Navigating Healthcare: A Guide to Modern Medicine and Wellness

Diet and exercise

Cosmetic Treatments for Wrinkles

Things You Can Do To Prevent Aging

A variety of factors contribute to the skin’s natural aging process. But there are also a number of variables, which individuals cannot control such as genetics and environment. The natural aging process is nearly impossible to stop; with time, all complexions will begin to reveal blemishes, wrinkles, creases, and imperfections from a once radiant appearance. This process is called “intrinsic aging” and is largely influenced by our genes, making it near impossible to predict or prevent. Meanwhile, environmental factors such as sun exposure, air pollution and living conditions, coupled with lifestyle factors like diet and stress all contribute to premature aging.

It is not uncommon for both men and women to inquire about anti-aging treatment methods as early as their late twenties and early thirties. Some seek treatment to reverse or halt the aging process, while others contact a dermatologist about precautionary measures to avoid treatments later. Fortunately, there are treatment options to choose from plumping to tightening, which helps give the appearance of flawless, glowing skin. To help rejuvenate and turn back your body’s clock, consider the following affordable, non-cosmetic approaches that can make a significant impact on improving skin’s health, radiance and elasticity.

Good carbs vs. bad carbs

What Is a Healthy Diet?

Most Americans get very little nutrition in their daily diets. According to the President’s Council on Fitness, the typical American diet exceeds the recommended intake limits in four categories, including fats and added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, and refined grains. It also reports that most Americans eat less than the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, and 90% of all Americans eat more sodium than what is recommended for a healthy diet. However, perhaps what is most shocking is that the average calorie consumption has increased by 600 calories per day in the past four decades! If one of your goals this year is to eat a healthier diet, here are some tips for living a healthy life that will help you make better decisions every day from here on out so that you can look forward to a long and healthy future.

How Vitamins Work

How Do Vitamins Work?

Most of us are looking for daily health tips that will help us maintain good health. That’s why millions of Americans take vitamins on a regular or at least semi-regular basis. In fact, vitamin use is so prevalent in our society that vitamin sales top 12 billion dollars annually, with their numbers growing daily. Vitamin C, vitamin A, B complex, multivitamins, women’s vitamins, men’s vitamins … the list seems endless. But what benefits are we getting from our vitamins? Are there multiple benefits from each? And does age or gender really matter when it comes to the vitamins you take? Of questions, there are many. Following is a list of the most important vitamins and how each works in the body.

What Is an Intragastric Balloon?

ORBERA BalloonAn intragastric (or gastric) balloon is an inflatable medical device used to aid in weight loss. In a non-invasive medical procedure, the intragastric balloon is placed into the stomach on a temporary basis in selected obese or overweight patients when diet and exercise have failed. One such device is the ORBERA Intragastric Balloon, which is made of soft silicone. The ORBERA Intragastric Balloon can be beneficial to patients because it stays in the stomach temporarily, about six months, during which time it encourages a patient to eat a healthier diet. Following is more information from top gastroenterologists in Queens regarding the ORBERA Intragastric Balloon that may assist you in making an informed decision concerning this noninvasive weight loss surgery.  If you are interested in learning more about non invasive weight loss procedures contact a gastroenterologist near you.

healthy breakfast ideas

You Are What You Eat

There’s an old saying that “you are what you eat”, if that is true, you want to put the most healthful foods into your body to ensure that you stay in optimum health.  Your diet plan should be diverse, with a wide variety of nutrients and healthful substances, and, of course, you want your meals and snacks to be tasty as well.  That’s a tall order isn’t it?  But, if you follow the Government guidelines and select your meals from each of the major food groups, your reward will be good health the rest of your life.

Natural Ways to Reduce Depression

The world is a scary place, with domestic and international terrorism events, mass shootings, unrest and volatility.  Many people have decided to stay close to home – no more venturing out for the activities they once enjoyed in such public venues like sports stadiums, or even fireworks shows.  Others have stopped crossing exotic locales off their bucket list, as they fear traveling to foreign countries.

While many of us can accept that this is the world in which we live now, still others have their own personal demons, so today’s current events only exacerbate an underlying condition like depression.  While some people strive to keep a disorder like depression to themselves, others elect to see a doctor for psychotherapy, and/or take medication to help them keep their life in balance.  Unfortunately, medication is not always the answer for one who has symptoms of depression, and, it is important that the medication be tailored specifically to them, and the medicine-taking regimen be strictly adhered to.  For example, going off the medication on a whim or under-dosing of the prescribed meds might cause emotional problems; on the other hand, overdosing is equally problematic.  We are all too aware of the statistics on drug-induced accidents, violence, or even suicide, as a result of prescription drug-taking gone horribly wrong.

Health Benefits of Whole Grains

whole grainsIf you are of a certain age, you remember eating white Wonder bread as a kid.  Kids liked that soft squishy bread that Mom piled high with peanut butter and jelly.  Back in the 60s, the catch phrase for white Wonder Bread was “Wonder helps build strong bodies 12 ways” because this bread was chock full of nutrients.  Through the years, Wonder Bread has added to their product line, so, in addition to the classic white bread, you can now get the same texture of bread but in whole grain.  Mom is doubly happy to serve it to the kids and it still has that same moist texture that kids loved.

How to Prevent Diabetes

Prevent DiabetesThough most of us enjoy good health, we should never take it for granted.  Always there is the fear of the unknown, something catastrophic that would take our good health away and that is the scariest notion.  Like the Zika virus for instance.  Or last year’s widespread flu epidemic since the virulent virus did not match the flu serum for the 2014-2015 flu season.

But how about type 2 diabetes?  While it is not classified as an infectious or communicable disease, the incidence of adult-onset diabetes is growing at an alarming rate, even showing up in teens and children.  It is estimated that more than 29 million Americans have diabetes; unbelievably, about 8 million don’t even know they have the disease.

Healthy Eating Tips for Summer

Healthy Eating Tips for SummerFrom the Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend, sometimes it is all one big food fest, isn’t it?  There are picnics and barbeques and family get-togethers galore.  Most of these events involve potluck meals, with everyone toting along a different dish.  Of course you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so you have to try everyone’s special dish, and before long, you feel overstuffed and want to undo your clothes.

Unfortunately, some fattening picnic fare, like creamy potato or macaroni salads, not only pack on the pounds, but can be detrimental to your health, should they sit out in warm weather for too long, because then you could risk getting food poisoning.  So, to avoid getting contaminated by food spoilage in cold salads containing mayonnaise, thwart those problems and be kind to your waistline by substituting salads like three-bean, baked beans or coleslaw with a vinaigrette dressing instead.

If you are planning a day at the beach, do yourself and your loved ones a favor and follow the suggestions below on the best way to transport and keep your food at the recommended chilled temperature, plus safeguard against food poisoning once the food has been cooked and served.

How to Reduce Acid Reflux

Reduce Acid RefluxMost people have had heartburn every now and again. It’s that painful, burning feeling you get in your chest that usually occurs after you’ve eaten something you likely know you shouldn’t have. It can also happen when you’ve overindulged in a food that wouldn’t normally give you heartburn … if only you’d eaten it in moderation. Occasional heartburn isn’t considered a medical problem. It’s when you start experiencing that painful, burning sensation on a regular or recurring basis that it can turn into a health concern. That’s when it turns from an infrequent occurrence to a medical condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), more commonly referred to as ‘acid reflux.’ Acid reflux not only can cause discomfort and pain that can eventually become severe. It can also take a chunk out of your active lifestyle that you’re not willing to give. Top gastroenterologists  recommend taking some of the following steps toward reducing acid reflux in order to reduce the pain and additional symptoms that can accompany this medical condition.