Getting enough exercise during the holidays can be hard.  We are all so busy with shopping, cooking, social events, entertaining, and holiday travel.  With so many things to accomplish and extra demands on our time, it’s tempting to skip the exercise routine and focus on other things.  The colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours provide us with excuses not to get outdoors.  In spite of these challenges, we know that there are many health benefits to getting regular exercise.  For a lot of us, the holiday season is a time when we actually need it the most.

Benefits of regular exercise

Here are some benefits of continuing your regular exercise routine during the holidays:

• Prevents weight gain – Exercise burns calories and helps us maintain a healthy weight.  People tend to consume more calorie-rich foods during this time of year.  We attend parties, entertain friends and family, drink more alcohol, and buy extra treats.  This translates into added pounds unless we do something physical to burn off the calories.  In addition to preventing weight gain, exercise helps us maintain muscle mass and sustain metabolic rate.
• Alleviates stress – Exercise provides stress relief and reduces anxiety.  Physical activity can improve mood by stimulating the body’s production of endorphins, hormones that help us cope with stress and pain.  These “feel good” chemicals increase feelings of well-being and improve self-esteem.  They help us feel more relaxed and may provide better quality sleep.  Moderate exercise three times per week can raise endorphin levels.
• Counters depression – Some people are affected by seasonal depression during the late fall and winter.  Fewer hours of daylight and lack of sunshine can bring on the “winter blues”.  Exercising outdoors for thirty minutes a day, three days a week during daylight hours can improve symptoms.

How to fit in a workout

• Allow time in your schedule.  It can be a challenge to find time to exercise during the holidays, so be purposeful about it.  Remind yourself that you’ll feel better and have more energy if you try to stick to your exercise routine.
• Be creative with your workout.  If you don’t have time to go to the gym, find other ways to get exercise.  Take a walk around the neighborhood or enjoy a bike ride.  Park farther away at the mall so you’ll get more steps.  If you can’t make your aerobics class, turn on some music and do a short workout at home.  Even a few minutes of exercise can keep you motivated.
• Track your activity.  Use an activity tracker, fitness watch, or the health app on your cell phone to track daily progress.  This helps you be more conscious of your activity level.

Continuing a regular exercise routine during the holidays helps keep us on track.  It provides stability, helps us maintain sleep schedules, and helps compensate for the extra calories we consume.  It improves our mood and reduces stress in this hectic time of year.  Abandoning our workouts now makes it that much harder to refocus in January.

The physicians at RMD Primary Care can answer your questions about the health benefits of a regular exercise routine.  Contact us today for an appointment.

Summer is the perfect season to relax and enjoy outdoor activities.  Backyard barbecues, pool parties, and picnics at the park are family favorites.  The following health and safety tips will help ensure everyone has a good time.

Avoid Sunburn

Protecting your skin from sun damage is a key factor in preventing skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the U.S.  According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70.  A history of sunburns increases the risk for skin cancer.  To prevent sunburn, avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10am and 4pm when UVA and UVB rays are strongest.  Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.  Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors so the skin has time to absorb it.  Reapply every two hours.  If swimming or sweating heavily, sunscreen may need to be applied more often.  Wear a hat to shade the face, scalp, and neck.  Wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from the sun.

Prevent Insect Bites

Insect bites can be more than just a summer annoyance.  Insects can carry disease.  Mosquitos can cause

illnesses such as West Nile Virus, encephalitis, and dengue fever.  Avoid outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, which are peak mosquito times.  Wear an insect repellent on exposed skin or wear clothing that covers arms and legs.  Eliminate areas of standing water in your yard to prevent mosquitos from breeding.

Prevent tick bites by staying out of wooded areas and high grass.  Keep to the middle of the trail when hiking.  Use an insect repellent that is effective against ticks.  Shower soon after coming indoors and check your body for ticks.  Serious diseases including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease are transmitted to humans through tick bites.

Stay Hydrated

When outside in the heat, drink plenty of water to replace fluids that the body loses through sweating.  Carry a water bottle when working outside or exercising.  Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages as they are not effective in preventing dehydration.  Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, and little to no urination.

Minimize Risks of Food Poisoning

Don’t allow a family picnic to become a source of food poisoning.  Uncooked meat and foods containing mayonnaise, eggs, and dairy can spoil within a couple of hours if not refrigerated or kept on ice in an insulated cooler.  Make sure meats are grilled to a proper temperature on the inside to avoid E. Coli infections.  Steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees and ground meats should be cooked to 160 degrees.  Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and thoroughly clean utensils and platters that have touched raw meats.

RMD Primary Care provides a number of General Practice and Family Medicine services for your family’s health.  Contact us today for an appointment.

June is a month to celebrate men.  Not only is June known for Father’s Day, but it is also recognized as Men’s Health Month.  It is a time to raise awareness of preventable health issues and an opportunity to encourage the men in our lives to get regular health checkups.  Here are some ways to promote better health for the men we love including husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons.

Get a physical–  On average, adult men do not see their healthcare providers as often as women do.  They may wait until there is a real problem.  Regular physical exams enable the physician to monitor blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol levels, and weight.  A physical allows for routine blood work and PSA screenings for prostate cancer to be performed.  Early detection is key when treating such health conditions as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Encourage regular exercise–  Regular exercise has many health benefits.  Exercise helps with weight reduction, helps maintain strong bones and muscles, increases energy levels, decreases stress, aids in relaxation, can improve brain function, improves mood, enhances sexual function, and can reduce the risk of developing chronic disease.

Encourage healthy eating habits–  Heathy eating is a lifestyle choice.  The benefits include avoiding excess weight gain and boosting energy levels.  Healthy eating can prevent major health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.

A healthy diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and low fat dairy products.  Avoid sugary drinks, processed baked goods, fried foods, white bread and processed meats.  Many of these items have high levels of sugar, salt, and trans fats while offering little nutritional value.

Encourage the men in your life to take care of their physical health and well-being so they can live a long and happy life.

The immune system is the body’s defense against infection and disease.  It’s made up of special cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body and keep it healthy.  When the immune system isn’t working as it should, the body is left vulnerable.  As we age, our immune system response becomes reduced, leading to increased infections and less ability to fight them.  It is important to do what we can to strengthen our immune system so that it can do its job effectively.  Here are ways to boost your immune system for better health.

Develop Smart Eating Habits

Eat more fruits and vegetables to give the body needed nutrients.  Blueberries, blackberries, and broccoli contain antioxidants that can improve immune health.  Foods rich in vitamin C, including citrus and bell peppers, and those high in vitamin A, such as sweet potatoes and kale, are especially helpful to the immune system.  Yogurt contains probiotics that can keep the gut and intestinal tract healthy.  Salmon and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation in the body.

Get Enough Sleep

The body responds better to fighting infection when it is well rested.  According to the CDC, adults generally need 7-9 hours of sleep each night, teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep, and school age children require 9-12 hours of shut eye.  To improve sleep habits, keep a consistent schedule for going to bed and getting up.  Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.  Exercising during the day can help us sleep better.  Turning off electronic devices (computer, phone, TV) at bedtime is also a good practice.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, helps control weight, and helps alleviate stress.  All these factors can help boost the immune system.  Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous.  Even a 30-minute daily walk can be helpful.  In addition, exercise during the day often leads to better sleep at night.

Reduce Stress

Many people find themselves overcommitted and stressed.  Slow down, relax, and connect with family or friends.  Listen to music.  Meditation or yoga is helpful for some people.  Take a walk or do some stretching exercises.  Reduce your caffeine intake.  Stop smoking.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 80 million American adults will receive arthritis diagnoses by the year 2040. Women are at higher risk than men, and most adults are diagnosed after the age of 45.

You may show no signs of aching, stiff joints today, but your risk of experiencing pain goes up each year. To give yourself a fighting chance against this life-altering diagnosis, implement these three arthritis prevention strategies today.

Click here to read more »

When the holidays come knocking, they tend to bring plenty of things to your doorstep — wintry weather, time with loved ones and food aplenty. Tasty treats are a part of the recipe for a good time, but the holidays can have a hefty cost: there’s not exactly a high incentive to stay fit, or get even a few minutes’ worth of exercise. The crazy weather alone can put the kibosh on any exercise plans, which does more harm than good. Click here to read more »

The holidays are a challenging time to stay healthy. Overeating, drinking, and even overspending can result in weight gain and problems with health issues, or anxiety and depression, when all those bills come due. But there are ways to stay healthy while enjoying ourselves.

Click here to read more »

You hear about cancer nearly every day — on TV, in social media, maybe you even have a personal connection to this horrible disease. It has impacted everyone in one way or another. But, did you know there is another disease responsible for taking more lives each year than all types of cancer combined? Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America.

Click here to read more »

The summer heat can turn a healthy workout into a potential threat. While exercise is important year-round, the hot weather coupled with intense activity can put you at risk for heat illness. Heat illness occurs when your body loses the ability to cool down, and the condition can be life-threatening. Here are some tips to keep up your fitness routine in the summer months with a safe and healthy approach:

Click here to read more »

For most people, exercise is not high on their list of favorite activities. For people who have been sedentary for a long amount of time or for people with disabilities or who are severely overweight, it can be as unsafe as it is unpleasant. It’s important to consult a Gwinnett physician if you are picking up physical activity for the first time in quite some time. Once you have done so, adopting a regular exercise routine is as simple as figuring out what you enjoy doing.

Click here to read more »