February is American Heart Month, so your concierge medical doctors at MD 2.0 Jupiter, FL, want to remind you that heart disease is America’s number one killer, and as much as 70% of heart disease can be controlled.
When actress Carrie Fisher died in January, her mother, Debbie Reynolds, took it especially hard.
“I just want to be with Carrie,” Todd Fisher said were his mother’s last words. Reynolds, 84, died the day after her daughter’s death, reportedly of a stroke.
Was this just a sad coincidence, or can grief really kill a person? Actually, it can, either quickly, as in Reynolds’ case, or over a relatively brief period of time.
No one is sure when peanut allergies began to rise in children, nor can anyone say what causes them. Doctors, including the concierge physicians at MD 2.0 Jupiter, began to see a rise in the 1980s, which then soared into the 1990s and beyond.
You’ve heard the old expression, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Well, your concierge physicians at MD 2.0 Jupiter wouldn’t go that far; apples are definitely good for you, and are certainly part of the balanced diet you need to stay healthy. But if you really wish to reap a host of health benefits at low risk and even lower cost, consider taking an aspirin a day.
There’s no getting around it: It’s that time of year. Even here in South Florida, colds peak through the winter months. And of course you’ve heard the old saying: “They can put a man on the moon, but they can’t cure the common cold.” It’s true. We can’t. So the second-best alternative is to avoid them altogether.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that adults average two or three colds per year, with even more in children. It also notes that most people contract their colds during winter and spring, but that colds are a year-round curse. They’re the main reason people miss school and work, according to the CDC.
Feeling kind of blah lately? Not as much energy as you had all summer? Not so willing to drag yourself to parties, or even out of bed? What about swimming? Tennis? Volleyball? Can’t think of even one good reason to chase a little white ball around with a stick when they couldn’t keep you off the course all spring and summer?
Maybe you’re depressed. Or maybe you’re just normal. We here at MD 2.0 Jupiter often begin to notice a subtle change in many of our clients around this time of year, even here in Florida, where we don’t have to face the extreme plunges in temperature. Nothing serious, just a little less enthusiasm, a bit less cheerfulness, a little less energy. Carb cravings and changes in sleep patterns are also a part of the syndrome. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but if you’re feeling something less than your usual perky self, rest assured there’s a scientific reason for it.
It has several names: “winter depression,” “seasonality,” “seasonal affective disorder (SAD),” but the fact is, researchers have determined that the shorter days in winter are the chief cause of winter blues. This likely has an ancient-survival connection, as humans learned to restrict activity when food sources were scarce. Of course, that’s not a problem today, but the tendency may still be hardwired into our biology, and people may experience symptoms on a sliding scale from barely noticeable to full-blown clinical depression.
Your body’s circadian clock, which triggers sleep and wake cycles among other bodily regulatory mechanisms, also decrees the output of serotonin, the so-called “mood” hormone. Studies have revealed that the circadian-related output of serotonin drops markedly with the decrease in light during the winter. This has led to fairly successful attempts to boost the winter mood of sufferers with light-box therapy, which employs specially built full-spectrum lamps to alleviate symptoms.
If you feel the “winter blues” are impacting your life, your concierge practitioners at MD 2.0 Jupiter can help you employ the correct light therapy, prescribe such antidepressants as generic Paxil at a low price and Prozac, or recommend cognitive behavioral therapy. Meanwhile, there are steps you can take to mitigate milder cases.
1. Stay active, preferably outdoors
Exposure to early morning light has been shown to be the most effective at reducing symptoms, as has vigorous exercise. An early morning walk or run might be all you need to boost your spirits.
2. Light up your life
If you can’t get outside, at least let the sunshine in as much as possible. Open blinds and drapes first thing in the morning, and keep them open all day.
3. Eat right
Yes, we’re still singing that same ole song, because it’s important. Simple carbs and sugars wreak havoc with your blood sugar, and hence, your mood. Lean meats, fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates are what your body needs to keep your brain in top shape.
Meanwhile, be sure to let us know if your low mood begins to interfere with your daily functioning. We can help.
Everyone forgets things from time to time, but with publicity these days so focused on Alzheimer’s, even middle-aged people can worry that forgetting their car keys or their mother’s phone number can signal the onset of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is a subset.
Yet there are many other reasons—usually benign—why people have trouble remembering things. Let’s look at a few.
A top contender is side effects from medications. Sometimes the drugs themselves can include memory impairment as a side effect (statins for cholesterol control and some diabetes drugs, for example); other times it’s the combination of drugs that when taken alone are fine but when taken in combination produce unexpected side effects. The concierge physicians here at MD 2.0 Jupiter are prepared to discuss these concerns with any drug you are taking.
Another possible reason for memory impairment is sleep apnea. Along with many other negative effects, obstructive sleep apnea has been associated with spatial navigational memory, the kind that helps you find objects or addresses. ADHD and minor or “silent” strokes can also cause you to have difficulty remembering things. So can anxiety, depression, an underactive thyroid, and poor nutrition, especially low vitamin B12. As we age, it becomes harder to assimilate B12 from foods, which can lead to fuzzy thinking, confusion, even dementia. Please discuss all these possibilities with us.
Often, though, poor memory is simply attributable to the stress of ordinary, day-to-day life. It even happens to younger people. Look at the parents who leave their children in hot cars. Over 30 infants and children have died that way just this year. How could anybody forget their own child, we wonder. And yet, despite all the warnings, all the tricks to help parents prevent this tragedy, it happens over and over.
The answer is simple: information overload. Think of your brain as a large room. If that room has only five items in it, when asked to locate your keys in there, it’s a simple task. But if that room has 5,000 items, or 50,000 or 500,000, you’ll eventually find them, but it’ll take quite a bit longer. This is what happens to our brains as we age. When we’re children, we may have five items in our brains. But as we grow older, we’re now storing everything from our high school locker combinations to our Aunt Sally’s banana cake recipe, not to mention everything we learned in school, have read in books and newspapers, and seen on TV. And these days we’re probably also on the Internet, with its constant bombardment of information. We need to remember how to do math, the date of our niece’s baby shower, and user names and 10-digit passwords for all kinds of things. Is it any wonder our brains take a little longer to find and retrieve a single piece of information, even if we think it should be a simple thing?
The rule of thumb is, if you can’t find your keys, it’s probably nothing. If you forget what your keys are for, that’s a red flag. Either way, if you’re worried, please call us.
Spring break is a fun and memorable time for most people. Whether you are jet-setting to a foreign tropical island or having your own “staycation” here in South Florida, it’s important for you to take care of your health while on Spring Break. Taking care of your health will ensure that you get the most out of your vacation from work and/or school. Below is a list of tips for staying healthy during your break:
Stay hydrated:
You should keep a water bottle with you at all times. Being out in the sun all day can really increase your risk of getting dehydrated. Additionally, if you are drinking alcohol, then you are at an even greater risk for getting dehydrated even faster. Experts recommend drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day. This is equivalent to a half a gallon of water. Keep in mind that it is possible for you to be dehydrated without even feeling thirsty.
Stay active:
Spring break is a great time to get and stay active. Try to get at least 2.5 hours of exercise in per week – that’s just 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Swimming, volleyball, dancing and walking are some of the ways that you can get exercise in your day while enjoying the beautiful springtime weather outdoors!
Wear sunscreen & a hat:
If you will be out in the sun, then it is important to put on sunscreen and a hat! We discussed how to prevent skin cancer in our previous blog post and it’s so important while on Spring Break! You should apply the sunscreen 15 minutes before you go outside and reapply sunscreen every two hours or if you go swimming.
Pack healthy snacks:
Any hotel is going to have a minibar full of indulgent temptations. Resist temptation by packing your own snacks! Nuts and unsweetened dried fruit are portable and nutritious snacks that will help you stay on track during your vacation. Of course we all need to indulge every once in awhile, but seven days in a row will definitely make an impact!
Dry off:
When possible, try to always wear dry clothing. It’s not great for our health to sit around in wet bathing suits. If you’re done with the pool or beach for the day, change into a dry outfit rather than sit around in your wet bathing suit to prevent a possible cold.
We hope you all enjoy your Spring Break!
Living in South Florida is like living in paradise. However, many Americans are at a high risk for skin cancer, and the sunshine state can be a dangerous place if you aren’t careful. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, and there are many different types. From Melanoma to Lymphoma, skin cancer affects thousands of Americans every year. The main cause of skin cancer is over exposure to direct sunlight. This may be hard to accept for those living in South Florida, but it is important to protect your health as best you can. Here are some ways you can alter your lifestyle to avoid developing skin cancer in the future.
Appreciate the shade
The hours between 9 AM and 5 PM are considered the most dangerous. This is when the sun is strongest, which means your chances of overexposure are high. The closer you get to midday, the greater your risk will be. Seek shade whenever spending long hours in the outdoors. At the beach, use an umbrella to shield yourself from the sun’s rays.
Do not use tanning beds
Many living in South Florida like to have a good tan before they start going to the beach. A slight tan is fine, as long as it is natural. Tanning beds are death traps when it comes to skin cancer. In fact, over tanning naturally is just as dangerous. If you feel you need to tan, keep it light and wear sunscreen. Any medical professional will tell you that a dark tan is not worth the risk.
Sunscreen and clothing are crucial
If you cannot avoid direct sunlight for hours every day, you should be using sunscreen that is about 15 SPF. Also wear long sleeve shirts and long pants. This is not popular advice in South Florida, but a long sleeve shirt is the best way to protect your skin when outdoors. There are even shirts designed with SPF within the fabric. Such shirts can be purchased at most dive or surf shops.
Regular checkups with your doctor are important
If you live in South Florida, you are at a higher risk of skin cancer than most other Americans. You should schedule a routine checkup at least once a year. More if you fear you may be at risk or find any unusual new spots on your body.
Skin cancer is no joke. It is responsible for many lives, but most cases could have been prevented with the proper attention and care. It is never too late to start a healthier life!
It always seems to be travel season down in sunny South Florida! Traveling is not only sometimes necessary for business, but a great way to vacation and see the great big world abroad. However, when most people travel, they neglect their health. While traveling we sometimes don’t exercise enough or eat properly, and don’t take proper precautions to avoid infectious diseases that can easily be avoided. Several things can be done to protect the health of travelers. This article is going to cover the top ways to stay healthy while traveling!
Avoid Jet Lag
Jet lag is a disruption of your body’s internal clock that results from quickly traveling into a different time zone. There are several factors that make jet lag worse such as early or late flights. Getting up earlier than normal or getting up late at night to catch a flight can impact your sleep cycle alone. But when it combines with jet lag, the problem becomes worse.
To combat the effects of jet lag, avoid caffeine or alcohol and drink plenty of water. Caffeine and alcohol will further disrupt your sleep cycle, especially since they’re dehydrating. Don’t eat any heavy or salty meals right before a flight, even the night before can impact your trip. Drinking water and staying hydrated will help maintain your energy level. It will also fight the symptoms of jet lag, such as fatigue, headache, and dizziness.
Make Healthy Food Choices
Packing your own snacks and/or making healthy food choices abroad is a great way to stay in your best condition when traveling. Protein bars, nuts, and granola are great to bring on trips – as long as your airline or destination allows them. They will not spoil and they provide vital nutrients for our wellness. Try to avoid fast food restaurants as much as possible, as those meals aren’t filled with the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy!
Protect Against Disease
Airports, airplanes, and hotels are ideal places for germs and infections to spread, and this can present a medical hazard. It is important to take steps to reduce the odds of getting sick while at an airport and on the airplane. Getting a flu shot and taking vitamins is a great way to boost the immune system. A healthy immune system is more likely to fight off infections and reduce the odds of disease. Using hand sanitizer is another great way to stay safe as well as staying hydrated.
Stay Fit
Staying fit while traveling can be a challenge. Many people find it difficult to keep up with their regular workout routine while they’re away from home. However, there are several ways to overcome this. Getting a universal gym membership is one method. Universal gym memberships have locations in most major cities. Travelers can also choose to stay at a hotel that has a gym on the premises. However, it is important that travelers call ahead to find out what equipment the gym has. A walk outdoors is another great option and a great way to see the sights!
It’s easy to stay healthy while traveling if you take the necessary precautions! Safe travels, everyone!
