Sandra Gelbard, M.D., is currently a practicing internist in New York City who specializes in disease prevention and vitamin supplementation. After years of working as an academic teaching attending and treating the diseases in their end stages, Dr. Gelbard decided to open a private practice dedicated to disease prevention by identifying the disease process in its earliest stages. She is a frequent lecturer on such topics as; cholesterol management, diabetes prevention, women’s cardiac disease, and preventative nutrition. While at Brandeis University she spent five years performing basic research in the areas of cholesterol vitamin supplementation in the laboratory of Dr. K.C. Hayes. It was their research that led to the development of the Smart Balance products, which are now sold nationally. Dr. Gelbard has been featured on numerous news programs including Hardball, CBS Morning Show, The Today Show. She has also appeared in the New York Times, The New York Post, Washington Post, Daily News, and many other news articles.
 
Dr. Gelbard completed her medical training at New York University Medical Center, where she finished a residency in Internal Medicine. Immediately after finishing her residency, Dr. Gelbard was appointed chief of the department of hospital medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital, Suffern, NY, making her one of the youngest chairpersons in the country. She was responsible for implementing their first hospitalist program and oversaw a group of seven other physicians. Having established that program, Dr. Gelbard chose to move on to other tasks in order to further her professional growth. She became a full time teaching attending at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. As one of the primary educators for NYU medical students and the residents at Lenox Hill Hospital, she lectured daily on a many topics in internal medicine, ran the journal review club, and introduced information on preventative nutrition and vitamin supplementation into the medical curriculum. She maintains her knowledge in the cutting edge of medicine by attending intensive CME courses at both Harvard Medical School and University of California at San Francisco for the past nine years. She is board certified in internal medicine and a member of the National Lipid Association, American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. This year Dr. Gelbard was nominated into the prestigious Castle Connolly List, which names the top ten percent physicians throughout the country.
 
Health E-Insights: There are so many diseases kids seem to fighting these days, i.e. whooping cough, Autism and others. Why do you think this is?
 
Dr. Gelbard: I think there are new environmental and dietary influences on our health that we did not have decades ago. The foods we consume are processed and do not contain as many antioxidants they used to in the past. The air we breathe is affected by industry and not as pure as it used to be. For now the best way to prevent these conditions is to make sure you are vaccinated, eat diets rich in fiber and antioxidants and exercise. The goal should be to maximize the strength your immune system so you are able to fight off diseases and maintain an overall good state of health.
 
Health E-Insights: Will childhood obesity continue to rear its ugly head?
 
Dr. Gelbard: It most certainly will, unless we make some major changes in the foods we are consuming. We must get together as a nation and pay a lot of attention to the types and amounts food we are consuming and the food we are giving our children. Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in the country and it puts a huge financial strain on our health care costs. It is vital that we start teaching our children good eating habits so that they can carry these habits into adulthood.
 
Health E-Insights: Why do you think SmartyPants products can be an effective product for kids?
 
Dr. Gelbard: You can never start too early in getting good nutrients into your children’s bodies. SmartyPants contains the ingredients of a good solid multivitamin and in addition it contains vitamin D and fish oil. The fish oil is great for brain health and the vitamin D boosts the immune systems defenses, which is very helpful in fighting off viruses such as the flu. The SmartyPants gummy is a great product because it is an all in one product and it tastes great so children are happy to eat it.
 
Health E-Insights: Do you feel gummy vitamins for kids and adults are still trending?
 
Dr. Gelbard: In the past, getting adults and children to take vitamins has always been a challenge.  I think the gummy vitamins are very popular and will continue to grow in popularity because they are easy to get down and taste great.
 
Health E-Insights: If you could do one thing to enhance children’s health what would it be?
 
Dr. Gelbard: There really isn’t just one thing. Getting an adequate amount of sleep, eating a good diet, which may include a good multivitamin if you aren’t getting 100% of what you need from food, and exercising are all crucial to proper development. I think being healthy requires all of these factors.
 
Health E-Insights: What’s the cutest thing a child has ever told you?
 
Dr. Gelbard: Last year a four year-old little girl turned to me in my office and said they she wanted to send back her little brother to the hospital because “They made a mistake. We wanted a baby girl.”
 
Health E-Insights: Who’s your current favorite childhood actor, past or present, and why?
 
Dr. Gelbard: I really like Reese Witherspoon. I think she is a great actress and picks parts that always send a strong message to young girls. In today’s society it is so important for young women to hear messages that build self-esteem and confidence.
 
Sheldon Baker is well-known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at [email protected]. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.