Medical

Looking back on your relationships, what have you learned about yourself and others?  Exploration and discovery is a major part of relationships.  We begin with nothing other than what we observe around us, but, through our actual experiences, we learn who we are and what is compatible with us.

If you are intent on improving your health this year, acupuncture and Chinese medicine may be the very thing you need to “stick” to those resolutions.  Here’s how acupuncture can help you achieve your goals:
Resolution One: Reach Target Weight and Stay There Losing weight is the number one, most common, New Year’s Resolution and by March, it may have lost the steam it had in January or February.  Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can help you reach your goal weight and maintain it by promoting better digestion, smoothing emotions, reducing appetite, improving metabolism, and eliminating food cravings.

In many cases it’s the dentist—and not the physician—who has the first opportunity to detect diabetes early, because diabetics are especially prone to dental health problems.
Swollen, tender, receding and bleeding gums, loose teeth, and a sore tongue may not just be signs of poor dental hygiene. They may be danger signals for diabetes, too.

Sure, regular cleanings with our office promote good oral hygiene, but did you know it can also prevent a multitude of diseases?  That two o’clock chair-side rendezvous may not seem nearly as exciting as a late lunch with a friend, but it will be well worth it in the end.  Here are 10 really great reasons to stick with your regular cleaning schedule!

Fatigue, while not a disease, it is an early warning symptom for many potentially serious health conditions.  Yet fatigue is rarely given the importance it deserves.  Medical approaches to fatigue usually consist of treatment for anemia and hypothyroidism.  Both of these conditions must be considered when discussing fatigue, however, there are many other causes as well.

From a therapeutic standpoint, working with lap band recipients is a highly rewarding experience.  Traditionally, clients begin therapy when they hit one of their lowest points in their lives.  At Weight Loss Centers, however, I have the pleasure of talking to people who have already made a momentous decision to institute a positive change.

Obesity is a problem that continues to affect Americans every day.  Sometimes health care providers forget how it truly affects people.  The list of medical problems related to obesity is endless.  The short list includes: diabetes, high blood pressure, sleeping problems, reflux disease, difficulties with pregnancies, cancer, heart disease, lung problems, joint pain, back pain, and fatigue.  If you are overweight, most doctors will tell you to eat right and exercise.  While correct food choices and being active are an important part of losing weight, the plain fact is that they are not enough to have long term weight loss.

On March 14 at 2 a.m. everyone will be “springing forward,” and resetting their clocks to give themselves more daylight.  What a fitting metaphor, wouldn’t you say?
Do you feel like your clock has been stuck in the same position for the last year? 

This summer’s stylish sandals are definite attention grabbers, but will they force you to focus on the pain they are causing your feet?  The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has seven secrets to avoiding a sandal scandal this summer.  Follow this podiatrist approved advice so you can enjoy the fun and sun with pain-free feet.  Be sure to share these secrets, including the APMA accepted products, with family and friends!

Laser vision correction has advanced considerably over the past decade as technology has continued to improve.  The new Alcon Wavelength ALLEGRETTO laser reprsents a generational leap forward in vision correction technology.  It uses a fine spot size designed to produce a much smoother corneal surface than previously attainable with older lasers.

In traditional Chinese medicine there are five main elements in our environment: wood, fire, earth, metal and water, which serve to interpret natural phenomena, including the human body, in health and disease.  It is during these seasonal or “elemental” changes that we see individuals who only experience allergies during a particular time of year. 

A lot of people come to my practice to have old and unsightly dental work redone.  This ranges from the one front tooth that was crowned after a bicycle accident at the age of eight, to those ever so common mercury metal fillings.  I am continually made aware of the issue that the patient was not informed about their options at the time that the service was performed.  They got what the dentist decided to give them.

Mr. Z had signed up for two of the deadliest and avoidable risks in life and attended class faithfully: he smoked and was obese, the number one and two avoidable causes of death, respectively.  “No more smoking, bud,” I said. “I don’t smoke much Dr. K,” he said. “I want you to lose two pounds a month, 25 pounds by the end of the year.”  “I don’t eat much, Doc.”  “You’re not lying to me,” I said, “you’re lying to yourself.”

When you lose a tooth, the biting forces change on the teeth next to the space, causing them to shift.  Opposing teeth may even begin to extrude out of the socket, which means they too could eventually be lost.  As your bite changes, it gets more difficult to chew your food, and you may suffer damage to your jaw joint. 

Dental veneers can be used to cosmetically enhance your smile.  Veneers can be used to whiten your teeth, repair chips, cracks, or worn areas of teeth, close gaps between teeth, and in some cases, correct misaligned teeth.
What are veneers?  Veneers are a thin shell or facing, generally made of highly glazed porcelain that are bonded to your natural teeth.  

A parasite is an organism that lives off another organism.  Humans are symbiotic, naturally hosting bacteria, such as acidophilus and bifidis, which are essential to healthy digestive function.  Problems arise when harmful parasites take up residence in the body.  There are some 3,200 different varieties of parasites ranging from microscopic single celled organisms to giant tapeworms.  Common parasitic infections include yeasts, Candida, Giardia, pin worms, round worms, hook worms, amoeba, and tape worms. 

The springtime is upon us and with the warmer comes less clothing and less foot covering.  Donning flip-flops to enjoy warm weather?  While we all love to wear them, take into account some of the do’s and don’ts of foot care.
• Do shop for a flip-flop made of high-quality, soft leather.  Leather minimizes the potential for blisters and other types of irritation.
Source: apma.org

More people miss work and social engagements from back pain than almost any other ailment.  The pain of muscle strains, ligament spasms, or a compressed or herniated disk, as a result of an accident or the simple wear-and-tear of aging, slows us down, makes us miserable, and causes everyday motions pure torture.  As a result, millions pay for risky surgery, expensive corsets, and pain medications with all their side-effects.