….and make it out alive and with your sanity intact.  Because let me tell you, walking into a busy ER for you as the patient and even for the doctor can be like walking into a war zone.  Here’s what happened last weekend….

…It was another CRAZY weekend in the hospital……

The emergency department was jammed backed with people needing to get checked out…some with minor complaints and others with very severe life-threatening conditions…

Flu season was in full swing and causing the very young and the very old to come down with fever, malaise and even severe breathing problems….

Tensions were high and patience was low as some people had to wait hours to find out what was wrong with them…..

Out of frustration people were turning right back around and leaving without getting seen because they didn’t want to wait the long hours to get evaluated and placed their health and their lives in jeopardy by going back home…..

But for Mrs. X that trip to the emergency department saved her life….

Struggling to breath for the past several hours, Mrs. X’s family knew that she couldn’t wait much longer so they called 911 and paramedics brought her into the emergency department.  Mrs. X had recently suffered from a persistent cough that had triggered her chronic lung disease and she was having trouble breathing on her own. 

As she was fighting to take in air, the emergency department doctors sprang into action and placed her on a breathing machine to assist her breathing… On medications to treat her bronchitis and medications to treat the inflammation in her lungs, her breathing slowly recovered and after two days on life support, the breathing tube was removed.  Now she’s sitting up reading the paper and wanting to know when she’s going to get out the hospital.  

That quick turn around from being so close to death to now deciding what she’ll have for breakfast tomorrow morning is just short of amazing.  

What saved Mrs. X’s life was her family’s quick decision to take her to the hospital and the family’s ability to provide the doctors with Mrs. X’s medical history so that an accurate diagnosis could be made, which ultimately saved her life. 

So the next time you’re contemplating whether or not to head to the emergency department to get checked out….

Forget about the possible long waits….forget out the loud noise, the comotion….forget out the irritation of lying on a hard gurney in the middle of the hallway all night long….

and focus on getting accurate and professional treatment for your pain, your breathing problem, your sickness….because the most important thing that you (and even the doctors and nurses treating you) have to remember is that we’re all trying to reach a common goal….your improved health. 

So remember that goal next time you’re waiting to be seen in the ER….

Maybe just maybe, there’s a Mrs. X coming in ER…unable to breath…needing to be placed on life support..and needing immediate attention…so that she too, can walk out the hospital days later…ALIVE!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

I’ve been called an “amazing doctor”…”one of the top internal medicine doctors in the country”…..”one of the nicest doctors around”……..

BUT to my family and closest friends I’m also known as “The Food Patrol.”

I don’t get upset or offended when they call me this because “The Food Patrol” is a title I hold dear and here’s why:

1.  When I’m around, people don’t pile their plates full of high fat or high cholesterol food….they remember what I taught them about proper food portions and stick with the one serving rule.

2.  They try to emulate what I do and eat smaller meals more often throughout the day.

3.  Inevitably, someone will remark on how I still eat what I want and maintain a healthy weight and attitude towards food and exercise….Just the other day, my coworker reminded another colleague that I was the same woman who was working out in a non-airconditioned garage during the peak summer months in south Florida while 6 months pregnant…..and that’s why I look the way I do! 

4.  People look to me for healthier options for snacking and desserts and are amazed that I can still have my cake and eat it too……my cousin was surprised to find out that my low fat option to frosted cake and ice cream would taste so good.  He didn’t believe me when I told him I could whip up a tasty, low fat and low calorie dessert that he could eat every night of the week and not feel quilty.  With a slice of angel food cake, fresh strawberries and a scoop of sherbert, I had dessert ready with no fuss, no mess and best of all….NO GUILT!

5.  My title as “The Food Patrol” is spreading like wildfire.  I’m creating my own team….The Health and Wellness Queen’s Food Patrol…with a growing membership of family, friends, colleagues, patients and readers like you who are taking control over what you put in your body and encouraging others to do the same to make better and healthier food choices for the sake of their health and longevity.

So let’s conquer obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer and stroke…..THE FOOD PATROL TO THE RESCUE!!!!!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen  

Whether you’re young or old, you’re probably heard by now the debate over making the new HPV vaccine mandatory for all middle school girls.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle or just a concerned adult, many people have reservations about making this vaccine mandatory and real concerns whenever the word MANDATORY is used.

Now let me help dispel some of the confusion.  Here a few facts about HPV or Human Papilloma Virus:

1. HPV is a relatively common viral infection that has been linked to the development of cervical cancer.
2. There are several types of HPV and the vaccine protects against types 6 and 11, which cause the majority of cases of genital warts and types 16 and 18, which cause the majority of cases of cervical cancer.
3. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, which means that the more sexual partners a woman has the higher the probability that she’ll get HPV.
4. PAP smears can detect microscopic changes in the cells of the cervix which can detect cervical cancer in its early stages.

Those of the facts about HPV and about the vaccine.  And studies have shown that the HPV vaccine PREVENTS CERVICAL CANCER.

Now here’s where the debate starts…..the vaccine was approved for use in females ages 9 to 26….so when should vaccination start and who should get vaccinated?

The American Cancer Society’s guidelines recommend that vaccinations should begin between age 11 to 12 but there are no formal mandates that say that all females between the ages of 11 and 12 must get vaccinated….at least not yet.  Many proposed bills are being discussed at the state level but none have been passed. 

So for now, the debate continues.  If you would like to know more information about the HPV vaccine or want to know if your relative should be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine, I urge you to discuss this with your doctor.

If you would like to know more about this and other topics, post your topic on the blog and let me know what topics you’d like discussed here on The Health and Wellness Queen’s Blog.  Don’t wait!  Ask your questions NOW!

We’ve all seen the commercials and all the hype….

New natural remedies promising an end to erectile dysfunction, an end to hair loss or an end to whatever medical problem you have….whether it’s diabetes, cancer, heart disease or thyroid disease. 

Now I don’t dispute that some natural remedies may work.  Growing up whenever I had a cold or the sniffles, my mom would make me a bowl of chicken soup and make sure I was taking my vitamins and even gave me an extra large glass of orange juice for breakfast.  And I still do make sure I take my vitamins on a daily basis.

The research for natural remedies, if research even exists, doesn’t always prove or support that these remedies can help cure or prevent certain diseases.  You can scour the medical literature all you want but you won’t find guidelines that recommend the use of vitamin C at the first sign of a cold.  Now I’ve looked for the articles myself and can’t find a concensus that shows you can significantly decrease your chances of getting a cold with high doses of vitamin C or that high doses of vitamin C can shorten your course of a cold. 

Despite the medical literature to support it, generations of mothers have been giving their children extra O.J. for years now to keep colds at bay…..my mother included.   

Our wish to find more natural and less synthetic ways to treat our health problems have led to the boom in the supplement and natural remedies industry—a multibillion dollar industry.

What separates prescription drugs from supplements is the research…the supporting data….the safety and efficacy profile of the drug and the monitoring and oversight process of the Food and Drug Administration.  When you are prescribed a drug by your healthcare provider, that drug has gone through a series of trials and tests to make sure that the drug does what the label says it does and that it’s safe.  If there ever comes a time when a drug is found to be unsafe, the FDA steps in and pulls the drug off the market….remember Vioxx?

But natural remedies found at the grocery store, natural food market or convenience store don’t have that level of supporting evidence or level of safety monitoring.  The labels can say whatever they want, the companies can promise you the world and not deliver and no one can stop them.   And as the Health and Wellness Queen I’m hear to tell you that if want proven ways to treat your medical problem, seek the advice of your healthcare professional.  Discuss with them your desire to get healthy and ask them for any recommended alternatives to medications, if they exist.  As a healthcare professional myself, I want you to be informed about your health and get the treatment and medical advice that you need.   

As always, you should first consult with your healthcare professional to discuss your health condition and your treatment options.

Dedicated to giving you the information you need.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

In everything that I do, all that I talk about, all that I teach…my goal is to provide you with the necessary information and knowledge to live healthier and longer. 

The secret to amazing health and sustained wellness is knowledge.  Knowledge about what diseases you’re at risk for, greater knowledge about food and how to make healthier food choices and knowledge about you and your body.   

And I can’t stress that enough.  I see so many people everyday who come into the hospital with one complaint but leave with another complaint.  Some people are diagnosed with a stroke, a heart attack, with diabetes or heart failure and leave the hospital with a new diagnosis that will change their lives.   Having had a stroke or a heart attack is not bad enough.  Now, they can’t even explain what happened to them.  Every nurse, every doctor that comes into their room breeze in and breeze out without really taking the time to explain what a stroke or what a heart attack really is. 

They complain that some doctors don’t take the time to explain what exactly they have, what it really means for them….how it will affect their daily routine…and what they need to change in their regular activities to survive the diagnosis. 

But I don’t leave my patients’ room until all of their questions are answered.  If they wonder why their arm or leg is still so weak after having a stroke, I thoroughly explain that a blockage in one of the arteries that supply their brain caused the stroke and that’s why their arm is weak.  That’s why they have to limit the amount of cholesterol in their diet.  That’s why keeping their blood pressure and blood sugar under control is so important.  When I leave the room, patients have a clearer understanding of what’s going on, what other tests are needed and what exactly they need to do from now on.

I arm my patients with knowledge.  Knowledge about their diseases, about how the problem manifests itself and how they can live and even cure the disease.  This is what I do everyday.  Everyday I give people the information and the knowledge to change their lives. 

And that’s why I want to know what’s your most pressing issue that you want answered.  I want to give you the answers that will unlock the chains that are holding you back from achieving amazing health.  So stay tuned……

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

I have been getting lots of health questions on email on everything from diabetes to sex….wanting answers to your most pressing health issues. 

Now is the time to ask your biggest health question.  

I will be holding several teleseminars this year and I want to address your greatest health issues in 2007.  

Other doctors won’t make the time for you to ask your questions but the Health and Wellness Queen is taking the time and wants to hear your questions.  So get your questions ready and post your comments on the blog.  

Don’t miss this opportunity to ask a doctor who cares.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

…..Take a nap!  That’s right, researchers in Greece have found that people who find time during the day to take a nap reduced their risk of dying from heart disease. 

And you know what, I think they’re really on to something. 

Yesterday was a VERY busy day in the hospital with many patients waiting days in the emergency department to get transferred to a hospital room.  The hospital was overflowing with patients.  I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to see my sickest patients first while also discharging anybody who was ready to go home.  I knew that it would be an extraordinarily long day of work and I expected to spend most of my 10 hours on my feet running from floor to floor and room to room. 

Then I got the call from my husband.   He needed me to come home and stay with our son because he needed to run to the dentist and get his tooth fixed before he died of pain.  Right before he called I came close to biting someone’s head off for asking me a simple question that under normal circumstances wouldn’t have bothered me.  But with a mountain of work in my near future I took any interruption, whether necessary or unnecessary, as a personal attack on my time.  I’m here trying to take care of patients and keep getting asked silly question after silly question. 

That phone call from my husband was my wake up call.  Letting me know that my busy schedule was wearing on me and that my irritation would grow worse until it got so out of control and I’d snap.  Normally, I’m very aware of my irritation level which is what I call the level right before I say something negative or disparaging.  And only a handful of people who also happen to be members of my family, have ever seen me go beyond that irritation level.  But yesterday was coming close.

Close…..but no cigar.  My husband’s phone call saved me from getting irritated and upset and also saved some poor soul from receiving the brunt of my frustations.  

So on the drive home I called my husband to say that I was on my way and he told me that Rufus was already down for his nap and asked me “why not take a nap, too?”  And you know what?  That was the best advice he could’ve given me. 

After that hour long nap, the worries of seeing all my patients….the stress of running around looking for charts and trying to find the nurse….the irritation of being asked the same question over and over again by different people….none of that bothered me any more.  I didn’t mind spending extra time to explain a complicated diagnosis or answer a family member’s laundry list of questions. 

None of that bothered me….BECAUSE I WASN’T STRESSED!

That’s the key to lowering your risk.  Lowering your stress.  If you’re really able to take a nap in the middle of the day, you have to block out all the things that constantly filter in….whatever’s next on your To-Do List….so that you can relax enough to catch a few Zzzzz’s.

Your nap time is your own personal siesta.  A time to recharge…to redirect your attention and focus….and to get rid of all that negative energy and frustration that raises your blood pressure, skyrockets your heart rate and increases your risk from dying from a fatal heart problem. 

So take it from me…..when you’re close to the “boiling point”, find a quiet place…..relax….close your eyes……and take a little nap.  It will save you hours of wasted frustation and may even save your life.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

What do you do now…….?

Do you wait to see if the rash goes away? Do you blow it off? Do you panic and think that this could be the beginning of some flesh-eating bacterial infection? Do you wonder if it’s related to something that you ate or came into contact with?

When I get a rash, it’s usually something that irritated my skin and since I’ve had years of being in my skin and knowing what skin nicks need antibacterial ointment and which ones will disappear and go away within hours, I don’t panic when I first notice a rash.

But on Saturday when my son, Rufus, developed his first major rash which looked like hives, I started to panic. Did I give him some new food that he’s allergic to? Did he get stung by a bee while we were on our stroll around the block? If this was major allergic reaction would he start to have problems breathing? Should I call his pediatrician now or later? Should I just go to the emergency department and have it checked out?

I could have driven myself crazy with all the “what ifs” until my husband had to tell me to STOP!!!! Stop assuming the worse. Was Rufus having any problems breathing?…NO. Did he have such uncontrollable itching that he’d break the top layer of skin and cause bleeding?….NO. Did he have a high fever?…..NO. Was he losing consciousness or getting so lethargic that he was difficult to arouse?….NO. Was the rash spreading quickly, right before my eyes?….NO. Was there any pus or liquid draining from any of his skin lesions?…..NO.

NO, this rash is not a life threatening rash. NO, we don’t need to pack up the baby bag and head to the emergency department. Rufus’ mother had to stop focusing on the “what ifs” and start focusing on what I did know.  I had to stop thinking like a protective mother and start thinking like the Health and Wellness Queen.

Here’s what I know:

1. The skin is the largest organ in the body.
2. Our skin’s major job is to protect our other organs—to be the largest and strongest barrier to germs and the outside environment.
3. Rashes can indicate a localized reaction to an irritant (such as poison ivy or harsh chemicals) or indicate a systemic reaction (such as a heat rash when we have fever or related to an underlying infection or disease–like eczema or psoriasis).
4. Hives, which are raised welts, can be caused by various conditions like an allergic reaction to certain medications or foods, can be related to a parasitic infection or it could be related to an autoimmune diseases, where your body’s immune system has an allergic reaction to a certain protein that you body produces.

Here’s what I needed to do and follow the “SO YOU HAVE A NEW RASH” Checklist:

1. Outline the area of the rash so I can monitor if it’s getting better or worse over time.
2. Stop the itch…with an antihistamine.
3. Watch out for any warning signs or red flags—swelling of the lips, tongue or mouth, trouble breathing, difficulty drinking or eating because of swelling of the throat—> these red flags along with hives indicate anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
4. If the rash got any worse, then see the doctor.

Well, even I, the Health and Wellness Queen had to run through this series of steps….my “So You Have a New Rash” checklist to see if I needed to call the doctor immediately or if I could wait to see if things cleared up.

It’s hard to watch your child suffer with any ache or pain…or rash…and not know how to make it go away or make it better. But by using my “So you have a new rash” checklist I was able to make the right decision….give Rufus the antihistamine he needed and within two days…the rash went away and he’s back to his normal self.

Although, I’ll probably never know what actually caused the rash…all that really matters is that the rash is gone…and I’m no longer in a panic after following my checklist.

So remember…when you notice a rash, don’t panic and follow my “So You Have A New Rash” checklist.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

By now, you’d have to be a recluse without a TV or access to the internet to not know that Anna Nicole Smith died Thursday in South Florida.  She was found unconscious in her hotel room less than 15 miles from where I live….of unknown causes.  The official autopsy results and toxicology reports are not back yet but prescription drugs were recovered from her hotel room. 

Now I’m the last to point fingers without knowing or hearing all the evidence but Anna Nicole Smith’s death does raise several important issues that I, as a physician, must point out.

First….BEWARE OF YOUR OLD PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.  Open up your medicine cabinet and take a look at all of the half empty prescription bottles.  There may be antibiotics for your kids when they had an ear ache or prescription narcotics left over from when you had your wisdom teeth pulled or an old bottle of sleeping pills you forgot you had.  Whatever the case may be, you’ll have on average 2 or 3 different prescription medications that you no longer need but keep around “just in case.”

Well, let me tell you….forget about “just in case.”

Forget about using your kids’ old prescription for antibiotics to treat the infection on your skin…..you could make the bacteria on your skin resistant to that antibiotic and turn it into a potent flesh eating bacteria!

Forget about taking those old painkillers to get rid of your backache…..you could have a bad reaction to the pain pills especially if you’re taking other medications or take the painkillers with alcohol….or you could mistakenly take too many potent painkillers just to get rid of the pain and unintentionally overdose!

And forget about taking those old sleeping pills that your grandparents left behind when they visited last year….you could wind up waking up in the middle of the night, half-dazed, thinking that it’s morning and get in your car—just asking to have a car accident.

Don’t think I’m overexaggerating here.  Because I’m not.  I’ve seen all of these scenarios during my medical career and it still amazes me that so many people think that the old prescriptions in their medicine cabinet are harmless. 

Let’s not even think about what could happen if your teenager or your eldery grandparent got a hold of that medication.

The lesson here is this….treat all prescription drugs like keys to your house or your car.  Be mindful where you lay them down, be careful who you give them to and even if someone uses them without your permission or consent, you’ll still wind up responsible for any damages that occur.   

Unfortunately, Anna Nicole Smith was not able to read this post….don’t wind up like her.  Remember that prescription drugs can kill.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

….I hear you clapping those hands!

Well, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and guess what I have planned this Valentine’s Day?

You guessed it…NOTHING! 

Life with my 10 month old son is so hectic these days that I barely have a chance to sneak in my At Home workout before he wakes up from his nap.  It’s a good thing that my husband and I have to eat or we wouldn’t have any opportunity to sit down together on the couch…at the same time. 

Well for those romantics out there…or those people who’ve been stuck in a rut for some months now….or those of you who just want to put a little spice in your already “hot tamale” relationship let the Health and Wellness Queen give you a few tips to help bring sexy back.

First, throw that remote out the window.  Well, not out the window but just move it out the way and use your hands for something more productive    Now it could be the remote for the TV, for the sound system, for whatever you like to control.  Put it down for a while and really start working on creating an atmosphere and a mindset of sexiness. 

No matter what clothes size you wear, when you put on that outfit that accentuates your assets and downplays your not-so-hot areas when you walk out the house, you feel hot….you feel sexy…. and you feel like you can catch just about anything you put your mind to. 

This is the sexy attitude that I’m talking about.  This is the attitude to reawaken your inner sensuality that has been suppressed over the past year.  With all your running around, paying bills, working…you never have time to be just sexy and this Valentine’s Day I want you to be SEXY!

My second tip is to forget about spending all that money on all the little extras and focus your attention on what really matters, spending time with someone that you love….or really like to hang out with.  Now I’m not telling you to forget out buying a card or a few flowers or even not buying a little chocolate, I’m just saying that the main focus should be on how you spend the day. 

Now I can already hear my husband complaining once he reads this post because he’s always said that he doesn’t need some random day to give him the opportunity to show me how much he loves me.  Back when we were dating some 13 years ago, he’d always say that Valentine’s Day isn’t on February 14….it’s every day!  Whether or not he buys into the whole “Valentine’s Day” commercialism or not he still manages to buy me a card and send me flowers every 14th of February. 

The third tip to bringing back sexy this Valentine’s Day is to experiment…try something new. If you’re always going out to dinner then why not try spending time at home and have dinner by candlelight.  Nothing spices up an evening like cooking a meal together in all of your togetherness.  Let loose and enjoy the evening.  Don’t get so tied down with all of the pomp and circumstance and forget….this is not a day “about me but a day about us.”

Are you ready?

If you’re sexy and you know it clap your hands…..

…I’m clapping mine!

To your wellness,

The Heath and Wellness Queen