Does it Matter What Your Doctor Looks Like?

A new study conducted by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the John Hopkins University School of Medicine found  out that a doctor’s body size had an influence on how he or she cared for their patients with weight problems. The researchers found that out of the 500 primary care physicians that was part of this study, 30% of normal weight physicians discussed losing weight with their patients while only 18% of the overweight doctors did.

They also found out that 93% of doctors would diagnose obesity in their patients if they believed that their own weight was equal to or less than that of their patients. The study also found that more than half of physicians were overweight or obese (53%) which is a similar percentage to the 64% of the U.S. adults that fall in the same category.

What was also surprising was that when overweight or obese doctors did discussed obesity issues with their patients, they were more likely than their normal weight physicians to prescribe anti-obesity medications (26% vs. 18%) rather than diet and exercise.

The researchers concluded that the behavior is subconscious and not intentional. This study suggest that the physical appearance of doctors can be a bigger factor to how patients are taken care of than realized.

Read the original article here—courtesy of Times Healthland.

What do you think of this study?

Snacks under 80 Calories

We found an article on Health.com where they gave us different snacks that were less than 80 calories. Below are the top 3 snacks that we thought were satisfying and curb your craving without the guilt!

1. Root beer float: 62 Calories—-8 ounces A&W Diet Root Beer and 1/3 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream.

2. Gooey treat: 60 Calories—-Mallomar

3. Old-school ice cream: 70 Calories—-Creamsicle low-fat pop

What are some of your favorite low calorie snacks?

Click here for more ideas and original article- Courtesy of Health.com

–Professional Medical

Texting and Talking Slows You Down

A new study conducted by the Stony Brook University found that talking on a cellphone or texting while walking reduces your walking speed and makes it difficult to walk in a straight line.

Their preliminary research consisted of 33 men and women in their 20’s and tested them when they were texting and talking on the cellphone and vice versa.  Results showed that their walking speeds were 33 percent slower while texting and 16 percent slower while talking on the cellphone. Also, those who texted showed that there was a 61 percent increase in side-to-side deviation while walking. This added to the total travel distance increasing their walking time to their destination.

This study is used to help physical therapy patients improve their walking  in their early recovery process.

Click here to read the original article-courtesy of health.com

What do you think of this study?

–Professional Medical

Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt

AARP.com wrote a good article that summarized the difference between Greek and regular yogurt. Below are just some of the highlights:

Protein: Greek yogurt wins by having nearly twice the protein.

Sodium: Greek has half the salt.

Calcium: If you’re looking for more calcium, regular yogurt is the way to go. It has about three times as much calcium.

Calories: It is about the same if you are comparing similar flavors and fat levels.

Carbohydrates: It depends. Greek plain yogurt has half the sugar than the regular.

Fat: It also depends. Full-fat Greek yogurt has three times the fat of regular, full-fat yogurt. However, there is nonfat or low-fat Greek yogurt as a buying option.

Greek yogurt is usually pricier than regular yogurt, because it takes about three times as much milk to produce a pound of Greek yogurt compared to the regular kind. The reason behind this is the process—for that Greek yogurt taste, it would need to be strained to remove most of the liquid whey to give it that thicker consistency it is known for.

For more info and the original article click here—courtesy of AARP.com

So which one do you usually like better?

-Professional Medical Corp.

Curried Carrot Soup

Soup is often a great choice to make during the winter season. Eatingwell.com showed us a delicious healthy curried carrot soup recipe that will definitely warm you up this season.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 8 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook oil and curry powder in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in carrots, celery and onion; toss to coat in oil. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; let stand 10 minutes. Lay a paper towel over the surface of the soup to blot away the oil that has risen to the top. Discard the paper towel.
2. Working in batches of no more than 2 cups at a time, transfer the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Return the pureed soup to the pan, place over medium heat and heat through. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

What other soup recipes would you recommend?

Click here for the original recipe including tips and nutrition—courtesy of eatingwell.com

-Professional Medical Corp

 

Top Fat Burning Foods

If losing weight is part of your New Year’s resolution, then these foods are some of the top fat burning foods you need to know.  Health.com gives us some suggestions to burn more calories than ever before.

1. Whole Grains—By eating whole food in general, your body burns twice as many calories than processed foods.
2. Low-Fat Dairy Products—These food such as cheese are rich in calcium and vitamin D which can help preserve and build muscle mass—vital for keeping a tough metabolism.
3. Green Tea—The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking about 4 cups of green tea a day helped people drop more than six pounds in eight weeks! Supposedly, there is a compound in the brew that temporarily increases metabolism after sipping it.
4. Hot Peppers—The compound, capsaicin, that gives chili peppers their spicy kick, heats up your body and makes you melt additional calories. Any form of pepper works such as raw, cooked, dried, or powdered. This is great news for those who love spicy food.

Click here for more foods—courtesy of Health.com

What are some of your suggestions?

-Professional Medical Corp

Dramatic Increase of Twin Births

Since 1980, the twin birth rate rose 76%. In 1980, one in every 53 babies born in the U.S. was a twin and in 2009, it had risen to one in 30. The largest increase occurred among non-Hispanic white mothers.

Interestingly enough, about one-third of the increase in twin births is due to the increase of older women having children. It is more likely for women in their 30s and 40s to naturally have twins than their younger counterparts. However, nearly two-thirds of the increase can be explained by the rise of infertility treatment.

Overall, twin births only make about 3% of all births. There are also health risks to keep in mind such as early birth, low weight, and longer hospitalization related to multiple births.

What do you think of this news?

Click here for the original article—courtesy of cnn.com

–Professional Medical Corp.

Overall, Cancer Rates in U.S. Continue to Decline

The American Cancer Society’s annual report announced that cancer death rates are declining 1.8 percent per year in men and 1.6 percent per year in women between 2004 and 2008.  The advances in cancer screening and treatment have prevented a million + deaths from cancer since the early 1990’s. There were seven less-common cancers that rose in the past decade signifying that more can be done.

Also, between 1999 and 2008, cancer death rates fell by more than 1 percent each year in both men and women in every racial and ethnic group except for American Indians/Natives whose rates are holding steady.

The biggest declines were among black men (2.4 percent) and Hispanic men (2.3 percent).

This year, they suggest that 1,638,910 people will be newly diagnosed with cancer and 577,190 people will die from it. That is why it is important to do cancer screenings every year.

For more statistics and information, click here—Courtesy of Foxnews.com

What do you think of this news?

Drugs that are Becoming Generic this Year

AARP.com announced some of many brand-name prescription medications that are going generic  for 2012. Last year, brands such as Lipitor and Zyprexa went generic, giving people cheaper alternatives. Look below for this year’s list.

1. Lexapro—use to treat depression  (March)
2. Provigil—used to treat sleep problems (April)
3. Plavix—an antiplatelet drug used to prevent blood clots (May)
4. Singulair—an Asthma drug (August)

This is great news for those who want more affordable drugs.

Click here for the original article—courtesy of AARP.com