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Save yourself the exorbitant expense of emergency room fees and doctor office co-pays for unnecessary visits that end up being question and answer sessions. Stay at home, or wherever you are, and contact us at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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.
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Tag Archives: Straight No Chaser
The Price is Right!
Straight, No Chaser: Ulcers – I Can’t Believe You Ate the Whole Thing!
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) has an increasing incidence in the general population and particularly so in the elderly due the liberal use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen). These painful sores in the lining of the stomach or first part of the small intestine make for many a bad day (and night). That ulcer is the end result of an imbalance between digestive fluids in the stomach and duodenum.
What you didn’t know is that a bacterial is responsible for most cases. I’ll come back to that.
You’re predisposed to PUD if you smoke, drink, use NSAIDs or take steroids.
Complications abound. PUD is actually the #1 cause of abdominal organ rupture. Other complications include bleeding and obstructions. (That you’ll recognize as nausea and vomiting to accompany the pain.)
Here we go again with prevention. If you don’t want an ulcer, or if you want your ulcer to be better, stop the habits that produce it. I’m talking about smoking, drinking alcohol and taking the pain pills. Let me be clear: ALL patients with peptic ulcer disease should stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol and avoid NSAIDs.
Severe ulcers are treated with surgery or by endoscopy, which is also the method of diagnosing ulcers. This involves placing a tube down your throat to directly visualize the areas and then possibly repairing damage if it’s amenable to that.
Less severe ulcers may be treated with various medications called proton pump inhibitors. You’ll recognize these acid reducers by names such as aciphex, nexium, prevacid, prilosec and protonix. If you are discovered to have an infection, antibiotic combinations can be given for one to two weeks for the bacteria (Helicobacter pylori) in addition to the proton pump inhibitors. None of these will address the situation if you don’t make the necessary lifestyle adjustments.
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
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) has an increasing incidence in the general population and particularly so in the elderly due the liberal use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen). These painful sores in the lining of the stomach or first part of the small intestine make for many a bad day (and night). That ulcer is the end result of an imbalance between digestive fluids in the stomach and duodenum.
What you didn’t know is that a bacterial is responsible for most cases. I’ll come back to that.
You’re predisposed to PUD if you smoke, drink, use NSAIDs or take steroids.
Complications abound. PUD is actually the #1 cause of abdominal organ rupture. Other complications include bleeding and obstructions. (That you’ll recognize as nausea and vomiting to accompany the pain.)
Here we go again with prevention. If you don’t want an ulcer, or if you want your ulcer to be better, stop the habits that produce it. I’m talking about smoking, drinking alcohol and taking the pain pills. Let me be clear: ALL patients with peptic ulcer disease should stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol and avoid NSAIDs.
Severe ulcers are treated with surgery or by endoscopy, which is also the method of diagnosing ulcers. This involves placing a tube down your throat to directly visualize the areas and then possibly repairing damage if it’s amenable to that.
Less severe ulcers may be treated with various medications called proton pump inhibitors. You’ll recognize these acid reducers by names such as aciphex, nexium, prevacid, prilosec and protonix. If you are discovered to have an infection, antibiotic combinations can be given for one to two weeks for the bacteria (Helicobacter pylori) in addition to the proton pump inhibitors. None of these will address the situation if you don’t make the necessary lifestyle adjustments.
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
It's Personal
Rarely does anyone want unsolicited advice from a stranger, but when it comes from a Personal Healthcare Consultant, we’re all ears.
Login to www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com or call 1-844-SMA-TALK to discuss what’s going on in your health life. Specialists from the entire spectrum of medical and healthcare areas are here for you 24/7.
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
Rarely does anyone want unsolicited advice from a stranger, but when it comes from a Personal Healthcare Consultant, we’re all ears.
Login to www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com or call 1-844-SMA-TALK to discuss what’s going on in your health life. Specialists from the entire spectrum of medical and healthcare areas are here for you 24/7.
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
Need some advice?
That’s why we’re here. Physicians, dentists, pharmacists, emergency doctors, ob-gyn doctors, behavioral health experts, nutritionists, surgeons, etc., have joined efforts through SterlingMedicalAdvice.com to relieve the difficulty of gaining access to medical and healthcare experts.
Like in the olden days, you can call us and we’ll pick up the phone: 1-844-SMA-TALK. Or, like in the new days, you can login to chat: www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re here for you 24/7 with personalized information and advice.
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
That’s why we’re here. Physicians, dentists, pharmacists, emergency doctors, ob-gyn doctors, behavioral health experts, nutritionists, surgeons, etc., have joined efforts through SterlingMedicalAdvice.com to relieve the difficulty of gaining access to medical and healthcare experts.
Like in the olden days, you can call us and we’ll pick up the phone: 1-844-SMA-TALK. Or, like in the new days, you can login to chat: www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re here for you 24/7 with personalized information and advice.
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: Vegetarian Diets – An Introduction to and Simple Understanding of Them
What a month! We’ve discussed many aspects of nutritious, healthy eating. One principle that has been consistent throughout is diets that include generous amounts of fruits and vegetables are healthier than those that don’t. Today’s conversation takes this principle to the max: vegetarian diets.
Before we even define the different types of vegetarian diets, let’s answer a simple question: “Why in the world would I ever consider being a vegetarian?” The answer to the question is best given by discussing some outcomes of interest.
- Vegetarians generally have longer life expectancies than meat eaters.
- Vegetarians are less likely to have heart disease.
- Vegetarians are less likely to be obese.
- Vegetarians are less likely to have high blood pressure.
- Vegetarians are less likely to have certain types of diabetes.
The vegetarian diet focuses of the products of plants. These include the following types of foods: fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains and legumes (beans, peas and lentils). There are different types of vegetarian diets (representing levels of strictness), including the following:
- Vegan: only plant-based floods (with “nothing from anything with feet”)
- Lacto-vegetarian: Plant-based foods with an allowance for some dairy products
- Lacto-ovovegetarian: Plant-based foods with an allowance for some dairy products and eggs
- Semi- or partial vegetarian: The diet excludes red meat. It includes plant-based foods with an allowance for dairy products, eggs and certain meats (chicken and fish).
If you’re a semi-vegetarian, you may be further categorized based on the meat you eat:
- Pescatarians eat fish but not red meat, pork or poultry.
- Flexitarians (aka semi-vegetarians) occasionally eat red meat.
Now look back at the last six bullet points. The closer you get to being a strict vegetarian, the lower your risks of high blood pressure, diabetes and other certain other medical conditions. You can think of each bullet point as a stepladder to better health.
The point of this is there’s more than one approach to incorporating the principals of vegetarianism. You don’t have to be an absolutist to make your diet healthier. Just remember, the more plant-based your diet is, the healthier you’ll be. We’ve discussed this previously in the healthy eating plate. The bottom line remains the same. Most of you reading this don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains or legumes. The more your diet is tilted away from red meats and toward these options, the healthier you’ll be.
The next post will discuss specific concerns of vegetarian diets.
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. Please like and share our blog with your family and friends. We’re here for you 24/7 with immediate, personalized information and advice. Call your Personal Healthcare Consultant at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login to http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress
What a month! We’ve discussed many aspects of nutritious, healthy eating. One principle that has been consistent throughout is diets that include generous amounts of fruits and vegetables are healthier than those that don’t. Today’s conversation takes this principle to the max: vegetarian diets.
Before we even define the different types of vegetarian diets, let’s answer a simple question: “Why in the world would I ever consider being a vegetarian?” The answer to the question is best given by discussing some outcomes of interest.
- Vegetarians generally have longer life expectancies than meat eaters.
- Vegetarians are less likely to have heart disease.
- Vegetarians are less likely to be obese.
- Vegetarians are less likely to have high blood pressure.
- Vegetarians are less likely to have certain types of diabetes.
The vegetarian diet focuses of the products of plants. These include the following types of foods: fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains and legumes (beans, peas and lentils). There are different types of vegetarian diets (representing levels of strictness), including the following:
- Vegan: only plant-based floods (with “nothing from anything with feet”)
- Lacto-vegetarian: Plant-based foods with an allowance for some dairy products
- Lacto-ovovegetarian: Plant-based foods with an allowance for some dairy products and eggs
- Semi- or partial vegetarian: The diet excludes red meat. It includes plant-based foods with an allowance for dairy products, eggs and certain meats (chicken and fish).
If you’re a semi-vegetarian, you may be further categorized based on the meat you eat:
- Pescatarians eat fish but not red meat, pork or poultry.
- Flexitarians (aka semi-vegetarians) occasionally eat red meat.
Now look back at the last six bullet points. The closer you get to being a strict vegetarian, the lower your risks of high blood pressure, diabetes and other certain other medical conditions. You can think of each bullet point as a stepladder to better health.
The point of this is there’s more than one approach to incorporating the principals of vegetarianism. You don’t have to be an absolutist to make your diet healthier. Just remember, the more plant-based your diet is, the healthier you’ll be. We’ve discussed this previously in the healthy eating plate. The bottom line remains the same. Most of you reading this don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains or legumes. The more your diet is tilted away from red meats and toward these options, the healthier you’ll be.
The next post will discuss specific concerns of vegetarian diets.
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. Please like and share our blog with your family and friends. We’re here for you 24/7 with immediate, personalized information and advice. Call your Personal Healthcare Consultant at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login to http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress
In Honor of Women
At “Straight, No Chaser,” our posts aim to inform and encourage you to manage your health. However, sometimes we experience lapses in health that are beyond our control. Today, in honor of National Women’s Month, we welcome Dr. Sheri Prentiss to the blog. As a breast cancer survivor and Susan G. Komen 3-Day Spokesperson, she shares a message of hope and empowerment in the face of just one such health challenge.
When you think of the most powerful women you know, who comes to mind? Some of us think of political figures like Hilary Clinton. Perhaps you think of Oprah or Beyonce or other entertainers.
It’s easy to recognize “power” in celebrity or status in the newsworthy, but true power is something much more subtle and sublime. Webster’s Dictionary defines powerful as “having power, authority, influence.” According to this definition, being powerful has nothing to do with being a public figure, a multi-millionaire or a politician.
While the world certainly needs revolutionaries, entertainers and politicians, what it needs MORE are everyday women, not using their power to position themselves over others, to re-write history or to be rich and famous, but who are creating awesome lives for themselves and others, just like the women I meet on every 3-Day event!
The world is in desperate need of women who channel their power into touching hearts with their authenticity, stirring emotions with their self-expression, and impacting their worlds with their “regular” lives. In doing these things, we DO change the world, we WILL re-write history, we will be remembered as women who knew and exercised their power.
What are the secrets of power-full living? How can you invite more power into your life? It’s easier than you think:
1. A powerful woman exercises her authority. This doesn’t this mean you go around bossing people around, but it does mean you stand up for your values, refuse to be a door-mat, take full responsibility for your life, reject the victim role, refuse to settle for less than you deserve in life and love and use your power to speak your mind.
2. A powerful woman spots her leaks and patches them right away. We all have an incredible capacity for power. Think of this capacity as a gas tank, power being the fuel that moves you. When you have a leak—even the tiniest pin-hole—you lose your power. Where in your life do you lose power? What people, activities, obligations or thought processes drain you of your power? When you find them, “patch” them by making whatever changes are necessary.
3. A powerful woman surrounds herself with other powerful women. Truth is, you won’t always feel strong and in control. Troubles, fears, and real-life problems have a way of draining our power. Women who are connected to other women can share their power. When one friend is low on power, another can siphon some of hers to share. When you’re driving on E and putter out on the side of life’s highway, a caring friend can pick you up and bring you to the nearest re-fueling station.
4. A powerful woman re-fuels regularly. Like fuel, power gets spent the more you move. The more you exercise your power, the more necessary it is to re-fuel. A powerful woman does this by connecting with inspiration on a regular basis, by expressing her creativity, by reading good books, by praying, meditating or exercising. There are a million different ways you can re-power. Pick what appeals to your heart and do it.
5. A powerful woman shares her power. It seems to go against what we think of as powerful, doesn’t it? The good news is, sharing your power doesn’t diminish yours. You can share your power perhaps by mentoring a teenage girl or by raising your kids to be strong and independent or by putting your arm around someone who’s sad and empty. There are countless ways you can share your power, and, unlike those dreadful fuel-leak energy-drains, this one actually works in reverse. When you share your power, the world becomes a little brighter, a little more beautiful, and YOU become even more power-filled.
So my questions to you today are these: “Where is your point of power? What energizes you? Where do you lose power? How do you re-fill your tank? How can you share your power?”
Today, consider your amazing capacity for a power-full life … and start living it. Today, share my motto with me: L.I.V.E Everyday!TM—Love myself and others…Inspire those around me…Voice my dreams and ambitions…Enjoy life.
Please like and share our blog with your family and friends.
We’re here for you 24/7 with immediate, personalized information and advice. Call your Personal Healthcare Consultant at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login to www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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
At “Straight, No Chaser,” our posts aim to inform and encourage you to manage your health. However, sometimes we experience lapses in health that are beyond our control. Today, in honor of National Women’s Month, we welcome Dr. Sheri Prentiss to the blog. As a breast cancer survivor and Susan G. Komen 3-Day Spokesperson, she shares a message of hope and empowerment in the face of just one such health challenge.
When you think of the most powerful women you know, who comes to mind? Some of us think of political figures like Hilary Clinton. Perhaps you think of Oprah or Beyonce or other entertainers.
It’s easy to recognize “power” in celebrity or status in the newsworthy, but true power is something much more subtle and sublime. Webster’s Dictionary defines powerful as “having power, authority, influence.” According to this definition, being powerful has nothing to do with being a public figure, a multi-millionaire or a politician.
While the world certainly needs revolutionaries, entertainers and politicians, what it needs MORE are everyday women, not using their power to position themselves over others, to re-write history or to be rich and famous, but who are creating awesome lives for themselves and others, just like the women I meet on every 3-Day event!
The world is in desperate need of women who channel their power into touching hearts with their authenticity, stirring emotions with their self-expression, and impacting their worlds with their “regular” lives. In doing these things, we DO change the world, we WILL re-write history, we will be remembered as women who knew and exercised their power.
What are the secrets of power-full living? How can you invite more power into your life? It’s easier than you think:
1. A powerful woman exercises her authority. This doesn’t this mean you go around bossing people around, but it does mean you stand up for your values, refuse to be a door-mat, take full responsibility for your life, reject the victim role, refuse to settle for less than you deserve in life and love and use your power to speak your mind.
2. A powerful woman spots her leaks and patches them right away. We all have an incredible capacity for power. Think of this capacity as a gas tank, power being the fuel that moves you. When you have a leak—even the tiniest pin-hole—you lose your power. Where in your life do you lose power? What people, activities, obligations or thought processes drain you of your power? When you find them, “patch” them by making whatever changes are necessary.
3. A powerful woman surrounds herself with other powerful women. Truth is, you won’t always feel strong and in control. Troubles, fears, and real-life problems have a way of draining our power. Women who are connected to other women can share their power. When one friend is low on power, another can siphon some of hers to share. When you’re driving on E and putter out on the side of life’s highway, a caring friend can pick you up and bring you to the nearest re-fueling station.
4. A powerful woman re-fuels regularly. Like fuel, power gets spent the more you move. The more you exercise your power, the more necessary it is to re-fuel. A powerful woman does this by connecting with inspiration on a regular basis, by expressing her creativity, by reading good books, by praying, meditating or exercising. There are a million different ways you can re-power. Pick what appeals to your heart and do it.
5. A powerful woman shares her power. It seems to go against what we think of as powerful, doesn’t it? The good news is, sharing your power doesn’t diminish yours. You can share your power perhaps by mentoring a teenage girl or by raising your kids to be strong and independent or by putting your arm around someone who’s sad and empty. There are countless ways you can share your power, and, unlike those dreadful fuel-leak energy-drains, this one actually works in reverse. When you share your power, the world becomes a little brighter, a little more beautiful, and YOU become even more power-filled.
So my questions to you today are these: “Where is your point of power? What energizes you? Where do you lose power? How do you re-fill your tank? How can you share your power?”
Today, consider your amazing capacity for a power-full life … and start living it. Today, share my motto with me: L.I.V.E Everyday!TM—Love myself and others…Inspire those around me…Voice my dreams and ambitions…Enjoy life.
Please like and share our blog with your family and friends.
We’re here for you 24/7 with immediate, personalized information and advice. Call your Personal Healthcare Consultant at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login to www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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: Gluten, Wheat and Celiac Disease
One of the reasons I enjoy writing this blog is it brings me closer to understanding you. As you respond to posts or query me, I get to better appreciate the breadth of your concerns. I realize that much of what physicians do in clinical practice is talk AT you. Sometimes physicians assume that you know better because we do. Your issues often involves uncertainty about the nature of your symptoms, and, in real-time, you tend not to appreciate that symptoms are incredibly non-specific, meaning the same set of symptoms show up in multiple diseases and conditions (as you’ll noted from the picture below featuring possible symptoms of celiac disease). Many times, you’ll be researching a topic on the Internet, see symptoms you have and say, “That sounds like me! That must be what I have.” The relationship of symptoms to disease really isn’t anywhere near that linear.
Weight loss is an example of something patients think about differently than physicians. When a patient wants to lose weight, s/he may think of everything under the sun from the latest diet craze, surgery or other potential “quick-fixes.” On the other hand, a physician will parrot something about calorie control, healthy eating and exercise, assuming you know better than to entertain miscellaneous information aimed to strike fear into your hearts or give you false expectations. (If you need a refresher on that consideration, check here.) In many of these instances, physicians may never even address your questions, because we’re so busy promoting the standard of care.
This month, we’ve been discussing nutrition with probably a dozen different blogs posted on various topics. Do you think the most common questions I’ve received have involved application of the healthy eating plate or simple tips to healthier eating? Nope. They’ve been more along the lines of esoteric concerns – or at least concerns that only affect rare segments of the population – so much so that physicians typically wouldn’t even think to discuss them with patients.
Two such discussions involve the consumption of gluten and wheat. Let’s answer those questions and clear up any confusion you may have. Thank you for your willingness to engage in straight talk. Indeed, your concerns are real, and our mission at Straight, No Chaser and www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com is to get you the information and advice you need.
What is gluten?
Gluten an important protein found in all forms of wheat, barley and rye. It is also found in other foods such as deli meats, soy sauce, vitamins, some chocolate, some toothpaste and imitation crab. For the purpose of this blog, let’s relegate your wheat concerns to gluten.
Why do I care about gluten?
You probably don’t and probably shouldn’t, unless you have a specific disease called celiac disease, which is related to the adverse effects of an extreme sensitivity to gluten. Some humans (only some and not many at all) have difficulty digesting gluten. In fact, the ingestion of gluten in those with celiac disease can cause damage to the intestinal lining, causing chronic (ongoing, continuous) diarrhea and abdominal pain. This can result in potentially life-threatening concerns, but it only occurs in less than 1% of the population.
The other reason you may have heard about gluten is the existence of a diet craze based on avoiding gluten (having to do partially with limiting carbohydrates).
Why is this an issue?
As societies have moved to diets with higher consumption of refined wheat flour, the sensitivity to gluten has expressed itself more often. As is often the case, when you over consume or are overexposed to substances, danger ensues. That is not the same as saying you need to avoid any and everything on earth that could potentially cause you harm.
Do I need to give up wheat and gluten completely?
Absolutely not, unless you have celiac disease or demonstrated allergies to these substances. This is simply another example of your needing to understand the issue. As with most overstated concerns, solutions are to be found in the same principles of healthy eating described throughout Straight, No Chaser. (Feel free to research our many topics by typing your topic of interest into the search engine over on the right side of the page.)
In this instance and others, what happens all too often is folks create new problems running from other, perceived ones. Substituting high-calorie, high-fat products for wheat and other products containing gluten is not a healthy decision and has been shown to increase weight gain and the risk of diabetes. The principles of any successful efforts to diet remain the same. Your best bet is to learn principles of healthy eating and incorporate calorie control and exercise into your regimen. Embrace moderation across the board, and enjoy learning to make healthy eating an adventure by adding variety to your meals.
One final caveat: There’s nothing wrong with, and potentially much to gain from, asking your physician about your individual risks for celiac disease. Just understand that unless you have the symptoms (e.g., diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, headaches and joint pains to name a few), you likely will cause your physician to scratch her or his head.
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
One of the reasons I enjoy writing this blog is it brings me closer to understanding you. As you respond to posts or query me, I get to better appreciate the breadth of your concerns. I realize that much of what physicians do in clinical practice is talk AT you. Sometimes physicians assume that you know better because we do. Your issues often involves uncertainty about the nature of your symptoms, and, in real-time, you tend not to appreciate that symptoms are incredibly non-specific, meaning the same set of symptoms show up in multiple diseases and conditions (as you’ll noted from the picture below featuring possible symptoms of celiac disease). Many times, you’ll be researching a topic on the Internet, see symptoms you have and say, “That sounds like me! That must be what I have.” The relationship of symptoms to disease really isn’t anywhere near that linear.
Weight loss is an example of something patients think about differently than physicians. When a patient wants to lose weight, s/he may think of everything under the sun from the latest diet craze, surgery or other potential “quick-fixes.” On the other hand, a physician will parrot something about calorie control, healthy eating and exercise, assuming you know better than to entertain miscellaneous information aimed to strike fear into your hearts or give you false expectations. (If you need a refresher on that consideration, check here.) In many of these instances, physicians may never even address your questions, because we’re so busy promoting the standard of care.
This month, we’ve been discussing nutrition with probably a dozen different blogs posted on various topics. Do you think the most common questions I’ve received have involved application of the healthy eating plate or simple tips to healthier eating? Nope. They’ve been more along the lines of esoteric concerns – or at least concerns that only affect rare segments of the population – so much so that physicians typically wouldn’t even think to discuss them with patients.
Two such discussions involve the consumption of gluten and wheat. Let’s answer those questions and clear up any confusion you may have. Thank you for your willingness to engage in straight talk. Indeed, your concerns are real, and our mission at Straight, No Chaser and www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com is to get you the information and advice you need.
What is gluten?
Gluten an important protein found in all forms of wheat, barley and rye. It is also found in other foods such as deli meats, soy sauce, vitamins, some chocolate, some toothpaste and imitation crab. For the purpose of this blog, let’s relegate your wheat concerns to gluten.
Why do I care about gluten?
You probably don’t and probably shouldn’t, unless you have a specific disease called celiac disease, which is related to the adverse effects of an extreme sensitivity to gluten. Some humans (only some and not many at all) have difficulty digesting gluten. In fact, the ingestion of gluten in those with celiac disease can cause damage to the intestinal lining, causing chronic (ongoing, continuous) diarrhea and abdominal pain. This can result in potentially life-threatening concerns, but it only occurs in less than 1% of the population.
The other reason you may have heard about gluten is the existence of a diet craze based on avoiding gluten (having to do partially with limiting carbohydrates).
Why is this an issue?
As societies have moved to diets with higher consumption of refined wheat flour, the sensitivity to gluten has expressed itself more often. As is often the case, when you over consume or are overexposed to substances, danger ensues. That is not the same as saying you need to avoid any and everything on earth that could potentially cause you harm.
Do I need to give up wheat and gluten completely?
Absolutely not, unless you have celiac disease or demonstrated allergies to these substances. This is simply another example of your needing to understand the issue. As with most overstated concerns, solutions are to be found in the same principles of healthy eating described throughout Straight, No Chaser. (Feel free to research our many topics by typing your topic of interest into the search engine over on the right side of the page.)
In this instance and others, what happens all too often is folks create new problems running from other, perceived ones. Substituting high-calorie, high-fat products for wheat and other products containing gluten is not a healthy decision and has been shown to increase weight gain and the risk of diabetes. The principles of any successful efforts to diet remain the same. Your best bet is to learn principles of healthy eating and incorporate calorie control and exercise into your regimen. Embrace moderation across the board, and enjoy learning to make healthy eating an adventure by adding variety to your meals.
One final caveat: There’s nothing wrong with, and potentially much to gain from, asking your physician about your individual risks for celiac disease. Just understand that unless you have the symptoms (e.g., diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, headaches and joint pains to name a few), you likely will cause your physician to scratch her or his head.
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.
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Doctor Advice
When you have a pressing medical concern, it’s good to know that you can call and immediately talk with a doctor. Maybe it’s nothing at all. Maybe, given your personal and family medical history, it’s something you should have a professional evaluate in person right away.
Call 1-844-SMA-TALK and talk with a doctor immediately. If you prefer to chat online, login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re here for you 24/7 with personalized medical information and advice.
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
When you have a pressing medical concern, it’s good to know that you can call and immediately talk with a doctor. Maybe it’s nothing at all. Maybe, given your personal and family medical history, it’s something you should have a professional evaluate in person right away.
Call 1-844-SMA-TALK and talk with a doctor immediately. If you prefer to chat online, login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re here for you 24/7 with personalized medical information and advice.
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: Healthy Eating Tips
If you want to eat healthy, you really must learn about and try to eat in accordance with the Healthy Eating Plate. It doesn’t get more complicated that that, and you shouldn’t attempt to make it much more complicated.
Today, I’m going to speak on recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which I’m building upon for your success. These bakers’ dozen of tips represent simple, easy-to-do tasks to keep your meals healthy.
1. Eat at home. This accomplishes so many things. If you eat at home, you know exactly what you’re eating. That quality control is important, and it allows you to both save money and get creative in your pursuit of health.
2. If possible, take the cooking out of your hands. Those of you with less self-discipline would do well to simply express your healthy desires to your loved one. Give her or him directions on your health goals and eat what’s brough to you.
3. Use a smaller plate. This act with help you with portion control. If you’re one of those who must finish your plate, this will help prevent you from overeating.
4. Stop eating when you’re full. The body actually is trying to tell you when you’re hungry and when you’re not. Try to overcome that voice in your head that tells you “finish your plate.” Calorie control is the vital component of health.
5. Make half your plate colorful fruits and vegetables. If you just remember dark green, red and orange colors and consistently full of nutrients and healthy, you’ll do well. Think of tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli as examples.
6. Eat slowly. Even if you’re not chewing each morsel 20-25 times before swallowing, learning to savor your food will improve your eating experience and promote a sense of fullness and satisfaction with smaller portions. No, it won’t necessary make you want even more.
7. Lean. Protein. Limit your red meat. Learn to appreciate lean meats, such as chicken, turkey and seafood. Beans and tofu are also excellent protein sources. When you do eat beef and/or pork, ask for lean cuts.
8. Seafood, not see (more) food. Make it your main course at least twice a week.
9. Whole grains. Just say the words and look for the words. When you’re buying breads, look for 100% whole grain. At a restaurant? Specifically ask for whole grains in your breadbasket. You cannot assume your breads are whole grain otherwise.
10. Avoid the extra fat. There’s no good in eating healthy if you cover the goodness with heavy sauces, gravies, syrups or salad dressings. Ask if low fat, low-calorie alternatives exist.
11. Got dairy? Learn to move beyond whole milk. Fat-free, low-fat, soy or almond milks (or yogurt without a daily drink) are all better options and provide the same amount of calcium and other nutrients without all the fat and calories.
12. Satisfy your sweet tooth in a different way. Learn to enjoy a fruit cocktail, yogurt parfait, baked apples or other healthy options as your dessert. All you’re really wanting is a dab of sugar anyway!
13. Learn variety; build your choices. Have you ever tried mango, kiwi, lentils or kale? If so, did you give up after the first taste? Many healthy foods need to be prepared to your liking. Think seasonings and preparation. Get creative!
Whatever you do, fast food is not the option. Invest a touch of time into these very simple tips and undo the bad luck to be found if most of your diets.
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
If you want to eat healthy, you really must learn about and try to eat in accordance with the Healthy Eating Plate. It doesn’t get more complicated that that, and you shouldn’t attempt to make it much more complicated.
Today, I’m going to speak on recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which I’m building upon for your success. These bakers’ dozen of tips represent simple, easy-to-do tasks to keep your meals healthy.
1. Eat at home. This accomplishes so many things. If you eat at home, you know exactly what you’re eating. That quality control is important, and it allows you to both save money and get creative in your pursuit of health.
2. If possible, take the cooking out of your hands. Those of you with less self-discipline would do well to simply express your healthy desires to your loved one. Give her or him directions on your health goals and eat what’s brough to you.
3. Use a smaller plate. This act with help you with portion control. If you’re one of those who must finish your plate, this will help prevent you from overeating.
4. Stop eating when you’re full. The body actually is trying to tell you when you’re hungry and when you’re not. Try to overcome that voice in your head that tells you “finish your plate.” Calorie control is the vital component of health.
5. Make half your plate colorful fruits and vegetables. If you just remember dark green, red and orange colors and consistently full of nutrients and healthy, you’ll do well. Think of tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli as examples.
6. Eat slowly. Even if you’re not chewing each morsel 20-25 times before swallowing, learning to savor your food will improve your eating experience and promote a sense of fullness and satisfaction with smaller portions. No, it won’t necessary make you want even more.
7. Lean. Protein. Limit your red meat. Learn to appreciate lean meats, such as chicken, turkey and seafood. Beans and tofu are also excellent protein sources. When you do eat beef and/or pork, ask for lean cuts.
8. Seafood, not see (more) food. Make it your main course at least twice a week.
9. Whole grains. Just say the words and look for the words. When you’re buying breads, look for 100% whole grain. At a restaurant? Specifically ask for whole grains in your breadbasket. You cannot assume your breads are whole grain otherwise.
10. Avoid the extra fat. There’s no good in eating healthy if you cover the goodness with heavy sauces, gravies, syrups or salad dressings. Ask if low fat, low-calorie alternatives exist.
11. Got dairy? Learn to move beyond whole milk. Fat-free, low-fat, soy or almond milks (or yogurt without a daily drink) are all better options and provide the same amount of calcium and other nutrients without all the fat and calories.
12. Satisfy your sweet tooth in a different way. Learn to enjoy a fruit cocktail, yogurt parfait, baked apples or other healthy options as your dessert. All you’re really wanting is a dab of sugar anyway!
13. Learn variety; build your choices. Have you ever tried mango, kiwi, lentils or kale? If so, did you give up after the first taste? Many healthy foods need to be prepared to your liking. Think seasonings and preparation. Get creative!
Whatever you do, fast food is not the option. Invest a touch of time into these very simple tips and undo the bad luck to be found if most of your diets.
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
Expert Advice
Expertise is worth its weight in gold when it comes to your health. At SterlingMedicalAdvice.com our experts are licensed healthcare providers, including experienced specialists across the entire healthcare spectrum.
Our advice is personalized with consideration to your personal and family medical history. Our service is available to you 24 hours per day, seven days per week, whenever you need information.
Call 1-844-SMA-TALK and talk with a healthcare expert immediately. If you prefer to chat online, login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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
Expertise is worth its weight in gold when it comes to your health. At SterlingMedicalAdvice.com our experts are licensed healthcare providers, including experienced specialists across the entire healthcare spectrum.
Our advice is personalized with consideration to your personal and family medical history. Our service is available to you 24 hours per day, seven days per week, whenever you need information.
Call 1-844-SMA-TALK and talk with a healthcare expert immediately. If you prefer to chat online, login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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: Toxin and Detoxification Series Summary
I want to thank you for all the positive responses to the series of posts on toxins and detoxification. You have shared many personal stories and asked many great questions. I guess I’ll continue to accept your being shy (especially on these topics) about asking personal questions publicly, but keep contacting me here. To that end, I’ll summarize by sharing some of your thoughts and making a few final comments.
You can’t escape toxins, but you can pretty easily reduce your exposure to them. For the things you can control, “everything in moderation” is a pretty good rule of thumb for most, except for cigarette smoke into your lungs. That just needs to stop.
Your body does a great job of detoxification through the lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines and skin. This process is retarded by age and the effects of toxins on these systems.
There are a lot of fad diets and questionable methods of detoxifying. Most have risks that should make you cautious. None are more effective than tuning your body to do its best work. Furthermore, these methods are invariably more effective in the short-term than the long-term.
Now, to some of your questions.
1. So are you saying bowel movements are good enough to detox the intestines?
Until and unless your bad habits catch up with you, yes. Consider the ways the large intestines (the colon) handle toxins.
- If healthy, the colon sheds old cells about every three days, preventing a buildup of harmful material. It regenerates new healthy cells in their place. It’s lining includes mucus membranes that can keep toxic substances from reentering the blood and tissues.
- You have “natural” bacteria that reside in the colon. They actually detoxify food wastes for you. (One of the potential issues of colon cleansing is the removal of these bacteria.)
- The liver’s main function is to neutralize toxins.
- Your bowel movements remove waste and toxins from you. Although the number of bowel movements vary between individuals, your body (if healthy) is able to regulate when you defecate based on your needs.
- Increasing the number of bowel movements doesn’t improve weight loss. That’s because the body absorbs most calories before they reach the large intestine.
Nothing in a colonic or juice fast will match this level of effectiveness. Spend your efforts keeping your body healthy. Increase your fiber, water, fruit and vegetable intake. Lower or eliminate the intake of red meat, cigarettes and alcohol. There’s your detox program all day long.
2. So what’s the verdict on the detox diets and colon cleansing?
Consult with your physician. I’d imagine that using the diets as a starting point for lifestyle changes would be endorsed. I’d doubt that any fad diet would be endorsed.
3. You said tap water is no longer good? Should I exclusively drink bottled water?
Actually filtered water is even better.
4. Are you suggesting I stop wearing makeup?
You’re beautiful just the way you are.
5. Have you ever had a colonic?
Yes, and it made me feel dirty. (Was that serious, or a joke?)
6. I’d never do that.
Actually, you will. (Well, almost.) Many men over 50 will have a colonoscopy to evaluate for the possibility of colon cancer at some point. If and when you get that, you’ll get your colon cleanse solution one to two days before the procedure and maybe an enema in addition. At least you’ll be under the care of a physician, and you’ll get a sedative first!
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
I want to thank you for all the positive responses to the series of posts on toxins and detoxification. You have shared many personal stories and asked many great questions. I guess I’ll continue to accept your being shy (especially on these topics) about asking personal questions publicly, but keep contacting me here. To that end, I’ll summarize by sharing some of your thoughts and making a few final comments.
You can’t escape toxins, but you can pretty easily reduce your exposure to them. For the things you can control, “everything in moderation” is a pretty good rule of thumb for most, except for cigarette smoke into your lungs. That just needs to stop.
Your body does a great job of detoxification through the lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines and skin. This process is retarded by age and the effects of toxins on these systems.
There are a lot of fad diets and questionable methods of detoxifying. Most have risks that should make you cautious. None are more effective than tuning your body to do its best work. Furthermore, these methods are invariably more effective in the short-term than the long-term.
Now, to some of your questions.
1. So are you saying bowel movements are good enough to detox the intestines?
Until and unless your bad habits catch up with you, yes. Consider the ways the large intestines (the colon) handle toxins.
- If healthy, the colon sheds old cells about every three days, preventing a buildup of harmful material. It regenerates new healthy cells in their place. It’s lining includes mucus membranes that can keep toxic substances from reentering the blood and tissues.
- You have “natural” bacteria that reside in the colon. They actually detoxify food wastes for you. (One of the potential issues of colon cleansing is the removal of these bacteria.)
- The liver’s main function is to neutralize toxins.
- Your bowel movements remove waste and toxins from you. Although the number of bowel movements vary between individuals, your body (if healthy) is able to regulate when you defecate based on your needs.
- Increasing the number of bowel movements doesn’t improve weight loss. That’s because the body absorbs most calories before they reach the large intestine.
Nothing in a colonic or juice fast will match this level of effectiveness. Spend your efforts keeping your body healthy. Increase your fiber, water, fruit and vegetable intake. Lower or eliminate the intake of red meat, cigarettes and alcohol. There’s your detox program all day long.
2. So what’s the verdict on the detox diets and colon cleansing?
Consult with your physician. I’d imagine that using the diets as a starting point for lifestyle changes would be endorsed. I’d doubt that any fad diet would be endorsed.
3. You said tap water is no longer good? Should I exclusively drink bottled water?
Actually filtered water is even better.
4. Are you suggesting I stop wearing makeup?
You’re beautiful just the way you are.
5. Have you ever had a colonic?
Yes, and it made me feel dirty. (Was that serious, or a joke?)
6. I’d never do that.
Actually, you will. (Well, almost.) Many men over 50 will have a colonoscopy to evaluate for the possibility of colon cancer at some point. If and when you get that, you’ll get your colon cleanse solution one to two days before the procedure and maybe an enema in addition. At least you’ll be under the care of a physician, and you’ll get a sedative first!
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
Spotlight: Ob-Gyn
In honor of National Women’s Month, we’d like to spotlight one of our favorite groups of Personal Healthcare Consultants: OB/GYNs. What would the world do without them?!
Through SterlingMedicalAdvice.com they are available to you 24/7, to give you personalized information and advice on a whole range of women’s healthcare questions and concerns.
They are as close as a call or online chat.
Call 1-844-SMA-TALK and talk with an OB/GYN expert immediately. If you prefer to chat online, login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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
In honor of National Women’s Month, we’d like to spotlight one of our favorite groups of Personal Healthcare Consultants: OB/GYNs. What would the world do without them?!
Through SterlingMedicalAdvice.com they are available to you 24/7, to give you personalized information and advice on a whole range of women’s healthcare questions and concerns.
They are as close as a call or online chat.
Call 1-844-SMA-TALK and talk with an OB/GYN expert immediately. If you prefer to chat online, login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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
Jam Session
If you jam a finger jamming with friends,
before rushing off to the emergency room, check your health library at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We have guidelines on how to know how bad the ouchie really is and whether the trip to the ER is necessary.
That type of advice is our specialty. We’re here to help your health and your wallet and your day. Login or call us at 1-844-SMA-TALK, 24/7 for personalized medical advice.
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
If you jam a finger jamming with friends,
before rushing off to the emergency room, check your health library at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We have guidelines on how to know how bad the ouchie really is and whether the trip to the ER is necessary.
That type of advice is our specialty. We’re here to help your health and your wallet and your day. Login or call us at 1-844-SMA-TALK, 24/7 for personalized medical advice.
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
Music works out
Not exactly sure which comes first, but either music makes you work out or working out happens when you listen to music. Gyms and jogging paths are proof. They’re full of music.
Since exercise improves your health, we definitely advise you to get inspired by incorporating lots of musical listening into your day. Contact us directly for more workout tips: 1-844-SMA-TALK or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re here for you 24/7 with immediate, personalized information and advice.
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
Not exactly sure which comes first, but either music makes you work out or working out happens when you listen to music. Gyms and jogging paths are proof. They’re full of music.
Since exercise improves your health, we definitely advise you to get inspired by incorporating lots of musical listening into your day. Contact us directly for more workout tips: 1-844-SMA-TALK or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re here for you 24/7 with immediate, personalized information and advice.
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
The Art of Preserving Health (1744)
People have long noticed the impact that music can have on health. We’re not sure that we’re ready to say that it expels disease, but we appreciate the point. And here it is:
And here it is again:
If you haven’t felt like this in a while, contact us at 1-844-SMA-TALK or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re happy to connect you with health and medical advice and a tune-up, but don’t expect to hear much of our hold music. We provide IMMEDIATE information and advice.
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
People have long noticed the impact that music can have on health. We’re not sure that we’re ready to say that it expels disease, but we appreciate the point. And here it is:
And here it is again:
If you haven’t felt like this in a while, contact us at 1-844-SMA-TALK or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. We’re happy to connect you with health and medical advice and a tune-up, but don’t expect to hear much of our hold music. We provide IMMEDIATE information and advice.
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
Our Musical Staff
When you are done chatting with your Personal Healthcare Consultant about important medical concerns, feel free to put in a request for a favorite tune. Our musical staff aims to please 24/7. Well not really, but our advice may get you healthy enough to sing a tune or make sweet music!
Call us at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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
When you are done chatting with your Personal Healthcare Consultant about important medical concerns, feel free to put in a request for a favorite tune. Our musical staff aims to please 24/7. Well not really, but our advice may get you healthy enough to sing a tune or make sweet music!
Call us at 1-844-SMA-TALK or login at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.
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
Fun Lunch
While we’re in National Nutrition Month and while you may be acclimating your palate to a new lifestyle of eating, we wanted to remind you to spice up your lunch hour. Maybe try a new lunch spot:
Don’t forget to add a little extra love for the children in your life.
Feel free to call your Personal Healthcare Assistant/nutritionist for advice on meeting special dietary needs. We’re at 1-844-SMA-TALK or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, and we love to help.
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
While we’re in National Nutrition Month and while you may be acclimating your palate to a new lifestyle of eating, we wanted to remind you to spice up your lunch hour. Maybe try a new lunch spot:
Don’t forget to add a little extra love for the children in your life.
Feel free to call your Personal Healthcare Assistant/nutritionist for advice on meeting special dietary needs. We’re at 1-844-SMA-TALK or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, and we love to help.
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
Hugs help.
Hugs are good, and they can come from unlikely sources.
They can help lower or raise your heart rate.
They can be good for reminding you to do your daily squats.
Some hugs work with no hands!
Some hugs are useful for keeping warm … if you’re strong enough to hold up under them.
Some hugs appear to be from your pet, but feel more like they’re from your friend.
And, of course, hugs are the preferred greeting when you’re on safari.
Join us over at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. Our hug-ologists, surgeons, physicians, dentists, dermatologists, nutritionists, therapists and the whole team are available with cyber hugs, information and advice 24/7. You can also call us at 844-SMA-TALK about medical or healthcare questions or concerns.
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
Hugs are good, and they can come from unlikely sources.
They can help lower or raise your heart rate.
They can be good for reminding you to do your daily squats.
Some hugs work with no hands!
Some hugs are useful for keeping warm … if you’re strong enough to hold up under them.
Some hugs appear to be from your pet, but feel more like they’re from your friend.
And, of course, hugs are the preferred greeting when you’re on safari.
Join us over at www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com. Our hug-ologists, surgeons, physicians, dentists, dermatologists, nutritionists, therapists and the whole team are available with cyber hugs, information and advice 24/7. You can also call us at 844-SMA-TALK about medical or healthcare questions or concerns.
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: Tips to Limit Your Risk of Contracting The Most Deadly Diseases
It is interesting and, even more, curious to hear everyone obsess over how esoteric and rare conditions can potentially kill you. Word 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) to prevent and combat the five most common 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.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are the five most common causes of death in the United States for the year ending 2010. (It takes awhile to compile data, but these are basically the leading causes year after year.) I’ve also included the number of annual deaths per condition.
- Heart disease (e.g., heart attack): 597,689
- Cancer (all cases): 574,743
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis): 138,080
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 129,476
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 120,859
Heart disease – Click here to learn early recognition of heart attacks.
- 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 – Cancer warrants a special comment to get screened! Early detection is the key to survival!
- 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).
Chronic lower respiratory diseases
- 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.
- 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.
Accidents
- 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.
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 strokes, learn CPR, get screened for cancer and learn how to survive car crashes. It’s not that hard.
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
It is interesting and, even more, curious to hear everyone obsess over how esoteric and rare conditions can potentially kill you. Word 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) to prevent and combat the five most common 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.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are the five most common causes of death in the United States for the year ending 2010. (It takes awhile to compile data, but these are basically the leading causes year after year.) I’ve also included the number of annual deaths per condition.
- Heart disease (e.g., heart attack): 597,689
- Cancer (all cases): 574,743
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis): 138,080
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 129,476
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 120,859
Heart disease – Click here to learn early recognition of heart attacks.
- 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 – Cancer warrants a special comment to get screened! Early detection is the key to survival!
- 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).
Chronic lower respiratory diseases
- 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.
- 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.
Accidents
- 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.
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 strokes, learn CPR, get screened for cancer and learn how to survive car crashes. It’s not that hard.
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
Confidential
We appreciate the embarrassment and other concerns associated with exposing yourself and your personal health information. Know that your chats and calls with the experts at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com are confidential. Our site at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com offers the highest level of health security ability on the Internet. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-844-SMA-CHAT or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com with any sensitive medical or healthcare question or concern. We’re here for you 24/7, and we’ll keep any health secrets you share. And you don’t even have to go to Vegas to talk to us.
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
We appreciate the embarrassment and other concerns associated with exposing yourself and your personal health information. Know that your chats and calls with the experts at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com are confidential. Our site at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com offers the highest level of health security ability on the Internet. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-844-SMA-CHAT or www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com with any sensitive medical or healthcare question or concern. We’re here for you 24/7, and we’ll keep any health secrets you share. And you don’t even have to go to Vegas to talk to us.
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
