Your Health
▪Could you have imagined a year ago that we would be talking about an illness called the “Swine flu”? H1N1 or the swine flu is a respiratory virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among pigs. It is a flu virus which usually doesn’t infect humans, however occasionally this can occur. The H1N1 strain of swine flu has the ability to spread from human to human through coughing or sneezing. There are ways of minimizing your chances of contracting this infection by just following basic hygienic practices. These include avoiding close contact with people who are sick, staying home if you are sick, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, cleaning your hands often with soap and water and avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Practicing good health habits like getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, managing your stress, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating nutritious food helps your immune system.
The human symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of the seasonal human influenza A and B virus. The symptoms include fever (greater than 100◦F), sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, chills, headache, body aches and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting has also been reported. Most people infected with this virus in the United States have had mild disease, but some have had more severe illness, and there have been at least two deaths. Young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease may be at higher risk for complications from this infection.
▪May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Preventing a stroke begins with knowing stroke risk factors, how to prevent a stroke, symptom recognition and acting F.A.S.T. to treat a stroke.
Stroke risk factors you can’t change include:
• Your age – the older you are, the higher your risk
• Being a man, although more women than men will die from a stroke. (Also, twice the number of women die from a stroke than breast cancer annually)
• Being African American
• Someone in your family has had a stroke
Having one or more of these factors doesn’t mean you will have a stroke. By making simple lifestyle changes, you may be able to reduce the risk of a first or recurrent stroke.
These lifestyle changes can greatly reduce your chance of having a stroke:
• Monitor your blood pressure; if it is high, make sure it is treated.
• Find out if you have atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat which allows blood to pool in the heart and cause blood clots).
• Quit smoking.
• Limit alcohol.
• Check your cholesterol levels and make sure bad cholesterol is controlled.
• Manage your diabetes.
• Exercise often.
• Eat foods low in sodium (salt) and saturated or trans fat.
• Monitor circulation problems with the help of your doctor.
Most people don’t realize that if they present with a stroke greater than 3 hours after onset of symptoms a patient may not be eligible to receive certain stroke treatment. “Acting F.A.S.T.” is asking the following questions in the event of a questionable stroke.
F=FACE Ask patient to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A=ARM Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one side drift downward?
S=SPEECH Ask person to repeat a simple phrase. Does the speech sound slurred or
strange?
T=TIME If patient experiences any one of these signs; it is time to call 911.
Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are brief episodes of stroke-like symptoms that last from a few minutes to 24 hours. TIAs don’t cause permanent disability. But, they can be serious warning signs of an impending stroke. Up to one third of people who have a TIA are expected to have a future stroke. Just like the first stroke, many recurrent strokes and TIAs can be prevented through lifestyle changes, surgery, medicine, or a mix of all three. For more information go to http://www.stroke.org/, http://www.americanheart.org/.
Insurance
▪We gladly see patients without insurance and accept self-pay fee for service appointments. Please ask our staff about our self-pay office visit fees.
▪We do not see patients that have any type of Medicaid insurance. This includes Medicaid primary insurance or as a secondary to Medicare.
Nutritional Supplements
▪ Protector is a nutritional supplement that combines specific vitamins, minerals and amino acids recognized as important for the health of areas associated with the human immune system. Astragalus is a key ingredient known for improving immune system integrity by relieving stress-induced immune system suppression. Additionally, research indicates that kelp supplies dozens of important nutrients for optimal cardiovascular health and function.
▪Satieté has a synergistic blend of herbs and amino acids that promotes healthy regulation of the neurotransmitter serotonin, supports a healthy appetite and maintains healthy blood sugar levels. Satieté’s key ingredient, 5-HTP, derived from griffonia seed extract, is a precursor to serotonin, which regulates normal mood, sleep, appetite and energy levels. Also included is gymnema sylvestre, an important ingredient which has an effect on the oral cavity that reduces appetite for sweets as well as an ability to reduce metabolism of simple carbohydrates in the gastrointestinal system, thus promoting healthy blood sugar levels. Additional ingredients included to improve energy levels and combat fatigue are St. John’s Wort extract, malic acid, and magnesium. The combination of these ingredients provides a positive impact on serotonin function.
▪All of our products are listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) for Nonprescription Drugs, Dietary Supplements and Herbs. For more info go to http://www.rodriguesdo.com/.
Thank you for being a valued patient,
Dr. Randi-Ann Rodrigues and Staff
Healthy Horizons Family Medicine
1410 West Broadway St., Suite 106
Oviedo, FL 32765
Phone: 407-971-1290 Fax: 407-971-1291
www.healthyhorizonsfamilymedicine.com
