Happy Holidays to everyone. We have three inspiring sets of guests on Monday’s show with stories that are educational and inspirational.

45 years ago Howard Mehl needed a kidney. He received it from his brother, Joe. This was at a time when transplantation was still considered an experimental procedure. Howard is one of the oldest living kidney recipients in the world. Hear about their story, how it affected them at the time and in the years hence.

Dr. Rovenia Brock is nutritionist and fitness coach, who participated in Essence Magazine’s “Health Intervention” for one hypertensive reader…the article will appear in the January 2011 issue. Dr. Ro, as she is known, is “Just 10 Challenge” nutrition coach for the Dr. Oz Show. Find out about what a health intervention is and if you have anyone in your family who may need one give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS. It may be the best holiday gift you can give someone you care about.

Unless they have already used their deductibles, people often don’t think of colon cancer prevention right before the holidays. Its not the type of thing you hope Santa brings you. But there’s never a bad time to discuss an important topic. Join me and Gastroenterologist Dr. Michael Kreines as we speak to Bob and Katie Hendirckson, a married couple who both have stage III colon cancer. Find out about their story and have all of your colon cancer screening questions answered at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Monday, December 13th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

The holidays are getting close. The parties have started, and, if it wasn't for that cough that seems to be affecting New York, the office would be getting a bit quieter. A perfect time to think about nutrition! OK, maybe not, but its never to early to get ready for New Years Resolutions.

We have been talking a lot about probiotics and the hygiene hypothesis on the show. Its an important topic. Which brings us to the next question...what's the story with using probiotics in kids? Joining me to talk about this is University of Wisconsin at Madison Pediatrician Dr. Frank Greer. Dr. Greer is the co-author of Clinical Report on Probiotics in Children that is in the current issue of "Pediatrics."

Call us with your questions about children's nutrition at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Ask Doctor Ira has switched around a little bit today. We will be answering all of your questions from 8:30 to 9:00 Eastern Time.

Call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS with any questions that you forgot to ask your own doctor.

My favorite kitchen utensil is my deep fryer. I know its unhealthy, but its crispy brown goodness calls my name. Every now and then I'll take a Twinkie, dip it in pancake batter, and throw it in. Which brings me to my next topic: The Twinkie Diet. Dr. Mark Haub lost 27 pounds on a diet consisting of junk food. Join me and Registered Dietician Keri Gans as we find out what this is all about.

If you have any "interesting" methods you've tried to successfully lose weight, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Bill Katovsky is a multi-sport endurance athlete and the founder of "Tri-Athlete" Magazine. He also suffered a series of emotional and physical misfortunes, which stopped him from competing. But he found his way back and recently wrote a book, entitled "Return to Fitness: Getting Back in Shape After Injury, Illness or Prolonged Injury. " Find out about his inspiring story, and call us with your own questions about getting back after suffering a setback at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, December 6th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

We've had a busy week at Westside Medical Associates, thanks to the "cough that never ends." This hacking misery appears to have infected a significant portion of Manhattan. Despite this, people in New York keep exercising and buying stuff for the holiday seasons. And reading about weird but cool developments in medicine. Which brings us to our show on Monday....

First exercise. I have been seeing lots of people in the office with runner's feet, the beat up, callous filled, cracked and fungus laden feet of many people who have run the NYC Marathon recently. This, despite all the high technology training and gear that people currently use. Amby Burfoot, the winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon as we talk about the new trend to have athlete's exercise the "ancient way." Although running barefoot in New York City may not be safe, find out about the new footwear and old techniques that runner's are using to to "back to the future."

Then, buying stuff. Oh, and aresenic based life forms. And bedbugs. Dr. Phillip Tierno knows it all, and will be discussing it with me on Doctor Radio. We will be talking about the bedbug epidemic, which has hit some major retail outlets. We will also be talking about the discovery of arsenic liking bacteria that can live without phosphorus (which sounds kind of dull, unless you learned in college and medical school how this was totally impossible) by a group of scientists at NASA. We'll also be talking about a new study that shows that excessive handwashing with antibacterial soap may not be a great thing to do...which will lead us into our third segment.

Call us with any of your holiday bug issues at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

I've been treating ulcerative colitis for years. I have used steroids, anti-inflammatories, anti-tumor necrosis factor and even antibiotics. But I have never used parasitic worms. And that may have been a mistake! Join me as I interview Jasper Lawrence, who suffered from allergies until he treated himself with worm eggs! I will also be joined by two experts: Dr. Joel Weinstock, the Chief of Gastroenterology at Tufts New England Medical Center, and Dr. P'ng Loke, a Parisitologist here at NYU Medical Center.

If you have ever wondered about how the alternative becomes the normal, you are not going to want to miss this segment! Call us with you colitis and parasite questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

For everyone not tyring to infect themselves we will hae another holiday edition of Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all and I will be happy to answer...give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, November 29th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

December 1 is World AIDS Day. Although we don't hear as much about AIDS as we used too, the disease is still around and is a huge problem here in the United States as well as abroad. Treatments have improved considerably, but the disease still has no cure. Prevention has also improved here in the United States but not to the extent that we would like. We are devoting our first hour to discussing what's going on in HIV and AIDS prevention, detection and treatment.

In our first segment, I will be joined by Larry Siebert, the CEO of Chembio Diagnostics, a company dedicated to make tests for early detection. We will also be joined by Thomas Denny, the Chief Operating Officer of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology at Duke University. Until a vaccine is developed, early detection is extremely important. Learn about advancements in both technologies from our two guests.

If you have any questions about a vaccine for HIV, or want to know about getting tested as soon as possible (for whatever reason), give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

When I was in training at NYU, many of the senior physicians would talk about the early days of the AIDS crisis. For the first few years, they had no idea what they were dealing with. When was the first HIV patient seen in the United States? The answer will surprise you. Join me and Dr. Memory Elvin-Lewis, a Professor of Microbiology and Ethnobotany at the Washington University in St. Louis, who was directly involved with examining what is believed to be the first HIV patient in the United States.

While early patients with HIV did poorly, the outlook has been improving (although still no cure). Regan Hofmann, the Editor in Chief of Poz Magazine, will be joining us to tell us about living with HIV right now.

If you or a loved one has HIV, and you want some helps or tips for living with HIV, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

In our second hour, we are changing gears. An expanded Ask Doctor Ira, with a concentration on the skin. As the weather gets colder, people get all kinds of rashes. But did you know that many Gastrointestinal diseases, such as Celiac or Ulcerative Colitis, can do the same thing. Find Out! And call me with any questions you may have on a variety of gastrointestinal or GI topics.

Give us call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday November 22nd on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope everyone is getting ready for the holiday. We have a show tomorrow pretty much dedicated to everything food for Thanksgiving! Medical, historical and just downright fascinating, learn about our history from the perspective of what we ate (and eat!).

Joining us for our first hour is Mary Gunderson, culinary historian and the author of "American Indian Cooking Before 1500: Exploring History Through Simple Recipes" and the "The Food Journal of Lewis and Clark, Repices for an Expedition." Also joining us is Sandy Oliver, a food historian and the co-author of "Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie." To help give us a modern perspective, registered dietitian Keri Gans, the author of the forthcoming "The Small Change Diet" will be on with us, too.

We be covering everything from what the Native American ate to dietary problems of the Pilgrims. We'll also be talking about our own Thanksgiving eating.

Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS for any questions on food of Thanksgiving's past, anything that's different about your Thanksgiving meal, or of course, advice on dealing with any problems with heartburn after the meal!

For our second hour, we get back to medical problems and Thanksgiving. Specifically, food allergies. We always here that turkey can make you tired, but can you had a deadly allergic reaction to it? Although rare, true allergies to various birds have been reported. Join me and allergist Dr. Julie Wang of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York as we speak about food allergy dangers.

Call us with your food allergy questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Our last segment will be holiday Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all and I will be happy to answer them. Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, November 15 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Thanksgiving is coming! Which of course makes me think of 1) eating too much, 2) getting sick from eating too much and 3) watching TV. Although this normally consists of football and the Parade, we have a TV and film celebrity joining us tomorrow!

First the eating too much. Cholesterol tends to creep up with your weight, and many people, even despite not being overweight, have too high a cholesterol level. One thing that many of my "medication hating" patients have been doing is to take the supplement red yeast rice. But is the stuff any good (and is it safe?). Join me and Dr. Ram Gordon, who is the lead author of a study on Chinese Red Yeast Rice that appeared in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" recently.

Call us with your cholesterol questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

While its not the heat of the summer, Thanksgiving is a time when we make a lot of food and serve it to a lot of our friends and family: how do you keep the food from becoming a source of illness? Join me and Shelly Feist, the Executive Director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education, as we talk about ways to make your holiday spread tasty and safe! You can also check out their holiday safety website to catch any tips you miss on the radio.

Call us with any holiday food preparation questions you may have at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

A little change in our schedule this week. Ask Dr. Ira will be at the 9 AM Eastern Time hour. Call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS with any questions you forgot to ask your own doctor!

For our last segment, we will be joined by Mr. James Van Der Beek, who has been an actor on TV shows including "Dawson's Creek" and "Mercy" , and films, including Varsity Blues will be coming on the air to talk about the new campaign he is spearheading: Voices of Ulcerative Colitis. James will talk about how having a family member with this disease affected him and I will be happy to answer any medical questions on colitis that you may have at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, November 8th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 XM 119: Doctor Radio

Here in New York, the fall is really here. Flu shot season is in full swing at the office, and the dreaded "cough crud" has started to rear its ugly head again. Meanwhile, we have a show dedicated to new findings in cancer prevention, antibiotic use and overuse and even a little bit about the history of hearing aids! And of course, "Ask Dr. Ira," where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all.

There has been a lot of talk recently about a large trial that seems to show the CT scans of the lung help reduce lung cancer deaths in smokers. Dr. Elliot Fishman, the Director of Radiological Imaging at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, and a Professor of Radiology and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will be joining us to talk about the National Lung Screening Trial.

If you are (or were) a smoker, and have questions about whether you should get a CT scan, you are going to want to call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS with your questions.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease, including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, is on the rise. Are antibiotics in infants part of the problem? Join me and the Chief of pediatric gastroenterology here at NYU Dr. Joseph Levy to talk about a new study showing that part of the increase in inflammatory bowel disease may be a result of giving kids antibiotics in their first year of life.

If you have any questions about your kids and their gastrointestinal symptoms, call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

The picture above is from a Charlie Chaplin film, circa 1928. Is that women on a cell phone? Join me and Mr. Philip Skraska, an archivist for visual and graphical archives at the Bernard Becker Medical School at the Washington University of St. Louis as we talk about....hearing aids! Yup, there was no Miracle Ear in those days. Even with large size, people have been trying to hide their hearing aids for many years. Find out about the interesting history of this important device!

Call us with any times you've tried to hide medical devices in your life at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will of course end the show with Ask Dr. Ira...post call episode. Hear my tales of a weekend in the hospital and ask me any questions you have on any medical topics at all...call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Remember, hear me live every Monday from 8AM to 10AM Eastern Time, with reruns throughout the week. If you live in the New York area, we are accepting new patients as well.

Monday, November 1, 2010 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

Is everyone getting ready for Halloween? Candy, costumes and parties will fill the night. But the star of the show is candy. As a person, I love the stuff. As a doctor maybe not so much. Join me and Dr. Samira Kawash, a professor emerita at Rutger's and also the author of the blog "Candy Professor," where she discusses the role of candy in American Culture. Some of the "health concern's" that people have about candy go back way over 100 years. Whose profession, I should add, started the idea of giving out lollipops after shots. And then yelled at parents about their kids getting too fat.

If you have any questions at all about candy give us call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

After all that candy, you are going to need to exercise! And so will your kids. Recent research suggests that weight training is safe in kids. Join me and Jon Almquist, ATC, a certified athletic trainer and former chair of the National Athletic Trainers Association Secondary School Athletic Training Committee as we discuss the new study showing that children 7 and 8 years old benefit from supervised weight lifting. We will talk about keeping your child in shape and healthy!

If you have any questions about physical fitness and your kids (or yourself), give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Where do you go to get your health care. Well, the doctor, and of course Doctor Radio. But what about the barber shop? Join me and Dr. Rani Whitfield, aka the "Hip Hop Doc," as we talk about mixing music, haircuts and health. Find out about new ways to get old tips to everyone!

If you have a creative way to get out the medical word to the community, call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS and let us know!

We will end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any medical questions on any medical topic at all and I will be glad to answer! Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, October 26th 2010 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

Superheroes and Super-Gastroenterology. We have an excellent show planned, with topics ranging from heartburn to superheroes to the latest and greatest in the world of digestive diseases!

First the reflux. I'm not totally sure why, but the fall is one of the busier times of year for people to come into the office complaining of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Although I'm very good at dispensing medication and talking about the latest study on the efficacy of anti-reflux surgery, I often get stuck with that most basic of questions: "what should I eat?" Join me and Dr. Jamie Koufman as we talk about her new bood: "Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure." The book is a groundbreaking approach to healthy eating, and features 75 recipes!

If you have any questions (or tips) about eating with reflux, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Last week I was trying to get downtown in a taxi and was literally stopped when thousands of people dressed as everything from Superman to Pikachu left the Javitz Center here in New York City. They were all at the NY "Comic Con." Dr. Daniel Debowy was there as well, speaking about "Psychiatry and the Superhero," where he talked about what might be going on inside the head of Gotham's favorite Superhero, Batman. I wish there were some great medical thing I could put to this, but frankly I am just really curious as to what Dr. Debowy has to say!

Ever wonder about the psychology of superheroes, or what we like in them....give us call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Last week, many of my colleagues were at the American College of Gastroenterology's meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Lots of interesting studies were presented on a wide variety of topics: hear Dr. David Johnson, the past President of the ACG and Professor and Chief of GI at Eastern University School of Medicine in Norfolk, Va, as we talk about some of the "hot topics" in GI and what it may mean for you and your family!

Digestive questions? Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Of course, its not only digestive questions that we deal with. We will have a full segment of "Ask Doctor Ira," where you can ask me any question on any medical topic at all...whatever you forgot to ask your doctor ask me! Call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, October 18th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Surrounded by cell phones, laptops, desktops, TVs and all kinds of electronic stuff? Who isn't? Did you ever wonder if all of the electromagnetic radiation was harmful? I certainly have. Its a controversial topic, and the answers are not at all clear. Joining me to talk about this are Ronald B. Herberman, M.D, who testified before Congress on tumors and cell phone use. Also joining me is Ann Louise Gittleman, the author of "Zapped," which talks about ways to avoid electronic pollution in your life.

If you've ever wondered about all that electronic "stuff" being emitted and whether it can harm you, and have questions on how to avoid it, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

I was going to start my next topic by making a joke about it being "snippy." And then I realized I was a physician at a major medical center in the United States. And then I couldn't help myself. Sorry. Dr. Emily Taylor of NYU Langone Medical Center will be joining me to talk about the potential benefits of circumcision. I can't promise you that you'll be calling your urologist anytime soon, but this is an important and controversial topic, and anyone thinking about children or hoping for a grandchild will want to hear what Dr. Taylor has to say!

Questions about circumcision? Give us call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

I had my first MRI this year. Besides signing for insurance and all kinds of financial stuff, I clearly remember being asked, repeatedly, about whether I had a pacemaker or other implantable device in me. And although I always envision that scene from "Alien" when the alien pops out that guys body when thinking about what would happen if you had a pacemaker and had an MRI, in truth I have no idea what would happen. Join me and Dr. J. Rod Gimbel, a cardiologist and expert on pacemakers and MRI safety, to talk about this important issue.

If you've ever wondered if its safe to get an MRI, and what can help in the future, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Of course, we will end the show with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all, and I will be happy to answer. Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, October 4th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Abnormal Duodenum in Celiac Disease (photo)

Greetings from West Chester, Pennsylvania, where I am staying for a hockey tournament. Go Cyclones! Regardless of my travels, we have a great show planned for you Monday.

Our first hour can only be called the eating hour...starting with Celiac Disease. We commonly think of this disease as something that starts in childhood, but in fact the biggest number of new diagnosis are in older people who either never knew they had it or in whom the disease "developed" because of a genetic issue! Join me and Joslin Diabetes Center Registered Dietician and Doctor Radio Regular Laurie Higgins as we talk about Celiac disease in adults! In case you have Celiac and wondered if you could ever eat anything tasty, we have a special guest for you! Joy Pierson of Candle 79 and the Candle Cafe, restaurants in NYC to talk to us about her gluten free menu items! You will not want to miss this!

Its funny. My kids are in that strange in-between age where Halloween means neither trick or treating or going to parties you wish they wouldn't go to (thanks for that!). But the holiday is right around the corner: my wife just bought "pumpkin" shaped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! Join me and registered dietitian Keri Gans as we talk about "good" eating for halloween...ha! We will also talk about eating with gastrointestinal reflux...this has become a huge issue as many studies show that the medications we give for reflux disease often don't work as well as patients would like.

Call us with your Halloween treats and heartburn tricks at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

We are starting our second hour on a more serious note: experiments done in Guatemala by the US and Guatemalan governments to give unwitting people, often prisoners, syphilis and gonorrhea in the years following World War II. The United States formally apologized for this last week. Join me as I speak with Susan Reverby, PhD, who uncovered this study and Vanessa Gamble, MD, PhD a University Professor at the George Washington University who chaired the Tuskegee Syphilis Study Legacy Committee that led to President Clinton's formal apology for this series of experiments.

This story has major implications on how we do research nowadays as well..you are not going to want to miss it.

We will end the show with ask Dr. Ira, where I have had a busy week answering all kinds of questions in my office but eagerly await any questions that you may have on any medical topic at all...give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday September 27th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio.

We have a great show planned for Monday: a mixture of good old fashioned medicine and ripped from the headlines.

First, Avandia! The diabetes drug has been banned in Europe, but it is still available here in the United States. What gives? Join me as I speak with Marc Siegel, MD, the medical director here at Doctor Radio about what this means for you and your loved ones with diabetes!

Call us with your questions about this drug at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

,What about the middle aged man? Even though Doctor Radio does a great job of explaining so many health facts, sometimes I feel that its difficult for us men to get the explanation of health issues that literally "work for us." Join me and Greg Stebben, the editor of Men's Health Magazine as we speak about health tests that "men can't miss."

If you have any questions about preventative tests for either your or a male loved one, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Have you ever been a patient in the hospital? Have you ever eaten hospital food? Besides the taste have you ever wondered how all those people who keep hectoring you to eat healthy could serve you, well, that stuff? Join me and Dr. Preston Maring, Associate Physician in Chief at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland California and also the founder of the Permanente Group Farmer's Market. Learn about what Dr. Maring, and his son Ben, a fourth year medical student here at NYU, have done to help promote healthy eating. Ben Maring and third year NYU medical student Aviva Regev will also be joining us.

If you've ever looked at your doctor and wondered "how can this guy tell me what to eat" you are not going to want to miss this segment. Call us with your healthy eating and cooking questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will have a full segment of Ask Doctor Ira to end the show. Call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all. Anything you forgot to ask your doctor, ask me!

Monday, September 20th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Fall is almost here! I know this because 1) the sunlight hurts my eyes as I drive and 2) I am at a hockey rink writing this while one of my kids gets dressed and ready. Interestingly enough, sitting at the rink and looking around reminds me of our four topics for tomorrow's show.

The first is teenage obesity. While there's not a lot of it around a competitive hockey rink, there certainly is throughout the country. Join me and bariatric surgeon Dr. Thomas Inge, an Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Director of the Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens and Director of the Center of Bariatric Research there. We talk a lot about surgical weight loss in adults, but how young should somebody be to consider this option? Find out, and ask any questions about whether bariatric surgery is reasonable in your teenager at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

I have left hockey rinks a few times in my life to head to the emergency room. Sports can hurt! While many of these injuries heal up completely, many American's suffer from chronic pain, and we, as physicians, are entrusted to treat them as best we can. Join me and Will Rowe, the CEO of the American Pain Foundation, to talk about their recent survey about physician attitudes towards opioid pain killers. If you've ever wondered what physicians think when you walk in with a pain problem, you will not want to miss this segment.

Share your stories about speaking to your doctor about pain issues at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Now people who don't play may not know, but hockey equipment appears to be a phenomenal place to live if you are a Staph Organism. So when I found out the Drs. Marc Siegel, the Medical Director of Doctor Radio, and Ian Lustbader, my gastroenterology colleague, would be joining me to speak about a hospital acquired infection that makes Staph seem easy to treat. Learn about Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenamase, or KPC, and how it is spreading throughout nursing homes and hospitals throughout the United States. We will also talk about the latest salmonella out breaks and some of the things that you can do to prevent it.

Call us with your infection prevention stories (or horror stories!) at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

I've now reached the age where I can't be anywhere without somebody I know stopping to ask me a medical question or two: even at the hockey rink! And you can, too! Ask me any medical questions on any topic at all at 1-877-NYU-DOCS during "Ask Dr. Ira." Anything you forgot to ask your doctor, ask me!

Monday, September 13th on The Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

Summer is officially over, the kids have started school, and we are all geared up for flu shots, colonoscopies, check ups, and the inevitable run of allergies and sinuses that come every fall. We have a great show touching on a variety of topics that come up every day in the office!

We talk about probiotics often, both on the air and in the examination room. But getting accurate information is difficult, even for practicing physicians. Join me and Dr. W. Allan Walker, the Conrad Taff Professor of Immunology and Director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School as we talk about what probiotics are, where they live in you, and whether you should be taking them!

Call us with you probiotic questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Its allergy and sinus season again! Allergies and sinus problems run from a little sniffle to potentially fatal problems. Join me and allergist Dr. Allen Kaplan, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, as we talk about allergies great and small. Dr. Kaplan is an expert in all aspects of allergy, and has a particular interest in exercise induced anaphylaxis.

Call us with your allergy questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

School is starting. As a gastroenterologist, I'm pretty immune to my kids bellyaches, but GI related stomach distress is a common problem in both children and adults. Join me and Dr. Suzanne Havala Hobbs, the author of Living Dairy Free for Dummies as we talk about this and other common abdominal problems in kids and adults.

Call us with your questions about lactose intolerance and how to deal with it at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will of course have a segment of Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, August 30th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

The summer is almost over, and school is about to begin. But that doesn't mean that we don't have a great NEW show planned for tomorrow, where we will be answering all of your questions and have some great guests scheduled!

I know we've been accused of being too interested as a society in celebrity gossip recently, but the fascination for the famous extends far longer than wanting to know about the latest exploits of Paris Hilton. Although Mozart died in 1791, scholars are still debating how he died. Join me and Emeritus Professor of Orthopedics at Northwestern University and bibliographer of the Performing Arts Musical Association Dr. William Dawson as we discuss his latest article which reviews the well over 100 papers trying to figure out how Mozart died.

Join us in discussing this medical mystery at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Have you ever wondered if staring at your computer screen was doing more than making you flabby? I certainly have. And one of the things that I worry about are my eyes. Join me and Dr. Rachel Bishop of the National Eye Institute as we talk about Computer Vision Syndrome. Find out about this problem, which affects more and more of us as we rely on computers more and more to get through our day.

If you have any questions about your vision and computer use, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will also be discussing a topic of great importance to many of us: post surgical pain. Having been there, I am well aware that surgeon's love to say "oh its nothing" about pretty much any operation: and yet it hurts like heck for up to months afterwoods. Join me and physiatrist Dr. Alpana Gowda, author of "The Complete® Idiot's Guide to Pain Relief" as we talk about practical things you can do when it hurts.

If you are suffering from pain days, weeks, months or years after surgery, and want some relief, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will of course, have a session of Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me pretty much any medical question on any topic at all and I will be glad to help! Give me call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, August 16th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Happy Summer. I have been enjoying the relatively good weather that we have been having in August here in New York City (as compared to our hotter than heck July) and I have been taking the time to get in shape. Our first guest, Sheri Colberg, PhD, has written a book to help diabetic athlete's get and stay in shape. Its called the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook, and we will be talking about ways that diabetics of all types (1, 1.5 and 2) can get and stay in shape.

If you or a loved one is a diabetic and wants to stay (or become) athletic give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

In our next segment, Keri Gans is back. Keri, registered dietician is coming out with a new book called the "Small Change Diet." Today we will be talking about what appears to be a new fad: eating a gluten free diet if you do not have celiac disease. We will talk about if this makes sense and answer any questions you may have on diagnosing celiac disease, and the medical and dietary management of this problem.

Call us with your gluten free questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

A special programming note: we will have Ask Dr. Ira during our third segment today: from 9 to 9:30 Eastern time. This is because we have a very special guest at 9:30 EDT: Dr. George Nichopoulos was Elvis Presley's personal physician, and August 16th is the 33rd anniversary of Elvis' death. Although many of us have our own opinions on what happened to Elvis and who enabled him, Dr. Nick has his own story to tell: he just published a book about what happened. Even though I was 11 when Elvis died, I know where I was when I found out and I know who told me and my family. This was big stuff. You are going to want to hear Dr. Nick's side of the story!

Monday, August 9th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Hello from Portland, Oregon! We have been on a short hiking vacation in the Columbia River Gorge but will be back in NYC on Monday morning for my show.

I give a lot of vaccines in the office for travel. Flu shot season is coming up, and we have already pre-ordered over 500 of them for the season. One thing I can tell you is that no one really likes shots. Imagine if there were another way of getting that vaccine into your body.

Join me and Mark Prausnitz, PhD, a professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology as we talk about different ways to get medication into the human body. Dr. Prausnitz will be speaking to us about new technology that allows medication to be injected via laser activated microneedles! I need to find out what that means too, but it sounds very cool.

Crohn's disease is on the rise, and it can be devastating for those diagnosed with it and their families. Join me and Crohn's disease patient Janice Chavkin and UCLA pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. David Ziring as we talk about Crohn's disease, Janice's personal story, and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundations's new endurance training program, the "CCFA Team Challenge."

Our second hour promises to be great. I have been enamored with probiotics for some time now: I regularly tell people with digestive problems to use them and I believe in their efficacy. But what's the real deal with bacteria and digestion. Hear me and have your questions answered about probiotics at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Of course, its not all about the probiotics...there are so many other things that people have questions about in medicine. Ask me anything medical at all during our last half hour...Ask Dr. Ira. Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Monday August 2 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

August already! I am heading out to beautiful Oregon tomorrow, but before that we have a great, live show planned with a wide variety of topics and interesting guests.

First, some interesting late summer reading. Malaria has been a scourge since the dawn of human We still see some of it during the summer vacation season in my office right here in New York City and it causes nearly one million deaths a year worldwide. This despite the fact that we know what causes it and how to kill it. Join me and author Sonia Shah as we discuss her new book: "The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years." Learn about this fascinating and scary disease, which still has potential to affect US travelers and has the ability to return to the Southern US, as Dengue fever has in the Florida Keys.

Call us with any questions you may have on malaria at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Hepatitis C has been a recent problem here in the United States: baby boomers in particular have been hard hit by this disease and it continues to be a major cause of liver transplantation and death. Treatments to date have not been particularly effective and have significant side effects. But there is new hope around the corner! Join me and Dr. Melissa Palmer, clinical professor of medicine at NYU and author of "Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide To Hepatitis and Liver Disease" as we talk about this disease and what you can do about it now and in the future!

If you or a loved one has suffered with hepatitis C, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

The fall is around the corner, and that means that the sinus is back! Sinusitis, one of the great causes of misery (and occasionally worse) will soon be with us. If you are continually affected by this problem, you are going to want to hear what my next guest, Dr. Joseph Jacobs, has to say. Dr. Jacobs is an expert on the nasal cavity and sinuses here at NYU.

If you have any questions about what to do about your sinuses, this is a great time to call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

We will of course end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any medical question you want...anything that you forgot to ask your doctor, ask me. I also appreciate all of the great questions we have been getting to both sirius (docs@siriusxm.com) and to irabreite@yahoo.com!

Call me with your medical questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, July 26th on The Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

I am writing this in the beautiful state of Maine, where I am visiting my children at camp. If you think I'm far away from NYU, wait till you hear where our first guest is from.

The origins of Celiac Disease are quite a mystery, as is its increase in the population worldwide. Dr. Robert Anderson, of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Victoria, Australia will be joining us on the line to talk about his research showing that just fragments of gluten triggers the celiac disease response. This research could lead to an actual cure for celiac disease, rather than our current effective, but miserable, treatment of avoiding all gluten containing products.

If you have any questions about celiac disease give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

As I write this, I am enjoying my morning cup of coffee. I will admit that its hard for me to miss it. But is it good for you? Dr. Peter Martin, of the Vanderbilt University Institute for Coffee Studies will be coming on to talk about new research showing that coffee may reduce the risk for prostate cancer. He will be also talking about his institute's research, and answering your coffee questions!

Wondering if you should give up that cup a day...or add it back? Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS

I was going to say that our theme today revolved around food, but its clear that our third guest makes that impossible. Louis Sorkin, entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, will be joining us to talk about all things bug: bedbugs in particular.

If you have a questions about bedbugs or other household problems, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will end the show, as always, with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me a question about any medical topic at all and I will be happy to answer you. Anything you forgot to ask your doctor, ask me!

Monday, July 19th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show, Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Happy Summer! We have a great show planned for tomorrow, with an emphasis on the environment.

We are going to start off with a new study showing a relationship between inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and air pollution. We have been exploring the relationship between environmental factors and a variety of disease, including inflammatory bowel diseases, on the show, for a while. I am really excited that my colleague, Dr. Ian Lustbader, will be joining me to discuss this fascinating issue.

If you have any questions at all about Crohn's disease or colitis give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Speaking of diseases whose incidence has been increasing in recent years our next segment will be about peanut allergy. Peanut allergy is a miserable thing not only for the person who has it, but also for their family, friends and classmates as well. Join me and Dr. Julie Wang of the Mount Sinai Medical Center here in New York City as we discuss her research on using Chinese herbs to help treat peanut allergies.

If you or a loved one is plagued by food allergies, now would be a great time to give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

There is an environment of sex that surrounds teenagers. And if you, like me, have a teenage son, it can be a little confusing (and embarrassing) to have the "discussion" with him. Because nowadays its more than the birds and the bees. Joining me in studio is Dr. Jill Grimes, the author of the book "Seductive Delusions: How Everyday people catch STDs." We'll be talking about her book, and about how to talk to your teenager about sex.

If you have any questions about how to approach your son or daughter about sex, or any questions about STD's in general, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

We will end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any question on any medical topic at all: give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

This is surgery through the mouth, as we discussed on show today. If you are interested, you can go to "Noscar.org"

Monday, July 12th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show, Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

We are back! After an excellent July 4th weekend, its time to return to the airwaves with a new show looking at all things gastroenterological! Something a little old, something a little new, and something that is sort of, but not quite, blue (this is family radio, after all).

We'll start with the blue. Well, not quite blue, but more brown or yellow. Dr. Anish Sheth, the author of "What's My Pee Telling Me" and "What's Your Poo Telling You" will be joining us to go over any and all questions about bodily waste that you may have ever had. In addition to being an expert on these most delicate of subjects, Dr. Sheth is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Gastroenterology at Yale. As much as this is a "snickery" (is that a word?) topic, its also an important one, and many people have questions and fears about their bodily functions.

If you have ever wondered if your poo or pee were abnormal now would be a great time to give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Then, something new. I remember being a medical student when the technique for laproscopic surgery was created. All of a sudden, patients no longer had a 4" scar as a reminder that they needed their gallbladders out. Recently, a techinque has been developed that could prevent any scarring externally at all. Yes that's right, there are doctors who are figuring out how to remove the gallbladder through the mouth! Also the appendix and we will see what else. Dr. Anthony Kalloo, the head of the Division of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins University and a Professor of Medicine there, is a pioneer in this technique, called "Natural Orifice Surgery" or "NOTES." Join us as we talk about this exciting new frontier in medicine!

If you have been considering abdominal surgery and have any questions about this amazing new technique, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Onto something old. Colon Cancer is extremely common in the United States: it is the number two cancer killer of both men and women. Some families have a mutation which makes relatives who have it have an even higher risk than the general population. Now it turns out that this gene may have literally come over, if not with the Mayflower, then pretty darn close to that! Join me and Dr. Deb Neklason, Ph.D and Dr. Blaine Bettinger as we talk about how a single mutation in a single gene in a single person from 1630 has led to thousands of colon cancer cases today.

If you have any questions about your own families risk of colon cancer, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Of course, we will end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me a question on any medical topic at all! (I guess, to finish the analogy, I am "borrowing" your stories.) Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

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Monday, June 28th, 2010 on The Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

We have a very gastrointestinal day planned for tomorrow! From diverticulitis to reflux to dealing with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract we have it covered!

Diverticulitis is an extremely common problem. Although diagnosing it has become pretty easy, the decision about what to do if you have it has become more and more complicated over time. Dr. David Crawford, the Chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Illinois at Peoria will be coming on to talk about diverticulosis, diverticulitis, how to treat it and how to avoid it. He will also talk about the possible advantages of using robotic assisted surgery as an aid to removing diseased portions of the colon!

Call us with your diverticulosis questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Working our way up the gastrointestinal tract and down the age-ladder, Beth Anderson, the Executive Director of the Pediatric Adolescent Gastrointestinal Reflux Association (PAGER) will be coming on to talk about the problems of reflux in children from the parent's perspective.

If you have a child or grandchild with GERD, you are not going to want to miss what Ms. Anderson has to say! Call us with your questions about GERD at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We have gotten pretty good at screening for colon cancer, but unfortunately, its still not perfect. And we have made little progress in screening for other common gastrointestinal cancer's, such as the stomach, esophagus and pancreas. Dr. Elliott Newman, the Chief of Surgical GI Oncology, will be joining me to talk a little bit about some new screening tests and about what happens, when, unfortunately, cancer is found.

If you or a loved one is faced with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer such as colon, stomach or esophagus, and has a question on what to do next, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

We will of course, finish the show with Ask Dr. Ira. Give us a call with your questions on any medical topic at 1-877-NYU-DOCS. If you aren't able to call, you can always email me!

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Monday, June 21st on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirus 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

I am back from vacation and we are ready to go! We have a great show planned for you involving celebrity disease, consumer safety and a gastroenterology update!

Lady Gaga is in the news today for being kicked out of the NY Yankees clubhouse. Forever. But a few weeks ago, she layed some hints down that she might have lupus. Although it may have added to her mystique as a performer, it added little to helping people to understand anything about this most complicated of autoimmune disease. Join me and Dr. Anca Askanase, an Assistant Professor of Rheumatology at the NYU School of Medicine and a researcher at the Seligman Center for Advanced Theraputics at the NYU Hospital for Joint Disease as we talk about this disease, how to diagnose it and whether you or a loved one may have it.

Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS with you questions about the diagnosis and treatment of this ill-defined, potentially fatal disease!

I've been working real hard the past year trying to keep my weight down and exercise more. "Bulk" has never been an issue for me....I'm full of the stuff. But many people buy protein shakes and other supplements to help build muscle and stay healthy. Dr Urvashi Rangan, an environmental health scientist and the technical director of policy at the Consumer's Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, will come on the line and tell us about their new study showing what else is in many of these supplements!

If you (or your child) is considering taking protein supplements for exercise, you are not going t want to miss this! Give us a call with your supplement questions to 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

There is a lot going on in the world of digestive health. Dr. Paul Miskovitz, gastroenterologist and author of The Doctor's Guide to Gastrointestinal Health, will come on and tell us about some of the exciting new trends in GI! Food allergies, pain medication and ulcers, and your digestive questions...give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

We will end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any question on any medical topic at all...give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

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Monday, June 14th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119!

While I am away with the family, we have an excellent "Best of" show planned for tomorrow.

I have never thought of prostate cancer as being affected by climate or geography. But there is more prostate cancer in northern areas. Dr. Sophie St. Hilaire, an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Idaho St. University in Pocatello will be joining us to talk about her new study suggesting that even though it looks like the geography, its actually the pollutants that that cause the prostate cancer and not the cold!

Ulcerative Colitis is a disease that clearly favors some areas in the world over others. Even as a specialist, it always seemed a little rare to see when I got out into practice. I keep seeing more and more cases, however. I just thought it was because I was getting busier and more successful in my practice, but it turns out that, at least in Northern California, the rate of ulcerative colitis has gone up three fold between 1996 (my last year in fellowship, ironically) and 2006. Join me and pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Paul Rufo, the Director of the Harvard Fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology, to talk about this study, ulcerative colitis in kids, and childhood digestive problems in general!

Its the Spring, and many of us are getting in shape...some more than others. Marathoners and other long distance runners have a whole series of problems, including...diarrhea? Join me and NYU cardiologist Dr. Stephen Siegel, who is also the President of the Greater New York Chapter of the the American College of Sports Medicine to talk about the medical problems with exercise!

We will of course end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any medical question at all....anything you forgot to ask your own doctor: ask me! Hear some of the great we questions we receive!

Monday, June 10th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

I am writing this morning recovering from a weekend of joy: weddings, bar mitvah's...there has been a lot for me to do and go to this weekend! And although the person that is me had a great time, the doctor in me is constantly thinking about food safety, overeating and exercise to make up for it. We'll be talking a little bit about all of those topics tomorrow.

First, the bowels. C. difficile is a growing problem both inside and outside the hospital. This bacteria, which usually infects people treated with other antibiotics, has become more prevalent and more resistant to traditional forms of treamtment. Join me and Dr. Bruce Yacyshyn, a gastroenterologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, who is involved in a national trial looking into a vaccine that could prevent C. diff!

Dr. Yacyshyn is an expert on colitis and IBS as well. Call us with your digestive questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

After a few events, even the most "iron-stomached" of us can get some heartburn. But what if you need take medications for GERD or constant heartburn? A few weeks ago, we interviewed Dr. Michael Howell from Beth Israel about how common heartburn medications are a risk for C. difficile in patients who are hospitalized: today he is coming back to tell us about how the FDA's new warning saying these drugs may cause osteoporosis in patient's using these drugs chronically! Since these are amongst the most commonly used drugs in the Nation, either you or someone you know is on them and you ARE GOING TO WANT TO HEAR THIS!

Call us with your questions about osteoporosis risk and heartburn medication at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Right now, all I am thinking is that I need to get to the gym...or else. and all my body is telling me is that sitting on the couch is a perfectly fine thing to do....is it in my genes? Tuomo Rankinen, PhD., an expert in exercise genetics and an Associate Professor with the Human Genomic Laboratory at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge (affiliated with LSU) will tell us about research looking at how your genes affects your desire to exercise!!!

If you've ever wondered why your spouse can spend hours in the gym and you just want to hit the couch...give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will end our show, as usual with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any question on any medical topic at all! Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

You can also email me at irabreite@yahoo.com.
don't forget...the new Doctor Radio Email is docs@siriusxm.com (this goes directly to SiriusXM).

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Monday, May 24th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

Memorial Day is coming! The summer is coming! But first, a really interesting show on Monday featuring celebrity, weird tropical disease, and digestive problems!

Celiac disese, the inability to process gluten, is a growing problem in the United States. Join me and Beth Israel Deaconess Gastroenterologist Dr. Daniel Leffler, the author of "Real Life with Celiac Disease: Troubleshooting and Thriving Gluten Free" as we discuss the latest research showing that the incidence of C-Sections is increased in those with babies who end up having celiac! Find out why this may be the case.

Call us with your questions about celiac disease at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

I love Key West. It has all the advantages of the Caribbean, and a K-Mart! What could be better! Unfortunately, as the United States Southernmost point, it can also be the entry point for some scary tropical diseases. Marc Siegel, MD, the Medical Director of Doctor Radio and the author of "False Alarm: The Truth About the Epidemic of Fear" will be joining me to talk about Dengue Fever in the Keys!

I am really excited about the top of our second hour. Walter Williams, Sr., Four Time Grammy nominee and a founding member of the O'Jays will be joining us to talk about a chronic medical condition that he has. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and known for such classic hits as "Love Train" and "Use Ta Be My Girl," Mr. Williams has released his debut solo album, "Walter Williams-Exposed."

Mr. Williams has never talked publicly about the medical condition he has. Hear his incredible story on Doctor Radio for the first time!

We will end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can call me with any questions on any medical topic at all: anything you forgot to ask your doctor...ask me!

Call me at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, May 17 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

Spring is here! The weather is getting better, and people are heading outdoors. This weekend was the first that we used our grill and ate outside. Unfortunately, better weather Lways seems to bring with it a plethora of food outbreaks. This is made worse this year because of the big oil spill in the Gulf. Join me and Glenn Morris, MD, MPH, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he is the Director of the Emerging Pathogens Institute, as we discuss food safety in everything from romaine lettuce to oysters.

Call us with your questions about safe food handling at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Speaking of food, heartburn is back In the news. There have been reports for years about the possible side effects of strong heartburn medications, many of which are now available over the counter. Dr. Michael Howell, the Director of Critical Care Quality at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School as we discuss his recent study showing the relationship between the use of PPI medications such as Prilosec and C. difficile infections, a serious cause of diarrheal illness.

Call us with your heartburn and heartburn medication safety questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Continuing on with our food theme, our next segment deals with whether all that stress at the office can make you fat. Dr. Diana Fernandez, a nutritional epidemiologist and an Associate Professor at the University of Rochester will be joining us to talk about her new study showing the relationship between workplace stress and weight gain. We'll also touch on some other health hazards of the workplace, including a recent study showing that, at least in England, overtime may kill you! Join the conversation with your own tales of workplace woe at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Our last segment will be, as usual, Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any questions that you forgot to ask your own doctor. Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

Monday, May 10th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

I hope everyone is having a great Mother's Day. We have a great show planned for tomorrow!

Everyone, at least everyone of a certain age, talks about colon cancer prevention, specifically the dreaded colonoscopy. But did you know that there is no large study looking to see how effective colonoscopy, or any other colon cancer screening test other than checking the stool for blood is...until now! Join me and lead researcher Wendy Atkin, PhD, from Imperial College in London, United Kingdom to talk about her new study showing that a single sigmoidoscopy is effective at significantly cutting colon cancer incidence rates!

If you have any questions about colon cancer prevention, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Diabetes is difficult enough for adults to manage: imagine being a kid and having to navigate testing and keeping track your blood glucose. Dr. Holly Schachner, a pediatric endocrinologist and the director of medical affairs at Bayer Healthcare, will be joining us to talk about the Bayer Didget...a glucose meter that links with your kids Nintendo DS and makes monitoring glucose much less of a chore.

If you have any questions about pediatric diabetes or diabetes monitoring in general, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

I can't believe how much time I spend in the office telling people to get and stay in shape: I truly believe that, after not smoking, it is the single most important thing you can do to preserve health and extend lifespan. And now, there's a plan for all of America to get fit. Dr. Russel Pate and Dr. Robert Sallis, the co-chairs of the National Physical Activity Plan. Hear about plans to help make you and other American's more fit, and more healthy.

Call us with your fitness questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Of course, we will have a segment of Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all...it doesn't matter what it is. Anything you forgot to ask your doctor, ask me!

Call me at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, May 3rd on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio

I just received my birthday gift, an iPad. Although I should be using it for clinical notes and as a research tool, I seem to be spending too much time trying to plan a trip my family has scheduled for June. Which got me thinking: isn't it interesting that geography and time play a role in disease? While many people think of infectious diseases such as malaria being influenced by weather and geography, it turns out that many types of diseases, such as prostate disease and colitis may be affected by where a person is as well!

I have never thought of prostate cancer as being affected by climate or geography. But there is more prostate cancer in northern areas. Dr. Sophie St. Hilaire, an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Idaho St. University in Pocatello will be joining us to talk about her new study suggesting that even though it looks like the geography, its actually the pollutants that that cause the prostate cancer and not the cold!

Call us with your questions about prostate cancer prevention at 1-877-NYU-DOCS

Ulcerative Colitis is a disease that clearly favors some areas in the world over others. Even as a specialist, it always seemed a little rare to see when I got out into practice. I keep seeing more and more cases, however. I just thought it was because I was getting busier and more successful in my practice, but it turns out that, at least in Northern California, the rate of ulcerative colitis has gone up three fold between 1996 (my last year in fellowship, ironically) and 2006. Join me and pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Paul Rufo, the Director of the Harvard Fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology, to talk about this study, ulcerative colitis in kids, and childhood digestive problems in general!

Call us with your pediatric digestive disease questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Its the Spring, and many of us are getting in shape...some more than others. Marathoners and other long distance runners have a whole series of problems, including...diarrhea? Join me and NYU cardiologist Dr. Stephen Siegel, who is also the President of the Greater New York Chapter of the the American College of Sports Medicine to talk about the medical problems with exercise!

Call us with any of your exercise or cardiology questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will of course end the show with Ask Dr. Ira, where you can ask me any medical question at all....anything you forgot to ask your own doctor: ask me!

See Me On MSNBC Talking About New Cryptococcus Gatti Report

I was on MSNBC this morning talking about this issue. I have to say, I am not immediately worried about this bug, but the idea of a pathogen moving from a tropical to a temperate area, and then becoming genetically more virulent is going to continue to be a major problem we have going forward.

Monday, April 26th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius 114 and XM 119: Doctor Radio!

We have a veritable "evil" food group show planned for Monday! And yes, evil is in quotes, and meant to be a little (if not very) funny.

Salt! How could something so tasty and low in calories be potentially so bad for you? Join me as I interview Dr. Henry Black, the Director of Hypertension Research here at NYU and Dr. Jane Henney, professor of medicine at the University of Cincinnati and the chairman of the Institute of Medicine Committee which wrote a new report on salt in our diets titled "Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States."

Find out about how salt works in affecting your blood pressure, and if some people are affected more than others. You will have to hear the recommendations that this study comes too!

Call us with your questions about salt, medications and hypertension at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

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Sugar! Tasty, and a problem. Join me and Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, the Medical Director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers in Hawaii to talk about the new book he has written entitled "Beat Sugar Addiction Now!: The Cutting Edge Program that Cures Your Type of Sugar Addiction and Puts You on the Road to Feeling Great - And Losing Weight!" I'm certainly no fan of excess sugar consumption, so any tricks that he has would be great to hear...

If you've ever had to hit that candy bar "or else" give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Digestive problems in kids is extremely common. We've been having a lot of adult gastroenterologists on the air, and while they are all extremely knowledgeable, its sort of funny to have them answer a question "well I'm not a pediatric gastroenterologist but...." So we are extremely happy to have Dr. Joseph Levy, a Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology here at NYU on the line to talk to us about digestive disease in kids!

If you have any questions at all about digestive, liver or pancreas problems in your children, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We are back to Ask Dr. Ira at its usual time at 9:30 EDT! Call me with any questions that you forgot to ask your own doctor!

Monday, April 19th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Doctor Radio: Sirius 114 and XM 119

We have quite the digestive show planned for Monday. From routine digestive issues to extreme autoimmune diseases, from routine weight loss to losing the equivalent of three people, we have it covered!

We are going to start off by literally separating digestive fact from fiction with our first guest. Cynthia Yoshida, MD is a gastroenterologist in private practice in Charlottesville, VA and the author of "No More Digestive Problems: the Answers Every Woman Needs-Real Solutions to Stop the Pain and Achieve Lasting Digestive Health." We will also be joined by Regina Ragone, a registered dietician and the food director for Family Circle Magazine. Although you mom's old adage "its what inside that counts" may not be totally true, its pretty close!

If you have any questions about your own digestive issues, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Although most people with digestive disorders suffer from problems that are relatively benign, sufferers of Crohn's disease have severe symptoms and often require extremely powerful medications to get them under control. Medicine is full of propositions such as "if one thing is good, and another thing is good, then they must be great together!" Unfortunately, sometimes its not true. But sometimes it is. Join me and Dr. Ian Lustbader to talk about a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine talking about using Infliximab, Azathioprine, or Combination Therapy for Crohn's Disease. The studies author will also be joining us!

Call us with any questions you may have on colitis or Crohn's disease in either you or a loved one!


For scheduling reasons, Ask Dr. Ira will be at 9AM EDT this Monday. Call us with any questions you forgot to ask you doctor at 1-877-NYU-DOCS! Or you can email me at irabreite@yahoo.com.

I've been talking incessanatly about losing 25 pounds. But what if you lost more than 500 pound? Join me and Nancy Makin, the woman who did just that! She just wrote a book entitled "7-0-3: How I Lost More Than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life." You will want to hear about Nancy's story from childhood till now. While Nancy offers no "diet tips" the life events she describes and her struggle to take off the weight is extremely inspiring.

If you have any questions for someone who has lost over 500 pounds, give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!