Losing Weight Sensibly

Here are some things you can do to lose weight and keep it off sensibly:

• Make good eating habits part of your life long health maintenance plan.  Avoid yo-yo dieting.  This often results in recurrent weight gain - each time!
• Learn good eating habits.
• Eat small portions.  Five small meals a day will be less caloric and give you more energy with less hunger.
• Enjoy foods you like that may more unhealthy less frequently. 
• Exexrcise routinely.  Frequent intervals of 10 minutes 2 to 3 times a day a few times a week is adequate.  Start slow like with five minutes for first week.  This will help encourage a positive attitude and more activity.

Ask your primary care health provider to refer you to dieticians and nutrition specialists for more details.  Weight loss surgery is an option that can be considered if obesity is causing and making other health problems more serious; however, serious side effects can occur and you can gain the weight back.  Talk to a doctor that specializes in bariatric surgery for details.

Healthy weight is always great. It is one time when less is more.

Best health!

Ways to Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage

As summer approaches more of your body is exposed to sun.  Remember to practice good skin care by keeping your skin safe from those damaging UVA and UVB rays that cause serious, irreparable sun damage and skin cancer. Simple things you can do include:

• Limit sun exposure – avoid 10AM to 3PM, spend less than one hour in direct sun - less or none if fair complexion, burn easily, prone to skin cancer.
• Wear protective clothing – wide brim hats, long sleeves, long pants, skirts and/ or clothes made with sun protection fabric.
• Umbrella and shade.
• Use sunscreen SPF 15 or greater. Put on every hour if sweating or swimming. Put on every area exposed to sun, and be sure to remember behind those ears and on the neck.
• See your family doctor and/or dermatologist for moderate to severe sunburn, or any suspicious skin spots that fail to heal.

Home remedies to ease the suburn: gel from aloe plant; oatmeal bath; ice pack in soft cloth; powder on bed sheets; vinegar & baking powder paste. Keep yourself well hydrated by drinking lots of water. Also, do a self skin exam monthly to keep track of any abnormal skin lesions.  Best health!


by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice physician, patient advocate, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide. http://amzn.to/13m51UU