OrganizedWisdom Health Blog

Online With Orthopedic Surgeons: Mending Bones, Joints, and Muscles

Many of these orthopedic surgeons have Web sites with detailed articles, including pictures, about the causes of aches and pains in hands, elbows, shoulders, knees, and ankles. See the orthopedic surgeons featured below and other orthopedic surgeons making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Orthopedic Surgeons profiles.

1. @hjluks Howard Luks, MD, is chief of sports medicine and arthroscopy at University Orthopedics PC and Westchester Medical Center, focusing on shoulder, knee, elbow, and ankle disorders; he is also an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at New York Medical College. His Web site,HowardLuksMD.com, offers readers in-depth, evidence-based information to help them make treatment choices and “to help break the traditional paternalistic perspective” about patient care. His information-packed site includes videos of procedures and details about numerous conditions.


2. @thomasleemd Thomas H. Lee, MD, is in private practice in Westerville, Ohio. He received his surgery training at Columbia University in New York, where he also worked at Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium, providing orthopedic care to athletes. He serves on the editorial board for several peer-reviewed publications, has a number of research articles to his credit, and is active in humanitarian outreach programs. 


3. @ZehrCenter Robert J. Zehr, MD, was head of orthopedic oncology for the Cleveland Clinic Foundation before being sent to Naples, Florida, to establish the Cleveland Clinic there. After 20 years of orthopedic experience in complex joint reconstruction and rehabilitation, he opened a private practice, the Zehr Center for Orthopaedics, in Naples. Among the many honors he has received, he was listed among the Best Orthopedic Doctors in America 2009-2010, compiled from surveys asking physicians whom they would go to for treatment in their specialty. He blogsregularly on related medical topics.


4. @YourSportsMD Robert Klitzman, MD, is a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon “interested in promoting exercise, sports, and injury prevention.” He was assistant team physician for the Houston Astros, Houston Texans, Houston Dynamo, and University of Houston, and he is currently the physician for several Oklahoma sports teams. He posts detailed rehab protocols at his Web site, OKSportsDoc.com.


5. @shoulderMD Jonathan Levy, MD, joined Holy Cross Orthopaedic Institute in Florida with an interest in shoulder and elbow disorders and expertise in arthroscopic and complex shoulder and elbow reconstruction. He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, is a national and international speaker on shoulder and elbow disorders, and has been on the cutting edge of development and surgeon training of the newest shoulder replacement devices.


6. @SportzDoc Brian Shannon, MD, is with Colorado Joint and Sport Specialists, specializing in treating musculoskeletal injuries and diseases, including joint replacement. He has been involved in several research trials and has contributed to specialty publications.


7. @SWSPORTSMED Angelo J. Mattalino, MD, has been an orthopedic surgeon for more than 25 years, specializing in knee and shoulder injuries. He has a private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has served as the head team physician for the Milwaukee Brewers, orthopedic consultant for both Major League Baseball and USA Baseball for the International Baseball Federation tournaments since 1998, and acted as team physician/orthopedic consultant for numerous other professional, college, and high school sports teams. He has written numerous articles and maintains a blog. However, his Twitter account hasn't been updated since September 2010.


8. @myorthodoc Steve Mora, MD, was inspired to become an orthopedic surgeon after his own experiences as a young patient requiring numerous orthopedic surgeries. He “firmly believes that these past experiences now allow him to empathize and bond with his patients in a very unique way.” He practices with La Veta Orthopaedic Associates in California, and in 2004 he received the CARE award from St. Joseph Hospital. In 2007, the Orange County Medical Association named him a Physician of Excellence.


9. @RayRavenMD Ray Raven III, MD, has clinical and surgical expertise in the management of musculoskeletal and neurovascular conditions of the elbow, wrist, and hand in adults and children. He is assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California, where he teaches anatomy and state-of-the-art surgical techniques. In 2009, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand named him a Future Leader in hand surgery. His Web site, RayRavenMD.com, has detailed articles on numerous conditions.


10. @handarmdoc CN Henley, MD, is an orthopedic hand surgeon with specialized training in hand, wrist, elbow, and arm surgery. He has a practice in northwest Arkansas. He “enjoys combining his knowledge of physics and anatomy to help educate patients on their orthopaedic problems and potential solutions,” and he features educational articles on conditions related to hands and arms at his Web site, NoelHenley.com.


11. @kburnsmd Katherine Burns, MD, has a subspecialty fellowship training in sports medicine, and her medical interests include diseases of the shoulder, rotator cuff disease and arthritis, knee ligament reconstruction, cartilage resurfacing and arthritis, and problems of the female athlete. She provides care for athletes from high school to the professional levels, including NBA exhibition games, and is team physician for Lindenwood University. (Visit KBurnsMD.com.) She also teaches courses on diseases of the shoulder, knee, and hip, particularly in athletes, to physicians and physical therapists.

If you know of orthopedic surgeons who are worthy of attention on these pages, please nominate them. See how to Request a Profile.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals and patient experts:

Featured Doctors: Psychologists
Featured Pediatricians, Part 1
Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
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-HCM, ELS

 

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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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
     

Got Great Health Links? Nominate Them on OrganizedWisdom!

A few months ago, I wrote about OrganizedWisdom's ongoing mission to curate great health information. We know that this process doesn't begin and end with our team, and now we have better tools to get outside input.

We cordially invite all of the health experts out there - from doctors and nurses, to students and researchers, to patients and caregivers, to bloggers and librarians - to contribute to our mission by reviewing the "top 10 resources" lists within our WisdomCards and nominating health resources to round out the list of web pages we recommend.

You'll notice that many of our top 10 lists don't always have 10 individual links listed. That's by design. If we haven't uncovered 10 high quality, unique health links during the WisdomCard creation process, we'll intentionally leave room for nominations.

OrganizedWisdom's own team of experts reviews each and every nomination, and if the link is approved it will join our top 10.

Every day we get dozens, sometimes hundreds, of amazing link suggestions. The team at the University of Maryland Medical Center website recently visited OrganizedWisdom and nominated a number of links. Here is an example of one of many instances where their high quality health information made an excellent addition to a WisdomCard: http://organizedwisdom.com/Chronic_Shoulder_Pain (see their helpful video podcast at #9 on the top 10 resources list).

Here's how to nominate your own favorite resource:

1. Search OrganizedWisdom to find a WisdomCard that is the best fit for the subject of your link.
2. Go to that WisdomCard, review the top 10 resources list. If your favorite resource isn't already mentioned, nominate your link. (See sample form at right.)
3. Fill out the form; hit submit. We'll let you know if it's been approved. It's that easy!

Why don't you visit OrganizedWisdom and nominate your favorite health links today?

How Doctors Are Using Twitter To Help Patients and Connect with Colleagues

We're very intrigued by this article on AMNews about how physicians are using Twitter to help their patients and connect with colleagues because it's a trend we've been actively involved with for over a year now.  In fact, our R&D team has been heads down, working on one of the most exciting projects I've ever been a part of and we can't wait to share it with you when we launch later this year.

Many doctors we've spoken to over the past year about Twitter have said, I just don't get this Twitter thing and why it will be useful to me or my patients.  That's ok, and frankly to be expected at this stage because the reality is the Twitter platform is only 3 years old and most people hadn't even heard of Twitter before a few months ago when Oprah and Ashton joined.  We're still very much in the early adopter phase.

But as the AMNews article points out, and we are seeing firsthand, there are thousands of doctors using the service in valuable ways already:

"Doctors who keep tweeting stick around because they find it can be useful. Physicians most often use Twitter as an extension of their Web presence, a patient communication site, a marketing tool or a virtual water cooler with their colleagues. Or, maybe a combination of all four." (Read the complete article here.)

And we believe this is just the beginning which is one reason why OrganizedWisdom (@organizedwisdom) has been very active on Twitter and uses the platform not only to share valuable health information and updates with our users via over 100 condition specific Twitter streams, but we have been building an active community focused around health advocacy.  Earlier this year we launched @PolarWisdom, a news, community and advocacy feed for those living with bipolar depression.

I wish I could let the cat out of the bag now and show you what we're building but it's super top secret.  We promise those who follow us Twitter.com/organizedwisdom will be the first to get more details and special access so stay tuned...

Take a Power Nap to Lose Weight, Look Younger, and Feel Better Fast!

It's too bad the Spanish concept of the siesta never caught on in the U.S.A. We might all be a lot better off.

OrganizedWisdom's sleep advisor, Michael Breus, Ph.D., author of Beauty Sleep, tells us that napping offers all of the wonderful benefits of a good night's sleep. So if you can't always get a decent snooze, a nap can help give your body a mini reboot.

If you feel like you can't nap because you wake up feeling groggy and disoriented, guess what? You're doing it wrong!

Here are Dr. Breus's 10 steps to a perfect power nap. You'll learn how to give it a try today (right at your desk), and see if your brain and body work a little better 20 minutes later!

Also, be sure to check out our questions and answers with Dr. Breus about sleep disorders and insomnia. It's all part of OrganizedWisdom Expert Answers series where we seek out professional advice to address the most highly searched real-life FAQs!