Ever notice how things grab your attention? Say your house needs shingles. You start to take more notice of neighboring roofs. Buy a red car; every red car on the road jumps out at you.
Maybe it’s because of our annual “Top Docs” issue, but I’ve been stopping to read a lot more medical stories. I came across a very weird one: Apparently the bite from a bug called the Lone Star Tick can make you allergic to red meat. Seriously? And not just a mild reaction; some folks actually land in the hospital. I hope one doesn’t evolve that makes you allergic to coffee … some of us might find they have an even tougher time meeting deadlines.
We also received a press release from Emagine Theatres. They’re working with Henry Ford Health Systems to develop a “GoodE Box” to sell at the movies. Think of it as a healthy McSnack — you even get a toy! But offering animal crackers instead of candy bars can help steer kids away from high-fat foods. They also have a Henry Ford healthy living “app” that includes promoting five daily servings of fruit and veggies.
There’s another way to get your greens — doctor’s orders. Dorothy Hernandez reports on a program that lets physicians prescribe fruits and vegetables instead of pills. She also explores how local hospitals have gained “Baby-Friendly” designations through programs to promote breast-feeding.
Unhealthy ways — coupled with the aging population of both physicians and their patients — are giving rise to an impending doctor shortage. To help combat this problem, my alma mater Oakland University started a new medical school with Beaumont Health System a few years ago. Associate Editor Casey Nesterowich visits the soon-to-be doctors from the school’s first graduating class. Think of them as “Top Docs in Training.”
Then check out today’s Top Docs — our annual list of doctors who have been voted by their peers as the best in specialties from addiction medicine to urology.
October also signals a time to change seasons. Jeff Waraniak, our new associate editor, literally jumped right into the job by visiting the West Bloomfield Adventure Park for a zip-line ride through the forest. But you don’t have to climb trees to enjoy them. We take a fall color tour on a balloon ride that skirts Michigan’s hardwood forests. And for a “penthouse view” of metro Detroit see how one condo owner moved up in the world, so to speak, and remodeled his Southfield high-rise.
Sure seasonal change brings cooler weather — but that means apple harvest time and football are here, too. Another reason to celebrate the downward trend in temperature? The mosquitos — and scary ticks — are less active.
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