doctors

If your family doctor is not able to see you on short notice, you may understandably be feeling a bit antsy. But don’t fret – whether you’re dealing with a nasty chronic illness or just looking for a quick wellness check-up, there are still plenty of immediate alternatives you can make use of. Your scope of care will largely be dependent on where you’re located, and may include urgent care, walk-in clinics, or emergency room services. It’s alright to feel a bit worried in these circumstances, but just know that there are plenty of independent and network-backed facilities to address your [...]

How many times have you visited your doctor for an issue, only to be prescribed pills and sent away? This becomes a vicious circle without any recognition of the real problem at hand. While painkillers can provide temporary relief, they can’t solve the root problem of your health issue. This is exactly why acupuncture is becoming more popular as an alternative pain management therapy. A new study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine actually proves that acupuncture is a more powerful pain reliever than morphine. Such stunning results have the potential to help patients rethink their reliance on pharmaceuticals. [...]

Have you hit a plateau with your current weight loss plan? Are you feeling frustrated by your lack of results? Perhaps you are simply tired of counting calories and obsessing over your food choices. Whatever your situation, if your weight loss plan isn’t working, you need a reasonable and encouraging alternative. Your very best solution is to ask for professional help from a nutritionist and weight loss expert who can evaluate your weight loss needs and put you on the right track to success. Consider a Meal Replacement Program like Optifast When you commit yourself to the meal replacement program known [...]

Some health conditions are easy to detect, but others like COPD develop gradually with symptoms that are too subtle to notice immediately. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a serious condition, especially if it continues undiagnosed and untreated for many years. Use this quick guide to familiarize yourself with the initial warning signs of COPD so you can seek preventative care and maximize your quality of life. What Are the Signs of COPD? COPD is an umbrella term for a collection of progressive lung diseases like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and non-reversible asthma. There are many general signs that indicate the development [...]

Diabetes has become an epidemic in our country, with millions of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and the number growing every year. Diabetes is known as a condition related to insulin, but not all cases require insulin for treatment. Here’s what you need to know. Insulin Dependent vs. Non-Insulin Dependent Adults with “insulin dependent’ diabetes cannot produce their own insulin. The only way to manage this form of diabetes is to use daily insulin injections to force the body to process blood sugar properly. This is also now known as type 1 diabetes. People with “non-insulin dependent” diabetes, however, have [...]

You know that high cholesterol is a warning sign of heart problems, but do you understand the nuances of cholesterol beyond the mantra “high is bad”? If not, make sure you educate yourself on the relationship between cholesterol and your body in order to preserve your heart health for the future. What Is High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol? High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good” cholesterol that collects LDL cholesterol – also known as the “bad” cholesterol – and transports it like a trash collector to the liver. The liver is responsible for processing and eliminating LDL cholesterol from the body. [...]

As the holiday season approaches, it’s important to remember that the winter can easily become a downward spiral into unwanted weight gain. You want to enjoy yourself over the next few months without feeling guilty and unhappy in January, so use the following tips to have a memorable yet healthy holiday season. Eat Before the Party Arriving at a party buffet hungry is just as dangerous as going grocery shopping hungry. By eating before you arrive at parties, you reduce your calorie intake and prevent impulsive or social eating. Even a small salad, large glass of water, smoothie, or peanut butter [...]

Preventative health screenings are the cheapest and simplest ways to protect your health and prevent serious diseases. For women in particular, a pap smear checks for cervical cancer, while for men a prostate exam can detect prostate cancer. Given that these conditions kill thousands of people every year, preventative screenings should be used to their full power. A Quick Guide to Pap Smears A pap smear is completed by scraping cells from the opening of a woman’s cervix, the lower part of the uterus, and examining them under a microscope. It’s a very quick and easy test that can be completed [...]