Want to take off that “fat tire?”

Posted on March 29, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

Losing and keeping weight off is a touchy subject.  I saw a patient today who is emotionally comfortable with a BMI of 45 (severely obese).  My heart goes out to her.  She is aware that she looks imposing and unapproachable at her current size.  She likes that.  But, her weight is harming her health.  Our weight-loss discussion went something like this.

  • Take a self-defense course to help maintain your safety, but lose weight.
  • Plan your meals ahead of time.
  • Keep healthy habits during special occasions: vacations and celebrations.
  • Eat breakfast daily.
  • Be mindful of how much and what kinds of foods you eat all day.
  • Know your food triggers: emotion?  boredom?  time/activity-related snacking?
  • Restrict foods that are high in fat and calories.
  • Know that the first bite of any “treat” tastes the best (so limit treats to a few bites).
  • Increase amount of exercise: park at the end of the lot, take the stairs.
  • Walk briskly outside during a break at work (that’ll earn you some Vitamin D, too!)
  • Weigh yourself weekly.
  • Watch less than 10 hours of TV a week (you are bound to fill the other time with some activity burning more calories than sitting. . . and possibly snacking).

I’ve “talked” about weight loss medications on other blogs.  Some may help to jumpstart weight loss, but most patients gain weight back when the medication is stopped.  Weight loss surgery is one option, but the same results can be obtained with major lifestyle changes without the mortality risks.

Are you ready for some changes?  Every pound counts.

Posted in Emotional health, food, food, General Medicine- Adults, obesity, obesity, Pediatrics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Want to take off that “fat tire?”

Watery eyes. . .

Posted on March 23, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

We are embarking on (one of) Wichita’s allergy seasons.  But, are your watery eyes from allergies?  It could be from a foreign body (think dust, dirt in the wind, or an errant fingernail. . . ouch!).

When my patients come in with these symptoms, I check to make sure there are no scratches on the surface of the eye, as that treatment is different.

If it is from allergies, the thin lining covering your eyeball and the inside of your eyelids can become irritated, red and swollen.  Your eyes may also itch, hurt or water.  If this is due to an allergy, indeed it is NOT contagious. It will not damage your eyesight.

To decrease these symptoms, you’ll need to avoid the allergen.  Close your doors and windows.  Use an air conditioner in the summertime.

If you still need more help, there are steroid nasal sprays and anti-allergy medication (pills or eye drops) that may help.  Placing a cold washcloth over your eyes may help the itch.  Artificial tears may help bathe the eyes and alleviate symptoms.

Hope this helps.

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Dust mites. . . different from bed bugs. But gross (and unhealthy) nonetheless.

Posted on March 21, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

With my patients,  I may mention dust mites when discussing allergens. Dust mites are tiny bugs that live off of pet and human skin cells. It is their waste that is a major trigger of allergies and asthma.

Dust mites live in warm, humid areas filled with dust like bed pillows, mattresses, carpets and soft furniture. . . sound like everything you have in a bedroom, huh?

How to get rid of them?

  • Put a tightly woven, dust-proof cover over your mattress.
  • Wash your sheets and blankets in very hot water (130 to 140 degree water) every week.
  • Wash your pillow weekly or put a dust-proof cover on it.
  • Vacuum carpets and soft furniture weekly.
  • Use aDEhumidifier in your home to keep the humidity low.
  • (Some air filters also reduce dust mites in the air).

If those measures don’t work, what will? Antihistamines or decongestants may help. You may also need asthma medication or inhalers, especially if on exam you have wheezing or shortness of air.

Hope this helps.

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The coughing, sneezing, achy head. . . .symptoms. Hay fever?

Posted on March 19, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

This is spring break for some.  I am “manning the storefront” and have seen countless allergy patients.  Some wonder if they have a cold? Or hay fever?  Here is the lowdown.

Hay fever tends to be more seasonal with symptoms like

  • sneezing,
  • coughing,
  • itching (eyes, nose, throat, skin),
  • runny nose,
  • stuffy nose,
  • headache,
  • sore throat,
  • dark circles under your eyes,
  • difficulty smelling,
  • watery, red, or swollen eyes. (Do I sound like a TV ad?)

Hay fever can last for weeks. It is caused by allergens which cause your body to have an allergic reaction. When you are exposed to an allergen, your body starts to release chemicals which cause your symptoms. If you are allergic to pollen, or hot windy days the air will carry the pollen to you (instead of staying on the flower or the ground).

When should you see your doctor? If your symptoms bother you, see your doctor. A physical exam may reveal other diagnoses. Keep a record of your symptoms over time as this helps me know your triggers.

There are many medications to help treat the symptoms. Some are pills and others are nasal sprays or eye drops. You can also

  • avoid the allergens that cause your symptoms.
  • Keep your windows and doors closed.
  • Use a nasal saline rinse to help clear out the allergens.
  • Wash hair before bedtime  and
  • change your pillowcase nightly to keep allergens away from your face.

Hope this helps.

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Breast-Feeding May Limit Obesity Risk – NYTimes.com

Posted on March 17, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

Want to decrease your kids’ chance of being overweight?  Great new study confirming the importance of breastfeeding (hooray!) AND waiting to start solids until baby is at least 4 months old.  Here is the link. . .

Breast-Feeding May Limit Obesity Risk – NYTimes.com.

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Press Announcements > FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes

Posted on March 16, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

I have been told a few times this week by “former smokers” that they have stopped smoking, but are using “e cigarettes” instead.    I am overcome with genuine concern.  This FDA warning discusses the risks well.   There are great options to stop smoking that do not involve carcinogenic compounds. . . I can help.

Press Announcements > FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes.

Posted in General Medicine- Adults, lung conditions, nicotine, Pediatrics, smoking, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Press Announcements > FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes

Endometriosis?

Posted on March 14, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

Do you have frequent pelvic pain? pain worse with your period? pain with intercourse?  Endometriosis is a common gynecologic condition affecting women of childbearing age.

My job is to the find the cause of that pain.  Physical exam, blood work and vaginal cultures may all be normal . . .and yet the pain continues.  Pain control and oral contraceptives are the mainstay to help with symptoms.  If that fails, or the patient is unsuccessfully trying to conceive, a surgery by an ob/gyn surgeon is suggested.   Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial (uterine lining tissue) is found OUTSIDE the uterus, in the abdominal cavity.

There are other hormonal treatments that may help decrease pain, but may cause hot flashes and thin bones.

Our goal is to control pain and symptoms and increase quality of life all-the-while preserving future fertility.

Hope this helps.

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Sam’s Club offering health care?

Posted on March 10, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

Now Sam’s Club is offering full service!  Tire rotation AND health care (do you hear my sarcasm?).  For $99/year Sam’s Club offers a health care plan that includes “at-home screening tests” (I am unsure what these tests might be . . . do you draw your own blood?), “hotline to nurses, health alerts and reminders and sends a summary of the plan to each patient’s physician.”

This is reportedly intended to add to a patient’s care. . . it seems disjointed and takes patients  further away from a “medical home.”  (That’s me. . . my patient’s medical home is me–not Sam’s).

Concerning. . . hmmmmmm.

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Does attending daycare make kids sicker? have more GI infections?

Posted on March 8, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

All working parents who have sent their child to daycare wonder about the infections that seem to swarm around the daycare center.  There is a new study out, published by Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine that dispels many myths.

Snot.  Drool.  Lots of dirty diapers.  These negative visions (and smells) come to mind when thinking about large daycare centers.   But this recent study shows that children who attended a large day-care program before age 2 1/2 had higher rates of respiratory and ear infections around enrollment time compared to small daycare programs.   Day care was not associated with gastrointestinal infections at any developmental period.

These children who attended large daycare centers had fewer respiratory and ear infections once in elementary schools.   From birth to age 8, there was no difference in overall number of infections between children who attended home care and those who attended day care of any size before elementary school.

It seems like (from an infectious standpoint) home-cared versus large daycare center is “a wash.”

Hope this helps.

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What are the benefits to younger women getting mammograms?

Posted on March 6, 2011 by drlesliegreenberg

Annual mammograms decreased the risk of mastectomy in women aged 40-50 by half!  1138 women participated in a study and those who had a mammogram yearly were more likely to have a smaller, singular breast cancer.  These women were able to undergo breast-saving, tumor-excising surgery, instead of a mastectomy.  It is thought  that younger women frequently have more aggressive breast cancers, so women in the 40-to 50-year-old age range may have the most to gain from early detection.

Ladies, let’s get those mammograms scheduled.

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