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Medical Health FAQs you Should Know the Answer to

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about your health–FAQ Format

What is MIS-C?

Answers what is mis-c

MIS-C is a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.  Basically, this condition exists for certain children who have had COVID.  The children usually get heart damage, kidney damage, lung damage.

MIS-C usually appears 2-6 weeks after the child has been infected with COVID. The children end up being hospitalized & oftentimes they end up in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

What’s the news here?   This is great news because it means that children who develop this, MIS-C, inflammatory response–aren’t ending up with permanent organ damage.

The big picture:  it’s important to get children vaccinated.

Will Moderna’s COVID vaccine be approved for kids 12-15?

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What’s the good news here?  The good news here is that the Moderna vaccine has a 100% efficacy rate for children age 12 to 17.

Why does this matter?  This matters because it means that none of the children who end up getting the vaccine ever caught COVID.

What’s next?  The key point here is that data like the above are slowly inching us towards herd immunity. And, that’s a very good thing.

What is Indirect Sun Exposure?

What is passive exposure

What’s going on here? Indirect exposure to the sun is called: Passive exposure And, it can harm you.  So, when you’re in the car, or if it’s a cloudy day–wear your sunscreen! At least a 35 SPF.  Sun damage is real.

The Latest:  7 sun protection essentials you need, according to Real Simple

Doctor’s Take:  Lists like the one above can be made every day! The key takeaway here is that if you’re outside in the sun, use sunscreen. 

What you should have in your skincare routine?

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You need these three things to start an effective skincare routine: Ceramides, Moisturizers, & Sunscreen.

Sunscreen is needed for all skin types, including people of color, & people who have acne. Go get it!

Why are younger people getting colon cancer?

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Doctor’s Take:   The number of young people getting colon cancer is rising rapidly.  An uptick in cancer rates could be happening for a number of reasons, including a bad diet, sugary drinks, and even environmental issues.

The key takeaway here is that you need to get screened earlier.  Start colon cancer screenings @ age 40 if you’re a person of color. And age 45 if you are of caucasian descent.

Should I get more than 6 hours a sleep each night?

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By now you’ve probably heard about this new study that suggests sleeping less than 6 hours per night causes dementia.

Why should you care?

Well, the media is sensationalizing & only looking at one side of the equation. 

The Doctor’s Take:  You can listen here

I don’t want you to panic. Even though they found this connection, it ALONE doesn’t mean that you’re going to get dementia.  Doing things like exercising, socializing, & learning–all have been medically proven to reduce one’s chances of developing dementia. This is how Science works. We keep learning more each day.

What is Lyme Disease?

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Keep an eye on those LYME Ticks.  As summer dawns upon us — a lot of time is going to be spent outdoors.

What you need to know:  Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection. The infection is usually cured by taking antibiotics such as doxycycline (tetracyclines) 100mg twice a day (BID) for 21 days. 

The thing to keep in mind is that untreated Lyme disease can pose serious problems to your brainjoints, and other body organs

What is the Glymphatic System?

Latest by health stuff to know

Your brain has a garbage disposal system.  Meet your Glymphatic system.

The Glymphatic system is essentially a waste removal system in our brain.  
A lot of research is showing that good sleep keeps this waste removal system humming along. It’s through good sleep that our brain is able to remove these “waste products.” 

This ties into our talk about sleep and dementia from last week.  

Now, look, there are no one-to-one connections here, but that’s what good science is all about!  Each discovery builds upon & learns from the other.

You’re gonna‘ hear a lot more about the Glymphatic system in the coming months in the mainstream media.  

Do Statins Cause Pain?

Statins

Don’t let the fear of pain make you stop!

What’s going on?  When people stop taking statins because of muscle pain —
“…they’re missing out on huge benefits…of being on statins”
PLUS, people who stop taking statins, increase their risks for a heart attack or stroke.

Why it matters  👉Talk to your doctor about the pain. Oftentimes, the pain can be actually coming from some other issues.

For example:  Vitamin-D deficiency, B-12 deficiency, and/or a Zinc deficiency.

A recent study found no differences between the statin and placebo periods in either muscle pain or reports on daily life activities and moods.

What are some new Mental Health Statistics?

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It’s a good time for the discussion of mental health in our society.  Celebrities are going out of their way to let us know about their mental health struggles.
Instead of looking down at this trend–we should actually celebrate it.  Because such open talk is actually normalizing mental health problems.

Did you know?
1 in 5 US adults have experienced some form of mental illness in their life course.
7.7 Million youth/children struggle with mental health.
People with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. 

Is there a link between COVID & Vitamin-D?

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Why this matters:  There is still a lot of work to do.  There is no direct connection between low Vitamin-D levels and COVID-19.  

What does this mean for you:  Vitamin-D deficiency is quite common in certain populations, including people with dark skin, people who are homebound or in nursing homes, and obese people.

Ways to quickly get Vitamin D:
Fish:  Salmon and Tuna are good natural sources of Vitamin D.
Supplements:  (600 to 800 international units per day).
Fortified foods: Cereals, milk, & orange juice.

Why are Beets considered a Superfood?

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Beets are nutrient-dense.  Beets have many positive effects on our bodies.

What does this mean for you:  nutrient-dense basically means that an item contains a lot of nutrients & is low in calories.

I want you to know that 1 small beet– is around 35 calories, contains about 7g of carbohydrates, & contains almost NO FAT!

Beets are rich in magnesium, fiber, and betalains.

Why is Magnesium good for the body?

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Your body loves magnesium for the following reasons:  
Magnesium relaxes your muscles. Magnesium helps your gut health. And, Magnesium has natural calming properties.

Why does my body love Fiber?

Your body loves fiber for the following reasons: Fiber keeps you regular. Fiber helps you feel full & it reduces cravings. Fiber helps in lowering your cholesterol.

Why does my body love Betalains?

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Your body loves betalains for the following reasons: Betalains reduce inflammation throughout your body. Betalains inhibit lipid-peroxidation. And, betalains help with oxidative stresses.

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Reviewed by Dr. Puja Uppal, DO 
May 28, 2021