5 Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Your Thyroid Health

Have you discussed your thyroid health with your provider? If not, you should.

The butterfly-shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck produces thyroid hormones, which control many activities in your body, including your metabolism and body temperature.

Holiday Nutrition

Most nutritionists will agree that a single day splurge of holiday over-eating will not wreck your entire healthy eating goals. Obviously, people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease have less leeway for going off their food plans, but in general, an occasional food indulgence at this time of year is reasonable to avoid feeling “deprived”. Here are some tips to help you stick to your holiday nutrition goals:

Let’s Start a Healthy Relationship

These days it can be tough to find time to do everything we should do and still leave time to do things we’d like to do. Health is one of those things. Everyone wants to be healthy and stay that way as we age. Often we feel OK but wonder what’s going on inside.

Insomnia

Maybe you have trouble falling asleep or, perhaps, you fall asleep right away but wake up in a couple of hours and can’t get to sleep again. More than 50 million American adults report problems falling asleep or getting a full night’s sleep on a regular basis. There are certainly plenty of reasons for getting fewer than the recommended eight hours sleep a night. Our busy, stressful lives certainly contribute to insomnia as do our less than ideal diets. Pain, or having to visit the bathroom overnight also cut into sleep time.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Sadly, ovarian cancer is one of the five leading causes of death among American women. It’s important to understand that a routine PAP test detects cervical cancer but NOT ovarian cancer which can be discovered by a pelvic exam usually combined with an ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test. Women with a family history of someone with ovarian, breast, or colon cancer should be particularly vigilant.

PCOS – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) occurs in only 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age. For those women, however, the disease can affect their menstrual cycles, their appearance, and even their ability to have children. PCOS shows itself in irregular periods, abnormal bleeding, hormone disruptions, or infertility. Women with PCOS are also more likely to develop gestational diabetes and other pregnancy complications.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is fairly common in people who run, but this painful foot problem can happen to almost anyone. The condition takes its name from the plantar fascia, a thick tissue band running across the entire bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes. When it becomes inflamed, the pain can be severe and debilitating.

Summer IBD Problems

If your normally nutritious diet has taken a hit this summer, you’re not alone. The season’s diet of beach parties, grilled food, cotton candy on the boardwalk, and road trip food can cause havoc in almost anyone’s digestive system. For people with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), that is, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease, new research is showing a link between summer heat and disease flares.

Bottled Water Wins the Soda Wars

Sweet sodas are among the most heavily advertised and consumed products on US store shelves. For decades, consumers powered the growth of flavors and sizes until sweet, fizzy drinks dominated an entire supermarket aisle. As their popularity grew, so did our waistlines. In the 1970s, a small “gourmet” product called Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water appeared and gradually began to turn the tide.

Managing Diabetes in the Summer

Summer brings a change in routine for many of us, along with the chance to enjoy warm days and outdoor recreation. People with diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2, have special challenges when the temperatures soar. High temps can change the way your body uses insulin and because the disease can damage blood vessels and nerves, your sweat glands may not function as well as they used to. Here are a few tips for staying well this summer:
• Stay hydrated with water and other permitted, caffeine-free liquids. Avoid alcohol.