Dear Dr. Mirkin: How does lack of exercise cause diabetes and heart attacks? Answer: Reducing your physical activity by 50 percent for just three days, without changing your diet, doubles the rise in blood sugar levels after meals . This shows that reducing exercise... interferes with your ... Read More ›
February 8, 2016
UPDATED:February 8, 2016
Diet Don’ts and Diverticulitis?
Dear Dr. Mirkin: I have diverticulitis. I love snacking on nuts and seeds. But I've been told I have to avoid them because they can cause a painful flare up. Is it true? Answer: All recent data discredits the old-wives tale that seeds and nuts get into the linings of the ... Read More ›
February 8, 2016
The Cooking Method that Could Lead to Cancer and Heart Disease
When foods are cooked at temperatures above that of boiling water (100 C or 212F), sugar sticks to proteins and fats to form chemicals called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). Eating food cooked at high temperatures markedly elevates tissue, blood and urine levels of AGEs to increase risk for ... Read More ›
UPDATED:October 18, 2017
Can sudden memory loss be caused by medications?
Dear Dr. Mirkin. Can sudden memory loss be caused by medications? Answer: Yes a long-term study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society on 13,000 men and women, aged 65 and older, shows that many drugs can impair memory. The drugs most likely to cause sudden memory ... Read More ›
August 26, 2016
Q&A: What the link betwwen cholesterol-lowering statin drugs and muscle pain?
Dear Dr. Mirkin: Why do cholesterol-lowering statin drugs cause muscle pain and muscle damage? Answer: We don't know exactly. Only a small percentage of those who take statin drugs suffer muscle pain and damage, those most likely to have muscle pain from statins are the ones who exercise. ... Read More ›
UPDATED:June 9, 2016
White or dark brown spots on the skin?
If you notice dark brown or whitish circles on your chest or back, you probably have a fungus infection called tinea versicolor. You don't have to treat it as it usually causes no harm and doesn't itch, but it is highly contagious. The fungus produces a chemical that takes pigment out of the ... Read More ›
February 8, 2016
The Dangers of Fructose
An ever-increasing number of studies show that sugared drinks and foods cause fatty liver, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, kidney damage and premature death. A review of recent studies shows that fructose may be more damaging than other sugars (Journal of the American Society ... Read More ›
February 9, 2016
How To Avoid Dementia As You Age
Dear Dr. Mirkin, What can prevent dementia in older people as they start to forget things? Answer: Older people suffering from mild memory and cognition problems are far less likely to progress to Alzheimer's disease if they are treated to protect their blood vessels: for high blood pressure, ... Read More ›
UPDATED:April 1, 2019
High Blood Pressure From Salt?
Dear Dr. Mirkin: Do all people develop high blood pressure when they take in too much salt? Answer: No! Only some people are salt sensitive and develop high blood pressure when they take in too much salt. In one study it was revealed that people who exercise are far less likely to ... Read More ›
February 8, 2016
Can vitamin D stop the muscle damage caused by statin drugs?
Dear Dr. Mirkin: Can vitamin D stop the muscle pain and damage caused by statin drugs used to lower cholesterol? Answer: Possibly. Although not proven, two studies associate vitamin D deficiency with muscle pain and damage in people taking statin pills (Atherosclerosis, March 2011). Before ... Read More ›
