BASS Health & Medicine Blog

Medical expertise, health tips, and wellness advice from Northern California’s top specialists.
A person adds a packet of sugar-free sweetener into coffee — illustrating mindful sugar substitute use for diabetes management.
Lifestyle

Are Sugar-Free Sweeteners Really Safe for Diabetics?

Sugar-free doesn’t always mean risk-free — here’s what you should know about artificial sweeteners and blood-sugar control.

Learn More

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Prevention starts with Primary Care.

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Recent Posts

Young kid running with a football in protective gear on a multi-purpose field.
Exercise
 | 
July 25, 2025
Spotting a Concussion in Your Child: What California Parents Should Know
Football, soccer, and cheer are back in full swing. Here's how to recognize a concussion before it becomes serious.
Sweating elderly person sitting in front of a fan, trying to cool off from extreme heat.
Health Tips
 | 
July 21, 2025
Heat Stroke Risk Rising in California: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe
California is entering peak heat season. Learn the signs of heat stroke, how to stay safe in triple-digit temps, and when to seek medical care.
Hand holding intestine-shaped cutout in front of their stomach.
Cancer
 | 
July 19, 2025
Why Are More Young Adults Getting Colon Cancer? What You Should Know
Colon cancer rates are rising in adults under 50. Learn why it’s happening, which symptoms to watch for, and when to talk to your doctor.
The illustration shows how a varicose vein forms in a leg. Figure A shows a normal vein with a working valve and normal blood flow. Figure B shows a varicose vein with a deformed valve, abnormal blood flow, and thin, stretched walls. The middle image shows
Vein
 | 
July 18, 2025
Chronic Venous Insufficiency: What the Trump Diagnosis Reveals & When to See a Vein Specialist
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is making headlines after President Trump’s recent diagnosis. Learn what CVI is, why it’s common in older adults, and how BASS Medical Group’s expert vein surgeons can help with advanced treatments and prevention.
A nurse preparing a measles vaccine at a clinic.
Primary Care
 | 
July 16, 2025
Measles Are on the Rise in California: What You Need to Know
California has already surpassed last year’s measles case total. Here’s why it's happening and how vaccination and herd immunity play a vital role.
A pediatrician talks to a teenage patient about her blood sugar test results
Kids Care
 | 
July 14, 2025
Nearly 1 in 3 Teens May Have Prediabetes—But Is the Data Accurate?
A recent CDC estimate says nearly one-third of U.S. adolescents have prediabetes. But with limited data and shifting methods, how worried should parents really be?
Artistic photo of a woman with bright green eyes and transparent floating faces above her, symbolizing hallucinations or altered perception.
Primary Care
 | 
July 12, 2025
Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: What It Is and Who’s at Risk
Cannabis can trigger serious mental health symptoms like paranoia or hallucinations—especially in young people or heavy users. Learn the signs of cannabis-induced psychosis and when to talk to a doctor.
Close-up image of a cannabis plant, often used for medical and recreational purposes in California.
Primary Care
 | 
July 10, 2025
Is Weed Really That Bad for You? What California Doctors Want You to Know
Cannabis is legal in California—but that doesn’t mean it’s risk-free. Here's what the science (and your doctor) wants you to know.
Healthcare workers giving a measles vaccine to a child, reflecting the importance of immunization during the 2025 U.S. measles outbreak.
Primary Care
 | 
July 8, 2025
Understanding the 2025 Measles Outbreak: What’s Fueling the 33-Year High
Learn why measles cases are surging in 2025, how it spreads, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family.
A clear glass of water with visible floating plastic particles, symbolizing microplastic contamination in drinking water.
Health Tips
 | 
July 5, 2025
How to Avoid Microplastics in Your Daily Life
What you can do today to limit microplastics in your body and home.
A colorful mix of hydrating summer foods—cucumber, watermelon, pineapple, mango, lemon, mint, and coconut—arranged on a wooden park bench.
Health Tips
 | 
July 2, 2025
What Are the Most Hydrating Foods for Summer?
Discover hydrating, heat-fighting foods that help you stay refreshed and healthy during summer.
Person preparing for a cold plunge in an ice bath, with thermometer showing cold water temperature under 60°F, commonly used for muscle recovery.
Exercise
 | 
June 11, 2025
Do Cold Plunges Work? The Science Behind Ice Baths and Recovery
Are cold plunges safe or effective? Learn how they impact recovery, soreness, and muscle growth—plus when they might do more harm than good.
Man slicing medium-rare steaks on a wooden cutting board next to a grill during an outdoor summer BBQ
Knowledge
 | 
June 9, 2025
Summer Food Safety 101: How to Prevent Food Poisoning at Your Next BBQ
Grilling this summer? Learn how to avoid foodborne illnesses like salmonella and E. coli with these simple tips for cooking, chilling, and storing food safely outdoors.
Child holding ear with pain after swimming, a common sign of swimmer’s ear
Primary Care
 | 
June 7, 2025
Swimmer’s Ear: Causes, Symptoms, and When to See a Doctor
Summer means more time at the pool—but for many kids, it can also mean painful ear infections. Swimmer’s ear is one of the most common poolside problems parents face. Here’s how to spot it early and when to seek care.
Bandaged skin bump being treated for staph infection.
Knowledge
 | 
June 6, 2025
Staph Infections: When Is That Skin Bump Something to Worry About?
Is that red bump on your skin a staph infection? Learn about symptoms, treatment, and how to tell if it's something more serious like MRSA. Get care at BASS Medical Group.
Woman sneezing outdoors in a dry grass field, likely to due to allergic rhinitis.
Primary Care
 | 
June 5, 2025
Hay Fever vs. Summer Cold: How to Tell the Difference
Learn how to tell the difference between allergy symptoms and a viral cold.
Pregnancy test strip next to collection tube and swab on blue surface.
OB-GYN
 | 
June 3, 2025
Can a Pregnancy Test Be Wrong? Understanding False Positives and False Negatives
Taking a home pregnancy test can be a stressful or exciting moment. But what happens when the result doesn’t match how you’re feeling—or what’s actually happening? While home pregnancy tests are usually reliable, they’re not perfect. You can get a false positive (a test says you’re pregnant when you’re not) or a false negative (a test says you’re not pregnant when you are).
Illustration of a human head puzzle with a missing red-highlighted brain piece and three non-fitting pieces nearby, symbolizing memory loss and cognitive decline.
Neurology
 | 
June 2, 2025
Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s: What’s the Difference?
Wondering if dementia and Alzheimer’s are the same thing? Learn how they differ, what symptoms to look for, and how BASS Medical Group can help with memory care.
Man wearing sunglasses on a beach during his vacation after getting a checkup with BASS Medical Group.
Health Tips
 | 
June 1, 2025
Summer Travel Health Guide: What to Know Before You Go
Planning a Summer Trip? Don’t Forget Your Health
Women of different ages at a medical clinic for health screenings like mammograms, heart checks, and bone scans.
OB-GYN
 | 
May 28, 2025
5 Screenings Every Woman Should Have to Stay Healthy at Every Age
Prioritize Preventive Care—At Every Stage