Tag: #healthcare

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VACCINE for COVID-19 #THISISOURSHOT

It’s here–the vaccine(s) that could eventually get us back to living relatively normal lives in time. But so many people don’t trust it.

I won’t lie. I’m one that was hoping that all the appropriate steps were taken. I’m very pro-vaccine, and I knew that we couldn’t take any missteps that would give the public a real reason to mistrust vaccinations. However, after more education, I understand that there is no reason to mistrust how quickly this vaccine came into being–it’s fabulous that we can stand on the shoulders of the scientists that came before us. And these scientists were able to jump a bunch of red tape and received lots of funding that made this incredibly fast timing possible. It’s not that they skipped the science–it’s that they skipped the bureaucracy. Great!!

I ultimately took the vaccine for one reason–because the only way we stop being ravaged by the craziness of this virus is that we reach herd immunity. That comes either by enough people being vaccinated, or enough people being naturally infected–which would mean a lot of death, and a lot of lives changed for the worse. I DO NOT want the latter, and IDSA spoke out against a campaign for this type of thing here. So vaccine it is.

Mistrust of Black America

So, with good reason, Black people don’t really trust the health care establishment. Okay. I get it. I know what they did to us. I know what they do to us. I have a front row seat on a daily basis. But folks. They really are really trying with this one. They tried hard to get us enrolled in the studies so they would know how it affected us. They are trying hard to make sure that it gets to our population when it gets rolled out. AND–in case you didn’t know:

This is Dr. Kizzmekia Shanta Corbett. She is the one of the people behind this vaccine, and look–she’s blackity black–like–her name couldn’t be more us–and I’m here for it! Her nickname is “Kizzy” y’all! And despite all this, Black people still really don’t trust this vaccine.

This is the thing: We are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19–you know why? Because of the very things that we are right about–the institutional racism that causes our populations to be disproportionately affected by obesity and diabetes which are risk factors for severe COVID, because of factors which cause us to have less access to healthcare, and factors that show that even once we have access, the establishment tends to treat us less effectively. All that is true.

So yeah. You know what’s going to happen if we don’t get vaccinated, all the REAL institutional racism that’s causing us to die disproportionately of COVID-19 is going to keep being a thing. I’m thinking it’s best to go with the solution to this problem, and fight to get the same therapy everyone else is getting.

More Questions?

Okay, so you want more answers? There’s an amazing woman on Facebook, Friendly Neighbor, Epidemiologist, who has broken down a lot of these concepts. In one of my favorite posts, she not only compares the two vaccines, but she also links explanations to many FAQs about the vaccines.

Wonder how these mRNA vaccines work?

Well there is an awesome post from a 9 year-old that is great at explaining how this works. Please click the image for the original Facebook post–because her mom totally deserves credit for raising such an amazing kid!

If you’re one of the lucky/blessed few who get to be vaccinated first, remember that you should continue to wear your masks and socially distance. We will not know if people who are vaccinated are able to unknowingly spread the virus for some time, so it’s important to continue safety measures to protect those who are unvaccinated until we are able to reach mass levels of vaccination.

There are very few contraindications to (or absolute reasons not to receive) the vaccine. Previous allergic responses to food, medications, etc. should be reported so that you can be observed differently. Previous allergic reactions to a vaccination should be discussed with your physician, and you may decide to wait until more vaccines have been given–but you may decide to proceed–that is up to you and your physician or the institution administering the vaccine, and I’ve seen people with previous allergic reactions to other vaccines do well with this vaccine.

Ultimately–regardless–it’s an intensely personal decision. However, this intensely personal decision does indeed affect public health, so don’t take it lightly. Do your research, from reputable sources. Don’t feed into the media that’s designed to scare you for no reason. For instance, I keep seeing this article saying some COVID-19 vaccines could increase the risk of HIV infections. No one bothers to point out that the ones in question are still in trial phase, and are neither of the two vaccines now approved for Emergency Use Authorization in the US. It’s important to read and read well my friends.

Have you seen this one about the physician who died a few weeks after receiving the vaccine? People keep posting as if it is definitely connected to the vaccine. First of all, it hasn’t been. Second of all, even if we connect it to the vaccine, it will be the first death connected to vaccination. That is literally 1 death in 5-6 million vaccinated people. Compared to a death rate of 1% in COVID, and a morbidity rate that is likely 30-50%–if not higher. (So that you understand what that looks like that would mean that 50,000-60,000 people would be dead from the vaccine for it to be equally deadly). Again, in medicine, we are discussing risk vs benefit. The vaccine is FAR SAFER than the disease.

Be safe. Wear your masks. Wash your hands. Socially distance. And yes, I’ll ask, if you can, please, be vaccinated.

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NTCC Ladies’ Day: Shelter in a Time of Storm

Delighted to join these powerhouse sisters to encourage our sisters in Christ in this season.

This is a rough period. The Lord sometimes allows us to go through some storms, but He is always our shelter, and He always shows us ways to continue to protect ourselves.

I was asked to speak on how we secure our physical shelter through this storm.

First some background on COVID can be found here.

I strongly believe that we are to take care of our bodies and that this is scripturally sound messaging! 1 Cor 3:16 tells us that our bodies are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in us. If you remember how God was very serious about the physical temple built in the Old Testament, you know that He does not take his temple lightly. In 1 Cor 6:19-20 we are further instructed to glorify God with our bodies.

This brings me to SHELTER: Sleep, Healthy eating, Exercise, Listen to the experts, Tame your disease and do your prevention, Everything you already know, and Rest in Him.

S–Sleep

Sleep and other forms of rest and recharge are essential to your health. Science says you ideally need 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Disordered sleep can affect blood pressures, weight, blood sugars, and increase your risk of heart disease, just to name a few things. Additionally–the reason I bring it here specifically, is it weakens your immune system. You need good rest for a strong immune system, ready to fight any obstacle it may encounter. I’d also like to speak to Meditation and Gratitude -as they are a form of recharge, and are both beneficial to your health. *click the links*

H–Healthy Eating

Healthy eating gives your body the right nutrients to strengthen the immune system. Supplements can be beneficial, but what I have researched and strongly believe is that our bodies process nutrients much better from food sources–this is how God made our bodies–it just makes sense. It also helps keep our bodies at a healthy weight, and obesity has shown to be one of the biggest risk factors for COVID-19.

In Daniel 1:8, 12,13,15, we see a story where Daniel avoided the “royal diet” in favor of eating vegetables and water. At the end of the suggested time, he and the other soldiers were far healthier and more youthful in appearance. I’m not telling you you must go plant-based (although there’s lots of evidence to support this (-:), but there’s your scriptural support for a healthy diet!!

I like to focus on a healthy plate.

For more information on other ways to address your diet see this section of my blog.

E–Exercise

Exercise has been shown to be helpful for strengthening the immune system! Anyone who knows me knows I will prescribe exercise for almost ANYTHING! There are no chemical side effects. It works to counter the obesity that places us more at risk in this pandemic. It works to control chronic illness. It works to help our mental health and sense of well-being. I truly can’t say enough great things about it.

Read my other post about exercise here.

L–Listen to the Experts

It’s a shame that we have really gotten into a culture of mistrust when it comes to our trained professionals. The truth is, that the Bible teaches us that there is a time to sit down, and listen to others. Prov 12:15 says “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. ” Proverbs 1: 5 says “ A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels”. Mark 12:17 reminds us that everyone has their lane–Give unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s. We are to put our full trust in God, but we are also to trust those who He has given the knowledge and understanding in certain special areas.

Finally, I have heard many people take the road of “I am just going to trust God” when opting not to follow certain well established guidelines.” This is prohibited in Luke 4:9-12, when Jesus is tested in the wilderness, and refers to older writings saying “It is written, thou shall not tempt the Lord, thy God”

T–Tame Your Disease

One thing we have found in COVID is that many chronic illness are risk factors severe illness in COVID. You want to make sure that you are taking care of yourself. Make your doctor’s appointments–virtually or socially distanced. What we are seeing is people are coming in to hospitals much sicker than they normally are from things that are not COVID because they are scared to come in to take care of their illnesses. We don’t want to see people dying needlessly from other things.

E–Everything You Already Know

Wear your masks, wash your hands, socially distance. It’s simple.

R–Rest in Him

If you take a peek at the rest of my blog, you will see that I went through my own journey before this COVID thing. I grew to a different place with my trust in God. When this COVID thing hit, I sat down, and asked, “Really, God? Something else?” But we had a talk. And he reminded me that:  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 1 Cor 12:9-11. We have to learn to submit fully to his will, because his will is perfect. He will see us through this storm, y’all! Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

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Misinformation

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A couple of weeks ago, I responded on the wall of some Facebook acquaintances when they shared something really offensive about how to decline a vaccine. I hardly ever do that. Truthfully, the barrage of misinformation and healthcare hatred hits a little differently when you are literally in the middle of a pandemic, scared for your patients, your family, your colleagues, and yourself. And I honestly feel that part of what you sign up for when you take the oath is to educate, and fight misinformation. It has just become so hard.

For some reason, some people are convinced that I *meaning physicians/healthcare workers* put my health and my family’s health in danger, that I sacrifice precious time with my little ones, for some malicious plot to keep the public in line. Or they’ve convinced themselves that thousands of people who are the in the top 1% in academic intelligence and are extremely hard working and trained in the art of scientific skepticism have all been brainwashed and can’t possibly know as much as they do about *insert topic* and that this rogue scientist that the thousands discount must be right because they confirm their suspicions.

My question is why aren’t these rogue scientists treated to the same level of skepticism as the actual, scientifically based theories? Why is it that some are so ready to accept these half-baked stories at first glance?

It actually breaks my heart that there are people on my timeline—it means you know me—who feel that I and my colleagues would knowingly harm them in the name of a dollar. Who feel they need to play games to hold me to an oath I actually take very seriously. Some may be surprised to read it.

A Modern Version of the Hippocratic Oath

“I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.

I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery.

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.”

The modern version of the Hippocratic Oath was written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University.

I fight misinformation because I love my patients—because when they hurt, I hurt. Because when something goes wrong, I spend hours making sure I did everything I could to prevent it from happening.

I give and get vaccines because they save lives and uphold my oath to PREVENT disease rather than cure it. I also wholeheartedly believe in supporting healthy immune systems through diet, exercise, and meditation. These are not mutually exclusive.

COVID-19 is real. It’s really killing some people. You should really wash your hands frequently, stay home when you can, and wear a mask and stay distant from those not in your immediate family for a while. When/if there is a safe and effective vaccine, you should get it. You should also eat a diet that is well balanced and full of plants of all colors and exercise.

These things aren’t mutually exclusive. No one is saying they are. Ignoring science is not the way to go, though. Ask your questions. Let’s have a dialogue.

See a blog full of immune boosting nutrients and their food sources here.

See a great, well-researched rebuttal to Plandemic here:

***Not my image

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American Heart Month!!

Not my photo, link to where I got it below

It’s the last day of February—Heart month!

I didn’t want to let the month end without a good post encouraging you to focus on your heart health—after all, I am an internist—who focuses on preventative care. This is what I live for. It’s been a busy month, and I haven’t really had a lot of time to sit down to do this, but if you take a look around the site after reading through this, you’ll see why I couldn’t let this one slide…

I was very animated, and had a lot more hair…lol!

So—last year, I gave a talk where I told a bunch of ladies in order to protect their heart they should focus more on their HEART:

Healthy Diet

Exercise

Address your stress

Regular health care appointments

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

Healthy Diet

A diet high in whole grains, vegetables, omega 3, 6 sources (seafood) and low in animal fat, saturated fat, simple carbohydrates—white and sugars, sodium is what you want to focus on. The most evidence is on a plant-based diet, but everyone isn’t always ready for this lifestyle commitment. I teach my patients about the healthy plate, one where you have ½ plate of veggies and fruits, ¼ of a lean protein source, and ¼ of a carbohydrate, preferably whole grain. In addition, ways of eating like, intermittent fasting, are showing additional promise.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/

Exercise

Our sedentary lifestyle is killing us. We spend times in commute, in front of computers at work, in front of screens to unwind. The amount of television one watches can be correlated with how unhealthy you will expect them to be—why? Because generally, you aren’t moving while you’re doing it.

For a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended 150 min of moderate (walking) or 75min of vigorous (Zumba) cardiovascular exercise weekly; 2 days weekly of strength training. This can be over 5 days or 2 days—just get it in!!

Address your Stress

It is well known that stress is correlated with uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes, which are risk factors for heart disease.

Mindfulness, meditation, counseling, exercise—and, yes, sometimes medication are important ways to make sure you are addressing this important aspect of your health.

Regular Health Care Appointments

Get screened for important risk factors to heart disease and listen to your doctor when they tell you what they are seeing. I can’t tell you how many times I hear, “But Doc, I’ve never had X.” Insert whatever disease they haven’t had until this day and don’t want to have. Guys, you don’ have it until you do. And sometimes, you don’t have, it, and I’m trying to prevent you from having it. Listen to your doctor when they are telling you that they are seeing the signs of disease or the early signs that one may be developing.

Specifically, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are large contributors. And I realize, no one wants to hear about their weight, and no one wants to be on medications. There’s a way to have the discussion, and I’m totally here for lifestyle modification (see the hyperlink)!! But you can’t fight what you don’t acknowledge.

Which leads to…

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

You should ask questions in your appointments. If your doctor isn’t telling you about your risk of heart disease, ask to make sure it’s being addressed. Know your numbers, and where they fall in relation to what normal values are, and what that means for your overall health. And ultimately, your doctor, and health care professionals provide the education, but you make the change. MAKE THE CHANGE!! 😊

Heart month image: http://www.kdisanto.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/HeartMonth.jpg

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It’s Likely A Virus…Or is it?

Its that season…

Pumpkin spice everything. Soup. Chili. Beans.

And, yep, germs EVERYWHERE!

In honor of my first evil toddler cold of the season (for the record it’s currently 2-1 in favor of my regimen—Daylight savings threw off my Spidey-sense), I figured I’d share some insight on how to tell when you may be dealing with influenza vs common cold, common cold vs bacterial complication—meaning now you need to see a doctor and get some of the double-edged sword that is an antibiotic, or it may be strep…which generally, adults aren’t dealing with unless they’re around germy children. Yes, children are little incubators, and I never got sick before I had them. They’re lucky they’re cute!

INFLUENZA AND STREP

COMMON COLD

SYMPTOMATIC THERAPY

VITAMINS AND HERBALS?

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Flu Season is Coming…

Protect yourself!!

Okay! So I’m here to talk about vaccines again. Why. Because vaccines save lives, VACCINES SAVE LIVES! And I always say, I chose adults because I want to be able to sleep at night knowing an adult made a decision for themselves, but it’s my job to EDUCATE! So that’s what I’m here to do folks. Do with the info what you will. But do understand, that your decisions do impact others—it is definitely a public health issue.

So here goes…

(First, if needed, to review the basics of general vaccination click here)

Why should you be vaccinated against the flu? Although it’s quite common, and it comes in different versions every year, this is not the cold, folks. This is the BIG BAD. This thing kills and maims. In fact, most years it’s responsible for 30,000 deaths, and in really bad years, like 2017, it can be responsible for up to 80,000 deaths. You know why those numbers are getting so high? BECAUSE PEOPLE WON’T GET THEIR VACCINES. Because it spreads like wildfire.

I previously didn’t spend a lot of time trying to convince relatively young healthy adults to try to get the flu vaccination. Then something started happening while I was in residency. I started noticing that people my age were dying of the flu. That wasn’t something that we were used to seeing. And then it was happening every year. So I felt like it was something I really needed to start talking about.

Why does it spread so quickly?

People are contagious before they know they are sick. So they are walking around shopping, going to school, work, thinking it might be allergies, and all the while spreading a highly contagious, airborne virus. Once they are sick, they’ve likely been making others sick for 48-72 hours.

Why is it so deadly?

Influenza is VERY fast. It replicates quickly and overwhelms our immune system. It continues to replicate quickly and starts to overwhelm our organs as well. When we have the vaccine, our immune system is prepared to fight, and even if we get sick, it can keep our organ systems from being overwhelmed.

Who is most at risk?

Really young people (children under 5), our more seasoned citizens (our immune system gets weaker as we have more and more birthdays), people who have certain health issues (ie. Asthma, diabetes, cancer, COPD, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease—to name a few—see a full list here. Why do those of us not in these categories get vaccinated? To protect ourselves, but also, to protect our loved ones who fall into these high risk categories.

What are the benefits of the flu vaccine?

There is long list here, but to highlight a few, it has been shown to reduce risk of death in children, ICU days from the illness, risk of cardiac events, and pregnancy related lung disease. It also reduces doctors visits related to flu illness, and overall severity of the illness.

What are some of the risks of the vaccine?

The risks are very low. Injection site reactions are the most common side effect. Feeling a bit run down 1-2 days after the injection can happen, but is generally a mild reaction. I normally explain this  as an immune system flair, but on review of the evidence, it actually occurred at the same frequency in people injected with the actual vaccine and salt water (placebo), which means this is likely NOT a reaction to being injected with virus. Please see below links to see the CDC discussions on the almost non-existent risk of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and the reasons you shouldn’t be worried about the amount of thimerosal.

The flu shot is so important, but this article reports that only half of adults plan to get it and only 40% of adults got it in 2017-18 flu season. People—this is why more and more young adults are dying of flu. And it’s PREVENTABLE. I don’t want it to be my patient or my friend, my family member, or my church member. Remember, I don’t get paid to do this—I just spent the past hour or so writing this blog post simply to try to spread awareness on this important topic. Not for a bonus. But because it’s my calling. Because I believe in it. Because it’s science, and it’s public health, and it’s people’s lives. You only get one.

Below I have linked some great reference pages from the CDC page. Also, maybe take some time to click through the side links, it’s really great information for anyone truly interested.

Key Facts

Who Needs and When

Misconceptions about the Flu Vaccine

For those worried about Guillain-Barre Syndrome

For those worried about thimerosal

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Vaccines

I’m an internist…not a pediatrician…but am very much pro vaccine. Because I’m pro-science. And I’m pro-people-not-dying-of-preventable-stuff. It’s kinda why I became a doctor, ya know?

Myths I would like to debunk: I do not get paid for vaccinating people. I do not get paid directly by any pharmaceutical company, period. PERIOD. When you hear that doctors get “paid” for vaccinations, what really happens is they may get value-based bonuses on whether or not they are able to vaccinate a certain percentage of their population. Because vaccinations save lives. And it’s a public health issue.

NEWS FLASH!! This does not come from the pharmaceutical company. It either comes from our EMPLOYER who ALREADY PAYS US, and who are actually paying FOR the vaccine or from your INSURANCE COMPANY, who AGAIN, is ALREADY PAYING US, and actually pays FOR the vaccine.

Second NEWS FLASH, very few offices make money on vaccines. Many offices actually LOSE money on providing the service of vaccinating their patients, but they still do so, because they find it so IMPORTANT.

My kids are being vaccinated on schedule. ON. SCHEDULE. Many of the things out against vaccines were debunked a while ago, but for some reason, continue to spread and cause fear in well-meaning parents. What we SHOULD be afraid of is the diseases that these vaccines protect against…most of which caused death and permanent harm to children when they were widespread.

So, how do they work? Why are we putting the illness, or something like the illness in you in order to prevent the illness? So glad you asked! This infographic explains it quite well, and you’ll find a link to the full blog post.

http://hcrc.missouri.edu/2015/08/05/im-kind-of-a-little-big-deal-public-health-ninjas/

So basically, it’s like training for a marathon. The first time you do it, you don’t have the muscles and your body isn’t fast enough. But once your body’s been introduced to it, it’s faster, and ready to go.

So what about boosters? These are vaccines where your body doesn’t mount a complete response the first time. It needs more practice.

Well why do some people still catch, say, the flu, even though they get the flu shot? You guys ask great questions!  Sometimes, the virus that causes the illness is faster than our bodies ability to fight it off, and we still get sick. This doesn’t mean the vaccines was useless. We still typically don’t get as sick as we would have if we were completely naïve to the virus.

And what do we mean when we say it’s a public health issue? Well, there’s the whole issue of herd immunity. There will always be people who can not be vaccinated for one reason or another, or simply won’t respond to the vaccine. Herd immunity, or the fact that most people are immune and won’t catch the illness, so won’t spread the illness, protects these people. See the image below.             

The below article is long, but if you are seriously wondering about why physicians would recommend we inoculate our bodies with a form of the illness to prevent the illness, below is why, and why the schedule may seem intense. If you are as concerned about your health and your child’s health as I know you are, it’s totally worth the read.

Cashing In On Fear: The Danger of Dr. Sears

Protect yourselves, your children, and our population, and get vaccinated!

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