Your blood pressure varies depending on the circumstances. It will be high if you’ve just had an argument at work prior to coming for your visit. At each prenatal visit, you should have your blood pressure checked, preferably while lying on your left side. If you already have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, […]
“You are what you eat” is a phrase that has some merit, especially when pregnant. It is never too late to improve your eating habits. Poor maternal nutrition can have serious effects on the growing baby. These include: low birth weight babies, increased incidence of premature birth, and increased risk of miscarriage, to name a
Sweets are not bad; they just need to be eaten in moderation. Most humans are born with a sweet tooth. We naturally seek out and enjoy sweets. What about side effects? ⢠First, tooth decay definitely increases with candy, but not if the teeth are brushed afterwards. ⢠Second, a high intake of refined sugar
Sunburn can quickly turn a pleasant vacation into a miserable experience. What most people fail to remember is that the symptoms don’t begin until two to four hours after the sun has already done its damage. Also the peak reaction of redness and swelling is not seen for a full 24 hours. It’s a misconception
Tension headaches cause a sensation of tightness that completes encircles the head. The neck muscles also become sore and tight. Almost everyone has had a tension headache. Tension headaches can be cause by a prolonged use of video games or a computer, or by excessive reading or typing. About a third of people develop a
The best time for losing weight is when a youngster is over 14 or 15 years of age. This coincides with a major concern in one’s appearance. A self-motivated teenager can follow a diet and lose weight, regardless of what the family eats, but set a good example. ⢠First, change the foods you buy.
Migraine headaches occur in 5% of school aged children and 8% of adolescents. If your child has two or more of the following features, he probably has migraines: • First, the headache is excruciating and incapacitating. During it, your child doesn’t want to watch TV or talk to anyone. • Second, many children have an
Acne occurs in 90% of teenagers. It’s due to overactivity and plugging of the oil glands. It’s not caused by dirt, fried foods, or chocolate. Acne usually lasts until about age 25, so your teenager needs to understand how to manage it. • First, wash the face with a mild soap twice a day, but
It’s a good idea to think in terms of the four basic food groups when planning your family diet. Ideally, you should be getting 20% of your calories from the milk, meat, and eggs food groups, and 80% of your diet from the fruit, vegetable, and grain food groups. Obviously, we eat excessive amounts of
Attention deficit disorder, also called hyperactivity, is the most common of the learning disabilities. It occurs in 3% or 4% of children, mostly in boys. This characteristic is usually inherited. To help your child compensate, try these approaches: ⢠First, improve his listening skills by reading to him. Reading to your child every day is
