spread of healthy food

The New Holiday Plate: Healthy, Wholesome, and Welcoming For All

Specialdocs ConsultantsNutrition, Patient News

As dietary restrictions become more commonplace (an estimated 10% of Americans have a food allergy, another 5% are vegetarian or vegan), serving a holiday meal that satisfies a diversity of diners may seem intimidating. Below we show some easy ways to deconstruct or reconstruct your dishes to give everyone – whether they’re heart-healthy, diabetic, gluten-sensitive, lactose-intolerant, nut-free or plant-forward – …

Smiling group of people of different ages

A Welcome Change: Mental Health Issues Lose Their Stigma at Every Age

Specialdocs ConsultantsMental Health, Patient News

From unmentionable to oft discussed, American attitudes toward mental health have made a seismic shift over the years. It’s heartening to see recent polls showing 87% of U.S. adults agree having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, and 86% saying people with mental health disorders can get better. Seeking help from a therapist has become normalized, …

asian girl having fun to learn about vegetables with happiness

Mental Health in Children

Specialdocs ConsultantsMental Health, Patient News

Age of Innocence – Or Anxiety for Today’s Kids? From loud claps of thunder to dogs that can bite, a child’s world is filled with new, sometimes scary experiences. However, if fears can’t be managed with reassurance or distraction and persistently interfere with daily activities, your child may have an anxiety disorder. These most common childhood mental health disorders are …

Mental Health in Adolescent & Young Adults

Specialdocs ConsultantsMental Health, Patient News

Drugs, Drinking & Depression: The Kids May Not Be Alright Every generation has seen their share of thrill-seeking teens acting out and making dubious choices regarding drugs and alcohol. “There’s a normative aspect to risk taking at this age,” assures clinical psychologist Gilly Kahn. “It’s hardwired into our systems to allow us to learn our place in the world.” In …

Teens & Social Media

Specialdocs ConsultantsMental Health, Patient News

In Real Life (IRL), Can We Protect Teens from the Emotional Impact of Social Media? YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Reddit, BeReal. A majority of American teens visit these social media platforms at least once daily, and 30% say they are on them almost constantly. Their ubiquity is unquestionable, and teens’ connection with them seemingly unshakeable, but the …

Teens & Social Media

Specialdocs ConsultantsMental Health, Patient News

In Real Life (IRL), Can We Protect Teens from the Emotional Impact of Social Media? YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Reddit, BeReal. A majority of American teens visit these social media platforms at least once daily, and 30% say they are on them almost constantly. Their ubiquity is unquestionable, and teens’ connection with them seemingly unshakeable, but the …

Portrait of senior woman lifting weights with classmates at the gym

A Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older

Specialdocs Consultants, LLCHealthy Aging, Patient News

It’s not yet possible to stop the passage of years, but it might well be within our sights to combat the effects of aging, according to Michael Greger, MD, internationally recognized lifestyle medicine physician, author and nutritionist. Synthesizing years of research on the essential pathways of aging, Dr. Greger believes the process can be slowed down with lifestyle changes, and …

Pie chart of foods representing the planetary Health diet

Sustainable Eating: The Planetary Healthy Diet

Specialdocs ConsultantsNutrition, Patient News

The Lancet Planetary Health Diet Is there a way to eat that not only reduces the risk of disease and promotes well-being, but is also sustainable? Could a certain diet provide enough food for the 9.8 billion people estimated to be living on earth by 2050? This was the challenge first taken on in 2019 by the EAT-Lancet Commission, comprised …

Every Walk is a Step in the Right Direction

Specialdocs ConsultantsPatient News

“If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.” – Socrates No one has a negative word to say about the benefits of walking. Accessible to most, with no special equipment or training needed, stepping out regularly can bring a plethora of health gains: improved bone …

AI in Healthcare: An Early Look at the Power, Promise and Peril of Tech’s Latest Tool

Specialdocs ConsultantsPatient News

Whether you are an enthusiastic adopter of virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri, and apps to monitor everything from glucose to sleep patterns— or consider them error-prone and intrusive—it’s impossible to ignore the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT. To quickly define terms, AI is the capability of a computer system to mimic human cognitive functions, such as …