Medical

A recent publication from the American Diabetes Association identified critical links between periodontal (gum) disease and the development of type 2 diabetes, as well as the development and progression of its complications. 

How efficient do you plan on being today? The correct answer to this can be found in what you eat for breakfast. Yes, you’ve heard it before, but let me reiterate, breakfast, and a healthy one at that, is the most important meal of the day. The content of what you eat first thing in the morning will determine your mental and physical endurance, creativity, and memory recall.  All body cells including the brain need energy to function. This energy comes from the oxidation of glucose or glucose and fat. Only when blood glucose levels are adequate can these cells obtain the necessary amount of energy needed.

Men who drink alcohol heavily and on a regular basis may be putting themselves at increased risk for prostate cancer, according to a new study published in Cancer, the American Cancer Society’s peer-reviewed medical journal.  The study also found that heavy alcohol use may diminish the possible preventive properties of finasteride, a drug that has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer in some men.

The sounds of back-to-school season include the ringing of school bells and cash registers, the slamming of locker doors, the noisy ruckus of school hallways and cafeterias, and the moans and groans of students over tests, homework, relationships, and increasingly, their aching feet.  Flip-flops are the summer footwear of choice for many students.

Many times, when we have digestive problems, there are very simple and free ways to help manage them.  It may be as simple as using these few “Food Combining Principles.”  Eat fruit alone, never with any other foods.

A crown covers and protects the tooth. It seals out plaque and bacteria and restores the strength and shape of the tooth. When a filling needs to be replaced, it’s often best to restore and protect the tooth by switching to a crown instead of placing another filling. When a tooth is cracked, it’s often best to protect it by placing a crown to protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking.

My patient was prodded by his wife to visit me.  “I don’t need to be here Doctor K.  I feel good. I’m what you call shatter proof!” He was in his young 60s, had borderline high blood pressure, and still worked six out of seven days.  I had never seen a shatter proof patient before so I recommended he undergo a stress test.

The mild case can be relived by closing one’s eyes, while the serious case has an illusion of bodily movement with rotator sensation like sitting in a sailing boat or moving car, and even accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sweating.

One of the worst ailments a person can have in this life is any problem with their spinal cord and associated components.  Since the backbone is an essential body part, allowing us to walk upright, any damage to that area affects the entirety of the body.  As children, we are encouraged to intake calcium in order to strengthen our bones, and parents generally instruct their children to stand up straight, ensuring good posture. 

In our era, there appears to be a dreadful stigma attached to Senior Citizen Care Facilities; one of the biggest complaints our generation has with these homes is their complete lack of a community and genuine care for the residents.  Since the quality of life is key for the people living in care facilities, families want to ensure that their loved one is in an environment that caters to his or her personal beliefs and living styles. 

We get calls everyday from children of aging parents whose loved ones have been hospitalized due to a fall, a stroke or an infection.  They’re looking for answers: What happens if my parent can’t live on their own once they’re discharged?  If they return home, will they need extra care? How will the care be paid for? 

The digestive tract is the “internal plumbing” to a healthy life, but for many it can cause frequent discomfort. The gastrointestinal (GI) system is vital for overall health and minor discomforts such as bloating, gas, occasional heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and upset stomach may be a sign of poor GI health. When the GI tract isn’t functioning properly important nutrients can’t be absorbed and unused factors can’t be eliminated. This can affect every system in the body such as energy level, moods, skin, joints, mental acuity, and respiratory function.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a painful affliction of the hand and wrist.  Any repetitive hand and/or wrist motion can lead to CTS.  Before preventing CTS, we need to understand its actual cause.  How do we bend our wrist and move our hand?  A nerve impulse travels from our brain, down our spinal cord, through our arm to the median nerve.  

Between 20 to 25 percent of Americans suffer from eye or ocular allergy.  When it involves the mucosal membrane of the eye, this is called Allergic Conjunctivitis.  Symptoms of Allergic Conjunctivitis include redness and itching of the eyes, as well as the feeling that sand or something foreign was in the eyes.  Sometimes the itching is so intense that ordinary treatment is not effective and steroid therapy is required. 

pH is the measure of how alkaline or acidic your body is. Body’s pH level is an essential part of the body.  What we do and put in our body also affects the levels.  Acidosis is the condition where your body’s pH falls below 7.35.  People who suffer from this condition experience muscle aches, headaches, sleeplessness and other serious health problems.  Osteoporosis, for example, is the result of a pH balance problem.  As the body becomes more acidic, it takes calcium from the bones, teeth and tissue as it tries to remain healthy.  The bone mass becomes depleted, causing osteoporosis.  If you get too acidic, and this gets very severe, it can also lead you to coma or even death.

Dr. Ric S. Garrison is the founder of Garrison Family Medical Group.  Dr. Garrison opened his own Family Practice in 1985 and has been serving the residents in the Antelope Valley and surrounding areas for the past 24 years.
The Family Practice began in 1985 in Lancaster, California, and moved to Palmdale, California in 1991.  In 1992 Garrison Family Medical Group expanded to include A.V. Urgent Care, which not only offers immediate care, but also workers’ compensation medical services and extended hours for commuters.

Though I started seeing Dr. Koh for arthritis pain, once I felt results, I took an interest in his weight loss program.  I know for me, the lack of exercise and eating too many calories results in fat, so I’ve changed my eating habits and began losing weight. Still, there are areas that stubbornly remain fatter than the rest, like my tummy, hips and thighs.

It’s that time of year again to start your back to school shopping. Your kids will need a back to school wardrobe, and a new backpack. But, you want to make sure you buy your child the right pack. Since using the wrong backpack can lead to back pain for your child. It has been shown that on average children’s backpacks cause at least 7,000 doctors’ visits annually due to complaints of muscle spasms, neck and shoulder pain in the United States.