Respiratory conditions, both chronic and acute, are some of the most common issues seen in clinical practice. In 2016, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) alone accounted for around 3 million deaths, and was the third leading cause of death worldwide.…
The FDA has updated their recommendations regarding potential risks associated with mercury-containing dental amalgams in high risk individuals. It is unusual for regulatory bodies to acknowledge variable levels of vulnerability in our population. The high-risk groups the FDA recommends avoiding dental amalgams…
Three months ago, the prestigious medical journal The Lancet published, and then later retracted, a study on the use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. The retraction was prompted by questions that were subsequently raised about the integrity of the data used…
Elevated furin levels are not only associated with Covid-19 but also linked to comorbidities including diabetes, obesity, and hypertension – perhaps one reason why these comorbidities are linked with worse COVID-19 outcomes. In this peer-reviewed publication, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald discusses the…
Coffee may benefit those with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. A study of over 1100 patients published in JAMA Oncology found significant associations for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee with decreased cancer progression and increased survival. Researchers found that participants who drank…
We know that an anti-inflammatory diet is linked to improvements in a variety of symptoms and conditions. A new prospective cohort study of nearly 5,000 individuals, over 1200 of whom developed knee osteoarthritis (OA) during the study period, offers excellent data…
Reviewed by Romilly Hodges (October 2020) Leaky gut is often written and talked about as a black and white concept: Either you have it or you don’t. And if you have it, you’ll want to ‘heal’ it. While this is…
Vitamin D is a superstar nutrient for supporting the immune system and reducing the risk of a cold, flu and acute respiratory tract infection. Researchers are now linking low vitamin D status (less than 20 ng/mL or 18 pg/mL, respectively) to an increased risk…
UPDATE: A clarification was issued by Penn State university the doctor was unintentionally citing outdated numbers. “During his discussion with board members, (Sebastianelli) recalled initial preliminary data that had been verbally shared by a colleague on a forthcoming study, which unbeknownst…
While it’s great it’s being studied for COVID, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is again being flagged by FDA as a potential drug not a supplement. Seven companies selling NAC for alcohol hangovers received warning letters from FDA stating NAC is an unapproved new drug…
You’ve likely heard of the many reasons to eat slowly, including improved digestion, increased satiety, decreased overeating, and even weight loss. But did you know that eating too quickly can contribute to a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS)?…
We know that chemical fertilizers are harmful to us and the environment, but are there good alternatives? This new study comes up with an intriguing option! The known effects of chemical fertilizers include an increased risk of cancer, impaired fetal brain development,…
Several mood-altering human neurotransmitters originate from microbes in the digestive tract. Now science is starting to dig into which bacterial strains are responsible.
As you know, here at drkarafitzgerald.com we like to push the boundaries of what we know, and sometimes this means being a little contrarian. In this blog, our Nutrition Director, Romilly Hodges CNS takes us on a tour of some…
I’m cooking the rainbow and making colorful, nutrient-dense meals to help support and strengthen our immune defense.
Following the recently-reported news that oleandrin, an extract of the oleander plant, may combat COVID-19, the nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) issued a concerned warning about oleander, raising the alarm about the plant’s substantial toxicity.
My first EOE patient in the early 2000’s was fortunately, already diagnosed by a very savvy Yale gastroenterologist. I hadn’t heard of EOE at that time, but quickly learned about this highly challenging and potentially disabling mixed IgE allergic condition.…
Wow! (forehead slap) Of course we need funding for this sometimes tough-to-treat but ubiquitous condition. It wasn’t too long ago that fibroids were a much less common entity. Now, sadly, they are nearly ubiquitous. A new bill introduced by Senator…
There has been a wealth of research on the negative health effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure. However, very little research has looked at long-term health outcomes. This study, published in the top tier JAMA Network Journal, serves as a…
When you hear “microbiome,” you may think of gut bacteria first. Cutting-edge research, however, shows that the skin biome is another vital population of microorganisms that influences human health in surprising ways. From 2009 to 2019, the annual number of…