Dr. Blair Cushing

The very first thing that came to my mind after hearing the details of her illness was, "Is it the GLP-1?" as Oprah has been very open about using Ozempic for weight loss.
I really admire Oprah and grew up watching her show with my mom nearly every day after school. I sincerely hope whatever is going on for her is just a GI bug that clears quickly. 🙏

However, I have admitted numerous patients to the hospital with very severe GI effects from these medications - even some who had been on them for quite a while with seemingly good tolerance prior. For long-standing diabetics, I also think the number of folks with some degree of gastroenteropathy (abnormal slowing OR speeding up of the stomach and intestines) is also vastly under-appreciated.
I remain open minded about the numerous benefits of GLP-1 agonists, but let's also proceed with caution about the detrimental effects that are known as well as honesty about the long-term consequences we still may not understand.

Oprah Winfrey hospitalized for ‘serious stomach thing’; reps say it’s the flu Winfrey’s good friend Gayle King offered some unpleasant details about how her friend’s illness kept her from her morning show this week.

Medical offices are dealing with high inflation as well, but without any proportionate increase in reimbursement. Particularly given California's recent minimum wage increase to $25/hr for healthcare workers. Expansion of Medicaid without also increasing payment for services just worsens the access crisis affecting everyone.

With 1 out of 3 Californians on Medicaid, doctors push ballot measure to force state to pay more California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to back out of a deal he made last year to pay doctors more money to treat Medicaid patients

There's an ongoing environmental disaster in West Texas that few people are talking about. The long-term effects of fresh water contamination with many of these industrial chemicals is also a public health crisis for those who will be unknowingly exposed for many years to come. Sadly, no one is even mentioning those consequences.

Water is bursting from another abandoned West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trend Pecos County rancher Schuyler Wight says the Railroad Commission continues to plug wells. But each time they do, another one starts flowing.

In my Palliative Care practice, I can definitely attest that I have seen a marked increase in young patients (ages 20s-40s) with very advanced and aggressive cancers, as well as multiple patients with more than one confirmed type of cancer growing simultaneously. These trends actually sparked my interest in Lifestyle and Functional Medicine because I have encountered so many patients and family members alike baffled at how this happened and desperate for something they can do to both treat this case and prevent the next one. What are the ongoing or incidental exposures and biological insults we can modify or eliminate in order to optimize our own health for the long term?

As data has emerged about COVID-19 as a risk factor, I have begun asking patients about their experience with it (as almost all have previously been infected). But I can't say there's been any obvious pattern among these cases regarding self-reported severity of illness. Still much to be learned here for sure.

‘Unusual’ cancers emerged after the pandemic. Doctors ask if covid is to blame. It’s not a new idea that viruses can cause or accelerate cancer. But it will probably be years before answers emerge about covid and cancer.

Sleep is the foundation of health. 😴 And LACK of sleep precipitates innumerable consequences for our overall well-being. Will be interesting to see how further research plays out - is there something about the medication itself that produces this benefit, or just the fact that it allowed participants a deeper and more restorative sleep??? 🤔

A Common Sleeping Pill May Reduce Build-Up of Alzheimer's Proteins, Study Finds There's still so much we don't know about Alzheimer's disease, but the link between poor sleep and worsening disease is one that researchers are exploring with gusto.

This is so cool to me, but also unsurprising. Much like some of the researchers quoted in the article, I am of the belief that humans learned through our observations of animal behaviors. They have so much to teach us, especially about how to co-exist in our environment in non-harmful ways! 🙏

In a first, an orangutan was seen treating his wound with a medicinal plant After an orangutan hurt his face, scientists observed him chewing a plant known to relieve pain and applying a paste made from the leaves to the injury.

United Healthcare posted profits of $22 BILLION in 2023 alone. This is one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world and they have achieved that by overcharging patients and underpaying clinicians.

Only a few short years after many medical practices closed due to significant revenue loss associated with COVID, clinicians are once again being asked to drain their personal accounts to stay open and available to patients. Except this time, it's not due to an unforseen disaster, but the negligence of a healthcare monopoly that should not even be allowed to exist.

This is yet another great example of why I intentionally created a cash-pay clinic with affordable, transparent prices. Patients know exactly what to expect and there's no need to upcharge or obscure the *real* price that we would get paid after a substantial administrative ordeal with the insurance company.

www.cnbc.com

Always a good time to give and support abortion access!!! 🙌

Fighting Back Against the Loss of Legal Abortion in Texas's fundraising page for NNAF Fund-a-Thon In Memory of Sofia Reyes Hernandez, my most badass nurse of all time who always had my back and deeply understood the professional sacrifice that comes with providing abortion care in Tejas. Rage giving came and went, but the need has never been greater!

"The whole point here is that whatever you do, you have to keep doing it."

My top recommendation for patients seeking weight loss is to go SLOW. Caloric restriction of only a few hundred calories a day - which is far more sustainable long-term - WILL produce weight loss, though accept it will also come off more slowly, so patience and persistence is key! 🙏 However, the body can also adapt to these small changes and not experience the harsh rebound effect of more severe restriction.

Here’s when your weight loss will plateau, according to science | CNN Whether you’re shedding pounds with the help of effective new medicines, slimming down after weight loss surgery or cutting calories and adding exercise, there will come a day when the numbers on the scale stop going down, and you hit the dreaded weight loss plateau.

One of the biggest concerns I personally have about the loss of abortion access in such a large segment of our country, is that even once legislation reverses course, it doesn't automatically re-create that which was lost. Clinics have closed with buildings sold and leases terminated, doctors and staff have moved on to other jobs or even other states, and hospitals previously reluctant to permit these services (often religiously-affiliated institutions) aren't likely to change their stance. ADEQUATE abortion training is extremely hard to come by and medical trainees must truly fight not only to learn but to maintain their skill sets in the future. Oh, and did I mention rural / critical access facilities across the nation are eliminating Labor & Delivery units left and right as a cost saving measure so you're even LESS likely to find adequately trained personnel and receive appropriate care if you're not in an urban area???

Patients ARE being harmed. And I see this as a situation that will be perpetuated for a long time to come, irrespective of any national-level wins with Congress or the judiciary. This needs to be part of the conversation and planning for anyone advocating and striving towards a better future with full reproductive options and access for all.

Fearing Legal Threats, Doctors Are Performing C-Sections in Lieu of Abortions Some physicians are doing unnecessary and invasive surgery on pregnant patients “to preserve the appearance of not doing an abortion.”

In a time where I feel like we're bombarded with negative media about immigration, it was refreshing to read this piece about immigrants working hard to find opportunities and the programs that are having success where everything seems stacked against them.

A few things in particular that stuck out to me:
1. Good examples of how employers can EASILY contribute and become part of the solution
2. Reminder that well meaning attempts to move people into *better* housing situations can also be entirely disruptive to finding stability in employment/ education/ childcare when those things are physically inaccessible from the new residential placement

Even with work permits, migrants in shelters struggle to find self-sustaining jobs Language skills, housing transiency and transportation can all pose barriers to employment.

These are the stories of the patients I continue to treat in Texas since the total abortion ban went into effect in the summer of 2022. It is absolutely shameful that we have deliberately left so many without a .

Alone in a bathroom: The fear and uncertainty of a post-Roe medication abortion Women who took abortion pills in states where abortion is banned described experiencing deep anxiety and uncertainty about doing something they assumed was illegal.

Very grateful to my friend, Helen Perry, for her continued vocal advocacy for access to care for those who have served and their families while still fighting through it herself. I can personally confirm, just in the years since completing my own medical training, the situation has become substantially worse.

Access to appropriate care is incredibly difficult for so many families in the United States, regardless of insurance status, education, or income level. Though language barriers, literacy challenges, and institutional racism can absolutely make it worse!!! I truly pride myself on utilizing the full combination of my medical expertise + systems knowledge from my former career in social services + years of political advocacy at every level of government to help patients break through some of these barriers. Please don't hesitate to schedule an appointment if this is something that would be beneficial to you or a loved one. 🙏

It's time to stop downsizing health care, the Pentagon says. This couple can't wait After a decade of outsourcing military health care, the Pentagon now plans to do the opposite, an about-face Matt and Helen Perry hope means they'll get the care they were promised after going to war.

As Texas's SB4 continues to ping-pong through the courts, the effect on our border communities has already been chilling.
Please remember that medical clinics and healthcare facilities remain protected spaces, specifically excluded as areas of enforcement of this law. 🙏

I remain committed to caring for patients regardless of ones immigration status or ability to pay. My clinic will always be, first and foremost, a medical safe space. ❤️

Texas immigration law blocked again, just hours after Supreme Court allowed state to arrest migrants Passed by the Texas legislature last year, SB4 would empower state officials to arrest and jail migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally.

Unexpected pregnancy? Looking for a safe space to get accurate medical information??? Dr. Cushing is pleased to be able to offer visits for pregnancy-dating ultrasounds and options counseling. Book your appointment online today: drblaircushing.simplybook.me

** For those without the ability to pay, financial assistance is now available through our community partner, Frontera Fund.