5 Lifestyle Management Tips Your Physician Wants You to Follow

An unhealthy lifestyle and stressful work-life balance are significant contributors to more than one-third of the US population being obese. The staggering numbers account for most people in the country struggling with their weight and the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Although people are becoming aware of the dangerous effects, including heart diseases, the risk of stroke, and cancers, very few people still make healthy choices in time.

 

Therefore, primary care physicians in West Babylon advise people to visit health care centers for routine check-ups and professional assistance in healthy lifestyle management. 

Lifestyle management has emerged as a prominent field of science that works to integrate lifestyle-based healthy habits into a person's daily routine. It mainly deals with changes in eating habits, exercising, and monitoring other health conditions through regular medical testing. 

The five key elements that primary care physicians and their team of lifestyle management experts work with are:

• Eating Habits. Food is the fuel of our body. Hence, it should be everyone's priority to feed their body the most nutritious and organic food in the required proportions. However, many people today tend to gravitate towards convenience food full of preservatives and added sugar. Instead, nutritionists recommend a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet packed with ample proteins. A simple habit, to begin with, can be to start eating at least five fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

• Physical Activity. A sedentary lifestyle is the biggest cause of increasing obesity among Americans. Any amount of physical activity can help revitalize your organs and give you more energy. Therefore, listen to your physician when they advise you to exercise for at least 30 minutes 4 to 5 days a week. It can be taking a stroll in your garden or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

• Sleep Patterns. Contrary to the modern mentality of working hard and losing sleep, a good night's sleep is just as important for your body’s health as is eating healthy, if not more. Thus, every adult should get at least 7 to 9 hours of sound sleep every night to maintain healthy body functions and keep fatigue and ailments at bay.

• Stress Management. Millennials’ life today is full of stress due to work, studies, and all the extra pressure of maintaining an active social life. No wonder mental disorders stemming from poor work-life balance are being reported higher than ever today. So, in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle, one has to be able to manage stress levels properly. Therefore, work with your healthcare providers to create your own stress management strategy which may include meditation, yoga, or simply journaling at the end of the day.

• Specific Conditions. Unfortunately for some, following these healthy habits may not be just enough to achieve a healthy mind and body, especially for people suffering from medical conditions, like diabetes, inconsistent blood pressure, etc. So, if you face these problems, or are struggling with smoking or alcohol consumption, seek medical assistance for healthy lifestyle management.

So, consult with your primary care physicians and their team of internal medicine specialists and nutritionists in Long Island, NY, to help you steer towards a healthy lifestyle. Book an appointment at MKR Medical PC today for the best health care services in New York.

 

What to Expect During an Echocardiogram Test?

An echocardiogram or an echo test is a standard ultrasound test that provides a graphic outline of the heart's movement. It is a painless testing procedure that produces moving images of your heart for evaluation by the Cardiomyopathy Specialist in West Babylon, Long Island, NY. The echo test in Long Island, NY can help evaluate the functioning of a patient’s heart. 

Echo test is usually required to:

• Evaluate your heart’s overall health.
• Identify many kinds of heart diseases (such as valve disease, myocardial disease, cardiac abnormalities, heart defects).
• Assess the disease progression periodically.
• Determine the effectiveness of the medical or surgical treatments.

 What to Expect During the Echo Test? 

Echo test is a non-invasive testing procedure that does not require any special preparation. You can eat, drink and take medications as per usual. However, patients may need to avoid eating and drinking if directed by the cardiologist. The test usually takes less than an hour to complete.

• Before the test, the doctor usually explains the procedure, and if you have any concerns, you can ask the doctor.

 

• During the procedure, the patient is usually required to change into a hospital gown.

 

• Next, the cardiac sonographer will place small, flat, sticky patches known as electrodes on your chest. The electrodes are attached to an electrocardiograph (EKG) monitor, which will measure your heart’s electrical activity during the test.

 

• The sonographer will apply a gel substance to your chest, which helps the sound waves reach your heart.

 

• During this procedure, a hand-held wand with high-frequency sound waves is used to assess the condition of the heart's valves, chambers, blood flow, and overall functioning. Thus, the sonographer will move the wand around various areas of your chest to record pictures of your heart’s different areas.

• Sometimes sonographers may need to press a bit harder to get a clear image. The patient may also need to change positing and hold their breath to obtain better pictures of the heart. 

The pictures from the echo test are reviewed by the cardiologist to determine if the patient’s heart is healthy or has any problems. The doctor will discuss the various options after assessing your test results.

All You Need to Know About the Dangers of a Coronary Artery Disease

Heart conditions are becoming shockingly common, even among the youth in their early thirties. While genetic predisposition to any disease is common knowledge, most Long Island cardiologists state that environmental and lifestyle factors are also key contributors in the rising cases of heart ailments.

 

One such heart disease with a concerning number of cases in the U.S. is coronary artery disease. Although untreatable, this condition is becoming very common even though it can be prevented with some measures.

Coronary Artery Disease & its Causes

It is a condition in which the arteries of our heart muscles get blocked due to plaque build-up (high ‘bad’ cholesterol levels). These arteries are responsible for delivering oxygen-rich blood to the heart along with other nutrients. When clogged, they start to suffocate the heart with the lack of oxygen-rich clean blood, which further leads to cardiac malfunctions in our body.

Who is at High Risk of Getting Coronary Artery Disease?

As mentioned earlier, heart conditions can be hereditary. So, if you have a family history of any cardiac problems, you are potentially at risk. You might also be at risk if you have:

• High blood pressure;
• High cholesterol levels;
• diabetes.

 Apart from this, some lifestyle habits can aggravate the problem as well, like

• Smoking;
• Obesity;
• Lack or absence of physical activities.

What are the Early Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease?

Early symptoms of CAD may appear to be very minor discomforts and thus are often overlooked by many. However, you should be cautious if you experience any of these symptoms persistently:

• Breathlessness with minimal exertion or even when at rest;
• Weakness, or chronic fatigue;
• Dizziness, or light-headedness;
• Nausea, or cold sweating;
• Other chest discomforts like tightening, numbness, burning, etc.

What to do if the Symptoms Persist?

 Take a note of when you start to experience mild symptoms and then how often do they persist. If they’re recurring but mild, you can schedule a cardiac screening to rule out the possibility of any other ailment disguising as CAD. However, if you experience moderate to severe pain, do not waste a moment and seek medical attention immediately. Your physician will perform a series of tests before knowing for certain about the condition and its severity.

Until then take care of your heart health by employing preventive measures as suggested by your physician. You can also schedule an appointment with MKR Medical PC specialists to get the best Coronary Artery Disease Treatment in Long Island.

What Tests are Performed During Vascular Testing?

Millions of Americans suffer from various cardiac diseases and health conditions every year. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the US. Many develop various health and cardiac conditions due to poor lifestyle or old age.

The most common cardiac problems that people face are caused due to blockages in the blood vessels or decreased blood flow. In other cases, it could result from other chronic health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Thus, old age people are usually at the most at risk of heart disease, stroke, and other vascular diseases. Therefore, it is crucial for people over the late 40s to regularly get cardio-vascular testing in Brooklyn, NY, to minimize cardiac risks.

A few different tests are performed during vascular disease testing to monitor the heart and blood vessels and detect any early signs of cardiac issues. The tests performed during the vascular screening may vary depending on the recommendation by the physician.

Following are the various vascular tests that can be performed during vascular screening:

• Angiogram 

• ABI Test

• Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) 

• Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) Tests

• Carotid ultrasound

• Renal artery ultrasound

• Abdominal Aorta ultrasound

• Peripheral artery ultrasound

• Venous ultrasound and reflux testing

• Vein mapping

• Arterial mapping 

• Cardiac graft surveillance

• Intraoperative duplex ultrasonography

• Exercise and treadmill testing

A combination of different tests is performed during the procedure as per the patient’s symptoms to detect any abnormalities in the patient’s heart. Vascular testing in Brooklyn is the best way to stay on top of your health status and receive the preventive care needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Who Should Consider Cardio-Vascular Testing?

Cardio-vascular screening becomes crucial for people as they get older. People with more than one of the following risk factors should consider regular vascular testing:

• People over the age of 55

• People who suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure

• Those who regularly smoke

• People who are overweight or obese

• People with high cholesterol levels

• Individuals with inactive/unhealthy lifestyle

• People who have a family history of cardiovascular diseases

It is highly recommended to consult with an experienced primary care physician and discuss whether you should get vascular disease testing. If you are concerned about your cardiovascular health, contact our team to schedule a consultation today.

Tips that can help Cope with Varicose Veins

Veins are responsible for carrying the blood to the heart. They comprise valves that prevent the flow of blood backward. When these valves become, weak blood starts pooling in the lower legs and surges the pressure inside the veins. All this results in blue bulges, known as Varicose Veins, and can be seen from the legs. You experience discomfort and pain while walking and make you conscious about your appearance. Experts have come up with the perfect solution for Varicose Veins treatment on Long Island. If these issues are ignored in the long run could result in cardiac arrest. You can cope up with these issues by adopting the following approaches : 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Wear compression stockings: Your veins can be squeezed, and blood flow in the reverse direction can be stopped with compression stockings. It also gives instant relief from the pain and discomfort experienced by a person.

• Losing weight: By losing weight, you won't exert extra pressure on your legs. You can deal with Varicose Veins' issue by taking up physical activities to lose extra pounds.

• Get moving: Sitting for extended periods will increase the pain in the legs. You can improve the circulation in the veins with exercises and prevent peripheral arterial disease.

• Don’t smoke: Toxic chemicals like cigarettes adversely affect the veins and arteries. Studies reveal that smoking results in the thickening of the blood and reduce oxygen supply. Try to quit smoking if you don't want the issues to become worse in the long run.

• Consult a specialist: If the pain and discomfort persist for a long time, get it resolved from reliable and trustworthy professionals dealing with Varicose Veins treatment in Long Island. These days doctors have come up with minimally invasive procedures so that the patient can resume his day to day activities.

Get rid of pain and lead a hassle-free life by getting Vascular Veins treatment from Long Island. The primary purpose is to be healthy and lead to an improved quality of life. Give your legs the care they deserve like you take care of other things in life.

Some Of The Most Effective And Essential Cardiac Testing

There are a number of heart diseases including Congenital heart disease, Coronary artery disease, Dilated cardiomyopathy, Myocardial infarction and Heart failure that can be recognized by cardiac testing. These cardiac abnormalities are short-term that can be diagnosed by cardiac testing and essential steps can be taken to avoid them. Especially, when patients are suffering from severe breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations, spells of dizziness and fainting or blackouts, cardiac testing on Long Island becomes your safest bet. Some of the procedures that are performed in cardiac testing are:

• Electrocardiogram
• Echocardiogram
• Exercise Stress Tests
• Pharmacological Stress Tests
• Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
• Holter and Event Monitors
• Cardiac ultrasound
• Defibrillator and Pacemaker evaluations

These combinations of non-invasive and invasive tests and medical history of patients are used to predict the risk of cardiac disease. Based on the results, your doctor can suggest medical treatment that you need to undergo.
In this post, we have discussed some of the tests in brief that can help you seek the best result to avoid cardiac issues.

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) - The results of the EKG will help cardiologist to diagnose:

• Abnormal heart rhythms that will produce an irregular pattern that will vary from the characteristic EKG pattern
• A myocardial infarction that may have occurred in the past
•  Poor blood flow to the heart muscle
• An enlarged heart that will result in bigger impulses than normal 

Holter Monitor / Loop Recorder -  Holter Monitor helps in continuously recording the heart’s rhythm of patients on their daily activities. These devices help:

• Detect irregular heartbeats
• Identify poor blood flow to the heart muscle
•  Examine the response of the heart to a pacemaker
•  Determine the effectiveness of medications
•  Diagnose any heart attacks that may have occurred in the past
• Determine the cause of chest pains, breathlessness and dizziness

Stress Echocardiography - This test helps the patients to diagnose whether they are getting enough oxygen-rich blood and identify any cause of dizziness or breathlessness.

•  Detecting blocked coronary arteries
• Diagnosing heart enlargement
• Detecting pericardial disease
• Investigating the overall functioning of heart muscle
• Detecting heart defects that are present from birth
• Detecting any damage caused by heart attacks

I hope you must have found the content helpful in understanding which type of cardiac test you need to consider for yourself and your family members.

Choosing The Right Internal Medicine Specialist!

Well, the choice of a healthcare professional is entirely personal.

You can either go for a family doctor or an internal medicine specialist in Long Island. Both are primary care doctors and have undergone training in various subspecialists to offer a wide variety of diagnostic and treatment services. However, the only difference is that internal medicine doctors offer medical care services to adults only, while a family doctor treat healthcare problems of the entire family. 

If you’re planning to visit an internal medicine doctor, it is important to make the right decision. 

Below are some of the tips you need to consider to find the best internist in your area.  

• Get references - Make a list of some of the most potential internal medicine doctors in your area. To do this, you can ask references from your friends, family members, neighbors, and other healthcare providers. 

• Check the credentials of your preferred internists - Board-certification is one of the most important credentials you need to look for when choosing an internist. Consulting a board-certified doctor gives you peace of mind that the healthcare professional has the required skills, training and experience to offer medical care services. Also, make sure the internist you choose has never been charged with any malpractice claims. 

• Experience matters - With experience comes the confidence to treat a condition or perform a procedure accurately. Therefore, experience matters a lot. If you choose an internist with years of experience in diagnosing and treating a variety of health concerns of adults, you know your health is in the right hands. However, you make a final decision, do ask your potential healthcare provider about how many patients she/he has treated with a similar condition as yours. 

• Look through the quality of patient care in the hospital - The hospital where you’ll be given medical care should be good. This means you need to look through the overall quality of patient care provided at the hospital where the internal medicine doctor offers diagnostic and treatment services to patients. Yes, the quality of the hospital matters, as high-quality hospital offers better survival rates and fewer complications. 

To wind up 

By considering these things, you will definitely get the best internal medicine doctor for yourself. Besides tips, you should also read previous patients’ reviews to check whether they were satisfied with the healthcare services or not. Lastly, choosing to visit an internist, a primary care physician specialise in treating adults, in Long Island is a personal decision to make. This means you should choose an internist who meets your healthcare needs and budget.