Category: Blog

Understanding Hyperlipidemia: What Is It and What Causes It?

male doctor with clipboard smiling and talking to female elderly patient

Most people have heard of high cholesterol, but have you heard of the medical term hyperlipidemia? This is an umbrella term for any health condition caused by an overabundance of lipids in your blood. It’s important to control your cholesterol levels, whether you have hyperlipidemia or not. Here’s how to identify the causes of hyperlipidemia and treat the symptoms.

How Does Cholesterol Influence Hyperlipidemia?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid that your body needs to survive. It helps you with digestion and hormone production. Your liver generates cholesterol on its own, thus your body isn’t completely dependent on the cholesterol you receive from food. But for better or worse, the food you eat affect your cholesterol levels.

Hyperlipidemia occurs when you have too much cholesterol. High cholesterol levels stimulate blockage in the arteries. Plaque piles up inside, making it hard for blood to reach your organs. Because blood transports nutrients and oxygen, organ damage can occur when they don’t get a proper blood supply.

Hyperlipidemia-related organ damage can lead to life-threatening health problems such as:

  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Peripheral artery disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Coronary Heart Disease
  • Diabetes

Understanding the Different Types of Cholesterol

As we’ve established, cholesterol can be good or bad for you. This depends on how much extra you have in your body. It also depends on which of the two types of cholesterol it is: LDL or HDL. 

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is what creates plaque in your arteries. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a healthier form of cholesterol. It removes plaque and helps transport LDL to your liver where it’s then removed from your body. The more LDL you have in your blood, the lower your risk for stroke or heart disease. 

When you eat foods with cholesterol, what you’re really doing is supplying your body with fat. Fat is an essential nutrient that provides you with energy, but not all fats are good for you. Saturated fats are loaded with LDL. Unsaturated fats can reduce your LDL levels and help lower your cholesterol. 

What Do Cholesterol Blood Tests Do?

Many people with high cholesterol are not aware of it. Most won’t know they have it until they experience a hyperlipidemia-related health problem. The only other way to know is with a blood test.

Getting a cholesterol blood test is a vital part of hyperlipidemia prevention. It checks the levels of different types of lipids you have in your blood. This includes triglycerides, LDL, and HDL cholesterol. Getting your blood evaluated can determine your risk of a heart attack, heart disease, and blood vessel disease. 

What Types of Hyperlipidemia Are There?

Not every case of hyperlipidemia is caused by eating too much cholesterol. Some people with well-balanced lifestyles suffer from familial hyperlipidemia. This form is caused by a genetic mutation that’s passed down.

People with familial hyperlipidemia may show cardiovascular-related symptoms at a young age. Chest pain, cramping in the calves, and unhealed sores are not uncommon. They can even experience a stroke or heart attack in their teens and twenties.

The other form of this condition is called acquired hyperlipidemia. It’s common among people with weight-related issues like diabetes and hypothyroidism. It can also be caused by kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, or certain medications. In fact, birth control, diuretics, and corticosteroids can contribute to acquired hyperlipidemia.

How to Cope With and Treat Hyperlipidemia

Living with hyperlipidemia is completely manageable. But only if you are taking active steps towards lowering your cholesterol levels. This can reduce your risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease—one of the leading causes of death in America. 

Curate a Cholesterol-Optimized Diet

One of the best ways to reduce cholesterol is to change your diet. This means consuming more fiber through whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It is also recommended to  eat more lean proteins and plant-based foods like beans, lentils, and tofu. Try cutting out saturated fats from meat, butter, and cheese. Replace them with healthier unsaturated fats from avocados, seeds, and nuts. You can also up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating foods such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, soybeans, walnuts, seafood, eggs, and yogurt.

Up Your Workout Routine

Both a healthy diet and exercise can lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Working out also lowers your triglycerides, a type of fat that can up your risk for heart disease. Above all, regular exercise helps you maintain your weight. This is an important factor as obesity is heavily linked to high cholesterol. 

Aim for at least 2 and a half hours of moderate exercise or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise every week. Along with focusing on cardiovascular exercise, add in a bi-weekly muscle-strengthening activity for good measure. 

Kick Your Smoking and Drinking Habits

Smoking and heavy drinking are bad habits that can lead to high cholesterol. Smoke damages your blood vessel walls and leads to plaque buildup. Drinking can also damage your liver, which is an important regulator of cholesterol metabolism. Those who want to treat hyperlipidemia should drink no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. 

Choose the Right Hyperlipidemia Medication

More serious cases of hyperlipidemia may require medication. These medications are referred to as lipid-lowering therapy. Each type of medication has a different method for lowering cholesterol. Here’s how they work:

  • Niacin: This is a B vitamin that raises HDL and lowers LDL. Though niacin is a vitamin found in many foods, it can also be consumed as a dietary supplement.
  • Fibrates: A medication that focuses on decreasing triglycerides. Though it increases your HDL levels, it does not lower LDL. Tricor and Lopid are two of the most common fibrate medications. 
  • Bile acid sequestrants: A lipid-lowering therapy that binds onto bile acids in the intestine. This prevents LDL from being absorbed into your bloodstream. LDL is then excreted from your body in the form of feces. Bile acid sequestrants come in tablet and powder form.
  • Statins: A medication that blocks the cholesterol-producing enzymes in your liver. Lipitor, Zocor, and Crestor are statin medications commonly used to treat hyperlipidemia-related conditions.
  • PCSK9 Inhibitors: PCSK9 is a type of protein that breaks down LDL receptors. This allows more cholesterol to stay in your bloodstream. Inhibitors reduce your LDL levels by blocking this protein. Repatha and Paluent are two types of PCSK9 Inhibitors that can be injected into your body with a syringe. 

Note that lipid-lowering therapy works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Consult with your doctor to select the best hyperlipidemia medication for you. 

Take Back Control From Hyperlipidemia 

A multitude of health issues stems from hyperlipidemia. Stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, and diabetes are just some of the many. That’s why it’s critical to know if you are at risk of developing it and what you can do to control the symptoms. Making healthy lifestyle choices can lessen hyperlipidemia symptoms and improve your overall health.

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Understanding the Basics of Thyroid Health

Bearded man getting thyroid gland checked by doctor

What is a thyroid? If you haven’t had any problems with this area of the body, you may not even know where it’s located. For newcomers to thyroid health, the thyroid is a 2-inch-long gland found in the front of your neck. It lies underneath the adam’s apple, or the piece of cartilage that protrudes from your neck. 

Most people don’t start thinking about their thyroid until a doctor tells them to—but they should. Thyroids affect heart rate, digestion, breathing, and energy levels. So taking good care of it can benefit you in many ways. Let’s explain the role that thyroids play in your overall health.

What Does a Thyroid Do?

Thyroids produce hormones that allow the organs throughout your body to communicate. They disperse hormones into your bloodstream to act as messengers to the rest of your body. These hormones bind to receptors (protein molecules within a cell) to induce a change in activity in that particular cell. 

Thyroids use a nutrient called iodine to produce two hormones: triiodothyronine and thyroxine. These hormones influence your metabolism in multiple ways. They help you burn fat and impact your basal metabolic rate, the fat you burn when you’re not being active. Thyroid hormones also activate glucose production which supplies your body with energy. 

Thyroids also play a role in maintaining consistency in menstrual cycles and regulating body temperature. They tell your body to produce more hormones when you’re cold and less when you’re warm. Essentially, your body could not function without these hormones. The thyroid thus plays a huge role in the homeostasis of your body. 

What Are the Symptoms of Thyroid Problems?

Thyroid problems are either caused by an overproduction or underproduction of hormones. Hyperthyroidism is when your body produces too much and uses up its energy too fast. 

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:

  • Fatigue 
  • Fast heart rate 
  • Weight loss 
  • Anxiety

Hypothyroidism occurs when you don’t produce enough thyroid hormone. The side effects of this are:

  • Weight gain 
  • Weak muscles 
  • Slowed heart rate 
  • Depression

Some of the most common causes of thyroid problems are iodine deficiency, inflammation, tumors, lumps, and autoimmune diseases. Medical treatments like radiation can also lead to thyroid problems. Thyroid conditions are usually influenced by genetics and commonly occur in patients with a family history of them. Regardless, people with and without thyroid issues should aim to improve the health of their thyroid. 

How To Support a Healthy Thyroid

Many symptoms of thyroid problems resemble other health issues. For example, hypothyroidism has similar side effects to heart disease and diabetes. Similarly to these health issues, diet and exercise can help lessen the symptoms. Here’s how. 

How Diet Influences Thyroid Health

As we’ve mentioned, iodine deficiency is a contributing factor to thyroid problems. And your body cannot produce iodine on its own. So the only way to get more of it is through food like milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, and seafood. If you are significantly deficient, iodine supplements can also benefit your thyroid. 

As with many health conditions, junk food can be detrimental to your thyroid. These foods are filled with salt, which can lead to thyroid health risks like high blood pressure. Excess sugar over-activates your thyroid gland. This causes your hormones to burn out and stop working properly. Foods with high-fat content can also slow down the production of thyroid hormones. So cutting back on fatty, over-processed, and high-sugar foods can improve thyroid health. 

Some healthy foods can actually be detrimental to people with an existing thyroid problem. Cabbage, kale, watercress, cauliflower, rutabaga, soybeans, peanuts, and brussel sprouts can cause thyroid gland enlargement. The common thread between these foods is goitrogen. This chemical can hinder thyroid function. Luckily, goitrogen is most potent with raw foods, so cooking these foods will mostly rid them of their anti-thyroid properties. 

The Link Between Exercise and Thyroids

Another impactful way to boost thyroid health is through exercise. That’s because it increases your metabolism by amping up your heart rate. As thyroid hormones impact your metabolism, exercise can also improve your hormone production. Working out prevents weight gain, muscle loss, energy lulls, and depression—all symptoms of hypothyroidism. 

If you’ve experienced these symptoms or have a family history of thyroid problems, there are further steps you can take. Getting a thyroid blood test checks your blood for thyroid hormones and antibodies. If a problem is detected, you may be prescribed thyroid medication. As hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are very different conditions, they require different care plans. For example, those with an under-active thyroid may receive artificial hormone treatment. Patients with hyperthyroidism; however, need medication to decrease hormone levels. 

Keep Your Thyroid Healthy

Taking care of your thyroid is imperative whether you have a thyroid condition or not.  Any lifestyle change towards better thyroid health is good for your overall health. Eating iodine-rich foods and exercising are excellent ways to prevent hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. So keep tabs on potential symptoms and do all you can to maximize the health of one of the most important glands in your body.

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What You Need to Know for the 2022-2023 Flu Season

woman sitting on a couch sick with the flu

The 2022-2023 flu season is underway and it’s already been a brutal one. Hospitals are filling up with cases of the flu, Covid, and respiratory syncytial virus. With the holiday season afoot, this trio of contagious viruses can be distressing. How can you tell which one you have? Or if you have a combination? Let’s unblur the lines of these illnesses and identify what symptoms you should look out for.

Breaking Down the Flu, Covid, and RSV

When you catch the flu you may experience mild symptoms such as sinus and ear infections. But potentially fatal complications can also arise. This includes pneumonia or tissue inflammation. Flu can infect the respiratory tract and cause severe inflammatory reactions. This can lead to sepsis, the body’s potentially fatal response to infection. Furthermore, flu can exacerbate existing medical conditions like asthma or heart disease.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has also been spreading rapidly this year. RSV is an illness that infects the lungs, nose, throat, and breathing passages. It’s most common among babies and young children. But RSV is also known to infect immunocompromised and elderly patients. Mild cases of RSV consist of flu-like symptoms. More severe cases can lead to bronchiolitis or pneumonia.

Along with flu and RSV, contracting Covid is also a major risk this holiday season. So what are the similarities and differences between these ailments? All three are respiratory-related illnesses with symptoms of cough, fever, and runny nose. Getting the flu or Covid can also come with body aches, chills, headache, and sore throat. Covid alone may cause shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, diarrhea, and nausea. Those with RSV may notice a loss of appetite. People tend to recover from the flu in less than a week. But Covid can last up to two weeks and be infectious for prolonged periods.

You can have one or more of these illnesses at the same time. And catching one virus may cause you to contract another. RSV can increase your risk of getting Covid since it lowers your immunity. Plus Covid and the flu can both be asymptomatic, which means you can spread it without even knowing. Testing is crucial to confirm the proper diagnosis and select the right treatment. The bottom line is all these viruses are contagious. So if you have any of them, you must distance yourself from others. 

What To Do if You Get the Flu

There are several things you can do to stay healthy and even shorten the flu infection period. Staying hydrated with lots of water is ideal. Other liquids like black tea, orange juice, and low-sugar sports drinks work too. Stay away from milk, alcohol, coffee, and high-sugar drinks. These may cause excess mucus, dehydration, or inflammation.

There is no foolproof way of curing the flu. But taking medications and supplements may help. Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab, and Xofluza can shorten the infection. Using decongestants and antihistamines relieve swollen nasal passages and lozenges for sore throats.

One of the most important pieces of advice from doctors is to rest at home. “Staying home will help in two ways,” says Maryrose Laguio-Vila, MD, an Infectious Disease Specialist with Rochester Regional Health. “It will prevent you from spreading the flu to other people—keeping them healthy and reducing the potential number of people who might need to visit urgent care or hospital for their symptoms. Staying home will also allow you to rest better, leading to a full recovery.” This will require you to take time off from work or miss out on holiday get-togethers. But all in all, it’s better to keep everyone safe.

Is It Too Late To Get the Flu Shot?

Flu season usually occurs throughout the fall and winter. While influenza viruses travel all year, activity often peaks between December and February. But this flu season currently boasts over 50,000 cases per week in New York and is predicted to last until May 2023. 

Fall is the best time to get vaccinated against the flu. Ideally, you should receive your vaccine by the end of October. But with so many cases and infectious viruses going around, getting the flu shot is still worth it. As winter is upon us, peak flu season is just around the corner. Since the vaccine takes two weeks to set in, getting vaccinated now can protect you when it’s most rampant.

How the Flu Vaccine Can Benefit You

Flu vaccinations defend against the four influenza viruses: A, B, C, and D. They protect your body by inducing an immunological response. This creates antibodies against the virus. This year’s flu shot reportedly provides 50% efficacy against the major flu strain. Getting the shot doesn’t mean you won’t have the flu at some point this season. But it does significantly reduce your chances of catching a severe case.

Most flu vaccines are administered through a needle, generally in the arm. For those who fear needles, there is also the option for a nasal spray vaccine. Research has shown that getting the flu vaccination and a Covid injection simultaneously is perfectly safe.

Protect Your Loved Ones by Getting Vaccinated

Whether you’ve already had the flu, currently have it, or are trying to avoid it, we all just want to stay healthy this season. That’s why taking preventative measures and recognizing early flu symptoms is essential. So take care this holiday season and avoid gatherings if you detect an illness. And for those who haven’t gotten a flu vaccination yet—make an appointment as soon as you can!

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How To Manage Weight Gain as You Get Older

women sitting in front of a scale

One of the biggest disadvantages of getting older is that it becomes much easier to gain weight. When we’re young and spry, we can get away with having 3 glasses of wine or 4 slices of pizza with little consequence. But as age increases, our bodies aren’t so forgiving of naughty eating habits like this.

So why is it that we can eat the same things with drastically different results depending on where we are in life? We could be getting regular exercise and eating in moderation most of the time, but our dietary splurges still seem to increase the scale more than they did in our early 20s. Let’s learn why we gain weight when we get older and tips for managing and preventing this phenomenon.

What Causes Weight Gain as We Get Older?

There are many forces working against our ability to maintain a healthy weight in middle age. One of which is changing hormone levels for both men and women. Men and women experience a drop in the reproductive hormones testosterone and estrogen, respectively.

Here’s why each of these hormones is influential for maintaining a healthy weight and why the absence of them causes us to gain weight during middle age.

Lower Levels of Testosterone and Estrogen

Estrogen and testosterone encourage muscle mass growth and enhance fat storage use. That’s why when you gain weight in your younger years, you are better able to disguise it and bounce back from it. When these hormone levels drop, both men and women start developing more fat. This is especially true around their midsections. This redistribution of fat is one of the most recognizable markers of middle age weight gain.

Testosterone binds to fat and prevents it from gathering in unwanted places. It also helps keep metabolism high and restricts insulin sensitivity—thus preventing diabetes. Testosterone is at its highest in puberty and starts to decrease around 30. Men then become vulnerable to midsection weight gain and health problems like heart disease.

The effect that estrogen levels have on women is similar to testosterone in that it peaks at puberty and starts to decline with age. Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It also contributes to blood circulation, collagen production, and brain function. Estrogen is heavily linked to females’ menstruation cycles and fertility. When estrogen levels drop, women are less able to get pregnant or ovulate.

When estrogen levels decrease during menopause, women often develop extra fat around their midsection. Though it may appear to be weight gain, this redistribution of fat is not always added pounds. It is, however, a common and often unwelcome side effect of getting older.

Muscle Mass Loss

Losing muscle mass is an inevitable part of getting older and can be a large contributor to why we gain weight when we age. This process is called sarcopenia and starts around the age of 30. Sarcopenia causes you to lose 3-8% of your muscle mass every 10 years. Once you turn 60, the rate of decline increases even more.

With muscle mass loss comes side effects like increased fat mass. This in turn causes changes in body composition. It can also make you more vulnerable to insulin resistance, decreased bone density, and joint stiffness. Muscle mass loss may increase your risk for serious health conditions. These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

Slowed Down Metabolism

Muscle mass is the largest determiner of how fast your metabolism rate is. Metabolism processes when your body converts food into energy. Blood circulation, digestion, and waste elimination are all parts of the metabolic process.

Similar to estrogen and testosterone production, metabolisms are fastest during youth. But the older you get, the less energy (or calories) your metabolism needs to run itself. Over our life span, we tend to develop eating habits that don’t change as our bodies do. So when our food intake doesn’t decrease, the excess energy we supply our metabolisms with can result in weight gain.

How To Prevent Weight Gain as You Age

While gaining weight becomes easier, losing weight proves more challenging with age. That’s why we have to develop new lifestyles and dieting habits to counteract this. Here are some tips on how to prevent weight gain as you age.

Get Active the Fun Way

Exercise is an essential part of maintaining a healthy weight. But many people find it to be a chore once they get older and preoccupied with other tasks. That’s why it’s important to find an exercise that you actually like doing.

Did you used to play a sport in your youth but your busy life, job, and family life put a wrench in this pastime? If this activity still has a positive place in your memories, why not start up again?

Find an adult league in your community or search for a local group online. This will help you find people who are also motivated to stay active. And it will allow you to relive the happy times you had while tricking yourself to exercise!

Challenge Your Eating Habits

Gaining weight often comes from an unwillingness to change the way we ate as a younger person. Similarly to having an emotional connection with the sports you used to play, you can have an emotional attachment to the foods you used to eat.

Do you have a latte every morning because that’s what you’ve always done? Or do you have a scoop of ice cream every night because it reminds you of college? Oftentimes we find ourselves stuck in old habits because they bring us comfort. But ditching this habit doesn’t mean we have to ditch the happiness these snacks brought us.

If you practice food journaling, take note of the foods that you often find yourself indulging in. If you consume certain high-fat or sugary foods daily, cut your intake down to weekly or bi-monthly. That way you still get that rush of instant gratification and positive memories every once in a while. Just without the added weight gain that they’ve been causing you in recent years.

Get a Better Nights Sleep

Life gets hectic, we get busy, and our sleep schedule suffers. But even if 8 hours of sleep seems unrealistic, prioritizing weight loss means that you have to make time for it. Lack of sleep could be contributing to your weight gain.

Skipping hours of sleep can give you a bigger appetite, which of course causes you to eat more. This is likely provoked by how sleep deprivation affects your hormones. When out of sorts, your hormones are less able to signal hunger and fullness the way they should.

Additionally, less sleep can cause you to seek foods that are higher in calories and fat. So make it your mission to go to bed earlier or wake up at a later time. This way you’ll be less tempted to overindulge or reach for junk food.

Change Your Habits to Decrease Your Weight

There are many unfair things about getting older. One of which is becoming more vulnerable to weight gain. Changing hormone levels, muscle mass loss, and slowing metabolisms can be a catalyst, but they certainly don’t have to get in the way of attaining optimal health.

The harsh reality of growing older is that you can no longer live or eat the way you used to. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever treat yourself to a cupcake or that you have to exercise all the time. You just have to find a way to enjoy doing more physical activity, get more sleep and scale back on the foods that you may be indulging in too often. If you follow these tips, you can better fight off the factors that are causing you to gain weight as you age.

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Health Screenings You Need in Your 40s and 50s

doctor in white lab coat with graphic illustrative images of health tests needed in your 40s and 50s

As we age, our body’s health needs evolve. We may experience aches that were never there before and develop concerns over health issues that may not have crossed our minds when we were younger. This doesn’t have to mean weekly checkups or constant stress over health risks. It just means being proactive about things that we’re more vulnerable to during middle age.

Being informed can help prepare you and your doctor for possible treatments and lifestyle changes you’ll need to maintain optimal health. Let’s run through a full medical checkup list of everything you should be screening and testing for in your 40s and 50s.

Essential Exams In Your 40s in 50s

Getting a standard physical exam is an important part of maintaining optimal health in your 40s and 50s. Both men and women of this age should be doing this every 1-2 years.

There are many additional exams that should be observed once you hit middle age, some of which you may be unfamiliar with. Here is a rundown of which routine exams you’ll need and why they are important to your health.

Eye Exam

Most peoples’ vision gradually worsens as they get older. By age 40, farsightedness, or difficulty seeing up close, becomes increasingly more common. Getting an eye exam every 2-4 years is crucial for both men and women in their 40s and 50s.

Doing these checkups will help keep your glasses prescription up to date, indicate whether you may have a more serious vision issue like glaucoma, or if you are at risk of vision loss.

Pelvic Exam

While pelvic exams are commonly linked to reproductive health and pregnancy, women past child bearing years should also get this checked regularly. Pelvic exams can test for gynecologic issues such as cervical and ovarian cancer, both of which become more prevalent once women hit their 40s and 50s.

During this procedure, your gynecologist will perform a pap smear and manual exam to determine whether you have any STDs, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, or early signs of cancer. Women in their 40s and 50s should be getting pelvic exams on an annual basis and pap smears every 3 years per your gynecologist’s instruction.

Rectal Exam

Getting periodic rectal exams is a crucial part of maintaining middle-aged health. During this procedure, a doctor will examine the inside of your colon to check for abnormalities. Common medical issues that may come up are inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), hemorrhoids, rectal or colon cancer, and even neurological disorders.

This exam is not the same as a colonoscopy as it does not require any prior preparation such as colon cleansing. However, the two may be performed in succession if the doctor detects signs of colon cancer while performing your rectal exam.

During a colonoscopy, the doctor checks for polyps and other signs of colon cancer. This procedure is also a helpful way of detecting causes for rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, and other intestinal problems.

Annual rectal exams are a recommended health screening by age 50-59 for both men and women. Colonoscopies are encouraged every 10 years from age 45 onward.

Prostate Exam

In accordance with the CDC recommended health screenings by age and gender, prostate exams are unnecessary for females. However, they are an extremely important procedure for men in their mid-40s and onward. Prostate cancer is the second most deadly cancer for men. In fact, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. So the best thing you can do to check for signs of prostate cancer is to get annual exams starting at age 45.

Vital Vaccinations Needed in Your 40s in 50s

Your 40s and 50s is the time to stock up on immunizations that’ll boost daily health and promote longevity. These recommended vaccinations are pretty infrequent and low maintenance but are important to keep up with.

  • Meningitis Vaccine: If not received prior, you will need to get 1-2 doses of MenACWY and 2-3 doses of MenB. Booster shots may be necessary depending on the type of vaccine received. If your risk for Meningitis still persists, you will need to be revaccinated every 5 years.
  • Booster Td or Tdap Vaccine: You will need to get a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis shot every 10 years to follow up on the vaccines you received at a younger age. If you experience any type of puncture wound, you should get an additional booster shot regardless of when your last one was.
  • Zoster Recombinant Vaccination: This is an important vaccination once you hit the age of 50. It helps prevent shingles and can be received regardless of whether you’ve had chickenpox before. It’s recommended that you get two doses of this vaccine, 2-6 months apart.
  • Flu Vaccine: This is an important vaccine at all ages! It is ideal to get your flu vaccine once every flu season between the months of September and October.

Other Tests and Screenings to Consider

The above recommended exams and vaccinations are an extremely helpful way to promote middle-aged health. And there are still additional steps you can take to support a more well-rounded health strategy. Getting these screenings and recommended lab tests by age can have a significant impact on your life, especially if you’re able to catch early signs of diseases or detect major health risks.

Bone Density Test

Bone density tests are recommended for people who:

  • Are at risk of osteoporosis
  • Have experienced frequent fractures or loss of height
  • Have a chronic disease
  • Are a woman approaching or currently experiencing menopause

Regardless, this test should be observed every 2 years by men and women between the ages of 40-59.

Mammogram

Getting regular mammograms is a pivotal preventative step you can take towards warding off breast cancer. Women should receive their first one at 40 and then continue every 1-2 years. Once they reach the age of 50, women should start observing mammograms annually. They should also do regular exams on their own breasts, feeling them for abnormalities or changes.

Skin Cancer Screening

Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers, especially for people who’ve had extensive sun exposure in their life. Starting at the age of 50, men and women should be getting skin cancer screenings every 1-2 years. Getting these done can detect skin cancer cells and melanoma before they become deadly.

Pursuing Impeccable Health in Your 40s and 50s

Taking care of your health is always imperative, but in your 40s and 50s, checking up on the recommended lab tests by age should become a higher priority. This will ensure you have a comprehensive check on your overall health and don’t overlook any issues that could become worse. Though it may seem like a lot of trips to the doctor, you’ll be grateful to know that you’re doing everything you can to live a long and harmonious life.

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Low Glycemic Foods for Diabetes

compilation of low glyemic foods - berries, chickpeas, apples, avocado, yogurt

Although diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, some people are unfamiliar with what this health condition really is and how to distinguish type 1 from type 2. Many know that it’s linked to nutrition in some capacity, but the specifics of how diabetes affects the body and how people live with diabetes on a day-to-day basis may be fuzzy.                                                                  

Diabetes is a chronic disease that impairs the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and thus transform food into energy. Blood sugar is your body’s primary source of energy. The food you eat provides you with the glucose needed to perform daily tasks. Ordinarily, food is broken down into sugar every time you eat. Your blood sugar level then raises and tells your pancreas to produce insulin, which your cells use to give you energy. But people with diabetes cannot produce the proper amount of insulin, causing blood sugar to rise. 

Differentiating the Three Types of Diabetes

There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes are unable to make insulin because their immune system mistakenly attacks the pancreatic cells that try to produce it. Type 1 is most commonly diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood and requires daily insulin shots. 

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind. In fact, 90-95% of diabetic people have it. Type 2 is often an acquired disease as it can be triggered by poor eating habits and lack of exercise. But it can also be genetically inherited by people who have a family history of diabetes. Like type 1, those with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin. But with improved lifestyle habits like healthy eating, exercise, and weight loss, insulin injections aren’t always necessary to sustain the body’s energy levels. 

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a condition that can be developed during pregnancy, especially for mothers who gain a surplus amount of weight. This type of diabetes can be very dangerous as it increases health risks for newborns. Once a mother gives birth; however, gestational diabetes usually goes away though it can increase her likelihood of developing diabetes later on. Similar to type 2, gestational diabetes can be managed and prevented with healthy lifestyle habits. 

Why Diabetics Should Know About Glycemic Index Scores

If you have or are at risk of developing diabetes, staying informed about nutrition and how different foods can affect your body is advantageous. People with diabetes may particularly benefit from knowing about glycemic index scores, a system of designating numbers to foods based on how much they increase your blood sugar. 

Everything you eat — from sushi to pasta to cheesecake — has a glycemic index score. This score provides us with a way of measuring how fast carbohydrates in food are digested and how much they raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a low GI score take longer to digest and help prevent rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. 

High blood sugar occurs when you consume more sugar than your body actually needs. This happens when you get a sugar crash from having too many sweets or feel sluggish after multiple slices of pizza. High blood sugar is tied to a condition called hyperglycemia but can also be caused by lack of exercise, excessive carb intake, and stress. 

Having low blood sugar causes you to feel weak, exhausted, or even dizzy and is often caused by a condition called hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can also come from skipping meals, over exercising, or consuming alcohol. When blood sugar levels are low, eating or drinking simple sugars like candy bars or fruit juice can quickly raise you back to a healthy level. 

Watching out for high or low blood sugar is particularly crucial for people with diabetes, but maintaining a diet that promotes healthy blood sugar levels is a practice that everyone can benefit from. That’s why it’s helpful to keep track of the glycemic index scores of the foods you eat. Here is a breakdown of how GI scores work and what foods are best for keeping blood sugar levels balanced. 

How to Measure Your Glycemic Index Values

Glycemic index values range from 1-100 and can be categorized into three groups: 

Low GI: 1-55

Medium GI: 56-69

High GI: 70-100

To keep your blood sugar levels in check, the majority of your energy should be sourced from foods with a low GI score. This can include foods from different nutritional categories including vegetables, fruits, proteins, and dairy. Here are some examples of low GI foods:

Eating too many foods with a high GI score can be detrimental to your blood sugar levels. It’s ok to indulge in them on occasion, but they should only make up a minimal percentage of the foods you consume. Here are some high GI foods that should be eaten in moderation: 

The more informed you are about the foods you eat on a daily basis, the better control you have over your daily energy levels. To find out the scores of your favorite snacks and learn more about low glycemic foods, use this glycemic index chart.

Benefits of Switching to a Lower GI Diet

Limiting foods with a high glycemic index score is key to keeping your energy levels balanced. That’s because too much of these foods can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, causing unwanted side effects like fatigue, headaches, or even chronic health conditions like diabetes. Focusing instead on complex carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats will usually result in a low glycemic eating pattern. 

For a well balanced low glycemic meal, pair your choice of complex carbohydrate with a protein like beans or a plant based fat like avocados. Both of these foods are low in GI and high in fiber, another nutrient that can help keep your blood sugar levels under control throughout the day. This combination of low GI foods can help you stay energized and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.

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Breast Cancer: Risk Factors, Symptoms & Prevention

illustration of ways to prevent breast cancer

Breast cancer is when breast cells grow and divide out of control. This can cause a mass of tissue or tumor to develop which can ultimately lead to breast cancer.

Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. By taking the time to learn about this disease, it can help with early detection which is when it’s most treatable.

Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among American women. 1 in 8 women in the United States has a chance of acquiring breast cancer at some point in her life. 1 in 39 women dies from breast cancer yearly.

Patients are having better results as a consequence of earlier detection, cutting-edge therapy choices, and less invasive surgery.

Risk Factors

There are a number of risk factors associated with the development of breast cancer. Here are some to be aware of: 

  • Age. Breast cancer risk can increase with age. Most breast cancer cases are discovered after the age of 50. 
  • Genetic changes. Women who inherit alterations or mutations to particular genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are more likely to develop breast and ovarian cancer.
  • Reproductive history. Women who start menstruating before the age of 12 and experience menopause after the age of 55 are exposed to hormones for a longer period of time which can ultimately increase the risk of breast cancer.
  • Large breast size. Dense breasts include more connective tissue than fatty tissue, which can make cancer detection difficult on mammography. 
  • Family history. If someone in your family has had breast cancer or other non-cancerous breast diseases such as atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma, you may be at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
  • History of radiation therapy treatment. Radiation therapy to the chest or breasts before the age of 30 increases the risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

Symptoms

Here are some common breast cancer symptoms to watch out for: 

  • Lumpiness in the breast or underarm area 
  • Swelling of the breast
  • Change in breast size or shape
  • Blood or discharge from nipples 
  • Changes in the skin of breasts (usually redness or flaky skin)
  • Pain in the breasts or nipples 

Check with your primary care physician if you experience any of these symptoms. Mammograms can assist in early detection.

Prevention

There are certain lifestyle changes that can be made to lower the incidence of breast cancer, even in high-risk women. Here are some things you can do: 

  • Reduce alcohol consumption. You are more likely to develop breast cancer if you drink alcohol. Restrict alcohol use to one drink per day or 2-3 drinks only a few times a week. Even a small amount can increase risk. 
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Consult with your doctor on what is a healthy weight for your age and body type. Reduce the number of calories you consume each day while gradually increasing the quantity of exercise.
  • Stay active. Physical activity is important in keeping your heart healthy and also assists in maintaining a healthy weight.
  • Breast-feed. The longer you breastfeed, the more protective the impact. During lactation, most women will experience hormonal changes that delay their menstrual periods. This reduces exposure to hormones like estrogen, which can promote breast cancer cell growth.

It is important to be informed about breast cancer. Fortunately, this knowledge can ultimately decrease your risk if you take the right precautions. If breast cancer is caught early on, you have a better chance of living a happy and healthy life.

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Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle, Prevent Chronic Disease: Here’s How

measuring tape, apple, stethoscope, laptop, vitamins

There are many benefits in caring for your body before it breaks down. Being proactive about your health is important in maintaining a productive and vibrant life. Here’s what you can do to keep your body working properly.

Eat a Healthy Diet

We have all heard the saying “you are what you eat” and there is some truth to it! Consider an organic, whole food diet with few processed foods.

Benefits of eating a well balanced diet:

  • Lowers risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers
  • Keeps skin, teeth and eyes healthy
  • Supports muscles
  • Boosts immunity
  • Strengthens bones

You can also consider adding a supplement or a quality multivitamin or mineral complex to your daily routine. This can help with potential nutrient deficiencies.

Get Proper Sleep

Getting enough sleep has a lot of proven health benefits. Most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep per day.

Benefits of getting enough z’s:

  • Relaxes your mind and body
  • Reduces stress
  • Hormonal balance
  • Heart health
  • Blood sugar consistency

When you are sleep deprived, your body releases stress hormones that can affect your overall health. If you’re having trouble getting a good night’s rest, try taking a warm bath, meditate or practice breathing exercises to help unwind from the day.

Go For Annual Health Screenings

Over 133 million Americans have an undiagnosed chronic disease. By taking part in annual health screenings, chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, and diabetes can be identified early on.
With proper care and treatment early on, many chronic diseases can be non-life-threatening and treatable.

Keep Moving!

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.
Benefits of exercise:

  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Reduce your risk of developing certain diseases
  • Strengthen your bones and muscles
  • Increase your chances of living longer

According to the CDC, An estimated 110,000 deaths per year could be prevented if US adults ages 40 and older increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by a small amount. As little as 10 minutes more per day could make a significant difference!

Take care of yourself. Doing these important things will have a positive impact on your life and will only extend it!

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Why Having a Primary Care Doctor is Important As You Get Older

male doctor using a stethoscope to take blood pressure of male patient

Having a primary care doctor can be essential to your health. Not only are they there for you when you’re sick, but they are also there to make sure you stay healthy all the time. Here are some important benefits of having a primary care physician as you get older.

1. Lowered Health Care Costs Overall

Seeing your primary care doctor on a regular basis can lower your health care costs. By having regular health screenings and open communication with your doctor, you’re more likely to stop serious illnesses from developing. Treatment at the earliest stages is more affordable.

2. You Receive a More Personalized Treatment

Having a one-on-one established relationship with your doctor helps in maintaining open communication. It’s important to make your needs known and for them to explain your treatment plan in ways that are clear, and easy to follow.

3. (Heading Off) or Managing Chronic Illnesses

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 6 in 10 Americans have a chronic illness, and 4 in 10 have two or more chronic illnesses. Some of the most common chronic illnesses are diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, obesity and heart disease. By working closely with your primary care physician, you can lead a healthier life and keep these illnesses under control and managed.

4. Access to Specialists

Your primary care doctor can provide you with access and referrals to a wide variety of specialists for treatment outside of their scope. They will also provide specialists all the medical information they need to ensure you receive the best treatment available.

5. Overall Health & Wellbeing 

Studies have shown that those who have primary care physicians are actually healthier than those who do not. Those who keep regular appointments with their doctors are hospitalized less and have fewer visits to the ER. Yearly routine health screenings are recommended. Your doctor will order blood work that will check your cholesterol, blood sugar, and other important aspects of your health such as thyroid, kidney and liver function. Checking for serious, chronic illnesses that are caught early on could greatly impact your overall health.

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