Andree Jones, DO, primary care sports medicine physician, shares risk factors for a heart attack and how to reduce your risk of heart disease.

By Misty Cox, FNP-C, WHNP, family nurse practitioner

Contents:

November is National Diabetes Month, and the timing is perfect as the holiday season means a lot of food and celebrations. The holidays are busy and many of us get out of healthy routines such as exercise, eating a balanced diet, and more.

Type 2 diabetes, unfortunately, does not take the holiday season off, so here’s four types of foods to avoid or moderate your intake of this holiday season and throughout the year. These four food types increase your risk of type 2 diabetes:

Heavily processed carbohydrates

Foods made with white flour, white sugar, and white rice are low in bran, fiber, vitamins, and minerals; examples include breads, muffins, cakes, crackers, and pasta. According to a 2007 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a diet high in heavily processed carbohydrates increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21 percent compared to those who ate a whole foods-rich diet.

Drinks sweetened with sugar

Sodas, sweet tea, fruit drinks, and lemonade can lead to weight gain and increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Having just two sugar-sweetened drinks per day can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 26 percent, according to a 2010 study by the American Diabetes Association. Water is the best substitute and has many health benefits for your body.

Saturated and trans fats

Saturated fats are found in dairy products such as butter, whole milk, cream, and cheese as well as fatty meats. Trans fats are tied to fried foods (fast food restaurants, “bar” food) and packaged baked goods. Some healthy alternatives include:

• Snacking on nuts, not sweets
• Eating lean meats and/or poultry, and removing the skin
• Avoiding salad dressings such as blue cheese, ranch and thousand island and using olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead
• Cooking and baking with olive or canola oils

Red meats and processed meats

Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats have higher levels of sodium and nitrites, which put you at not only higher risk of type 2 diabetes but heart disease. A study shared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a three ounce serving of red meat daily increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 19 percent, and a serving of less than three ounces of processed meats increased the risk by more than 50 percent. Protein is essential to your health so switch to wild caught fish, like salmon, or organic poultry like chicken or eggs combined with vegetables to optimize your meal plan.

Prediabetes is alarmingly prevalent. Did you know one of three Americans is prediabetic? Your best defense is getting information on your risk factors and how to optimize your lifestyle to decrease your risks. We primary care providers (PCP) are here to help. If you have not had your annual wellness exam, schedule it, and talk with your PCP about your health goals.

Resources

• Learn more about diabetes care or find a diabetes specialist
• Investigate your primary care options or find a primary care provider

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What’s the Connection between Healthy Weight and Diabetes?

November 13, 2020

Did you know November is American Diabetes Month?  According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 34 million people in the United States have diabetes, and more than seven million of those people are undiagnosed.

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By Michelle Martin, APRN, FNP-C, family nurse practitioner

Contents:

A 2017 Harris Poll study revealed 66 percent of respondents said they would seek healthcare from sources other than their primary care provider (PCP) such as urgent care clinics or retail pharmacy clinics. 43 percent of these patients cited the “inability to schedule a non-urgent appointment within the same week” as the top reason they would seek medical attention from someone other than their PCP.

To address this gap, more primary care clinics are offering walk-in health care in addition to same day and scheduled appointments.

Benefits of Walk-in Health Services at a PCP Location

Access to medical records:
What many patients do not realize is that medical records resulting from appointments at other medical providers are not automatically shared with the patient’s PCP.

In this same Harris Poll , 65 percent of respondents said they assumed their PCPs would receive updates on their urgent care visits.  In fact, the patient must request in writing with a signature that the urgent care, retail pharmacy clinic or other medical provider send the patient’s medical notes from the appointment to the patient’s PCP. The only possible exception is if the urgent care is owned by the same health system as the primary care clinic and a single electronic health records (EHR) system is used at all locations.

Ease of scheduling follow-up:
“Follow up with your PCP” is a standard among discharge instructions for patients seeking urgent or walk in health services.  Seeking walk-in care at your PCP’s office enables you to schedule any needed follow-up appointments at the time initial help is received; no need to make additional phone calls or go online to schedule an appointment once you get home.

Less potential exposure to illnesses:
Because most patients at the PCP’s office have scheduled appointments many of which are for preventive healthcare (wellness exams, allergy management, etc.), you are likely less exposed to patients with contagious illnesses. While all healthcare facilities- including urgent cares and retail clinics- are likely following strict protocols during COVID-19 to maintain social distancing and sanitary measures, outside of a pandemic, many people seeking urgent care are ill or injured and sitting near each other in the waiting area or lobby.

Expanded hours:
Some PCP locations that offer walk-in health services offer Saturday hours in addition to being open Monday-Friday. In some cases, PCP locations also have extended hours Monday-Friday, opening earlier and staying open later to support walk-in care.

We encourage you to seek the attention you need when you need it.

Remember, if you have a medical emergency, call 911 or have someone take you immediately to a local hospital’s emergency department (ED).  If your PCP does not offer walk-in healthcare or is not open when you have a non-emergent medical illness or injury, urgent care or retail clinics are an option; these locations are generally open seven days a week, including evenings and are staffed by licensed medical providers.  Be certain to follow up with your PCP if you receive care anywhere besides his/her office.

By Ivan Filner, DO, family medicine physician

Contents:

Whether you have had COVID-19 or not, the pandemic may have impacted your heart health or that of a loved one.  February is American Heart Month, and a great time for all of us to learn more about heart disease and factors that increase our risks, some of which were exacerbated by the pandemic.

Did you know that according to the American Heart Association, heart disease is:

• The number one killer of Americans?
• Diagnosed in about one of three women annually?
• Increased 171 percent worldwide in the past decade?
• Preventable in most cases?

Indirect Impacts of COVID-19

Studies by the American College of Cardiology have highlighted the indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the heart health of people of all ages.

Delay in seeking care due to fear of contracting COVID-19

While the best way to avoid getting COVID-19 is to stay home, some people with symptoms of stroke or heart attack are not seeking or are delaying getting medical care, resulting in increased heart-related mortalities.  In addition, annual wellness exams and/or regular check-ups have been by patients to mitigate the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Weight gain, aka “quarantine 15”

With many services, like gyms, closed and people encouraged to stay home, eating increased and activity decreased for many of us resulting in the addition of “pandemic pounds.”  An increase in body fat is directly related to cardiovascular disease.

Decline in mental and/or emotional health

A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll found that 53 percent of adults in the United States reported their mental health had been negatively impacted by the pandemic due to increased worry and stress.  In discussing the “head-heart connection” with the American Heart Association, Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director for the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, shared, “Stress can increase hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and can impact your blood pressure and heart rate.”

Increase in alcohol and/or substance abuse

Of those responding to the KFF poll, 12 percent reported increased alcohol consumption and/or substance use.  Drinking more than three servings of alcohol per day leads to a level of toxic substances in the blood that directly increases the risk of heart attack. As well, according to the American Heart Association, “most illegal drugs can have adverse cardiovascular effects, ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks.”

If you’ve been impacted by any of the above, schedule an appointment with A DMG primary care provider.  Together, we can develop a care plan to get you back on the road to optimal health.

Contents:

Each year, more than 160,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and approximately 19 percent die from it.  Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer-related cause of death among men.  To raise awareness and early detection, September is designated as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Five facts about prostate cancer:

1. Prostate cancer is typically slow-growing, making early detection more likely if the patient sees his physician for regular exams and screenings.
2. Older men are more likely to get prostate cancer. About 60 percent of cases are in men age 65 and older.
3. African-American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than white or Hispanic men; Asian men have a lower risk.
4. Major risk factors are genetics and family history. Studies examining the link between prostate cancer and a diet high in red meat, chemical exposures including smoking, sexually transmitted infections and having had a vasectomy have produced conflicting results.

Screening

The American Cancer Society recommends that at age 50, men discuss the risks and benefits of screening with their physician.  African American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should have this discussion at age 40-45.  Screening includes two tests one of which is a blood test and the other a digital rectal exam.

Symptoms

Early stage prostate cancer may cause few or no symptoms.  As this cancer progresses and tumors grow, symptoms may include:

• Blood in the urine or semen
• Difficulty getting an erection
• Difficulty urinating
• Pain in the lower back and hips

As the cancer spreads and/or metastasizes, other symptoms, like bone pain, may occur.  Treatment is dependent on the stage of the cancer and may include medications, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and/or other options.

Talk with your primary care physician for more information on prostate cancer and your risks.