Health Blog

For more and more Americans, a cluster of serious risk factors for the development of heart disease and diabetes are converging to create a medical perfect storm. Known as metabolic syndrome, these risk factors include: Abdominal obesity: A waist of 40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or more for women Blood fat... Read More

With vaccines to protect against COVID-19 now available and a small but growing number of Americans having received one or both doses of the vaccine, one question that keeps coming up is, “If I’m vaccinated, why do I still need to wear a mask?” There are several reasons why wearing a mask, continuing to practice... Read More

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have tried a virtual visit through an online app or a service provided by your health insurer. Many primary care physicians and specialists around the country didn’t even offer virtual visits as an option, but 2020 changed that. Because people were concerned about potential exposure to the virus at... Read More

The combination of nice weather and cabin fever from stay -at-home rules to curb the spread of COVID-19 probably have you wanting to spend as much time outdoors and active as you can on sunny summer days. These tips can help you and your family have a safer, healthier summer. Protect yourself from the summer... Read More

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 84 million people in the U.S. have prediabetes and the majority of them aren’t aware that their blood sugar levels are higher than they should be. Prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are elevated but not yet high enough to be considered diabetes, but... Read More

Almost 20 years ago, measles was declared to have been eliminated in the U.S., but the disease has returned with a vengeance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) latest report of confirmed measles cases noted 704 cases in 22 states, an increase of 78 cases since the previous week’s count. Children under 5... Read More

Many of the symptoms of diabetes can be subtle. Maybe you’re thirstier or more hungry than usual. Perhaps you’ve noticed patches of darker skin in your armpits, elbows, knees, groin, or on your neck. Or you can’t figure out why you’re more tired than usual. All these symptoms can be caused by type 2 diabetes.... Read More

If your parents and grandparents had heart disease, you might assume that family history means you’re destined for the same diagnosis. Although your genes do play a role in your risk of developing heart disease, there are steps you can take to lower your risk. The first step is to talk with your primary care... Read More

Most people know what a healthy lifestyle looks like, but making that leap from understanding what you should do to lower your risk of health problems to actually making a healthy lifestyle a regular part of your life can be difficult. Identifying what roadblocks are preventing you from making healthy lifestyle choices is the first... Read More

Researchers have discovered that a number of genetic mutations are associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease, which is one reason why knowing your family history is an important part of building a personalized health and prevention strategy. If you have a father or brother who had a heart attack before age 55... Read More