Did You KNOW?

Diarrhea isn’t always what you think it is? Sure you can get diarrhea from travelling, drinking the water in Mexico, and food poisoning … but diarrhea can also be a symptom of colon cancer, as well as constipation, rectal bleeding, and unexplained weight loss.

In the US 1 in 20 people will develop colon cancer in their lifetime.  And this year alone more than 50,000 people will die from colon cancer. The current recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is to start screening for colon cancer at age 50. If you are African-American you should start at age 45. If you are having any issues, or have a family history of colon cancer let your doctor know you may need screening earlier. Don’t be afraid to have a colonoscopy because it can save your life …

Because of early detection more than 1 million people in the US are colon cancer survivors. Love your colon! And why not get checked now, because March is colorectal cancer awareness month.

 

Heart Disease doesn’t affect just old men and women! Every year more than 9,000 US women under 45 years of age suffer a heart attack. 

February is Heart Health Awareness month and the American Heart Association has done a great job getting the word out to people that heart disease isn’t just a disease that affects men, but also women. BUT, most people still think heart disease is an issue for AARP members or senior citizens, which is NOT true! Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women. And although heart attacks are less common in women under the age of 50 when they do occur women are 2x more likely to die in the hospital than men.

American women are 4-6 times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer and heart disease kills more women than ALL cancer combined.

For many years research in the medical community focused on men and cardiovascular health. Therefore, it is no surprise that more than 50% of women do not know that heart disease is the #1 cause of death of women, let alone know what healthy values are for their own blood pressure and cholesterol. The American Heart Association reports 90% of women already have one or more risk factors for heart disease which include:

high blood pressure                       high cholesterol                                    smoking family history                                  low level of physical activity

You may not have heart disease now, but prevention and good living can help ward off heart disease later. Most women are too busy taking care of everyone else in their lives to take a moment for themselves. It’s necessary to stop running, be still, and tune into what’s going on with your own body!

Learn the warning signs of a heart attack, because when symptoms start every minute counts.  I’d rather wait and know what’s wrong than rush to the hospital.  BAD idea!!! About half of deaths from a heart attack occur within 1 hour of the onset of symptoms and before the person even reaches the hospital. When symptoms start DON’T WAIT CALL 911! How quickly should I act? If you have symptoms, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait more than 5 minutes. If you wait too long some treatments may not be available to you to restore blood flow to the heart.

Warning Signs & Symptoms Women Commonly Experience:

When having a heart attack women don’t always experience the same chest clenching pain or “elephant standing on my chest” feeling like men.  Many heart attacks start slowly, with mild chest discomfort or pain. Read below for other common warning signs of a heart attack women experience:

1. Chest discomfort: often in the center of your chest or left side that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and then comes back
2. Chest pressure, squeezing, fullness, sharp or gnawing pain, or even heartburn
3. Tiredness or odd “blah” feeling
4. Discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
5. Shortness of breath
6. Sweating
7. Nausea
8. Light-headedness

Check out the American Heart Association’s website for the Go Red for Women Campaign and this video that shows why even though you’re busy you’re not too busy to take care of your heart!

 

Wishing you a happy healthy heart.

Dr. V

Did you know cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States? Since the development of the Pap smear by Dr. Papanicolaou (a fellow Cornellian) the number of diagnosed cases and deaths from cervical cancer has exponentially decreased. However, it has not disappeared. January is cervical cancer awareness month; so let’s get smart about cervical cancer.

1) You may not even know you have cervical cancer: Because it may not cause signs and symptoms. Advanced cervical cancer may cause bleeding or discharge from the vagina that you don’t normally experience such as after sex.

2) Cervical cancer is caused by an STD. Most cervical cancers are caused by HPV. It’s the same virus that causes genital warts. HOLD ON! Before you get worried, there are many types of HPV, more than 80 and not all of them cause cervical cancer. That’s why it’s important to have regular Pap smears because the test looks for abnormal cells in the cervix that may be cancerous or pre-cancerous. And even if your Pap test comes back abnormal – DON’T FREAK OUT – there are many reasons why the results might be abnormal. It doesn’t mean you have cancer.

3) Smoking can increase you risk of cervical cancer. Other risk factors for cervical cancer include illnesses that compromise your immune system such as HIV, using birth control bills for more than 5 years, multiple sex partners, as well as giving birth to more than three children.

4) Two screening tests can help prevent you from getting cervical cancer: The Pap test – which looks for atypical cells in the cervix and the HPV test – which looks for the virus that causes these cell changes. The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screening tests.

5) If you get the HPV vaccine you still need to be examined by your doctor and have regular Pap tests. Start getting Pap tests when you become sexually active or by the age of 18yrs. The CDC recommends women aged 21-65 get regular Pap tests even if you think you are too old or not having sex anymore.

No woman should die from cervical cancer, because it’s preventable and treatable. Talk to your doctor about getting regular screenings for cervical cancer with a Pap test. And if you can’t afford one you can get one for free by visiting: http://www.nccc-online.org/index.php/paptest

Wishing you great health,

Dr. V

December 1^st is World Aids Day and this year the UNAIDS theme is “Getting it to Zero” – that is “getting the number of AIDS related deaths to zero, zero new HIV infections, and zero discrimination surrounding HIV positive and AIDS status.” Currently 34 million people in the world have HIV, but almost half of those people don’t even know they have it.

In 2011 2.5 million people were newly diagnosed with HIV and 1.7 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses. Worldwide there has been a significant decrease in new HIV infections, with incredible success in decreasing the numbers of babies born with HIV. We have come a long way but can’t forget that education, prevention and safe sex practices are key to getting us to ZERO! So this year in celebration of World AIDS day, what will you do to help us get to Zero? …  Know your status, get tested!

Diabetes, it’s commonly known as “the suga” but is anything but sweet. Almost 26 million Americans have Diabetes and 7 million don’t even know they have it. Even scarier 79 million Americans are pre-diabetic, meaning they are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Testing for diabetes is especially important because early in the disease diabetes may have no symptoms.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so get your blood glucose level tested! Early testing helps health care providers not only find and treat diabetes before complications occur but also finds and treats prediabetes – which can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes from developing. The bests test for diagnosis and control of diabetes are the blood glucose test, and the Hemoglobin A1C blood test. If you have diabetes keep your blood glucose controlled because, if blood glucose levels go uncontrolled, it can lead to complications that affect every part of the body from the brain to the toes.  So stay healthy and keep your sugar in check!

Did you know?

• Exercise can actually increase your blood sugar? Check your sugar 30min before and immediately after workouts.

• Drinking alcohol even 2oz can cause dangerously low blood glucose levels in a diabetic person.

• High glucose levels can prevent you from “getting it up” in the bedroom.

• Obesity is the #1 risk factor for diabetes.

• 79 million people in the US have prediabetes and are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

• Having a family member with Type 2 diabetes increases YOUR risk of diabetes.

• Infected gums can lead to bacteria in the bloodstream and can damage your heart. Visit your dentist every 6 months.

• Numbers don’t lie (although you may tell your doctor differently) HgbA1c levels reflect blood glucose control over the past 3 months. If you have diabetes aim to keep your HbgA1c < 7.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but these tips can be used all year to reduce the physical and mental discomfort and stress from a mammogram.

Before the exam:

1. Follow the pre-mammogram instructions to a T. For instance … “Don’t wear deodorant, perfumes, or lotions etc., because if they produce specks on the films, then you may have to go for another test. And who wants to do that?”

2. Decrease salt intake.  Avoid salty foods the week prior to your mammogram. These foods can cause bloating and fluid retention in your breasts, and lead to more pain and discomfort during your exam. If you are still getting your period, try to time the exam when your breasts are the least tender and sensitive – usually 10 days before or after your period.

3. Avoid caffeine. Energy drinks and pumpkin spiced lattes can cause tender breasts. If you have cysts in your breast, known as fibroadenomas these cysts are very sensitive to caffeine. Therefore, definitely stay keep your caffeine intake levels low 48 hours before your mammogram.

4. EMLA (Lidocaine/prilocaine) cream – Ask your doctor if he or she may prescribe EMLA cream in advance. EMLA is a topical anesthetic that numbs the skin. You can rub it on about 30-45 minutes before your mammogram, and wipe it off before the test. It may not rid 100% of the pain, but may decrease it.

5. Pre-exam painkillers – Take a few Advil or Tylenol at least 30min before the procedure to decrease pain or discomfort.

During the exam:

1. Wear the right shoes. Bring flats or comfy shoes (like flip-flops) if you choose to arrive in heels, or simply arrive in comfortable shoes. This will make it easier for you to “get into position” and hold it, therefore making the test go faster.

2. Go to your happy place. Try the power of positive thinking and meditation before and during the test. You CAN GET THROUGH THIS, and you are doing this for your health!

3. Bring music. Try an iPod with small ear buds and — if they are ok with you having them in place — listen to music during the procedure.

4. Bring hand warmers. Throw some hand warmers in your purse and rub them on you to warm you up before they place your breasts on the cold plates. Also ask if it possible for the plates to be warmed, for a warm gown, or the room to heated up.

5.  Speak up. Always remember to speak up! This is your body and your health! Ask questions, let them know you’re in pain, etc. The technician may be able to adjust the machine, compression, and other things to ease your discomfort.

After the exam: Celebrate! You just finished your mammogram!