SITA MED LLC

05/28/2026

In her new memoir, 'View from the East Wing,' former First Lady Jill Biden shares her concerns for her husband's health after his debates struggles.

At the time, then President Joe Biden displayed confusion, memory loss and speech difficulties. Many health conditions can lead to these symptoms, and atop that differential diagnosis is stroke. To be clear, President Biden was never diagnosed with cerebrovascular or other neurodegenerative diseases as far as the public knows.

I spoke to NEWSMAX about stroke, a the leading cause of disability worldwide. Get immediate help when you see F-A-S-T:

F - facial drooping especially one-sided (ask them to smile)

A - sudden weakness in one arm or leg

S - slurred speech, difficulty speaking or understanding

T - TIME IS BRAIN. Call 911 *immediately*

Other symptoms including severe headache, vision and balance issues. Remember, stroke is preventable: exercise regularly; eat a healthy diet; control your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes; and avoid tobacoo and alcohol.

Learn more at American Heart Association Heart & Stroke American Stroke Association National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - NINDS

05/27/2026

Did you know mental health issues can cause physical symptoms? May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I'm going to describe 4 of the more common physical manifestations of mental illnesses, as well as treatment.

What are some ways your body responds to mental health issues?

If you or someone you know is struggling, please get help. Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Research: Sam Bashian

Mental Health America SAMHSA National Institute of Mental Health Mental Health Foundation Mental Health Goes To School Psychology Today Office of Mental Health

01/30/2026

In 1989, the New York Rangers hired a relatively unknown 35-year-old Neil Smith to be their General Manager. After orchestrating several key trades including a blockbuster move that brought in the legendary Mark Messier as well as Kevin Lowe and other stars from the Edmonton Oilers dynasty teams, Neil helped lead the Original Six NHL team to the Stanley Cup in 1994 -- it’s first in 54 years. A moment that every New Yorker reminds me of on a daily basis!

In today’s episode of ‘Health, Hockey & Leadership,’ Neil – a fellow Torontonian 🙂 – talks about his Canadian roots, the sudden passing of his dad when Neil was only 10, and the support of his strong, single mom. Neil also shares his views on leadership which includes “hiring people smarter than you”, imposter syndrome and his approach to pressure.

Unlike many executives, Neil openly shares his experience with grief and loss. In addition to his father, he suddenly lost his son and only child to su***de less than a decade ago. Neil is a big advocate of therapy, seeking help and reminding people – especially men – that vulnerability is not a weakness but a strength.

As a doctor, I am thrilled that Neil prioritizes his health (“I get checked every year”). As a die-hard hockey fan, I loved hearing the backstory of his incredible NHL career!

Tune into our wonderful conversation, Subscribe, Post Comments and Share!

https://youtu.be/jdyk-Hq5kCk

NHL Media NHL on TNT UBS UBS Arena

Everyone experiences grief and loss. Sports executives are no exception -- but they rarely speak openly about it. Unless you're Neil Smith. In today's episod...

01/03/2026

Connection is so critical to human existence. Every one of us needs to bond with another human being (as well as nature, art, animals, etc.) to find our true sense of purpose.

This applies even more so for people at risk for or experiencing addiction. I am deeply grateful to Nate Larkin and David Hampton for inviting me as a guest on their beautiful podcast, Positive Sobriety. We discussed my experiences caring for people experiencing substance use disorders (alcohol, opioids, stimulants), behavioral addictions (gambling, social media), pain, trauma and burnout.

But most importantly, we talked about HOPE, faith, family, friendship. That help is available for people who are struggling. We all must work together to CONNECT to people who feel shame and stigma because of their brain disease and connect them to evidence-based treatment, recovery and harm reduction services.

Thank you Diana Rissetto Brad Thatcher Faith & Media Initiative Angela Redding for making this happen.

If your organization needs a board-certified physician speaker, please reach out to me anytime.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-177-meeting-people-where-they-are-addiction/id1434354560?i=1000742060547

Podcast Episode · Positive Sobriety Podcast · 12/19/2025 · 50m

12/22/2025

The holiday season isn’t always happy for everyone. Christmas, New Year’s, parties, shopping…it might be fun for some. But for many, the holidays can be a very stressful, sad and lonely period. This emotional pain, when unaddressed, can serve as risk factors for increased substance use, relapse or return to use and addiction. I spoke with CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield CNN about holiday stressors and effective ways to get help [starts at 0:32]

Why does substance use and addiction increase during the holidays?

❄️ Financial pressures from gift-giving and end-of-year bills
❄️ Traveling can be a beast, e.g. flight delays, traffic
❄️ Complicated and tense family dynamics
❄️ Loneliness, sadness and grief when we miss those who are gone

How do we help people who are struggling?

✅ Please ask for help. You are NOT alone.
✅ Plan ahead: if hosting a party, offer alcohol-free beverages and healthy foods and snacks which can slow the absorption of alcohol
✅ Get professional help: talk to a doctor or a therapist. Telehealth is helpful during travel-heavy holidays. Medications and counseling are available and can make a differenc
✅ 988 su***de & crisis lifeline can be helpful when needed
✅ Social support: talk to people you trust, ask for help around the house, running errands, etc. LEAN on others. There is NO shame in asking for help

American Society of Addiction Medicine - ASAM SAMHSA NAMI The Jed Foundation - JED Partnership to End Addiction Shatterproof American Public Health Association Mental Health Foundation

12/15/2025

Current U.S. Food and Drug Administration leadership plans to place a "black box" warning on COVID-19 vaccines. I recently shared my thoughts on this public health issue with CNN host Fredricka Whitfield CNN

Black box warnings are designed to convey THE most serious risk associated with a substance, e.g. benzodiazepines such as 'Xanax' and 'Va**um' have a "high risk of addiction” or ibuprofen can cause “serious GI bleeding."

The FDA under RFK's U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is trying to connect the current FDA-approved COVID vaccines to safety risks in pregnant women and children WITHOUT any evidence. They are trying to connect 10 deaths in children based on VAERS (vaccine adverse events reporting system) data to the COVID vaccines without proper, rigorous clinical investigation. What data do they have?

Every serious adverse reaction needs to be thoroughly studied before making broad health policy decisions like the placement of black box warnings on medicines.

The response from Moderna, one of the vaccine manufacturers: The vaccine is “rigorously monitored by Moderna, the US FDA and regulators in more than 90 countries,” and with more than a billion doses distributed worldwide, those systems “have not reported any new or undisclosed safety concerns in children or pregnant women.”

mRNA technology has been a focal point for this administration: HHS released a report in August 2025 saying they were winding down mRNA vaccine development.

This proposed action is deeply concerning for physicians like me who discuss evidence-based medicine including preventive measures such as colonoscopies and vaccinations. The FDA’s unfounded black box warning plan will weaken the public’s already waning confidence in vaccines.

We must follow the best available science while holding elected officials accountable to make health policy decisions rooted in data and best clinical judgement for the public.

12/10/2025

"Women outlive men -- but not in medicine."

For a female physician like me, this data is certainly disturbing. Other key points by Drs. Anupam Jena and Christopher Worsham from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital:

👉 For certain conditions like cancer and chronic respiratory diseases, women physicians experienced higher mortality rates than male doctors
👉 Black female physicians experienced higher mortality rates than all other physician subgroups ... 128% more likely to die vs. white female MDs

WHY??

🏵️ The "2nd shift" phenomenon: female physicians still carry most of the burden of domestic duties whether their male partners are doctors or not (consistent w/ women from all professional backgrounds) ... and this can worsen a woman's health
🏵️ Women physicians experience higher rates of burnout and sexual harassment
🏵️ Women physicians are paid less than male colleagues for similar work

Appreciate the authors for highlighting this important and urgent problem.

How can we better support women physicians both inside and outside the workplace?

https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/surprising-demographics-physician-mortality?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Gazette%2020251209%20(1)

All Articles The Surprising Demographics of Physician Mortality December 2025 The Surprising Demographics of Physician Mortality Women outlive men — but not in medicine Fall 2025 by Molly McDonough 5 minute read Feature Illustration: Oliver Munday Illustration: Oliver Munday In every country in th...

11/18/2025

I recently had the joyful experience of seeing 'V**e! The Grease Parody,' a comedic and satirical homage to the 1978 classic film starring John Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John.

While I clearly found the musical entertaining, as an addiction medicine physician, I was reminded of the potential harms of using e-ci******es or va**ng.

In my latest Forbes article, I break down the reality of va**ng as a growing public health concern with the help of heavy-hitters in the worlds of addiction and public health, Drs. Yngvild Olsen and Mike Weaver. Some key points:

👉 Va**ng refers to the use of battery-operated devices to inhale liquids containing ni****ne and other potentially addictive substances including THC & CBD (ma*****na)

👉 E-cigarette aerosols contain fewer dangerous chemicals than the smoke from traditional ci******es but they are far from risk-free

👉 Adolescents, young adults and people who’ve never smoked
ci******es are particularly at risk from the harmful effects of va**ng

👉 Ni****ne, whether delivered through va**ng or ci******es, is still *highly addictive.* Harms can include addiction, lung damage, brain damage and birth defects

If you or someone you know needs help quitting e-ci******es, please get help. It’s available.

If you or your organization needs a skilled and charismatic speaker who can break down important health topics, reach out anytime!

SAMHSA American Society of Addiction Medicine - ASAM Partnership to End Addiction Maryland Department of Health - Substance Use Disorders NYS OASAS

**ngawareness **eTheMusical

Va**ng is growing in popularity especially among youth. E-ci******es are often used to replace traditional smoking. But is it safe? Va**ng is far from risk-free.

11/05/2025

Sports betting -- harmless hobby or destructive disease?

Well, it's both. But most people who participate in this growing activity fall somewhere in between.

What's the impact of sports betting in pro sports like the NHL? I sat down with former New York Rangers General Manager and Stanley Cup champion Neil S. Smith on his NHL Wraparound podcast along with cohost Vic Morren. The three of us LOVE hockey. Combine that with my love of medicine, well, we ended up talking about SO many fascinating topics!

A few key takeaways:

🏒 Sports betting has *exploded*, in large part because of persistent advertising (DraftKings, bet365, Fan Duel, etc.) and ease of bets -- instead of traveling to Atlantic City or Las Vegas, we can place bets from our sofa

🧠 Gambling on sports is *deeply* embedded in our culture: every commercial, live broadcast sponsorship, pro athlete endorsement. Kids are going to sports arenas like Madison Square Garden or Crypto.com Arena and seeing sports betting ads on the jumbotron. What's more normalized than that??

🏒 While most U.S. adults gamble without problem, problematic gambling is on the rise. This is particularly concerning for young people (more men gamble than women) whose brains are still developing and are prone to addiction

🧠 Gambling addiction HARMS your health. Physical: poor sleep, poor diet, chronic stress, increase smoking and alcohol consumption. Mental: increased depression, anxiety, suicidality (*people with gambling disorder were 15x more likely to die by su***de compared to the general population)

The GOOD news is that help is available including medications, psychotherapy and Gambler's Anonymous (1-800-GAMBLER). If you or someone you know is struggling with sports betting or other gambling, please get help.

If your organization needs a speaker or trainer to discuss addiction or other brain or health problems, please reach out to me anytime.

American Society of Addiction Medicine - ASAM SAMHSA NBA NFL MLB U.S. Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) Washington State Gambling Commission



https://youtu.be/9En8RwTyitU?si=tv0L4CxPZqN28jMn

Professional sports was rocked October 23rd when a prominent NBA head coach and a Miami Heat player were arrested as part of two separate illegal gambling in...

10/31/2025

Artificial intelligence is disrupting healthcare. But how will it specifically affect women’s health? I recently had the opportunity to address this very topic in a presentation titled, “Superman or Supervillain: How AI is Reshaping Women’s Health.

Some key points:

🌍 Women's health issues are *global* issues

👩 Women's health is a $1 trillion opportunity that demands greater attention

🌍 AI-driven tools can ⬇️ obstetric risks (e.g. preeclampsia, preterm birth), optimize endometriosis care & improve mental health diagnoses

👩 Breast cancer screening: AI algorithms have improved early detection rates by 5-10%

🌍 AI tools can detect early relapse signs in women with addiction or postpartum depression

Healthcare professionals from physicians and nurses to physical therapists and counselors need to be better trained on the impact of AI-driven tools on their workflow and clinical practice. Change isn’t always positive, and it can have jarring effects on staff, not to mention patients.

I am truly grateful to Tarja Stephens, the brainchild behind the Leaders of the Future global webinar, for curating this incredible event, along with Anne-Marie Enns. Kudos to the other phenomenal speakers for teaching me valuable information. Of course, none of this happens without the brilliant Ana Rold 🙏

What excites you about AI and health? What concerns you?