Over lunch recently with my daughter, her husband, four of my grandchildren and their great grandmother, we spoke about the importance of food and fun. I shared with the great grandmother — whom we now call “GG” — how much I love cooking with my grandchildren from the time they can sit up in a high chair. She marveled at that in the same way my children do. What can be more fun than teaching grandchildren how to read, measure, stir, clean and eat good? I just can’t think of a thing. Continue Reading →
Early care reduces risk of disabling foot problems
This is another “back by popular demand” reprint of a column originally published March 13, 2014. A new “Doctor’s Advice for Your Good Health” column will return next week.
Dear Doctor: My aunt told me she has a painful bunion. What is that?
A bunion is large bump that forms at the base of the big toe where the bone of the big toe attaches to the bones of the foot. When this happens, the big toe usually bends inwards, sometimes at a very extreme angle. Continue Reading →
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Col. David Hamlar Jr. was promoted to brigadier general on August 18 at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Hamlar is the first African American to achieve the rank of brigadier general in the Minnesota National Guard. “Col. Continue Reading →
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Having a chronic health condition doesn’t mean you have to lose control over your health. Every day you take steps, like eating right, monitoring your blood sugar, and watching your weight, to manage your diabetes and ensure the healthiest possible future. What if there was something you could do just once a year that could also help protect your health? There is — you can make sure you are up-to-date on vaccines to protect against a number of common diseases, some of which may be even more serious because of your diabetes. A recent national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that most U.S. adults are not even aware that they need vaccines throughout their lives to protect against diseases like pertussis, hepatitis, shingles, and pneumococcal disease. Continue Reading →
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Dear Doctor: At our family reunion up at the lake cabin, I noticed my grandfather had dozens of dark brown, rough moles on his back. Are these worrisome for skin cancer?
Your grandfather’s “moles” are most likely harmless skin growths called seborrheic keratoses. They deserve to be evaluated and diagnosed by a dermatologist or primary care physician. If they are seborrheic
keratoses, they are not worrisome for skin cancer. They are very common, and some estimate that they occur in 20 percent of all people. They can occur as just a single lesion but most commonly occur in large numbers. They are most commonly found on the back and chest, but they can occur anywhere except the palms and soles. Continue Reading →