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!

image source:

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!

image source: