Improve Your Nutrition with these Simple Steps 

Concierge Medicine, Environment, Health Basics, Healthy Living, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Preventative Health

Nutrition plays a crucial role in providing the necessary nutrients for our bodies to function properly. These essential nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Carbohydrates provide energy, proteins are vital for tissue growth and repair, fats contribute to insulation and organ protection, while vitamins and minerals are required for various bodily functions, such as building strong bones, maintaining a healthy immune system, and supporting heart and brain health.

A balanced and healthy diet, consisting of a variety of foods from different food groups, ensures that our bodies receive all the necessary nutrients. Proper nutrition not only helps to maintain healthy body weight but also reduces the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. On the other hand, a poor diet lacking essential nutrients can lead to malnutrition and various health problems. Therefore, good nutrition is essential for overall health and well-being.

There are several ways to improve your nutrition, including:

  • Encouraging a balanced diet: Consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. A balanced diet provides the necessary nutrients for the body to function properly.
  • Ensuring adequate hydration: Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other fluids. This helps prevent dehydration, which can lead to health problems.
  • Providing smaller, more frequent meals: Instead of large meals, consider offering smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day, especially for adults. This ensures they receive the necessary nutrients without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Offering nutrient-dense snacks: Opt for nutrient-dense snacks such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. These snacks boost energy levels and provide essential nutrients.

In conclusion, in addition to prioritizing good nutrition, it is beneficial to seek guidance and support from primary care concierge doctors in Jupiter. These healthcare professionals specialize in personalized care and can offer valuable insights and recommendations tailored to individual needs. Collaborating with primary care doctors can further enhance one’s journey toward optimal nutrition and overall health. By combining their expertise with the principles of a balanced diet, hydration, and nutrient-dense snacks, individuals can receive comprehensive care that addresses their unique requirements and fosters long-term well-being. Together, the commitment to sound nutrition and the assistance of primary care concierge doctors empower patients to lead fulfilling and healthy lives.

Learn About this Devastating Mental Disease and How to Stay Ahead

, , , , Concierge Medicine, Health Basics, Healthy Living, Preventative Health

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain, causing progressive cognitive decline, memory loss, and behavioral changes. It is the most common cause of dementia and is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain.


June is recognized as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about this devastating disease and to support those who are affected by it. Our concierge primary care doctors in Jupiter want to discuss some important facts about Alzheimer’s disease, as well as tips for maintaining brain health and reducing your risk of developing the disease.

Facts about Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 6 million people in the United States, and that number is expected to triple by 2060.
  • There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but early detection and intervention can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
  • Alzheimer’s disease is more common in older adults, but it can also affect younger people.
  • Genetics, lifestyle factors, and environmental factors may all play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • There are several different types of dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease is just one of them.

Tips for maintaining brain health:

  • Stay physically active: Regular exercise can help improve blood flow to the brain and promote the growth of new brain cells.
  • Eat a healthy diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help support brain health.
  • Stay mentally active: Engage in activities that challenge your brain, such as puzzles, reading, or learning a new skill.
  • Stay socially connected: Social interaction can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
  • Manage chronic health conditions: Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, so it’s important to manage these conditions through lifestyle changes and/or medication.

In conclusion, Alzheimer’s disease is a complex and devastating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. By raising awareness and taking steps to maintain brain health, we can work to reduce the impact of this disease and improve the quality of life for those affected by it.

Free-Range, Cage-Free, Organic: What Do Meat and Egg Labels Mean?

Concierge Medicine, Healthy Living, Lifestyle, Nutrition

Our primary care concierge doctors in Jupiter know that these days our patients are interested in not just their own health, but also the health of the planet and the welfare of animals. So you try to shop in ways that consciously take all these factors into consideration.

But how do you know what the many bewildering grocery store labels mean? Let us help sort out some of the confusion.

Win-win Practices

According to Treehugger.com, so-called humane farming practices are no more sustainable than those of factory-farmed meats, because the animals raised for food require just as much food and water as those in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). 

On the other hand, as the Cleveland Clinic points out, many of these CAFOs use more chemicals and fertilizers that pollute both the land and water sources, so they’re not as earth-friendly as traditional farming practices.

We’ve often extolled the health advantages of plant-based diets, however, so for now we’ll just say that the fewer meats and meat products you consume, the better for the planet (and your health).

The good thing about taking animal welfare into your buying decisions, however, is that you benefit, as well.

“The alternative to factory-farm meat—grass-fed meat—is not just better for the environment and better for the animals, but better for you, too,” says the Cleveland Clinic’s Functional Medicine Director Mark Hyman.

Grass-fed meat is so nutritionally superior to factor-farmed meat, he adds, that is practically a different food.

Animals raised without antibiotics are another health plus for humans because their rampant use can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making it harder to treat our own infections.

Sorting Out Labels

Unfortunately, knowing their customers are interested in more humanely raised foods, many manufacturers select labels that may tend to mislead buyers.

For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not regulate the term “pasture-raised.” “Humane” is also not an official term, so it can mean anything.

Consumer Reports (CR) says that the claim “no growth hormones” doesn’t mean the animal was not given antibiotics, or that hogs were not given a non-hormonal growth enhancer called ractopamine. On the other hand, beef labels that say “no hormones” are useful, because cattle can be raised with hormones; however, the USDA does not allow hormones to be used in poultry or pork.

In addition, labels that say “no growth-promoting antibiotics” can also be misleading, because they can still be given to “ensure animal health” or to prevent or control disease, CR says.

Likewise, “natural” simply means that meat has been minimally processed and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients such as chemical preservatives, spices or sauces, or artificial coloring. As Insider reports, a “natural” egg is simply a real egg that came from a real hen.

Similarly, “farm fresh” means nothing: All meat and eggs come from farms, whether in bucolic outdoor settings or cramped cages on CAFOs. And “Omega-3” doesn’t tell you whether the eggs contain enough of this essential fatty acid.

What They Mean

The labels manufacturers use can be baffling, so here’s a quick guide to the most common meat and egg labels.

Meats

  • Grass-fed: This term gets a little tricky. The USDA’s definition means the meat must come from animals that have never been given grain and have access to pasture during the grazing season. According to CR, however, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) does not inspect these farms, and they can still be raised with antibiotics or hormones.
  • In addition, grass-fed cattle still may not have continuous access to pasture and may spend at least a part of their lives confined to a feedlot.
  • Organic: This is a more reliable term because the USDA organic seal indicates that the animal was given only organic feed, and was not given antibiotics or growth hormones. Even sick animals that were treated with antibiotics can no longer legally be labeled “organic.”
  • Pasture-raised: Again, this term can be misleading, because many meat producers will use it if their cows were only periodically allowed brief access to the outdoors.

Eggs

  • Cage-free: This means hens are not kept in cages, but that doesn’t mean they’re allowed outdoor access. In fact, they can still be raised in crowded (read: “overcrowded”) conditions indoors.
  • Free-range: This means the animals have at least some access to the outdoors, and aren’t caged, but they still may be raised primarily in crowded conditions.
  • Organic: These eggs come from hens that haven’t been fed grains grown with GMOs or synthetic pesticides. In addition, they aren’t raised in cages and must be given outdoor access. Again, though, “outdoor access” can still mean being confined in cramped conditions on tiny concrete porches.
  • Pasture-raised: Although there’s no standard definition for this term if the egg label contains either the Certified Humane or American Humane Certified pasture-raised labels, it means the hens must have access to a pasture with room for natural behaviors, such as pecking for bugs and seeds.

How to be Sure

As Vox reports, “For the grocery shopper buying animal products, the independent rating programs created by advocacy programs are the most important labels to look out for, since they actually have auditing systems built in to hold producers accountable.”

These certification labels include “GAP-Certified,” “Certified Humane,” and “Animal Welfare Approved.”

Finally, remember that what’s best for animal welfare is usually best for our health, as well.

Surprising Facts About Skin Cancer

, Concierge Medicine, Health Basics, Healthy Living, Preventative Health

You may think you already know everything about skin cancer. But because May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, our concierge primary care doctors in Jupiter want to share some facts about this often-deadly disease that you may not be aware of.

Brief Skin Cancer Recap

Let’s start with some facts about skin cancer you may already know:

  • Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. Both can easily be cured if caught in time, but they can be disfiguring and expensive to treat.
  • Malignant melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer. It represents only about three percent of all skin cancers diagnosed but is responsible for the most deaths. That’s because of its tendency to spread to other parts of the body, including vital organs. But when diagnosed early, its five-year survival rate is 99 percent.
  • The most preventable cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, either from the sun or from artificial sources like tanning beds.
  • About 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 85 percent of melanoma cases are associated with exposure to UV radiation.
  • One bad sunburn in childhood doubles the risk for melanoma later in life. Having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma. A single indoor tanning session increases your risk of melanoma by 20 percent.
  • Even if it’s cool and cloudy, you still need protection, because ultraviolet (UV) light can penetrate clouds.

Odd Skin Cancer Facts

There are other facts about skin cancer that you might never have heard before.

1. For example, did you know that more men than women die of melanoma? The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says that one reason may be that men know less than women about skin cancer and that they use sunscreen less than women do.

Men’s skin is also more prone to penetration by UV rays than women’s because they have thicker skin with less fat beneath. A man’s skin also contains more collagen and elastin, making men’s skin more likely to be damaged by UV light.

2. On the other hand, one study found a greater association between white wine consumption and a higher risk of melanoma in women. Those who drink a glass of white wine each day showed a 13 percent increased risk of invasive melanoma (meaning it’s gone deeper than the top layer of skin), while those who drank the most white wine had an increased risk of 50 percent or higher than those who don’t drink any alcohol.

3. UV rays can penetrate glass in windows, both at home and in the car. This helps explain why left-sided facial cancers, especially in men, are more common. It’s all about the position we drive in, with the left side of the body exposed to more UV light. Windshields are treated to block UV rays, but side, back and sunroof windows aren’t. Also, be aware that UV rays can not only penetrate glass, but also can “bounce” under beach umbrellas and reflect off of concrete surfaces.

4. It’s extremely rare for a mole to transform into a melanoma, according to Dr. Ashfaq Marghoob, a dermatologist with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. While melanoma can develop in a preexisting mole, nearly 70 percent do not. At the same time, the presence of many moles can identify those who are at an increased risk for developing melanoma somewhere else on their skin.

That’s why it’s important to apply sunscreen to all parts of the body.

“Some people use sunblock only where they have moles because they think the moles themselves are dangerous,” he says.

5. Caffeine may protect against skin cancer. One study found that women who drank more than three cups of coffee daily were 21 percent less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of skin cancer. Men were 10 percent less likely to develop BCC.

6. Melanomas are not necessarily brown. Some have no color or are pink or appear as simple bumps on the skin. That’s why it’s important not to try to diagnose skin cancer on your own.

“Be aware of isolated or pink spots, especially if the spot looks different than any other marks on the skin,” Marghoob says. “Pay attention to any spot or mark that has an uneven texture, shape, border, or distribution of colors,” he added. “In addition, any spot that has changed in some way should prompt a visit to your doctor.”

Avoiding Skin Cancer

To avoid getting skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S. and around the world, the AAD recommends these steps.

  • Seek shade. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If your shadow appears to be shorter than you are, stay in the shade as much as possible.
  • Wear sun-protective clothing, such as a lightweight long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection. For more effective protection, choose clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label.
  • Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing. Broad-spectrum sunscreen provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

If you have any questions about how to protect yourself from the sun or notice new or suspicious spots on your skin or any spots that are changing, itching, or bleeding, let us know.

Is Exercise Better Than Drugs for Mental Health?

, , , , , Concierge Medicine, Health Basics, Healthy Living, Lifestyle, Preventative Health, Uncategorized

If our primary care concierge doctors in Jupiter could prescribe a single treatment for a host of different health concerns, it would be exercise.

For example, one study published in the journal BMJ compared exercise alone versus drug therapy alone and found that for heart disease, diabetes control or prevention, stroke rehabilitation, and treatment of heart failure, regular physical exercise was just as effective as prescription medications in treating many of these conditions.

And according to the Mayo Clinic, some of the disorders that benefit from regular exercise include:

  • Heart disease – In addition to strengthening the heart muscle and lowering blood pressure, exercise can help you be more active without experiencing chest pain or other symptoms.
  • Diabetes – Regular exercise can not only help insulin more effectively lower your blood sugar level, but also help control weight and boost energy.
  • Asthma – Exercise has been shown to control the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.
  • Back pain – Regular low-impact aerobic exercise can help increase the strength of your back muscles and improve endurance and muscle function.
  • Arthritis – Exercise is the primary approach to reduce pain, help maintain muscle strength in affected joints and reduce joint stiffness.

What About the Brain?

It makes sense, then, that the benefits of exercise would also impact the brain.

And that’s just what a new study, published in February in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, revealed. Researchers from the University of South Australia correlated data from 1,039 studies involving more than 128,000 volunteers.

They found that physical activity was 1.5 times more effective for managing depression than either counseling or the leading medications typically prescribed for the disease.

The review showed that exercise interventions that were 12 weeks or shorter were the most effective at reducing mental health symptoms, showing how quickly physical activity can make a difference, Science Daily reported.

“Our review shows that physical activity interventions can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in all clinical populations,” lead researcher Dr. Ben Singh said in a statement.

“We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercises such as walking, resistance, training, Pilates, and yoga,” he said. 

“Importantly, the research shows that it doesn’t take much for exercise to make a positive change to your mental health.”

Even a Little Bit Helps

This last finding is important because one of the hallmarks of depression is a lack of energy. So asking them to engage in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week is akin to asking them to climb a mountain with a broken leg.

Another study, published this month in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, offers similar reassurance that any regular movement can make a difference.

For this study, the researchers looked at 15 studies involving more than 190,000 subjects.

They found that people who engaged in brisk walking for a total of 2.5 hours a week had a lower risk of depression than those who didn’t exercise at all. 

“Most benefits are realized when moving from no activity to at least some,” the study authors wrote. 

“Our findings, therefore, have important new implications for health practitioners making lifestyle recommendations, especially to inactive individuals who may perceive the currently recommended target [of 2.5 hours a week] as unrealistic,” they added.

How Does it Work?

There are several reasons exercise has such a positive effect on depression and anxiety, according to Dr. Antonia Baum, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University, who was not involved in these studies.

It can improve blood circulation to the brain and have a positive impact on inflammation and the body’s immune response, she told U.S. News, noting the connection between heart health and depression. There may also be intangible benefits such as getting stronger or feeling empowered or gaining a sense of well-being.

Yet another recent meta-review of 41 studies involving 2,265 people with depression found that almost any type of exercise substantially reduces symptoms of depression, The Washington Post reported.

“We found large, significant results,” said study leader Andreas Heissel, an exercise scientist at the University of Potsdam in Germany.

Although more exercise produced greater results, “Something is better than nothing,” Heissel noted.

Small Moves

Jennifer Heisz, a neuroscientist and an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, who was not involved in these studies, was even more encouraging.

“Any movement, every movement, every step counts,” she told U.S. News.

“It doesn’t have to be as much as you need for physical health,” she added. “You can get by with half of that, and this is very consistent with the literature.”

Heisz suggested that people try to move a little every day, even if it’s just a five- or 10-minute walk, or a two-minute movement break every half hour for those who sit all day.

“That’s how simple we need to get, especially for people who are not moving at all, and to acknowledge that there is this additional barrier of motivation for people who are suffering from depression,” she said.

One final word: It’s important not to try to treat depression yourself. We can help guide you through different approaches or even recommend other professionals that can help.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself, dial or text the new national suicide hotline number 988 for immediate help.

Zero-Calorie Sweetener Linked to Heart Attacks, Strokes

Concierge Medicine, Health Basics, Medications, Nutrition, Preventative Health

You may have heard the expression, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” It means that few things are actually free; there’s often a hidden cost to “freebies.”

Our concierge primary care doctors in Jupiter were reminded of that saying when we heard the results of a new study on the sugar substitute erythritol, popular in keto diets, which suggested it can cause an increase in strokes and heart attacks.

The Study

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic evaluated more than 4,000 Americans and Europeans who were being evaluated for heart disease. The results, published last month in the journal Nature Medicine, showed that those with the highest blood concentration of the artificial sweetener erythritol were at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke in the following three years.

The researchers examined the subjects’ blood platelets—the type of blood cell that sticks together to form blood clots—and found those with the highest level of erythritol showed increased platelet activity, thereby encouraging the greater formation of clots. Clots in the bloodstream have the potential to cause heart attacks or strokes when they block the normal flow of blood.

The researchers also injected mice with erythritol and found that clots formed more quickly after an injury than those who had been injected with saline.

Finally, they took blood samples from subjects who had consumed an erythritol-sweetened drink and found levels of the sweetener remained high for two days.

“Every way we looked at it, it kept showing the same signal,” Stanley Hazen, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, who also directs the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Microbiome and Human Health, told The New York Times.

“People are trying to do something healthy for themselves but inadvertently may be doing harm,” he told the paper.

About Erythritol

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol like xylitol and sorbitol and is found naturally in many fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods. It is also manufactured artificially for use in food products.

It has become more popular than earlier types of artificial sweeteners because it has no lingering aftertaste, doesn’t spike blood sugar, and doesn’t cause the laxative effect common with other such additives.

USA Today reports that it is added to many processed foods and beverages and is commonly found in products aimed at those on the keto diet because it does not affect blood glucose. It is also an ingredient in the sweetener Truvia.

“Erythritol looks like sugar, it tastes like sugar, and you can bake with it,” Hazen told CNN.

“It’s become the sweetheart of the food industry, an extremely popular additive to keto and other low-carb products and foods marketed to people with diabetes,” he added.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists erythritol as generally recognized as safe or GRAS. Therefore, it is not required to be listed on a product’s ingredient list, according to Hazen. The label might simply say, “artificially sweetened with natural products,” or “zero sugar.”

Other Research

Robert Rankin, executive director of the Calorie Control Council, an association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, told USA Today that the people in the study were at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), so the results shouldn’t be applied to the general population.

“The results of this study are contrary to decades of scientific research showing reduced-calorie sweeteners like erythritol are safe,” he said.

But other studies have raised the question about the safety of erythritol.

For example, Karsten Hiller, a biochemist, and specialist in human metabolism at the Braunschweig Institute of Technology in Germany published a paper in 2017 showing that Cornell University freshmen whose blood contained high levels of erythritol gained more weight than students with low levels, the USA Today reported. Which kind of defeats the purpose of using an artificial sweetener.

“Science needs to take a deeper dive into erythritol and in a hurry, because this substance is widely available right now,” Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health, a hospital in Denver, told CNN. Freeman was not involved in Hazen’s research.

Hazen agreed.

“I normally don’t get up on a pedestal and sound the alarm,” he told CNN.

“But this is something that I think we need to be looking at carefully,” he added.

Eating Healthier

Artificial sweeteners in general have been called into question by numerous studies. For example, a 2020 study by a group of Yale researchers found that those who used the artificial sweetener sucralose (found in the brand names Splenda, Zerocal, and others) can result in high blood sugar levels in the blood. The Washington Post reports that sucralose is found in thousands of consumer-packaged goods such as baked goods, yogurt, canned soups, condiments, and syrups.

Another study at the Weizmann Institute of Science last year looked at what happened to subjects who consumed aspartame, saccharine, stevia, or sucralose in amounts well below the FDA’s daily allowances. The researchers found that these sweeteners caused changes in both the function and composition of the participants’ gut microbiomes, the communities of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in the intestines, The Post reported.

There’s no question that artificial sweeteners are hard to avoid these days. And we keep trying to have our sugar without paying the price.

But for the sake of your long-term health, we recommend sticking as closely as possible to fresh, natural, unprocessed foods and beverages.

What to Know About Infant Vaccines

, , , , , , Children, Concierge Medicine, Vaccinations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated this week National Infant Immunization Week (April 25-May 2) to raise awareness of the importance of childhood vaccines. This annual observance highlights the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases.

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illness children

COVID-19 Drop Causing Another Illness in Children

Children, Concierge Medicine, Disease

Our primary care doctors in Delray Beach want to advise you of an unforeseen and unfortunate consequence of the drop in cases of COVID-19: an increase in another illness among children.

Those who are vaccinated—as well as those who aren’t—are mingling more in public without masks. Social distancing is now almost a thing of the past as many have come to believe the pandemic is over. (It isn’t, since just under half of Americans are fully vaccinated for the virus.) This change in behavior is leading to a rise in one particularly serious illness in children, RSV.

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