To My Patients

February is Heart Month

The month of February is best known for Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day, but more importantly, it’s American Heart Month. I think that, more appropriately, it should be labeled American Cardiovascular Month, which would then take into account not only heart attacks but also strokes, both of which are major cardiovascular events. 

The risks of developing a heart attack prematurely (or a stroke, for that matter) are well known.  They are divided into modifiable and non-modifiable risks.

Modifiable risks include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and lack of physical activity.

Non-modifiable risks include your age, gender and genetic makeup (blame this one on your parents…).

The important thing is to identify your cardiovascular risks, and then do whatever is necessary to minimize or eliminate your risks.

You can get a risk estimate by using one of the many risk calculators available on the internet. Here are two examples:

1. A very simple risk calculator, takes into account very few risk factors, but will give you the general idea, at http://cvdrisk.nhlbi.nih.gov/
2. A more inclusive calculator, at  http://www.cvriskcalculator.com/ 

Want to better identify your cardiovascular risks? We can help (I’ve only been doing it for 35 years…). Don’t hesitate to call.

High Deductible?

High deductibles are frequently used in order to decrease the medical insurance premium. A recent study of patients with high deductibles was conducted at the University of Southern California. The study found that high-deductible patients spend less on medical care, and are perhaps denying themselves of some medical care in order to decrease spending.

From our own experience, we have seen that patients with high deductibles often try to “bundle” their care into a single year, in which they would meet their deductible, and have the insurance pay for the remainder.

If you have a high deductible, I urge you to not deny yourself medical care; it would be false economy to do so, and may affect your health.  At our practice, we try to keep your out of pocket cost at a minimum, even if you have a high deductible, or have no insurance at all.

Keep safe on your snowy walks, and in bad weather walk the mall.

Stay well,

Igal Staw, PhD, MD

istaw@drstaw.com

The Home Garden

What a great site it was (and ready for my birthday...)

 

Citron. The first fruit after 5 years. Started from seed. Indoors for the winter.

The Amaryllis did it again

To My Patients - emailed 1/2/2016

To My Patients, Hope you're doing well in preparation for the new year. Let's all look forward to a fresh start, and more healthy choices in 2016. → I'm Doing Something New I decided that for 2016, I'm not making resolutions, I'm simply going to bring back an old tradition of good medicine. I'm going to do what very few physicians are doing these days. I am going to make house calls. House calls will be limited to those patients who are home bound, or for other good reasons can't make into the office. So, if you really need a house call, give a call! → More About Fat We all know about the dangers of excessive weight, so I will not repeat it here. Excess fat is usually estimated by the BMI (Body Mass Index), where a BMI of 19-25 is considered normal, and a BMI of over 40 is considered to be morbid obesity. But recent research (Annals of Intern Medicine, Nov 10, 2015) confirmed that some people with a normal or near-normal BMI also have a similar risk to those with a high BMI. How is this possible? These are people with a high "waist to hip ratio," also referred to as "central obesity," and colloquially as "spare tire belly." Men with a waste/hip ratio of 0.9 or higher, and women with a waist/hip ratio of 0.85 or higher, are considered to be centrally obese. If you are centrally obese you carry the risks of obesity. If your BMI is high, this adds to the risk. → How to Calculate the Important Waist/Hip Ratio Measure your waist circumference at the thinnest part of your waist, usually half inch to an inch above the belly button. Make sure you take the measurement at the end of a normal exhalation. Measure your hip circumference around the widest part of the hips or buttocks. Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement, and there you have it. → How to Calculate Your BMI You'll need to know your height and weight (honesty is important here). Now, go to my blog, www.drstaw.com, and use the calculator on the right hand column. Need help in getting your BMI or waist/hip ratio moving in the direction? Want to get rid of the "spare tire?" Call for an appointment today and make 2016 a banner year for your health! Have a great year and stay well, Dr. Staw istaw@drstaw.com

To My Patients - emailed 11/16/2015

Continuing Medical Education. Please be aware that I will not be in the office on Thursday and Friday on this week. I’ll be attending the Continuing Medical Education meeting of Pri-Med in NYC. Janine will be in the office during our usual hours, and I’ll be accessible.

It’s never hurts to validate what you know and to learn more.

A couple of medical notes;

1. Probiotics. Numerous probiotics preparations are now available over the counter. Studies found them useful in the treatment of a number of common conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease (recurrent diverticulitis), traveler’s diarrhea, vaginal infections, bloating caused by certain drugs and foods, diarrhea caused by antibiotics, and others.

But which probiotic is best suited for you? We can help.

2. Non-prescription sleep supplements. If you’re having “minor” sleep problems, either falling asleep, maintaining sleep, or both, you may want to try over the counter supplements and other ways to help with the sleep issue. Many patients report help from Melatonin (usual dose 1-5 mg), taken about 45 minutes before bed time, others report benefit from the use of Valerian root, or the combination of both. Using a relaxation technique (such as the Relaxation Response, transcendental meditation) helps a lot. The list of things you can do without prescription sleep medicines goes on…

Do you need advice? Call us at (203) 853-1919.

This holiday season, as we have done for many years, we’ll again run our food drive. Boxes will be available at our office to collect non-perishable food (has to be in the original package), and sundry items. They will be distributed in the name of our patients to home shelters in our area in time for the holidays.

Stay well,

Dr. Staw

istaw@drstaw.com

Back From Vacation

Sandy and I returned from vacation on Monday. Spent two great weeks in France and Israel, and have been back in the office since Tuesday.

The blog will become more active again, concentrating on contemporary health issues and special notices, keeping up with my practice motto: We help you live a longer, healthier life.

Did you get you flu vaccine this season? If not, you can still do it and be protected for the upcoming flu season. Looking for information about this year's vaccines? click here for the CDC information sheet.

A comment about our trip: fewer overweight people everywhere we visited. They walk!