Each edition of our newsletter features exclusive interviews with experts from the Private Medical community, providing valuable insights and answers to our pressing health questions. This month, we are privileged to speak with Dr. Michelle Cardel, a distinguished obesity and nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, and the Head of Clinical Research & Nutrition at WeightWatchers.

Dr. Cardel delves into various misconceptions about weight loss, shedding light on the truth behind GLP-1 inhibitors, which are commonly marketed under brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. She also shares her expertise on the science of lifestyle change, the importance of addressing weight and health with our children, and the challenges of sustaining weight loss.

Tune in to her insightful conversation with Private Medical’s Dr. Natalie Walsh and Dr. Tatiana Ivan on the Inside Medicine podcast, or read a summary of the discussion below.

Our infectious disease expert, Dr. Geemee Chung, shares the most recent vaccine guidance.

Our Silicon Valley pediatrician Dr. Erika Drazan on why being social in the summer is essential for a child’s development.

This season on our podcast, Inside Medicine, we were honored to host three doctors who are leading the way in the fields of neuroscience, mental health, and mindfulness. Dr. Josh Woolley provided valuable insights on the topic of psychedelic therapy, while Dr. Jud Brewer shared his expertise on breaking unhealthy habits. Finally, Dr. Jay Sanguinetti explored the benefits of mindfulness and human connection. In the following section, we highlight the key takeaways from each of these esteemed experts.

Private Medical’s pediatricians weigh in on the future of tech for our developing kids.

A set of AR/VR goggles is changing the way we measure attention, learning, and performance.

Meet our newest San Francisco-based internist.

Our infectious disease expert, Dr. Geemee Chung, updates us on avoiding norovirus, lingering respiratory illnesses, and the easier COVID winter.

In every issue, we interview experts from the Private Medical community, exploring the latest insights and questions about our everyday health. This month, we speak with David Light, founder and CEO of Valisure. Started with the goal of investigating batch variability in pharmaceuticals, the independent lab has found carcinogens in brand name drugs like Zantac, aerosols like antiperspirants and dry shampoo, and other everyday products.

In this interview, he discusses how medications and products are made, how and if they are tested along the supply chain, and the role of the FDA. Furthermore, he will illuminate how to be a smarter consumer as it pertains to your health. Listen to his conversation with Private Medical’s Dr. Jordan Shlain and Dr. Hela Barhoush on the Inside Medicine podcast, or read an adaptation below.

If kids aren’t ready for the technology they’re accessing, what do we do as parents? This is the question we asked at our November event with Common Sense Media, an outlet that provides age-based media ratings for everything kids might consume online. Editor in Chief Jill Murphy and Vice President of Outreach and National Partnerships Merve Lapus discussed how parents can be more than just rule-makers, but effective guides in raising their kids to be as kind and conscientious online as they want them to be offline. Read on for a recap of their conversation.

Dr. Natalie Walsh on the science of what we eat.

RSV, flu, and COVID are still circulating as the winter months pick up. While RSV cases have plateaued, the XBB1.5 variant of COVID is taking over quickly. The flu peaked early this season but we may see a rebound after the holidays. Norovirus, a common virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, is also part of the winter virus mix. Below is more information on how to differentiate your symptoms if you should develop any.

Dr. Tatiana Ivan is a Miami local who graduated from University of Miami with a degree in biology. She went on to medical school at Rutgers University and completed her family medicine residency at UCSF. Dr. Ivan continued as faculty member at UCSF where her focus was on adolescent medicine, women’s reproductive health, and chronic disease prevention. While in Miami, she continued as an academic physician with Baptist Health prior to transitioning to private practice.

Private Medical physicians Dr. Jordan Shlain and Dr. Natalie Walsh speak with Dr. Marion Nestle, professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and the author of a dozen books on nutrition, including the award-winning What to Eat and Food Politics. Her memoir Slow Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics was released in October. Dr. Nestle discusses fighting the profit-driven food industry with your choices in the supermarket, planetary health vs. nutritional health, and how to navigate food labels without a doctorate in molecular biology.

In his more than 20 years as a pediatrician, Dr. Kellen Glinder has seen kids’ behaviors change with the rise of smartphones and tablets. These devices that reward kids for avoiding boredom and difficult situations also inhibit interpersonal connection. In his new book, Teaching Kids to Pause, Cope, and Connect , coauthored with Dr. Mark Purcell, he offers strategies for social emotional learning – and recommends starting with these lessons young. Here, he details how technology affects kids’ moods, and shares a worksheet from the book that helps younger kids with body awareness and checking in with their emotions.

We have long been hearing about a future in which technology and data will deliver experiences that are tailored to who we are along with our needs and desires. In the world of consumer goods, this personalization trend has decidedly taken shape. Today, everything from sneakers to advertisements are being customized at scale. When it […]

In every issue, we interview experts from the Private Medical community, exploring the latest insights and questions about our everyday health. This month, the tables are turned on Private Medical founder Dr. Jordan Shlain as he takes questions in a discussion panel New Healthcare Normal: Precision, Anywhere, Whole Person. Joining Dr. Shlain are Dr. Joseph Kvedar of Mass General Brigham and professor of […]

Meet our newest LA-based doctor.

COVID The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants of Omicron (descendents of BA.5) are now the dominant strains of COVID pushing a new wave of infections this winter. The new COVID sublineages are not different enough from the original Omicron strain to be considered separate variants of concern. These subvariants are likely more resistant to the currently-used […]

Dr. Hela Barhoush takes a look at new research on the connection between blue light and puberty in pre-adolescent children.

The field of longevity medicine is just beginning to get its footing in science. Like any nascent and exciting field, there will be people who go all-in on the hype cycle – but it is important to reflect on the fact that, at the present moment, we are at the peak of inflated expectations. The promise […]

Meet our new New York-based internist.

We Know… The BA.5 Omicron subvariant is still dominant in the US. Several other variants are being monitored closely including BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, and BQ.1.1. The Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster vaccines (comprised of the original virus and Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5) are currently available for those who received their last vaccination two months ago or more. […]

Our naturopathic doctor Dr. Natalie Walsh on supporting your body through the early stages of pregnancy.

The letter below is a fictional perspective based on the decades of experience our physicians and Women’s Health experts have had with patients who are trying to conceive, and the families who have experienced reproductive struggles along the way.

Meet our new New York-based pediatrician.

COVID The Omicron subvariant BA.5 has been the dominant strain in the US over the summer. There are signs that the US summer surge of BA.5 is waning. Other Omicron subvariants are being monitored – BA.4.6 and BA.2.75 are the latest under observation. The former seems to be upticking on the East Coast. On August […]

Get to know our newest San Francisco-based physician.

At last, a COVID vaccine for children less than 5 years of age is on the horizon. Over the past few weeks both Pfizer and Moderna have released preliminary data that supports a safe and effective vaccine for this age group, starting at 6 months old. Dr. Hela Barhoush details what we know so far.

Private Medical practices evidence-based medicine. We filter out the misinformation to assure you’re getting the most accurate, science-driven updates. Here’s what you need to know this month.

Private Medical physicians Dr. Jordan Shlain, Dr. Natalie Walsh, and Dr. Hadi Halazun are joined by Dr. Amy Kruse, general partner of Prime Movers Lab, where she leads their life sciences investments. They discuss what constitutes good sleep hygiene, how to engineer our sleep as we age, and the new neuroscience therapeutics toolkit that taps into our more recent understanding of neuroplasticity and networks in the brain.

Private Medical physicians Dr. Jordan Shlain, Dr. Hadi Halazun and Dr. Natalie Walsh are joined by Dr. Charles Brenner, the Alfred E. Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism at City of Hope National Medical Center. They discuss the role of the popular longevity coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD, and how it maintains resilience and youthful function, the myths of anti-aging, what constitutes pro-aging, and what the science really tells us about how to feel better as we age.

Clinical trials and novel treatments using psychedelics – what Private Medical is calling neurotherapeutics – have promising effects in treating depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and more.

Get to know one of our Silicon Valley pediatricians.

The quality of your relationships is the biggest predictor of your long-term health In Harvard’s 84-year-long Study for Adult Development – the longest longitudinal study of the same people – there were some expected findings and some unexpected findings. “It was dramatically clear that the people who did not abuse alcohol, did not smoke, got […]

Private Medical Los Angeles-based pediatrician Dr. Sarah Greene is joined by Dr. David Skaggs, the co-director of the Spine Center and the Director of Pediatric Orthopedics at Cedars Sinai, to explore how COVID has affected kids’ bodies. The doctors discuss the rising cases of back pain in teens, over-use injuries when returning to sports, and choosing the right backpack.