In this recently posted TedxStanford talk, Sherry Wren, MD, a general surgeon at Stanford, offers some staggering statistics about surgery and global health. One particularly eye-opening …
Month: March 2013
New recommendations for genetic disclosure released
Genetic and genomic testing for medical purposes is becoming increasingly common. But what should a doctor do if a patient undergoing testing for a disease-causing …
Animal study suggests pre-surgery diet can affect recovery
Research published in the latest issue of Surgery examines the connection between surgical outcomes and diet and suggests that what patients eat prior to a procedure may …
"Clinical trial in a dish" may make common medicines safer, say Stanford scientists
This last winter has been a tough one for my small rural community. Every time I turned around, more people were sniffling and sneezing, coughing …
Experts by experience: A year's worth of patient stories
It's been just over a year since we began our collaboration with Inspire, a company that builds and manages online support communities for patients and caregivers. …
Longreads pick: Blood, sweat and fears
I felt a little guilty about pushing my colleague John Sanford to confront his blood phobia as part of a story he was writing for …
Nano-hitchhikers ride stem cells into heart, let researchers watch in real time and weeks later
Stem-cell therapy for damaged hearts is a brilliant idea whose time has not yet come. To date, human and animal trials - there have been quite …
Why listening to music boosts fitness performance
Many of us, myself included, can't fathom the idea of exercising without listening to a carefully curated playlist. But what is it exactly about music …
Director of Stanford Headache Clinic answers your questions on migraines and headache disorders
Migraines and other forms of headache disorders can cause debilitating pain, disrupt lives and lead to large economic and societal costs. At the Stanford Headache Clinic, …
How does your body respond to stress?
Stress, especially when it's chronic, can invoke a range of physical symptoms ranging from a pounding heart to sleepless nights. As Stanford psychiatrist David Spiegel, …
Cellular-level video of brain activity in a zebrafish
Researchers at Howard Hughes Medical Institute have mapped most of a zebrafish brain using a technique that provides an illuminated view of individual cells and …
Stanford test a landmark in the blood-banking industry
As a reporter for a Palo Alto newspaper in the early 1980s, I interviewed Ed Engleman, MD, director of the Stanford Blood Center, about the …
Be in the know when it comes to kids’ cold meds, FDA reminds parents
Last week, my co-worker had to ask me if I was okay after hearing me sneeze and blow my nose every 15 minutes. I immediately …
A journalist opens up about her struggles with depression and anxiety
In a powerful piece published this weekend in the Concord Monitor, journalist Annmarie Thimmins shares her story of living with a mental illness. She courageously opens …
Using an app to get a better handle on what stresses you out
I'm not really in the dark when it comes to things that cause me stress (even my very small daughters can tell you that traffic ranks right …
Exploring the cost-effectiveness of statin use among kidney patients
Heart disease is the primary cause of death for the more than 20 million people in the United States with chronic kidney disease (CKD). For …