Alpine Valley Wellness Center

09/25/2026

The evidence continues to come in on the toxic aspects of social media platforms, especially those engineered to highly engage dopamine systems like TikTok.

08/30/2026

This is a typical example of recent articles on the topic of "fibermaxxing." Be aware that more isn't necessarily better. Rapid shifting from low fiber to high fiber can cause GI distress and bloating. One reason is that you need to increase your water intake to help process the additional fiber.

In addition, most studies have suggested a plateau effect with fiber. Increasing daily fiber intake from an insufficient level to approximately 25-35 g/d, depending on s*x and the study population, generally provides the greatest health benefits. Further increases appear to provide only modest additional benefits.

Looking to increase your daily fiber? Learn more about the dos and don’ts of maxing out your fiber intake.

07/07/2026

Highly Recommended!

06/29/2026

Good example of positive spin. In actual fact, US healthcare quality is diminishing for numerous reasons. For-profit structure. Increased use of AI, especially in mental health. Aggressive insurance company initiatives to deny care. Post COVID exodus of doctors and nurses from the field, so increase patient loads for those still in the trenches. A recent Reddit survey listed medicine as the most "soul crushing" profession.

There has never been a better time to learn how to care for and advocate for yourself. We can help.

Physician assistants and nurse practitioners have a growing role in medicine in the U.S., marking a shift away from physician-led care.

06/26/2026

After having to deal with the various obstructions that insurance companies put in the way of getting patient's their prescriptions, like doctors spending unpaid time to do prior authorizations, then there is this interesting development.

The FDA didn’t routinely test the medications for quality problems or use its vast repository of drug-related complaints to proactively track whether they were harming the people who relied on them.

03/03/2026

Amazing, isn't it, how much research indicates that every aspect of what we call “the good life” is tied to diet? So why is weight management, obesity, and chronic diseases like diabetes still such large issues, despite “magic bullets” like GLP-1 agonists?

When working with patients, Dr. Piscopo notes that what we eat is tied to what we value. And untangling the conflict between some of our values (e.g. comfort, convenience) and others (e.g. vitality, independence, intimacy) requires skilled navigation and patience.

Greater adherence to the DASH diet and other healthy eating patterns — especially in midlife — is linked to lower risk of cognitive decline later in life, three major US studies show.

02/27/2026

Sleep and circadian health are often poorly appreciated as the source of many medical problems, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, fatigue, and weight gain. Dr. Piscopo and Dr. Thomas can help you solve these problems - give us a call!

More and more research links nighttime light exposure to negative effects on cardiac, metabolic, cognitive, and mental health. What makes it so harmful?

02/24/2026

Dr. Thomas will be out of the clinic from March 9th to March 12th. Due to staff reductions during that time, the clinic will be closing at 3pm for each of those days.

02/14/2026

Weight management is an important but very complex area, especially in women's health. Why not have an expert like Dr. Thomas, with decades of experience, on your team?

When following a time-restricted eating regime, having an earlier eating window may work best for metabolic health, a new study has found.

02/10/2026

“Some ultra-processed foods have crossed a line,” ...products including fizzy drinks, sweets, and fast food are engineered less like food and more like ci******es, optimized for craving, rapid intake, and repeated use."

A new study argues that ultra-processed foods are engineered more like ci******es than like real food, and should face to***co-style rules on marketing, labelling, and taxation.