…..Especially when it comes to a potentially career-ending injury versus Wimbledon. 

We love watching sporting events whether live or on TV and when it comes to the Williams sisters, we’ll all sit down and watch history in the making.  But this Wimbledon, we look forward to Venus’ upcoming matches instead of a Williams-Williams match-up…..all due to a calf injury.

As my husband, the Strength and Conditioning King and Coach Ferguson can attest, the elite athlete is not part of the general population and therefore, what elite athletes do and what stresses their bodies can handle is not for the faint of heart.  Serena’s determination to come back after a potentially career-ending calf injury is case in point…check out the Mini-Movie clip

Many commentators speculated whether Serena would come back after the injury or whether she would bow out after her rain-delayed match.  Serena did what any elite or professional athlete would do when it comes to returning to competition after an injury….she consulted with a medical professional. 

As a medical professional, I’m frequently faced with similar questions about when an athlete should return to competition after an injury or how long an athlete should remain out of competition to rehab an injury…….and for elite athletes, the answer rests with the athlete.  Some athletes have mistakenly overtrained their bodies, others have sustained injuries due to overuse and some have injuries that unexpectedly just happen.  Whatever the underlying cause of injury, these athletes have careers, expectations and dreams at stake.  And it’s the elite athlete that knows when they can push through an injury and when they need to stop.  They know their bodies.   

Serena has many more years left in her tennis career but she had another Wimbleon win in her sights.  She received the necessary physical evaluation of her injury from a medical professional, got the proper treatment to minimize any swelling or aggravation of the injury and then with all the information available she made the best decision for herself……to return to play. 

Like Serena, my husband had to make the best decision for himself when it came to returning to competition after reconstructive knee surgery four whole months before the orthopedic surgeon said he would because he was determined and he had a goal and a dream in sight…..the Olympic dream.  Although some people said he couldn’t do it, my husband returned to competition in five and a half months to make the 2004 Olympic Team in Judo.  He did it….and Serena did it.  She won her rain-delayed match but didn’t advance to the semi-finals.  It just wasn’t her time. 

So for Serena, she has to look forward to her next Grand Slam……because now…. it’s rehab time!

To your wellness,

Dr. Traci Ferguson, The Health and Wellness Queen 

My good friend called me today after my husband and I had just finished barbecuing on the grill to say that she was up all night with a pain in her tooth like you couldn’t believe.  She didn’t get more than two hours of sleep the night before because the pain was so severe.  To control the pain she took upwards of 10 extra-strength Tylenol throughout the night and I almost died.

I promptly told her that she couldn’t take anymore more Tylenol over the next 24 hours.  Since she was in so much pain I couldn’t fully explain to her that taking so much Tylenol could actually cause more harm than good and that the amount of Tylenol should took could be toxic to her body and cause significant and sometimes irreversible liver damage, so I just told her “no more Tylenol.” 

I realized that the pain must have been so excruciating to disrupt her sleep and so severe that she needed to call me, Dr. Ferguson, so early in the morning.  Because she couldn’t think about anything aside from controlling her pain, I knew I had to find someone to take care of her tooth, immediately, even if it was the 4^th of July holiday.  After a brief search through the yellow pages, I found an oral surgeon who had holiday hours today and could see her immediately.  Within two hours of my first call to the dentist, we were walking out of the surgeon’s office and on the way to her house.

Whether you’ve ever been hospitalized in your life or not, whether or not you’ve ever broken a bone or had a toothache, you have experienced some degree of pain at one point in your life.When you go to the doctor’s office complaining of pain, one of the first things you’ll be asked is to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10….one being the least amount of pain and 10 being the worst pain of your life. 

Some of us have a high tolerance for pain—meaning the pain has to be very severe (at a level of 7 or above) before we even tell anyone we have pain.  While others have a low threshold for pain, meaning a pain level of 1 or 2 creates significant discomfort enough that you can’t even function.  To control pain with over the counter medications, you’ve probably chosen from pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol).  All of these over the counter remedies can control your pain but they all have certain adverse side effects that you have to be aware of.

Aspirin is a common pain reliever with a potent and significant effect on your platelets, which are blood cells that are responsible for clotting and preventing excessive bleeding.  Ibuprofen and naproxen are also in the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs along with aspirin and also have anti-platelet effects which is why your doctor or dentist may recommend that you discontinue these medications before having major surgery.  BUT REMEMBER….before discontinuing any prescription medication or prescribed over the counter medication, please consult with your physician.

If you are prone to easy bleeding or bruising due to an underlying medical condition, you may want to avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen as over the counter pain relievers unless directed by your doctor.  These NSAIDS can also cause irritation of the lining of your stomach so taking these medications with food may prevent any gastrointestinal upset.  This side effect of the medication is NOT an allergic reaction and should not be classified as an allergy….just an adverse effect. 

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is in a different class of pain relievers and is useful if you’re already on aspirin because of a prior heart attack or stroke, have a history of easy bleeding or have a bleeding disorder, or have a true allergy to NSAIDS.   Although Tylenol is useful at controlling pain and lowering fevers, it’s not a benign drug.  Taking more than 4000 milligrams or 4 grams of acetaminophen (that’s 8 extra-strength Tylenol!!) in a 24 hour period can be toxic to your liver.  Some studies have shown that even if you take less than toxic levels of Tylenol (less than 4 grams of Tylenol a day) can still have significant effects on your liver, with elevated liver enzymes above the normal range.

I’ve seen people end up with near end-stage liver damage from taking enough Tylenol to control the pain even though they’ve reached and even surpassed the toxic range of acetaminophen ingestion. 

My friend, in her desire and need to control the pain, took too much Tylenol, not because she wanted to but because she didn’t know.  If she had known, she would have called me earlier and we would have gotten her into see the dentist earlier…before she’d taken her 10^th extra-strength Tylenol.   She’s still recovering from oral surgery but it seems that her liver is doing fine….as long as she stays away from high doses of Tylenol.  Not all excessive amounts of Tylenol will lead to liver damage…but it only takes one time—-too much pain, too much Tylenol and too much liver damage.

So the next time you grab that bottle of pain reliever, take a close look at the drug label.  Know how much you should take…know the maximum amount of medication you should take within a 24 hour period and know when to call the doctor if your pain is not adequately controlled.  Don’t wait until it’s too late.

To your wellness,

Dr. Traci Ferguson, The Health and Wellness Queen

It’s summer time!
With summer in full swing, now is the time to plan that great amazing summer getaway with the family.  But your next summer getaway doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg or require weeks of preparation.  You don’t need to recruit your travel agent or go online to plan this upcoming summer adventure.  You won’t even need to spend any extra money if you don’t want to.  This summer adventure is about getting your family involved in an activity that everyone can take part in and enjoy….from the youngest to the oldest. 

Because what you need is a great family workout—early morning or late afternoon at the beach playing Frisbee or building a sandcastle, an early morning break at the local pool or create your own backyard playground where everyone can enjoy cycling through an obstacle or relay course.  For those of you who aren’t that creative to develop and design your own backyard workout, we’ve done away with the guesswork and have an easy to follow Backyard Workout manual that you can use to develop a family workout that everyone can do. 

Whatever the adventure, the most important aspect is getting the entire family involved—from the planning stage to the actual adventure date.  Let your kids think up activities that they’d like to do, that will get their pulses racing without emptying your pockets.  And if you’d rather have an indoor adventure…the sky’s the limit. 

Get out that old Twister game, a timer and the entire family and play Twister—the pumped up version….timing the rounds.  But players BEWARE—if you haven’t played in years, have chronic aches and pains from sore muscles and joint problems this is NOT the game for you!  But if you’ve already received permission from your doctor to participate in physical activity…then by all means grab that Twister game and get spinning.

And if you’re brave enough to weather the elements and want to try an outdoor adventure…please heed this warning and don’t forget about sunscreen.  No matter if there aren’t any clouds in the sky or all you see are overcast clouds, harmful ultraviolet rays can penetrate your skin and cause damage to your cells’ DNA and significantly increase your risk for developing skin cancer—-the most common form of cancer. 

Skin cancer can affect anyone…no matter your skin color or skin type—so everyone must take steps to lower their risk of getting skin cancer.

Here are some skin-saving tips for this summer season and for all seasons…
 

1. Wear sunscreen every day at least SPF 15—even when it’s overcast.  SPF refers to the ratio of time it takes you to burn when out in the sun with sunscreen compared to the time it takes you to burn without sunscreen.  So if you normally burn after 5 minutes, if you apply SPF 30 sunscreen, you can spend up to 150 minutes and be protected.
2. When you’re out in the sun, wear sun-protective clothing such as wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeve but breathable clothes.
3. Reapply your sunscreen frequently if you’re active in water sports or if you perspire.
4. Avoid being outside during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when sun rays are at their strongest.
5. Skip the tanning booths.  Use artificial tanning products or bronzers to get that golden glow without the harmful UV rays.

So before setting out on your next family adventure, pack the sunscreen and have fun.  Be active and be healthy!
To your wellness,
Dr. Traci Ferguson, The Health and Wellness Queen

Over these past several days I’ve put the finishing touches on my first book entitled “The 21 secrets to Amazing Health.”  I passed the first draft on to my husband who’ll give it a close read before passing it on to our editor.  My “21 Secrets to Amazing Health” is a comprehensive guide that is months in the making and will take you on an amazing journey to help you achieve greater results in terms of weight loss, healthy living and longevity.
 
The need for these “21 Secrets to Amazing Health” was even more evident yesterday when I was sitting at the bedside of one of my patients, Mr. M, whom I had admitted to the hospital a day earlier.  For the past 2 days Mr. M had noted some chest discomfort but no “true” chest pain.  When he began to experience profuse sweating along with the chest discomfort he came to the emergency department to get evaluated.  As I was approaching his hospital room, Mr. M was walking towards me looking for his nurse.  He wanted a cup of water and quenching his thirst was his highest priority at the time, not the fact that he had severe chest discomfort and might have a blocked artery supplying his heart. 
 

During my interview and examination, I discovered that Mr. M had had a recent stress test several months earlier and was told by his doctor that the test was abnormal but he opted for medications only and didn’t want to have a cardiac catheterization to take a better look at his arteries.  He told me he had a “bad” experience some 15 years ago when he had his first catheterization and didn’t want to go through that again. 
 

Both I and the cardiologist I called in to see him knew that Mr. M’s symptoms were highly suggestive of a blocked artery and that a cardiac catheterization would be the most definitive test to perform but given his reluctance to undergo the procedure, he had a low level stress test performed yesterday.  To his surprise but not to ours, he again had an abnormal stress test but this time, the cardiologist was able to convince him to have the cardiac catheterization. 
 

I was called by the cardiologist immediately after the catheterization with the results.  Mr. M had a “widow maker” lesion along with severe blockage of 2 of his other coronary arteries and was being emergently prepared for open heart surgery within the hour.  The “widow maker” is a severe blockage of the left main coronary artery which supplies a significant portion of your heart muscle with blood and other nutrients.  Most people who have abrupt complete blockage of the left main artery will never make it to the hospital for evaluation and will die immediately, hence the name “widow maker.” 
 

Even though Mr. M was reluctant to proceed with a cardiac catheterization, we convinced Mr. M that he was here in the hospital for one reason and one reason only and that was for his health…to do whatever we needed to do to help him live many more years past the age of 67. 
 

Mr. M in his desire to enjoy the “golden years” of his life, ignored the signs of heart disease and wanted to blissfully enjoy living in ignorance when it came to his lifestyle.  He told me that he didn’t like doctors and really never bothered to follow up with their recommendations.  I explained to Mr. M that I wanted him to enjoy his “golden years” and that means doing whatever is necessary to make sure that his chest pain is fully evaluated and if that means opening up a blocked artery (or in his case, having open heart surgery to bypass his blocked arteries) then we’re prepared to do whatever it takes.
 

If you were in Mr. M’s position, what would you do differently?  Are you like Mr. M, are you ignoring certain warning signs that you need to get checked out by your doctor?  Do you want to enjoy your life but you’re unsure as to what it really means to live healthy?
 

This and many more questions and issues will be answered in my upcoming “21 Secrets to Amazing Health.”  Continue to visit http://www.thehealthandwellnessqueen.com for future release information and for general information on your health and wellness.
 

Take care,
Dr. Traci Ferguson, The Health and Wellness Queen
 

This is a question that even I have to ask myself when I’m suffering from an irritating sore throat with a runny nose and a productive cough.  Should I ask my doctor for antibiotics or is this consellation of symptoms just the result of some pesky virus that won’t be affected by antibiotics and may even raise my risk of contracting a bacteria that’ll be resistant to even the most powerful of antibiotics?

As a new mother, I’m tempted to call the pediatrician for every runny nose, every sneeze and every tug at the ear BUT I don’t.  Most of the time, Rufus’ symptoms are very self-limited and don’t even last for more than a day.  But on the other hand, I’ve been medicating myself with Theraflu and menthol cough drops for the past several days without much improvement in my nagging cough and I’m beginning to wonder if I need antibiotics!

So before I went on my trip to Maryland to see the family with Rufus I got a Rapid Group A Strep test to see if I had strep throat.  The Rapid test was negative for Group A strep but it wasn’t until I returned from my trip that I finally got around to checking on the final throat culture.  What I found out was no surprise given my continued cough especially worse at night.  I found out that my sore throat was not due to a simple virus but due to another form of hemolytic strep species called Group F Strep. 

Now for a quick microbiology lesson of Streptococcus.  Streptococcus is a bacteria that is a common naturally occurring bacteria that you can find in your mouth and on your skin.  Occasionally a particular strain of streptococcus predominates and causes inflammation and irritation of your throat called pharyngitis.  There are several groups of Streptococcus and it’s the beta-hemolytic streptococcus groups that can cause rheumatic fever and potentially cause irreversible damage to your heart valves….thus the importance of identifying and treating a sore throat or pharyngitis due to beta-hemolytic strep.  Even without antibiotic treatment your Strep throat will get better but it’s the damage to the heart valves that we’re trying to prevent by prescribing antibiotics to eradicate the bacteria. 

Since I spend all my time working in the hospital I see the devastating effects of random and careless use of antibiotics by many doctors and patients to treat anything from the common cold to the flu.  Antibiotics–no matter how strong and powerful WILL NOT treat viruses!  You’d need an anti-viral medication and there is no such medication for the common cold.  Because I’ve seen the insurgence of antibiotic resistance over the past several years, I follow a strict self-imposed rule of NOT prescribing antibiotics unless I’m sure I’m treating a bacterial infection.

So when I first got the throat culture, the emergency room doctor wondered if I was already taking antibiotics for my sore throat and I told him NO!  I explained to him that I would wait to see what the throat culture showed before taking any antibiotics and lo and behold, I took my first dose of antibiotics tonight. 

When I was on my trip visiting family, I knew that the severity of my sore throat was not normal and that something more was going on and I was right.  Although I had to take frequent breaks I was still able to stick to my workouts but had to use a modified version of the Backyard Workout that I could perform in my mother’s living room.  Even with eating out every night, my workouts kept the extra pounds at bay and the scale thanks me. 

So now that I’m heading off to find another menthol cough drop I know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel for my sore throat.  I’m day #1 on a 7 day course of antibiotics to rid my throat and my body of any potential damage to my heart valves. 

To those of you who often wonder if you should ask your doctor for antibiotics for whatever infection you have, why don’t you first ask for a culture to be taken, so both you and your doctor will know exactly what you’re treating!

To your wellness,

Dr. Traci Ferguson…The Health and Wellness Queen

Ask any high level athlete if they’ve ever competed when they’ve felt fatigued or so drained and they’ll say YES! 

Yes, they’ve fought in a Judo match when they were still recovering from a stomach virus the night before.

Yes, they’ve played in the NBA championship game after suffering a painful bruised rib because their team need them.

Yes, they’ve completed in the Olympics with a bad shoulder injury because the Olympics only come once every four years.

But to those of us who aren’t elite athletes…what should we do when we don’t feel up to doing our full, intense regular workout routine?

Just like I, Dr. Traci Ferguson, the Health and Wellness Queen tell my patients….you can do all things in moderation.  Case in point, if you have symptoms of a common cold—runny nose, post-nasal drip, nasal congestion, a sore throat—and you’ve tried hot tea, lots of fluids and even over the counter remedies without much success, you may be tempted to forego your scheduled workout routine that day but you don’t have to.  Now, I’ll never advise anyone to exercise or workout when they’re having pain, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, an injury or any other medical problem that requires immediate medical attention.  If you experience any discomfort that causes you to feel faint, unable to catch your breath or carry on a normal conversation, then immediately STOP all activity and seek medical attention. 

But for those of us you are suffering from the common cold, here’s what you can do to still exercise and stay in shape when you’re not feeling your best….You can workout in moderation. 

Working out in moderation means that instead of doing your scheduled 20 or 30 minutes of exercise to keep your heart rate up, try 5 or 10 minute intervals at a lower pace.  If you’re able to complete only 15 minutes total when you’re feeling slightly under the weather….that’s GREAT!  We’re not trying to run the marathon here, we’re just trying to keep our level of activity and physical conditioning up despite our cold. 

The real secret to being able to workout when you’re feeling under the weather is to stay hydrated before, during and after the workout.  This means if you feel so upset to your stomach that you can’t keep down adequate fluids…..then you should NOT workout—plain and simple.  Your ability to workout depends on your ability to keep fully hydrated. 

As I’m writing this post, my nasal passages are congested but I can still breath, my throat is sore but I can still swallow without difficulty, my appetite is decreased but I can still drink plenty of liquids.  What I have is an annoying virus that’s causing my upper respiratory infection.  Even with this cold, I was still able to work a full 12-hour shift at work yesterday and I can certainly workout today with the Workout Out with Rhadi DVD. 

Instead of doing my regular 2 sets of each exercise, I’ll aim for one good set, take frequent water breaks and finish the workout despite being under the weather. 

Now I, Dr. Traci Ferguson, the Health and Wellness Queen would not recommend you do anything that I wouldn’t do myself.  So the next time you’re feeling under the weather and if can wonder if you can still workout….workout in moderation and take it from me, a health professional, a day lost of physical activity is virtually impossible to make up.  So stay ahead of the game, keep hydrated before, during and after the workout, take it easy and workout in moderation.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

Yesterday I had to tell two men that their lives would forever change….

…..one was given a diagnosis of diabetes and the other was told that he likely has cancer of the pancreas.  Neither one of these men thought that when I walked into their respective hospital rooms that the first sentence out of my mouth after my usual greeting would be “I have the results of your tests.” 

The first man was in his mid-forties, married with two children.   During one of our previous conversations he told me that he had been under a lot of stress at work, that he frequently skipped meals and would often grab a candy bar and a soda during one of his quick breaks before heading back to his desk.  He also revealed that he had been feeling more tired lately, not having the energy he used to and that he had neglected exercise for the past several months.  He even admitted that he had grown up on southern cooking and had recently found a restaurant that served sweet tea like his mother used to make. 

Now for those of you who aren’t from the south, sweet tea is made by brewing black tea and then added either a simple syrup (one part sugar and one part water heated together to make a thick, sweet syrup) to the tea while it’s hot or adding cups and cups of sugar to the hot tea to sweeten it before added enough cold water to make a pitcher.  Now I have to admit that my great-grandmother used to make the best sweet tea but now that I’m older….and wiser…I know that sweet tea is basically “diabetes water” because if you drink enough sweet tea, you’ll end up with diabetes like my patient. 

At first my patient tried to refute the diagnosis of diabetes stating that it’s probably the steroids he’s receiving for his facial swelling that caused his blood sugar to be so elevated.  I explained to him that steroids can increase your blood sugar transiently but that I had ordered a special test called a Hemoglobin A1c which measures how well (or not so well) your blood sugar has been controlled over a several month period.  Although his blood sugars had been high during his hospital stay, his Hemoglobin A1c was also elevated, indicating that his blood sugars had been high for months…..not just days.  Once it finally sunk in that I wasn’t going to change the diagnosis of diabetes, he accepted his role in the way he’s mistreated his body and vowed that he would change the way he eats and would start exercising as soon as he left the hospital. 

I congratulated him on his determination to get his health back on track and encouraged him to continue the change because just by losing 10 to 15 pounds his blood sugar and his blood pressure would be better controlled and he might even avoid needing to take diabetic medications!! 

He was so glad that I had taken the initiative to check his blood sugar and Hemoglobin A1c while he was in the hospital for an unrelated matter because he knew the importance of early detection and early control of diabetes to avoid amputation, blindness and kidney disease. 

As I walked to Mr. D’s hospital room I had to mentally prepare myself for the emotional atmosphere that was about to take place as I told him that the mass found on his pancreas was likely cancer and that pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and most deadly cancers you can have. 

When I first met Mr. D, he complained of severe upper abdominal pain with a poor appetite.  He had recently had a significant amount of alcohol over the past several days and had subsequently developed pancreatitis—-an inflammation of the pancreas.  A CT scan of his abdomen revealed a mass arising from his pancreas which was concerning for cancer.  When I told him the results of the scan, his main focus was on when he was getting released from the hospital because he had just accepted a job up state that was starting next week.  I explained to him that we could schedule a biopsy of the mass in a few days after the holiday weekend.  We’d have to wait on the results of the biopsy to determine if the mass was a more treatable form of cancer—a lymphoma or if the mass was the most common form of pancreatic cancer—adenocarcinoma, which may be amenable to surgery but the long term prognosis still remained bleak. 

Mr. D understood the road ahead and took the news of cancer in stride.  He had lived fast and he had lived hard.  He’d taken his chances before and this was no different.  As I turned to leave his room he offered me his hand and thanked me for being honest with him and said that he’d do what was necessary….including quitting alcohol….to live better. 

So, yesterday was a draining day, physically and emotionally…but in the end, two lives have changed and hopefully….for the better.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

P.S.  I’m just about finished my first book entitled “21 Secrets to Amazing Health” so stay tuned for more information on how you can get your hands on this life-changing book for yourself and for your family.

The New England Journal of Medicine, one of the premier medical journals in the United States just published an original article which raised concern about the safety of a very popular prescription medication for diabetes—rosiglitazone—also known as Avandia. 

Avandia is in a class of drugs that helps to lower your blood sugar and helps get and keep your diabetes under control.  This new study which is called a meta-analysis pools together data from various other studies and tries to answer the question..”Is Avandia safe or is Avandia harmful?”  The authors of the study concluded that “rosiglitazone was associated with a significant increase in the risk of myocardial infarction and with an increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes” and that “patients and providers should consider the potential for serious adverse cardiovascular effects of treatment with rosiglitazone for type 2 diabetes.” 

The media publicized these results which prompted the makers of Avandia to send their pharmaceutical reps literally door to door to physician offices, to hospitals and even to my office today to give their take and interpretation on this statistical review of previously published data and to help make sense of all the hype. 

People can argue the validity or the accuracy of these statistical reviews (or meta-analyses) until they turn blue in the face but the fact of the matter is this….this paper was reviewed by other physicians before being published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the simple fact that this article was published in a reputable medical journal means that patients and physicians alike…that means you and me, must take these new results seriously.

Now I’m not here to argue for or against the results of the published study.  What I’m here to do is get you….the consumer…to understand that prescription drugs do come with warning labels.  Now I know some of the warning labels are so small that you’d need a magnifying glass to even read them…and sometimes I’ll even put down my glasses for a closer look at the small print.  The main point is this….prescription drugs can save lives BUT some medications are associated with serious adverse effects….even death. 

As consumers, we all have to weigh the relative benefits of a prescription drug against the potential harmful side effects of the drug.  When I frequently counsel my patients about a new medication I believe will help them, I sit down and discuss the possible side effects…like nausea, headache, diarrhea, decreased sexual libido, etc., so that we, as a team, can decide if this new medication is right for them or not.  Sometimes, after talking with a patient, we decide against starting the new medication and try to find other ways to control the problem.  This open line of communication is vital in getting the necessary treatment and care that we all deserve.

This new article really stresses the need for all of us to be active participants in our healthcare and that means knowing the risks and potential side effects of the medications we take.  So if you have a question or concern about the medications you’re taking, I urge you to speak with your doctor.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

The deadline is approaching…

Starting July 1, 2007 all New York City restaurants will have to start preparing foods with oils that contain LESS THAN 1/2 gram per serving of trans fat.  That means those tasty cannolis….warm doughnuts…and even that famous cheesecake you like to order when you’re eating out…will have to be prepared with something other than partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. 

What exactly does this mean?

This means that magarines and shortenings that have been used for decades and even centuries to make the most delicious, calorie-rich and over-the-top decadent desserts and other foods are now getting a make-over thanks to the New York City Board of Health.  The NYC Board of Health is taking a stand against the rising number of heart attacks and deaths associated with high cholesterol and just plain old poor eating habits which have become custom in our American diet. 

So why is trans fat getting singled out as the bad seed in the bunch when it comes to how restaurants prepare foods?

Trans fat gets it name from the actual chemical structure of the fat molecule.  It finds it’s place somewhere between butter—which is a saturated fat and canola oil, olive oil or soy oil which are polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils.  Trans fat—like shortening—have been shown to raise your bad (or LDL) cholesterol and lower your good (or HDL) cholesterol…which together spells double trouble when it comes to your heart and your risk for having a heart attack or dying from heart disease. 

The Food and Drug Administration got on board with educating the consumer with the content of trans fat in prepared foods by adding Trans Fat to the Nutrition Label in 2006.  Foods that contain less than 1/2 gram of trans fat per serving are labeled as having zero grams of trans fat per serving. 

So where can you find trans fat?

The majority of foods that contain trans fat are your cakes, cookies, pies, breads, biscuits…anything that you can remember your mother or even your grandmother making with a measuring cup of shortening to make your favorite dessert light and fluffy.  Trans fat can also be found in some margarines, french fries, some potato chips, candy and even some cereal.  So check those Nutrition Labels!

This mandate is not going to change the way your mother makes her famous cookies or pies but it will affect the way chefs and bakers around the city prepare their signature dishes.  This new rule is aimed right at our hearts and our waistlines to try and help get the city of New York on a healthier track. 

But regulating trans fat alone won’t change your overall health status if you don’t also work on controlling the amount of calories you eat and the amount of exercise you get. 

The Institute of Medicine recommends that we get 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise on all, if not most days of the week.  That means walking the dog doesn’t count unless you’re taking a real brisk walk and get your pulse rate up.  You could also try incorporating the At-Home Workout or the Backyard Workout into your exercise regimen to meet your weekly exercise goal. 

And don’t think that New York City will be the only place where trans fat will be regulated.  All eyes are on NYC to see how successful this regulation will be in curbing the city’s rising death rates from heart disease and may even cause a ripple effect when it comes to regulating what we eat when dining out.

So….NYC…..we’ll be watching out for you this summer.

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

What do these people have in common?

• A young man who has vomiting and diarrhea after eating spoiled food
• A middle aged woman who is taking a water pill, called a diuretic, to control her blood pressure
• An elderly man with poorly functioning kidneys, who has been taking the same blood pressure medications for years and who missed his recent doctor’s appointment

All these people are at risk for potassium imbalance…either too little potassium like the young man who’s been vomiting and the woman taking fluid pills or too much potassium like the elderly man with worsening kidney function.

So why is potassium so important for your body?

Potassium is an essential mineral that your body needs in order to maintain the normal balance of cellular function in your heart, your kidneys and your muscles…

When you have too little potassium in your body—called hypokalemia—you’re prone to develop muscle cramps, fatigue and may even develop life-threatening heart irregularities.  These heart irregularities indicate that your heart rhythm is abnormal and without immediate treatment these irregular rhythms can lead to death.  The only way to know if your potassium level is dangerously low is to get your blood level tested. 

Not everyone who has an episode of vomiting or diarrhea will develop low potassium but if you’ve been vomiting or having persistent diarrhea for days, are unable to keep down any food then you need to seek medical attention immediately to seek if you have any electrolyte imbalances.  Because with persistent vomiting or diarrhea you may develop other salt imbalances that need treatment. 

If you chronically have low potassium blood levels you’re at risk for having higher blood pressure as your body retains sodium and fluid, which both can raise your blood pressure.  So by eating foods rich in potassium you can maintain the normal cellular function of your heart, your kidneys and your muscles and can even lower your blood pressure.  

Foods rich in potassium are oranges and orange juice, bananas, potatoes, spinach, and legumes.  These foods are natural sources of potassium and allow you to optimize the normal functioning of your body.  Potassium supplements may be necessary if you are on medications like water pills that make you lose excessive potassium in your urine.  Talk with your doctor to see if you should start potassium supplements or if a change in your diet with more potassium-rich foods will be the answer to your low potassiuim levels.

On the other side of the spectrum is having too much potassium in your body—-called hyperkalemia.  Hyperkalemia, when mild, typically doesn’t have any symptoms but when your potassium gets very high…you can again experience a fatal heart rhythm and even cardiac arrest.  Usually you can’t eat so much potassium from food alone to cause you to have severe hyperkalemia unless your kidneys don’t function normally.  When your kidneys don’t function normally, your body holds on to the potassium and can cause elevated potassium in your blood. 

If you suspect you’re at risk for elevated potassium levels, see your doctor and get the necessary treatment.

So you see, sodiuim is not the only mineral you need to know about when it comes to your health.  Your potassium is also important. 

To your wellness,

The Health and Wellness Queen

P.S.  Stay tuned for future posts on other essential minerals like calcium and magnesium here at www.thehealthandwellnessqueen.com