Golden Oak Medicine PLLC

03/01/2026

Want to understand how Alzheimer’s dementia is diagnosed? Read this blog post, written by MarissaMoffitt, fourth year medical student. https://www.geriacademy.com/post/amyloid-plaques-and-tau-tangles-explained-understanding-alzheimer-s-disease-and-modern-diagnosis

03/01/2026

I had the honor of working with Marissa Moffitt, a fourth-year medical student at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, who will begin her pathology residency this July. She wrote a clear, easy-to-understand blog post explaining how we now diagnose Alzheimer’s dementia, a question I’m asked often. I hope you find it helpful. Please share with anyone who may benefit.

In 1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer examined the brain of a woman who had experienced early memory loss and confusion. After her death, he found two abnormal protein patterns under the microscope—now known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles.These two changes are now considered the main physical signs of ...

02/22/2026

NEW BLOG POST- Stop confusing exercise with activity. In the HEALTH framework, your "functional status" is the real report card. Whether you’re 30 or 70, your ability to climb stairs, carry groceries, and move without fear predicts your future health more than any lab result. Learn why gait speed is the "sixth vital sign," how to build biological reserve, and why strength is the ultimate organ of independence. Protect your healthspan by reclaiming movement today.

The A in HEALTH, Activity, The Ability to Move Through Life.

02/20/2026

Hello friends, for those of you who have taken the time to read Life, Love, and the In-Between, thank you. It means more to me than you know.

If the book resonated with you, I would truly appreciate you taking a moment to leave a brief review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Reviews help more readers discover the book and keep the conversation going.

Grateful for your support. 💛

Life, Love, and the In Between

02/15/2026

New blog post on the E for energy in the HEALTH framework, focusing on healthspan vs. Lifespan. Check it out on GeriAcademy.
https://www.geriacademy.com/so/faPnXYv3t?languageTag=en

E Is for Energy: The Biology That Determines How You Age

02/01/2026

I know some of you have been asking about my book. The intention was never to make money, but to make sure that James, my son, is not forgotten.

People often ask me how many children I have. While I have three girls living, in my heart I have four. Saying that sometimes opens the door to more questions, to condolences, to “I’m so sorry,” and while those responses come from kindness, they can be heavy.

In the book, I write about how my patients, over the years, had been preparing me for James’s life and his death in ways I didn’t fully understand at the time. I also owe my patients a deep debt of gratitude for everything they have taught me and given me.
For a limited time, I’m offering a free PDF copy of the book, available to download directly from my website. The links to the hardcover and ebook editions are still available there as well.

Thank you for your support and for holding space for this story.
https://www.geriacademy.com/lifeloveandtheinbetween

01/31/2026

I created the HEALTH Framework, a model I use every day in clinical practice to think about healthspan and aging well. As I’ve been writing my book, now well into the later chapters, I realized that much of what I share already lives on my blog. The work has been organizing those ideas into a framework that reflects how I actually practice medicine.

I decided to write a blog post to explain the HEALTH Framework and how it guides my thinking around energy, movement, adaptation, and longevity. More to come as the book continues to take shape over the next year.

If you’re interested in aging well and living well, this post is for you.

We spend decades focused on how long we might live, yet far less time thinking about how well we live along the way. Healthspan is not about avoiding aging or chasing youth, it is about preserving function, energy, meaning, and dignity over time. In this post, Dr. G introduces the HEALTH Framework,....

01/25/2026

Check out the geriAcademy blog post published today - Berberine is often described as “metformin-like,” but that oversimplifies what’s actually happening. Much of its effect appears to work through the gut microbiome and metabolic signaling. I wrote this piece to explain what berberine does, why it comes up in longevity conversations, and when caution matters.

Berberine is a plant-derived compound studied for its effects on blood sugar, insulin resistance, gut health, and metabolic longevity. Often compared to metformin, berberine works differently, largely through the gut microbiome. This article explains how berberine works, its potential benefits, side...

01/24/2026

I recently wrote a book,

Life, Love, and the In Between
I have walked with people as they age, change, and live their lives, and I have been with them at the bedside when they are dying.

What they taught me changed how I understand love, loss, and what it means to live well.

As a geriatrician, Dr. Golnosh Sharafsaleh has spent years accompanying people across the full arc of life. She has witnessed how meaning evolves as certainty fades, how identity shifts with time, and how connection often deepens when life becomes more complex, not less.

When her own life was altered in ways she could not have prepared for, the lessons she had absorbed over years of caring for others became deeply personal. The distance between doctor and human being disappeared, and the wisdom she had once observed was now lived.

This book is not a chronicle of decline or a collection of medical stories. It is a reflection on how people continue to grow through aging, illness, love, and loss. It explores how relevance is redefined over time, how purpose changes shape, and how presence becomes more powerful than control.

Life, Love, and the In Between is written for anyone who senses that the most important lessons in life are learned not in moments of certainty, but in the in-between moments where we are forced to slow down, listen more closely, and pay attention to what truly matters.

It can be purchased all over the world, currently available in hardcover and e-book. Audiobook should be available in a couple of months.

https://www.geriacademy.com/lifeloveandtheinbetween

01/20/2026

Want to give a reminder to all of our patients to prepare for the predicted weather we are to have starting Friday-monday. Here is a list of supplies needed in case things do get bad.
Stay safe and warm ❤️

12/15/2025

Hi friends, I was talking with a patient about adequate fiber intake and realized I didn’t have a blog post on the topic, so here it is. One thing to think about, fiber doesn’t have to come from sugary fruits. For example, a medium banana has about 3 grams of fiber. I almost never ever eat bananas.

The Importance of Fiber: Why Most Americans Are Not Getting Enough

12/01/2025

A patient asked me about a centenarian survey - 100 centenarians were surveyed, it was on NPR. My patient wanted me to summarize it, so I did, but figured I should share it. Here is the link to the article and here is the summary - the one thing I would add is Sleep, super super important.

Top 10 Takeaways from the Centenarian Survey
1. Centenarians stay active: Nearly half do weekly strength training, and 42% walk or hike regularly.
2. Healthy habits are common: 67% report eating a healthy diet, and 36% practice stress-relief activities like meditation.
3. They stay engaged: About 30% garden, and many continue hobbies that bring joy and meaning.
4. They don’t feel “old”: Most say they feel decades younger and experience aging as a slow, gradual process.
5. Positive outlook matters: 85% say they laugh easily and maintain a sense of humor.
6. They embrace technology: 40% play video games, and 27% have used AI tools like ChatGPT; nearly half use social media.
7. Strong social ties: Two-thirds stay closely connected with family and friends, and most have weekly in-person visits.
8. They manage stress differently: With age comes perspective, letting go of minor worries and focusing on small joys.
9. Community connection supports longevity: Research links strong social ties to lower chronic disease rates and longer life.
10. Lifestyle choices matter: Regular exercise, healthy eating, stress management, and maintaining purpose greatly influence successful aging and cognitive health.

A new survey of centenarians finds a growing number of people living to 100 have prioritized healthy habits. Here's how exercise, social connection and positivity play a role in aging well.