Some heroes are not invited to the White House. Their opinions are not sought by Washington think tanks. There is no national holiday to recognize their contributions.

Welcome to IMCHeadline News! Here we celebrate the people who are living the dream and leading the way to ideal medical care for all.

Nominate your healthcare hero today!

George Lundberg, MD–the once Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of The American Medical Association–reports on MedPage Today “How to Ration Rationally, the Oregon Way.”

His brief video highlights the pioneering work of Dr. John Kitzhaber’s Oregon Health Plan and Dr. Pamela Wible’s grassroots–new & improved–version of the Oregon Health Plan.

Congratulations to the citizens of Lane County for believing in ideal medical care–the sensible and sane model for patients and physicians.

You ALL are my inspiration. Thank you!

Over the years I’ve been asked about the proper care and cleaning of the vagina. Women often want to know how to douche and what preparations to use.

But the vagina is like a self-cleaning oven.

Cleaning with water externally during bathing is quite adequate. Use a small amount of mild unscented soap if you must. Soap dries out your mucous membranes which are already more likely to absorb toxins.

Now new research just out this week suggests a link between use of talc and ovarian cancer. Women reporting long-term frequent application of talc powder to the genital area have a two-to-threefold increased risk of ovarian cancer.

So please refrain from special preparations, perfumes, and potions. Your vagina knows how to take care of itself.

Please forward this to anyone you know who has a vagina or loves someone with one. Thank you!

Can you meditate your way out of high blood pressure? Can you yoga your way out of atrial fibrillation? Will falling in love during menopause make you fertile again?

We’ve know for years that Tibetan monks have been able to lower their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and metabolism with meditation. Can it work for you? Yep! Just five minutes of relaxation and deep breathing exercises in my office has been able to reduce blood pressure to normal levels in many patients with hypertension.

Now a recent article reveals that atrial fibrillation can be reduced or even cured with a regular schedule of yoga. Eleven out of 49 patients did not experience a single episode of altered heart rhythm during the study.

And I know of several patients who–despite being in menopause for a few years–resumed their periods when they fell in love. Yoga even increases blood flow to the pelvis and strengthens muscles that play an integral role in orgasm.

Your choice: Transesophageal echocardiogram, lifelong anticoagulation, or yoga?

I suggested a screening colonoscopy back in the fall of 2009. It’s not easy to convince folks to sign up, but Tom relented earlier this year.

Who wants a stranger shoving a tube up one’s butt? And the cost? Whoa . . . Uninsured patients don’t have an extra 2000 bucks. But the prep is the worst: a liquid diet, laxatives, enemas, and lots and lots of bowel movements that force people to spend twenty-four hours affixed to their toilet. Keep a spray bottle on hand to clean up. Figure out who will drive you home cause you’ll be groggy. Then there’s the biopsies? And worst case scenario: colon cancer.

All in all an anxiety-provoking event.

Tom facebooked me today to share his experience. The worst part wasn’t the dude with the tube, the raw behind, or the near-miss diarrhea. It wasn’t even the outrageous expense. Tom revealed: “The worst part of my procedure was in the waiting room staring at a 50-inch, flat-screen TV with CNN talking about the nuclear disaster. . . A waiting room should be a quiet place to contemplate or read. I’m sure you agree.”

Meg Marshall of Eau Claire, Wisconsin agrees. Meg’s vision is clear: “Take the televisions out of the waiting rooms. The last thing a patient needs to listen to is Fox News anchor propaganda or CNN’s breaking news of the latest tragedy. Replace them with soothing music, maybe a water fountain, and lots of real green plants.”

Health care requires caring. So why scare the shit out of people in the waiting room?