Healthy New Year Resolutions

At some point or another, most people in my life have made a resolution to lose weight in the New Year; myself included. We all know what happens; by January 15th, we're back to our old habits and those yoga pants and mat haven't been used in a week!

Do you remember the series we did earlier this year about change? In case you need a refresher, start here!

If you want to make some lasting changes in 2018, let's talk about things that we will actually do!

Take a walk. Take a bike ride. Take a yoga or pilates class. Join a gym (and go!). Get a physical. Go to the dentist. Go to the eye doctor. Get a mammogram and pap smear. Check your blood pressure at the pharmacy. Buy a blood pressure cuff. Go to the pool. Take a hike. Go to the beach. Play Frisbee. Buy a thermometer. Dance. Go take Zumba. Review your medications with your PCP. Bounce on a trampoline. Ride a horse. Go to the zoo. Color or draw. Journal. Meditate. Volunteer.

What changes are you willing to make in 2018?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

At-home medical tools

Do you have a first aid kit? Band-aids? A blood pressure cuff? Have you ever thought about what tools you should have at home? Let's discuss!

If you wanted to go above the basic first aid kit, these are the items (and reasons) I would recommend!

1. Thermometer
In my experience, most people don't have one and it's such an easy, simple, crucial tool! When you think you have a fever, take your temp! The information you can give us ("103.4* yesterday"), is valuable. Also, if your kids complain of feeling hot or you feel them hot, check their temp! It is good information to give us when you visit. It can help us in our decision making!

2. Blood pressure cuff
Something similar to this one are all you need! It may not be 100% accurate, but it will get you in the ball park. If you feel dizzy, short of breath, or usually tired, take your blood pressure. Keep track of it throughout the day and even at the same time every day. It, too, can also help us in our decision making process. And, we're able to tell if you really do have White Coat Syndrome! :) Make sure you read the instructions! I've had patients using them incorrectly and their blood pressure is quite elevated in reality.

3. Pulse oximeter
This measure the amount of oxygen in your blood. It is fast, easy, and non-invasive! This would be a great tool for people who have asthma, COPD, or other breathing difficulties. This one covers all your needs; it even gives your pulse reading! The information is important if you are having difficulty breathing or catching your breath.

4. Glucometer
I would only buy this if there is a diabetic in the family and your insurance/health plan does not cover one. Most of us don't have blood sugar issues significant enough to merit having a meter. This tool is valuable if you start to have signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar); disoriented, sweaty, weak, lethargic, irritable, headache, hungry, pounding pulse. Check the sugar and then treat accordingly; and follow up with your PCP.

The more information you can give your PCP, the more informed decisions they can make about your health! Do you need all of these tools? No. But, if you're interested and can afford them, it certainly helps.

The Medical Assistant

Have you ever wondered what the medical assistant (MA) does? Do you think they just take your weight and blood pressure and sit around the rest of the day? Let me tell you what they do and how hard they work!

Medical assistants do greet you and take your vitals, but they do so much more! They clean the room in between patients, they perform ear lavages when the wax has built up in your ear, they check your urine for pregnancy and infections, they swab your throat for strep, they enter in all of your information including medications, vitals, recent hospital visits, they update your immunizations and make sure you had your mammo or pap completed, they often pick up on things and alert us (me) before I go in so I can address the issue. Just yesterday a patient came in with vague complaints of abdominal pain, bloating, and back pain. Grace asked the patient about urination and the patient admitted  he did have some pain recently. She had him leave urine right away and let me know what the patient said and what she did. Sure enough, the patient did have a urine infection (among other things). It was her knowledge and attention to detail and subtle cues that helped the patient (and me!).

Grace (my MA) remember patients much better than I remember. She reminds me of abnormal labs or to send a medication if I forget. She keeps track of the paperwork patients bring in and need completed. She is my second brain and is invaluable to me. Grace deserves a raise (and an assistant!). She is not only part of the team, she is an integral part of the team. Medical assistants often get treated poorly by patients, but please remember, she is another set of eyes and ears and may pick up on other needs you have that you aren't even aware of!

When the MA asks why you're here today, please tell them! She can get everything ready to go; she can get the urine dipped and the results to me before I even see you! She ensures you (and I) have everything we need to get the most out of our appointment. Her role is crucial and I cannot imagine not having her around.

Vacation

We went on vacation last month and I (finally) got so relaxed, it's taking me awhile to get back into the swing of things!

When you go on vacation do you like to go-go-go or do you just plop down with a book? I like a little of both. I like to go-see-do, but also need quite a bit of pool time.

Do you like to return to places you've already visited or try something new each time? We like to do both, too! We have our favorite places that are familiar and comforting. We don't feel the need to go-go-go so much when we visit these places; Yosemite and Maui, specifically. Because we've been there frequently we have done a lot of the normal activities, so it's fun to see new things and just enjoy the space and time together. With that said, we do like to go to new places and explore! We went to San Diego this year and I'm hoping to get to Lake Tahoe in 2018.

Does vacation drain you or invigorate you? Do you use the time to recharge or run the gauntlet? Where do you like to travel? Do you like to go with your spouse and kids or leave the kids behind?

The change of pace and location can do a lot for your body and mind. I hope you enjoyed some down time in 2017 and are planning something fantastic for 2018!