Beware – It’s Cold & Flu Season

Written by: Dr. David Bloom

Yes we’re in the middle of the notorious time when we are surrounded by so many ill people.  And now it is pretty common knowledge that hand washing with soap and water or at least a fair scrub with anti-bacterial gel can reduce your chance of getting infected.  (And don’t forget about keeping hydrated, exercising, avoiding the ill when possible, and getting a flu vaccine).

But what should you do when symptoms begin?  Fortunately our patients know they can easily contact one of our personal concierge physicians for the most specific advice.  Still, it is good to know that the most common infections, although annoying, are relatively benign.  These consist of the hundreds of cold viruses that are very contagious, and amazingly can produce a wide variety of symptoms.  In fact, this is often a big clue that a virus has taken hold – you develop symptoms in more than one area (lungs, sinus, nose, stomach, intestine, throat, ears, skin, and/or eyes).  And within the first few days, the virus is usually more annoying as the symptoms seem to move from one site to the next.   Plus, you will likely guess correctly when you have a virus since these make up nearly 90% of seasonal bronchitis, sinusitis, ear infections, etc.  On average, a virus tends to run its course in about 7 days and you guessed it – antibiotics won’t help that. 

On the other hand, bacteria tend to stick with predominantly one area (such as only the throat with a Strep infection).   Bacteria also tend to worsen with time, especially after the 4th or 5th day of an infection (while the viral colds tend to begin to improve by then).  These conditions may be treated with an appropriate antibiotic – but remember that only about 1 in 10 colds is truly caused by a bacteria.

Finally, it is important to note that the “king” of viruses is the flu.  Although influenza is caused by hundreds of different flu viruses, the flu tends to hit much harder and almost all of the body areas at once.  In fact, body/muscle aches are much more common with a flu infection than with the non-flu viruses mentioned above.  Also, the flu is almost always accompanied by a fever with chills, a dry cough, and a very noticeable headache.  Patients should consider calling their doctor for an anti-flu medication such as Tamilflu if their symptoms fit for the flu and they are at risk for complications (the CDC recommends avoiding anti-viral meds in healthy people if not at risk).  The tricky part is that for this medication to work, it needs to be started within the first 48 hours.

Now back to the most common troublemaker, the viral infection.  Although antibiotics (even the famous Z-pak) are not helpful, there are many ways to treat the symptoms.  One may choose salt water gargles, over-the-counter medications, vitamin C, proper hydration with good fluid intake, rest, and so on depending upon which symptoms he or she has.  There are even very helpful prescription products such as nasal steroids, antihistamines/decongestants, and narcotic cough syrups. 

Recently, studies are now discrediting any help from the previously recommended Echinacea.  Although no longer proven to be beneficial, it has not been found to be harmful and still may help some patients.

Finally, when you or a loved one gets infected, watch for the development of any serious signs, even if you have already been examined recently.  These include shortness of breath, chest pain, dehydration, fainting, mental status changes, etc.  Also, one must be even more cautious when the sick person is a child, elderly, or has a serious underlying health condition.  Then the phone call and doctor visit is mandatory – and you would have wished you had just washed your hands more often.

Carbs, a Not So Simple Subject

Written by: Dr. Jeffrey Barke

Did you know that from a weight-loss standpoint nutrition is more important than exercise?  You could exercise every day, but if you are not committed to healthy eating there is a good chance you will not lose any weight.  You simply cannot exercise your way out of poor nutrition. 

A typical meal at your favorite restaurant would take several hours on a spin bike to burn off an equal amount of calories.  If you eat out several times per week you would need an extreme amount of exercise to counter the calories.  80% of the effort of weight loss should come from nutrition and 20% from exercise.
 
The most important nutritional change that the majority of us should make is to reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates we consume.  Some simple carbs are easy to identify such as sugary foods like cookies, ice cream, or candy.  Other simple carbs such as bread, pasta, and rice can have just as much impact, but we don’t always consider them as unhealthy.  Although brown rice is better than white and whole wheat pasta or bread is better than their white counterpart, you should still look at all of them as simple carbs that can cause weight gain or lack of weight loss because of the effect they can have on your insulin.
 
Why can insulin levels be a problem?  Insulin is a hormone that lowers the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood. Insulin is made by the beta cells of the pancreas and released into the blood after you eat.  Simple carbs cause more insulin to be secreted.  Insulin helps glucose enter the body’s cells, where it can be used for energy or stored for future use.  High levels of insulin can lead to weight gain because if the body cannot burn it off, it will store the extra glucose as fat.  In addition, insulin prevents the body from releasing stored fat even when you’re hungry and need energy.

The good news is there is a solution!  By reducing your intake of simple carbs you will reduce insulin spikes and your body will then utilize calories more effectively.  If you are going to eat carbs, try to include some protein with it to control the insulin response.  Even a piece of fruit such as an apple should be combined with some protein like a few almonds or a piece of low fat (or non-fat) mozzarella cheese.
 
Educating yourself on how to properly combine carbohydrates with protein, healthy fats, and vegetables can be the first step to changing what you eat, how you feel, and your weight forever.  Controlling your carb intake is not only critical to maintaining a healthy insulin response and weight control goals, it can also help to prevent Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol, and chronic inflammation.

New Year’s Resolutions You Will Want To Keep

Written by: Natasha Daguio

The beginning of a new year always brings new resolutions.  Usually, resolutions center on getting healthy and losing some unwanted weight.  Unfortunately, without a game plan, support and the proper tools, many people lose their way by February.  Below we have provided some healthy tips that you can use every day to help with your commitment to becoming healthier.

Step 1
Look for healthy eating options and long term fitness goals rather than fad diets. While drastically cutting calories can help you lose weight, it’s hardly a long-term solution. Once you go off of a strict, low-calorie diet, you are, unfortunately, very likely to gain back your lost weight. Instead, educate yourself on healthy eating and commit to some sort of physical activity 3-5 days a week.

Step 2
Cook at home at least once per week for an easy start to better health and diet. Too often eating out becomes the norm because it is easier. Restaurant food can often contain preservatives, excess calories and chemicals that can be very harmful to your health in the long term. By cooking at home just once a week you are promoting better health. 

Step 3
Ask a friend to make a diet and exercise resolution with you, or hire a trainer! When you simply resolve to finally lose the weight, it’s easy to fall off of the wagon in February when you’re the only one who knows about your new commitment to health. By enlisting the help of a friend who is also trying to eat healthier or a personal trainer, you make yourself accountable to someone. This will help give you the support you need to stick to your goals.
Having someone to work out with you, to help you search for healthy recipes and step on that scale with can be the key factor in your success!

Step 4
Visualize your success to stay on track.  While summer is still several months away, visualizing how you want to look in a swim suit or how active you want to be with your kids can help you achieve success.

Step 5
Start your healthy-eating plan now. Waiting until the end of the day/week/month to make your resolution to lose weight may cause you to eat more, exercise less and gain more weight as your “last hurrah” before changing your eating. Instead, start today, you will feel better tomorrow!