How Your Body Uses Vitamin E

It is common knowledge that oxygen is one of the most important components to support life. This oxygen is very reactive within certain molecules and this reactivity can be severe enough to cause cellular damage through a process known as oxidative stress. Anti-oxidants counteract this reaction. Vitamin E is classified as an anti-oxidant and helps prevent the aging of cells, or damage to cells.

A fatty substance found in many foods is known as cholesterol. This is absorbed by our bodies and then it is processed by our liver and eventually stored as fat. Cholesterol is carried by Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL).Oxidation of LDL causes a reaction to cholesterol and another fatty substance known as plaque is deposited within the walls of arteries. A buildup of this plaque over time can cause partial or complete blockage of the arteries.

Cholesterol will be prohibited from forming plaque if oxidation can be controlled and Vitamin E helps to prevent the buildup of plaque. Those with coronary problems may need to use Vitamin E supplements to ensure that arteries are not blocked. This plaque buildup can cause high blood pressure and heart attacks.

While Vitamin E has been shown to help in the prevention of circulatory problems, there is also some suggestion that it may help to prevent cancer. While not conclusively proven, Vitamin E is a well-known anti-oxidant that can help your health.

Another benefit of Vitamin E is that it can provide effective protection from UV rays. It can shield the skin from the sun’s harmful rays, and this can help in the prevention of skin cancer.

Vitamin E has also been show to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and the inflammation of the pancreas.

If you are looking for natural sources of Vitamin E, look to fruits and nuts first. Oranges in particular are an excellent source of Vitamin E, and are well known sources of Vitamin C. These benefits can be obtained by eating oranges or drinking orange juice. This is especially true of orange juice that contains pulp.

No matter what your health condition may be, Vitamin E should be an important item in your diet. It is not only found in fruit, but in vegetables as well. If you eat fruits and vegetables regularly, you should easily achieve the recommended 1,000 mg of Vitamin E per day.

If you live in the Greater Houston, Texas area and are concerned about your vitamin intake, call us at PCP for Life and we can provide you with recommendations about your diet and nutrition.

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Muscle Injuries – Sprains and Strains

Your muscles can be injured easily during sports activities or during any significant physical exertion, and the type of injury you may cause to your muscles can be different depending on the type of activity you are involved in and how the injury happened.

Imagine one scenario where a football player is injured during a tackle, and suffers an injury to his calf muscle when a larger player lands on it with significant force.Now imagine an injury suffered during a weightlifting session where someone uses a weight that is too large, and that this participant suffers from sore muscles the following day. These are two very different types of muscle injuries, but both can be very painful and debilitating.

A sprain occurs when muscles are stretched or torn when a joint is contorted into an unnatural position. These most often occur during fast-paced sports, impact sports, or incidents involving a slip and fall or even a car accident. A strain most often occurs when a muscle is flexed beyond its capacity causing stretching or tearing of muscle fibers.

Symptoms of a Sprain
Sprains can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. A mild sprain occurs when a ligament stretches or perhaps sustains slight tears. This is most often accompanied by soreness or tenderness. A moderate sprain involves tearing of ligaments tear partially. This will cause difficult movement and you may experience swelling and possible discoloration of the tissue surrounding the tear. This is most often caused from internal bleeding at the injury site. The most severe type of sprain involves a complete tear, this will be accompanied by severe pain and discomfort, and movement will be very limited. Severe sprains will also exhibit swelling and discoloration. The pain associated with a severe muscle sprain can often be confused with a fracture. This type of injury should be checked out by a physician.

Muscle Strain Symptoms
Strains occur when a muscle is contracted quickly or stretched beyond a muscle’s normal capacity. Strains can be classified as acute or chronic. An acute strain will occur suddenly, most often involving an attempt to lift something heavy, or after a sudden reaction during sports or to avoid a fall down. Chronic strains are very common with athletes who over-use a muscle during workouts or competition. This type of injury is often referred to as a “pulled muscle”.

Treatment for mild sprains and strains can involve rest, and the application of ice to reduce swelling. Anti-inflammatory medications may also help to alleviate pain. More severe muscle tears should be examined by your physician. In most cases, these types of injuries will resolve with an appropriate immobilization of the muscles involved and rest.

If you have a sprain or strain that you are concerned about, contact us at PCP For Life at one of our many convenient locations throughout the greater Houston Texas area.

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Foods that can Lower Your Cholesterol

Hypertension and heart disease are prevalent in the United States today and much of this comes from high blood cholesterol. Current theories indicate that high cholesterol is largely due to your diet, in conjunction with activity levels among the general population. If you are looking for ways to decrease your cholesterol levels, a change in these areas may be necessary.

The Body Needs Cholesterol

Cholesterol plays many important roles in the human body, and while it has been identified as a major culprit with respect to heart disease, it is important to understand that cholesterol is a necessary component to many bodily functions and is essential to the body in many respects. For example, cholesterol has a significant effect in the role of hormones in the body, as well as the production of bile salts and the transformation of Vitamin D.

Not All Cholesterol Is the Same

While cholesterol plays some vital roles within the body, it is important to understand the difference between “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are often found in processed foods such as potato chips and canned foods and this is where LDL cholesterol is normally found. LDL cholesterol is commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol because high levels of LDL can cause plaque to form within your arteries. Over time this plaque can cause clogging and hardness of the arteries which makes it more difficult for the heart to work with efficiency. Ultimately, this plaque build-up and hardening leads to hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Foods for Good Cholesterol

Avoiding foods that are high in LDL is just one-step you need to take. The next step is to focus on foods that are high in HDL, or “good” cholesterol. HDL can help to lower the levels of LDL in your body. It does this by helping to transport LDL to the liver where it can be processed and eliminated.

If you want to shift your focus to HDL, there is a wide range of tasty foods that can help you to do this. Fish and nuts are a great place to start as they primarily contain HDL. You can also concentrate on filling your diet with more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain very little cholesterol in general. Fruits and vegetables have the added benefit of fiber, which can help significantly to fight the effects of LDL.

Decreasing your LDL levels can also be accomplished by your activity level. If you remain active and strengthen your body, its ability to counteract the negative effects of LDL will be increased. You may also want to decrease the amount of sugar and carbohydrates that you consume. Both of these tactics can help your body in many other ways.

If you are concerned about the effects of high cholesterol, don’t hesitate to contact us at PCP For Life. We are committed to serving the greater Houston, TX area and your health is important to us. We can provide you with sound medical advice and diagnoses regarding you current cholesterol levels so call us today for a consultation

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Measles Outbreak Risks

Measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis B and varicella are all routine vaccinations and according to national data, most children in the United States have received vaccinations for these diseases. While economic disparities seem to show that those children on the lower scale are more likely to go without the proper vaccinations, signs are good that over the past 25 years fewer children are going without the appropriate vaccinations.

While vaccinations rates appear to be adequate, there are still outbreaks of measles across the United States. Trends in measles outbreaks have been identified and these trends can be a concern for many.

One of the first trends involves clustering of those who develop measles. Most of these clusters involve people who have not been vaccinated who have left the United States to travel abroad. These people travel to another country and contract the disease, returning to the U.S. with measles symptoms. Most of these people were verified as not vaccinated but a small number were not confirmed as unvaccinated.

Some people of certain religious faiths avoid vaccinations. In some cases, outbreaks occur among the participants of a certain group when one person travels to another country. If someone were to leave the country and contract measles, when they return they would quickly infect many of their fellow church members.

While religion may inhibit certain groups from obtaining the proper vaccinations, there are cultural reasons as well. People of similar cultural beliefs tend to stay together and when these cultural beliefs include an aversion to vaccinations, it is common for an outbreak to occur, especially for an illness such as measles.

When immunization rates are below 100%, the odds of an outbreak are much higher. Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children are increasing the risk of an outbreak in spite of the data that suggests that a fully vaccinated school population is simply less likely to contract measles.

Often, parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated will fail to heed warnings about the need for vaccinations and argue that since everyone else has a vaccination, why worry. The reality is that outbreaks can affect many people within a community causing increased health risks and unnecessary costs. The best approach is to aim for a 100% vaccination rate to ensure the safety of the community.

The measles vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines available today. Less than 5 percent of those who receive the vaccine fail to respond after the first dose, and after two doses, more than 99 percent of those receiving the vaccine develop a complete immunity to measles.

Today it is common for people to receive two doses of measles vaccine but it was not always this way. Prior to 1985, a single dose was administered to most people, and those who received only a single dose may be unaware of the benefits of a second dose. For these people the risk of exposure is higher.

While some of the population refuses to receive the proper vaccination for measles, and some are unaware of the need for vaccinations, particularly a second dose, others cannot receive vaccinations due to health restrictions. Some newborns are unable to receive measles vaccinations due to an interference with maternal antibodies. For these babies the risk of measles is an important concern.

Contact us at PCP For Life if you are seeking high quality, prompt and professional advice regarding measles and the vaccinations that can help you and your child. Our friendly staff will be happy to provide you with all of the facts regarding measles vaccinations and your potential risk.

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Recognizing Flu Symptoms in Your Child

Each year the flu season arrives and hospitals across the nation see significant spikes in the number of patients who need to undergo treatment. Most cases of the flue in 2014-2015 so far have been caused by the H3N2 strain of flu virus across Texas and vaccines have been able to provide limited protection. Parents need to understand what types of symptoms constitute an emergency in their child when it comes to the flu virus.


There is a wide range of symptoms when it comes to any type of flu and these can be mild or quite severe depending on the patient and the strain of flu virus. Not all symptoms constitute an emergency situation, but in some severe cases, the flu can lead to severe illness and even death.

Those afflicted with the flu often experience the following symptoms:

    - Fever (in some but not all cases)
    - Coughing
    - Sore throat
    - Runny nose or stuffy nose
    - Body aches and sore muscles
    - Headaches 
    - Fatigue
    - Vomiting and/or diarrhea (in some cases)

In most cases, a child experiencing the symptoms noted above can be treated at home with a fever reducing medication, plenty of fluids and bed rest. An anti-viral flu medication such as Tamiflu® can be prescribed by your pediatrician as well which will help to eliminate the virus. Once the fever has gone away, it is best to keep you child home for at least 24 hours to ensure that they are healthy.

In some cases, certain children can be at a high risk for complications arising from the flu. Those with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, sickle cell disease or any other chronic illness should be considered at high risk for complications. Children under the age of 2 are also at high risk for complications so be sure to call us at PCP For Life for advice on treatment in these cases.

Emergencies

While the flu can often be treated at home, there are situations where the flu can create an emergency situation. If you note any of the following symptoms in your child, be sure to get immediate medical attention:

In children

 - Fast breathing or trouble breathing
 - Bluish skin color
 - Not drinking enough fluids
 - Not waking up or not interacting
 - Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
 - Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
 - Fever with a rash

In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs:

  - Being unable to eat
  - Has trouble breathing
  - Has no tears when crying
  - Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

A flu vaccination is the best way to keep your family safe from contracting the flu. Call us at PCP For Life today to schedule a flu vaccination. Our skilled physicians are always ready to answer any questions you may have.

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Fighting Diabetes through Diet

While some may think this is common knowledge, the reality is that many people do not realize that weight has a significant effect on diabetes. Weight plays a role in all types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes often accompanies weight issues as well. When it comes to adults, Type II diabetes or adult onset diabetes is found more in people who are overweight than those falling into the “normal” weight ranges. For those who are suffering from Type II diabetes, a significant loss of weight may be the best approach to address the diabetes issue.

Weight is a significant factor in diabetes but so is high blood pressure. Nearly 40% of people who suffer from Type II diabetes have high blood pressure, and being overweight plays a significant role in your blood pressure.

Insulin resistance is another common problem faced by overweight people. Insulin is important in the human body because it helps with the use and/or storage of sugar in the body. If the body becomes immune to the effects of insulin, body fat can build up and cause problems. This occurs because insulin helps the body to utilize sugar on a cellular level.

If you have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes, or if diabetes has been identified as a potential health issue for you, one of the first and most significant steps you can take it to begin losing weight. For most people, losing weight is not a simple task and dieting can be a difficult challenge, however, if you are able to change your lifestyle habits your health will improve.

Diabetes is a disease that most people can overcome if they put their minds to it. Fighting this disease can be controlled and even eliminated in those who are able to change their lifestyle from sedentary to active or even athletic. If you are the type that believes you cannot make this type of change you may surprise yourself. With some exercise to build muscle and the right foods, you will find significant body changes and your weight will drop.

One of the simplest dietary changes you can make is to eliminate sugar from your diet. This means simple sugars found in candy and soft drinks, but cutting down or eliminating carbohydrates from your diet can also have a significant effect to reduce weight.

It is no secret that a poor diet leads to poor fitness. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, strict dietary requirements will be imposed on you by your physician and you must follow these in order to avoid severe health problems. It is imperative that you understand the importance of your diet when it comes to managing diabetes. Your dietary restrictions do not mean that your life will become horrible. Many good foods are safe for those with diabetes and if you follow your doctor’s orders when it comes to dietary restrictions, you will find that you can have a very enjoyable life eating foods that are healthy for you.

At PCP For Life, we care about your diabetes condition and if you are in Houston, TX or the surrounding areas, you will be able to find comprehensive, high quality and affordable medical treatment for your diabetes. With state of the art facilities and treatments, our physicians are in a position to offer you the best in health care so call us today for a consultation.

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