Polymyalgia Rheumatica
My 65-year-old husband has Marfan’s Syndrome and had his aorta repaired in 2015. Over the past year, he’s experienced episodes we initially thought were anxiety attacks (stomach pain, vomiting, shaking, severe anxiety, followed by days of recovery). After a five-day hospital stay and numerous tests, no diagnosis was made. Blood work now suggests he has an autoimmune disease, though the specific one is unclear. We believe the anxiety attacks may stem from stomach lining inflammation and suspect Polymyalgia Rheumatica. He also has treated bipolar disorder. Prednisone (20 mg daily) has helped with the pain, but we’ve had difficulty finding a doctor within his insurance who can see him sooner than four months. Do you have any suggestions for managing autoimmune diseases while we wait for a specialist?
Microplastics
The recent release of data about quantities of microplastics found in various sources, and the potential harm from ingestion, has generated a lot of discussion and advice. Michael Easter recently released specific recommendations for avoiding microplastics, including replacements for plastic water bottles, food storage, and coffee makers, etc. I'm hoping you and your team can look into this topic in a more detailed and data-driven way. Specifically: - what exactly are microplastics? How is that defined? - what do we know (and not know) about the health risks of microplastic ingestion? - do we really need to completely revamp our approach to interacting with plastic containers for water and food storage? Is there enough solid evidence about the harms of these products? Thank you so much for what you and your team do. My wife and I have been members for quite some time and have learned so much over the years. The info has been hugely impactful, helping guide our long term strategy for improved health span and longevity.
Hyperglycemia without hyperinsulinemia.
I am an interventional cardiologist with two little kids and very poor sleep routine. I have been doing intermittent fasting for over a year and have lost over 50 pounds. I started wearing CGM out of curiosity after noticing increase in my a1c from 5.2 to 5.5 within a year. I see a significant spike in glucose levels early morning around 4am, likely related to dawn phenomenon, uptick in cortisol, epi, etc. But the problem is baseline glucose level doesn’t drop below 100 until noon or so and just remain in the 90s until I break my fast around 4-5pm. My fasting insulin level was 4.9. Triglycerides were 40. I fear increased levels of cortisol and epinephrine over time would lead to insulin resistance. I am starting to wonder if intermittent fasting is counter productive in my situation. Thanks for your time