Hear from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas doctors themselves on health and wellness-related issues.
Summer is here! The warm weather and long days offer us extended opportunities to be outside and active. It can also create opportunities for injury or illness that may happen after hours.
Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Should I go to the emergency room?”
“Hey Doc, I saw an advertisement for stem cells to regenerate joints, since nothing has worked, is it time for me to have this done on my bum knee?”
Stem cell therapy has drawn interest as a novel approach to treat difficult medical conditions. Hematopoietic stem cells retrieved from the bone marrow or blood are being used successfully to replace bone marrow damaged by chemotherapy regimens. These treatment regimens continue to be studied and refined and are now a widely-accepted treatment option. Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Does stem cell therapy live up to its hype?”
Do you have an attitude of gratitude? You can develop an attitude of gratitude and a daily journal is a great way to start. Research shows that simply taking five minutes each day to write down the things you are grateful for can increase your happiness as much as doubling your income!
Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Take time to be thankful”
The connection between physical activity and mental health has been extensively studied, and several theories have been developed about it. For example, during the aging process, physical exercise might represent a possible treatment for depression and dementia, helping delay the onset of normal aging processes. Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Exercise and Mental Health”
Winter is approaching, so it is time to decide whether or not to get a flu shot. The flu shot is the single best way to prevent the flu, but less than half of all Americans get one. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that almost everyone over 6 months of age get a flu shot this year. Let’s take a look at some facts that support how the flu shot can be beneficial. Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Should I get a flu shot?”
Summer is here, and nothing beats being outside enjoying a beautiful, sunny Kansas day. When you are going to be outside, include sunscreen as part of your routine as you dress for the day, even when it’s cloudy.
Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Should I use sunscreen?”
Many of us in the baby boomer generation fondly recall the 1960s sitcom “Gomer Pyle, USMC.” The television series starred Jim Nabors as a Marine trainee named Gomer Pyle and Frank Sutton as his short-fused drill sergeant, Sgt. Carter. As I recall, in nearly every episode, there was a scene with Sgt. Carter yelling “Pyle! Move it! Move it!” at the top of his lungs as Gomer Pyle was bumbling his way through military exercises. Check it out on YouTube; they don’t make comedy like that anymore. Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Move it! Move it!”
“Hey Doc, all of my friends are on a gluten-free diet! Is this the latest fad since Lyme disease or is it time for me to switch to gluten-free beer?”
Advertisements for gluten-free foods are everywhere. Grocery store aisles, restaurant menus, and even the beer cave in the local liquor store have people asking. At a recent family BBQ, a nephew, his wife and their one-year-old refused to have a hot dog because the bun was not gluten-free. Is this necessary or is Madison Avenue taking advantage of an opportunity? Continue reading “The Doctor’s Note: Are gluten-free diets just a fad?”
