| Date | Title/Description |
|---|
| March 1, 2010 | Sudden onset hearing loss
Last month a patient came to my office in a state of great anxiety. She is a teacher and said that she was writing on the chalkboard in her classroom and suddenly both of her ears went very quiet. She could hear people but they were extremely soft... |
| Feb. 21, 2010 | A journey to a heart-healthy lifestyle
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Confucius
Confucius must have been referring to something greater than just walking when he said this. His statement has a lot of wisdom when it comes to humans and change. Most find... |
| Feb. 14, 2010 | Cheers to Your Heart Health - Drink a Glass of Red Wine
Recent studies have shown that drinking red wine in moderation can decrease the risk of heart disease as well as providing other health benefits, and it appears the French have taken advantage of these benefits for many years. Despite eating a diet... |
| Feb. 7, 2010 | Heart-Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
It’s no secret that fruits, vegetables and grains provide many health benefits - we've been told that for years. But did you know that eating chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, could benefit your heart? It’s all about the flavonoids in the... |
| Feb. 1, 2010 | Improve your circulation with exercise
Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is the medical term for poor circulation in the legs due to blockage of the arteries. This serious but often misdiagnosed condition will likely show no symptoms until an artery is already more than 60-percent... |
| Jan. 25, 2010 | If you are going to sled - sled safely
If sledding down a snow-covered hill is your family’s idea of fun this winter, make sure you know how to sled smart before heading outside. Sledding is a popular wintertime activity, but it’s important that you and your children know the risks... |
| Jan. 17, 2010 | Don't let disabilities keep you off the slopes!
Many people, whether they ski or not, dream of the feeling of the wind blowing in their face while hearing the swishing sound of skis gliding over the snow. For the average person, this dream could become a reality with a few lessons. But for... |
| Jan. 10, 2010 | Dizziness, It's In Your Ears
Try a simple exercise – as you read this article, shake your head rapidly from side-to-side. The print will stay reasonable still even though your head is moving. This scenario is an example of how the body’s balance (vestibular) system compensates... |
| Dec. 21, 2009 | Surviving grief during the holidays
With the holiday season upon us, some already may be feeling the stress that is abundant this time of year. Although the holidays can be a time of joy, it also can be a time of sorrow, remembering those who are no longer able to join us. Loss can... |
| Dec. 13, 2009 | My Aching Legs: Peripheral Arterial Disease
If you have leg pain when you walk that improves when you stop, you may think it’s from being out of shape or a part of aging, but it could be due to a serious condition called peripheral arterial disease.
Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is a... |
| Nov. 23, 2009 | Preventing injuries in older athletes
It was a conundrum how to title this article – is there a better term than “older” athlete? Mature, seasoned, masters? In sports medicine, anyone competing over the age of 40 is considered a “masters” athlete. I’m 48, and certainly don’t... |
| Nov. 16, 2009 | Finding heart conditions can be easy and painless
Heart disease is still the number one killer of men and women, claiming an estimated 950,000 lives each year. Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability and the third leading killer of men and women. The following two procedures are... |
| Nov. 9, 2009 | Why do people get weight loss surgery?
Obesity trends continue to increase at an alarming rate, especially in the U.S. Today, more than one-third of all Americans are overweight, and an estimated 5 to 10 million Americans are morbidly obese. In 1995, about 10 to 14 percent of the U.S.... |
| Nov. 2, 2009 | Seasonal Flu or H1N1 Flu
What is influenza or the flu?Influenza or the flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The seasonal flu season usually runs from late October through... |
| Oct. 26, 2009 | Minimally Invasive Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation, the most common form of heart rhythm disorder, affects about 2.5 million Americans with approximately 300,000 new cases diagnosed per year. It is predicted that 5.6 million patients will be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation by... |
| Oct. 19, 2009 | Pre-Hospital Care Directives
A Pre-hospital Care Directive is a written document in which a person may refuse cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest. The Pre-hospital Care Directive allows people to choose whether or not they want to... |
| Oct. 13, 2009 | Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day is Oct. 13
Metastatic breast cancer is when cancer makes its way through the blood stream or lymphatic system from the breast to distant organs in a woman’s body such as the brain, liver, lungs or in the bones. Under a microscope, the cancer in the new location... |
| Oct. 5, 2009 | The hills are alive with the sound of . . . A joint sprain?
As fall has arrived, many Northern Arizona residents are ready to head into the high country for some hiking. Few activities can expose you to the beauty of our surroundings like a hike into the backcountry. The extensive urban trail system in... |
| Sep. 28, 2009 | Nutritional Therapy for High Blood Cholesterol
According to the American Heart Association, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the No. 1 killer in the U.S. Although the death rate over the last 20 years has decreased, the prevalence has increased. One of the major risk factors for developing CAD is... |
| Sep. 21, 2009 | Dysphagia - swallowing or chewing disorders
Dysphagia is any difficulty chewing or swallowing. It can occur for many different reasons. Some of the most common causes of dysphagia are stroke, head injury, progressive degenerative diseases, cancer and significant weakening due to age or... |
| Sep. 14, 2009 | Prostate cancer curable when detected early
Because American men are living longer, their chances of developing prostate cancer also are increasing. The National Cancer Institute estimates that one in six men will develop prostate cancer sometime during the course of their lifetime. Prostate... |
| Sep. 7, 2009 | No Safe Time and No Safe Amount of Alcohol during Pregnancy
One of the leading causes of birth defects and mental retardation is prenatal exposure to alcohol. Alcohol is a teratogen - a substance that is toxic to a baby’s developing brain and body. Since a baby’s central nervous system and brain develop... |
| Aug. 24, 2009 | What is osteoarthritis?
Recreational activities such as hiking, biking and simply walking are valued by many people living in the beautiful Northern Arizona landscape. However, an active lifestyle is something residents and visitors sometimes take for granted. For many... |
| Aug. 21, 2009 | Preventing foot conditions and amputation
Patients with diabetes often are at risk for developing foot conditions which have a potential for serious complications. These conditions occur most often when there is nerve damage (neuropathy), causing loss of feeling in the feet. Poor blood flow... |
| Aug. 17, 2009 | Barbecue and summer food safety
Most people look forward to a summer picnic or barbecue. Unfortunately the combination of transporting and/or cooking food outside offers many possibilities for contracting a food-related illness. To prevent your family from being one of the... |
| Aug. 8, 2009 | Changing Your Relationship to Food
For most people, food means many things besides simple nutrition. How you relate to food can help or hinder your efforts to achieve good health and a reasonable body weight.
People can learn a great deal about their relationship to food by... |
| Aug. 3, 2009 | Reducing Your Risk of Stroke
A stroke is a “brain attack,” cutting off vital blood and oxygen to the brain cells that control everything we do – from speaking, to walking, to breathing. Every year, stroke strikes approximately 750,000 Americans, killing 160,000 and forever... |
| Aug. 1, 2009 | Pacemakers save lives and make living more comfortable
There are areas in the heart called pacemakers that send electrical signals to the rest of the heart, setting the speed or pace of the heartbeat. These pacemakers speed the heart up during exercise or hard work and slow it down again during rest. If... |
| July 27, 2009 | Trans Fats - Do you really know how much you're getting?
You’ve started to pay more attention to the packaging of the food you’re eating. You may even be taking a closer look and reading the Nutrition Facts label. But do the numbers on the label really mean what they say? When it comes to trans fats... |
| July 20, 2009 | What's the big deal? Won't my child grow into his weight?
Childhood obesity has become a hot topic in recent years. Even with all of the talk about weight and weight-related issues, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the last 30 years. It is believed that this generation of kids will be the first to... |
| July 13, 2009 | Healthy drinks--they're not always better for you
“Healthy soda” is the hottest trend in the new healthy category of food and beverage products. With all the attention on obesity and health, it seems everyone is looking for healthier, more natural beverages. Soda sales are sagging, so manufacturers... |
| July 6, 2009 | Breathing Heavy?
There is little question fire season is upon us. Recent controlled burns and lightning caused fires have demonstrated that our air can quickly change and become harmfully heavy with smoke. Unfortunately, given the years of drought conditions, fire... |
| June 22, 2009 | Understanding compulsive gambling
As gambling becomes more prevalent in our society, more people will develop problems with their gambling behavior. Compulsive or pathological gamblers lose control over their gambling and continue to gamble, despite adverse consequences. Many will... |
| June 15, 2009 | The good and the bad--eating for health
Nutrition is our first defense against disease prevention. Good nutrition not only keeps people healthy, it can save lives. When combined with regular physical activity and a non-smoking lifestyle, healthy eating can lower one’s chances of developing... |
| May 18, 2009 | Speech Therapy We are not all talk!
“I don’t need a Speech Therapist…there is nothing wrong with my speech!” This is often the reply I hear after introducing myself to my hospital patients. A person’s only exposure to speech therapy may be from knowing a child who receives speech... |
| May 11, 2009 | Be sun smart - Protect and Screen
With the recent weather change in Northern Arizona, many individuals are soaking up the sun, wearing less protective clothing and enjoying more outdoor activities. These are all great things to enjoy as long as they are done in moderation and with... |
| May 4, 2009 | Prescription pain killer abuse a growing problem
Unfortunately, many Americans are abusing common prescription pain killers which are in the same opiate family as heroin. Known by various trade and generic names, such as Lortab, Vicodin, Percodan or OxyContin, they are synthetic (man-made) drugs... |
| April 27, 2009 | Rabies
Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus usually is transmitted through a bite. In rare cases, rabies can be spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or the mucous membranes, such as... |
| April 20, 2009 | Hearing aids: Ensuring you get what you pay for
Are you or someone you know looking into the purchase of new hearing aids? Here are some considerations to make certain you get the hearing aids with the quality you need at a reasonable price.
• What do I look for in the person fitting the... |
| April 6, 2009 | April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is set aside to remember those children who have been victimized by abuse and to remind ourselves there are steps we can take to stop violence against children.
Child abuse commonly refers to an act committed by a parent, caregiver or... |
| March 30, 2009 | Walk Your Way to Fitness with a Pedometer
If you have a busy schedule, it’s easy to overlook the benefits of daily physical activity. Yet getting some daily exercise not only helps you feel and look better, it has many valuable health benefits.
To decrease your risk for cancer and heart... |
| March 23, 2009 | High blood pressure - What it means for your heart
You may already know high blood pressure or hypertension is one of the leading risk factors for heart attack and stroke, but do you know why? The heart and blood vessels together form the cardiovascular system, and a defect in either one is bound... |
| March 16, 2009 | Patient Safety - It's everyone's responsibility
March is National Patient Safety month. Patient safety is a healthcare initiative that emphasizes the reporting, analysis and prevention of medical errors that can lead to adverse healthcare events. With an increased focus on patient safety in... |
| March 9, 2009 | March is National Nutrition Month - let's eat!
Nutrition is our first defense against disease prevention. Good nutrition not only keeps people healthy, it can save lives. When combined with regular physical activity and a non-smoking lifestyle, healthy eating can lower one’s chances of... |
| March 2, 2009 | Colorectal Cancer Screenings Enhance Survival Rates
March is designated National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month to raise recognition of awareness for the need for early detection and diagnosis of this very preventable disease. Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer for both men... |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | Obesity and weight loss surgery
In lay terms, obesity could simply be defined as too much body fat. The human body is made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrates and various other vitamins and minerals. Too much fat puts individuals at much higher risk for diseases such as... |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | Breastfeeding as Cancer Prevention
We’ve been hearing for years about the health benefits that babies gain through breastfeeding. In addition to reduced ear infections and fewer respiratory and digestive problems, breastfed infants - and their mothers - are likely reducing their risk... |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | Another failed New Year resolution, now what?
A few weeks have passed since the start of the New Year. Once again, you may have set a lofty New Year’s resolution to eat less and exercise more, and already fear you have failed. But, this year was going to be different; this year you were going... |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | Childbirth and Parenting Classes Reduce Stress
Many expecting parents believe that childbirth classes are only designed to prepare them for labor and the birth of their baby. However, after they attend classes, most are quite surprised and thrilled they learned a great deal more than they... |
| Jan. 19, 2009 | New Year, New Baby?
Did you wait until the clock struck midnight before you started thinking about your New Year’s resolutions? No? So, why wait until a little plus sign shows up on that plastic stick to start preparing yourself for one of the most life-changing... |
| Jan. 12, 2009 | Finding Your Starting Point for Physical Activity
You may have heard about that new Pilates class at the community center, or noticed your neighbor out jogging in the mornings. But are these activities you should try? First, here are a few pointers on finding your fitness level so you can get at... |
| Jan. 5, 2009 | How to stick to New Year's resolutions
This year, I'm going to lose 10 pounds. Starting Jan. 1, I'm going to the gym every single day. I'm not going to eat any chocolate until I can fit back into my favorite jeans.
Sound familiar? Each New Year, millions of people make a resolution to... |