General Health & Technology News

Choosing your primary care physician has the potential to be one of the most important decisions you will make. Typically,… Read Full Article

General Health

Acute Lower Back Pain

Wei Wang, MD

Are you regretting that decision to help a friend throw away that Plasma TV? Chances are you and 84% of… Read Full Article

General Health

E-Cigarettes – Looking Beyond the Smoke

Aarathi Rangachar, MD, FAAP

Last month I got a frantic phone call from a parent who had just found out that her daughter, who… Read Full Article

General Health

Blood Pressure 101

Thao Phan, MD

At nearly every visit to your physician, one of the initial things you’ll experience is a blood pressure screening. This… Read Full Article

General Health

Food Is Medicine: Take the Right “Dose” at the Right Time

Sevitlana Safaei, MD

For thousands of years, we have understood that “food is medicine;” what goes into our bodies has a significant effect… Read Full Article

General Health

Diet and Exercise for Better Bone Health

Eric Stevens, MD

Osteoporosis affects more than 50 million Americans and found in all races and gender. Osteoporosis is not part of the… Read Full Article

General Health

On the Road to Health, Let Mindfulness Be Your Guide

Sevitlana Safaei, MD

What are you doing at exactly this moment? What is going on with your body? What is happening with your… Read Full Article

General Health

How to Decode Your Headache

Yong Sik Kim, MD

Your head is throbbing, the world is thrumming, maybe you feel nauseous or faint. When headaches strike, it can be… Read Full Article

General Health

Tips to Maximize your Workout

Gabriel A Carpio-Bracho, MD

We can never predict when an injury is likely to occur, but with the right preparation and precautions, we may… Read Full Article

General Health

5 Secrets of Holiday Dining

Asha Robertson, MD

When you are trying to stay on a healthy course with a balanced diet, the holidays can feel daunting. Candy… Read Full Article

General Health

6 Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress

Sevitlana Safaei, MD

For many of us, “the most wonderful time of the year” is anything but. If we let the holiday season… Read Full Article

General Health

Don’t Skip Those Routine Screenings!

Aditi Springstubb, MD

When that little light goes off in your car, you know it’s time for an oil change. Unfortunately, your body… Read Full Article

General Health

My Doctor Says I’m Pre-Diabetic. What Does That Mean?

Eric Stevens, MD

People generally understand what type 2 diabetes is. But a diagnosis of pre-diabetes tends to elicit one of two reactions:… Read Full Article

General Health

Five Tips to Staying Healthy During Thanksgiving

Julie R. Matsuura, MD

Most people don’t consider Thanksgiving to be the healthiest of holidays. Between the ladles of gravy and the piles of… Read Full Article

General Health

Flu Myths Debunked

Thao Phan, MD

The only thing more contagious than the flu is misinformation. Every year, when I remind my patients to get their… Read Full Article

General Health

Why Is the Need for Blood Pressure Medicine So Hard to Swallow?

Vance Cao, MD

It may be difficult to accept the diagnosis of hypertension or high blood pressure and even harder for some people… Read Full Article

General Health

Spotting Skin Cancer is as Easy as ABC (and D and E)

More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, than all other types of cancer combined. If that statistic startles… Read Full Article

General Health

Five Healthy Food Swaps to Improve Your Health

Lauren Sweetser, MD

You have probably heard that to eat healthier, you should cook your meals at home. That’s a fantastic piece of… Read Full Article

General Health

Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

Often times my patients come into the office to discuss their challenges with sleep. Here are some of the things… Read Full Article

General Health

Preparing for Summer Travel

Stanley Wasbin, MD

When we get ready to travel, we plan our itinerary and pack all of the necessities, but do we create… Read Full Article

General Health

Meditation as Medicine

Amit Hiteshi, MD

You need to chill out. Seriously. Doctor’s orders. Research has long established a link between anxiety and health issues as… Read Full Article

General Health

Hepatitis C – am I at risk and how do I know if I should be tested?

Gayle Hopper, MD

Most people who have Hepatitis C don’t even know they have it. Hepatitis C can damage the liver and lead… Read Full Article

General Health

Why do I always feel fatigued?

Amanda Khosravi, MD

Fatigue is a common issue for many people, and as a physician, I often hear this in my practice. Finding… Read Full Article

General Health

Sports Medicine: Giving Team Health Care a Boost

Gabriel A Carpio-Bracho, MD

In the past, when I’d tell people that I practice sports medicine, the first thing they’d ask me is, “What’s… Read Full Article

General Health

Trouble Getting to the Gym? Get to Your Doctor

Lauren Sweetser, MD

If you’re waiting until you’re sick to see your doctor, you’re waiting too long. Preventive medicine is important, and annual… Read Full Article

General Health

Hungry? Reach for a Healthy Scoop of Reality

Terra Safer, MD

I have a secret diet that works for all children and families to ensure a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables,… Read Full Article

General Health

What is the Best Kind of Diet to Lose Weight?

Lauren Sweetser, MD

Q: What is the best kind of diet to lose weight? A: Patients ask me all the time what diet… Read Full Article

General Health

How to Avoid Anxiety During the Holidays

Amit Hiteshi, MD

Do we experience more mental health disorders during the holidays? Not really. The popular belief that rates of clinical mental… Read Full Article

General Health

Understanding Autoimmune Diseases

Sheetal S. Gavankar, MD

As a Rheumatologist, I often have to explain to patients what it means to have an autoimmune disease. To understand… Read Full Article

General Health

Medication Side Effects: What You Need to Know Before You Pop That Pill

Medications allow us to overcome illness, power through pain and transform some fatal diseases into merely chronic ones. But no… Read Full Article

General Health

Vitamin D – How Much Should I Be Getting?

Maily Creamer, DO

Vitamin D is constantly making headlines. Are we getting enough? Are we getting too much? Do we need to take… Read Full Article

General Health

Reading Labels Gives You Something to Chew On

Lauren Sweetser, MD

If you eat fewer calories than you burn off, you will lose weight. It’s that simple. But for many people,… Read Full Article

General Health

What’s Going on with Gluten?

Ankmalika Gupta, MD, FAAAAI, FAAP

There is a lot of news these days about gluten. Whether it is a gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, or gluten… Read Full Article

General Health

Adult ADD

While the term Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is commonly associated with children, it is also a condition that affects many… Read Full Article

General Health

Practicing Sun Safety for the Whole Family

Kristy Tolly, MD, FAAP

Living in Southern California, we are exposed to sunshine nearly year-round. The warm weather makes it ideal for enjoying outdoor… Read Full Article

General Health

Do I Need an Annual Exam?

Aditi Springstubb, MD

The two pillars of good health are taking care of oneself with healthy lifestyle choices and undergoing appropriate screening exams.… Read Full Article

General Health

Urinary Tract Infections – When it’s Time to See a Doctor

Rukhsana Serang, DO

That stinging, burning, often annoying sensation you may get when trying to urinate – what is it? There can be… Read Full Article

General Health

Vitamins

Joseph Weiland, DO

For the majority of people, vitamin supplementation is not necessary. Adequate vitamin intake can usually be attained by a healthy… Read Full Article

General Health

Essential Travel Tips

Stanley Wasbin, MD

When we get ready to travel, we plan our itinerary and pack all of the necessities, but do we create… Read Full Article

General Health

Medical Geneticist – How Does Genetic Testing Play a Role in my Health?

A Medical Geneticist is a physician that undergoes additional training and education to become board certified in genetics. This physician… Read Full Article

General Health

Shop with your Doc

Daniel Nadeau, MD

Ever wish you could go grocery shopping with your doctor and seek their advice? St. Joseph Hoag Health recently launched… Read Full Article

General Health

New Year! New Resolve!

Gayle Hopper, MD

The holidays can be brutal on anyone’s efforts to maintain and attain ideal weight. Something purposeful YOU can resolve to… Read Full Article

General Health

Safe Travels: How to Avoid Germs While On the Go

Amit Hiteshi, MD

We all know that airplanes are filthy. Train stations are thick with coughs and sneezes, and bus terminals are cesspools… Read Full Article

General Health

Staying healthy this holiday season: Tips to keep things merry and bright

Elizabeth Yanni, MD

The holidays are a time for family, friends and celebration, but they can also be a time of stress, over-indulgence… Read Full Article

General Health

Hoag Medical Group is Growing!

Jennifer Birkhauser, MD, FAAP

Earlier this month, the newly-expanded Hoag Health Center in Huntington Beach opened its doors to the public. Contributing another 50,000… Read Full Article

General Health

Smoking Cessation

Aditi Springstubb, MD

Tobacco smoke is a mixture of over 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are known toxins, 70 of which cause cancer.… Read Full Article

General Health

What in the world is OMT?

Erin O’Hara, DO

A D.O. is a doctor of osteopathy, also known as an “osteopath.” You may have seen these letters after a… Read Full Article

General Health

What does a positive antinuclear antibody mean?

Sheetal S. Gavankar, MD

Very often I have patients who come in to my office concerned that they have an autoimmune condition such as… Read Full Article

General Health

Do I Have Insomnia?

“BRRRRRRIIINGGG!!!!” The alarm clock rings and I gaze drowsily towards the blurry clock. The bright red LED screen flashes “7:00AM”,… Read Full Article

General Health

Exercise – What’s Right for You?

Physical activity is important for all people and should be incorporated routinely in everyone’s life. Current recommendations regarding the type… Read Full Article

General Health

Talk to your doctor on the go!

Erin O’Hara, DO

You’re a busy mom running your kids all over town, an executive in high demand constantly traveling for work, or… Read Full Article

General Health

Fireworks Safety

Christine Field, MD, FAAP

Summer is here and with it comes one of the most beloved holidays, the 4th of July. For many of… Read Full Article

General Health

Polypharmacy – What to Know!

Mercedes Tomioka, MD

Every time I see a new patient, I like to get a thorough review of their medication list, especially if… Read Full Article

General Health

Vitamin B12 Injections: Should I jump on the bandwagon?

Ani Baghdassarian, MD

As a primary care physician, I am often approached by patients curious about the therapeutic role that Vitamin B12 can… Read Full Article

General Health

Sleep Habits: The Rules of Sleep Hygiene

Aditi Springstubb, MD

For millions of Americans, sleep can be an unfortunately elusive state. Chronic insomnia has a lifetime incidence of 30-50% in… Read Full Article

General Health

What is a primary care sports physician?

Gabriel A Carpio-Bracho, MD

A primary care sports medicine physician is specially trained in care of nonsurgical orthopedic conditions and other injuries or disorders… Read Full Article

General Health

Have you had a SPOT-check?

Since May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, I thought I’d give you the SKINny: skin cancer is the… Read Full Article

General Health

E-Cigarettes: Genius Invention or Harmful Crutch?

Maily Creamer, DO

When a colleague introduced me to the electronic cigarette, I thought it was an ingenious idea. Also known as an… Read Full Article

General Health

Is my thyroid gland the culprit?

Ani Baghdassarian, MD

What is the thyroid gland? The thyroid gland is a gland located in the front region of our necks, resembling… Read Full Article

General Health

Shoo Away the Ah-Choo: Managing Hay Fever

Aditi Springstubb, MD

The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and Spring is here! For many, this also heralds a worsening of their… Read Full Article

General Health

Fat Intake in the Healthy Diet

Due to the ever-growing epidemic of obesity, leading to coronary heart disease in the United States, fat intake has been… Read Full Article

General Health

Choosing Contraception: A Beginner’s Guide

Aditi Springstubb, MD

49% of pregnancies in the US are unintended. This staggering statistic sheds light on the importance of education regarding family… Read Full Article

General Health

The Pitfalls of “Super-Marketing”

Jennifer Birkhauser, MD, FAAP

It seems impossible to leave the grocery store with just one item. You may go for a gallon of milk,… Read Full Article

General Health

How Do Vaccines Work?

Jennifer Birkhauser, MD, FAAP

Understanding the general idea behind how vaccines work is important for everyone to know. Though the process is very complicated,… Read Full Article

General Health

Staying Heart Healthy

Ani Baghdassarian, MD

With February being Heart Health Month, why not start the month off right by taking an active approach to keeping… Read Full Article

General Health

Multivitamins: Friend or Foe?

Aditi Springstubb, MD

While some tenets of health are no-brainers, like “exercise more” and “don’t overeat,” others, such as multivitamin use, are more… Read Full Article

General Health

Energy Drinks – Hype, Helpful, or Harmful?

Christine Field, MD, FAAP

Energy drinks are the latest trend in the beverage industry. First there were sodas, then diet sodas, and now energy… Read Full Article

General Health

Health Awareness Months – Building awareness throughout the year

Ani Baghdassarian, MD

As we ring in a new year and recover from the holiday craze, we reflect back on the year behind… Read Full Article

General Health

Kicking Off a Healthy New Year

Nancy Love, MD

As we say goodbye to 2013 and begin a new year, we would like to give you some motivation and… Read Full Article

General Health

The Importance of Vitamin D

Daniel Nadeau, MD

Vitamin D, the “sun” vitamin, is most commonly associated with bone health. It can be made by your body given… Read Full Article

General Health

Medical Fun Fact: Tryptophan

Turkey, Thanksgiving’s favorite meat, is thought to contain high levels of tryptophan, causing sleepiness after our large turkey dinners. However,… Read Full Article

General Health

The Influenza Vaccine: Debunking the Myth

Jennifer Birkhauser, MD, FAAP

It’s that time of year: cold and influenza (the “flu”) season! As our offices prepare to care for the fall/winter… Read Full Article

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