Opinion

What’s the prognosis for ‘microvascular disease’?

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 80-year-old active male taking only thyroxine. I have no known health issues. In November 2021, I experienced a migraine with aura and have a slight vision loss in my right eye. After seeing an eye doctor, a retinal specialist and a primary care doctor, the only thing I am hearing is the term “microvascular disease.” This is based on the eye doctor’s examination. I am unable to find a satisfactory definition or prognosis anywhere I search. Any information you could provide would be appreciated. -- R.B.

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Discovering the science behind the recommendations

Q: I’m wondering about a tip that you had about migraines and something called the LIFE diet that was published in something called BMJ Case Reports. Was it a reliable study and what is BMJ anyway? -- Fred G., Urbana, Illinois A: Thanks for asking that question, Fred. I want to take the opportunity to let you know how we prepare my columns and how science-based the opinions and ideas are. But first -- BMJ stands for British Medical Journal. Like JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association), they decided to go with initials a few years ago, and it become their official name. Case Reports is a related journal they put out that offers interesting case studies -- they may just be one-offs, but their implications are useful. In the case of the migraine case study, the remedy offered -- the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet -- is clearly healthful. Eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruits and avoiding red meats and dairy is something that is beneficial for heart health and to quell inflammation. And because it is simply a case study, the column makes it clear it “may” help with migraines. For the 40 million folks in the U.S. who are desperate to find relief from the pain and the life-interfering intrusions of migraines, it accurately says it “might” be worth a try. As for the overall approach to the columns, let me assure you that, as they are developed, they are carefully researched and footnoted for references -- virtually all of which are primary sources. We identify studies (as much as possible given the column wordlength restrictions) as clinical, randomized, double blind, lab-based -- whatever is the fact. And I am delighted to tell you that on the website that is launching in the early fall, www.GreatAgeReboot.com, we will be posting the columns along with their references/footnotes/sources so that you can see, firsthand, where the info came from. * * *

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