Pflugerville Newspaper - Intro to my Health Series

By Dr. Anthony Russo /Special to the Pflag
     Welcome to my new series of articles on health and medicine. As a medical doctor with years of experience, I will try to share interesting news and my perspectives of medicine. I am impressed with what the Pflag is doing, including their online version.  When I spoke with the staff at the Pflag, they were interested in exploring various topics from the perspective of a M.D. in our community. Here are some topics to explore, but I will want to see what readers’ concerns are about maintaining health and medical care. Remember the comments section of the Pflag at pflugervillepflag.com.
• Cardiologists tell us that 80 percent of all heart attacks are preventable. Clogging arteries is developing in the majority of Americans, most of whom are unaware.
• News reporters constantly speak of how overweight we are and that pre-diabetes may develop. However, do we understand how much damage can be occurring and how certain meds and activities can help?
• TV and radio bombard us with ads about supplements, diets, gadgets, etc., that have no more proof of effectiveness than a hocus pocus ceremony. Yet how many Americans really understand the scientific method to evaluate if something really works? Be honest, one success story from a person’s mouth convinces us more than a billion-dollar medical study.
     The Pflag is interested in exploring various aspects of health. Let’s explore.
I may bring up more questions than answers. These days with Internet searches, the knowledge base is out there; to get the right answer you need to know the right questions to explore. In addition, my blog has an anonymous comment section. After personally reviewing them, I will post some. Let’s see what Pflugervillians (or is it Pflugervillites!) are interested in when it comes to health and medicine.

• PvilleHealth.blogspot.com
• No questions about any person’s individual medical concerns! No diagnosis or treatment will be offered.
     Everyone should have a doctor-patient relationship, someone to be there for the questions (and sometimes the answers) when it comes to your health. Salud!
          Anthony Russo has been a primary care physician in Pflugerville since 1988.