Parker, Steve 1954-

PERSONAL:

Born October 16, 1954, in Houston, TX; married Sunny Parker (a business administrator), 1995; children: Daniel, Brian, Casey, Paul. Education: University of Oklahoma, B.S., 1977, M.D., 1981. Politics: Republican. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Hiking, biking, old-time and Celtic instrumental music, physical fitness, handguns, fishing, reading, blogging, nature photography, politics.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Gilbert, AZ. E-mail—steveparkermd@gmail.com.com.

CAREER:

Medical doctor. Austin Medical Education Foundation, Austin, TX, internal medicine resident, 1984; private medical practitioner, Austin, 1984-89; private medical practitioner, Pensacola, FL, 1989-2001; Advanced Cardiac Specialists, Gilbert, AZ, hospitalist, 2001-03; Prodigee Inpatient Physicians Group, Mesa, AZ, hospitalist, 2003—. Also served as an adjunct assistant professor at Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2003—.

MEMBER:

Alzheimer's Association (Northwest Florida Chapter board member, 1994-98), Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Society of Hospital Medicine, Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Omega Alpha.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Physician of the year, Prodigee Inpatient Physicians Group, 2004.

WRITINGS:

The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer, Vanguard Press (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Steve Parker is an American medical doctor. Born in Houston, Texas, on October 16, 1954, Parker initially studied zoology at the University of Oklahoma, earning a bachelor of science in 1977 and being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He remained at the University of Oklahoma and earned an M.D. from the university's Health Sciences Center in 1981, again being inducted into an honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed his residency in 1984 at the Austin Medical Education Foundation in Texas. At that point, Parker started his private medical practice in Austin, remaining there until 1989. He subsequently moved to Pensacola, Florida, continuing in private practice until 2001. Parker then relocated to Arizona, accepting a hospitalist position at Gilbert's Advanced Cardiac Specialists for a two-year period. In 2003, he began working as a hospitalist at the nearby Prodigee Inpatient Physicians Group, where he was named physician of the year in 2004. As a hospitalist, Parker regularly deals with patients who are suffering from pneumonia, skin infections, heart attacks, strokes, severe high blood pressure, out-of-control diabetes, broken hips, chest or abdominal pain, kidney failure, and urinary tract infections. Parker has also served as an adjunct assistant professor at Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2003.

In 2007, Parker published his first book, The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer, through Vanguard Press. The book acts as an aid in helping obese people reduce their weight, in order to increase their life span and overall health. The diet method introduced explains eating habits in practice in many Mediterranean communities, where the regular intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, whole grains, fish, nuts, and wine, and lack of foods high in saturated fats, are considered conducive to improving health and reducing weight in overweight people, if paired with an active lifestyle. Parker's book covers the basics of nutrition and physiology, negative consequences of being overweight, and the positive effects exercise has on the body. Eating plans included in the book allow for individuality, suggesting smaller individuals follow a lower caloric intake plan while heavier and more active individuals may choose to follow the higher caloric intake plan.

Steve Parker told CA: "Basic biomedical research results are rapidly illuminating the decisions we must make to maximize our health and longevity. Research results are often highly technical, with clinical ramifications clear only to the cognoscente. My writing is motivated by the desire to convert scientific research results into actionable guidelines for people that have to make healthy decisions today. I call this process translational bioscience."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

ONLINE

Advanced Mediterranean Diet Web site,http://www.advancedmediterraneandiet.com (March 14, 2008), author profile.