In a much needed and thoughtful analysis, the United States Preventive Service Task Force has summarized what we have learned about HRT since the Women’s Health Initiative was published in 2002. (See summary chart above.)

They have also issued draft recommendations on the use of HRT f… Read full post »

We’ve only got one day to open up the cottage, having stopped along the way to taking my eldest daughter back to school for her summer research session.

There’s so much to be done. We really should clean out the gutters and scrub down the porch and the outdoor furniture.… Read full post »

We’ve only got one day to open up the cottage for the season, having stopped along the way to taking my eldest daughter back to school for her summer research session.  There really is a lot to be done around here- the herb garden needs weeding and planting – only the… Read full post »

If you are one of the millions of Americans taking a bisphosphonate drug for treatment of bone loss, you’ve most likely worried about what you’ve gotten yourself into. Earlier this month, the FDA took the highly unusual step of publishing the results of their investigation into rep… Read full post »

Technical issues.  Resolved. (Thanks, OB1 and Karthik)

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While waiting at Heathrow for our flight home from London, my mother in law Irene, recalling the turbulence on our ride over, decided to get herself something for motion sickness. Off we headed to the airport pharmacy, where we discovered that motion sickness drugs are sold behind the counter… Read full post »

A quick post and pic for a quick and delicious asparagus recipe from yesterday’s New York Times. Perfect for using the chives that have had their annual rebirth in my terrace garden. We added some sliced avocado, otherwise made it as written. The gorgeous thin spring asparagus are from F… Read full post »

By sheer coincidence, our visit to see my daughter during her semester studying Shakespeare at RADA occurred during the week of the Bard’s birthday, making her class production of All’s Well That Ends Well seem even more special than it already was for us. Even more coincidental wa/… Read full post »

It’s not Portobello Road, but it’ll have to do for this trip.

On other days Old Spitalfields Market is a mix of new, crafted and retro chic in the midst of a neighborhood known for its trendy shops – a destination for those in search of whats hip and… Read full post »

We did not eat here –  The Churchill War Rooms Kitchen

On my last visit to London, I was overruled by my kids whenever I tried to plan a meal at a special restaurant – they insisted we allow serendipity to rule when choosing where to eat. This time, with Irene on/… Read full post »

The Ferrero Group has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit that claims they are falsely advertising Nutella as a healthy breakfast food. (See their ad above – What do you think?)

The suit was brought by a handful of US consumers, but you can get in on… Read full post »

One of the best parts about having your daughter do a semester abroad is that you have an excuse to cross the pond. Put that child in RADA’s Shakespeare program, then realize your visit coincides with Shakespeare’s birthday, and you begin to feel that the Bard himself has conspire… Read full post »

I’m performing this with my chorus in a few weeks (along with the Faure’ Requiem). I’ve been so enjoying this wonderful recording by the Orchestre de Paris that I just had to share it with you. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard.… Read full post »

We’ve known for years that birth control pills protect against ovarian cancer, with an up to 80% reduction in risk with long term use.  Now it appears that use of Depo-Provera may convey a similar benefit.

In a large multicenter case control study in Thailand, use of Depo Provera led to… Read full post »

That’s the headline the media should have used when publicizing the results of a recent study comparing Depo-Provera use among women ages 20-44 with or without breast cancer. Because that’s exactly what the study’s authors found.

There was no difference in exposure to Depo-… Read full post »

Although I was not born Jewish, I did marry into a Jewish family. Now, over 20 years later, the culinary traditions of that religion feel as much like my own as those I share with my own family. One of my favorite of the Jewish traditions is making Charoset for Passover… Read full post »

First they want to take away insurance coverage of birth control. Then they call us sluts and try to force us to have vaginal sonograms.

Now they’re trying to convince us we’re even fatter than we already think we are.

US Women could be more obese than believed

MONDAY, April 2

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It’s one of the most fascinating pieces of medical detective work I’ve ever heard.   Using plain old-fashioned legwork combined with high tech laboratory investigation, a touch of international intrigue and even a bit of CIA intelligence data, Arthur Grollman and his collaborators acro… Read full post »

It’s the best dressing I’ve ever made, inspired by the signature salad at March de Sud - goat cheese fritter, figs, apple, candied walnut and romaine tossed with a lavender honey vinaigrette. Lucky for me, the restaurant also houses a small French Market, where I was able to bu… Read full post »

It was one of those “It doesn’t get any better than this” afternoons. Fresh from a massage at Equinox (courtesy of a gift certificate from my daughters from last Mother’s Day – that’s how long it took me to find a free hour…), I strolled across Centra… Read full post »

In my last post, I spoke out against new laws that, in their zeal to limit the practice of abortion, actually threaten the practice of medicine, as well as the rights of physicians to free speech. Not to mention the fact that the laws mandate both the physical and emotional abuse… Read full post »

Kudos to Alabama pediatrician Pippa Abston for publicly speaking out for all doctors and their patients against legislation that violates women and forces doctors to choose between violating professional ethics or breaking the law. (HT to Rh Reality Check for their fabulous reporting on this issue)… Read full post »

A fabulous summary of the evidence for and against aspirin use for heart disease has been posted by Dr Linda Mavromatis at her blog Dr Dialogue. It’s one of the most clearly written summaries I’ve read to date, suitable for both patients and their clinicians, complete with excellen… Read full post »

I mean it.

What Rush and his women-hating, slut-calling, reproductive rights bashing cronies have done is the best thing that could have happened for women in this election year.

I know you think things are horrible, what with us now having to fight the battle for reproductive rights all ove… Read full post »