Heart Attacks Becoming More Common Among Younger Women
Everyone knows that heart attack risk increases with age, and that men are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease than women. Except that a recent report published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, found that younger women ages 35 to 54 are changing that statistic at an alarming rate. Our family practice doctors in Delray Beach want to make you aware of this growing risk, and offer suggestions on what you can do about it. The study The study examined the medical records of nearly 30,000 people ages 35-74 who were hospitalized for a heart attack between 1995 and 2014. Over the study
Think Twice About a Keto Diet
It’s human nature to look for shortcuts to anything. That’s why lotteries are so popular. But when it comes to losing weight, the “latest and greatest” diets aren’t always the most sensible approach. Our family practice doctors in Delray Beach have been hearing questions from many of our patients about most recent fad diet known as “keto,” so we’d like to offer some information to those who are interested in following this eating plan for weight loss. What is a keto diet? “Keto” is short for “ketosis,” the state this approach to eating produces in adherents. Ketosis is actually a normal metabolic process,
Processed Meats Increase Your Risk of Colon Cancer
Some foods are better for you than others. Often it’s a judgment call about whether to indulge in so-called “bad” food if you enjoy it. But our family practice doctors in Delray Beach want to make you aware of a new study which found that eating one quarter-pound beef burger daily raised the risk of developing colorectal cancer 20 percent. The study further found that such processed meats as bacon or sausage posed an even bigger risk of colorectal cancer than consuming red meat. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third most-common cancer, expected to cause approximately 51,000 deaths this
6 Ways To Grill Healthier This Summer
Memorial Day kicks off the unofficial start of summer, with its picnics, fireworks, and barbecues. That last activity is what our family doctors in Delray Beach want to focus on now. The danger of grilled meat First, a bit of background. It is true that barbecuing meat may increase the risk of certain cancers. The blackened crust found on the grilled meat, known as “char,” is the dangerous part, containing the cancer-causing compounds heterocyclic amines (HCAs). The more HCAs the finished product has, the greater the risk of prostate, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer. High grilling temperatures, as with indoor cooking at high temperatures,
Pollen Allergies and What To Do About Them
If your nose is stuffed up or runny, you’ve been sneezing or wheezing, if your eyes are watery and your eyes and throat are itchy, welcome to spring. Our family practice doctors in Delray Beach see a number of patients this time of year because of the increase in pollen, and the many people who are allergic to it. So we wanted to explore this annoying condition and offer ways you can cope with it. The pollen story Pollen is the yellow powdery microspore produced by the male part of a flower (anther) used to fertilize the female part (stigma). It travels
Prepare Now for Hurricane Season
One of the great things about living in and around Delray Beach is the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. That proximity, however, can spell disaster if a hurricane comes onshore. Because this week has been designated National Hurricane Preparedness week, our family practice doctors at Cohen Associates in Delray Beach want to share with you some steps you can take now to be prepared for hurricane season, which starts June 1 and ends November 30. And be aware that hurricanes can also occur outside that window. The following tips were compiled from the American Red Cross, the National Hurricane Center, and the
The Myth of the ‘Base Tan’
It’s the myth that just won’t die: You need a “base tan” to start the summer season and help protect you against sunburn. This belief is not only false, but it’s also dangerous. Because May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, our family practice doctors in Delray Beach want to take this opportunity to put an end to this common fallacy. The facts behind the myth The myth of the “base tan” persists because it seems logical. If you already have a tan, you’ll be less likely to burn on your tropical vacation. There is actually a grain of truth to this: lying
Watch Out for Swallowing Dangers
Just when you thought you had the house totally child-proofed—dangerous toys banished, poisons and pills safely tucked away, baby gates everywhere—along comes another new study highlighting the dangers of things you might not even have thought of. So our family practice doctors in Delray Beach thought you should be aware of the risks this study revealed. Published last month in the journal Pediatrics, the report found that between 1995 and 2015, more than 775,000 children under the age of six—an average of 99 a day—were taken to emergency rooms for items they had swallowed. In addition, the annual rate nearly doubled
The Consequences of Measles Can Be Deadly
While the controversy surrounding measles vaccine rages on, our family doctors in Delray Beach thought you should know some facts about measles, especially a little-known, but ultimately fatal result that can appear years after infection. What is measles? First, let’s look at the disease itself. Despite its outward manifestation as a red, itchy rash, measles is in fact a respiratory infection caused by a virus. First identified in Persia in the 9th Century, measles was first found to be caused by an infectious agent in 1757 by a Scottish physician. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the decade before 1963 when a
How To Survive Rip Currents
It’s not even hurricane season yet, but rip currents have already made their debut along the Florida coast. Florida had 297 fatalities from rip currents between 1999 and 2013, the highest in the nation. Therefore, our family practice doctors in Delray Beach want you to know as much as possible about how to survive this deadly phenomenon. An average of 100 people die in rip currents every year, and nearly 80 percent of all rescues—30,000 a year—made by lifeguards at ocean beaches are from rip currents. Although they can occur any time, they are especially prevalent when the ocean is churned up with powerful