Well just ask my husband.

Yesterday, he took his blood pressure and it was 160/90!  He took it two more times just to be sure and again…his pressure was much higher than usual.  He was so upset that his pressure was elevated that he called me on my way to work in shock!  He couldn’t believe that his blood pressure which has consistently run in the 110s to 120s over 70 mmHg was now back where it had been about 5 months ago….before the change in his diet….before starting the blood pressure medication….before his change to heart-healthy living. 

He told me he hadn’t been able to keep to his no salt diet while he was traveling out of town but that he took his blood pressure medication faithfully.  I explained to him that eating what we consider “regular food” is chock full of salt and can increase his pressure.  I also told him of countless people, men and women alike, that I see coming into the emergency department complaining of such excruciating chest pain that they think it’s a heart attack but I wind up telling them “it’s not your heart….it’s stress.” 

And the same I could say to my husband.  He’d been traveling out of town, staying up late working on the computer, dealing with lots of stress in his business and all that stress…the lack of sleep….the lack of any down-time…was taking its toil on his body….specifically his blood pressure.

And you know what my husband did to lower his blood pressure to 120/80 in a matter of hours?

He took our son Rufus to the park yesterday and spent over 3 hours playing with him, riding the carousel, exploring the science emporium ….doing all the things that he’s missed doing because he’s been out of town, stuck to the computer….working on his next project.  So he took the day off!

Taking a day off after a long stretch of “high stress” activity can do wonders for your mind and soul and also for your body.  We all need to take the time to reevaluate our priorities in life…to see if we’re burning the candle at both ends and whether we need to make some serious changes in our lives before we, too, end up in the emergency room with chest pain….not knowing if it’s our heart or just stress.

So take it from me…..nothing is too important that it can’t wait several hours for you to take some down-time…if it’s your health and sanity that lies in the balance.  So the next time you’re faced with a seemingly insurmountable level of stress….just let it go….and relax….you could be saving yourself alot of heartache….literally!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

This weekend I spent quality time with the family….celebrating my uncle’s retirement on Saturday and celebrating my extended family’s “unofficial family reunion” at church today.  I spent time reminiscing with family and friends about the good ole days and was reminded about the good old days in medical school when I first learned about high cholesterol.

Back then, any blood cholesterol less than 200 was GREAT!  My professors explained that if you were healthy and didn’t have heart disease or any major risk factors for heart disease, your bad cholesterol or LDL should be below 160 and as a doctor you’d first recommend diet and exercise before starting a patient on a cholesterol lowering drug….but my, how things have changed!

Now, with all the research studies that show the benefit of maintaining a low total cholesterol and low bad “LDL” cholesterol, a bad cholesterol or LDL level of 160 now requires aggressive treatment with medications and sometimes multiple medications….all to lower your cholesterol.  

Studies continue to show that people who suffer a heart attack or a stroke can have a significant improvement in their outcomes if certain cholesterol lowering medications are started soon after the heart attack or stroke.  That means, while you’re still in the hospital recovering from your heart attack or stroke, your doctor will prescribe many medications to control your blood pressure, your blood cholesterol and even your blood sugar level if you have diabetes.  Many people walk in the hospital taking NO medications and leave the hospital taking three….four…and even FIVE NEW MEDICATIONS….all to help lower your risk of having ANOTHER heart attack or stroke.   

Now you may ask yourself….why am I thinking about all this bad stuff…having heart attacks and strokes when I should be celebrating with my family and friends?  But I say, “What better time to think about your family’s health when you’re around your family and can help them make better health choices?”

So, with my uncle retiring at the “tender age” of 75, I’m still wearing my Health and Wellness Queen hat when I gently hug him and ask him how he’s feeling.  I ask him if he’s seen his doctor lately and if he has, I gingerly ask him what the doctor said.  I try not to take the focus off the joyous occasion but I’m also trying to keep my uncle around for years to come….to see my son grow up and play football like his father and grandfather.

I know it may be asking alot to have my uncles….my aunts….my parents around for years to come but if I don’t ask….I will have missed my a golden opportunity!

So the next time you’re celebrating something momentous in your family, take the time to really look at all of your family gathered around. 

Now fast forward five or ten years.  How many people do you think will still be there? 

Be realistic.  And when you realize that your time may be coming to a close to have your older family members around, make the most of the time you have and encourage them to continue to take care of themselves and their health.

That’s what I’m doing.  How about you?

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

No matter what your political ties…when anyone is facing a recurrence of cancer…life takes on new meaning.

When John Edwards announced that his wife was recently diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer, both political parties lended their support and prayers for the Edwards family.  The fact that Mrs. Edwards could once again be fighting for her life, makes me reflect upon all the women in my life…my mother, my mother-in-law, my aunts, my girlfriends….

Every one of us is at risk for getting breast cancer….and it’s time that we take a stand.

Now some of you already know that my husband and I are known as the food patrol when we’re around family and friends but we’re also part of the cancer brigade.

As members of the Cancer Brigade, it’s our duty to make sure that our family and friends are up to date on their cancer screenings.   That means that I remind my mother to get her annual mammogram and ask my relatives if they’ve received their colorectal screening.  My husband frequently reminds his father, his uncles and his fraternity brothers to keep on top of their prostate cancer screenings.  I know with my hectic schedule that I often overlook my own semiannual dental visit so I can understand when my friends say that they just forgot to make their appointments. 

We’re here to take a stand against cancer…and we’re starting one family at a time until we’ve spread the word.

Many cancer survivors know that early detection is the only thing we have that’s even close to a cure for cancer. 

So it’s especially important to get tested, get screened and spread the word!

In the upcoming weeks, we’ll be celebrating Little Rufus’ first birthday and we’re going to take that opportunity to get the word out to family and friends—to get tested…to get screened…and to continue to spread the word!!!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

We all feel tired from time to time.

Overworked, overbooked and overextended we constantly push ourselves to do more and more.

How many days this week have you slept less than 6 hours a night?  I’ve been running on 4 to 5 hours of sleep each night for the past four nights.  How about you?

Most of the time we take our tiredness as a rite of passage…as a necessary evil so that we can accomplish everything on our To-Do lists.  But sometimes, when you’re feeling excessively tired, that’s a sign that something more serious is going on with your body.

So how do you know if your tiredness is due to something more than just lack of sleep?

Ask yourself these series of questions to see if your excessive tiredness is associated with these common medical problems:

1.  Are you overweight?  Do you snore loudly?  Has anyone said you stop breathing for long periods of time when you’re sleeping?  Do you fall asleep while in conversation or many times throughout the day?

• If you answer yes to any of these questions, you could have OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA—a condition caused by excessive tissue around the neck which causes your windpipe to collapse when you sleep so you can’t breathe in enough oxygen.  If you suspect you have this condition, see your doctor about scheduling a sleep study to confirm the diagnosis.

2.  Are you taking prescription medications like pain medications, anti-anxiety pills or blood pressure medications?

• If your answer is yes, then ask your doctor if your excessive tiredness could be a side effect of your medications.

3.  Have you gained an excessive amount of weight?  If you’re a woman, do you have irregular menstrual cycles?  Do you feel cold all the time?  Are you troubled by chronic constipation? 

• If your answer is yes to any or all of these questions, you could have HYPOTHYROIDISM—a condition caused by an inactive thyroid gland.  Your doctor can order a simple blood test to check your thyroid function.

4.  Have you lost weight recently without even trying?  Are you hungry all the time?  Thirsty all the time?  Or urinating all the time?  Do you have frequently infections?

• If you answer yes, then you could have DIABETES—a simple blood test by your doctor can confirm this.

5.  Do you bleed easily?  Do you have excessive bleeding during your menstrual cycle?  Do you crave or eat ice all the time?

• If you answer yes to these questions, you could have ANEMIA—a blood count can confirm this diagnosis.

So you see feeling tired all the time can signal something more ominous.  If you answered YES to any of these questions, make an appointment to see your doctor and discuss your symptoms.  The more you know, the better you’ll be and feel.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

I still can’t believe it.

This time last year I was about 40 pounds (and then some) heavier awaiting the arrival of my son, Rufus Alexander Ferguson.  I was still working full time but couldn’t spend more than several hours on my feet at a time because of leg cramps.  I felt so tired and worn down and frustrated….I hadn’t been able to look down and see my feet in months!

On April 5, 2006, I gave birth to my first child, little Rufus and my world has never been the same.  My schedule is no longer my own.  Forget about jumping in the car and running a quick errand here and there.  To get out the house on time with Rufus takes a minimum of 45 minutes and that’s if he doesn’t need an emergent diaper change before we leave the house.

So here it is almost one year later and I’m gearing up for a celebration bash for the little one.  I’ve already scoped out invitations and catering services—since with my hectic schedule I barely have time to run to the store when we’re out of milk so you can imagine I’m NOT going to have any time for planning the menu, grocery shopping and cooking. 

I can’t imagine having to cook and clean up after a house full of visitors let alone find time to run to the gym four or five times a week to keep in shape.  With the help of my live-in personal trainer, my husband….known to some as Coach Ferguson…he whipped me into shape in no time.  I was only about three weeks out from giving birth that I started back doing some bodyweight floor exercises to get my pre-pregnancy body back.  Like any great trainer, he didn’t take “No” for an answer and barred the word “can’t” from my entire vocabulary.  No one in our house….even visitors….are permitted to say that four letter word.  And if they do, Coach Ferguson will give them 10 or 20 more reps!!

With his coaching skills, his encouragement, I lost those extra 40 pounds and more!! 

Carrying that extra baby weight is one thing I won’t have to worry about when we finally get the time to take that family portrait that I’m been meaning to schedule for the past several weeks.  I won’t have to explain to people that “NO” I wasn’t expecting a new baby when they look at pictures of me at Rufus’ 1st birthday party.

In honor of Rufus’ 1st birthday, we’re going to celebrate BIG.  Not just here in sunny Boca Raton.  I’m also inviting YOU too to join in the celebration…..so stayed tuned!!!!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

If you’re anything like me, you’re still trying to get your body used to losing one hour of sleep.  Personally, it took me every bit of two days just to get myself back on track.  But now that I’ve got my body adjusted, I’m going to use that extra daylight to start some spring cleaning….because April is going to be a very big month for the Health and Wellness Queen!!!

My first order of business is to toss out those old magazines collecting dust in the corner of the living room.  Just like those old magazines, some of us have old habits that also need to be tossed out with the garbage.  It could be an old habit of grabbing a quick donut on the way to the office or tossing a bag of chips in the grocery cart.   A friend of mine recently gave me some great advice to cut down on the magazine pile that is growing out of control in my house.  She suggested that I quickly review the contents of all magazines that come in the mail and if I don’t find an article interesting enough to read right then and there……the magazine gets tossed in the garbage. 

Following that advice, I’ve seen a remarkable decrease in the number of magazines that go unread in the house and I’m taking that advice to other areas of my life.

Like, the refrigerator. 

Take a quick look in your fridge and see what its contents say about your eating habits.  Is the fridge full of leftovers that you never get around to eating and usually throw away after a week?  Or is it empty except for the half full containers of take out?  Do you sometimes stare at your empty refrigerator and wonder what you’re going to have for dinner?

Well, take the advice of a good friend of mine.  Don’t keep anything in your house….or your refrigerator that you won’t be interested in eating immediately.  Take close inventory of all the food that you buy and make sure that what you’re purchasing and putting in your body are the healthiest and most nutritious options available. 

I’m going to take this same advice when planning for my huge celebration in April…..so stay tuned!

Let’s all get started on our spring cleaning.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

When you think about osteoporosis or “weak, brittle bones” do you picture an elderly woman shuffling along with a walker, hunched over and unable to sit up straight?

Do you think osteoporosis is just a disease affecting women?

Well, if you believe that you don’t have to think about osteoporosis until you’re way into your 70’s or 80’s…then you’re wrong!!!

Osteoporosis usually affects older, thin women BUT you can be in your 30’s or even 20’s and have weak bones especially if you’re on certain medications which are known to weaken your bones.

Osteoporosis also affects men.

So what’s the big deal about osteoporosis?  You may even say to yourself, “I’m too young to worry about weak bones….I’m only 25!!!!

Well, the Health and Wellness Queen wants you to know that you’re at the most crucial point in terms of bone health and bone density.  Bone density refers to the stability and strength of your bones.  The more dense your bones are….the less likely your bones will break….on their own or if you slip and fall.  If your bones are particularly brittle, they can break if you’re bending down tying your shoe, reaching up putting dishes away or even if you bump against a wall. 

Your bone density is at its peak in your teens and twenties.  During these early years, your bones are continually breaking down and building more bone tissue which requires lots of calcium, vitamin D and other minerals to make your bones strong….able to withstand the stress of your daily life.  By the time you’re in your 30’s your body continues to remodel your bones but now…you’re breaking down more bone than you’re building.  So that means……you have until you’re about 30 to build up your ”bone bank” because after 30, you’re making more bone withdrawals than bone deposits. 

So here are 5 things that can you do NOW to build healthier, stronger bones that will last for life!!

1.  Get enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet.  That means at least 1000 to 1500mg of calcium (in your food or in a calcium supplement) and at least 400 to 800 units of vitamin D.

2.  Exercise.  With strength training to build stronger muscles and with weight bearing exercises which places increased stress on your spine, hips and leg bones which helps stimulate the remodeling process and continue to keep your body building more and more bone matrix/tissue.

3.  Don’t smoke.  Smoking increases your risk for developing weaker bones.

4.  Get tested.  Get a bone density scan if you’re at risk for osteoporosis (you don’t eat dairy or take calcium supplements, you have a family history of osteoporosis, you are of Caucasian or Asian descent, you have a thin frame, you smoke, you take corticosteroids chronically or you have an eating disorder).

5. Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol…which can decrease your body’s ability to absorb calcium. 

So let’s toast to your bone health and start building stronger bones today!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

Tell me the truth.

Have you secretly grabbed a cookie here and there?

Do you have a special stash of sweets hidden under your desk that you think no one knows about?

Have you stuck with your “No smoking” goal for the year or have you broken down and had a quick puff…but didn’t inhale?

Has it been weeks since you worked out?  Have your workout clothes been relegated to the back of your closet?  Are your running shoes gathering dust?

Well….if your answer to any of these questions is a resounding YES!….don’t get discouraged….don’t fret….because you’re not alone.  Now is the time when so many people start to see their weight slowly creep back up. 

You’ve made the sacrifice of getting your eating plan together….you know what you need to do, the foods you need to avoid but for some reason or another, you’ve lost your resolve and now when your significant other, your friend or your colleague indulges in a piece of cheesecake, a slice of deep-dish pizza or a bowl of ice cream….you secretly say to yourself, “Oh! Just one piece, just one slice, just one bowl….what’s the harm.” 

Well, just step on the scale and you’ll come face to face with “what’s the harm”…..the added pounds. 

But now is the time to SPRING FORWARD….to get back on track and to keep focused on your goal.

It’s time to clean out the cabinets….through away the chips, the snack cakes, the brownie or cake mixes……toss that pack of cigarettes you have stashed in the glove compartment or in your bag.

Start your spring cleaning early and make a firm decision to get back in shape.  Don’t think about everything you need to get done this week….just pencil in time to workout in the next 24 to 48 hours.  Don’t push it back to later this week because believe me, you’ll find something else to do in its place. 

We can do it together.  I’m going to leave work in the next hour and I’m going to get on my workout clothes and get to moving.  No excuses.  No laundry.  Just me and my workout program. 

So what to do say? 

Let’s pull it together and get back on track.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

P.S.  Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to sleep tonight!

Well the results are in.

A recent clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association yesterday noted that overweight and obese premenopausal women who followed the Atkins Diet with very low carbohydrate intake LOST THE MOST WEIGHT, HAD THE LOWEST BLOOD PRESSURE, THE MOST DECREASE IN PERCENT BODY FAT AND THE MOST DECREASE IN THEIR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS!

This trial pitted the Atkins diet against the Zone diet and two other diet programs which included higher percentages of daily carbohydrates.  Good news for the Atkins diet in the setting of recent reports criticizing the diet plan for promoting high fat options.  What this trial showed is that despite the significantly high amount of fat consumed on the Atkins diet, your bad cholesterol increased slightly but significantly.  What’s surprising is the significant DECREASE in triglycerides and blood pressure and body mass index. 

The improvement and favorable effect on lipids and blood pressure signals a potentially positive impact on using a very low carbohydrate diet to lose weight.

So what does this mean for you?

If you’re trying to lose weight, have tried diet after diet without success, whatever diet or food plan you choose, stick with a lower carbohydrate plan.  Controlling your carbohydrate intake will increase your chances of losing weight and lower your blood pressure, lower your blood sugar and lower your triglycerides.

So watch those carbohydrates and watch those pounds disappear!

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

Reality TV, documentaries or specials on the very rich and famous and even your neighborhood gym are all sporting the new trend in plastic surgery.  From your garden variety face lift, to your re-do nose job, to liposuction, to breast lifts or breast augmentations to collagen injections to permanent eye makeup, plastic surgery is rivalling luxury cars as the number one gift item requested by many high school graduates around the country. 

And no wonder…..plastic surgery is everywhere!  Plastic surgery is no longer just for the celebrities or for the super-rich.  Now young adults who want to get ahead in the fashion, entertainment or even business world are paying thousands of dollars to fix their crooked nose, straighten their teeth or even make their “assets” more noticeable.

Whatever the case may be, ask yourself these 5 simple questions before embarking on the road to plastic surgery….because for some people…once you start on the road of plastic surgery and begin changing this feature or trying to fix that flaw, you’ll literally find innumerable ways to spend more money and more time under the knife to create that image of the perfect you. 

So before making that appointment to see the plastic surgery ask yourself these 5 simple questions:

1.  Do I know why I want to get plastic surgery?  It’s okay to give a selfish answer.  In reality a purely selfish answer is usually the most honest one.  You may want to get rid of that ugly reminder that you’ve gained and lost over 60 pounds during the course of your pregnancies and want to get rid of that lower abdominal pouch that just won’t go away no matter how many situps or crunches you do.  Or it may be to correct that awful nasal bridge that’s been broken so many times during practice or competition.  Be honest and really think about why you want to change the way you look.

2.  Can I afford to have this procedure done?  Most insurance companies do not cover cosmetic plastic surgery.  If you’re in an accident and sustained an injury or you’ve undergone a surgical procedure to remove a tumor or an infected area of your body that’ll require the expertise of a plastic surgeon…like a skin graft, reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy for breast cancer or an amputation or excision for an infection…then your insurance company will likely cover this procedure.  But for the elective rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, etc….the expense is all yours.  So before taking out a second mortgage on the house….find out how much the procedure…and recovery…will take.

3.  Is my plastic surgeon Board Certified in Plastic Surgery?  Do your research.  Find out if the plastic surgeon doing your procedure is Board Certified.  In order to be Board Certified in any specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialities your doctor must pass a vigorous series of examinations and demonstate a high proficiency in performing certain standard surgical procedures.  It takes years of hard training and dedication to get Board Certified and to remain Board Certified.  And the next question to ask yourself is….

4.  Have I spoken to any satisfied patients….friends, colleagues or family members….who recommend my plastic surgeon?  Get references.  Ask your doctor if he or she has any patients that you could talk to about their experiences.  Talk to other patients while in the waiting room to get a better feel about their experiences.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Find a plastic surgeon that will be open with you about the risks of the procedure, what you can expect in terms of any pain or discomfort after the procedure and discuss with your doctor your concerns. 

And lastly, ask yourself:

5.  Do I fully understand the risks involved with the procedure and still want to go ahead?  Understand the informed consent.  Before giving your consent for any procedure know….and I mean really know…all the risks involved.  From the risk of general anesthesia, infection, bleeding to your complication risk….truly understand that any surgical procedure no matter how minor it appears or seems, still has some risk involved.  So be an informed consumer and customer. 

Once you’ve answered YES to all 5 questions, then you’re ready to take that next step.  But it’s okay if you never get to this point.  If you’re content with what you have, with what you’re able to change with diet and exercise then I congratulate you.  But if you want more, if you want fast results, then take the time to ask these 5 simple but important questions so you’ll have a pleasant experience….and avoid being on the next primetime news special entitled “Plastic Surgery Gone Wrong.”

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen