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Rocking Crohn's Disease:Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready
Changing His Tune on Crohn’s Disease
Pearl Jam’s lead guitarist, Mike McCready, has led a rock and roll life, while suffering in secret with Crohn’s disease. Now he’s talking … and raising money for a cure.
Nearly two decades ago, Crohn’s disease almost forced Mike McCready to give up what he loves most: rock and roll. He was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and then with Crohn’s when he was 21. “I had dropped out of college in 1986 and moved from Seattle to Los Angeles trying to make it with the band Shadow,” Mike says. read more »
In the Know: Skip the Juice
When taking your meds, forgo the fruit juice. Experts say a substance in juices—such as grapefruit,
orange, apple and others—may actually block or decrease the absorption of certain drugs, including those that fight heart disease, infection and more. Your best bet: Swallow your pill with a sip of good old-fashioned H2O.
orange, apple and others—may actually block or decrease the absorption of certain drugs, including those that fight heart disease, infection and more. Your best bet: Swallow your pill with a sip of good old-fashioned H2O.
—Dana Gottesman
Digestion & Diet Health Monitor
Spring 2010
In the Know: Steer Away from Seafood
Gone Fishing
It’s best to play it safe and steer away from the seafood on your menu if you go out to eat on a Monday. Unless they specialize in surf, most restaurants do not receive weekend deliveries of seafood—and fish tends to deteriorate more rapidly than poultry or meat. Save the shrimp cocktail for mid-week so you can be sure to have a fresh bite.
—Dana Gottesman
Digestion & Diet Health Monitor
Spring 2010
Ask the Experts: What You Need to Know about Colorectal Cancer
Durado Brooks, MD, MPH, is the director of prostate and colorectal cancers at the American Cancer Society.
Baseball Hall-of-Famer Jim Palmer Gets the Answers on GERD
When Baltimore Orioles pitching legend Jim Palmer talks, baseball fans listen. Since his retirement from Major League Baseball in 1984, the Baseball Hall-of-Famer has been a TV color commentator on the Orioles’ games for Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. He’s also a play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC-TV. The affable sportscaster’s voice is his brand—and he’s beloved by his fans. But he began losing his voice more and more often to bouts of laryngitis during the mid 1990s.
“I lived in constant fear of losing my voice,” recalls Jim, 64, who currently lives in Palm Beach, FL, with his wife, Susan Schmidt, and 13-year-old stepson, Spencer. read more »
Add a Little Spring to Your Diet
One of the best ways to rejuvenate your body is to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season. “Cherries, carrots, asparagus and spinach are at their healthful height in the spring,” says Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, board-certified nutrition specialist and author of 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth (Fairwinds Press, 2007).
For people with digestive disorders, some of the season’s tastiest fruits and veggies can also pack a powerful punch against the inflammation that lies at the heart of many of these conditions. read more »
In the Know: Asthma & GERD
Double Burner: Asthma & GERD
Just what is it that causes a burning sensation and pressure in your chest and/or throat? It could be gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—or it could be asthma. In fact, it could be a little of both. It turns out that more than 75% of people who have asthma also suffer from GERD—even though, on the surface, the two conditions seem to have little in common. GERD causes a backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus that creates heartburn, and asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and obstructs your airways. read more »
My Life with Arthritis
How 5 people cope with arthritic conditions in everyday life
How does arthritis affect your everyday life? Considering “arthritis” includes over 100 joint inflammation diseases and conditions, this simple question has a broad range of answers. From osteoarthritis of the knee to gout, we asked five people to share with us their tips, coping strategies and perspectives on how their particular condition impacts them daily. Whether they are at work or at play, these men and women all share one thing in common—they are all proactive about keeping their joints healthy!
