most complicated medication-food interactions is grapefruit and statins, the popular cholesterol-lowering drug. The goal of this Memo is to make sense of the research to date by answering a couple of questions. Before I begin, let me briefly explain how a statin works. One of the many enzymes required to produce cholesterol […]
Interaction Between Food and Blood Thinners
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoBlood thinners are the second most common medication that can interact with food and supplements. Blood thinners such as warfarin are used to prevent blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation, artificial heart valves, and deep vein thrombosis. When a blood thinner is prescribed, people are given a list of foods and supplements to avoid. […]
Food-Medication Interactions
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoOne of the questions I got after Saturday’s Memo was about how to take thyroid medication to maximize effectiveness. It was of those smack-your -forehead moments—how could I forget that? This week’s Memos will cover food interactions with the three most common medications. Your physician and pharmacist should handle the medication-to-medication interactions; I’ll stick to […]
Treating an Underactive Thyroid
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoThe treatment for an underactive thyroid is pretty simple. Levothyroxine is a prescription medication that will work for most people. It takes time to get the dosing adjusted to get the thyroxin blood levels into a normal range. After that, it’s monitored over time and the dose is adjusted when needed. It’s a simple process, […]
Do You Have an Underactive Thyroid?
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoThe weather in Grand Rapids has taken a turn to winter: from 61 degrees on Tuesday to freezing today. It’s bone chilling with winds at 20 mph and can leave you feeling cold most of the day. But what if you were cold most of the time regardless of the outdoor temperature? That’s just one […]