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Health Matters: Nuts and the battle against chronic disease

By Dr. Conway McLean, DABFAS, FAPWHc ESCANABA — You are what you eat…..or so goes the often cited platitude. But this isn’t just a meaningless cliché: every second of every day, the cells of your body are working to maintain their viability, to run the body, repair the damage of daily life. To perform these tasks, you need energy as well as the materials to build new tissue. Foodstuffs are needed for these tasks since humans can’t live on air and water. Although the role diet plays in our health is extremely complex, the human body has certain basic requirements. To put it ...

Health Matters: A tale of two sesamoids

By Dr. Conway McLean, DABFAS, FAPWHc It is too common an occurrence, people living with foot pain. They perform their job ably, spend time with their family, participate in the usual activities. But chronic pain detracts from quality of life and interferes with our enjoyment of life. Recurrent foot pain can even serve to impair our health since increased pain as a result of increased activity will function to reduce activity. Being less active isn t good for cardiovascular health, our metabolism, muscle fitness, etc. The human body needs to move. One particularly troublesome area ...

Plantar wart treatment not always painful

ESCANABA — I don’t like causing pain. Maybe it’s a psychological thing…..but, regardless, I dislike hurting people. And yet, as a physician, there are some situations where it is unavoidable. (I’m hoping this sentiment is true for most healthcare providers but I’ve read no survey on the topic.) Because of this aversion, I’ve sought out ways to minimize the discomfort associated with many invasive procedures. Early on, I had the opportunity to use a device which employed air pressure to insert a tiny amount of local anesthetic. Prior to performing an injection, the ...

Health Matters: The mystery of the foot bone bridge

ESCANABA — Being a parent is challenging these days, with our offspring exposed to all manner of dangerous germs and internet dangers. Our children’s health is understandably important and when they have problems, most parents want to resolve the issue. But what if it’s a mystery? The sudden development of a painful foot can lead a parent to desperation. Why would a 10 year old suddenly be unable to run without pain? This is exemplified by the story of William, an active and energetic young man who loved to run and play, enjoying sports of all sorts. You know the type; he was ...

Many causes for heel pain

ESCANABA — There’s a saying in medicine that if you drive by a farm and see a four legged animal standing in the field, it’s probably a horse and not a zebra. This refers to the concept that typically, the most common reason, the typical cause, for some complaint is most likely the explanation. But what if it is a zebra? Medical providers are well aware that most complaints can be the result of many possible problems. The appropriate term for this list of possible causes is the ‘differential diagnosis’referring to all of the varied explanations that could potentially ...

Health Matters: Superfoods for health or marketing

ESCANABA — It would be absurd to suggest that Americans aren’t interested in health and wellness. But how far will people go to attain this desirable state? A brief review of the sales of home gyms and gym memberships indicates the interest is there. Most of us are at least vaguely aware of the need for physical fitness. What about diet and nutrition? Most Americans are at least vaguely aware of the importance of nutrition. Still, despite the numerous articles written for the general public, many Americans remain confused and uncertain about the dangers and benefits of many foods. ...