Category Archives: Modesto

Most doctors don’t get a Nutrition course?

Let me explain why:

But we get courses in the groundwork that explains nutrition: BIOCHEMISTRY

I was in medical school 20 years ago

I got my MD degree about 20 years ago, and we did have a fundamental course in nutrition but it wasn’t a heavy weight course as I remembered it, but important enough for me to feel that at least I could say that I’m one of the few doctors maybe?? that got a nutrition course.

Biochemistry is the mother of Nutrition

I know a lot of nutrition focused doctors around the world frequently quote that most doctors don’t get a nutrition course. That is probably true, however, it’s not the whole truth. Because, all doctors I know get several courses on BIOCHEMISTRY which is the MOTHER of Nutrition. Biochemistry is the groundwork for which helps us understand how our bodies work and how our bodies interact with nutrition. And there’s biochemistry of what happens when things go wrong like CANCER.  If nutrition were a course, it would be bundled into biochemistry. We all studied the biochemistry of humans, animals, bacteria, viruses, and plants. I think back when we were in medical school, I have a feeling that the very smart doctors who were in charge of our medical education probably felt that nutrition was somehow influenced too strongly by businesses and probably felt it wise to just teach us the basics of how to evaluate nutritional claims. Now that’s wiser than cramming down our throats some information that would change from time to time as we search for the truth. I believe that search swings like a pendulum around what is the truth or the “best practice.” So we’ll go from one wild extreme to the other and back and forth sometimes.

Smart doctor colleagues love biochemistry

Many smart doctors I know even have degrees in Biochemistry such as my wife, Dr. Tammy Wu – plastic surgeon, and Dr. Monica Wood – orthopedic hand surgeon.

As doctors and medical professionals, we should all embrace our biochemistry roots and apply it to nutrition

I have had a renewed interest in Nutrition and have had this interest for the past 7-8 years as I decided to transition myself to a vegan diet. But most of that interest comes from our skills in evaluating medical studies – which is a skill I was supposed to learn in medical school, and balancing that with the understanding and reviewing of the subject of biochemistry – which is the chemistry of life. I believe that my other physician colleagues in Modesto and in the world have similar interests especially as we come more and more to the conclusion that some of the best medicines come from nature. Even BOTOX comes from nature.

Modesto Kybella coming soon – is here as of July 7th, 2015

Update: Kybella is available at Surgical Artistry as of July 7th, 2015.

Visit my Kybella FAQ page.

 

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I’ve been getting a few buzzing questions about Kybella for the neck.  It’s a form of mesotherapy for the adipose tissue in the neck area.  I’ve told patients that I’m waiting for a few things which include getting excellent education and training on the product and waiting to see about complications.  There is much to learn from others when a new product comes out.  I frequently think of these new items as a watchful waiting type of process.

I’ll have updates on Kybella coming soon for our Modesto practice.  Stay tuned!

Here’s a website from the FDA regarding Kybella.

Calvin Lee, MD
Modesto Surgeon with needles and injections.

Plastic surgery meetings outside of Modesto?

We sometimes take the Bart to the San Francisco Airport – driving from Modesto.

Disclaimer: we are not Bart.  I don’t have details about Bart, and most of the time I’m pretty clueless about the Bart because I live in Modesto, and most of the time I have my life buried in our Plastic Surgery practice.  They have a telephone number:

Customer Service: (415) 773-1200
Hours: 8AM-5PM, M-F
APLT (Airport/Long-Term)permits are not available for purchase at any of the BART stations and can only be purchased online prior to arriving at the station.
Customers who purchase an APLT (Airport/Long-Term) parking permit may park in the station’s permit/reserved or other areas that are non-restricted.
These permits offer you a space to park in the stations permit/reserved areas up until 10 am Monday through Friday. After 10:00 am these permit/reserved areas are open to the general public and space cannot be reserved.
By Telephone – You may make a credit card payment for your parking by telephone by calling the BART parking vendor at 1-877-700-7275

Airport Long Term Parking Online Bart Reservations.  Here’s the link (it was somewhat hard to find)

  • The long term airport parking page at Dublin/Pleasanton.  Sometimes called the APLT = airport long term.
  • on that page above, we pick the Dublin/Pleasanton link.  Then click next on the “select a spot page”
  • If there are no spots left at Dublin/Pleasanton, then I might consider the west Dublin Station.
  • Address is 6400 Golden Gate, Dublin, CA 94568
  • I think you just pick the nights which the car is going to stay over.  Thus the “end” date is probably the day before you pick up the car.
  • You will have to log in with email as user name.
  • Payment is visa or mastercard only.
  • A printout needs to be made and placed on the windshield.

 

Cellular Signal Booster

I recently wrote a blog about Botox and WiFi.  What I meant from that is that Botox acts in a way which is akin to cutting off the WiFi signal.  There is no other connection between Botox and WiFi.

I really got a Cellular Signal Booster for a apparent dead zone in Modesto

But all this got me thinking about my Cellular Signal around my house.  I decided to take a plunge and get a cellular signal booster.  I got the Wilson Electronics DT4G cellular signal Booster 460101.  I’m hoping that it would add one or two bars to my reception around our house.  There appears to be certain cellular dead zones in Modesto and Del Rio, depending on the carrier.  Regardless, I figured, I could try a boost and see what this is all about.

And by cellular, I didn’t mean cells from a biological stand point; instead I mean it from a electronic cell-phone perspective.

cellular signal booster

WiFi and Cellular Signal – interchangeble when using it as part of my Botox Analogy.

I could have substituted the word WiFi for Cellular Signal in my essay trying to explain how Botox works.  Regardless, either type of “signal” works as a pretty decent, but not perfect, example of how Botox works.

Details of the Wilson Electronics Cellular Signal Booster DT4G

  • It uses 8 Watts according to the box.
  • It doesn’t work with Clearwire.
  • But boosts signals for 4G, 3G, and 2G data downloads.
  • Uses the RG6 cable – included in kit.
  • It is designed to provide boosted signal to a single room.

I also got a CyberPower Battery Backup 625 va / 375 watts (SX625G) to accompany this device

  • It has surge protection of 890 Joules.
  • Battery runtimes: 65 minutes for DVRs, 18 minutes on a 21 inch iMac desktop computer, 6 minutes with a 32 inch LCD TV with came console.

 

So far the set-up seems to work well.  Phone calls are already clearer!  I’ll probably get one for the office so that our office staff and patients can get an even better signal too.  Visit us at our Modesto Plastic Surgery and Botox office.

Where were we before Modesto, Botox and Plastic Surgery?

Before Plastic Surgery, Modesto and Botox, we spent met a wonderful retired pianist named Joan Orvis who lived next door.

There’s a lot before Modesto, Botox, and Plastic Surgery.  But today, I was reminded of Dr. Wu (Tammy’s) neighbor – while she was an undergraduate student at Brown University.

Here’s the story which I posted on FaceBook, but I share here:

My story of pianist Joan Orvis, our friend.

I want to spend a moment here to celebrate my memory of my friend pianist Joan Orvis. I met her when Tammy and I were young students at Brown University. Tammy lived off campus on Blackstone Blvd. She had a neighbor (Joan) in her apartment complex who played piano from time to time. She found out that I played violin. She introduced me to piano trio music at the highest level. I had always loved listening to piano trios, but never had the chance to play them. Her sister lived nearby and was a professional cellist. The three of us would get together regularly through my 8 years at Brown University and play trios. This was completely off the grid from Brown University. We even performed throughout Rhode Island as a trio. Some of my favorite classical music is piano trios and quartets, and all this blossomed from the time that I spent with Joan and her sister. Joan was a retired piano professor from University of Wisconsin-Platteville for nearly 30 years. I was just checking the internet to see what has happened to my friend whom I’ve lost contact with. I just found out that she passed away in 2001. My memories of that time were jogged when I saw Chee Yun’s posting about a piano quartet which I’ve always loved. I’ve shared that version on FB this morning (please see that video – it is quite worthy). In this link, the piano is played by one of Joan Orvis’ teacher (Menahem Pressler who is now 90 years old), so I share it here: http://youtu.be/W4_aE1CVr1s.

 

and for reference, here’s Chee Yun’s posting of a rehearsal in Hawaii:  http://youtu.be/V0O7egcMCHg

I have much to be thankful for.  Thank you Joan for your friendship and the wonderful music.

– Calvin Lee