"I've been on the pill for years and now I want to get pregnant.  Will it be hard for me to conceive?"  This is an incredibly common question.  The answer depends on many factors.   The main determinants of fertility are age and the regularity of ovulation before and after oral contraception use.

Often, when we get to drawing blood at a physical exam, a patient will say, "Test me for everything."  Obviously, everything is not possible - so a discussion of what "everything" entails is needed.  Usually, patients use "everything" as a signal for testing for sexually transmitted diseases.  It is important to know that HIV can not be tested for without your request - so do not assume it is being tested - ASK FOR IT!

Exercising more is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions.  It is also one of the most frequently underachieved.  More gym memberships are purchased and unused over the next few months than during any other time of the year.

Smoking in 2011. I know it's bad for me, but THAT bad?

It would be hard to find someone in the modern world who has not heard that smoking is bad for you.  Since 1964, the US Surgeon General has issued reports documenting this.  Cigarettes carry warning labels, advertising has been limited to certain venues and banned from television.  Some cities have banned cigarette smoking in public areas and restaurants.  Graphic smoking cessation ads are seen on television and massive lawsuits have been filed against the tobacco companies.

Like many people, I was a bit startled by the recent recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM suggests that most people don’t need to take vitamin D supplements, yet they increased the Dietary Reference Intake from 400 IU to 600 IU per day.