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Clean House, Clean Mind?

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Joann Ariola

Does the secret to escaping an otherwise stressful existence lie at home? When you enter your home it should spark instant relief and joy; it should be a sanctuary from the day’s stressors. If it isn’t, you have some work to do so that it becomes a retreat from the bustling world around you.

Messes at home can take up mental space. Thoughts of, “I need to clean the garage, organize my closet, rake the leaves or clean the attic” can hang out in your subconscious mind causing feelings of anxiety, sleepless nights and inadequacy.

Experts profess that by putting your house in order, literally, you can focus on putting your life in order as well.

Here are a few easy ways to help you unclutter your home:

Tackle clutter one room at a time – Break down which areas need the most attention and begin to go through the items you’d like to keep and the item’s you’d like to discard. The items did not arrive in a day, so don’t think that you have to purge in one day.
Let go of the past – When purging, don’t succumb to taking a trip down memory lane. Look at old photos, prom dresses, letters, report cards, etc. with a critical eye, not a teary one.

After you have looked through your closet, bedroom, garage, attic, etc. and have sorted out the things you want to discard, you will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. These feelings can transcend into a positive outlook in other aspects of your life.

Remember, your home should be a sanctuary where you can feel like you have escaped the day and your mind can become unburdened.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Healthy Cucumber and Dill Summer Salad

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Joann Ariola

Looking for a healthy, quick and easy recipe for Cucumber Salad, click the link below and enjoy!

Colorectal Screening When to Go and What To Expect

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Xavia Malcolm

Colorectal or colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. However, the disease is highly treatable when discovered early. According to the United States Preventive Services Task Force, the recommended age for colorectal screening for men and women is between the ages of 50 and 75.

There are several factors that increase the chances of a person developing colorectal cancer, they include:

Family history
A low-fiber and high-fat diet
Heavy use of alcohol
Age- 50 and older
Obesity
Diabetes
A history of inflammatory intestinal conditions
Race-African American ancestry

Your doctor may recommend a few screening options or perform the following procedures to detect abnormal growths or polyps:

High-sensitivity fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) – These tests are used by physicians to detect tiny amounts of blood that may be present in feces.
Sigmoidoscopy- A sigmoidoscope is used to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. During the procedure abnormal growths can be removed for further examination or biopsies.
Standard colonoscopy- During this procedure the rectum and intestine are examined using a colonoscope. Samples of abnormal growths are also removed for analysis. This tool is able to remove samples from the upper part of the colon-which doctors cannot reach using a sigmoidoscope.

Other screening techniques such as Colorguard, double-contrast barium enema or virtual colonoscopy may also be utilized by your physician.

Scheduling routine screenings is the best method for preventative care but if you are displaying the following symptoms, it is advised that you see a physician right away:

A change in bowel movements (diarrhea or constipation) that persists for more than four weeks
Unexplained weight loss
Rectal bleeding or bleeding in stool
Persistent abdominal discomfort such as cramps, gas or pain
Fatigue
A feeling that your bowel has not emptied completely

To schedule a colorectal screening appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5486

Top Men’s Health Issues

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Zakiya Hazel-Jemmott

It is no secret that men are less vigilant about receiving healthcare than women. In fact a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that men in the United States are 80% less likely than women to visit their doctor’s office regularly and schedule routine medical screenings.

There are several reasons given as to why men steer clear of the doctor’s office and delay treatment-some are, “there is probably nothing wrong” or “I’d rather tough it out.” This laid-back approach to health care can unfortunately result in shorter or less healthy lives for men, if medical conditions go untreated. The good news is that many of the leading threats to men’s health are preventable and treatable if detected early. Here are few chronic health conditions that affect men the most:

Cardiovascular disease also known as heart disease is one of the leading health risks facing men today. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), more than one in three adult men has heart disease. Although it may seem that something so serious should have warning signs, one may be developing heart disease without knowing it. Luckily, there are many lifestyle changes that can be made to ward off heart disease, such as not smoking, following a heart-smart diet, and being physically active.

Lung cancer is one of the few cancers that can often be prevented simply by not smoking. Men who are at high risk for developing lung cancer may want to talk to a health care provider about quitting smoking- if they are smokers and getting yearly low-dose CT scans to test for early lung cancer.

Prostate cancer is typically found in men over the age of 65. The chance of getting prostate cancer increases as a man gets older. For reasons that are still unknown, African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than other races. Men with a family history of prostate cancer are at a high risk for developing the disease.

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type of diabetes found in men. It affects approximately 95% of the 13 million men with the disease in the United States. Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to use insulin properly. This can elevate sugar levels and cause damage to the body over time.

The first step to staying healthy is educating yourself, and then taking the necessary precautions to reduce your risk. It is equally as important to develop a relationship with your healthcare provider. Your doctor can create a health care plan to screen, diagnose and treat diseases that you may at be risk for developing.

To schedule an appointment with a primary care physician, please call the Ambulatory Care Center at Flushing Hospital at 718-670-5486.

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Fibroids- Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Xavia Malcolm

Uterine fibroids are abnormal growths that develop in or just outside the uterus. They form when the smooth muscle cells of the uterus (myometrium) begin to grow rapidly and advance into tumors, which are typically non-cancerous. These tumors vary in size and can be as small as a pumpkin seed or as large as a grapefruit and in unusual cases, much larger.

Fibroids are very common. It is estimated that 70 to 80 % of women will develop tumors by the age of 50. Although the causes are unknown, there are factors that put some at a greater risk than others-they are:

Family history
Pregnancy
Being overweight
Having African American ancestry
Being over the age of 30

The symptoms of fibroids depend on the size, location and the number of tumors present. Symptoms include:

Pelvic pain
Heavy bleeding and blood clots between and during periods
Increased urination
Pain during intercourse
Enlargement of the lower abdomen
Increased time of menstruation
Pressure or a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen

Women who have very small tumors or are going through menopause may experience very little or no symptoms at all.

Fibroids are diagnosed by gynecologists by way of pelvic exams and ultrasound or MRI. Your doctor will create a treatment plan based on symptoms and the advancement of the growth. Treatment may consist of medication to regulate hormone levels, assist in shrinking the tumor or alleviate pain. Surgery may be performed laparoscopically to remove tumors, however, if your condition is extreme, your physician may recommend a hysterectomy.

Robotic surgeons at Flushing Hospital are board certified or board approved and have performed countless gynecologic procedures resulting in high rates of success.Procedures performed robotically by Flushing Hospital’s team of surgeons include hysterectomies, tubal re-anastomosis, dermoid cystectomy and more.

For more information about robotic surgery or procedures performed by our surgeons, please contact Flushing Hospital’s, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology at 718-670-8994.

Lung Cancer and Robotic Surgical Intervention

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

The American Cancer Society estimates that over 224,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2016 and that more than 150,000 will die from the disease this year. Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer identified in both men and women. A history of smoking definitely contributes to a higher risk of being diagnosed with the disease, though non-smokers also can develop lung cancer.
Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer include:
• A cough that doesn’t get better
• Coughing up blood
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Wheezing
• Hoarseness
• Headache
• Weight loss that isn’t intentional
If lung cancer is suspected, a physician will usually order a few tests to make the diagnosis definitive. A chest x-ray will be performed and if there are any lesions found on the lung a CT scan will to get a better view of the lungs. An exam of the sputum can sometimes reveal lung cancer cells and to complete the diagnosis a lung biopsy will be done to examine the cells to see if they are cancerous.
Depending on the stage of the cancer, treatment options vary and can include chemotherapy, radiation and / or surgery. A common surgical option is called a lobectomy, removal one of the lobes of the lung. Flushing Hospital’s expert team of surgeons now perform this procedure robotically, with the assistance of the latest da Vinci robotic surgery system. This highly advanced, minimally invasive technology offers patients at Flushing Hospital a high success rate and a quicker recovery time.
To schedule an appointment with a surgeon at Flushing Hospital who specializes in minimally invasive robotic surgery, please call 718-670 – 3135.

Truth or Myth: Our Nose and our Ears Never Stop Growing

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Michael Hinck

At some point in your life, someone has probably shared with you a little nugget of wisdom about how our nose and our ears never stop growing. You might then look around and see a bunch of senior citizens and notice that, in-fact, their facial appendages are slightly larger than their younger counterparts and believe this fact to be true…but is it?

The truth is that “Yes”, as we age, our nose and our ears do get bigger, but not because they are growing. The real reason is a common scientific force known as GRAVITY. You see, our nose and our ears are made of cartilage and while many people mistakenly believe that cartilage never stops growing, the fact is cartilage does stop growing. However, cartilage is made of collagen and other fibers that begin to break down as we age.

The result is drooping. So what appears to be growth is just gravity doing its job. Our noses and our earlobes sag and become larger. Adding to the misconception is what happens to other parts of our face. While our nose might sag, our cheeks and lips actually lose volume, making everything else look comparatively larger.

Unfortunately, aging – and gravity – are both unavoidable. Our only defense against this natural occurrence is finding the fountain of youth or moving to the moon.

Know Before You Go: Summer Travel Tips

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Zakiya Hazel-Jemmott

Summer is here and you’re thinking about this year’s family vacation. Depending on the destination, you may need to think about recommended vaccines for you and your kids. Here are a few pre-travel tips you should keep in mind to ensure that vaccine-preventable diseases do not stand in the way of your summer fun.

Research your destination. Know background information about food safety and road safety. With the recent outbreak of the ZIKA virus in Central America and some parts of the Caribbean it’s important to stay educated on affected areas.
See your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider is the best source of information on which vaccines you may need. The best time to visit your healthcare provider is at least six to eight weeks before you travel, especially for older travelers, since it takes longer for vaccines to be effective as the immune system starts to weaken.
Visit a travel clinic. Visit the CDC Traveler’s Health website to find out if you need additional vaccines before your trip. It has handy information listed by country. You may want to consider a visit to a specialized travel clinic, as many primary care physicians don’t stock all required travel vaccines.
Use precautions during travel. Protect yourself by eating and drinking safely, washing hands frequently, preventing bug bites, and keeping a first-aid kit with you at all times.

Following these CDC recommended tips are a guaranteed good start to your summer vacation preparedness. However, the return is just as important as the departure. If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to revisit your doctor. Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel history, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

For more travel vaccination information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention visit: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

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Trypanophobia- A Fear of Needles

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Xavia Malcolm

Studies show that a remarkable 20 percent of the population has some degree of fear of needles or injections and 10 percent within that number suffer from what is known as Trypanophobia. This is an excessive or irrational fear of injections or needles which can be learned or inherited. Many with Trypanophobia avoid getting medical treatment that involves the use of needles, which can prove dangerous for those with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes.

The fear of needles can manifest in one of three ways:

1: A vasovagal reflex reaction-where a person may faint or go into convulsions during or after a needle procedure.

2: Classic phobia- which results from traumatic events with symptoms involving feeling anxious, experiencing nausea or difficulty breathing when needles are present.

3: Hypersensitivity to the pain caused by a needle- the skin’s surface becomes extremely sensitive making procedures that involve needles uncomfortable.

There are a few things that can be done to minimize the symptoms of Trypanophobia. They are, using topical anesthetics to numb the skin or avoiding the sight of needles by using covered caps. Diabetics can ask their doctor for products such as inhalable insulin or jet injectors.

Learning to Swim

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

It is summertime and many of us will be spending days off from work or school at the beach, the lake or at a pool getting away from the hot weather. While everyone is having a good time getting wet, are you the person standing by the edge afraid to go in beyond your ankles? If you don’t know how to swim maybe now is the time to learn.
Here are some tips for beginners:
• Don’t swim alone
• Learning in a pool is easier than the ocean
• Only go in up to where you can stand comfortably
• Practice floating by holding on to the sides of a pool
• Always stay calm
• Walk around in the shallow end to get comfortable being in the water
• Put you face in the water and try to blow bubbles
• Swim only where there is a lifeguard on duty
• Once you feel comfortable floating, get a kick board and try moving your feet away from the bottom of the pool
• The key to swimming is all about feeling comfortable in the water. It is great exercise,
Like riding a bicycle, once you learn how to do it, you never forget. All it takes is some confidence, a good teacher to show you proper technique, and time to practice. The local YMCA or high school may even offer classes that you can join.