Treats Without Tricks: Healthy Ideas for Halloween
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COVID-19 and You
Day after day our patients, friends, and families ask the best methods to prevent COVID-19. We understand that new, highly contagious viral infections can be unpredictable, but there are ways you can prevent the spread and reduce the likelihood of infection. Please remember that no method is one hundred percent guaranteed, but a combination of these general good hygiene practices and recommendations from the CDC should help not only during COVID-19 but throughout cold and flu seasons as well.
Wash your hand thoroughly and often. Always use soap and water. We recommend humming your favorite song! Wash your hands before every meal, before touching your face, after using the restroom, when leaving a public area, when caring for a sick person, handling an animal, or touching your face.
If you cannot wash your hands, use hand sanitizer or wipes. It must contain more than 60% alcohol to be effective according to the CDC.
Do NOT touch your eyes, nose, mouth, face, or mask without cleaning your hands!
Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Wash your hands, cough into your elbow, and throw the tissues away.
Clean and disinfect high traffic surfaces frequently. We recommend reading the instructions for use on each disinfectant for proper use. Some cleaners must sit for certain amounts of time to kill germs.
Maintain distance from crowds. The CDC recommends a minimum of 6 feet of distance between people not of the same household. When in doubt, that is typically two arms’ lengths between you and another individual. Per state guidelines, gatherings may be limited. Check with your own state for guidance and follow accordingly.
Monitor yourself and your family for symptoms of COVID-19. An updated list of potential symptoms can be found on the CDC website.
If you believe you have symptoms of the flu, a sinus infection, a cold, or COVID-19, do not delay testing or treatment! Make an appointment with us today. Please call our office at (423) 472-6548 for testing, treatment, and immediate assistance. It is also imperative that you do NOT enter the office building with any symptoms of illness. Please call us and we will assist you.
We have been through a tough year together, but we will get through this. As always we are in this together and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve you and your entire family. We thank each of you for trusting us to help with all of your healthcare needs even through a pandemic.
Stay Healthy,
Dr. Paul Grayson Smith
Thyroid Awareness
January is thyroid awareness month and serves as a reminder that it’s important to have your thyroid checked - over 30 million Americans have a thyroid dysfunction but at least half of these cases are undiagnosed and untreated. Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck that is responsible for producing hormones and impacts the cells and tissues of your body. Sometimes your thyroid can produce too much or too little of the thyroid hormone. Once this is diagnosed, treatment is possible and you can live a normal, healthy life.
It’s important for both men and women to have their thyroid checked. However, women are five times more likely to experience thyroid dysfunction. Both men and women can receive a simple blood test if they experience symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. Some of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism (not enough hormone being produced) are dry skin, cold hands and feet, and unexplained weight gain. On the other side of the spectrum, hyperthyroidism (too much of the hormone) can reveal itself in unexplained weight loss and diarrhea. If you experience these symptoms, it’s a good idea to come in to our office for a blood test.
As soon as thyroid dysfunction is diagnosed, treatment is simple. For hyperthyroidism, anti-thyroid medication can be prescribed to minimize hormone production. Hypothyroidism treatment is taking thyroid hormone replacement medication. When looking for ways to improve your thyroid via your diet, you should make sure that your diet is full of protein, calcium, magnesium, and iodine, as these all help make your thyroid work. Also, all the B vitamins, vitamin A, and vitamin C are important for healthy thyroid function.
If you have a family history of thyroid dysfunction or have experienced some of the symptoms above, it’s important to get your thyroid tested. An appointment can be made for this blood test by calling our office at (423) 472-6548.
5 Health Resolutions for 2020
We all hear the buzz at the start of the year about New Year’s resolutions…at least until the end of the month…
So many people make resolutions that are unrealistic and, therefore, unachievable. This means that it is incredibly easy for people to let their resolutions fall to the side quickly because they seem impossible. Here are 5 resolutions to improve your health in 2020 that are all simple and practical.
Practice Focused Breathing - Start 2020 stress-free by taking a few minutes every day to simply breathe. By taking some time to slow your breath, your parasympathetic nervous system engages, which helps you feel calm and relaxed. With daily practice, you will be able to calm your body at any moment, no matter the stress that 2020 might bring. Focused breathing can also help to boost your energy levels and help you focus more.
Prioritize Yourself - This might seem like an impossible resolution, but taking time to do something that you enjoy or find relaxing - anything from coloring, cooking, or taking a walk. It takes 21 days for your brain to forge a new habit, so make sure to be consistent.
Learn a New Skill or Hobby - A simple way to challenge your brain in the new year is to pick up a new skill or hobby. When you learn, your brain has to create new neural pathways, and as you continue to practice your new skill, the speed and strength of the neural connections is increased. You need to exercise your brain to keep it functioning at its best - just like a muscle. Also, learning new skills keeps your brain active, which can help protect you against dementia, and increases your self-esteem.
Eat Mindfully - Often eating resolutions involve eating less or eating a different diet, such as becoming a vegetarian, and those types of food resolutions aren’t very attainable. Instead focus on eating consciously. 57% of Americans don’t even check the amount of sugar, protein, or sodium before purchasing food. The resolution to eat mindfully doesn’t involve tracking carbs or counting calories, but instead is more focused on eating in a way that provides your body with the nutrients it needs to function well. By focusing on what you’re eating and the nutrients contained in your food, you can reduce a tendency to binge eat and improve your digestion.
Break a Sweat - Instead of setting unrealistic workout goals for yourself. instead focus on simply breaking a sweat every day. By getting more exercise, your physical health will improve, but also, your mood will improve and you will be more productive. Research shows that if you spend as little as ten minutes working out, you can reap the health benefits from breaking a sweat. So instead of setting unrealistic workout goals, simply resolve to get more exercise by walking, hiking, swimming, or any other physical activity you enjoy.
We hope that 2020 will be a year of health and wellness for you. If you have questions on how to become your healthiest self, please come visit our office - we are happy to help you create individualized resolutions to make 2020 your best health year yet!
Stretches for Sore Muscles from Driving
So much of the holiday season is spent in the car - traveling to visit family, waiting in drive-through lines for a quick meal, or driving around parking lots looking for a spot in order to finish your holiday shopping. Add to that the inevitable stress of the holiday season in general and your muscles are screaming for relief.
Americans sit an average of 10 hours a day, causing our hip flexor muscles to shorten and making our glutes weaker. In order to avoid muscle tightness and tension, strengthening our glutes and lengthening our hip flexors by stretching is important. It’s also really hard to maintain a healthy posture while driving - you might find your neck jutting forward, shoulders pulled up to your ears, and hands tightly gripping the wheel. To start relaxing your muscles while you are driving, make an effort to take a deep breath, sit up straighter, relax your shoulders, pull your head back, and loosen your grip on the wheel. Doing this simple relaxation at every red light is a quick way to start relaxing the tension in your muscles.
In addition to adjusting your alignment while you’re driving, it’s important to stretch out your muscles after you arrive at your destination. Here are 5 simple stretches to try out during the holiday season to ease muscle tension and soreness:
Chest opener. Make a goal post shape with your arms while standing next to a door frame or corner of a wall. Then place your palm on the door or wall, as though you are giving it a high five. Walk forward slightly until you feel your chest stretch. Repeat on the opposite side.
Runner’s lunge. Kneel on both knees and then step one foot forward, stacking your front knee over your ankle. Press your hips forward, feeling the stretch in your hip flexors. Repeat on the other side.
Write stretch. Make small circles with your wrists in each direction. Then, with your arms at should height and palms facing forward, gently pull fingers back towards your face, releasing tension in your forearms and wrist.
.Chest opener & Forward fold. With your knees slightly bent and feet hip-width apart, clasp your hands behind your back. Push your knuckles toward the ground and then fold forward at your waist, allowing hands to rise up off your back to open your chest while folding forward.
Spinal rotation. Start in a butterfly with feet together and knees open, sitting on the ground. Put your right hand at the base of your spine on the ground behind you. Take a deep breath in and rotate to the right. Hold for 2-3 breaths, and then repeat rotating to the left.
We hope these simple stretches will release your muscles and ease the tension that can creep up during the holiday season. We hope you have a happy holidays!
Handwashing Week
We all know that washing our hands after going to the bathroom or before we eat is basic hygiene and good manners, but did you ever stop to wonder why?
In honor of national handwashing week, here are some things to keep in mind next time you are tempted to skip washing your hands.
Washing hands isn’t just for you: By washing your hands, you aren’t just protecting your own health, you are also protecting the health of those around you. Lots of infections can be spread from person to person with contaminated hands. For example, washing your hands can help you from handing influenza off to someone else!
Putting soap on your hands and washing them under running water isn’t enough: Just because you put soap on your hands doesn’t mean that all the bacteria are gone. In order to rid your hands of germs, you need to wet your hands, turn off the water, and then add soap and scrub before rinsing.
Water temperature doesn’t matter: While most of us grew up hearing “hotter the better” when it comes to getting rid of germs and bacteria, it actually doesn’t matter what temperature the water is. In fact, your hands might become irritate and painful if you use water that is too hot, which might cause you to wash your hands less often due to the pain.
Wearing gloves doesn’t mean you don’t need to wash your hands: If you are required to or chose to wear gloves for your job doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for washing your hands. You should still wash your hands before you put on or take off your gloves to keep germs at bay.
Make sure that you are washing your hands the right way, and if you do catch an illness from contaminated hands of friends or relatives this holiday season, remember that we are here for you - whether you have an appointment or walk in to our office.
November - Diabetes Awareness Month
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and diabetes is a prevalent disease in the United States - about 10% of all Americans suffer from diabetes. When people are working to live a full life with diabetes, the most common question they have is “What CAN I eat?” While there isn’t a “diabetes diet” because everyone’s body process sugar differently, there are some general tips that we can offer people living with diabetes. Here are 3 great tips to consider when planning your meals as a diabetic:
Choose Whole, Unprocessed Foods. By focusing on whole grains, beans, green leafy vegetables and fruit like apples and blueberries, your diet of unprocessed foods can help your body process nutrients.
Eat Non-Starchy Vegetables. Speaking of vegetables, choose vegetables like carrots, kale and collard greens, and tomatoes that are low in starch.
Limit Foods with Added Sugars. While this might seem like a no-brainer, make sure to limit your intake of foods with added sugar, such as processed or pre-made baked goods.
By implementing these healthy eating tips, you can manage and control your diabetes while living a full, happy life! If you have questions about your diabetes and management plan, please come see us!
Seasonal Allergies & How To Treat Them
October and November have some of the highest pollen counts of the whole year! If you find yourself sneezing, coughing, and wiping your watery eyes, check out these ways to help treat your seasonal allergies:
Start with one medication - either a nasal spray (like Flonase) or an antihistamines (like Zyrtec). Often we throw everything we have at allergy symptoms, but start slow and add one daily allergy solution to your routine.
Then, add another form of medication. Either add the other type discussed above that you haven’t added yet, or add a decongestant (like Sudafed). If one type of allergy medicine isn’t knocking out your symptoms, then couple it with another medication to see if the two together can fix the multiple symptoms that often happen with seasonal allergies.
If basic over the counter medications don’t work, give us a call. If combining two basic over the counter medicines don’t knock out the symptoms of your seasonal allergies, come visit our office so we can discuss prescription medication. The goal with seasonal allergies is to find relief with the least amount of medications.
Seasonal allergies are no fun, so don’t let them ruin the upcoming holiday season. Give us a call to schedule an appointment, or come in to our office for a walk in consultation to find the best solution for your seasonal allergies.
Staying Safe on Halloween
We all have wonderful memories of Halloween - creepy Jack o’Lanterns, spooky costumes, and the “haunted house” that every neighborhood has. But what we never thought about as kids was how to stay safe. Now that we are helping our children or grandchildren get ready for Halloween, safety becomes a priority. Here are four tips to keep the kids in your life safe this Halloween.
Creative Costumes - If you are planning on taking kids Trick or Treating on Halloween after dark, get creative with their costume to make sure that it has bright colors and light reflectors to make sure they are visible for vehicles passing by. Also, use face paint instead of a mask to ensure the child’s vision is clear and unobstructed.
Reconsider Carving - Knives never mix with small kids; instead of carving a Jack o’Lantern, get some acrylic paints and allow kids to paint their pumpkins this year. It allows kids to be even more creative than traditional carving because shape limitations aren’t there. If you’re a Jack o’Lantern die-hard and carving is a must, use a flameless candle to light it up to decrease the fire risk.
Only Treats, No Trick - To keep kids safe during Trick or Treating, make sure to talk through a plan with them and set up a meeting place should anyone get separated from the group. Also, avoid a sugar high by only allowing kids to indulge in 3-4 pieces of candy post-Trick or Treating and savor it throughout the following days.
Staying in? Stay safe! - If you’re staying home to hand out candy, make sure that your house is a safe place for neighborhood Trick or Treaters. Put away garden tools, wet leaves, etc. that kids could trip on and make sure that your porch lights make a visible path to your front door. Also, consider handing out pencils, stickers, or rubber insects instead of the traditional candy; this provides longer laster fun than a piece of chocolate that can melt!
We hope you have a spooky and fun Halloween, but above all - stay safe and help the kids in your life enjoy a safe and fun Halloween!