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We share this wild planet with countless viruses, including rhinovirus (which causes the common cold), influenza A and B (which can lead to the flu), and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), the latest [...]

Although the ideal way to use ketamine in the treatment of depression and mood disorders likely entails receiving the treatment in a safe and comfortable setting, in an unrushed atmosphere, with [...]

Simple (and tasty) strategies for increasing your daily fiber intake – without having to “cheat” on Dr. Atkins. This is Part III in my three-part series on low-carb diets and [...]

From heart health to trim waist lines to healthy bowel movements, fiber’s got you covered. This is Part II in my three-part series on low-carb diets and fiber. As explored in my previous [...]

Low-carb diets like the paleo, Atkins, and ketogenic programs are all the rage. How did they come to be so popular? And are they sustainable in the long run?   This is Part I of III in my [...]

Chaos consciousness ain’t for all of us. Dan is beaming as he declares, “Dang, you’re so beautiful! It’s such a coincidence – but there are no coincidences! – that I [...]

If you own a human body, chances are you’ve taken at least one course of antibiotics in your lifetime – whether it was bubble-gum flavored amoxicillin for that ear infection in childhood, [...]

When a pregnant gorilla goes into labor, her mate paces back and forth nearby. He is alert, engaged, and fierce, ready to attack and destroy anyone or anything that may cause his female or his [...]

MTHF-Huh? MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, a gene that codes for an enzyme of the same name. However, if the MTHFR gene is mutated, the enzyme produced is imperfectly [...]

“Detox” is one of those edgy yet deceptively vague terms used to market anything from supplements to fragrances to yoni steam baths. (Yes, that really is a thing.) But do you really need to drop [...]

As I write this post, my home office is a mess of clothes, itineraries, guidebooks, and the scattered contents of a first aid kit. I’m packing for my upcoming trip to East Africa, carefully [...]

We pick up funny thought patterns, us humans. Sometimes these ideas are planted by companies with an agenda to sell items, other times old wives’ tales get engrained into our beliefs. [...]

  The Fine Print for Remote Client Consultations These terms are subject to change at any time. CONTEXT OF CARE: Dr. Zelfand is not your physician and therefore cannot order tests, prescribe [...]

America’s Approach to Informed Consent (or Lack Thereof) When it Comes to Vaccination Last week I helped grade exit exams at a local medical school. I was specifically grading the students on [...]

What was your first food? Have you ever asked your parents? Depending on your age, it might have been banana, sweet potato, oatmeal, or Cheerios. Perhaps it was meat, first chewed in your [...]

True or false: A pap smear is a screening tool for ovarian cancer. Bloating and indigestion can be symptoms of ovarian cancer. Women in their 30’s are at the highest risk of developing ovarian [...]

Some people gain weight after switching to a gluten free diet. Here’s why. The sale of GF (gluten-free) foods grossed more than $2.6 billion by the end of 2010, and they’re expected to exceed [...]

One of my favorite beverages this time of year is golden milk. Made from tasty, healing Ayurvedic herbs blende d with coconut milk, this drink is delicious served hot or cold. It’s also one of [...]

Hooray for Chanukkah, festival of lights, and excuse to eat latkes! Traditionally, latkes are made from potatoes, which are a starchy, fast-burning carbohydrate. This essentially means that after [...]

You know your friend who doesn’t have kids yet? …Or your cousin who’s been married for 5 years to a guy that makes good money, but there’s no bump? …Or your neighbor whose child is already [...]

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about anal sex and when a condom is necessary. Let’s clear some things up, shall we? I should start this (admittedly risqué) blog post by explaining: my [...]

A recent study from Harvard has echoed what integrative physicians have been saying for years: There is little if any reason to give a child a bottle or glass of milk. . Health Problems [...]

When you transition to a health-conscious diet, it’s easy to focus on the foods to avoid, making it hard to know what the heck is left to eat! . If you’re ready to ditch the “health” bars that [...]

It would be a stretch to say that I hated the rose bush in my backyard, but not a big one. The rose bust would send its thorny branches out between those of the nearby laurel, snagging the skin, [...]

Part 3 in my series on reflux . Before treating reflux in a baby, it’s important to first assess if the reflux is really an issue. If your baby is spitting up after feedings, it doesn’t [...]

Part II of My Series on Reflux Here are 7 simple ways to get over reflux for good:  . {1} Clean Up Your Diet. Avoid the common reflux trigger foods, including: Spicy foods like salsa and hot [...]

E-mail hyper-vigilance and compulsive smartphone use is frying your nervous system, wrecking your sleep, causing anxiety, ruining your sex life, and compromising your productivity at work. . [...]

So many Americans these days are popping Prilosec daily or reaching for TUMS after meals. Even babies nowadays are on Zantac! Aside from being of limited value in treating the true cause of acid [...]

Genetics alone can’t explain the rise in allergic diseases we’ve seen in the industrialized world. Allergic conditions are on the rise. In fact, the rate of peanut allergy has doubled in the US [...]

Gynecomastia – also known as “Man Boobs” – happens when hormonal imbalances create swelling in the breast tissue. Most males actually begin life with swollen breasts. Parents of baby boys [...]

Just about every day in my practice, a new mom breaks down in tears. “I mean, I’m a new mom, it’s supposed to be hard and I’m supposed to be exhausted, right? I wish I could just toughen up.” All [...]

Every day in my practice I treat moms are who giving it their all and falling apart. And it isn’t their fault. . THE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE OF WOMEN. It seems the odds are against new [...]

“Happy Holidays!” chimes the rep as she slides a sparkly-wrapped present across my desk, “here’s a little something for you.” After she leaves, I excitedly cut the red shiny ribbon, pull away the [...]

The holiday season is a time of magic, festivity, family time, and celebrating miracles both great and small. For some, however, the holidays are also a time of eating things you wouldn’t dare [...]

Why Getting the Occasional Cold or Flu Might Not Be Such a Bad Thing Every now and then I have a patient who boasts proudly, “I’m healthy as a horse! I haven’t had a cold or flu in [...]

By creating a vaccine against a relatively benign, self-limiting infectious disease, we’ve likely increased the incidence rate of another, more harmful condition. . If you’re over the age [...]

After sitting in the waiting room for 30 minutes, you follow a nurse to a windowless room. 20 minutes later your doctor walks in, thanking you for your (thinning) patience. What’s going on? . [...]

When Obesity isn’t a Choice, and Kale and Crossfit aren’t Enough It’s no secret that Americans are big. We’re the fattest people in the world. …And it’s a legitimate health issue. Obesity is, in [...]

A recent study reveals that even borderline low testosterone levels can cause depression in men. The study, which was presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in 2015, followed [...]

She. Began. Talking. Like this. With little. Gasps. And. Pauses. Between. Words. Last week I was having lunch with a dear friend who is in her 38th week of pregnancy. While telling me about her [...]

Electronic cigarettes (“E-cigs”) are gaining popularity. But could they do more harm than good? Electronic cigarettes (also referred to as “e-cigs”) offer smokers a less smoky, less stinky [...]

Going dairy free was kind of hard. After years of recommending the elimination and challenge diet to my patients, this past summer I finally took the leap of courage and did it myself. I knew it [...]

This is the gold standard for determining your food intolerances. When the gut is inflamed and irritated, it can begin reacting to foods that might otherwise not bother it. The elimination and [...]

Many dermatologists manage eczema with steroid creams. But is a steroid deficiency really the cause of dry, itchy skin? Eczema – or, as we doctor-types like to call it, Atopic Dermatitis – has [...]

There’s quite a bit of misinformation when it comes to herpes. Let’s clear some things up, shall we? . Myth: Herpes can only be transmitted during an active outbreak. Herpes is much more [...]

As more and more research shows the harmful effects of gluten, a protein found in wheat, many people are cleaning up their diets and going gluten free. Although I recommend a gluten free diet to [...]

It’s long been understood that folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy reduces the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects in children. But can folic acid supplements [...]

This is Part II of my previous entry on the importance of supplementing folic acid during pregnancy. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins. It is used by the body to make healthy new cells, balance [...]

I recently had the honor and good fortune of attending a women’s sweat lodge ceremony. Lead by a woman named JJ – full time mom, Unitarian minister, and protector of the lodge – we gathered on a [...]

Did you know your nervous system controls your digestive health? Well, it does! Let’s look at the two branches of the autonomic nervous system that play into healthy digestion and elimination: [...]

I recently attended an integrative oncology seminar. Learn from some of the most brilliant cancer specialists in America, I was thrilled to learn about the natural modalities that can not only [...]

A 50 year old woman remembers the time she tried out for the cheerleading team in high school and didn’t make the cut. Scenario one: She says it broke her heart and she cried for a week straight [...]