Author: Greenville Womans Care

If you had to turn in your health homework, what grade would you expect?  Did you get an “A” for effort, or did you earn a solid “C,” so think about it.  How well do you attend to your own health and wellness?  Do you take the time to get your physical and go to the dentist?  If so, were you told you needed to change your habits or seek necessary screenings like a colonoscopy?  Do you eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and sleep well?  The bottom line, do you feel your best?  I challenge you no matter the grade you would expect to receive this year, how will you change your study habits to score better?  You see, there is already daily ongoing research being done about your health and Society as a whole.  Did you know an actual report card is published on the Internet about us?  It is a measure not only of our longevity, but our form and function as well.  This information is used to know where we are and where we need to go to reach our best state of health across all people.

Thanks to the Center for Women’s Health Research at UNC, we have a report of the current state of health of North Carolina Women.  This information is used to compare us to goals that are set nationally to ready Health People 2020 goals.  Information of all females over age 18 is reported. You may be thinking, what are they looking at?  How are we graded?

Continue reading “How do you score on your health report card?”

I speak about lifestyle and heart healthy habits on a daily basis when seeing women in my Practice.    I am looking out for the #1 killer that sieges the lives of American women each year.  Can you guess?  Heart disease.  Now is the time to remind us women to be hearty healthy.  You may see women wearing lots of red during the month of February, so break out your red wardrobe and wear it proudly to raise awareness.

We all heard about the ways to live a healthy life, but have we ever learned to how to actually do it?  The culture and lifestyle of an American is fast…fast-paced, fast-food and we certainly are very spoiled in this nation to have most everything at our fingertips…even the remote!  Our lifestyle however has trade-offs and one unfortunate trade-off is our health.  A life without activity, wholesome food and rest leads to obesity, a weakened heart and body and feeling as if you could easily fall flat out.  We do not have to accept this as Americans….Heart disease is a PREVENTABLE killer, but we have to make a mindful effort to stop it in its tracks.
Continue reading “February, the perfect time to be near and dear to your heart!”

New Year and You……what is your New Year’s resolution?  I have to talk about a very important topic to our Society – Obesity.  This is a time of year where health and wellness enjoys a captive audience.  Obesity has been a topic in Medicine for over 2000 years.  In the 19th century, only 3% of the population was overweight. Today it is estimated that 35 to 60% of children, adolescents and the adult population is overweight or obese. The percentage varies along with the honesty of our self – reporting.  Why? 

Our food and lifestyles have changed. Food today has far less nutritional value and certainly high in fat. Many foods are processed and have added ingredients to make our brains think it tastes great, therefore we eat more. Our modern lifestyle is also less active and more sedentary, resulting in weight gain. We sit constantly, at our desk, in our cars, watching our children participate in activities, watching television, reading or working on our computers.

Continue reading “New Year and You”

Ladies, let’s talk about stress or worry.  Have you ever worried or stressed about anything?  If so, what about?  Is there a time when you have ever not worried or stressed?  Worry or stress is partly a natural cerebral function that raises your sense of awareness, helps you navigate difficult situations, process and complete tasks and even keeps you and your family out of trouble.  The emotions of worry or stress can however, take your body by siege and render a palm- sweating, chest-tightening moment where you feel that your world is falling down around you – it can make you feel like you are going to die!  Such emotions becomes pathologic when it starts to affect how you feel or function and may even affect relationships and daily life.  Sound familiar?  If so, it is important stop and figure your emotions out.  Is what your feeling truly just worry or something else?  What you perceive as stress or worry may really be a medical condition that requires treatment.  You see, we as women are twice as likely as our male counter parts to develop psychiatric conditions like Panic disorder, Excessive worry, Anxiety and/or Depression.  I say “and/or” as Anxiety and Depression most commonly often coexist.  Continue reading “Stressed out? Take Time to Evaluate Your Emotions”

November is a time to give thanks, a time to remember all the good that happened over the last year and it starts the holiday season for a time with family.  We all look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas with family gatherings.  I have one special mission for you this holiday season…get to know your family and specifically your family medical history.  What do you know about your family history? Continue reading “Give Thanks for Knowing Your Family’s Health History”

I discuss smoking habits on a daily basis with Patients as we KNOW it adversely affects one’s health and vitality.  The talk about quitting is not an easy subject. I see Patients struggle, yet even with a strong emotional desire to quit, it is near impossible to quit physically.  The bottom line, when our body becomes used to a substance, it begins to fall in the category of dependence or addiction.  To be frank, nicotine is said to be the most addictive substance in our society and is a current hot topic with the trend of Alternative Nicotine Use. Continue reading “E-cigarettes Anyone?”

Vitamin D has been the subject of debate with respect to its role in our health and its surveillance for years. You may have talked about it at your annual physical and likely have been tested already. It is no argument that we must have Vitamin D in our bodies; however there are several questions that remain unanswered per its role in our health. In June 2014, the United States Preventative Task Force released a statement to the public stating there was insufficient evidence to weigh the benefits and harms of screening for Vitamin D deficiency to improve health outcomes in those who have no symptoms. They are questioning, not recommending against, if it is beneficial to test someone for Vitamin D deficiency if otherwise healthy and without complaint or risk factors. Would this screening prevent diseases? Would finding a low Vitamin D level be helpful to treat? Would screening cause harm? Research is underway to seek out the answers, and assure these answers are backed by scientific evidence. Continue reading “Got Vitamin D?”

What does summer mean to you?  When I think of summer, it brings on a warm, relaxed sense of well being, reminiscent of times dancing in the sand, listening to good ole’ beach music and enjoying a Jimmy Buffet state-of-mind.  When summer rolls around, I look back on those winter months and think, “Why don’t I feel this way year round and why am I not as active?”  After being indoors all winter, and feeling starved of sunlight, we look forward to the summer months of fresh air and activities.  It is a bright and active time of year – filled with endless opportunities to focus on self, friends and family.  Bottom line, summer is a time when I feel better and balanced in my own skin.  Can you relate?  Do you feel most balanced this time of year or are you able to find balance year round?  I applaud you, if your sense of balance and well-being has not become seasonal like mine. Continue reading “Summer – a time to re-energize and find balance!!!”