OrganizedWisdom Health Blog

New Drugs Approved Summer 2010

New drugs not only offer hope, but possibly a better quality of life, for those awaiting new treatments. However, new drug approvals can also spark controversy. The FDA approved 17 new drugs this summer (June-August 2010). Many offer new promise, and one in particular promises a great deal of future debate.

Since nearly one in three Americans has high blood pressure, it isn't surprising that two of the 17 newly approved drugs are antihypertensives. The most recently approved drug is Tekamlo (aliskiren and amlodipine) from Novartis, a single-pill combination drug for high blood pressure. Tribenzor is a new three-in-one combination drug that is taken once-daily to treat high blood pressure.  

The most controversial newly approved drug is the emergency contraceptive ella (ulipristal acetate) that can prevent pregancy for up to 5 days after sex.  Plan B, the so-called morning after pill, is less effective and can only be used within 3 days of having sex. ella has been available as ellaOne in Europe since May 2009 and will be available to US women this fall.

Many are against the FDA approval of ella as a contraceptive when it can be used to induce abortion. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) says this classification may pave the way to “covertly allow federal funding for abortion." (1)  Supporters and opponents agree this approval highlights the increasing influence of the FDA on political ideology and will be entangled with future political and regulatory battles.

A promising new drug, Cuvposa (glypopyrrolate), is the first liquid treatment for children who suffer from chronic severe drooling associated with neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy. The FDA reports that 78% of children on this drug reached clinical improvement during trials. 

The 17 new drugs approved this summer with their indications are listed in Figure 1. New drugs for asthma (Dulera), enlarged prostate (Jalyn), migraine (Alsuma), osteoporosis (Prolia), acne (Veltin), and erectile dysfunction (Staxyn) are a sampling of 2010 FDA approvals.  

Figure 1: FDA Newly Approved Drugs Summer 2010 (June-August) 

Drug	Approval 2010	Company	Indication
Tekamlo (aliskiren and amlodipine)	August 26	Novartis Pharmaceuticals	Hypertension
ella (aliskiren and amiodipine)	August 13	HRA Pharma	Postcoital Contraception - emergency contraception
Suprep (sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, magnesium sulfate)  - Oral	August 5	Braintree Laboratories	Bowel Preparation – cleansing colon prior to colonoscopy
Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA)	July 30	Merz Pharmaceuticals	Cervical Dystonia, Blepharospasm
Cuvposa (glycopyrrolate) Oral Solution	July 28	Shionogi Pharma, Inc	Chronic Drooling in Children
Lastacaft (alcaftadine) Ophthalmic Solution	July 28	Vistakon Pharmaceuticals	Allergic Conjunctivitis - itchy eyes associated with eye allergies
Tribenzor (amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide and olmesartan) Tabs	July 23	Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.	Hypertension – once-daily treatment
Veltin (clindamycin and tretinoin) Gel - formerly Velac	July 16	Stiefel Laboratories, Inc.	Acne - antibiotic and retinoid for topical treatment of acne
Zuplenz (ondansetron) Oral Soluble Film	July 2	Strativa Pharmaceuticals	Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced, Radiotherapy-Induced, and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Glassia (alpha1-proteinase inhibitor Injection) - formerly AAT-IV	July 1	Kamada Ltd.	Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor Deficiency – in adults with emphysema
Butrans (buprenorphine) Transdermal System	June 30	Purdue Pharma L.P.	Pain – management of moderate to severe chronic pain
Alsuma (sumatriptan) Injection	June 29	King Pharmaceuticals	Migraine, Cluster Headache
Dulera (mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate) Inhaler	June 22	Merck & Co.	Asthma – in people 12 years of age and older
Staxyn (vardenafil) Orally Disintegrating Tablets	June 17	GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co.	Erectile Dysfunction
Jevtana (cabazitaxel) Injection	June 17	Sanofi-Aventis	Prostate Cancer - in combination with prednisone for hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer
Jalyn (dutasteride and tamsulosin) Capsules	June 14	GlaxoSmithKline	Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia – in men with enlarged prostate
Prolia (denosumab) Injection	June 1	Amgen Inc.	Osteoporosis – in women at high risk for fracture

      (1). Stein, Rob. FDA approves ella as a 5-day-after emergency contraceptive. The Washington Post. August 14, 2010. 

Past blog entries on trending health topics on OrganizedWisdom or popular health searches on the Web:

Popular Celebrity Cancer Searches for August 2010 
10 Healthiest Foods 
10 Trending Health Topics...Hot Off the Press 
5 Trending Health Topics: Health Questions You're Too Afraid to Ask 
10 Trending Health Searches: Crisis-Everywhere-You-Turn Edition (April 26-May 2) 
5 Trending Health Topics: Healthy Skin Edition

By Julie Bohlen, MBA/HCM, ELS

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Featured Oncologists, Part 2

The following oncologists represent some of the best minds in the field. Working from highly regarded cancer treatment centers around the country, they've dedicated their lives to caring for those struggling with this devastating disease. View their OrganizedWisdom profiles below:

1. @medicallessons Elaine Schattner, MD, is a physician, journalist, mother, patient, medical educator, homemaker, nonpracticing hematologist-oncologist, breast cancer survivor, traveler, swimmer, and blogger! We recommend her great blog, Medical Lessons, ". . . on patients, doctors, information and some ideas they might share . . ." In 2009, Dr. Schattner earned a master's degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She contributes frequently to the Huffington Post. Click An Educated Consumer: On Personal DNA Testing to read her latest post. She also teaches part time at Weill Cornell Medical College, where she is a clinical associate professor of medicine.


2. @Melanoma_doctor Eric D. Whitman, MD, is an acclaimed clinician and researcher specializing in the care of patients with melanoma, unusual skin and soft tissue tumors, and thyroid/parathyroid surgical diseases. He is the director of the Atlantic Melanoma Center and the medical director of Atlantic Health’s Office of Grants and Research, which coordinates all clinical research throughout the Atlantic Health system. Dr. Whitman is currently recognized as a Best Doctor, a Castle Connolly New York Metro Area Top Doctor, one of America’s Top Surgeons, and a Patient’s Choice Award winner. His personal site is Melanoma Expert Weblog.


3. @OrthoOnc Felasfa Wodajo, MD, is a bone and soft tissue tumor surgeon (orthopedic oncologist) with a keen interest in medical technology, tumor research, and health policy. Dr. Wodajo is the founder of Sarcoma Specialists, a team of physicians in the Washington, DC, area that offers comprehensive treatment for musculoskeletal tumors. He is also the co-founder of Touch Consult, a company producing Web and mobile software for physician teams, and a consultant for the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, providing consultation and surgical services for patients with musculoskeletal tumors. At OrthoOnc.com he blogs about the gulf in usability and creativity between consumer and health information technologies.


4. @chemosabe1 Richard Just, MD, is a member of an integrated physician group practice, San Diego Pacific Oncology & Hematology. Dr. Just has practiced medical oncology and hematology in the Inland North County of San Diego for 31 years and has been chair of the Investigational Review Committee at Palomar Pomerado Health for 18 years. He is expanding his research interests and is also director of the Palomar Pomerado Health Research Institute. Over the years he has received numerous awards and honors, but he "values most his personal interaction with patients and their families."


5. @DrOncol Noushin Hart, MD, is a clinical patient advocate and educator providing second-opinion consultations to patients with cancer in the Houston area. She has a special interest in breast and gynecological cancers as well as clinical cancer genetics. Dr. Hart currently practices at Conroe Regional Cancer Center and Spring Branch Radiation Oncology Center and is a staff member at Houston Northwest Medical Center and St. Luke's Woodlands Hospital. Visit her Dr. Oncology blog to learn about her patients and truly remarkable record of community service.

If you know of someone who is worthy of our Top Doctor Awards, please tweet your recommendation to @organizedwisdom in this format: "I recommend @[username] as a top doctor for @OrganizedWisdom," or use our contact form.

Other blog entries featuring patient experts or health professionals on OrganizedWisdom:

Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Featured Nutritionists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts, Part 1, Part 2 

By Julie Bohlen, MBA, ELS

10 Healthiest Foods

In our insatiable quest for the “healthiest” food choices to reduce disease risk, improve energy, and deliver the highest nutritional value, we often look online for answers. The number one most highly searched topic in this area is “10 Healthiest Foods,” followed by the distant second, “Healthiest Breakfast Cereals.”

If you’re on this quest, you’ve found many different “top 10” healthy food lists. Broccoli, nuts, beans, and tomatoes seem to make most lists.  So what are the 10 healthiest foods and what makes them the healthiest?

To answer that question, OrganizedWisdom reached out to an expert on the subject, registered dietitian Elaine Magee, MPH. “Many vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts would make a “healthiest foods” list, but to narrow it down to 10, I think you have to look at how these foods work with other foods in the body to provide the best overall health benefits,” says Magee, nationally known as The Recipe Doctor and currently the Wellness Nutritionist for Stanford Dining at Stanford University.

After publishing more than 25 books on nutrition and health, Magee explains the healing power of foods and identifies 10 superfoods in her book Food Synergy (Rodale).

“Superfoods work well together, and, when eaten regularly, provide a potent package of nutrition,” says Magee. “Their combined nutritional power is like adding 1 + 1 and getting 4. That’s food synergy.” As an example, she explains why studies suggest that tomatoes and broccoli work together to reduce prostate cancer better than either vegetable alone.

Here’s what Elaine had to say about the top 10 healthiest foods, ie, synergy superfoods:

1. Vegetables, especially dark green ones:  “Dark green vegetables—the more the merrier,” says Magee. Cruciferous vegetables such as kale and broccoli contain anticancer agents, while the members of the carotenoid family (eg, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots) are filled with phytochemicals. Two vegetables high in viscous (gelatinous) fiber, eggplant and okra, are also good to add to your diet.


2. Whole grains:  Whole grains are power packed with fiber, vitamins, protein, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, and are naturally low in fat.  With these health benefits, these superfoods help to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. 


3. Tomatoes:  Talk about a food with incredible food synergy potential! This lycopene-loaded food contains all four major carotenoids and the powerful antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamins A and C, which are thought to have synergy together. 


4. Nuts, especially almonds, cashews, and walnuts: “Have a handful of nuts every day,” coaches Magee. Nuts have vitamins and minerals we tend to lack in our diets, are loaded with phytochemicals, and contain monounsaturated fats, the healthy fats. Most nuts help to lower cholesterol, decrease risk of some cancers, and enhance the immune system.


5. Olive oil: A whopping 30+ phytochemicals are found in olive oil. These have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help promote heart health and protect against cancer. 


6. Fish:  Heart-healthy omega-3s, potassium, and naturally occurring vitamin D are in fish. The omega-3s in fish may work with plant omega-3s and olive oil. So cook fish in olive oil or canola oil or add veggies or rice lightly dressed in olive oil for a healthy meal.


7. Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C and the phytochemicals subgroup flavones, which boost heart health. Red grapefruit has been shown to have antioxidant synergy, and it’s also rich in the high antioxidant, lycopene.


8. Tea, especially green tea: Enjoying a good cup of tea gives you the added benefits of two potent flavonoids, catechin, and antioxidants that reduce cancer risk. Catechin is thought to enhance the antioxidant activity in other foods.


9. Ground flaxseed: Instead of granola on your yogurt, give your body a food synergy boost and sprinkle on ground flaxseed. This superfood has synergy with several other foods and provides fiber, lignans, and plant omega-3s.


10. Low-fat dairy: Many vitamins and minerals in dairy products are important for healthy bones. Calcium and vitamin D in dairy products may work together to lessen PMS symptoms and the risk of colon cancer. Low-fat dairy products help to reduce high blood pressure.

“The more you incorporate synergy superfoods into your day, the less room there is for the more processed and nutrient-poor foods that now monopolize so many of our diets,” says Magee.  “These powerhouse foods are the healthiest foods for disease prevention and overall health and well-being.“

Past blog entries on trending health topics or popular health searches:

10 Trending Health Topics...Hot Off the Press
5 Trending Health Topics: Health Questions You're Too Afraid to Ask
10 Trending Health Searches: Crisis-Everywhere-You-Turn Edition (April 26-May 2)
5 Trending Health Topics: Healthy Skin Edition

By Julie Bohlen, MBA, ELS

Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter

Here are OrganizedWisdom's picks for the Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter. The best gastroenterologists on Twitter share valuable health resources to benefit others. View these impressive physicians' OrganizedWisdom Profiles. 

 

1. @PatriciaRaymond Patricia Raymond, MD, takes medicine seriously and herself lightly. Her Web site, YourHealthChoice.net, reviews the newest and most intriguing medical studies and gives readers "health news you can use, with a whopping dose of humor." Dr. Raymond's goal is to help patients make choices, "the small ones that you make thousands of everyday, which will enhance your health." As her Web site notes, "Face it: It’s your life, it’s your health . . . and it’s your choice." 


2. @hvhuck  Artist-illustrator Heidi V. Huck, MD, is a true Renaissance woman, as you'll see upon visiting her Art Science Illustration site, which focuses on art and science as they relate to illustration, visual communication, and learning. Talk about being both right- and left-brained gifted! She says her “focus is visual communication—imaging, endoscopy, illustration, stimulation, virtual, and augmented reality.” Dr. Huck has another site, NutritionSalad.com, a blog that reviews the basics of healthy eating and features the latest updates on nutrition and health.


3. @Rndubois Raymond N. DuBois, Jr, MD, PhD, is provost and executive vice president of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and professor of cancer biology and cancer medicine at this institution. He also holds the Ellen F. Knisely Distinguished Chair in Colon Cancer Research and has authored or coauthored more than 120 peer-reviewed original research articles. The DuBois Laboratory actively seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms and biology that drive the development and progression of colon cancer.


4. @DrPerryHookman Perry Hookman, MD, has more than 30 years' experience in gastroenterology and internal medicine. He has authored or coauthored over 50 peer-reviewed articles on topics related to internal medicine and gastroenterology--and he maintains a great blog with useful articles such as 10 Tips on Belching, Bloating, and Flatulence!


5. @DrLaPook Jonathan LaPook, MD, is medical correspondent for The CBS Evening News.  Viewers appreciate his ability to explain medical complexities in a way that the average person can easily understand. Visit CBSDoc.com to read his columns and view his stories. Recent columns include "How to Survive the July 4th Barbecue," "Umbilical Cord Blood: Save It and Save Lives," and "Dance Legend Mary Anthony: Still Kicking at 93." Recent video segments include "How to not Kill Your BBQ Guests," "XXXtreme Calorie Dishes to Avoid," and "Match Devan Tatlow, Save His Life."


6. @ericbenchimol Eric Benchimol, MD, is a pediatric gastroenterologist and clinical researcher in inflammatory bowel disease. He is an adjunct scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Ottawa. When do you sleep, doc?


7. @gastromom Meenakshi Budhraja, MD, is married and has “two awesome kids.” She loves medicine, food, and life. She loves Twitter and tweets about everything, with more than 4,400 posts to date!

If you know of someone who is worthy of our Top Doctor Awards, please tweet your recommendation to @organizedwisdom in this format: "I recommend @[username] as a top doctor for @OrganizedWisdom," or use our contact form. 

Other blog entries featuring patient experts or health professionals:

Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Featured Nutritionists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts, Part 1, Part 2 
 Follow Friday: Eclectic and Effective Group of Patient Experts 
 Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts  
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Physicians for April's End  
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Health Expert Profiles for the Week

By Julie Bohlen, MBA, ELS

Diabetes Feature: 5 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts

Continuing with a focus on diabetes, this Diabetes Feature spotlights five type 1 diabetes patient experts who are interesting and talented communicators. They share their health wisdom to benefit others affected by the challenges of diabetes. Many will find their positive outlooks in the midst of overcoming obstacles encouraging and their expertise helpful. 

1. @MiriamETucker Do you think by reading a 7th grader’s diabetes report that you could predict she’d be a prolific and quality medical writer? Well, after looking through Miriam Tucker’s writings, I’d say Miriam was a 12-year-old writing phenom who is still gracing us with fantastic health reporting. Her type 1 diabetes is her “personal and professional passion.”  As a senior writer for Elsevier Global Medical News/International Medical News Group, she contributes regularly to EGMN: Notes from the Road. Check out her writing. Precious nuggets such as her unpublished Dark Poem About Diabetes and her humorous prose are buried—hopefully not too deeply for the average health enthusiast. 
   
   
2. @diabetesmyths Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in college, Riva Greenberg is committed through her research, writing, and speaking to spread the tools for “Thriving With Diabetes.” She encourages those with diabetes to use the disease as a catalyst to live a healthier and more meaningful life—not despite having diabetes but because of it. Riva is the author of “50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life: And the 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save It” and “The ABCs Of Loving Yourself With Diabetes.”  She shares her expertise on her Diabetes Stories site, d-blog, Huffington Post blog, and numerous other sites. Whether she's sharing medical research, motivational tips, cutting-edge news, or simple meaningful times, for instance when her husband was a gem after she lost her meter on a Finland vacation, you’ll find her writing and message top notch.
   
   
3. @ginacaps Gina Capone, a graphic designer, is very busy sharing her time and expertise to help others with diabetes. She cofounded DIABETEStalkfest, a support site for adults affected by diabetes that hosts live chats with medical professionals as well as The Diabetes Resource - Your ULTIMATE guide to everything diabetes related. Gina blogs about her personal experiences living with diabetes on Gina Your Diabetes BFF blog and is a patient expert blogger at mydiabetescentral.com.  She's the community manager/leader for Juvenation.org, the JDRF type 1 social website for those with diabetes and their families. She shares insights on her struggle to bring her a1c down, the CGM anti-denial campaign, and a myriad of diabetes subjects.
   
   
4. @diabetesalic Kelly Kunik refers to herself as a diabetic humorist. Her honest and positive approach to her life with diabetes as disclosed through her Diabetesaliciousness blog is refreshing and commendable. As she says, “diabetes is a huge weed whose tendrils have wrapped around my family tree.” She cuts away at the tendrils with her sense of humor, diabetes ownership, motivational speaking, and advocacy. Her mantra seems to be not to take this life for granted while overcoming the challenges of living with diabetes and ultimately living the best life possible.
   
   
5. @dontfeardiabete Sisiay blogs to reflect on some of the positives aspects about living with diabetes while clearly addressing the challenges and frustrations. The images added to the posts are very helpful. Due to the fact that he monitors his blood sugar with DexCom SEVEN CGMS and a FreeStyle glucometer, he shares tips on using these devices. He frequently shares research, products information, and practices that many with diabetes will find useful. Check out his excellent Don’t Fear Diabetes blog. 
   

If you know of someone who is worthy of our Patient Expert Award, please tweet your recommendation to @organizedwisdom in this format: "I recommend @[username] as a patient expert for @OrganizedWisdom or use our contact form. 

Other featured patient expert blog entries:

Diabetes Feature: 10 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts
Follow Friday: Eclectic and Effective Group of Patient Expert 
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts

by Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Diabetes Feature: 10 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts

OrganizedWisdom's Diabetes Feature this week is on diabetes patient experts who share their experiences and expertise with others in the hope of helping others through their journeys with diabetes. Along the way, many share great insights, nutrition tips, and inspirations that are helpful to anyone. Read on to be encouraged by ten patient experts with type 1 diabetes who don't let this disease define who they are, but do face the daily challenges of managing this disease and share their discoveries and realities along the way. 

1. @ninjabetic George Simmons, aka the Ninjabetic, is a type 1 diabetic who blogs about life with diabetes, music, fatherhood, and more. Why Ninjabetic? As he says, “it takes being a ninja to live successfully with diabetes.” Check out his helpful blog. You’ll find that George is a proponent of Camp Carb, uses orange glucose tabs for lows, and is planning to get his exercise routine going again after his Cinderella musical performance. Break a leg George!
   
   
2. @blogdiabetes Tony Rose started Blogging Diabetes to help others learn more about living with diabetes from an online community and resources he shares. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 12 years ago. He has teamed up with Quality Health and shares his blog posts with their readers. He is also the author of DSA Insights, a blog dedicated to business analytics and data visualization topics.
   
   
3. @BernardF Know where to turn for quality new diabetes technology reviews? Well, Bernard Farrell’s Diabetes Technology Blog is just the place. Read reviews on glucose monitors, blood sugar meters, diabetes software, the new insulin patch-pen, and more. Bernard also mixes things up with posts on living with diabetes. As an example, see his interview with Kris Freeman, the reigning US National cross-country champion. Bernard educates while living in the hope that “every day brings the possibility of a cure.”
   
   
4. @sstrumello Scott Strumello authors Scott’s Web Log while he consults, speaks, writes, and lives with type 1 diabetes. He urges people to keep the hype of “junk science” in the media from interfering with real hope and science. His blog is insightful and informative. Gotta love the profound Wil “Printcrafter” diabetes quote posted on his blog. Curious? Go check it out!
   
   
5. @leeannthill Lee Ann Thill is a registered board-certified art therapist who combines an artistic approach with her writing on diabetes. The Butter Compartment blog is filled with great diabetes insights, photos, and illustrations. As an artist, she has a creative approach to her health writing and mental health advocacy. Her new Friday Food File gets two thumbs up!
   
   
6. @MatthewTendler Type 1 diabetic and mHealth innovator, Matthew Tendler, authors the iPhone Health Technology blog to share innovations and reviews in the mobile diabetes arena. As co-founder of MYLEstone Health, he is responsible for Glucose Buddy, the free diabetes and blood sugar application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. He turns technical information into informative, helpful, and interesting blog posts. He has dedicated his career to “making a true difference in the lives of people with diabetes.”
   
   
7. @amblass Allison Blass started Lemonade Life to chronicle her “life as a twentysomething living with diabetes.” I’m partial to her “My Patchwork Quilt” blog post. Allison has quite the background in giving of her time and talents to further support those with diabetes, especially teens. As a d-teen advocate, she founded dLife’s Diabetes Teen Talk, coordinated the Diabetes Online Community, and hosted Teen Talk on Diabetes Station. She’s a JDRF’s Online Diabetes Support Team member and has written for various Diabetes publications. Hats off to this fantastic diabetes advocate and patient expert!
   
   
8. @Dorkabetic Hannah loves to write and share her “dorky life with diabetes.” She writes with a playfulness, vulnerability, and honestly. She never professes to be an ideal diabetes patient, but she shares her struggles in a way in which many will identify. Her Dorkabetic blog is filled with musings of glucose levels, insulin pumps, movies, writing desires, Paper Spaceships submissions, and any “nerdy thing” of interest.
   
   
9. @diabetiville Mark Clifford blogs on grassroots efforts to promote diabetes awareness and support for those affected by the disease. He founded Global Diabetic Awareness communities. See his Diabetiville blog and video channel. You might just be inspired to start a Diabetiville Bicycle Club or other grassroots effort in your area. 
   
   
10. @iam_spartacus Christopher Snider doesn’t let his diabetes define him. In his A Consequence of Hypoglycemia blog, he not only speaks as a type 1 diabetic, but also as a self-professed gaming addict, network engineer, and Hokie (Virginia Tech) alum. Christopher is an avid podcaster and has his diagnosis story, referred to as Origin Story, on his blog. Check it out.

Check back for the next Diabetes Feature on 10 more inspiring diabetes patient experts. 

If you know of someone who is worthy of our Patient Expert Award, please tweet your recommendation to @organizedwisdom in this format: "I recommend @[username] as a patient expert for @OrganizedWisdom or use our contact form. 

Other featured patient expert blog entries:

Follow Friday: Eclectic and Effective Group of Patient Expert
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts

by Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Health Expert Profiles of the Week

As we have heard from the highly publicized Chirp conference, Twitter can now boast an impressive 180 million visits a month and 106 million registered users. To cap off these staggering statistics, Twitter is adding 300,000 new users daily.

In the context of health and medicine, this translates into an incredible amount of health information being discussed and recommended among doctors, health professionals, and patient experts continuously.  

OrganizedWisdom recommends these impressive and interesting health experts’ Twitter profiles for this #FollowFriday.

1. @johnlapuma Would you ever believe that you could find an internal medicine physician, a medical ethics expert, and a professionally trained chef rolled into one person? Well, if you haven’t heard of ChefMd, let us introduce you to Dr.John La Puma. This New York Times best-selling author pioneered the idea of delicious food-as-medicine, included in weight loss, cholesterol-lowering, and anti-aging eating plans. Join him for his “What’s Cooking With ChefMD?” or his co-hosted “Health Corner” TV programs on Lifetime.
   
   
2. @wheezemd With record high pollen counts, you are sure to find helpful resources shared by allergist Michael Blaiss, MD. He frequently shares quality health links and expertise in the areas of allergies, asthma, and lung conditions. Dr. Blaiss is past President of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and practices in Memphis at the Allergy and Asthma Care Center. 
   
   
3. @MCW_Bioethics  The Center for the Study of Bioethics, Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to guiding health professionals, policy leaders, and community members in the exploration of challenging medical ethics that impact research and our healthcare delivery system. The center frequently shares helpful resources on some of the most challenging issues in bioethics.
   
   
4. @drmintz Matthew Mintz, MD is an internal medicine physician who gives his helpful perspective on recent medical news. He’s an Associate Professor of Medicine at The George Washington University School of Medicine. Visit Dr. Mintz's blog.
   
   
5. @TrishaTorrey Patient exert, Trisha Torrey, is a newspaper columnist, an About.com expert in patient empowerment issues, and an author of You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes.  In 2009, she launched AdvoConnection, a directory to help patients find patient advocates, coaches, and health navigators. 
   
   

By: Julie Bohlen, MBA, ELS
     

We're curating the best health information for you!

At OrganizedWisdom, we've always called the men and women who hand-craft our WisdomCards "Guides" but perhaps we should start calling them "Curators."

Let me explain.

Just like the art aficionados who painstakingly select the masterpieces that will adorn a museum's walls, our Guides carefully assemble WisdomCards full of resources to address the very health topics you're searching for.

And it just so happens that the concept of curation is seen as the next big thing in media. Steve Rosenbaum's recent piece in the Silicon Alley Insider explains that there is a new role for media companies that's all about: "giving folks who don't want to spend their lives looking for an editorial needle in a haystack a high-quality collection of content that is contextual and coherent."

Well, as someone on the inside of a company that's actually been doing this for a few years, it's exciting to see that it's catching on! And as the daughter of someone with a chronic illness, I've never been more convinced that it's absolutely essential, especially in the area of health.

My mother has multiple sclerosis. And every time I try to look something up for her, even as a professional health editor with years of research experience under my belt, I am simply overwhelmed by the amount of, well, junk that I find.

On the other hand, here's an example of one of our WisdomCards on depression and multiple sclerosis.

It has a helpful summary, a few interesting facts, and an assortment of links to quality outside resources, thoughtfully picked by our Guide, and medically reviewed by a physician.

OrganizedWisdom has now curated more than 50,000 health topics just like this. Why don't you let us find those needles in the haystack for you?

Have you had these questions? Now, we've got answers!

 Have you ever wondered:

• How will bipolar disorder affect my relationship?
• Is gaining weight part of bipolar disorder?
• Why do I have trouble sleeping?

If you're one of the 5.7 adult Americans with bipolar disorder, these are likely the same questions you asked when you were first diagnosed. And how do we know that? They're some of the questions we see coming up in the search queries we look at every day, and we thought it was time they got answered!

You see, OrganizedWisdom is taking our focus -- helping people find the health information they're seeking -- to the next level. Our new Frequently Asked Questions section (see our first installment, Bipolar 101) invites doctors and other qualified medical professionals to help answer these hot questions while directing users to WisdomCards loaded with helpful resources.

We invite you to flip through these new FAQs, tell a mental health professional you know to submit a response, and share with friends or family members who live with this condition.
 
And don't forget to tell us what you think. Please share your feedback here!

My Health Care is Killing Me

We wanted to congratulate our friends over at Change: Healthcare for publishing their new book, My Health Care is Killing Me.

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to participate during the process of writing the book so we saw an advanced copy. It's truly an important read so share it with your friends and family.  It's packed with practical information that will help you survive today's health care system and save valuable time and money.

You can get a free PDF download of the book here.