Listen to Ask Doctor Dawn online

Ask Doctor Dawn - Nov. 14, 2009

Mon, Nov 16 Listen

Eric Hall, head of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, promotes the national memory screening day, next Tuesday, Nov. 17th; A discussion of breast cancer risks relating to certain genes, and things to watch out for when removing ovaries; Pain in abdomen not diagnosed by colonoscopies, MRI, and other standard testing needs a Functional Medicine analysis; Do I really need to change to newer but more expensive proton pump inhibitor or anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis pain? Disincentives...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Nov. 07, 2009

Wed, Nov 11 Listen

Update on availability of H1N1 flu vaccine; FDA approves giving HPV vaccine Gardasil, to males to reduce spread of genital warts; New studies show some promise for a vaccine against cocaine addiction; A caller attests to why for-profit health insurance is a bad idea; Dealing with a "child" with mental illness who is now 18; Discussion of the meager health care reform currently working through the US congress and senate; A patient dissatisfied with explanations from her doctors wonders...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Oct. 31, 2009

Wed, Nov 4 Listen

Shower heads may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause lung infections! Drug companies seem to make up new "diseases" in order to market new drugs direct to consumers; More about risks BPA exposure — does it explain rise in childhood diabetes and obesity? A woman who swings between hypothyroidism to hyperthyroidism depending on what she eats probably has low iodine; Ruling out strep throat in a woman with a sore throat and sinus headaches; H1N1 flu update; Suggestions to minimize...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Oct. 24, 2009

Tue, Oct 27 Listen

High blood iron levels is probably an iron storage disorder; Acupuncture can probably help someone with fibromyalgia; When is a rash caused by taking an antibiotic? Dawn explains the biology of malaria and how treatments work — important issue for soldiers in Afghanistan; Constipation, often caused by pain medications, is fairly easy to fix; The most difficult question any chronic leukemia patient can ask: How long do I have to live? Dr. Dawn asks all the right questions in response;...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Oct. 17, 2009

Tue, Oct 20 Listen

A couple of emails about children with asthma and the H1N1 flu; Meta-analysis supports use of probiotics to prevent travelers diarrhea; Recent hamburger recall reminds us of poor practices for monitoring and reporting food contamination in the US; Asthmatics should wait for injected H1N1 vaccine, not inhaler; Advice for traveling with a baby during the flu season; What causes vertigo in elders and the physiology of the inner ear — with comments on unnecessary medical testing; Advice to get...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Oct. 10, 2009

Mon, Oct 12 Listen

Research tries to find a link between increased antibodies for various viruses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; The importance of the telomerase enzyme research that earned the 2009 Nobel Prize for 3 scientists; An email question about how a biochemical in grapefruit juice affects the breakdown of drugs and hormones; Dr. Dawn evaluates the concept of applied kinesiology and causes of tingling and numbness in the hand; FDA approves use of HPV vaccine in males; Advice for an audio engineer with...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Oct. 03, 2009

Tue, Oct 6 Listen

Overview on H1N1 flu vaccine: who should get it and why; Why do I have low zinc levels even after taking zinc supplements? Dientes and Western Service Workers can help a poor musician get free dental care for his multiple bad teeth infections; Are my symptoms of ringing in the ears and canker sores do to stress and what can I do about it? A pregnant woman is advised to get H1N1 flu vaccine — risks vs. benefits are discussed; Someone worried about to much glutamate from aspartame in gum and...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Sept. 26, 2009

Tue, Sep 29 Listen

Interview with Functional Medicine doctor, Tom O'Bryan, an expert in autoimmune disease. Topics: The number of people with autoimmune disease greatly exceeds those with cancer or heart disease; Autoimmune diseases include Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis and alopecia; The dangers of using strong immune suppressants to treat autoimmune diseases, especially the raised risk of cancer; The physiology of the intestine and how autoimmune diseases start...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Sept. 19, 2009

Sun, Sep 20 Listen

H1N1 flu has a longer contagion cycle that starts before coughing and sneezing and lasts a few days after symptoms stop and other news about H1H1 flu; How does milk thistle and other supplements help detoxification? Niacin and exercise can lower triglycerides and raise the "good cholesterol" HDL; A case of valium overdose was probably facilitated by sleep apnea — end of life resuscitation issues are discussed; Injectable hyaluronic acid, used for knee joint arthritis, is probably not a good...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Sept. 12, 2009

Sun, Sep 13 Listen

Comments on Obama's health care speech; Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Bland from the Institute of Functional Medicine. Topics: The future of medicine lies in an individualized approach that plays to your genetic strengths and identifies genetic weaknesses; Pharmacogenetics: individualized medical treatment tuned to your metabolism and genetics; Drugs are often "created" molecules that some individuals detoxify poorly, soon we'll know in advance who's at risk; Is acetaminophen the cause of the...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Sept. 05, 2009

Mon, Sep 7 Listen

Dr. Dawn supports California bill SB 797 to ban BPA-containing plastics in products that children use; Update on projections that the H1N1 flu will result in 3 times more deaths than the average flu this season; What causes a hiatal hernia and what to do about it; Sore veins in lower leg may be phlebitis or a consequence of deep venous thrombosis; How to help healing of a broken neck vertebrae in a very lucky surfer; Correction on last weeks discussion of digestive enzymes — the role of...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Aug. 29, 2009

Mon, Aug 31 Listen

Health issues with fire retardants; Heating high fructose corn syrup generates a harmful chemical; Laser removal of tattoos generates toxic chemicals; Does using liquid nitrogen to kill skin lesions have any cancer risks? Are there any alternatives to complete knee replacement? The biochemistry that explains why L-Acetyl Carnitine is a good supplement for Alzheimer's and heart disease; Help with interpreting a lab report about digestive enzyme deficiencies; Saw Palmetto herb or progesterone...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Aug. 22, 2009

Mon, Aug 24 Listen

Comments on the U.S. health care reform debates; A caller blames conservative media for misinformation that fuels opposition to health care reform; Someone with a history of blood clots in legs wonders about the safety of CT scans to find possible associated cancer; A woman with frequent laryngospasm caused by a hiatal hernia needs to investigate surgery options; More discussion of the role of the media in the health care reform debate; A man who got an MRI or CT scan was scared by...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Aug. 15, 2009

Mon, Aug 17 Listen

Interview with Dr. Bernie Siegel about his work helping cancer patients, mind-body interactions, using guided imagery and patient drawings for therapy and helping doctors to be good healers

Ask Doctor Dawn - Aug. 08, 2009

Fri, Aug 14 Listen

Updates on the H1N1 flu; What are the risks for a hiatal hernia operation — do I really need it? A recent visitor to Vietnam also has comments about traveling and and the H1N1 flu; New treatment for eczema using vitamin B12 cream; The risks of the anti-depression drug Abilify and the problem of direct to consumer drug advertising; A caller relates using supplements to help his depression symptoms — the difficulty with scientific testing of multi-component herbal remedies; Obesity seems to...

Ask Doctor Dawn - Aug. 01, 2009

Fri, Aug 14 Listen

Interview with Dr. Esther Sternberg. Topics: Dr. Sternberg's research with mice revealed the influence of the brain's reaction to stress on the immune system and how it subsequent causes of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis; The purpose of the stress response ("to fight or flee") is life saving in the natural world, e.g., to avoid being eaten, but it normally turns off quickly; Chronic stress suppresses the immune system and leads to a long list of infections and...

Ask Doctor Dawn - July 25, 2009

Sun, Jul 26 Listen

Interview with Dr. Marion Nestle about the politics of food; Our current very inadequate food safety system is described; How grocery stores are engineered to make you buy more food than you need; Soft drink companies seduce schools to sell sweet drinks to children all day long in schools; Food economics 101: Natural forces of capitalism motivate food producers and sellers to sell us as much cheap food as possible; Corn subsidies resulted in the use of high fructose corn syrup as the...

Ask Doctor Dawn - July 18, 2009

Sun, Jul 19 Listen

Study shows significant rates of gastrointestinal illnesses in people playing in beach sand — wash your hands! Dr. Dawn evaluates the health care reform bill passed by the US House of Representatives this week; An email has a very clever "Declaration of Independence for Health Care" — see askdrdawn.com for full version; Common causes for low iron in elders; A testimonial that atopic eczema was cured by Vitamin D supplements; Black Cohosh seems to lower the woman's platelet count — maybe an...

Ask Doctor Dawn - July 11, 2009

Sun, Jul 12 Listen

More urgent warnings about contact between men using testosterone gels and contact with children; Overuse of Proton Pump Inhibitor drugs in hospitals results in more than twice as many pneumonia cases — general criticism if PPIs is reiterated; Functional medicine approach to restless leg syndrome is exercise in the morning and take magnesium supplements and other herbs; A review of interferon vs. other types of therapy for hepatitis C; What is causing an annoying itch under my arm? How...

Ask Doctor Dawn - July 04, 2009

Mon, Jul 6 Listen

Review of the FDA advisory committee news lowering doses of Acetaminophen and banning Vicodin; Questions about why hospital equipment must have loud warning sounds and a suggestion on how to fix it; Caller had success with taking probiotics and a discussion of the safety and efficacy of Betaine HCl; Why lab "normal" values have changed, resulting in more people falling into the diabetic and hypertension categories — this helps us prevent diabetes by treating during earlier stages, but the...

Ask Doctor Dawn - June 27, 2009

Mon, Jun 29 Listen

Tamoxifen drug for breast cancer should not be taken with certain antidepressants; A case of colitis cured by a brew of Chinese herbs; Headlines linking obesity to pancreatic cancer needs careful analysis - how to exaggerate with statistics; Another case of medical research spun to make news and exaggerated risk: ADHD drugs and sudden death; A case of ulcerative colitis cured by probiotics instead of heavy anti-inflammatory drugs; The importance of quiet rest and sleep is contradicted by the...

Ask Doctor Dawn - June 20, 2009

Mon, Jun 22 Listen

Dr. Dawn reviews an article that explores the best and worst places in the US based on quality of health care vs. cost; Who should possibly get direct to consumer ultrasound screening procedures for carotid artery disease or aneurysms? A healthy elder asks about Acai Berry and how to loose belly fat, which is very bad for your health; About B vitamin supplements; Frequent cold sores in the previous caller also indicate micronutrient deficiencies — high quality multivitamins are a possible...

Ask Doctor Dawn - June 13, 2009

Sat, Jun 13 Listen

Interview with nutrition and gut expert Gerard Mullin. Topics: The varieties of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease are primary; The role of the immune system in each disease; The importance of early development in the cause of these diseases; Sensitivity to the large amount of gluten in modern manufactured foods is explained; More details about how IBD affects the immune system; Practical treatments for IBD, such as butyrate suppositories and...

Ask Doctor Dawn - June 06, 2009

Mon, Jun 8 Listen

Feedback from last week's show on Single Payer and this week's news where advocates were finally listened to in the Senate health hearings; Anticipation of cataract surgery probably raised this caller's blood pressure — advice for lowering blood pressure without drugs; Doses of DHEA to use for osteoporosis should be determined by measuring level in blood; How to detoxify and raise white blood cell count after chemotherapy; A fifty five year old man complains about loss of cognitive abilities...

Ask Doctor Dawn - May 30, 2009

Mon, Jun 1 Listen

A doctor who worked in the British health care system supports Single Payer in the US with suggestions for improvements; A discussion of Single Payer healthcare proposals in the US with nurse and activist Lorna Grundeman; Single payer is defined and compared to the very expense US system run by insurance companies; Why isn't single payer being considered seriously during the current health reform discussions in Washington DC?; How single payer best fulfills Obama's stated goals for reform...

Ask Doctor Dawn - May 23, 2009

Mon, May 25 Listen

IV immunoglobulin can treat a certain kind of diabetic neuropathy; Taking folic acid a year before giving birth greatly reduces chances of a premature birth; Breast feeding for a year or more reduces lifetime risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes and low cholesterol! Length of time sitting measured over a 12 year period correlates with higher mortality; How do I rebuild bone — I have osteoporosis because of breast cancer medication; Dr. Dawn's baby shampoo treatment for Blepharitis;...

Ask Doctor Dawn - May 16, 2009

Mon, May 18 Listen

Historical practices of removing ovaries with any hysterectomy may not have been a good idea; The rare, but important, side effects of taking statin drugs; Is red yeast rice better to take instead of a statin drug? How to evaluate the quality of vitamins and other food supplements; Follow up on a previous inquiry about dry eye — flax seed oil works for this person; Treating a melanoma (skin cancer) is critical, with additional comments on the health care system in France; Will hormone...

Ask Doctor Dawn - May 09, 2009

Mon, May 11 Listen

FDA warning about testosterone gel used by elders getting onto children; Update on the swine flu — appropriate reaction has hopefully prevented a major pandemic; A man with bad osteoporosis follows up on discussion of testosterone supplements; A flu sufferer in Mexico in Feb. is probably not a case of swine flu; Why do I seem to react to new batches of levothyroxin, which I'm taking for Hashimoto's disease? Red spots on a woman's stomach are probably a hereditary dilated blood vessels...

Ask Doctor Dawn - May 02, 2009

Mon, May 4 Listen

Dr. Dawn's background about the current swine flu hysteria; How to deal with someone who doesn't like vegetables — probably a "super taster" Swelling in ankles is caused by damaged valves in veins of the leg; A full body rash is probably a reaction to an antibiotic taken for sinus infection; All about what causes blood clots and deficiencies in blood coagulation; More about veins! A caller talks about getting radio ablation treatment for blood clots; Alternative remedy for dry eye syndrome;...

Ask Doctor Dawn - April 25, 2009

Sun, Apr 26 Listen

Interview with Dr. Mark Hyman, One of the top practitioners and researchers in Function Medicine; Problems of the mind such as depression, memory loss, insomnia, etc are mostly caused by metabolic problems; Dr. Hyman supports Dr. Dawn's frequent criticism of over use of proton pump inhibitors to reduce stomach answers; The "myth of diagnosis" is Dr. Hyman's way of framing the fallacies in the drug-centered approach of conventional medicine; The seven core concepts of Functional Medicine are...

Ask Doctor Dawn (Health)