Health blogs you should read- blogs by docs (part 1)

Why read Health, Fitness, and Medical blogs

Since I started blogging I have reviewed many health, fitness and wellness blogs. I find most of them interesting and/or entertaining. I find a few of them informative, stimulating ,and valuable.

• health bloggers who write about their personal experience dealing with a particular medical condition, which I think can be powerful and helpful.
• bloggers who discuss and promote a particular lifestyle or product that they believe has value to health and/or fitness.
• blogs written by people with training and experience in some aspect of medical care, wellness, fitness and/or nutrition (all of which I define broadly)

I think all of these blogs have a place and all seem to have their audience. One of the first things I check when I read a blog is the “about” section, or its equivalent. I want to know who writes the blog and what their credentials are. Anyone who writes a blog about a particular topic should clearly and accurately state their credentials for that topic, or lack of, if that’s the case. (I state my credentials on the page “Meet Dr. Aletha”)

Health blogs worth reading

In this blog series, I tell you about health blogs that I think are worth reading. Most of them are written by physicians, medical scientists, other health professionals and affiliated professionals. Persons who spend the majority, if not all, of their adult life studying and pursuing a discipline, likely know that subject well.

I recommend these health blogs because they

• offer valid medical information on a variety of topics.
• offer sound advice without quick fixes.
• discuss common everyday health concerns
• discuss the healthcare system, how it works well and how it doesn’t.
• offer insights on healthy living, both as individuals, families and a society.
• show you how physicians think , feel and act , both as persons and professionals
• will educate and challenge you.

These blogs open a window into the medical community.  You may be surprised that physicians have the same concerns about health and medical care as you , and some that you are unaware of. Most importantly, you will find they are on your side; they care about you,their patients,  probably a lot more than you care about them.

These bloggers’ viewpoints often surprise and challenge me; I don’t always agree with them and you may not either.  By recommending them, I don’t endorse their opinions, nor do I benefit financially.  

“Alert and Oriented” –

the progress notes of Michel Accad, M.D.

(Doctors write progress notes  in the charts of hospitalized patients to document medical treatment and response each day)

Dr. Accad is a cardiologist and internist in solo private practice and teaches at the University of California San Francisco.

” ‘Alert and Oriented’ is a medical phrase that describes the mental status of a patient who, despite being in serious shock from trauma or disease, maintains clarity of mind and focus of thought.

Sadly, the medical community enmeshed in today’s health care system is like a patient in acute shock. The only chance to survive is to remain alert and oriented.” (quote from the blog introduction)

Dr. Accad blogs about the healthcare system, the doctor-patient relationship, medical ethics, medical economics, and health care policy.

In this post he explains the

evolution of the food pyramid to the healthy plate nutrition recommendation.

In another interesting post, he explains

why mammograms may be over diagnosing breast cancer.

The Accad and Koka Report podcast

Dr. Accad has joined Anish Koka, M.D. in a weekly medical podcast, The Accad & Koka Report. In their own words,

We discuss current topics in medical science, policy, economics, and ethics, always with an eye toward safeguarding the doctor-patient relationship .

Their conversations are aimed more at physicians than patients, but if you want to know what some physicians really think about the U.S. healthcare system, you might find out here. Here is an episode anyone might find interesting-what happened when a 90 year old patient of Dr. Koka was told

“You’ll be dead in a year”- A Patient’s Journey though the Healthcare System

exploring the HEART of health

.