Women"s Health Maintenance

During Women's Health Month it is important to remember preventative health tests you may need done. Ladies, schedule your routine screenings and appointments to include:

1. mammogram/ MRI for breast cancer
2. PAP smear & HPV test for cervical cancer
3. stool check for blood (fecal occult blood test, FOBT) for colorectal cancer
4. cardiology doctor for cardiovascular prevention (get EKG, ECHO, and thallium stress test if indicated)
5. bone density scan to check for osteoporsis
6. counseling for smoking cessation, alcohol/drug dependence, and domestic violence
7. evaluation for depression and other mental disorders if necessary
8. complete physical exam, and routine blood tests.

Be sure to go over all test results with your healthcare provider.  Any abnormal results should be looked into further especially if you have symptoms.  If you are without symptoms, be sure all abnormalities are followed up routinely.

Get in 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day at least, sleep enough, and eat healthy! Laugh a lot and love a lot! Best health!

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide. (Amazon.com: Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide eBook : Richardson M.D., J. L.: Kindle Store)

Women's Health Month Checkup

During Women's Health Month it is important to remember preventative health tests you may need done. Ladies, schedule your routine screenings and appointments to include:

1. mammogram/ MRI for breast cancer
2. PAP smear & HPV test for cervical cancer
3. stool check for blood (fecal occult blood test, FOBT) for colorectal cancer
4. cardiology doctor for cardiovascular prevention (get EKG, ECHO, and thallium stress test if indicated)
5. bone density scan to check for osteoporsis
6. counseling for smoking cessation, alcohol/drug dependence, and domestic violence
7. evaluation for depression and other mental disorders if necessary
8. complete physical exam, and routine blood tests.

Be sure to go over all test results with your healthcare provider.  Any abnormal results should be looked into further especially if you have symptoms.  If you are without symptoms, be sure all abnormalities are followed up routinely.

Get in 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day at least, sleep enough, and eat healthy! Laugh a lot and love a lot! Best health!

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide. (Amazon.com: Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide eBook : Richardson M.D., J. L.: Kindle Store)

Women's Health Month Wellness

During Women's Health Month it is important to remember preventative health tests you may need done. Ladies, schedule your routine screenings and appointments to include:

1. mammogram/ MRI for breast cancer
2. PAP smear & HPV test for cervical cancer
3. stool check for blood (fecal occult blood test, FOBT) for colorectal cancer
4. cardiology doctor for cardiovascular prevention (get EKG, ECHO, and thallium stress test if indicated)
5. bone density scan to check for osteoporsis
6. counseling for smoking cessation, alcohol/drug dependence, and domestic violence
7. evaluation for depression and other mental disorders if necessary
8. complete physical exam, and routine blood tests.

Be sure to go over all test results with your healthcare provider.  Any abnormal results should be looked into further especially if you have symptoms.

Get in 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day at least, sleep enough, and eat healthy! Laugh a lot and love a lot! Best health!

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide. (Amazon.com: Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide eBook : Richardson M.D., J. L.: Kindle Store)

Make Positive Ways for Less Stressful Days

 If your thoughts or what you are listening to or watching is unkind and disrespectful delivering little to no joy or happiness, turn it off, avoid it, and delete it from your healthy life.  This is of utmost importance in staying well or healing because it decreases unhealthy stress towards zero.  As you move towards this goal you will feel the benefits as well keep your blood pressure, arthritis, and other medical conditions stable or away.

Good health includes more than physical wellness.  Mental, emotional, and spiritual health helps maintain the physical well being. When you have positive thoughts, you can look forward to a more positive, joyous, happy, healthy body and daily existence.  Healthy food and exercise keep your body functioning at optimal levels thereby enhancing nature's healing forces within you. 

Make time for quiet time to yourself at least twice a day for fifteen minutes.  Include meditation, prayer, and yoga on a regular basis several times a week keeping it simple and easy for you.  Start with ten minute routines.  Get in this habit and strive to do it routinely for at least a week.  Increase your time to five minutes per session for at least twenty minutes or longer three or more times per week.  Daily is optimal.  It is worth taking the time to make this a goal.

As you develop healthier habits and routines, you will feel better and your positive ways will lead to less stressful days.  Best health!  

New Year Resolution: Make Mental Health Primary

Good health includes mental health.  You can be healthier without anxiety and depression that diminishes good mental health.  This is so important in the formative years.  It is during this time of infancy and childhood that mental health starts developing.  During this time, it is important that good healthy things are happening.  Children need love and care all the time, but in these years much more is medically necessary.  This is important for healthy mental development.

Today's anxiety provoking atmosphere promote poor mental health especially in schools.  School attendance should be a pleasant, safe experience fit for learning. The mind needs this to learn and develop.  Today schools are "forced" to counter arm with physical enforcement measures to prevent unhealthy armed attacks.  This is far from the ideal learning environment for teachers and students as is thinking about this all day at school.  Good healthy thoughts and actions are indicated to prevent school dropout, substance abuse, suicide and more.

Mental health for adults and children must be healthy.  More school mental health programs would be healthier than any type of violence or tools thereof.  Today's youth are diagnosed with mental health (anxiety, depression, ADHD primary) issues at average age of 14 or younger. The stress associated with going to school and learning is plenty without any distractions, or unhealthy behaviors. 

Healthy suggestions include healthy behavior in the home.  The family is vital to maximizing mental health.  Seeking professional health for each family member as well as the family can help.  Absence of unhealthy, harmful behavior is necessary.  Decrease watching any programs on any platform with violence (even cartoons, video games) and persistently negative behavior.

Healthy thoughts and actions are indicated versus negative, unhealthy unrewarding behavior.  Maximize mental health with goodness for less anxiety, depression and unhealthy feelings. "Don't worry about a thing.  Every little thing is going to be alright." Best health!

Maximize Great Mental Health

Good health includes mental health.  You can be healthier without anxiety and depression that diminishes good mental health.  This is so important in the formative years.  It is during this time of infancy and childhood that mental health starts developing.  During this time, it is important that good healthy things are happening.  Children need love and care all the time, but in these years much more is medically necessary.  This is important for healthy mental development.

Today's anxiety provoking atmosphere promote poor mental health especially in schools.  School attendance should be a pleasant, safe experience fit for learning. The mind needs this to learn and develop.  Today schools are "forced" to counter arm with physical enforcement measures to prevent unhealthy armed attacks.  This is far from the ideal learning environment for teachers and students as is thinking about this all day at school.  Good healthy thoughts and actions are indicated to prevent school dropout, substance abuse, suicide and more.

Mental health for adults and children must be healthy.  More school mental health programs would be healthier than any type of violence or tools thereof.  Today's youth are diagnosed with mental health (anxiety, depression, ADHD primary) issues at average age of 14 or younger. The stress associated with going to school and learning is plenty without any distractions, or unhealthy behaviors. 

Healthy suggestions include healthy behavior in the home.  The family is vital to maximizing mental health.  Seeking professional health for each family member as well as the family can help.  Absence of unhealthy, harmful behavior is necessary.  Decrease watching any programs on any platform with violence (even cartoons, video games) and persistently negative behavior.

Healthy thoughts and actions are indicated versus negative, unhealthy unrewarding behavior.  Maximize mental health with goodness for less anxiety, depression and unhealthy feelings. "Don't worry about a thing.  Every little thing is going to be alright." Best health!

Healthy Life Lines

Live healthy.  Live simply.  "Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health" http://amzn.to/2nLf1u0 consists of one line health tips for better health and wellness. These tips will encourage you to live a lifestyle of good health.  "Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health" is available FREE on Kindle Unlimited.  "Healthy Life Lines 2" coming soon!

Healthy life lines include:

• Be literate in health.
• Focus on prevention to avoid intervention.
• Constantly do things to improve your health.
• Embrace healthy routines.
• Limit and avoid multitasking.
• Find funny and laugh daily.
• Keep a health diary.

Best health!

Be Screen Free to Stay Healthy

Studies how less, if any screen time is a healthy way to live.  Today the little and big screen show more negativity especially negative behaviors that promote poor health.  This is too often accompanied by loud talking, ways to promote conflict, and actual repetition of violent, disturbing video to accompany the loud verbalization of the events.  The repetition in short periods of time spurns negative behavior depicted often accompanied by depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, dementia, and many other chronic conditions.

Educating yourself and learning  about things that interest you is the best way to spend screen time.  Modern technology allows for selection of what you want to watch when you want to watch it without commercials,  Screen time should be filled with positive, educational content.  Even if the story is negative, it should be told with facts and without repetitive negative visuals.  Studies show limited screen time, especially for kids, is healthier mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Healthy life line ideas for screen free living:

• Read more.
• Be quiet and still in meditation prayer.
• Add an extra hour of sleep.
• Listen to music.
• Prepare three meals daily.
• Write.
• Spend more time with family and friends.
• Enjoy nature daily.
• Take classes in things you like.
• Bake favorite desserts.
• Do different crafts.
• Volunteer.

Best health!

Healthy Life Lines:  Simple Tips to Improve Your Health http://amzn.to/2nLf1u0

Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health

Live healthy.  Live Simply.  “Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health” is a new book that helps you attain good health and keep it stable. http://amzn.to/2nLf1u0  This short book consists of one line health tips that promote wellness and good health.  These tips will encourage you to live a lifestyle of good health.  “Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health” is only available on Kindle.

Healthy life lines include;

·       Be literate in health.

·       Focus on prevention to avoid intervention.

·       Constantly do things to improve your health

·       Embrace healthy routines.

·       Limit and avoid multitasking.

·       Find funny and laugh daily.

·       Keep a health diary.

·       Know your family medical history.

Best health!

Dementia Risk and Prevention

Findings from a 40 year research study found that dementia is decreasing.  The average age of occurrence, if ever, has risen from 80 t0 85.   As you get older, your chances of developing dementia increase.  Age and inheritance are two of the strongest known risk factors.  Cardiovascular risk is also associated with increased risk as are diabetes, tobacco use, and many other factors.

Of the 40 million plus people in the United States over 65 years of age (about 560 million worldwide), about 5.2 million have some type of dementia.  In the United States this is expected to double or more by 2050.  Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.  Other types include: vascular, Lewy body, Huntington’s disease, dementia secondary to disease (e.g. Parkinson’s disease, HIV, multiple sclerosis) or trauma (usually repeatedly like sports head injury in football, boxing), nutritional deficiencies, medication induced, inherited forms, and many more. 

Signs and symptoms of dementia include memory problems, decreased cognitive ability, and decreased physical activity whereby activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, household chores, etc.) may require assistance. Personality changes like agitation, inattentiveness and irritability are common.  Dementia diagnosis begins with a thorough history (of patient and family) and physical examination including blood tests.  Brain scans (MRI, CT, PET) are important in helping make the diagnosis.  Neurologic evaluation by a certified neurologist is also indicated for suspected dementia.    
Treatment includes behavioral, occupational, and physical therapy as well as medication. In some cases such as medication induced dementia from vitamin deficiency or low thyroid levels after proper medication is given.  If a drug is the cause, it will resolve by stopping the medicine. Dementia drugs can lessen the symptoms of cognitive decline, in spite of the fact that disease will usually continue to progress. Regular exercise has been shown to do improve function, also.

Preventive measures include:

• Nutritious food especially those aimed at brain health
• Physical movement and exercise
• Restful sleep
• Daily routine to include self care, meals, etc. at same time
• Intellectual stimulation like reading, conversation, brain exercises, music
• Social activities especially with family, friends
• Avoidance of smoking, too much alcohol
• Good maintenance of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and any other diseases you may have
• Prayer and meditation

As dementia progresses, it can debilitate to the point of total disability and lack of all function to the point where care must be provided by others full time.  This is usually done in the comfort of their home, or in a fully supervised care facility.   Caregivers in the home setting may include family, friends, and hired health care providers that may be necessary.  Caregivers are very important in dementia care. They provide most of the care necessary to keep the patient functional. 

Keep your brain and body as healthy as possible in an effort to prevent dementia.  It may be decreasing, but as we live longer the likelihood increases.  Best health!

Family Health: Abuse Awareness

Family and domestic violence affects many millions of women, children and men worldwide.  More females and children are affected than men.  In 2011 statistics revealed that over 1.5 million women and 800,000 men were involved in intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States alone.  Studies estimate the lifetime risk for women is an astounding 1 in 4. 

As more accounts of domestic violence are made public, one would think contact for help would be more prevalent as well.  It is in the real world.  Repeated public disclosure (video, discussion of incidents, etc.) with negative implications is less than desirable for anyone especially victims and their families. This lends to more harm than help possibly generating ideas for potential new and recurring events.

Doctors in Florida are required to complete domestic violence course to maintain licensure.  This ensures that anyone who is faced with this situation will get proper guidance and assistance.  Many doctors include questions about this on routine wellness exams.  Help and prevention of further occurrences from qualified medical professionals is of utmost importance.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive issue that affects health and well being.  It is a private matter regardless of those involved. Seeking help is of utmost importance.  Prevention, intervention and early detection are essential.  This can start in the primary care doctor’s office before it escalates to family violence and ER visits. 

Patient safety is a primary concern as is developing a safety plan. Referral to appropriate health care professionals and community-based programs helps patients with the psychological, emotional, and physical aspects of family violence.  Other resources can be found by phone or Internet as follows:

·       National Domestic Violence Hotline

        1-800-799- SAFE (7233)
          www.thehotline.org

·       National Sex Assault Online Helpline

         1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
www.rainn.org/get-help/national-sexual-assault-online-hotline

·       Institute of Safe Families

          www.instituteforsafefamilies.org

·       National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
    www.ncadv.org

·       Academy on Violence & Abuse

          www.avahealth.org

·       American Bar Association

    http://apps.americanbar.org/tips/publicservice/safetipseng.html


Keep you and your family healthy and aware that IPV and family violence is avoidable.  Educate and inform seeking help when it is needed. Abuse be it verbal or physical is harmful and unhealthy.

Health Maintenance: How You Gain When You Maintain

Screening tests save lives. Talk to your doctor and do your own research on tests you need and how often. What the guidelines suggest and what you need may be different.

Common screening tests for women include:

1. mammogram/ MRI for breast cancer
2. PAP smear & HPV test for cervical cancer
3. stool check for blood (fecal occult blood test, colonoscopy)
4. EKG, ECHO (stress test if indicated)
5. bone density scan to check for osteoporosis
6. counseling for smoking cessation, alcohol/drug dependence, and domestic violence
7. evaluation for depression and other mental disorders if necessary
8. complete physical exam, and routine blood tests*


Common screening tests for men include same as above except mammogram and PAP smear.


Be sure your doctor goes over the test results with you and explains EVERYTHING! Leave with your questions answered! Be sure to follow up with your doctor to prevent any delays.

Get a copy of your test results. That way you will know if you were told everything and that the information is accurate. Research your results and diagnosis. Things you don't understand, ask again. Getting a second and sometimes third (because you were told different things by each doctor!) evaluation and assessment is sometimes necessary to get what is right for you.

Patients must be their own advocate and take charge of their health. Health maintenance and prevention are so important to one's quality of life. Make it an important part of yours - maintain and gain your best health!

*What Your Blood Tests Mean http://mypatienthandbook.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-your-blood-tests-really-mean.html

Basic Diagnostic Tests http://mypatienthandbook.blogspot.com/2012/04/basic-health-tests.html

Violent TV Movie Syndrome: Public Health Crisis in Vivo

Did you know that Violent TV Movie Syndrome (VTMS) is a major cause of many health and social problems? Single and repeated images of young children (or anyone) shot laying dead in pools of blood is horrific and unhealthy.  As a medical professional familiar with death first hand as part of my job, I can only hope and pray someone will be responsible and speak up.  This is child abuse. This is mental abuse. This is public health abuse.  Hollywood makes movies with less violence and bloodshed. Any educated person knows that repeated violence harms people in so many ways. It is so unnecessary to show these images to tell a news story or any other type of story. Images such as these depict what is seen in the coroner's office., and should be kept there.

Suicide, homicide, and post traumatic disorder are just a few medical maladies that occur from watching violence.  Surely you can choose to watch something else; however, the curious child with a TV remote may choose otherwise.  Protect yourself and your children.  This type of programming is hard to grasp and confuse with something else - real life! They become real life.  Doctors and health care providers have much more serious conditions to care for instead of illness and death induced by "Violent TV/Movie Syndrome" which can be prevented. For the doctors who take an oath to "do no harm", let us hope our media will do likewise.  Until then we can only counsel our patients to turn it off.

See this reference for more details http://www.parent.net/article/tv-kids-violence.shtml