Tag Archives: 844-SMA-TALK

Avoiding the Most Frequent Causes of Death

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser is all about avoiding the most frequent causes of death because… life!

avoiding the most frequent causes of death

It is interesting and curious to hear everyone obsess over how esoteric and rare conditions can potentially kill you. Here are some words to the wise: common things happen commonly.  I’m going to make this a very simple post (with links to previous Straight, No Chaser posts covering the individual topics in greater detail). Let’s help you extend your life expectancy by offering very simple tips (three to five for each) key to avoiding the most frequent causes of death. This list is by no means comprehensive, but if you follow the achievable steps mentioned, you’ll be much better off than if you don’t.

The Five Most Frequent Causes of Death

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are the five most common causes of death in the United States for the year ending 2016. I’ve also included the number of annual deaths per condition; click on the heading for those blogs.

  • Heart disease: 635,260
  • Cancer: 598,038
  • Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936
  • Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201  (e.g., asthmaCOPDemphysemachronic bronchitis)
  • Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 142,142

Heart disease

Learn early recognition of heart attacks.

 agingheart

  • Stop smoking and exposing yourself to second-hand smoke.
  • Exercise daily. Walk at least two miles each day. It’s a final common denomination of other problems and is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. You want your LDL (“bad cholesterol” levels) low and your HDL (“good cholesterol” levels) high. If your LDL and/or overall levels are high, it’s an immediate prompt to reduce your belly, change your diet and exercise more.
  • Limit your calories. Never supersize anything. Eat only until you’re full. Learn about healthy plate sizes.

Cancer

Get screened! Early detection is the key to survival.

cancer

  • Don’t use tobacco in any form.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables and less red meat.
  • Become physically active: strive for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity at least five days a week.
  • Limit sun exposure and avoid tanning. (Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.)
  • Limit alcohol intake to one to two drinks/day (women and men, respectively).

Accidents

Secure your surroundings!

impact of motor vehicle crashes

  • Learn CPR.
  • Wear safety belts (shoulder and lap) every trip. Seat belts reduce auto crashes by approximately 50%.
  • Stop all distracted driving (drinking, cell phone use, eating, etc.).
  • If you’re going to swim, and even if you know how to swim, take a formal lesson that focuses on life-saving maneuvers.
  • Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Asthma and COPD can take your breath away.

COPDer

  • Stop smoking and exposing yourself to second-hand smoke.
  • Get your home tested for radon.
  • Follow workplace guidelines for workplace exposures to particles known to cause cancer.

Stroke

Learn early detection.

strokerecog

  • Control your blood pressure. This is the most important risk factor in stroke prevention. High blood pressure increases your risk for a stroke four-fold.
  • Control your blood sugar levels. Diabetics have a 1.5 times higher risk of stroke.
  • Control your cholesterol.
  • Stop smoking. Smoking increases your risk for a stroke between 1.5-2.5 times above the risk of non-smokers.
  • Control your weight through diet and exercise, which is bundled in each of the first three considerations.

There is no fountain of youth. Your cure won’t be found in a bottle, a fad or any other quick fix. It really is about diet, exercise and risk management. The choices you make matter. Remember, although these tips were focused on prevention, early detection and treatment at the time of crisis give you the best chance to survive. Learn early detection of heart attacks and strokeslearn CPRget screened for cancer and learn how to survive car crashes. It’s not that hard if you’re actually trying.

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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It’s Handwashing Awareness Week – You’re Doing It Wrong!

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser is for National Handwashing Awareness Week and its related activities.

handwashing awareness week

Yes, we need to have this conversation. I see you all day everyday. The simplest of acts – washing your hands – is also one of your most important daily acts. Doing it right helps you avoid all manner of illness. Doing it incorrect creates opportunities for disease to exist at multiple places on and in your body.

Of course the above picture is not an actual photo, but it’s a good depiction of what’s happening. Simply put, most of the day, your hands are pretty disgusting. You handle money that’s been handed hundreds if not thousands of times and never cleaned. You grab handles and door knobs all day long. You’re coughing and sneezing throughout the day, spewing germs into the air to be inhaled by others. And you spend time in the restroom. Your unclean hands contribute to many ailments, including colds, influenza, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea) and skin infections.

Are you sickly or do you get colds more frequently than others? Respectfully, a big part of that is because you have habits that put you at risk. Common things happen commonly.

Simple Steps to Lower Your Risk

sneeze_in_arm

  1. Do it right

    Experts recommend washing your hands with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to get a good lather going and clean the back of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. Dry them using a clean towel. There is a lot of science behind these recommendations, so be sure to follow them each time you wash your hands.

  2. Memorize the five steps

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls hand washing “a do-it-yourself vaccine” and suggests remembering five easy steps: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.

  3. Learn the Four Principles of Hand Awareness

    Endorsed by the American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians, the four principles are: 1) Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating; 2) Do not cough into hands; 3) Do not sneeze into hands; and 4) Don’t put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth.

These important points are simple things you can do to lower your risk for infections. First, you have to stop assuming you know more than you do about basic hygiene and allow yourself to start practicing better habits. For example …

  • When you sneeze, do you sneeze into your hands or into the air around you? Please learn the habit covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough by sneezing/coughing into your elbow and not your hands.
  • How often do you wash your hands? You must wash every time you begin to cook, before you eat, after you use the rest room, before you change a diaper and before you apply any topical medicine.
  • Have you ever noticed how much you keep your hands on parts of you that can become infected by doing so? Keep your hands out of your eyes, mouth and nose, and stop picking at your skin!

handwashing hygiene

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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25 Tips That WILL Increase Your Life Expectancy

Introduction

life expectancy

Want to increase your life expectancy and live better longer? You may want to keep this post. I haven’t exactly found the Fountain of Youth, but I do know what activities lead to a longer life expectancy. In honor of Thanksgiving, and in the spirit of being thankful for life, here are 25 tips that you can incorporate into your daily life to help you live a younger life every day and a longer life.

Tips 1-5

1. Take a walk. Just give yourself a brisk 30-minute walk three times a week. Effect? Reverse your age by about 10 years.

2. Eat more fish. Doing so one to two times a week can reduce your heart attack risk by approximately one-third.

3. Lift weights. Yes, it gets tougher, but I’m not recommending a Schwarzenegger workout. Lifting reverses muscle and bone loss if you do it twice weekly. For those in their 50s or 60s, it can produce strength scores similar to those in their late 30s.

4. Get a pet. This is a pretty easy way to avoid depression and all that comes with it.

5. Hydrate. Your body is almost 70% water. Not soda, water. Learn to embrace clear fluids. When you’re not going clear, coffee and wine also have significant health benefits.

women increase your life expectancy

Tips 6-10

6. Equip your home. Everyone should have a functioning smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector and fire extinguish, and everyone in your home should know where they are and how to use them.

7. Put a helmet on your head. 1,000 people die every year in the U.S. from motorcycle, bicycle, scooter or skydiving injuries related to not wearing protective helmet.

8. Engage in safe sex. Yes, people are still dying prematurely and living compromised lives because of the failure to wear condoms while others protect themselves.

9. Be optimistic. This keeps the negative effects of the body’s physiologic stress response from harming you.

10. Reduce your red meat intake. Even the daily intake of just one serving of red meat equivalent to the size of your fist decreases life expectancy by approximately 13 percent.

life expectancy

Tips 11-15

11. Spend time with friends. Healthy social networks have been shown to add as much to your life expectancy as healthy endeavors such as lowering high blood pressure and reducing high cholesterol levels.

12. Be generous. Studies consistently show that those who help others report better health than those who don’t. It may just be correlation, but being on the right side of this fence makes the world a better place.

13. Sleep. Seven hours a day gets done what your body needs to function optimally.

14. Discover blueberries. There’s been much talk about “superfoods.” Blueberries meet the criteria. Consuming approximately two cups a day has been shown to prevent chronic diseases, reduce depression and improve memory.

15. Enjoy sex and orgasms. There are a million jokes about the benefits of sex, but legitimate benefits include burning calories, reducing stress, inducing sleep and reducing pain.

life expectancy by race and gender

Tips 16-20

16. Snack on nuts. Healthier nuts include almonds, cashews and pistachios. Eating them five days a week has been shown to add nearly three years to your life expectancy.

17. Get up! Sitting for more than three hours at a time independent of other activities can reduce your life expectancy. Take breaks, stretch and move around.

18. Maintain adequate intake of vitamins. You shouldn’t need supplemental vitamins if your diet is appropriate, buy if it’s not, here are the daily requirements that ensure optimal function. Vit C (1200 mg/day), Vit D (400-600 IU/day), Vit E (400 IU/day), Vit B6 (6 mg/day), calcium (1000-1200 mg/day) and folate (400 mcg/day).

19. Measure your blood pressure. Work to maintain your blood pressure at or below 115/75. This will help you function as much as approximately 25 years younger than someone of a blood pressure at or about 160/90.

20. Brush. Floss. Daily brushing and flossing can improve your functioning by approximately six years.

life expect throughout history

Tips 21-25

21. Wear your seatbelt. The combination of seatbelt wearing and driving within five MPH of the posted speed limit can improve your life expectancy by approximately three and a half years.

22. Eat fiber. The number to know here is 25. If you get 25 grams of daily fiber in your diet, that improves your function by approximately two and a half years over consuming half that amount. Look for high fiber dietary options.

23. Learn to laugh. Laughter actually does have clinical benefits. It strengthens your immune system by decreasing the stress-induced release of certain hormones. Learn to take or tell a joke!

24. Love fruits and vegetables. The more fruits and vegetables you eat compared to red meat, the better your life expectancy becomes.

25. Consume medical care, information and advice. Being proactive about your health increases both your life expectancy and life functioning compared to someone a dozen years younger  who does not. This includes getting recommended screenings and immunizations. Also, have you heard of www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com?

Here’s a bonus tip: Avoid getting hit by that truck.

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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November is COPD Awareness Month

IntroductionCOPDer

November is COPD Awareness Month. Unfortunately, you already know a lot about COPD without realizing it or even having to think about it. You’ve seen patients walking around with the oxygen tanks or tubes in their noses. However, that’s just the extreme. COPD is the third or fourth leading cause of death in the US depending on the source, with millions of individuals diagnosed. You also know COPD and cancers are why your doctors always warn you against smoking in any form. You know smoking is the leading cause of this. This Straight, No Chaser provides a brief overview of COPD and answers some key questions.

What Is COPD?

emphysema
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe and advances in severity over time.
Appreciate that air goes from your mouth or nose through the windpipe (trachea) through several branches of airways, eventually connecting to blood vessels meant to carry oxygen to the organs of your body. These same blood vessels drop off waste gas known as carbon dioxide, which we exhale with each breath out.

Airway Changes Causing COPD

In COPD, less air flows in and out of the airways because of one or more of the following:

  • The airways and air sacs lose their elasticity. Elasticity is the stretchiness your lungs need to fill up with and push out air. In COPD, these sacs act less like a balloon and more like a lead pipe.
  • The airways make more mucus than usual, which clog them and make breathing more difficult. The inflammation caused by smoke and other irritants produce mucus. It’s not a good thing when instead of breathing air, you’re attempting to breathe a smoke-filled swamp of snot-like material.
  • The walls of the airways become thick and inflamed. Over time, inflammation can cause permanent changes in the walls of the airways to compensate for the environment you’ve created.
  • The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed. Ongoing inflammation overwhelms the body’s ability to repair itself, and eventually sheets of tissue in your airways are destroyed beyond repair, providing you with less tissue to exchange oxygen from the lungs to the blood vessels that carry oxygen through the body.

COPD

What causes COPD? 

Cigarette smoking is far and away the leading cause of COPD. Most of those with COPD are current or former smokers. Heredity, childhood respiratory infections, and long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust may contribute to or cause COPD.COPD pix

I’ve been told I have bronchitis. Is that the same thing?

There’s acute bronchitis, and there’s chronic bronchitis. In the US, COPD refers to two separate but similar conditions, emphysema and chronic bronchitis; most with COPD have both conditions. Now if you have acute bronchitis, it means something (like and likely cigarette smoke) is currently inflaming your airways. Over time this can permanently damage the airways and produce an ongoing state of inflammation – chronic bronchitis – with airway wall thickening and increased mucus production within the lungs. Let the smoker beware.

How is this different from emphysema?

In emphysema, the walls between many of the air sacs are damaged, losing their shape and elasticity. This damage also can destroy the walls of the air sacs, leading to fewer, larger and less efficient air sacs instead of many more efficient tiny ones. If this happens, the amount of gas exchange in the lungs is reduced, meaning you’re not getting enough oxygen in you and enough carbon dioxide out of you.

What are some symptoms of COPD?

copd sxCOPD can cause coughing with mucus production, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, decreased ability to exert yourself and walk around. Even more symptoms may develop as a result of inadequate oxygen supply and inadequate carbon dioxide disposal.

How can I know if I have COPD?

One big problem with COPD is many have the disease and don’t know it until it starts becoming quite advanced. It’s safe to assume that if you’re a smoker and have difficulty breathing, you’re experiencing changes to your airways that aren’t in your best interest. You are advised to get evaluated. You are best advised to remove yourself from the source of the inflammation (in other words, stop smoking).

How does COPD affect my life?

For starters, it shortens it. It also markedly increases your cancer risk. At some point all the damage and changes to your lungs is going to cause some abnormality. Given this is the area you use to breathe, deliver oxygen to your organs and eliminate toxins from your body, all manners of things can go wrong, and they often do. COPD is a chronic, progressive disease. You may or may not pick up on the slow creep of diminishing ability to perform routine activities, or maybe you’ll just attribute them to aging (COPD occurs most often in middle-aged to elderly individuals). Once severe enough, COPD may prevent you from doing even basic activities like walking, breathing without difficulty, or taking care of yourself.

What’s the cure for this? 

Here’s the frightening part: we’re talking about irreversible lung tissue change and destruction. Once layers of your airways have been ripped out (figuratively), they aren’t coming back. The damage is done. Prevention is your best defense.
COPD treatment-chart

So how is it treated?

There is no real treatment without removing the trigger feeding the ongoing inflammation. In other words, you’ll have to stop smoking to stop further progression. Additional measures involve support.

  • Supplemental oxygen may be needed to deliver enough oxygen to the tissues as an effort to combat the destruction and inflammation of tissue meant to facilitate oxygen exchange.
  • Medicines to reduce the inflammation and mucus may be prescribed.
  • Medicines to better open the airways past the clogging caused by inflammation and mucus may be prescribed.

Your physician will discuss these and other options. The truth is COPD has no cure. Once you have been diagnosed with COPD, efforts switch to slowing the progression and implementing measures to improve the quality of your life within the parameters defined by the advancement of your disease.

Finally, here is a short video from the National Institutes of Health.

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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National Diabetes Month – Diabetes Awareness

Introduction

November is National Diabetes Month. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has chosen to focus on the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. You must come to understand that diabetes isn’t just contained to itself. This disease causes devastation across the entire body. For example, adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes.

Get Empowered During National Diabetes Month

There are steps you can take to manage your diabetes. These same steps can also help lower your chances of having heart disease or a stroke. Try these.

  • Stop smoking or using other tobacco products.
  • Know and manage your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
  • Develop or maintain healthy lifestyle habits. Be more physically active and learn ways to manage stress.
  • Take medicines as prescribed by your doctor, not based on how you “feel.”

Wait, There’s More!

Click on the below links for any and all of these Straight, No Chaser posts Diabetes.

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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A Challenge to Prevent Alhzeimer’s Disease

Introduction

Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Who wouldn’t want to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease? We’ve done a few challenges in this space. However, remember that we’re never as interested in the activity as we are the accomplishment. In other words, the best challenges aren’t as concerned with the exercise as the underlying health benefit. We’re not doing a formal challenge today, but I do want to give you five simple tips. If you accept the challenge of implementing them into your habits, they will dramatically reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.

This is an overly simplistic presentation with the goal of giving you achievable tasks toward holding off Alzheimer’s Disease.

Let’s Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

To be clear: there is presently no cure for Alzheimer’s. Therefore, the effort to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease is as good as it gets. We’ve discussed it at length in this space, and we offer links to better understand it. What we want you to know today is incorporation of a series of healthy lifestyle habits can offer a 60% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease than those practicing one or none of these habits. Simply put, according to multiple medical studies, the more healthy habits you adopt, the lower your risk will be of cognition decline.

Here’s the list:

  • Regular exercise (moderate to vigorous for at least 150 minutes a week)
  • Cognitive stimulation (engaging in later-in-life “brain exercise” activities)
  • Eating a brain-healthy diet
  • Not smoking
  • Light to moderate alcohol consumption

Regarding diet, the brain healthy diet is made of leafy green vegetables, nuts, poultry, beans and olive oil. It avoids red meat, sweet and fried foods (similar to the MIND diet).

Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). It is the most common form of dementia. These interventions lower your risk regardless of any generic risk.

Wait, There’s More!

Click on the below links for any and all of these Straight, No Chaser posts on Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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It’s ADHD Awareness Month!

Introduction

It’s ADHD Awareness Month, and this Straight, No Chaser discusses Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (aka ADD). To begin with, let’s set aside the jokes or casual nature often applied to ADHD. “Everyone” doesn’t have a “little” attention deficit disorder. It’s not something everyone can expect to outgrow. It’s not a response to a lack of discipline. Let’s clarify some things.

ADHD Awareness Month

What is ADHD?

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. This suggests imbalance in the chemical makeup needed for perfectly performing brains. Although it’s typically diagnosed in childhood, it can last into adulthood. In fact, of the more than 6 million children with ADHD, about 2 million were diagnosed between ages 2-5.

Types of ADHD

  • Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: There is difficulty organizing or finishing tasks, paying attention to details, or following instructions or conversations. Distractibility is high, as is the frequency of forgetting details of daily routines.
  • Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: Here’s where you see fidgeting and a seeming pressure to talk a lot. These individuals find it hard to sit still, doing homework or even finish meals. Impulsivity is frequent, resulting in habits of interrupting, grabbing and other signs of restlessness such as running, jumping or climbing. This can result in frequent accidents and injuries.
  • Combined Presentation: The above two types are not mutually exclusive, and patients may exhibit characteristics of both. Furthermore, symptoms and presentations may change over time. 

Signs and Symptoms

Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. The symptoms can be severe and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.

ADHD Awareness Month

A child with ADHD might:

  • daydream a lot
  • forget or lose things a lot
  • squirm or fidget
  • talk too much
  • make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
  • find resisting temptation difficult
  • have trouble taking turns
  • have difficulty getting along with others

Causes of ADHD

The cause(s) and risk factors for ADHD are unknown, but current research shows that genetics plays an important role. The following addition considerations are currently the topics of research:

  • Brain injury
  • Exposure to environmental (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age
  • Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy
  • Premature delivery
  • Low birth weight

Myths about Causes

Research does not support the popularly held views that ADHD is caused by the following (although in the individual patient, these considerations may worsens symptoms):

  • eating too much sugar
  • watching too much television
  • parenting
  • social and environmental factors such as poverty or family chaos.

Diagnosis

There is no single test to diagnose ADHD. Other behavior problems can have similar symptoms. One step of the process involves having a medical exam, including hearing and vision tests, to rule out other problems with symptoms like ADHD. Diagnosing ADHD usually includes a checklist for rating ADHD symptoms and taking a history of the child from parents, teachers, and sometimes, the child.

Treatments

In most cases, ADHD is best treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medication. For preschool-aged children (4-5 years of age) with ADHD, behavior therapy, particularly training for parents, is recommended as the first line of treatment before medication is tried. What works best can depend on the child and family. Good treatment plans will include close monitoring, follow-ups, and making changes, if needed, along the way.

Allow me to restate that: medication is not the first line of therapy for ADHD.

Managing Symptoms: Staying Healthy

Healthy habits give all patients the best opportunity for the best possible outcomes, and that’s the case with ADHD. Here are some recommended health behaviors.

Get Help!

If you or your doctor have concerns about ADHD, you can take your child to a specialist such as a child psychologist or developmental pediatrician, or you can contact your local early intervention agency (for children under 3) or public school (for children 3 and older).

The National Resource Center operates a call center (1-800-233-4050) with trained staff to answer questions about ADHD.

ADHD in Adults

ADHD often lasts into adulthood. For more information about diagnosis and treatment throughout the lifespan, please visit the websites of the National Resource Center on ADHDexternal icon and the National Institutes of Mental Healthexternal icon.

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Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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National Dental Hygiene Month

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser post gives you the information you need for National Dental Hygiene Month.

national dental hygiene month

If you ignore your teeth, they’ll go away.

You may not think that bad dental hygiene can land you in the emergency room, but it does! One thing in particular I’ve noticed over the years is how oblivious some people are to their smiles—especially their teeth. We see it all: loose teeth, missing teeth, broken teeth, infected teeth, sensitive teeth, erupted wisdom teeth, gingivitis, bad breath, dental infections (especially abscesses), things stuck in the teeth, mouth cancer, yeast infections, rashes inside the mouth and other conditions. The mouth is the gateway to the body. Through it, you introduce many substances that can infect or otherwise damage you. Clinically, the appearance of your mouth, gums and teeth are often a direct statement about how well you care for the rest of your body.

You would think dental hygiene is an especially difficult proposition, but it’s actually quite simple. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), all you really need to commit to good dental hygiene is less than five minutes at a time, at least twice a day. Surely that’s not too much to ask of yourself for yourself, is it?

Let’s identify three sets of conditions you should be prepared to address with your activities. Each measure contains simple tips and habits you should employ to keep your smile making the right kind of introduction.

Dental Hygiene Prevention and Self-maintenance

toothbrush
Brushing and flossing keep your gums and teeth healthy by removing plaque and food particles that can serve as a source for infection and tooth decay. Here are your essentials.

  • Brush for two minutes at a time.
  • Brush at least twice a day and preferably after each meal.
  • Flossing is important. There are particles that collect under the gums and between the teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach.

Avoid the stainers. Tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars), excessive red wine and coffee contain a high quantity of very strong chemicals that stain and damage your teeth. Cranberry and grape juices also may stain teeth if consumed in excess. Besides cosmetic considerations, the staining isn’t the problem as much as fact that the chemicals causing the staining are also damaging your teeth and gums.

Prevention and Professional Maintenance

dentist for National Dental Hygiene Month

Do you have a dentist?

  • Regular dental checkups are very important for the ongoing maintenance of your teeth and the early identification of dental problems—before excessively expensive and painful options are needed.
  • Dental exams provide an opportunity for identification of several medical conditions and diseases whose symptoms can appear in the oral cavity (mouth).

Recognizing Possible Dental Emergencies

dentalers
It is simultaneously understandable and befuddling that patients go without dental care as long as they do. By the time they come to the ER, invariably, some of these symptoms have been present and were ignored. If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, you’d do well to see the dentist early, before you end up in the ER.

  • Teeth have become sensitive to hot or cold stimuli
  • Gums are swollen and/or they bleed with brushing, flossing or eating
  • Continually bad breath or bad taste in your mouth
  • Difficulty chewing or swallowing
  • Pain or swelling in your mouth, face or neck
  • Spots or a sore that doesn’t look or feel right in your mouth and it isn’t going away
  • Jaw sometimes pops or is painful when opening and closing, chewing or when you first wake up
  • An uneven bite
  • Mouth is becoming unexplainably more dry than normal
  • You have a medical condition such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eating disorder or are HIV positive with new dental problems.
  • You are undergoing medical treatment such as radiation, chemotherapy or hormone replacement therapy with new dental problems.

Follow us!

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Introduction

Domestic Violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, although it doesn’t take a break during other months. Are you concerned about domestic violence? Probably, you should be. You are not alone. Domestic violence (DV) occurs in every culture and society. Also, it occurs in all age groups and in men and women. DV occurs in all races, income levels and religions. Likewise, it occurs in heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Furthermore, it is estimated that one in four women and one in nine men will be victims of DV at some point in their lives. That’s right. As a result, many (if not most) emergency rooms now screen every single woman for domestic violence. Therefore, you need to know the signs of danger and what you can do to get help.

A Simple Definition of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is the abuse that one person with control in a household inflicts on another. Perpetrators can include parents or other caregivers, siblings, spouses or intimate partners. DV reveals itself in several forms, including sexual (e.g., rape), physical (e.g., biting, hitting, kicking) and mental abuse (e.g., constant criticisms or threats, limiting ability to lead otherwise normal lives). These forms tend to center around abnormal control of an aspect of another’s life. Even more, the level of mental control is such that victims of DV often internalize the activity as normal. They also assign fault to themselves and/or accept responsibility for the abuse.

Domestic violence is a crime in all 50 states of the U.S.

First of all, it is a crime.

Above all, victims do not cause abuse and are not responsible for it.

national domestic violence hotline

Domestic Violence Awareness and Mental Health

Domestic violence has consistent adverse effects on mental health.

  • Children suffering from domestic violence often display developmental delays and aggressive behavior. Also, they have difficulty performing in school and tend to have low self-esteem. Furthermore, they are at greater risk for being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.
  • Domestic violence increases the diagnoses of anxiety disorder, depression, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also associated with an increase in substance abuse.
  • DV increases the incidence of psychotic episodes, suicide attempts and homelessness. Its presence also slows recovery from those suffering from other mental illness.
  • DV increases the risk of retaliatory violence against the perpetrators.

Please … contact us if you’re in need of support. Our expert crisis counselors are here for you, 24/7. 1-844-724-7754 or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. You don’t have to “endure with dignity.”

There’s More!

Read these additional Straight, No Chaser posts as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Follow us!

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser guide acknowledges the important work of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast Cancer Awareness

How’s your breast cancer awareness? Breast cancer affects so many of us. If it doesn’t affect you or your family as well, I hope it’s not because you haven’t been paying attention. Sadly, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It’s more likely than not that every single one of us has been affected by this, either directly or through a friend or family member.

breast cancer awareness 1-8

Breast Cancer is Different

All cancer is devastating, but something about breast cancer is different. We’ve found the way to eradicate certain cancers and have made remarkable progress on others. Aside from the hereditary component, breast cancer seems so…random, so dehumanizing and so debilitating to so many.

Unlike so many of the things I address as an emergency physician, breast cancer isn’t like trauma, STDs and many other conditions, where one is often directly suffering the consequences of their behavior. It is vital that you appreciate the need and value for early detection to give yourself the best possible chance for the best possible outcomes. This guide discusses all these considerations in detail.

breast cancer awareness gilda

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

breast cancer awareness

I appreciate the sentiment behind a National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but if I could offer you anything on this, it would be a plea to be ‘aware’ every month, and use this month as a (re)commitment to take basic steps that will reduce your risk, a charge to maintain steps for early evaluation and a prod to point you toward prompt treatment if and when needed.

In fact, those three areas have been the topics of multiple Straight, No Chaser posts. Links to them are included below. In the meantime, please share this or other information about breast cancer with any and all females in your life. I also hope you choose to engage your family, friends and others in conversations geared to improving breast cancer awareness. Odds are many of them have been or will be affected by breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Posts

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Join Our 30-Day Plank Challenge!

Introduction

This post introduces the Straight, No Chaser 30-Day Plank Challenge.

plank challenge benefits

The Straight, No Chaser challenges are always designed to find the simplest way to directly affect conditions that directly correlate with disease. This month’s example again looks at heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Did you know that the simple act of measuring your waist circumference screens for possible health risks related to being overweight and obesity? Specifically, if you carry your fat around your waist instead of at your hips, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men. If you’re measuring your waist, do so just after you exhale. Stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hips.

There are many good ways to reduce the size of your waist. This month’s challenge focuses on a simple and effective one. As always, we’re not asking for more than two minutes of your day! Furthermore, let’s be clear. The goal of these challenges are to launch lifestyle changes. Doing these for the short-term aren’t going to get you where you need to be.

What Is a Plank, and How Do I Do It?

30-day Plank challenge - form

A plank is a simple but effective core exercise. It builds stability and strength throughout the entire body. If you do it right for long enough, it even offers cardiovascular support. In our challenge, we’re aiming for the lowest common denominator. This means we’re going to keep this simple, acknowledging there are many variations of planks you can do. It’s also simple because you don’t need anything other than enough space to drop and hold the pose for the allotted number of seconds.

Here’s the how-to for the basic (high or front) plank.

Your body is perpendicular to the ground with the stomach facing down. Your torso is held off the ground with either your elbows or hands. It’s just like being stuck in an extended push-up! Focus on these particulars:

  • Keep your elbows directly under your shoulders.
  • Line up your wrists and elbows.
  • Keep your chin tucked, within a few inches of your neck.
  • Push your body upwards. Hold your body in a straight line for the duration of your plank.
  • If you need to modify, switch to a forearm plank. Rest your weight on your forearms instead of your palms.
  • Keep your chest and abs tight for the duration of your plank. This ensures the core muscles are working together.
  • If you feel the tightening of your thighs, this is a good thing.

The Plank Challenge Goal

We want you to get to two-minutes. If you’re an experienced planker, go for it! If you’re new to this, follow the challenge schedule for best results. At this level, you will produce a tighter core, reduce that waist circumference, improve your posture, strengthen your back and assess your cardiovascular function.

plank challenge benefit areas

Cautions

Under all circumstances, you should be medically cleared to engage in physical activity prior to beginning activities such as this that will stress your heart and other organs.

If you discover that you’re having difficulty due to breathing difficulties or a rapid heart rate, STOP! Here are some other warnings:

  • Don’t hold your breath.
  • If you are feeling neck or back pain, STOP. These are not symptoms to be ignored.

Plank Challenge Check-in

Let us know how you’re doing. Send any comments through the comment section below. You can otherwise reach us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by clicking the social media icons below. Let’s go!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

September is Pain Awareness Month

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser acknowledges that September is Pain Awareness Month.

Pain Awareness Month

In the midst of all the conversation about the national opioid epidemic, many of those suffering from acute and chronic pain are finding themselves lost in the struggle. Better public education regarding expectations, beliefs, and understanding about pain are all important. Additional measures include professional education and training for better, comprehensive, and integrated pain management.

The Scope of Ongoing Pain

Recent reports on chronic pain estimate that chronic pain affects approximately 50 million U.S. adults. Furthermore, high-impact chronic pain (i.e., interfering with work or life most days or every day) affects approximately 20 million U.S. adults. Are you part of this statistic?

Better Pain Awareness Strategies

Pain Relievers and Drug Overdose Deaths

More than even, patients need to be educated about expectations and consequences of accepting different forms of treatment for pain management. Start with understanding that even as your pain is real, it doesn’t necessarily require narcotics. Also, appreciate that the use of narcotics come with risks and consequences.

Better Pain Management Strategies

Pain Awareness Month

Understand that physicians are balancing competing concerns. Your treatment for pain involves more than just the dispensing of narcotics.

In fact there are national strategies emerging.

Better pain management is also a major element in addressing the current opioid crisis. Additional information is available  from the US Department of Health and Human Services here.

Wait, There’s More

Read these additional Straight, No Chaser posts to round out your knowledge during Pain Awareness Month.

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Prostate Cancer Awareness for 2019

Introduction

This post is for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. We offer answers to a few questions and additional resources. The first is this video from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about whether you should get tested for prostate cancer.

Basic Facts

Men (and those who care for men – meaning everyone) should be knowledgeable about prostate cancer. I don’t mean physician-level knowledgeable, but there are just a few facts that you should know that are meaningful. We’ll cover those in this Straight, No Chaser.
Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among men of all races. According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2018, there will be over 164,6900 new cases and well over 29, 430 deaths (13% increase from 2017) from prostate cancer. Approximately 11.2% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during their lifetime. Here are some prostate cancer basics.
Prostate NormalCancer

Who’s at risk for prostate cancer?

  • Age: This is simple. The older you are, the greater your risk of developing prostate cancer.
  • Race: Prostate cancer is more common in certain racial and ethnic groups.
  • Genetics: This risk is twice to three times more likely if you have a father, brother or son who has had prostate cancer. This is not the same as saying you’ll develop prostate cancer if a family member did.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

prostate cancer symptoms

It is of interest that a wide variety of presentations exists in those later diagnosed with prostate cancer. Some men don’t have symptoms. In these cases, prostate cancer is discovered on screening examinations. Other men present with several symptoms, often including the following.

  • Blood in the urine or semen
  • Difficulty completely emptying the bladder
  • Difficulty starting urination
  • Frequent urination (especially at night)
  • Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn’t go away
  • Pain or burning during urination
  • Painful ejaculation
  • Weak or interrupted flow of urine

What Is Prostate Cancer Screening?

Cancer screening means looking for cancer before it causes symptoms. The goal of screening for prostate cancer is to find cancer early that may spread if not treated.

There is no standard test to screen for prostate cancer. Here are two tests that are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer.

  • A blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. PSA is a substance your prostate makes. This test measures the level of PSA in your blood. Your PSA level may be high if you have prostate cancer and for many other reasons, such as having an enlarged prostate, a prostate infection, or taking certain medicines.
  • Digital rectal examination, when a health care provider inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into a man’s rectum to feel the prostate for anything abnormal, such as cancer.

How Is Prostate Cancer Treated?

Prostate-Cancer-Treatment

See the above chart for more detailed information. Optimally, treatment for prostate cancer should take into account

  • Your age and expected life span with and without treatment
  • Other health conditions you have
  • The severity (i.e. stage and grade) of your cancer
  • Your feelings (and your physician’s medical opinion) about the need to treat the cancer
  • The likelihood that treatment will cure your cancer or provide some other measure of benefit
  • Possible side effects from treatment

Different types of established treatments are available for prostate cancer, including the following:

  • Closely monitoring the prostate cancer by performing prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exam (DRE) tests regularly, and treating the cancer only if it grows or causes symptoms. This is called active surveillance.
  • Surgery to remove the prostate and or surrounding tissue. This surgery is called a prostatectomy.
  • Radiation therapy with high-energy rays to kill the cancer..
  • Hormone therapy perhaps could be named “hormone blocking therapy.” These medicines blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.

There’s More!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Suicide Prevention and Recognition

Introduction

This post is about suicide prevention and recognition.

Suicide Prevention: One Conversation Can Save a Life

Suicide Prevention

Suicidal thoughts affect individuals of every age, gender and background. In fact, suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Although common, suicidal thoughts should not be considered normal. Often, they indicate more serious issues. They should never be ignored.

In 2016 alone, nearly 45,000 individuals died by suicide. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Straight, No Chaser at www.jeffreysterlingmd.com joins the legions of resources shedding light to this still taboo topic. Please reach out to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness and connect individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services. It is also important to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention. Don’t wait until after the fact to wonder why it happened. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately.

Wait! There’s More!

Read these Straight, No Chaser posts for a discussion on various issues related to suicide. Knowledge is life!

Did We Mention the 30-Day Push-Up Challenge?

We’re in Week Two of our 30-Day Push-Up Challenge! Follow this link, and participate! It only takes a minute and is an excellent measure of your heart health!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

September is Healthy Aging Month!

Introduction

This post is about healthy aging!

healthy aging

10 Tips for Healthy Aging

Here are some ideas, modified for this audience, originally put together by the editors of Healthy Aging® Magazine.

healthy aging

Do not act your age

…or at least what you think your current age should act like. What was your best year so far? 28? 40? Now? Picture yourself at that age and be it. Some people may say this is denial, but we say it’s positive thinking and goes a long way toward feeling better about yourself. (Tip:  Don’t keep looking in the mirror, just FEEL IT!)

Be positive in your conversations and your actions every day.

When you catch yourself complaining, check yourself right there and change the conversation to something positive. (Tip: Stop watching the police reports on the local news.)

Drop your negative associates and so-called friends.

Have negative friends who complain all of the time and constantly talk about how awful everything is? Drop them. As cruel as that may sound, distance yourself from people who do not have a positive outlook on life. They will only depress you and stop you from moving forward. Surround yourself with energetic, happy, positive people of all ages and you will be happier too. (Tip: Smile often. It’s contagious and wards off naysayers.)

Walk like a vibrant, healthy person.

Come on. You can probably do it. Analyze your gait. Do you walk slowly because you have just become lazy or, perhaps, have a fear of falling? (Tip: Make a conscious effort to take big strides, walk with your heel first, and wear comfortable shoes.)

Stand up straight!

You can knock off the appearance of a few extra years with this trick your mother kept trying to tell you. Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you holding your stomach in, have your shoulders back, chin up? Check out how much better your neck looks! Fix your stance and practice it every day, all day until it is natural. You will look great and feel better. (Tip: Your waistline will look trimmer if you follow this advice.)

Smile!

Research shows people who smile more often are happier. Your teeth are just as important to your good health as the rest of your body. Not only is it the first thing people notice, but good oral health is a gateway to your overall well-being. (Tip: Go to the dentist regularly and look into teeth whitening. Nothing says old more than yellowing teeth!)

Avoid Loneliness!

Lonely? Stop brooding and complaining about having no friends or family. Do something about it now. Right this minute. Pick up the phone, landline, or cell and make a call to do one or more of the following: Volunteer your time, Take a class,  Invite someone to meet for lunch, brunch, dinner, or coffee. (Tip: Volunteer at the local public school to stay in touch with younger people and to keep current on trends, take a computer class or a tutorial session at your cell phone store to keep up with technology, choose a new person every week for your dining out.)

Start Walking!

Start walking not only for your health but to see the neighbors. Have a dog? You’ll be amazed how the dog can be a conversation starter. (Tip: If you don’t have time for a dog, go to your local animal shelter and volunteer. You will be thrilled by the puppy love!)

Set up your annual physical and other health screenings.

Make this month the time to set up your annual physical and other health screenings. Go to the appointments and then, hopefully, you can stop worrying about ailments for a while.

Do the creative things you’ve always wanted to do!

Find your inner artist. Who says taking music lessons is for young school children? You may have an artist lurking inside you just waiting to be tapped.  Have you always wanted to play the piano, violin, or tuba? Have you ever wondered if you could paint a portrait or scenic in oil? What about working in wood? (Tip: Sign up now for fall art or music classes and discover your inner artist!)

There’s More for Healthy Aging!

Read these Straight, No Chaser posts for a discussion on what to expect with aging and how different parts of your body normally adjust. The keys to healthy aging are at your fingertips.

Did We Mention the 30-Day Push-Up Challenge?

Speaking of healthy aging, follow this link and participate! It only takes a minute and is an excellent measure of your heart heart!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Push Up and Heart Health: Join Our Push Up Challenge!

Introduction

push up

This Straight, No Chaser post brings you a push up challenge! It addresses exercise benefits and the link between push-ups and your risk of stroke and heart attacks!

Push Ups In The News

An absolutely fascinating study out of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (go, Crimson!) suggests that the number of push ups you can do in a minute may predict your risk of heart disease. Here are the details from 1,104 health firefighters with an average age of forty who participated in the study. The data looks at heart health over a 10-year period.

  • Those who could do 40 or more push-ups had a 96% lower risk than those who could only do 10 or fewer push-ups.
  • Being able to complete between 21 and 30 push-ups meant men had around a quarter of the risk of conditions like coronary artery disease or heart failure, compared to someone who couldn’t manage 10.
  • The men who could do at least 11 push-ups had a lower risk too, but the more they could do, the greater the benefit.

In other words, everyone should be able to start by getting in 10 at home.

The Straight, No Chaser Push Up Challenge

We’re not just providing you with information. We want you to take this ridiculously easy path to strengthening your heart through a minutes worth of activity a day!

Disclaimers

  • Discuss with your physician if you’re healthy enough to engage in this type of activity.
  • Discuss with your personal trainer the correct form to perform a push up.

The Challenge

Starting on September 1st, follow this calendar!

  • If you can’t do 10 push ups for a reason other than disability, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your physician.

straight no chaser push up challenge

Your Heart Matters

Remember that your heart is a muscle, the purpose of which is to pump blood with its nutrients and oxygen around the body, supplying your organs. The more efficiently that muscle performs, the healthier you’ll be, because your vital organs will stay nourished. It’s important to restate that everything is relative, so starting with most any regular activity that’s more than your current baseline will improve your conditioning and eventually your health.

The Benefits of Exercise

How, you might ask! Here are medically established ways that a routine of regular exercise provides physical and mental health benefits.
exercisebens
  • Weight control by burning calories.
  • Reduction of your risk of cardiovascular disease by improving your heart’s function. Exercise lowers the risk of both heart attacks and strokes.
  • Exercise reduces your risk for type 2 diabetes and combinations of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high glucose levels (together known as metabolic syndrome).
  • Reduction of your risk of colon and breast cancers. Also, exercise likely reduces your risk of endometrial and lung cancers.
  • Improvement of the functioning of your immune system
  • Strengthening of your bones and muscles. Exercise also keeps your joints functioning well.
  • Maintainance of your mobility and agility. Also, exercise improves your ability to perform the activities of daily living and prevent falls as you age.
  • Exercise slows the development of arthritis.

exercisebrain

Wait! There’s More!

  • Exercise improves your mental health and mood by stimulating pleasurable parts of your brain and improving blood flow to your brain.
  • It reduces the rate of depression.
  • Also, exercise reduces the development of insomnia and other sleep disorders.

The sum total of these facts is that exercise increases your chances of living longer.

Do something!

exercise

If you can sprint, do so.

Can’t sprint? Then jog.

If you can’t jog, walk.

Even it you can’t walk, move what you can!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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Overview of the American Drug Overdose Epidemic

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser guide loses at the drug overdose epidemic in the United States.

drug overdose epidemic deaths

Drug overdose deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages. Two out of three drug overdose deaths involve an opioid. Opioids are substances that work in the nervous system of the body or in specific receptors in the brain to reduce the intensity of pain. Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (such as fentanyl) have increased almost six times since 1999.

Data on the Drug Overdose Epidemic

70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2017. This is an increase of nearly 10% from 2016. Opioids are currently the main driver of drug overdose deaths. Opioids were involved in 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017 (67.8% of all drug overdose deaths), and 36% of those deaths involved prescription opioids. Deaths from prescription opioids totaled over 17,000 deaths in 2017, equivalent to approximately 46 deaths per day. For various reasons this is thought to be a undercounting of the scope of the problem.

In 2017, the states with the highest rates of death due to drug overdose were West Virginia (57.8 per 100,000), Ohio (46.3 per 100,000), Pennsylvania (44.3 per 100,000), the District of Columbia (44.0 per 100,000), and Kentucky (37.2 per 100,000). This chart is a graphic representation of states with increases in deaths due to drug overdose.

drug overdose epidemic

There’s More!

Read these Straight, No Chaser posts for details and discussion on various types of drug abuse.

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Reviewing Common Skin Rashes

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser post reviews a few common skin rashes. The guide features in-depth discussion on several of them.

Common Skin Rashes

Here are a few of the more common skin rashes. There are many additional rashes and conditions not covered in this brief guide. This include patterns seen in sexually transmitted infections. If you have any questions or concerns about your condition, please consult a physician. Click the links for additional posts discussing them in detail.

Contact dermatitis

poison ivy

Have you ever been affected by poison ivy, poison oak or sumac? Has costume jewelry (most likely containing nickel) made you break out? Contact with chemicals to which the patient is allergic or with skin irritants cause this condition. Contact dermatitis can occur anywhere there’s contact with an irritant or allergen. It tends to be weepy and oozy. Furthermore, it may discolor this skin.

Diaper rash

Common skin rashes - diaper rash

Diaper rash is an irritant contact dermatitis caused by prolonged exposure to urine and/or feces. The rash occurs due to entrapment by a diaper or other restrictive garments. You’ll see it in the distribution of the diaper.

Drug eruptions

Common skin rashes - Drug eruptions

Drug eruptions represent a wide range of rashes brought on by antibiotics and other medicines. The lesions are mostly non-specific and will resolve with stopping use of the medicine.

Eczema (Atopic dermatitis)

Common skin rashes - eczema

The lesions of eczema are red itchy, weeping rashes. They are most commonly seen on the inner aspects of the elbows and in back of the knees. They also are seen on the cheeks, neck, wrists, and ankles. Eczema is commonly found in patients who also have asthma and/or hay fever.

Hives (urticaria)

Common skin rashes - hives

Hives are red bumps and wheals that commonly are causes by drug exposure. They appear and resolve suddenly, most typically in about eight hours. Due to the risk of recurrence and breathing difficulty, drugs and foods that cause these should be avoided once identified.

Miliaria (heat rash)

Common skin rashes - heat rash

Heat rash is caused by blocked sweat ducts, which occurs most commonly during hot and humid temperatures. These rashes resemble small blisters or acne-like lesions. Also, heat rash is more likely to occur in areas that can’t release heat as easily. These areas include the groin, elbow creases, under breasts and around the neck and upper chest. Getting to a cooler environment is often sufficient treatment.

Psoriasis

Common skin rashes - psoriasis

Psoriasis is recognizable due to silvery flakes of skin, most commonly occurring on the elbows, knees and scalp.

Seborrheic dermatitis

Common skin rashes - seborrheic dermatitis

Seborrhea is the most common adult rash. You’ll see a scaly, itchy and red rash that is most likely located on the scalp, forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, and ears. In infants, it may involve the scalp and diaper area.

Stasis dermatitis

common skin rashes - stasis dermatitis

Stasis dermatitis is often seen in individuals with poor circulation in the veins. It’s a weepy, oozy rash that occurs on the lower legs of those affected.

General Treatment Considerations

In the absence of other symptoms, it is perfectly reasonable to wait a few days to see if most rashes resolve on their own. Also, it’s reasonable to treat symptoms such as itching and dry skin with over-the-counter remedies.

Consider the following:

  • Anti-itch creams containing 1% hydrocortisone cream can be helpful.
  • Oral antihistamines, including diphenhydramine (eg. Benadryl) and hydroxyzine can be helpful for itching. However, you should be careful about side effects, including drowsiness, which can affect your function and operation of machinery.
  • Moisturizing lotions are always a good choice. They prevent the dryness and cracking of skin that can lead to infections.
  • Antifungal medications are useful for athlete’s foot, jock itch or other obvious common fungal infections. These medicines tend to contain clotrimazole (Lotrimin), miconazole (Micatin), or terbinafine (Lamisil).

If these measures aren’t successful, if the rash persists, or if it becomes more widespread, you should consider visiting a physician or dermatologist.

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Handling the Wide Variety of Bites!

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser guide addresses the different types of bites that we need to address, especially in the summer. How many times have you been bitten so far?

There’s a lot in this guide! We’ve even placed a conversation about shark bites (as if) in the animal bite post. Enjoy the posts! Also, be sure to use the preventive tips offered. Additionally, if there are other topics you’d like for us to address in this guide, contact us!

Posts for Your Review

cat bites

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Summer Conditions You Should Be Able to Address

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser post discusses a variety of conditions likely to be present in the summer. A previous post was a guide to avoiding summertime sports injuries. We want you to keep summertime as fun time, so let’s enhance your knowledge of these summer conditions!

Your Guide to Summer Health

Taking a trip? Hiking or camping in the woods? Going to the beach and/or swimming? Golfing in the heat? There are tons of activities and risks that exist in the summer. We’ve got you covered. Read the linked posts here for knowledge on issues you more than likely are having to address as we speak!

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

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