Posts from 2022

therapy
Oct 4 2022

Tips to help you get the most out of therapy

Uncategorized  •  By Miles Varn, MD

If you’re thinking about starting therapy or are already seeing a mental health provider, there are steps you can take to help you get the greatest benefit from your therapy sessions. If you haven’t started therapy yet, the first step is to look for a provider who has experience treating the issue you face, whether... Read More

medical gaslighting
Sep 27 2022

Medical gaslighting: What is it and how can it affect your health?

Disease Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

Going to the doctor and having your symptoms or concerns dismissed or downplayed is more than a frustrating experience. This failure of your healthcare provider to listen to you and take the symptoms you report seriously can lead to misdiagnosis and significantly delayed diagnosis of a serious health issue. This behavior by medical professionals is... Read More

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heart rate variability
Sep 20 2022

How does heart rate variability affect your health?

Complementary & Integrative Medicine, Wellness  •  By Michael Scott, ND, MSA

If you wear a fitness tracker, you may have noticed a category you’re not familiar with—heart rate variability (HRV). We talked with Brad S. Lichtenstein, ND, BCB, BCB-HRV, a member of our Medical Advisory Board, naturopathic physician, and a former professor and clinical faculty member at Bastyr University about what HRV is and how it... Read More

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medical history
Sep 13 2022

Why sharing your complete medical history matters

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

It’s your first visit to an orthopedist for knee pain. As you complete your pre-appointment paperwork, you focus on the symptoms you’re experiencing and the treatments your primary care physician has recommended before referring you to a specialist. You don’t mention that you had surgery on the ankle on the opposite leg a few years... Read More

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natural disasters
Aug 30 2022

Natural disasters: How to be medically prepared

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

Snowstorms in Texas. Floods in the South. Wildfires in the West. Powerful hurricanes like 2021’s Category 4 Ida, which caused numerous deaths and millions in property damage from Louisiana to New England. As the U.S. and the world are confronted with an increasing number of natural disasters being prepared before a disaster strikes becomes even... Read More

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back to school
Aug 23 2022

Back to school: How to support your child’s mental health

Family Caregiving  •  By Miles Varn, MD

Many children have butterflies when heading back to school. Will they like their new teacher? Will their friends be in their class? What if they forget their homework? But beyond these typical worries, some school age children experience higher levels of anxiety and other mental health issues like depression. The disruptions of the pandemic—remote learning,... Read More

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college
Aug 16 2022

How to prepare your college freshman to manage healthcare away from home

Family Caregiving  •  By Miles Varn, MD

If you have a first year college student in your house, you’ve got a busy summer on your hands. There are forms to complete, supplies to buy, bags to pack, and travel plans to make if your child is going away for school. One thing that might not be on your to-do list is helping... Read More

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integrative oncology
Aug 9 2022

Monkeypox: What you should know

Disease Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

A little over a week ago, the World Health Organization declared the current global monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, the organization’s highest alert level indicating that the outbreak is a threat that requires a coordinated international response to prevent further spread of the disease. Globally, more than 23,000 cases have been... Read More

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heat-related illness
Aug 2 2022

Overheated or heat-related illness? How to tell the difference.

Healthy Living  •  By Miles Varn, MD

If you feel like there have been more very hot days this year, you’re right. Data gathered by NASA projects that there’s a 99% likelihood that 2022 will rank among the ten hottest years on record. But what does this excessive heat mean for your health? Very hot weather increases the risk of heat-related illness.... Read More

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health strategy
Jul 26 2022

In your 20s? Why you need a health strategy

Preventive Care  •  By Miles Varn, MD

A lot of younger people think preventive care and building a healthy strategy isn’t needed when you’re young and healthy. In fact, the number of people in their 20s who have a primary care doctor has dropped significantly. A Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll found that among people between the ages of 18 and 29,... Read More

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