Sarasota Edition

By Adam P. Lipkin, MD, Fellow American College of Surgeons The lump you are feeling may be your intestines protruding through a hole in the abdominal wall. Sounds scary, and a little hard to believe, but read on. While everyone has heard of a hernia, most people do not understand what a hernia is. The abdominal cavity is encased by …

By Matthew Solomon When we think of heart healthy or wellness inspired food, we don’t think gourmet food. However, the reality is that the Sarasota community is taking the stereotype head on. At Aviva- A Campus for Senior Life, our chefs work behind the scenes to develop a menu providing residents with a dynamic experience. To learn more about the process …

By Alex Anderson Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski tells the story of a man who happened upon a young man enjoying a dish of fish. And he said to the young man, “Why are you eating that dish of fish?” The young man said, “Because I love fish.” The older man said, “Oh, you love the fish. That’s why you took …

By David L. Orosz, Attorney at Law Q: Will Medicare or private health insurance pay for all or part of long-term nursing home care? A: NO. There are only shot-term benefits available, if any at all. Q: If a person qualifies for Medicaid, will Medicaid pay for the entire cost of care? A: Yes. Subject to certain legal requirements, Medicaid …

In 2017, a well-publicized RAND Corporation study presented a startling conclusion. It found direct-to-consumer telehealth may not save money because it may increase health care utilization due to ease of access. In fact, researchers estimated an 88 percent increase in the use of specific health care services among patients studied. With findings that seem contrary to years of other research, the …

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, or just trying to maintain your New Year’s “get fit” resolutions, February is Heart Health Month and a good reminder of the importance of keeping our tickers in top notch. For people with heart and vascular disorders, this is of critical importance. In recent years there has been a multitude of studies on the effectiveness of …

Erick E. Calderon, MD, FACC, FSCAI There are many things that can affect your risk for developing heart disease. Three of them you cannot control—your age, your gender and your family history. However, there are several other things you can do to help you avoid a heart attack or stroke, such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and quitting smoking. …

It’s unfortunate that most of us have dealt with cancer either personally or indirectly through a loved one, or friend. This year it is estimated that 1.7 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and approximately 600,000 will die from the complications of the disease.  While there are excellent treatment options available, early detection is the key to surviving this devastating …

The heart surgeon sat resting at the fitness center when a man sat down next to him. Thinking he should make room, the doctor scooted over – twice. The man then leaned in and said with a twinkle in his eye, “You operated on me.” The man in his late 80s was a regular at the gym, along with his …

By Dr. Steven Reichbach They say that the eyes are the lamp of the body and the window to our souls. But the eyes are also incredibly complex organs made up of many working parts. In our eyes, the retina detects light and converts it to various signals that are then sent to the brain through the optic nerve. There …