Originally published March 2018. Reviewed and substantially corrected August 2026 to reflect current NIAID, AAP and AAAAI guidance. Nobody has time to sort through the constantly changing, conflicting advice on infant feeding — and Google makes it worse, not better. So here is the current version, plainly. The old advice was backwards For years parents were told to delay allergenic … Read More
Cervical Cancer Screening: How Often You Really Need a Pap
Originally published January 2018. Reviewed and updated August 2026 — cervical cancer screening has changed substantially since this was first written. “How often am I supposed to get a Pap smear?” is one of the most common questions I get, and the honest answer is that it’s more complicated than it used to be — because screening got better, not … Read More
Menopause: What Nobody Warns You About
Originally published August 2017. Reviewed and updated August 2026 to reflect current guidance from The Menopause Society, the American Urological Association and the FDA. Being a woman practitioner, I take care of a lot of women, and menopause is one of the most common conversations I have. Almost every time, the patient says some version of: “Nobody tells you it’s … Read More
Diet and Zero Sugar Sodas: Are They Actually Helping?
If you switched from regular soda to a diet or zero sugar version to cut calories, you have probably also seen a headline telling you those drinks are linked to stroke, dementia, or weight gain. So which is it? Here is what the research actually says — and what it does not. First: “zero sugar” and “diet” are the same … Read More
Virtual Visits: See Your Provider Without Leaving Home
It’s 6 p.m. on a Friday. Your 3-year-old has a 102°F fever, a runny nose, and a slight cough. Do you load up the whole family and head to urgent care, or wait out the weekend and hope you can get in Monday with your regular provider? Or maybe you have diabetes, your blood sugars are fluctuating more than usual, … Read More