Dr. Jan Gurley, a board-certified internist physician, is the only Harvard Medical School graduate to have been awarded a Shoney’s Ten-Step Pin for documented excellence in waitressing. Having achieved this pinnacle of greatness early in life, Doc Gurley inevitably spiraled downward. Jaded, and afraid of becoming known as a waitressing has-been, she tried years of basic science research in labs (graduating magna cum laude from Harvard), then did a residency at UCSF in Internal Medicine, then received a Robert Wood Johnson Fellowship in epidemiology, public health and public policy. Her health/science background covers the vast territory from sub-cell systems, to human studies, to the captivating science of seeing patients one-on-one.
View Dr. Gurley's Book:
Dodging Death
"Epigenetics is now the hottest thing in biosciences."
That quote from Randy Jirtle, PhD, director of the Epigenetics and Imprinting Laboratory at Duke University, captures the challenge and ...
February 6, 2011 - 7:14am
Studies show that many people faced with home loss and housing uncertainty can take a tremendous hit to their health. If you’re going through difficult times, and worried you too may lose your ...
December 5, 2010 - 5:36am
I have a new best friend. She’s cool and smooth and adaptable. Kind of like a Dragon-Tattooed-urbanite who can deal with any situation, from a tweaking guest at a rave, to the post-modern ...
November 5, 2010 - 3:16pm
When July arrives, we're solidly into summer - the month brings sun, socializing, and, sometimes, stress. Here are five simple things you can do this month for your health. Check in every month ...
July 6, 2009 - 2:07pm
Now that America has declared a state of swine flu public health emergency, you may be asking yourself - what am I supposed to do? Here is a list of ten practical steps you can take to prepare and ...
April 28, 2009 - 3:33pm
March is often the time when winter seems to loosen its grip - psychologically, if not literally. By the end of March, you can just about see summer peeking over the horizon. So what five simple, ...
March 2, 2009 - 12:20pm
No matter where you live, February is a hunker-down month. Whether it’s the weather, or the realization that it’s going to take more than a New Year’s promise to effect serious personal change, or ...
February 11, 2009 - 3:43pm
Health is the catchword for January. Articles and ads exhort us to live healthier, make changes, do more. Here are five simple things you can do this month to launch your healthier year:
1) ...
January 5, 2009 - 11:42am
Here are the top five reasons to give at least one personal gift to a homeless person this holiday season:
#5) No one’s easier to buy for. It’s the opposite of the person-who-has-everything ...
December 17, 2008 - 12:50pm
Welcome to our new Well Worth It series.
What’s it about?
Studies of cheap, effective and simple things that can improve your health sometimes don’t get that much press. Often, there are no ...
November 18, 2008 - 3:37pm
Lost in the drama of our recent election was this little article about more contaminated heparin from China.
In a very rare move, U.S. Marshals, under the direction of FDA officials, actually ...
November 12, 2008 - 12:47pm
Okay, everyone who thinks they can multi-task, raise your hand (while returning that call from your client).
There’s a nice summary on NPR about how the brain actually works - which debunks ...
October 13, 2008 - 12:36pm
1) Check - The first week of October is Fire Prevention Week. Now is a great time to run through a short list of crucial prevention tasks. First, make sure you have a fire evacuation plan for your ...
October 6, 2008 - 8:25am
Here’s a great article about specific, science-based ways to increase the joy in your life. Based on some relatively small studies, these tips range from the abstract to the hard-nosed. Take a ...
September 5, 2008 - 10:43am
1) Assess: Labor Day is a great annual reminder of the value of work, and also a chance to evaluate the impact your work is having on your health. If you’re the classic office-drone, here are some ...
September 2, 2008 - 11:32am