Here’s something that was news to me: scientists don’t actually know how we sense touch. They know a lot about the neurons that send signals …
Month: February 2014
Practicing forgiveness to sustain healthy relationships
A recent piece from Stanford's BeWell program focuses on an aspect of health you don't address at the gym, cafeteria or doctor's office, but instead …
How a low-sodium diet increased one heart patient's quality of life
"The secret ingredient is salt," said a plastic-figurine Marge Simpson at the push of a button in my mom's Simpsons living-room diorama. (Marge was holding …
Stanford-hosted AMA Medical Student regional conference focuses on health-care technology
Stanford med students Nuriel Moghavem and Trishna Narula co-chaired an AMA Medical Student Section Regional 1 conference last weekend at the Li Ka Shing Center for …
Federal investments in research and higher education key to U.S. maintaining innovation edge
Government investment in research and higher education have made the United States a global innovation leader and have led to the creation of the Internet, …
Heart devices get a mobile makeover
Emerging diagnostic heart devices are going mobile. And by leveraging advances in smartphones and sensors, they're able to perform their functions better, faster and cheaper …
Simultaneous treatment for several food allergies passes safety hurdle, Stanford team shows
Living with one food allergy is a challenge; living with more than one can make ordinary activities such as eating at a restaurant feel downright …
Born with high cholesterol
On a Friday morning last October, I drove to the East Bay to meet with a fellow who I had been told had quite a …
Could self-administered flu vaccine patches replace injections?
Like many of us, I loathe getting shots. But after a serious case of the flu while on vacation led to an emergency room visit, …
One family’s story caring for their children with type 1 diabetes
Family members may share a set of values, a sense of humor, or various personality traits. And sometimes members of a family have a health …
New Girl: Living the sitcom in medical school
SMS ("Stanford Medical School") Unplugged was recently launched as a forum for students to chronicle their experiences in medical school. The student-penned entries appear on …
The Dalai Lama talks business, compassion and happiness
One Christmas, my dad gave me and my siblings copies of the Dalai Lama's book The Art of Happiness - a quick read with a …
Stanford patient celebrates son’s first birthday with help of her care team
This touching video is a must-watch. The piece focuses on a young mom whose serious illness has kept her hospitalized for more than a month. …
Stanford’s Abraham Verghese honored as both author and healer
Several times I've heard Stanford physician Abraham Verghese, MD, champion of hands-on medicine and bestselling author, answer the question: Which does he considers himself first …
Doctors advised to screen for depression and test cholesterol during well-child visits
How old should children be before their doctors start annual depression screenings? According to revised guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the suggested age …
Dick Cheney on his heart transplant: “It’s the gift of life itself”
Dick Cheney has lived with chronic heart disease for virtually all of his adult life. At 37, as a young man running for the U.S. …