Best Edge SEM, Author at Kavita Rao M.D.

15 May

Worst Foods to Eat if You Have Diabetes

Managing diabetes requires a higher level of dedication to a healthy lifestyle than the average person. Therefore, knowing what foods to eat and not to eat is very important, especially when trying to manage type 2 diabetes with diet alone. Unfortunately, many of the foods that diabetics should avoid are commonplace, and refraining is difficult. However, being aware of your body’s nutrition is the first step in any diabetes treatment plan that involves dietary management.

15 Apr

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Causes and Symptoms

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin in the diet typically provided by animal-based proteins like meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products. We need adequate vitamin B12 in the body to produce red blood cells, nerves, and DNA. It can also prevent megaloblastic anemia.

Because vitamin B12 is derived in our diets from animal-based sources, vegetarians, especially vegans, are at higher risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency. People who have had weight-loss surgery are also at a higher risk because the surgery affects the way nutrients are absorbed by the body, reducing the absorption of vitamin B12. Patients with Celiac or Crohn’s disease, which both affect nutrient absorption, are also at high risk of deficiency. Finally, people who take medication for heartburn are at higher risk because the heartburn medication reduces acid in the stomach, which is needed for vitamin B12 absorption.

15 Feb

Should Adults Get Vaccinations?

Vaccinations aren’t just for young children who are building their immune system. They also offer a simple yet effective way for adults to safeguard their health and prevent dangerous illnesses. These three are a few of the most important vaccines for adults to consider.

The Flu Shot

This is the most common vaccination that adults receive. The flu shot is a vaccine that contains an inactivated form of the influenza virus. This allows the body to be introduced to the virus in a safe way that helps the body develop antibodies necessary for protection against infection.

15 Jan

When Should I Start Getting Well Woman Exams?

A woman’s health care has a major influence on her overall physical wellness and quality of life, which is why it is so important to receive well woman exams on a regular basis.

The type of preventative care provided during every well woman exam addresses the most important health concerns for women, from gynecological care to bone density and everything in between. Here’s what you should know about when to start getting well woman exams and how to make the most of your personalized care.

15 Oct

Breast Exams and Mammograms: What Early Screenings Can Tell You

Over 300,000 men and women go through breast cancer every year. With those kinds of numbers, it’s no wonder that we try to be proactive with breast exams and mammograms. These tools allow us to detect changes right away. Any unusual change in the breast is cause for further exploration.

Here are the breast exams etc you should be having:

There are really four different ways that your breasts and breast changes could be measured or monitored. Here are the most common breast exams and when they should be done.

15 Sep

What Traits Make a Good Internal Doctor

An internist is just one of the several types of primary care doctors that you have to choose from. Internists don’t just focus on one part of the life cycle or one disease. Your internist will coordinate your care and help you find healthy solutions that will improve your health and address any conditions.

But what makes a good internal doctor?

Communication

Communication is one of the most important factors when choosing a doctor. You need a doctor who will be able to communicate your diagnosis and treatment options in a way that you can understand. If you have difficulties with science related subjects, you may need a doctor that can really break things down, and not all of them are able.

15 Aug

Why Having One Chronic Disease Management Practitioner Is Vital to Patient Outcomes

When you have one or more chronic illnesses, it can be very frustrating, time consuming, and difficult to stay organized with doctors’ appointments and medications. One of the best things you can do to help you keep things straight and to make sure all of your needs are being met, is to have one chronic disease management healthcare professional that can monitor everything about your health in one picture.

Having one doctor that communicates with all of your specialists has a lot of big advantages that equate better patient outcomes, including better pain management. Here are a few.

15 Jul

Why We Are So Transparent with Our Pricing

When was the last time you visited a doctor and were told up front what you were being charged? Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen very often. Most doctors expect health insurance to foot the bill, and they don’t see any reason to let their patients know how much they are inflating prices for tests and procedures.

But some patients don’t have insurance, or they have insurance but have a hard time getting certain tests or procedures approved. When that happens, patients often end up paying out of pocket. Patients with a large deductible may also be paying out of pocket for the first several visits each year.

15 Jun

Why You Should Take Advantage of Our Patient Portal

Learning a new web app can be a bit frustrating for some, but it really is worth the effort to use our patient portal. The new patient portal was designed to help you monitor, track, and coordinate your health. Here are just a few of the benefits and features of our patient portal.

Manage your own health on your own time

The patient portal lets you see all of your scheduled appointments, your previous appointment history, and records of the reasons for a visit or the treatment administered. You can also schedule an appointment, post a question for the doctor or nurse, and request medication refills.

15 May

Don’t Put Off Your Health for Fear of the Pandemic

There is no doubt that these are scary times; and for the most part, people are pulling together and doing what they can to stop the spread of the coronavirus. While it is important to maintain social distancing and only go out when needed, there are some things that are essential that you should not avoid during quarantine. One of those things is your health.

It can be very tempting to put off healthcare visits that don’t seem important. You might think that a problem is minor and can wait until the situation improves. Unfortunately, sometimes those minor problems can worsen and become major medical issues. It is best to leave that decision up to the medical professionals familiar with how your symptoms might relate to a diagnosis.