Dr. Mark A. Scheperle, MD

04/28/2023

During office visits you may have heard me mention triglycerides, a type of blood fat. They often take a backseat to cholesterol, but they can raise your risk for heart disease. Here’s what you need to know.

Triglycerides are a lipid that can increase your risk of heart disease. Here’s what you need to know about triglycerides and how you can lower them.

04/28/2023

04/19/2023

In my practice, it’s often my female patients who ask for help for with depression. However, I know men also struggle – they just don’t ask for help. Because men’s depression symptoms vary from women’s, their relatives don’t recognize that they’re depressed. Here’s what you need to know.

Depression also affects men and in large numbers — about six million American men struggle with depression. However, it usually goes undiagnosed.

04/12/2023

Bone thinning is predominantly a problem for women. However, there are men in my practice with osteoporosis. A risk factor for men is a loss of muscle mass. A recent study found that maintaining lean body mass can help men forestall osteoporosis. Here’s what you need to know.

Most men aren’t too concerned about their own bone density. Understandably so. Bone thinning affects far more women than men. Take hips for example. Hip osteopenia is prevalent in 56 percent of women and 18 percent of men and hip osteoporosis affects 16 percent of women and 2 percent of men, accor...

04/06/2023

The typical American diet is laden with sugar and wreaks havoc on our heath. Many patients wonder why sugar is such a problem, how much sugar is OK, and of course, how can they cut back? Here’s what you need to know.

68& of processed food contains some added sugar. Sugars cause a chemical response in the brain associated with addiction and can cause health problems.

03/29/2023

A few of my patients have IBS – a condition that affects the large intestine, causing abdominal pain and digestive issues. For years I warned IBS patients to avoid gluten; however, new evidence suggests gluten might not be a trigger – it’s FODMAP foods. Here’s what you need to know.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is triggered by certain foods. Discover a study that showed gluten might not be a trigger & learn which foods you should try to avoid.

03/21/2023

You’re probably familiar with the typical risk factors of heart disease – high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, obesity, stress, poor nutrition, sleep deprivation and sedentary lifestyle. But a commonly overlooked risk factor is oral health. Learn more about the heart health – dental health connection from Alan Reisinger, MD, FACP, MDVIP associate medical director.

Having bad teeth has been linked to heart disease. It is important to practice good dental hygiene and schedule regular check ups with your dentist.

03/14/2023

In January, the media coverage of two high profile cardiac arrests led to an onslaught of questions from patients. It’s important to understand what causes and how to prevent cardiac arrests. Here’s what you need to know.

What are the differences between cardiac arrest and heart attack. Find out more and learn why it's more common in men, yet women also see lower survival rates

03/08/2023

Right now, I’m preaching the importance of a strong immune system to my patients. Why? We’re in the middle of a tripledemic. It’s still flu season. We’re still dealing with COVID. And RSV cases are higher than usual. Influenza and COVID have vaccines; however, RSV doesn’t. This means prevention relies on lifestyle. Here’s what you need to know.

Learn more about the Tripledemic Virus and explore ways to prevent the illnesses. Guard your health by taking precautions against the Flu, RSV, and COVID.

02/22/2023

I get a lot of questions from my middle-aged patients about their shifting hormones. Many of them associate menopause and andropause with weight gain but don’t realize the effects waning hormones have on their heart. Here’s how aging and hormones can affect your heart.

Low levels of estrogen and testosterone play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among Americans.

02/16/2023

I’ve always been on the fence regarding alcohol and health benefits. Some studies suggest light to moderate drinking may be heart healthy. But I’ve had a few patients go overboard with the “heart healthy” drinking, which is detrimental. If you’re social drinker, talk to me about alcohol. In the meantime, this blog explains what you should know about alcohol and your heart.

Is alcohol good for your heart? Studies repeatedly show an association between good heart health and regular, light-to-moderate drinking. Read more.