This past week Claire Gilliland gave us her perspective, as a retired nurse and professor of nursing, on three new issues in health care: Sugar, Stem Cells, and Cell Phones.  Claire started off by calling sugar the “new tobacco”, because of its addictive nature, its negative effects on personal health, and because of disinformation campaigns by the sugar industry.  She cited soft drinks as perhaps the most dangerous and common source, but did note recent trends away from consumption due to sugar taxes, and efforts to limit advertising and sporting events sponsorships.  
 
Next Gilliland gave us good news around stem cells, noting a new ‘skin-gun’ that used stem cells to spray new skin onto burned areas, creating new skin within a few weeks.  Apparently the skin-gun uses stem cells from the foreskin, and may be capable of creating new kidneys, hearts, etc.. 
 
Third, Gilliland noted the huge growth in cell phone apps related to health and health care, from exercise apps to the ability to measure plasma levels, PH and blood sugar levels, HIV virus, sperm fertility, melanoma, malaria, and perhaps even mental health and cravings.  Perhaps cell phones will even be able to help with our epidemics of obesity and opioid usage.