Your Health, Your Life

August 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
U.S. Army Medical Research Unit - Improving ma...
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People implicitly trust their doctors partly because they often feel a sense of inferiority when communicating with them. Many feel that since they don’t have the same training, they aren’t qualified to challenge the findings of their physician. Many physicians encourage this dynamic for egotistical reasons and those are probably not the type of doctors your want to be working with. You are responsible for your treatment and what road you choose and it is easier than ever to educate yourself with the easy access to the Internet. Since you are going to live with the outcome, you need to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to your medical care.

Do you wonder about the latest prescription and whether your doctor recommended it because they had thought it fit you and your current condition best? Did you ever wonder that they may have prescribed it because the pharmaceutical companies sent them paper pads with the name of the drug on it and it came first to mind? These are questions to ask yourself when considering who you are going to employ as your doctor. Studies have shown that when presented with a difficult diagnosis, an optimistic and seemingly knowledgeable physician gives much more reassurance to the patient and their loved ones which translates to higher positive results. Those who are pessimistic and prescribe drastic treatments while scoffing at other possible methods have much more depressed patients who don’t fare as well. When presented with a trying situation, do not be afraid to get two, three, or even twenty opinions. Many doctors will have very different interpretations of situations and recommend very different treatment options. You want the one that is best for you.

When it comes to medical care, trust your instincts and don’t be intimidated. If you have a good feeling about a doctor, that should be strongly considered when determining who you decide to trust. You are in the driver’s seat of your own life so take the reigns and take control of what is happening. It will, at the very least, help calm your fear.

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Filed Under: Diseases, Doctors Notes, Health, Health Care Tagged With: , , ,

Brighten Your Mood, Boost Your Energy, Drop Some Pounds

August 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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There are several crazy diet fads out there, but there are also some tips that celebrities and every day people have come up with to help them get through their day. Healthy diets are important, but everyone can use extra help sometimes. Here are a few diet and exercise “cheats” that can give you an upper edge without going to extremes.

When do you feel most energetic? When does your energy drop? Do you take a coffee break at 3pm only to crash at 4pm? Perhaps you need to tweak your rhythm. Eat healthy, full meals that appeal to you. You need to be comfortably full and satiated, but not stuffed. You will move more throughout your day and your mood will be higher.

If you have a craving for sugar or are just munchy without being actually hungry, try chewing some gum if appropriate. If you have an office or private working space, bubble gum is even better. Choose a sugarless variety that is beneficial for your teeth. People who chew gum actually get higher test scores as it sharpens your mental faculties. The burst of sweetness, the fun and pep of blowing some bubbles, and the sharpness of mind will give you a pick up. If you are attending a setting where there is a lot of food being served and you don’t want to overeat, eat what you have decided to eat, and then discreetly pop a piece of chewing gum. Having the gum in your mouth will help you from inadvertently grazing and the taste sensation will help you feel like you aren’t being deprived. It will also freshen your breath, clean your teeth, improve your digestion, and burn more calories!

For your afternoon slump, pack some almonds and a banana. You will get a great energy burst from the banana’s B vitamins and natural sugars without a candy bar’s crash. If you can, take a brisk walk or do some jumping jacks. With oxygen in your system, you will be alert and alive. You could even take a quick dancing break to bring back your mojo!

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Filed Under: Doctors Notes, Health Care, Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Sleep Habits May Be a Personal Issue

January 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It is a commonly held belief that going to sleep and rising at earlier hours are in the best interest of one’s health. For many centuries, people needed to rise and rest with the rhythms of the sun, as very little productivity in the means of labor was possible during the late night hours. As candles and gas lamps became more common, people could read, write, and socialize during the late night hours. Since electricity became commonplace over a century ago, people can do what they need and want to do, when they want to do it, making the night hours newly available to everyday people.

Insomnia is a problem reported by many people and there are just as many theories as to why it is an issue and what its causes are. Some say the stimulation of electronics at work and then using television and the internet at home for relaxation keeps people’s brains from being able to relax enough to sleep. Others believe that modern day stress factors are what keep so many people awake during all hours of the night. For others, medical diagnoses and explanations are given out by the handful. Many people find frustration in not being able to sleep when then want to be able to.

Others argue that it may not be such a stretch to think that we are evolutionarily programmed to sleep in fragments. In caveman days, one had to be alert using animalistic sixth senses to be aware of predators that could attack in the night. It’s been said that we were meant to sleep for perhaps 3-4 hours at a time, get up and hunt or run or fight, and then sleep for a few more hours later on. Many people who take regular afternoon naps say that their creativity, mood, and productivity are greatly heightened. It is possible that we are meant to sleep in multiple cycles. It is also highly probable that one way of sleeping may be perfect for one person while completely inappropriate for another, and that a “one size fits all” mentality is simply antiquated.

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Filed Under: Doctors Notes, Health, Illness Tagged With: , ,
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