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Pop quiz on recognizing mental illness — and reaching out for help

Test your knowledge of warning signs and symptoms, plus how to address them THERE’S NO DOUBT that there is a stigma placed on mental health issues in the U.S., so much so that many do not want to even discuss the topic. However, mental health concerns are much more common than people believe. It is…
Life after delivery: Q&A with Drs. Peter Alvarez and Diana Wilson on postpartum depression

WHEN A MOTHER brings home a new baby, regardless of whether or not it’s her first child, it is a very special time. Life after delivery is an important phase when mom and baby strengthen the foundation for a bond that lasts a lifetime. But like all phases of life, there are natural stress factors,…
Top Docs Feature: Q&A with Delanie and Gordon Watson

Patients talk with CFHN about their healthcare provider, Dr. Japinder Singh “MY HUSBAND was very, very sick when I met him,” says Delaine Watson. Gordon had all manner of problems with his spleen and gallbladder, hernias — even throat cancer. A Vietnam veteran, he’d also been exposed to Agent Orange.

Smoking Hurts More Than Your Lungs

I cannot really believe that the holidays are upon us already. This year has been like no other with its usual mix of pain and pleasure. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the role of lifestyle in the management of vascular disease that can lend a sense of control in its otherwise…
What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD?

by NADER MOINFAR, M.D., M.P.H. Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In general, AMD is a disease that progresses in stages. Patients with advanced AMD experience vision loss from either excess ﬂuid and blood (wet AMD) or the death of cells (GA). It is estimated that 1.5 million…
Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a “weakening” or “dilatation” in a part of an artery. An estimated 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the US. About 200,000 new cases of AAA are diagnosed every year. Most of these are diagnosed by tests that are done for unrelated reasons. The aorta is…