Letter: Can you have a colonoscopy without sedation?
So what about me? Why did I choose to get sedation? Surely I could have toughed-out the pain of the procedure, right? I truthfully think I would have been fine without sedation. However there is one thing that I’ve learned from being a physician who does procedures for a living: Sometimes there are unintended bad consequences of going against the standard of care.
It’s March, so you know what time it is: It’s colorectal cancer awareness time!
If you read this article, you’ll know more than 99% of the population about colorectal cancer. More importantly, you’ll know how to prevent this deadly disease from all angles! Plus, some interesting facts about Retroflexions.com in honor of our 4th birthday!
Want to lose the gut? Good. Start by reading these five brutal truths.
Truths about weight loss, and a simple program you can start today. If you follow the above plan and stick to it for at least three months you will definitely see some major changes in the way you look and feel. Following a routine like this will also prime your body and your mind for the more significant journey to come, the long haul of removing most of the excess weight and then keeping it off!
Sleep is a drug, and most of us need more of it!
Why do we get tired at the end of the day and then spend roughly one-third of each day unconscious? Here are some basics about sleep in general. Also, does lack of sleep cause dementia? What GI problems come from sleep deprivation? What can we do about all of this?
New Year’s resolutions are WEAK! If you really want to change, start today!
I’m willing to bet that most people’s New Year’s resolutions have something to do with weight loss, eating better, or becoming more fit. These are great things to work on in the new year! They’re also great things to work on during the last few weeks of December, so what are you waiting for?
Letter: What to do when the colonoscopy prep doesn’t work?
But what if it’s too late? If you’re reading this while in the midst of a potentially failed bowel prep don’t despair! There are many ways to salvage a bowel prep and still have a safe, high-quality colonoscopy the next day. It all depends on what time you take action; If you wait until 2 hours before the procedure is scheduled than nothing can be done, but if you’re already having issues the night before you can totally recover from this and be fine. This is what I usually recommend…
“Doctor, are you SURE?”
Hubris is a killer. Fight it with humility! In medicine, we often don’t know why things happen as they do, and it can be hard to say “I don’t know” when faced with certain questions. Some patients view uncertainty very unfavorably and want total confidence by their doctor all the time. How do you feel when your doctor says “I don’t know”?
Last year I wrote down six things that eventually changed my life…this is #5.
I made a list of six things that needed to happen if I was going to turn my life around. I was frustrated with my then-current work-life situation, and kept falling into the same bad patterns but couldn’t figure out how to break the cycle. After constantly feeling like I didn’t have time to exercise or eat right because I was too tired or spent, one day I literally looked in the mirror and had an epiphany…
Fermented dairy products may reduce the risk of colon cancer!
Fermented foods are known as an excellent source of probiotics, and may have a variety of health benefits. Hard scientific data on these fermented foods is hard to come by however. Read about a recent study that suggests these foods may reduce the risk of colon cancer!