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Straight, No Chaser: Quick Tips for The Newborn Addition to Your Family

General Health and Wellness, Pediatrics/Kids Health, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , , , ,

Cute-Newborn-Black-Baby-Girl-Picture
You’re excited. You have a newborn, or maybe you’re a new grandparent caring for the baby for the first time. I get more ‘deer in the headlight’ looks from these folks than perhaps any others. Here’s some Quick Tips for you new parents and family members:

  1. Your child doesn’t have a fully developed immune system yet and won’t until s/he begins receiving immunizations. This is a major reason why breastfeeding is so heavily recommended. Mothers transfer levels of immunity to the baby through this process. It’s not just about bonding.
  2. Your baby is spitting up? Welcome to the club! As long as s/he is gaining weight and is comfortable, there’s not much cause for concern. It’s likely a measure of eating too much and/or too quickly. Acid reflux and or gastroesophageal reflux occurs in about ½ of infants. Again, the baby needs time to have its protective mechanisms fully develop. Speaking of breastfeeding, here’s some more food for thought (no pun intended). Kids who aren’t being breastfed tend to spit up more. Expect it.
  3. I know this is hard and perhaps impractical in many instances, but hold off on multiple family visits for the first month while that immune system is maturing. Exposing them to dozens of relatives is a pretty good way to get a sick baby. Unfortunately, during those first 30 days, babies don’t confine illnesses very well, and even a little cold or ear infection can rapidly spread throughout the body. This could lead to meningitis and someone like me having to perform a lumbar puncture (i.e. spinal tap) on your newborn.
  4. Colic drives parents crazy! Crying newborns obviously are trying to tell you something, and maybe it’s as simple as wanting to be fed, but here’s an important tip for you: check under the diaper. There are multiple issues that present there. Here are three of them:
    1. Anal fissure – hard stools can cause a scratch near the anal opening. Fissures are painful, and whenever stool passes by or anything touches that area, it’s going to hurt! There may be blood associated with this as well; perhaps you’ll notice it on the diaper or streaking along the stool.
    2. Diaper rash – rashes can cause inflammation and infection. They are irritating and painful. New parents must be diligent in getting wet and/or stooled diapers changed with appropriate frequency. After all, wouldn’t you yell if you had to keep that stuff in your undergarments?
    3. Loose hairs – You’d be surprised how often I see loose hairs wrapped around a newborn or infant’s penis, doing it’s best to choke it off. I’m not joking. If the child isn’t circumcised, be sure to retract the foreskin to check and allow look over the testes. This could be dangerous.

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but call your primary doctor before bringing your colicky newborn to the ER during those first 30 days of life. The main reason I say this is for your further protection. The ER is where a lot of bad microorganisms live, and although we never mind seeing you, we want to coordinate when it’s appropriate for you to have to expose your baby to the environment.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: A Look at Detox Diets

Medical Treatment, Toxicology/Drugs, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

detox-diet1

Detox-Diet2

Everyone who talks to me about detox is motivated and sincere about making an improvement in his or her health.  Therefore, it’s important that they be shown respect and encouraged.  However, some of these same individuals exhibit a level of desperation that is counterproductive and leaves them subject to fads and scams that are doomed to long-term failure. The first question I ask is “Are you trying to improve your health or weight?” These are often separate considerations. Of course, I’m hoping they answer, “Both.”  Interestingly, that happens less often than you might think. Next, I’ll ask if they’re engaged in some basic, fundamental activity (click here), which is rarely the case. Once people discover the latest, greatest thing, they tend to lock in on it and just have to go for it.  So be it.

So… today and tomorrow, I’m going to discuss two very common “quick-fix” approaches to detoxification. Let’s start with the “detox diet.”  For the purposes of this discussion, all detox diets are variations of the same theme. I hope this doesn’t disappoint you or come off as dismissive, but the point of the matter is that from a medical standpoint, these actions are reducible to a set of physiologic actions that either produce biological effects or don’t.  Giving a car a new coat of paint doesn’t make it an airplane.  Similarly, taking a quick detox diet doesn’t make you healthy if you return to the same conditions that produced your pathology in the first place.  Folks, it really should occur to you that given the rates of obesity and disease that exist, if these diets really worked, the pharmaceutical and medical communities would be all over them because of their potential for profit (and of course the potential for good…).  Here’s what detox diets do and don’t accomplish.

The Premise: Going on a diet for a few weeks can clear your body of toxins, which will improve your health.
The Short Term Effects: Proponents of detox diets often claim or note the following during the diet:

  • Weight loss
  • More energy
  • Better mental focus

The Long Term Effects: Proponents of detox diets often make the following claims about the benefits of the diets:

  • Health promotion
  • Prevention of new diseases
  • Cure of chronic diseases

What’s Really Happening: Have you ever heard that correlation is not causation?  If you engage in any activity involving backing away from fats, drinking more water, taking in less sugar and processed food, eliminating alcohol and caffeine, and taking in more fruits and vegetables, you’ll feel better!  In fact, I’m all for it.  Refer to this blog post where I give you details on how to naturally, healthily and sustainably do this.
Now, here’s the question. Is your detox diet just a two to four-week “challenge,” or is it the launching pad for a set of lifestyle changes? The problem is that people use these diets with their better principles, but they usually don’t sustain them.  In fact, the diets themselves generally are not sustainable because they’re too restrictive. If you tried sustaining some of these diets, you’d end up hospitalized.  You’re much better off applying fundamental principles that will slowly and steadily improve your health and also help you lose weight. By the way, those long-term claims have been roundly and routinely debunked by the medical community, which has every incentive to want to discover new ways to treat disease.
Precautions and Risks

  • Before starting any diet, you need to discuss what you’re trying to accomplish with your physician. I’d venture a bet that most would not approve one of these diets, especially if you suffer from any chronic illness, especially diabetes, mental illness, moderate to severe (and poorly controlled) high blood pressure or cardiac disease. They also won’t approve it if you’re pregnant or at the extremes of age.
  • Based on the components of these diets, you are introducing certain specific risks.  These include vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration, electrolyte loss and imbalance and disruption of the function of your digestive system.

Let’s finish with two pointed questions and answers.
1.  Should I go on a detox diet?  I encourage almost any activity that motivates you to improve your health and has been shown to improve your health. If you want to naturally detox, apply these principals as the basis for a lifestyle change. As your body recovers, your natural detoxification system will take over and do just fine (assuming you are otherwise healthy).
2. I quick-flush my system with a diet every few months. Is this healthy?  It depends on what you’re doing as a “quick-flush” and even more so, what you’re doing in-between. Focus on enhancing your natural detoxification system. I can’t say that a one-time or intermittent initiative to kick things off would be a terrible thing — if you stay with the program. In the best case scenario, it’s like going to get a dental cleaning every six months. You’ll still have decaying teeth and disease if that’s the only thing you’re doing. On the other hand, if you’re brushing and flossing every day, then the six-month check up is quick (and in this case, maybe superfluous).  I’m much more concerned with you sustaining a healthy approach toward the desired goal.
Next up, and the last in this series on detoxification will be a look at colonics.  Until then, bottoms up!
Feel free to ask any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Natural Methods of Detoxification

Detoxification, General Health and Wellness, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Natural-Detox
It seems that at least once a week I get asked to comment on colonics, detox diets, juice fasts, etc.  It seems to me that these are all rather extreme places to start.  How about we just talk about the threats that exist, how to avoid them, how to understand the natural detoxification process and how to optimize it?
On some level, our body is at constant war with our surroundings.  We are finely tuned machines (until we’re not).  We are well designed and equipped to filter the air we breathe and the food we eat, and to repel external poisons from penetrating our bodies.  That’s a very good thing, because toxins are everywhere.  We eat and drink them.  We inhale, absorb and ingest them.  Usually we do these things unwittingly, but for various reasons, a good number of us do these things intentionally.  By definition, toxins have harmful effects on our bodies.  Buildups of these substances can cause damage and eventually death.
In the first part of this five-part review of toxins and how they affect us, I want to point out how the body is equipped to combat and eliminate toxins – until and unless we poison it.  In the second part, I’ll offer Quick Tips to enhance your ability to naturally detoxify.  In the third part, I’ll discuss what and where the toxins are that we must combat.  In the fourth and fifth parts, I’ll discuss some of the exotic (or should that be esoteric?) methods promoted to detoxify the body.
Let’s start not by talking about toxins, but by discussing how the body protects you.  There are four areas in particular to review: the skin, the lungs, the kidneys and the gastrointestinal tract (particularly your liver and intestines).
Skin: The skin is actually the body’s largest organ, and it’s the largest organ of elimination.  It is in constant contact with the environment and is our primary barrier against disease, keeping out microorganisms, dusts, pollens and other substances with no good intentions.  The constant battle leaves your skin’s pores clogged, subject to infection, lacerations, and premature aging.
Lungs: The lungs are the vessels of life, bringing oxygen into the body to supply the needs of all your organs and systems.  However, have you looked at the atmosphere lately?  Smog’s everywhere, not to mention allergens and cigarette and cigar smoke.  If the air you’re breathing is poisoning the lungs themselves, your ability to keep poisons out of you and exhale away carbon dioxide incrementally become diminished to disastrous effect.
Kidneys: Your kidneys are one of the two primary ways you visibly eliminate waste.  Consider them the blood’s strainer.  You really should learn to watch your urine.  It tells a story about your health.  If your urine is not clear to light yellow, something’s going on.  If you come to me with cloudy, straw-colored, bloody, pink, or brown urine, those all tell me about different medical conditions you could be experiencing.
Your liver and intestines: Now we’re looking at your stools.  Consider that if you were ideally healthy, you’d have a bowel movement with the same frequency with which you ate.  At the other end of the spectrum (no pun intended), you could be constipated, or your bowels could be obstructed.  You have bacteria that live in your intestines that also help naturally detoxify wastes, but that only works as intended if you continue to have stools.  The more contact time your body’s intended waste has with your intestinal tract, the more of it that will be absorbed.  Fortunately, the intestines have additional barriers in its membranes that fight against toxins reentering the body.  Your liver serves a vital function in detoxifying many directly poisonous substances. It uses its natural chemicals to facilitate excretion of toxins by the kidneys.
Most everything you think you know about extrinsic supplemental ways to detoxify are poor substitutes for what a healthy body will achieve.  If you focused on your health and fitness, you could rest assured that your body would protect you, and you could also save a ton of money avoiding all those fad diets and other ‘previously secret’ methods of detoxification.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Straight, No Chaser: A Look at Detox Diets

Medical Treatment, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , ,

detox-diet1

Detox-Diet2

Everyone who talks to me about detox is motivated and sincere about making an improvement in his or her health.  Therefore, it’s important that they be shown respect and encouraged.  However, some of these same individuals exhibit a level of desperation that is counterproductive and leaves them subject to fads and scams that are doomed to long-term failure. The first question I ask is “Are you trying to improve your health or weight?” These are often separate considerations. Of course, I’m hoping they answer, “Both.”  Interestingly, that happens less often than you might think. Next, I’ll ask if they’re engaged in some basic, fundamental activity (click here), which is rarely the case. Once people discover the latest, greatest thing, they tend to lock in on it and just have to go for it.  So be it.

So… today and tomorrow, I’m going to discuss two very common “quick-fix” approaches to detoxification. Let’s start with the “detox diet.”  For the purposes of this discussion, all detox diets are variations of the same theme. I hope this doesn’t disappoint you or come off as dismissive, but the point of the matter is that from a medical standpoint, these actions are reducible to a set of physiologic actions that either produce biological effects or don’t.  Giving a car a new coat of paint doesn’t make it an airplane.  Similarly, taking a quick detox diet doesn’t make you healthy if you return to the same conditions that produced your pathology in the first place.  Folks, it really should occur to you that given the rates of obesity and disease that exist, if these diets really worked, the pharmaceutical and medical communities would be all over them because of their potential for profit (and of course the potential for good…).  Here’s what detox diets do and don’t accomplish.

The Premise: Going on a diet for a few weeks can clear your body of toxins, which will improve your health.
The Short Term Effects: Proponents of detox diets often claim or note the following during the diet:

  • Weight loss
  • More energy
  • Better mental focus

The Long Term Effects: Proponents of detox diets often make the following claims about the benefits of the diets:

  • Health promotion
  • Prevention of new diseases
  • Cure of chronic diseases

What’s Really Happening: Have you ever heard that correlation is not causation?  If you engage in any activity involving backing away from fats, drinking more water, taking in less sugar and processed food, eliminating alcohol and caffeine, and taking in more fruits and vegetables, you’ll feel better!  In fact, I’m all for it.  Refer to this blog post where I give you details on how to naturally, healthily and sustainably do this.
Now, here’s the question. Is your detox diet just a two to four-week “challenge,” or is it the launching pad for a set of lifestyle changes? The problem is that people use these diets with their better principles, but they usually don’t sustain them.  In fact, the diets themselves generally are not sustainable because they’re too restrictive. If you tried sustaining some of these diets, you’d end up hospitalized.  You’re much better off applying fundamental principles that will slowly and steadily improve your health and also help you lose weight. By the way, those long-term claims have been roundly and routinely debunked by the medical community, which has every incentive to want to discover new ways to treat disease.
Precautions and Risks

  • Before starting any diet, you need to discuss what you’re trying to accomplish with your physician. I’d venture a bet that most would not approve one of these diets, especially if you suffer from any chronic illness, especially diabetes, mental illness, moderate to severe (and poorly controlled) high blood pressure or cardiac disease. They also won’t approve it if you’re pregnant or at the extremes of age.
  • Based on the components of these diets, you are introducing certain specific risks.  These include vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration, electrolyte loss and imbalance and disruption of the function of your digestive system.

Let’s finish with two pointed questions and answers.
1.  Should I go on a detox diet?  I encourage almost any activity that motivates you to improve your health and has been shown to improve your health. If you want to naturally detox, apply these principals as the basis for a lifestyle change. As your body recovers, your natural detoxification system will take over and do just fine (assuming you are otherwise healthy).
2. I quick-flush my system with a diet every few months. Is this healthy?  It depends on what you’re doing as a “quick-flush” and even more so, what you’re doing in-between. Focus on enhancing your natural detoxification system. I can’t say that a one-time or intermittent initiative to kick things off would be a terrible thing — if you stay with the program. In the best case scenario, it’s like going to get a dental cleaning every six months. You’ll still have decaying teeth and disease if that’s the only thing you’re doing. On the other hand, if you’re brushing and flossing every day, then the six-month check up is quick (and in this case, maybe superfluous).  I’m much more concerned with you sustaining a healthy approach toward the desired goal.
Next up, and the last in this series on detoxification will be a look at colonics.  Until then, bottoms up!
Call us at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com to chat more.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what  http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Mass Trauma Alert – When Disaster Strikes

Public Health, Trauma, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

tornado
If you’ve become a regular reader of Straight, No Chaser (thank you!), you will note the recurring theme of prevention. There’s often just not enough time to act in the midst of a life-threatening emergency. Today, I’m just asking you to put together a simple contingency, emergency supplies kit for whatever disaster may befall you and your family. Should you ever need it, I suspect you’ll be glad you did. The disaster you’re preparing for could last hours or more than a few days. Depending on where you live, it could be a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, or wildfire. Or maybe you’ve just become trapped inside your home; maybe you’re trapped outside your home, and your children are trapped at home. You might not have access to food, water, or electricity. With preparation of emergency water, food, and a disaster supplies kit, you can provide for and protect your entire family.
Without getting precise or complicated, it’s a very good idea to assemble a basic collection of items in the event of any emergency or disaster. All of this should sound basic and obvious, but, unless assembled and at the ready, you might not be able to access what you need. It would be good to strategically place kits at home, work, and/or car. Also consider any unique health and medical needs of your family, and include these in your kit. Store at least a 3-day supply, and if at all possible, up to a 2-week supply that will cover each member of your family. Don’t forget to consider your pets. Here’s a list of essentials. Use it to customize and develop your kit.

  • Water—one gallon per person, per day. This is a must. Think one half-gallon for drinking and another for food preparation and hygiene. If you are unable to store this much, store as much as you can without making your kit too difficult to maneuver. You can conserve water and energy of water by reducing activity and staying cool.
  • Food—non­perishable, easy to prepare items (Don’t forget the can opener.)
  • First aid kit
  • Medications (7­-day supply) and any supplies needed to administer them
  • Flashlight
  • Battery­ powered radio (will last longer than the charge on your smartphone)
  • Cell phone with chargers
  • Extra batteries for everything
  • Multi­purpose tool
  • Sanitation and personal hygiene items
  • Copies of personal documents (birth certificates, insurance policies, medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, etc.) with family and emergency contact information
  • Extra cash
  • Emergency blankets and towels
  • Area maps
  • Extra house and car keys
  • Protective masks
  • Rain gear
  • Work gloves
  • Tools/supplies for securing your home
  • Extra clothing, hat, and sturdy shoes
  • Duct tape
  • Something to cut with (scissors, pocket knife)
  • Household liquid bleach
  • Entertainment items and other creature comfort items to help maintain your sanity

Pack the items in easy-to-carry containers, label the containers clearly, and store them where they would be easily accessible. Rollable trash containers and backpacks are very good for this purpose. In a disaster situation, you may need access to your disaster supplies kit quickly—whether you are sheltering at home or evacuating.
So there you have it. I’ve tried to be basic. Much more detailed information is available, and I’d suggest you tailor your kit to what types of disasters are most likely in your area. Take an hour and do this. Without a good disaster plan and kit, the disaster itself will only be the first wave of trauma to hit.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

From the Health Library of SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: "Why Is It So Hard to Lose This 'Last' 5-10 Pounds?"

Personal Training, Health Prevention, , , , , , ,

find the best way to lose weight and tips
It may be that your body has reached its ‘desired’ weight – its effective, genetic set point.  Reaching this level is relatively less painful than getting past it, but your body’s idea of an ‘effective’ weight won’t necessarily correspond to your personally desired level of leanness. Women in particular tend to achieve healthy homeostasis at higher body fat levels. Breaking through plateaus can be hard enough, but plateaus ordained by the body can seem to be impossible. It’s probably going to take some serious tinkering with carbs, calories, activity levels, sleep and stress. If everything else is on point and accounted for, you may be looking at healthy homeostasis (a biological balance). Then the question becomes “Do you want to mess with a good thing”. If so, stay the course; just don’t expect results as rapidly.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Emergency Room Adventures – Trampoline Trauma

Orthopedics/Bones, Trauma, Musculoskeletal System, , , , , , , , , , ,

trampolines
So I’m back in the emergency room with a little girl who looks like her forearm is going to fall off the rest of her upper extremity.
People love trampolines. Yet somehow the only time I seem to hear the word trampoline is when someone’s been hurt. I’m not the only one who’d vaporize them on site. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that trampolines never be used at home or in outdoor playgrounds because these injuries include head and neck contusions, fractures, strains and sprains, among other injuries.

So my patient had a (posteriorly) dislocated elbow, meaning she fell off the trampoline, landing on the back of the extended upper arm, pushing the upper arm bone (the humerus) in front of the elbow and forearm. This is how that looks.

posterior1

So for the joy of bouncing on a trampoline, the child had to be put asleep so the elbow could be replaced into the appropriate position. This procedure is fraught with potential for complications, including a broken bone on the way back, as well as damage to the local nerves and arteries (brachial artery, median and ulnar nerves), which can become entrapped during the effort to relocate the bone into the elbow joint. Some limitation in fully bending the arm up and down (flexion and extension) is common after a dislocation, especially if prompt orthopedic and physical therapy follow-up isn’t obtained. This really is a high price to pay for the privilege of bouncing up and down.
So if you’re going to allow your kids to play on a trampoline, here are two tips shown to reduce injuries.

  • Find one of those nets that enclose the trampoline, and make sure the frame and hooks are completely covered with padding. This is meant to protect against getting impaled, scratched or thrown from the trampoline.
  • Keep the trampoline away from anything else, including trees and rocks. This works even better if the trampoline is enclosed as previously mentioned.

Think back to the little girl I had to care for and consider whether this predictable event (complete with the mental stress of being in a loud emergency room in pain, getting an IV started and being put to sleep) was worth the effort. As per routine, an ounce of prevention…
I welcome your questions or comments.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Hot Tub and Barbershop Folliculitis (Yep, Even More Staph Infections!)

Skin/Dermatology, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , ,

hottubfolliculitis_20 Folliculitis
Follulicitis. You know it well as hot tub rash, barber bumps, ingrown hairs and many other names. The first thing you need to know is the ‘itis’ means inflammation, and the follicle is the pouch from which your hair grows. Any inflammation of that area is folliculitis. You’ll typically see white-headed pimples with or without itching, pain and redness. So what? Let’s quickly run through causes, problems, prevention and treatment.
Causes

  • It’s usually caused by microorganisms (usually bacteria, including Staph and others, but also yeast, fungi and viruses may do the same).
  • Blocking skin pores will also get you there (think heavy application of make-up or oils, or heavy sweating in tight spandex-type clothing).
  • External irritation can be a cause (think long-term topical steroid use, tight clothing, untreated scratches or lacerations, improperly chlorinated hot tubs, whirlpools or swimming pools).

Problems
It’s inflammation that most commonly is an infection. The irritation can progress to a skin infection (cellulitis) and/or a boil (abscess). These can range from annoyances to ‘not-fun’ to outright problematic, particularly if you’re diabetic, have HIV or otherwise have a compromised immune system.
Prevention
I’m just going to give you a list of healthy hygiene tips that will serve you well in many circumstances, including prevention of folliculitis.

  • Use antimicrobial soap.
  • Don’t share towels, and avoid using the same towel multiple times (Sorry, hotel chains!).
  • Shower immediately after getting out of the swimming pool, whirlpool or hot tub.
  • Don’t shave (and avoid otherwise irritating) areas where razor bumps exist.
  • Be moderate with application of lotions, makeups and other moisturizers.

Treatment
Most cases of folliculitis, whether an inflammation or an infection, resolve in 1-2 weeks, assuming you don’t further irritate it to the point where an substantial skin infection sets in. Consider the following a treatment progression for the overwhelming majority of cases; cases more severe (or any you may be concerned with) require consultation with your individual physician.

  • Warm compresses (clean, hot towels) to the area do a world of good.
  • Wash with antimicrobial soap, and consider using medicated shampoo, particularly if the discomfort is on the scalp and/or beard.
  • Your physician may consider topical or oral antibiotics if the situation warrants or worsens. That means you need to be alert for spreading of the bumps, fever, drainage or worsening of pain, swelling or redness.

Good luck, and I welcome your questions or comments.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: The Adverse Health Effects of Obesity and Why You Gain Weight

General Health and Wellness, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , ,

obesity1Obesity.jpg
Earlier, we identified the differences between a ‘normal’ weight and being overweight and/or obese. Today’s goal is to help you understand specific risks of carrying extra weight.  We’ll also set the table for losing weight by discussing why weight gain occurs.  It bears repeating that none of this has anything to do with the perception of one’s physical attractiveness.
Let’s focus on three considerations.
1. What are the health risks?
As body weight increases, so does the risk for several different medical conditions and illnesses, including the following:
• Arthritis
• Cancers (breast, endometrial, and colon)
• Diabetes
• Gynecological problems (abnormal periods, infertility)
• Heart disease (heart attacks, heart failure, hardening of the arteries)
• High cholesterol
• Liver and gallbladder disease (gallstones)
• Sleep apnea and other respiratory problems
• Stroke
In the event that these risks are just words on a page, learning a little bit about some of them might provide the motivation needed to avoid them.
2. What is a realistic goal for weight loss?  What’s the balance between family predisposition and the foods I eat?
No matter what I tell you today, it’s unlikely to turn you into a supermodel. The goal (independent of your consultation with your own health care provider) is to get you to optimize your situation based on the things you can control. Yes, genetic factors do play a role in obesity, but beyond that you are more than able to close your mouth and get off your…couch. You are able to limit your fat and caloric intake and put down the salt shaker. Yes, genetics count, but behavior and environmental (culture, socioeconomic status) consideration play at least as much of a role. These latter considerations can even jumpstart your metabolism beyond your genetic predisposition.
3. Why do I gain weight if I’m still active?
The most simple way to answer this is that weight gain occurs from an energy imbalance.  You’re taking in too many calories, and/or you’re not engaging in enough physical activity. It’s an equation, and the weight gain occurs when you’re on the wrong side of the equation. It’s not much more complicated than this. Either do less of the eating, more of the activity, or both.  I mentioned in a previous post on caloric counts that you must have an excess of 500 more calories expended than you ingest daily every day for a week just to lose one pound.  It takes work.  This is the simple answer as to why fad diets don’t work long-term.  You can’t cheat the equation.  The moment you stop being diligent, you’re headed in the wrong direction.  Your weight loss plan must include lifestyle changes for the long-term.
In the next post, we’ll identify some very simple methods to combat obesity based on the information provided to this point. Feel free to ask any questions or submit any comments you have.
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Straight, No Chaser: Golf Injuries

Orthopedics/Bones, Sports Medicine, , , , , , ,

golf balls can cause injury
We’re in the middle of summer, which for many of us means a lot of golf (at least on the weekends). You should be aware that golf-related injuries continue to be on the rise. I’m not talking about the struck by lightning, hit by a golf ball or club, driving your cart into the adjacent lake or being bit by a crocodile variety. I’m talking about overuse of specific parts of your body that are involved in the golf swing. 80% of golf-related injuries are reportedly due to such overuse considerations. It’s also estimated that 40% of amateurs and 60% of professionals will experience an injury related to such overuse. It should be intuitive and is certainly true that the risk for such injuries increase with age.
Here are the three most common sets of golf injuries in amateurs (professionals have slightly different injury patterns and frequencies). I’ll also address how they occur and what you can do to prevent them. Keep it in the short grass.
common-golf-injuries
1. Lumbar Strain/Development of Low Back Pain: We spend so much time learning to extend the club, coil and uncoil while swinging a golf club about 100 MPH (some of us, myself included, at an ever faster rate; professionals average speeds of approximately 120 MPH). The very premise of doing this for three and a half to five and a half hours at a time (shame on you, slow golfers!) is not the most natural consideration based on our bodies’ design. Studies of professionals show that about 1/3 of them have experienced significant low back pain of at least two weeks’ duration. And they know what they’re doing!

  • What to do? This may be close to blasphemy to many golfers, but studies show that not carrying your golf bag (i.e. using a caddy or a golf cart) cuts the rate of golf injuries in half. That’s not saying don’t walk! Even the pros don’t carry their own bags. A second consideration (or perhaps it should be first) is learning proper technique. Additionally, flexibility training that increases the range of motion of the lumbar spine and extension and rotation of the lead hip (left hip in right-handed golfers) should decrease low back pain. Personally, I’ve had great success with golf-tailored stretching exercises and modified yoga techniques. Try it. The only thing you have to lose is the pain and maybe a few strokes.

2. Elbow Injuries – Medial and Lateral Epicondylitis: Consider these the plague of the hacker. Both conditions are inflammatory problems involving tendons of the elbow. Medial epicondylitis is known as ‘golfer’s elbow’, although it occurs in other sports such as bowling, lifting weights and sports involving throwing. It’s typically associated with those times that you (excuse me, your playing partners…) hit the ground before the hitting the ball, and you feel that shiver in your elbow. Lateral epicondylitis is known as ‘tennis elbow’, although golfers may be affected on the lateral side as well. This typically occurs when you over-involve your right hand in your swing; eventually the overuse will produce inflammation in that tendon. Similar conditions exist in the wrist as well.

  • What to do? Get better, for starters! Proper swing mechanics reduce the incidence of both golfer’s and tennis elbow. Additionally, good health (including an exercise regimen inclusive of strength training and stretching) and pre-round stretching maneuvers help to reduce the likelihood of these conditions presenting during your round. Additionally, if the situation becomes truly painful, typical treatments include recommendations to rest, use ice and anti-inflammatory medications, and to immobilize the involved area.

3. Shoulder Injuries – Failure to have proper mechanics also rears its ugly head and affects the lead shoulder in golfers. Strains, bursitis, tendonitis and eventually arthritis are all frequently seen problems in golfers.

  • What to do? Again, it’s about prevention, strengthening and stretching the muscles and tendons in and around your rotator cuff and developing good technique that reduces undue strain on your areas being called into action during the swing.

If I had one tip to give you, I’d recommend that you always take at least 10 minutes before your round to stretch. Doing so will reduce your injury risk by half. Yet, only 10-20% of golfers actually consistently do this. Jumping from a cramped car to swinging a golf club 100 MPH is a formula for disaster.
If I had one piece of advice to give you, it’s simply to discover an exercise regimen that includes strengthening (muscles and core), flexibility and cardiovascular considerations. Obviously, the second would be to get lessons, which by itself will improve your risk profile.
I hope this information proves to be of some use to you. I welcome any questions or comments.

Straight, No Chaser: Quick Tips for The Newborn Addition to Your Family

Pediatrics/Kids Health, Health Prevention, , , , , , , , , ,

Cute-Newborn-Black-Baby-Girl-Picture
You’re excited. You have a newborn, or maybe you’re a new grandparent caring for the baby for the first time. I get more ‘deer in the headlight’ looks from these folks than perhaps any others. Here’s some Quick Tips for you new parents and family members:

  1. Your child doesn’t have a fully developed immune system yet and won’t until s/he begins receiving immunizations. This is a major reason why breastfeeding is so heavily recommended. Mothers transfer levels of immunity to the baby through this process. It’s not just about bonding.
  2. Your baby is spitting up? Welcome to the club! As long as s/he is gaining weight and is comfortable, there’s not much cause for concern. It’s likely a measure of eating too much and/or too quickly. Acid reflux and or gastroesophageal reflux occurs in about ½ of infants. Again, the baby needs time to have its protective mechanisms fully develop. Speaking of breastfeeding, here’s some more food for thought (no pun intended). Kids who aren’t being breastfed tend to spit up more. Expect it.
  3. I know this is hard and perhaps impractical in many instances, but hold off on multiple family visits for the first month while that immune system is maturing. Exposing them to dozens of relatives is a pretty good way to get a sick baby. Unfortunately, during those first 30 days, babies don’t confine illnesses very well, and even a little cold or ear infection can rapidly spread throughout the body. This could lead to meningitis and someone like me having to perform a lumbar puncture (i.e. spinal tap) on your newborn.
  4. Colic drives parents crazy! Crying newborns obviously are trying to tell you something, and maybe it’s as simple as wanting to be fed, but here’s an important tip for you: check under the diaper. There are multiple issues that present there. Here are three of them:
    1. Anal fissure – hard stools can cause a scratch near the anal opening. Fissures are painful, and whenever stool passes by or anything touches that area, it’s going to hurt! There may be blood associated with this as well; perhaps you’ll notice it on the diaper or streaking along the stool.
    2. Diaper rash – rashes can cause inflammation and infection. They are irritating and painful. New parents must be diligent in getting wet and/or stooled diapers changed with appropriate frequency. After all, wouldn’t you yell if you had to keep that stuff in your undergarments?
    3. Loose hairs – You’d be surprised how often I see loose hairs wrapped around a newborn or infant’s penis, doing it’s best to choke it off. I’m not joking. If the child isn’t circumcised, be sure to retract the foreskin to check and allow look over the testes. This could be dangerous.

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but call your primary doctor before bringing your colicky newborn to the ER during those first 30 days of life. The main reason I say this is for your further protection. The ER is where a lot of bad microorganisms live, and although we never mind seeing you, we want to coordinate when it’s appropriate for you to have to expose your baby to the environment.

Straight, No Chaser: Saturday Quick Tips – The Tooth of the Matter is…

Head/Eyes/Ears/Nose/Throat, Medical Treatment, Dental, Health Prevention, , , , , , ,

MissingTooth_jpg
What would you do if your tooth fell out or got knocked out? Here’s today’s Quick Tips.
1) Most importantly, be quick about it. You have a loss of survival of about 1% per minute. Get to your closest Emergency Room.
2) Take the tooth and gently rinse it off. Don’t scrub it!
3) Transport it in either milk or your saliva. Don’t let it get dried out. This is not to say that you should keep the tooth in your mouth. We don’t want you to choke!
Final point about your kids’ teeth.
Avulsed primary teeth in the kids (ages 6 months to 5 years) aren’t replaced into their sockets if they fell out.