For Better Memory, A Little Exercise Makes a Big Difference
Our primary care doctors in Delray Beach would prefer that all our patients follow the recommended guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), among others, to exercise moderately to vigorously for a total of 2.5 hours a week. In reality, however, we know that doesn’t happen very often, despite the best of intentions. People’s schedules are already full, they don’t have a place to exercise, or perhaps their physical limitations preclude strenuous workouts. This is a shame because study after study has shown the myriad benefits that come with regular exercise. The payoffs of exercise These include: Heart
Why You Shouldn’t Worry About a Paxlovid ‘Rebound’
Ever since news reports that President Biden had a “rebound” infection of COVID-19 after taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid, our primary care doctors in Delray Beach have heard questions from some of our patients who are now concerned about using it. Here’s why you should not hesitate to take it if you’re eligible. About Paxlovid Paxlovid is a prescription antiviral drug manufactured by Pfizer, specifically to treat mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. Studies show it is nearly 90 percent effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalizations. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Paxlovid if: you tested positive for COVID-19 you’re at
Proof That Anyone Can Get Deep-Vein Thrombosis
Many people believe that the condition known as deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) only occurs in older people or those who have been confined to bed or are traveling long distances in cramped quarters, like an airplane. But our primary care doctors in Delray Beach want you to know that anyone is susceptible to this dangerous, potentially deadly condition. This was underscored late last month when “the fastest man in the world,” British runner Max Burgin, who just turned 20, was forced to withdraw from the World Championships after developing a DVT in his calf. “I pulled out of the 800m at the World Champs
FDA Authorizes New Vaccine as COVID-19 Surges Again
You may be tired of hearing our primary care doctors in Delray Beach tell you that the latest version of the COVID-19 virus is the worst one ever, but that is actually the case with the current omicron subvariant, BA.5. That’s because it’s the nature of viruses to evolve to survive and thrive. And as we’ve seen since the beginning of the pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is particularly good at this. The BA.5 subvariant is currently responsible for over 80 percent of the new COVID-19 infections in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Good news, bad
Ability to Balance Linked to Longer Life
Can you stand on one leg for 10 seconds? Our primary care doctors in Delray Beach hope the answer is yes because a new study published last month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that an inability to do so nearly doubled the risk of death from any cause within the next decade. It may seem simple, but it’s an important skill: In addition to this study, earlier research has linked the inability to stand on one leg to a greater risk of falls as well as earlier cognitive decline. The Test For the current study, researchers asked 1,702 Brazilians ages
Go Dark for Healthier Sleep
According to Harvard Health, a single night of poor sleep can not only leave you feeling cranky and unmotivated, but also over time, raise the risk of a number of chronic health problems, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. It can also leave you more vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that chronic sleep deprivation can also increase your risk of dementia by 33 percent and age your brain by as much as three to five years. This is why our primary care doctors in Delray Beach often urge our patients to
The Pros and Cons of Rapid COVID-19 Tests
When will the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus be gone? Our primary care doctors in Delray Beach wish we knew the answer to that. What we do know is that it’s still circulating among us, especially here in South Florida. According to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) figures, all South Florida counties except Okeechobee remain in the highest of three COVID-19 community levels. The high categories reflect surging cases, positivity rates, and hospitalizations. WPTV reports that cases statewide are at the highest level since mid-February, the positivity rate of 17.2 percent is the greatest since early February, hospitalizations are the most
Multiple Heart Conditions Linked to Dementia
If our primary care doctors in Delray Beach told you that having more than one risk factor for heart disease was as detrimental to your mental health as genetics, would you believe it? This is what a new large-scale study on dementia risks found. According to the study, led by Oxford University and the University of Exeter and published last month in the journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity, having multiple heart-related conditions are linked to a greater risk of dementia than having a high genetic risk. It also confirmed the findings from a 2017 study that showed similar results. The study The researchers
Staying Safe in the Heat
Now that summer is officially here, our primary care doctors in Delray Beach want to remind you of the dangers of high temperatures. Although the south, southwest, and middle of the country has so far endured the worst of the record-breaking heat, we’re not out of the woods, either: Heat index values here have regularly climbed into the triple digits in recent weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines extreme heat as “summertime temperatures that are much hotter and/or humid than average. Because some places are hotter than others, this depends on what’s considered average for a particular location
Can Exercise Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.8 million Americans of all ages were living with Alzheimer’s-type dementia in 2019. This number includes an estimated 5.6 million people ages 65 and older, and approximately 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s. One in 10 people age 65 and older (i.e., 10 percent) has Alzheimer’s dementia. It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 80 percent of cases in the U.S. Our primary care doctors in Delray Beach know how terrifying the possibility of developing this disease is to anyone who is approaching middle age, or