How to follow a Healthy Lifestyle - The Basics

Are you puzzled by contradictory nutrition and lifestyle guidance out there? Congrats, you are not alone! For every professional recommending you a specific food which is beneficial in your diet, you will find another suggesting the opposite. And, the confusion goes on.

A healthy routine can help you to avert sickness and boost the quality of life. To make it clear, having a healthy diet is not at all about harsh limitations, thinking of unreal zero figures, or resisting the food you tempt for. But, it is a mark of the pair, physical & mental health, functioning well together in a person. 

Here are a few recommendations for a healthy lifestyle/daily routine, which includes simple steps that you can follow to bring a difference in your life.

Exercise Daily:

Exercise is any physical movement that boosts your physical fitness and overall wellness. It improves strength, prevents aging, relieves depression, develops your muscles & cardiovascular system, and much more. Exercises are categorized into three basic types: Aerobics, Anaerobic, and Flexibility. Notably, regular exercise is one of the best gifts that you can give yourself to deal with the hectic lifestyle of today.

Note - Always consider consulting your doctor or nutritionist to ensure a proper diet in your exercising routine.  

Don’t Smoke:

Duh, right? Well, “Healthy” here meant smoke nevermore. There is no healthy amount of smoking. And, there is no way around it; smoking can ruin your health, as it harms almost every organ of the body. Smoke weakens your immune system and kills your strength, which results in a lot of physical problems including, nicotine addiction, strokes, cancers, blood clots, vision issues, thickening of blood vessels and SIDS, etc.  

Remember, it is never too late to quit.

Avoid Alcohol:

If you dream of a healthy lifestyle, first avoid alcohol. Alcohol changes many functionalities in your brain like, emotions, and judgment. Consuming alcohol on an empty stomach and having high-fat speeds up the consequences like slurred speech, poor balance, upset gut, liver disease, cancer, heart muscle damage, FAS, etc.  

Tip - Parents should always discuss the hazardous consequences of alcohol to their children.

Limited medicines:

Always discuss your regular medicines or supplements with your doctor. While on medicines, avoid alcohol as it can cause severe problems further. Did you know, a combination of alcohol and tranquilizers/painkillers can become severely dangerous?

Addiction is described as, continuous use of any substance even though you are experiencing negative issues related to it. Taking painkillers without the prescription also falls under the category of addiction.   

Dealing with Stress:

Stress is normal in everyone’s life, but there is an art to overcome it. Sometimes it becomes a motivator, whereas sometimes it becomes a reason for depression. Learn to recognize the things causing stress in your life, as knowing the source can help you take control. Considerably, the more you take control of your life, the less damage stress can do to you.

Diet:
A balanced diet is an essential factor in your good mood, healthy mind, and body. So, always try to eat food which is low in saturated or trans-fat. Limit your sugar and salt intake, eat more veggies, colorful fruits, and healthy nuts. Be kind to your body and mind.

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

Sports Medicine

Sustaining an injury during a workout, sports involvement, or any type of somatic activity can lead you to see a sports medicine doctor for management. Most sports medicine doctors are trained in inner medication, alternative medication, family medication, or another field and then obtain extra preparation. Others have specialties in treating injuries in smaller and teenage children. They are usually board-certified in pediatrics, or private medication, with extra training in sports medicine. Some, but not all, sports medicine doctors have operating training, too, usually as orthopedic surgeons.

Most sports injuries do not require surgery. Treatment for a sports injury can include the use of pain relievers and keeping the injured area controlled with a cast, sling, or compressor. In some cases, a surgical procedure may be required to renovate dithering tissue or readjust bones. 

Sports medicine healthcare providers have distinct preparation to renovate function to injured patients so they can move properly again as soon as possible. They are also experts in preventing illness and injury of inactive people. Sports medicine healthcare providers do work with professional athletes. But they also treat children and teens involved in sports and adults who exercise for personal fitness. Plus, they treat people who have physically demanding jobs, like construction workers.

Sports medicine in sports injury repair

Orthopedic sports medicine is a subspecialty of Orthopedics that focuses on managing conditions of the musculoskeletal system arising from sports practice. When dealing with athletes, timing is the most difficult issue to face. Typically, athletes aim to return to play as soon as possible and are often at the pre-injury level. This means that management should be optimized to combine the need for a prompt return to sport and to the biologic healing time of the musculo-skeletal. This poses a great challenge to sport medicine surgeons, who need to follow with attention to the latest scientific evidence to offer their patients the best available treatment options.

Sports medicine - Health & Fitness

The need for fitness begins at an early age and extends well into later life. As such, the issue of sports participation is integrally related to the patient's sense of well-being, both physically and emotionally. The family physician is uniquely positioned to be involved across the entire age spectrum and is able to recognize that health and fitness are dependent on a certain degree of physical activity and regular exercise throughout one's life.

The pre-participation assessment, as well as diagnosis and treatment of exercise-related injuries and diseases, are best incorporated into comprehensive medical management. The pre-participation assessment is best performed within the context of the medical home or, at a minimum, by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. The family physician is uniquely qualified to be the sports medicine "doctor of choice" because of a broad knowledge base and experience.

Sports medicine in orthopedics

Orthopedic sports medicine specialists condition and train athletes, provide fitness advice relating to athletic performance, and the impact of dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and nutrition on athletes’ short- and long-term health and performance. The orthopedic sports doctor can also coordinate medical care within athletic team settings, including working with other health care professionals, such as athletic trainers, physical therapists, and non-orthopedic physicians. As importantly, they can conduct on-the-field evaluation and management of illnesses and injuries.

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

Medical Technology Innovations

Any technology that aims at saving lives of individuals suffering from a wide range of conditions is known as medical technology. Consequently, medical technology encompasses an array of healthcare products and it is used to treat medical conditions affecting humans. Medical technology's primary goal is to deliver products that are affordable, faster and lead to efficient patient care. Just a few important medical technologies include:

Electronic Aspirin
People suffering from migraines, cluster headaches, and other causes of chronic, excruciating head or facial pain, may not need to take two aspirins in the morning. Doctors associate the most severe, chronic forms of a headache with the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG). Nonetheless, they have found a treatment that works on the SPG long-term. Autonomic technology is a patient-powered tool for obstructing SPG signals at the first symptom of a headache. The system requires a permanent implant of a small nerve stimulating device in the upper gum on the side of the head that is usually affected by a migraine. Often, the lead tip of the implant connects to the SPG bundle such that when you sense the onset of a headache, you place a handheld remote controller on the cheek nearest the implant. Signals that result can stimulate the SPG nerves and block the pain-causing neurotransmitters.

Needle-Free Diabetes
Diabetes can bring a constant need to draw blood for glucose testing, the need for daily insulin shots and a high risk of infection from such constant injections. Continuous glucose level monitors and insulin pumps are today's best options for automating most of the complicated daily process of blood sugar management. Yet, they may not adequately do away with the need for skin pricks. Echo Therapeutics is providing a technology that may do away with the pokes completely.

Cutting Back on Melanoma Biopsies
Melanoma is cancer that strikes melanocytes - the cells that produce the pigment color of your skin. Notably, it affects the skin. Melanoma presents as lesions or moles on the skin with irregular edges which may itch, bleed, and ulcerate. Melanoma is one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer. It has always been impossible to diagnose melanoma without an invasive surgical biopsy. Currently, dermatologists are using a handheld tool called MelaFind. The MelaFind optical scanner is not for definitive diagnosis but rather to give additional information a doctor can use in establishing whether or not to order a biopsy. The primary aim is to minimize the number of patients left with unnecessary biopsy scars and with the added advantage of eliminating the cost of unnecessary procedures.

In conclusion, the field's smart technology is having a significantly positive effect on healthcare.

Remember to live life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

Health and Wellness Tips

It is hard not to strive for a healthy lifestyle with all the health and wellness campaigns constantly around us. The health and wellness benefits are undeniable, as they help to improve our overall body functions.

There are many wellness programs that one can adopt or join to help keep them on the right path of good health (and happiness). Such programs reduce elevated health risks, improve productivity, build and sustain morale and improve the body’s immune system.  The health and wellness programs are aimed at improving the physical and mental health. This can be done through;

Health and wellness for physical health

Dozens of articles and online resources on health and wellness emphasize on keeping fit and avoiding unhealthy lifestyles. In order to achieve this, one has to endure and persevere regular exercises and controlled dietary choices, and in some cases restrictions by doctors for a healthy living. It may not be easy to maintain such conditions. It can take a toll on your body, and at some point may seem impossible to keep up with. However, with the support of family and friends, one can easily achieve great health. Try to develop and stick to a routine. This, alone, can help move an occasional healthy effort into a daily habit. 

Apart from healthy eating and exercising, avoiding drugs and substance abuse also leads to the greater wellness of the body. Smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and consumption of other toxic drugs can easily lead to failure of some vital organs such as the liver and kidneys.  Keeping away from such bad lifestyle influences will help increase your physical health and wellness.

Health and wellness for mental health

In order to maintain mental health, one has to avoid and effectively manage stress. Stress is not only destructive mentally and emotionally but also physically. There are those who seem to strive in stress, while the rest of us mere mortals are hindered by it. Stress can lead to the decline of both mental and physical health. A stressful person may incur mood swings, and may not enjoy life to its fullest. To achieve wellness for mental health, one has to avoid stressful situations and jobs that are beyond the stress limit. Daily exercise, proper eating, and meditation can be great stress-relievers. 

Another way to achieve mental health is to unplug from technology every once in awhile. People are spending too many hours on social media, playing video games and watching movies that they barely have time to let their brains relax. Unplugging from such activities and reconnecting with nature, friends, and family is good for your mental health. It will improve your social skills to associate with those close to you and meet new people.

Proper and Sufficient Sleep is also a good way to ensure health and wellness. It helps us regenerate lost energy during the day and also helps manage stress. Sleeping for few hours will affect your overall mental health, decreasing the wellness of the body. Get enough sleep for a healthy life.

Health and wellness should not be taken for granted as not maintaining it can lead to a chain of health issues. One can improve their health physically and mentally through the above tips for overall wellness.

Remember to live life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.