Dear Doctors: I’m a healthy 69-year-old woman who ended up in the ER with painful cramps in my lower abdomen. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis and treated with antibiotics. A registered dietitian s... more

Dear Doctors: I have been reading about how collagen peptides can be helpful to prevent menopausal bone loss. My own doctor has only recommended calcium, vitamin D and exercise. I would like to know m... more

Dear Doctors: We had to throw away some sliced turkey from the deli because of a listeria recall. We had used some of it to make sandwiches, but fortunately no one in the family got sick. What is list... more

Dear Doctors: My husband has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. One of his doctors says that when someone has RA, there’s a higher risk of cognitive impairment. He also said that some of the ne... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome back to the continuation of our monthly letters column. You’ve been keeping our inboxes full, so we’re diving right in.... more

Dear Doctors: I was happy when I saw on the news that tomatoes help your gut microbiome. I love tomatoes, but my wife keeps them out of our diet. She says they’re a nightshade plant and thinks they ma... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome back to our monthly letters column. The holiday season is here, and in much of the nation, colder weather has arrived. Calendars are filling with indoor gatherings, ma... more

Dear Doctors: I thought I had a bad summer cold, but it turned out to be the flu. I didn’t know that can happen in the summer. Urgent care offered me an antiviral medication, but since I’m not familia... more

Dear Doctors: Is there a treatment for psoriatic arthritis that doesn't carry the risk of lymphoma or other cancers? I have this kind of arthritis, and it is very painful. However, I don't want to jum... more

Dear Doctors: I come from a large family, and we’ll have a lot of holiday parties. I want to enjoy myself, but I also want to start the new year feeling healthy. My concern is more about drinking alco... more

Dear Doctors: It seems like every new health discovery is connected to the gut microbiome these days. I’m 68 years old, and this is new to me. I understand about probiotics, and I even take one, but n... more

Dear Doctors: I’m having hand surgery next year to help with carpal tunnel, and I’m not thrilled about having anesthesia. I’ve been reading about surgeons whose patients use virtual reality headsets t... more

Dear Doctors: When our grandson first learned his colors, he sang them along with music. We thought he was copying that song for learning the ABCs. But when he got older, he started saying that he “he... more

Dear Doctors: My boyfriend has been lifting weights at his gym. He’s working on getting stronger, and one of the trainers there suggested he start taking creatine as a supplement. I’ve never heard of ... more

Dear Doctors: I am 84 years old and just got a new doctor. When I asked her about the prostate exam my previous doctor did every few years, she seemed dismissive, saying, “Oh, we don't do that anymore... more

Dear Doctors: I’m a 33-year-old woman in good health. The problem is that I got into some bad habits during the pandemic and gained weight. I’m back on track with diet, and now I am adding exercise. I... more

Dear Doctors: What can I do to protect my baby from RSV? What are the symptoms? People are talking about a “tripledemic,” and it has my husband and me worried. We’re both vaccinated for the flu and CO... more

Dear Doctors: Our daughter is 24 years old. She struggled with her health for several years before finally being diagnosed with lupus. I’m reading as much as possible about this disease and have seen ... more

Hello again, dear readers, and welcome to our monthly letters column. We’re headed into the season of indoor gatherings, so it’s time to think about strategies for preventing COVID-19 and the flu. We’... more

Dear Doctors: I’m a 30-year-old man, and I play weekend volleyball. Last month, I jumped to spike the ball and heard a “pop.” There was a lot of pain; it felt like getting kicked in the calf. It was a... more

Dear Doctors: Can you please discuss sensory processing disorder? Our 17-year-old daughter has it, but help is sketchy. What kind of professional is best to deal with this disorder? So far, all we kno... more

Dear Doctors: What does it mean when something is a “complete protein”? A friend said that when I count beans or grains as a protein, it’s not the same nutritional value as meat or cheese. Are there r... more

Dear Doctors: At my last checkup, it turned out my body fat percentage has gone up quite a bit. I was surprised because I haven’t gained weight. I’m a 66-year-old woman, I walk at least a mile every d... more

Dear Doctors: I heard on the news about a study that says you won’t get as hungry if you eat all of your meals earlier in the day. Does that have to do with the way the body clock works? It seems like... more

Dear Doctors: I had stabs of pain in the upper right side of my abdomen one day, so I did a telehealth session. The nurse said it might be gallstones and to see my doctor if it repeats. So far, it has... more

Dear Doctors: After our 4-year-old daughter started daycare, she had a few episodes of diarrhea. It lasted only a day or two each time, but it’s not something that happened while we were home during t... more

Dear Doctors: I’m a 72-year-old man, and I was supposed to get a colonoscopy last year. I was surprised when my insurance company sent me an at-home kit to do a colon cancer screening. It was a lot ea... more

Dear Doctors: Why is ditching junk food so hard? I know I should have an apple instead of a doughnut, but when I crave a snack, I don’t reach for the fruit bowl. Making and then breaking the promise t... more