Make Fast Food Friendlier

Too tired to make a nutritional meal tonight?  We’ve all been there.  So what do we do?  We resort to fast food.  But not everything that is fast food is bad for you.  Here are some helpful tips to make fast food friendlier on those really long days!

• Pass on the “value-size.” When you supersize, the size of your fries isn’t the only thing that gets bigger.
   
• Skip the sides. Eating a burger or sandwich by itself is often filling enough. If you do want a side, consider ordering a fruit cup or side salad. Most fast food restaurants now offer them.
   
• Avoid double meat and bacon. A serving size of meat is 2-3 ounces — about the size of a deck of cards. You’re probably getting well over that with a single meat patty. Bacon is high in calories and fat with little nutrient content.
   
• Try the grilled chicken sandwich. Poultry without skin is significantly leaner than the meats most fast-food companies use in their burgers.
   
• Eat your sandwich open-faced. By eating only half the bun, you can eliminate unnecessary calories.
   
• Ask for a wheat bun. Some places offer a wheat alternative, some don’t. It never hurts to ask.
   
• Skip the mayo and other sauces. These dressings and sauces add uncessary calories.
   
• Drink water, diet soda or low-fat milk. Sodas are loaded with sugars, which have calories you don’t need.

So the next time you’re running late for your child’s soccer game or just too tired to cook,  remember these tips when you go through the drive thru.

Georgetown Medical Clinic

What is low blood pressure?

How can you tell if your blood pressure is too low?  Do you know what can happen if it does get too low?  To know if you have low blood pressure you need to know what a healthy blood pressure level is. 

If my blood pressure stays around 85/55, do I have a health problem?

As long as you are not experiencing symptoms of low blood pressure, there is no need for concern. Most doctors consider chronically low blood pressure dangerous only if it causes noticeable signs and symptoms, such as:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fainting (called syncope)
• Dehydration and unusual thirst
  Dehydration can sometimes cause blood pressure to drop. However, dehydration does not automatically signal low blood pressure. Fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, overuse of diuretics and strenuous exercise can all lead to dehydration, a potentially serious condition in which your body loses more water than you take in. Even mild dehydration (a loss of as little as 1 percent to 2 percent of body weight), can cause weakness, dizziness and fatigue.
• Lack of concentration
• Blurred vision
• Nausea
• Cold, clammy, pale skin
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Fatigue
• Depression

As long as no symptoms are present, low blood pressure is not a problem. However, if your blood pressure is normally higher or if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, your low pressure may have an underlying cause.

For more information on Low Blood Pressure and the ways it can occur, visit the American Heart Association Website. And if you have any questions feel free to ask your doctor.

The Doctors of Georgetown Medical Clinic

The best time to work out

When is the best time of day to work out?  When is it most convenient?  In the morning before work, on your break, or after the kids go to bed?  Everyone’s schedule is different, so it really depends when it is best for you.

Your best time is based on a “constellation” of factors:

• location,
• time of day,
• type of physical activity and
• social setting, among others.

Everybody’s Different
Different people will have different preferences and predispositions with regard to how they respond to exercise at different times of the day. For example, if you’re much more likely to work out consistently with a partner, then you’re better off to opt for a social part regardless of the time of day. On the other hand, some people like the solitude, the chance to get away.

Fit in Fitness
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. But what if you’re tight on time? Then, be creative and break up your activity into daily bouts of 3-10-minute increments.

Check out the American Heart Association’s website for more information.

So get moving—at the time that’s right for you!

 The Doctor’s of Georgetown Medical Clinic

True or False: Microwaves can be hazardous to your health.

What would your guess be?  There are so many myths about microwaves but which ones are really true?  Are they really as harmful as everyone says they are?  Let’s discuss the facts to determine the truth.  Microwave ovens are convenient, easy to use, and found in millions of kitchens across the United States. Microwaves are high frequency radio waves which are readily absorbed by materials containing water, such as foods and human tissues. When water molecules in food absorb microwave energy, they vibrate, causing the food to be heated and cooked.

In recent years, microwave ovens have received some negative attention, and information about their possible dangers has been widely circulated on the Internet. Some people are concerned that being exposed to microwave energy from microwave ovens may lead to health problems. There is also concern that materials in plastics used to cover or hold foods in the microwave may leach into foods, contaminating them with harmful toxins.

Despite these concerns, when microwave ovens and microwave-safe plastics are used according to their instructions, they are safe.

For more information on the health claims and the conclusion on the microwave, check out this article from the Health 2 You website.

 

The Doctors of Georgetown Medical Clinic

8 ways to have your best day ever!

We have all had some form of stress in our lives, whether it’s having a long day at work or being stuck in traffic.  It could be just running late to your child’s soccer game.  It happens to all of us. While we might not be able to change the situation, what we can do is change the way we react to it. And that’s good, because a bad mood not only makes you feel tired and drained; it’s bad for your health and could even affect how long you live.  But the good news is there are helpful tips and resources out there to help us get through the stresses in our lives.  So don’t sweat it. 

You can check out this article from Prevention Magazine for all-day tricks to feel happier, even in stressful situations. 

Georgetown Medical Clinic

By any other name, It’s still sweetner.

How much sugar do you consume in a day?  Now-a-days sugar is in almost everything we eat and drink.  That includes sodas, candy, cereal, bread, dairy products and assorted processed foods.  Overall, Americans are consuming way more sugars than that are recommended.  Did you know the recommended intake of sugar from the American Heart Association is 5 teaspoons for women and 9 for men? 

For reference, one 12-ounce can of cola contains about 8 teaspoons of added sugar, for about 130 calories.  Most American women should eat or drink no more than 100 calories per day from added sugars, and most American men should eat or drink no more than 150 calories per day form added sugars.  Unfortunately, Americans are consuming 22 and 30 teaspoons of the sweet stuff each day.

 But high fructose corn syrup isn’t the only type of sugar contributing to our overconsumption.

Anything that ends in syrup or –ose, such as maltose or glucose, they’re all sugars.

The American Heart Association does not distinguish between sources of sugar, instead focusing on overall intake and how it affects heart health and other conditions such as diabetes.

For more information visit the American Heart Association website on how to track added sugars and managing a healthy lifestyle.

Heart Attack or Sudden Cardiac Arrest: How are they different?

Do you know the difference between a heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest?  Do you know what to do in the event of either one happening to you or someone around you?  These are two threatening issues that are similar and different at the same time.

What is a heart attack?
A heart attack occurs when a blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart. If the blocked artery is not reopened quickly, the part of the heart normally nourished by that artery begins to die. The longer a person goes without treatment, the greater the damage. Symptoms of a heart attack may be immediate and intense. More often, though, symptoms start slowly and persist for hours, days or weeks before a heart attack. Unlike with sudden cardiac arrest, the heart usually does not stop beating during a heart attack. The heart attack symptoms in women can be different than men. 

What is cardiac arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs suddenly and often without warning. It is triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). With its pumping action disrupted, the heart cannot pump blood to the brain, lungs and other organs. Seconds later, a person loses consciousness and has no pulse. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment.

What is the link?
These two distinct heart conditions are linked. Sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack, or during recovery.  Heart attacks increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Most heart attacks do not lead to sudden cardiac arrest. But when sudden cardiac arrest occurs, heart attack is a common cause. Other heart conditions may also disrupt the heart’s rhythm and lead to sudden cardiac arrest. These include a thickened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), heart failure, arrhythmias, particularly ventricular fibrillation, and long Q-T syndrome.

To learn more you can visit the American Heart Association website.

Georgetown Medical Clinic