July 10, 2020

Ice Cream to the Rescue


Ice Cream to the Rescue
Ice cream is usually avoided at doctors' offices. Image by RitaE via Pixabay

Usually, doctors may tell patients to avoid eating ice cream for health reasons. Recently, however, one Russian doctor used his patient’s ice cream preferences as a clue to reach a tricky diagnosis. The head physician of the Moscow’s hospital No. 71 and TV presenter Alexander Myasnikov discussed how he identified an illness with the help of ice cream.

Myasnikov said that a patient who underwent heart surgery came to see him at the hospital. The patient also had diabetes and thyroid problems. Among his symptoms, the patient also complained that he could not swallow cold food, such as ice cream. Myasnikov suggested that the patient be examined for cancer and sent him to oncology for an examination. A blood test showed that the patient had a low hemoglobin level.

“That is, we discovered anemia, which only confirmed our thoughts about cancer,” said Myasnikov. The oncology department conducted other examinations, including gastroscopy, colonoscopy, tomography, and internal organ tests, but no cancer was detected.

Then Myasnikov recalled the patient’s complaint about eating ice cream, which led to a break in the case.

Myasnikov recalled a very specific disease, cold agglutinin disease: “When the temperature decreases, the body begins to produce antibodies to red blood cells, which destroy them, leading to anemia,” the doctor explained. Myasnikov asked a round of follow-up questions and discovered the patient’s cheeks become incredibly red in the cold, as if he were an alcoholic. This confirmed Myasnikov’s diagnosis, after which the patient was prescribed a drug to help treat the antibodies, and was also told to avoid the cold as much as possible. Were it not for the ice cream clue, this patient would still be waiting for a diagnosis!

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955