SavantMD: Health and Wellness

Moderate Alcohol Intake Can Improve Heart Health ~ Wellness & Health Tip

SavantMD — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:50 PST

A French study found that moderate alcohol intake lead to healthier hearts in men.

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Leave it to the French to do a study that finds that moderate, regular alcohol intake among men resulted in overall healthier hearts when compared to those who drank less overall but would binge drink, defined as 5 or more alcoholic drinks per day at least once per week. The study compared several thousand men in France who drank, usually wine, with their meals to men in Ireland where the overall alcohol intake was less but where people were more inclined to binge drink, 9% compared to 0.5% in France. The study controlled for smoking, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and other risks and found that heart problems were more common in binge drinkers and teetotalers compared to regular drinkers. The French scientists did admit that they couldn’t separate the benefits of drinking regularly from the healthy eating habits of their subjects. I think the take home message here is something we’ve already seen that, for those who drink, a glass of wine with a meal daily can have health benefits. If you don’t drink I wouldn’t go out and start drinking just benefit your heart. Drinking can impair your mental and physical function so please don’t drink and drive…or operate heavy machinery, like it says on those prescription bottles. Vive La France!

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Broccolini is a Member of the Cabbage Family & high in Fiber and Iron ~ Health & Nutrition Tip

SavantMD — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:56 PST

Add broccolini to your diet as part of a commitment to fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Broccolini is a green vegetable that comes from the cabbage family and is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, Gai Lan. I was interested to find out that broccolini wasn’t introduced into the United States until 1998. As a member of the cabbage family it is a good source of Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin A, fiber, iron and calcium. It’s grown year round in California so it should be readily available in your supermarket. Remember to keep eating a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and don’t forget to work some broccolini into the mix.

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5 Bad Habits for Your Heart Health ~Wellness & Health Tip

SavantMD — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:00:41 PST

Here are the 5 habits that are most detrimental to your heart health.

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With February being National Heart month I thought I’d just give you a quick reminder about the 5 habits that are most detrimental to your heart health. They are smoking, inactivity, being overweight, eating poorly, and drinking too much alcohol. Now, of course, you could say that they’re all related which is exactly the point. But studies have shown that even changing one of these habits will have significant benefits to your health, ie., live a longer, more comfortable life while avoiding a stroke, heart attack, or diabetes. In an upcoming tip I’ll talk about some specific strategies on how to change these habits for the better.

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5 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health ~ Wellness & Health Tip

SavantMD — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:00:02 PST

5 ways to improve your heart health.

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Ok, to review, the 5 habits that are most detrimental to your heart health are smoking, inactivity, being overweight, eating poorly and drinking too much alcohol. For the first one I know you don’t need me to tell you to stop smoking,…..but I will anyway because it’s so important. Stop smoking. Now for the second one you’re probably thinking ‘be more active’ which is true and I apologize for being the master of the obvious but I’ll try to be a little more specific. Ideally, a vigorous aerobic activity like walking, biking, running, or swimming for 30 minutes five times per week is what you should be doing. In reality, any increase in movement is a good place to start. Get your butt off the couch or away from the computer and move. Regarding weight I think most people know that carrying extra pounds, especially around your midsection, will have a negative impact on your health. To lose weight you need to move more, eat less and eat better. Which leads us to number 4. An easy way to improve your diet is to first drink water, 6-8 8 oz glasses or 1.5-2 liters per day, and to concentrate on eating 5-9 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Also include more whole grains and legumes and lean, grass fed, pasture raised meat, for those who eat meat. And finally, if you drink alcohol limit your intake to 1-2 drinks daily for men, 1 daily for women

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February is National Heart Health Month ~ Heart & Wellness Tip

SavantMD — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:56 PST

february-is-national-heart-health-month-heart-wellness-tip

Heart Disease is preventable so make changes today!!

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February is national heart month so I just wanted to remind you that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the US. Of course, I don’t mean to sound so pessimistic since much of the heart disease that occurs is preventable. Even making small changes in your life like walking more frequently and eating your fruits and vegetables can have a significant impact in improving your health and lowering your risk for heart disease. The idea is to be able to have a long, healthy, and comfortable life and not to become a prisoner of your body.

Helpful Links:

American Heart Month

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Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a Pomelo ~ Nutrition & Wellness Tip

SavantMD — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:00:16 PST

Gong Hey Fat Choy! Pomelos can be found around this time of year and are full of vitamin C. Watch this health and wellness tip to learn more.

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Make Sure Your Doctor Uses A Clean Stethoscope ~ Health & Wellness Tip

SavantMD — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:00:33 PST

A clean stethoscope is essential when seeing a health professional.

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When I was in medical school we had to meet with the infection control nurse to remind us about how infections are transmitted before we started our hospital rotations. And we learned that the two main ways that infections are passed on are by the hands and the stethoscope. Most doctors are good about washing their hands between patients but will often forget to clean their stethoscopes, too. A quick swipe with an antibacterial wipe or gel will get the job done so don’t feel bad about asking your doctors to wipe down their stethoscopes. I will wipe mine between seeing patients.

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Get Some Omega 3 Fatty Acids From Mackerel ~ Health & Nutrition Tip

SavantMD — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:30:18 PST

Holy Mackerel, try some!!

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You may have heard me say that you can lower your cholesterol by eating certain foods like almonds, walnuts, and fatty fish since they have the healthy omega 3 fatty acids that are also anti-cancer antioxidants. Well one of those fatty fish also turns out to be a sustainable one and that’s the mackerel. It can be cooked and eaten in a variety of ways from smoked, grilled to pickled and it’s packed with the aforementioned omega 3′s as well as vitamin D and protein. So have some more fish and make that fish the mackerel. You’ll be doing some good for you and the planet.
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Fast Food & Children ~ Health & Nutrition Tip

SavantMD — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:00:00 PST

In San Francisco a Happy Meal for children will no longer have a toy in it.

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So here in San Francisco a Happy Meal for children will no longer have a toy in it and parents will have to pay 10 cents if they want to get it. Can you legislate health? Certainly a difficult question with lots of opinions but I think the most important point about this whole debate is that obesity, especially childhood obesity, is a real problem in the United States. We eat way too much fat, salt, sugar and starches and many of us get this from fast food. I’m always trying to get my patients to cook more of their own food, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and to stay more active. It’s quality over quantity. If you’re going to have a burger it’s better to make your own from better quality meat and have less of it.

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Symptoms and Treatment of ADHD ~ Health & Wellness Tip

SavantMD — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:00:34 PST

More and more we are seeing adults who are being treated for ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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More and more we are seeing adults who are being treated for ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This disorder is characterized by a lack of focus such that a person can never finish any project or concentrate long enough to complete a task. Depression and insomnia are also commonly seen in people with ADHD also. The treatment is to use medications that are stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall or Conerta. As stimulants these medications can raise a person’s blood pressure and heart rate but can they also increase someone’s risk for heart attacks and strokes? A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests not; that there is no increased risk. This is good news. All the same, for my patients on medication for ADHD I like to check their blood pressures routinely to stay on top of their heart health.

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