Dr. Shane Halpe
Essays & reflections

Writing

"Doctor, Is Something Seriously Wrong With Me?" Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency
Everyday Health

"Doctor, Is Something Seriously Wrong With Me?" Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency

A worried 27-year-old arrives clutching a lab report. Why vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common in sunny Sri Lanka, what the numbers mean, and how it's treated.

5 min read
Living Healthy After a Heart Stent: What You Need to Know
Heart Health

Living Healthy After a Heart Stent: What You Need to Know

After a teacher's sudden angioplasty, a practical guide to life with a stent: medication discipline, cardiac rehabilitation, heart-smart eating, and the warning signs that need urgent care.

7 min read
More Than Just Missed Periods: Understanding PCOS
Women's Health

More Than Just Missed Periods: Understanding PCOS

A routine clinic visit reveals more than expected for a 29-year-old with big dreams. What polycystic ovary syndrome is, how it shows up, and why lifestyle change is the first prescription.

3 min read
The Fastest Way Back to Health: Intermittent Fasting
Everyday Health

The Fastest Way Back to Health: Intermittent Fasting

A real-life transformation through 16:8 intermittent fasting, what the science actually says, and a physician's own experience of trying it — with a quick-start guide.

6 min read
The Hidden Cost of a Painkiller: When Relief Turns Risky
Everyday Health

The Hidden Cost of a Painkiller: When Relief Turns Risky

Even doctors fall into the trap of self-medication. How everyday painkillers can silently damage the kidneys, and the simple rules that keep relief from turning into risk.

4 min read
Too Young to Die: Heart Attacks in Young Sri Lankans
Heart Health

Too Young to Die: Heart Attacks in Young Sri Lankans

One in five heart attack patients in Sri Lanka is now under 45. Why coronary disease is striking younger, the warning signs too often ignored, and what prevention really takes.

4 min read
More Than a Common Cold: Health Advice for Newly Married Couples
Everyday Health

More Than a Common Cold: Health Advice for Newly Married Couples

What starts as a simple clinic visit for a cold becomes a wider conversation about the health checks, vaccinations, and habits every newly married couple should consider.

7 min read
When Pain Isn't Just Physical: How Depression Can Hide in Plain Sight
Mental Health

When Pain Isn't Just Physical: How Depression Can Hide in Plain Sight

Depression rarely announces itself. It hides behind body aches, tiredness, and poor sleep — and is missed by patients and doctors alike. How to recognise the disguise.

4 min read
Screen Effects on Children and Adults
Everyday Health

Screen Effects on Children and Adults

A neighbour's question about her children's screen time prompts a doctor's reflection on what screens do to developing minds and adult wellbeing — and how families can set healthier limits.

9 min read
Elsewhere

Published elsewhere

Articles and columns written for newspapers and magazines.

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