15 Feb

The Importance of Annual Physicals

Everyone understands the necessity of going to see your doctor when you are ill, but have you considered annual physicals? Annual physicals are an important part of maintaining your overall health. These yearly checkups are so important that many health insurance companies are now offering incentives for those who complete them. Annual physicals are important for many reasons.

Addressing Concerns

You may have some concerns about your health that don’t seem important enough for a special visit to your doctor. This doesn’t mean that you can’t get those concerns addressed. An annual physical is a great time to talk to your doctor about how to lose weight, quit smoking, get healthier, or address chronic pain or headaches. Your doctor can give you referrals and resources, and occasionally medications, to help with these general health concerns.

Early Detection of Medical Conditions

Some medical conditions have few symptoms in the early stages. It may be that you are experiencing symptoms of high blood pressure, diabetes, or other medical conditions without realizing it. A part of your annual physical is routine lab workups and blood pressure checks to detect these types of medical conditions in the early stages. Many medical conditions are more easily treated and controlled when they are detected early.

Assessing Medical Risks

There are some health factors that contribute to your risk of diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and other serious medical conditions. During your annual physical, your doctor will examine you and ask you about your lifestyle and medical history. This will allow them to accurately assess your risk for these medical conditions and provide you with advice and resources to mitigate your risk and keep you healthy.

If you haven’t had your annual physical yet this year, contact our offices to schedule an appointment. We look forward to assisting you in preventative medicine to keep you healthy for years to come.

15 Dec

Get Healthy in 2019 With the Elimination Diet

Are you one of the millions of Americans dealing with a chronic condition like migraines, joint pain, or ongoing fatigue? Most of us have at least one condition holding us back from enjoying an optimal quality of life, but we rarely identify the true cause of our chronic issues.

The truth is, your eczema or chronic inflammation isn’t just the result of stress or bad luck. Your eating habits could be causing and dictating their health concerns. If you find yourself experiencing any ongoing health issues, but don’t know their root cause, the elimination diet is for you.

An Introduction to the Elimination Diet

The elimination diet is designed to reveal and identify food intolerances and sensitivities that could be causing problematic symptoms like migraines, fatigue, inflammation, weight gain, and more. Food intolerances have become dramatically more prevalent over the last decade due to the growing contamination of foods and beverages with artificial ingredients, GMOs, and other dangerous components. Read More

15 Nov

The Real Reasons You Need a Prebiotic

You probably know that taking a probiotic boosts your immune system by strengthening the good bacteria in your gut. But did you know that prebiotics are also important to your overall health?

Achieving good health isn’t just about killing the bad bacteria in your body; it’s about supporting and nurturing the billions of good bacteria that help your body function optimally. Here’s what you should know about adding a prebiotic to your daily routine, especially during the winter when illnesses are most prevalent!

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are natural food components that aren’t actually digestible in the body. Instead of being digested, prebiotics promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut as they pass through. They are a special form of dietary fiber that act as fertilizer for the good bacteria in your body. Unlike other nutrients and probiotics, they can’t be harmed or threatened by heat, cold, acid, or time. This allows prebiotics to stimulate numerous health benefits, even in people who are already relatively healthy. Read More

15 Oct

The MTHFR Gene Mutation: Why It Matters For Your Body

You probably don’t think about folate much on a regular basis. Most people know folate is some type of nutrient, but not much more. However, for people living with the MTHFR gene mutation, folate plays a very significant role in their overall health.

Even if you’ve never heard of the MTHFR gene mutation, it could potentially be affecting your health and causing your unsolved health problems. If you are showing signs of the gene mutation, are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant, the MTHFR test is a very valuable tool that can help you improve your health. Here’s what you should know!

What Is MTHFR?

MTHFR is an enzyme that helps the body use folate, also known as vitamin B9, in the way it is intended. Folate is uniquely different than its synthetic form, folic acid. Folate is critical nutrient in the body because it assists with DNA synthesis and repair, encourages cell and tissue growth, supports normal fetal development in pregnant women, and even promotes sperm viability in men. The importance of folate to a healthy body and developing baby cannot be underestimated. Read More

15 Sep

3 Tips For Coping With Fall Allergies

Fall should be a pleasant time to enjoy the cooler weather, but for people who suffer from seasonal allergies, it’s just a period of misery. It doesn’t help that common over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications have nasty side effects and leave you feeling even worse than you did to begin with. If you want real relief, you need to consider giving alternative and natural remedies a try.

Essential Oils

Essential oils contain potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help the body fight off the histamines that produce your allergic reactions! Lavender essential oil has a number of properties that can relieve your allergy symptoms, and the chemical constituents of Peppermint essential oil also have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that soothe respiratory reactions.

Lemon and Roman Chamomile are two other essential oils that will increase blood circulation, clear away congestion, and relieve irritation. Roman Chamomile is even safe enough to use on infants when diluted! Blend these in your diffuser or dilute them and dab them on your skin in order to enjoy their benefits. Read More

15 Aug

The Importance of an Alkaline Body

Does your body feel off-balance? Perhaps you are overwhelmed by fatigue or confused by your migraine headaches. You might blame age or stress for your health issues, but the truth is that most chronic conditions begin when the body is no longer alkaline.

More and more people are starting to acknowledge the role of an alkaline body in avoiding common ailments. So what exactly is alkalinity, and how can you achieve it in your body?

What Does It Mean to Be Alkaline?

Alkaline is the opposite of acidic on a pH scale. Conventional Western medicine rarely takes pH into consideration, but it plays a vital role in health. Most of us don’t realize that a chronic pH imbalance will leave our bodies weak and susceptible to disease. The foods and drinks you choose each day directly influence the amount of acid in your body. Soda, for example, is very acidic, so a heavy soda drinker will struggle to neutralize that acid in the body. Read More

15 Jul

How Can Resveratrol Keep You Young?

Resveratrol has gained a reputation as an essential ingredient to ongoing health, but do you know why? Ongoing research continues to reveal the benefits of resveratrol and its abilities to protect and enhance your health. Learn why and stock up on your own resveratrol now.

Reduce Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress is Enemy Number One in your body. It occurs when the production of free radicals in your body is higher than your system’s ability to counteract them. Just like oxidation is responsible for the rust on your bike after it’s left in the rain, oxidation also has terrible impacts on the body.

You can blame oxidation for prematurely aging skin, cancer, and everything in-between. This is exactly why resveratrol is so valuable! As a potent antioxidant, resveratrol combats oxidative stress to protect cells from being damaged. Read More

17 Jun

Signs You Need More Vitamin B12

Exhaustion is a sensation that most of us have accepted as a fact of life. Between busy work schedules, demanding social obligations, financial stresses, housework, and everything in between, it’s no mystery why most people drop into bed completely exhausted at the end of the day.

However, you shouldn’t have to cope with this chronic feeling of fatigue. Even with a busy schedule, the right nutrition can help you push through the day with the energy you need. If you find it difficult to maintain your daily tasks, you could be suffering from a vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 plays many vital roles in the body, and without enough of it, the body simply cannot function at the level your schedule requires. Read More

19 May

Everything You Should Know about the New FDA-Approved Migraine Drug

Suffering from migraines is a serious health problem suffered by 39 million Americans. Migraine symptoms like nausea and throbbing pain actually disable 1 in 5 people who get them. These people are forced to call off from work, cancel plans with friends, and writhe in pain until the migraine finally ends.

It is possible that the FDA just transformed the ability for migraine sufferers to seek relief by approving Aimovig, the first in a new class of migraine drugs that aim to fight migraines before they start. If you have multiple migraine days a month, this medication could change your life. Read More

19 Apr

Why Do You Need an Internist to Protect Your Health?

Internal medicine physicians rise to the challenge of caring for patients by providing broad and comprehensive care. Internists specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating chronic diseases while also promoting and supporting ongoing health. If you value your health and wellness, don’t overlook the importance of having an internal medicine physician on your side.

The Value of an Internist Read More