Many of you have probably been asked to do a virtual visit with your doctor at some point this year due to COVID-19. Some people are jumping for joy about being able to not leave home, some are very nervous about fumbling with technology, and some others are concerned about being able to do a physical exam—I mean how can you listen to my heart through the computer? Well, I’m here to tell you, listening to your heart [usually] isn’t necessary if you are young and healthy! Year

So you roll out of bed and take that first painful step, then another, and another. Finally it is starting to feel better, as the day goes along, you forget all about it, climb into bed. Wake up the next working and wham, there It is again. Sounds familiar—yup you guessed it. Plantar fasciitis. Your plantar fascia is layers of bands of tissue that help support the arch of your foot. Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation of said tissue, caused by too much tension on that tissue

I like to exercise, I joke with my friends that it is my anti-depressant—hello, endorphins (in my best Trolls Poppy voice). I have historically been a runner. I picked it up in high school as a way to train for basketball, then in college it helped with my weight. Once I hit medical school it helped my mental health, now I do it because it gives me time to think and just be with myself (even when surrounded with my running buddies). About 2 years ago, I was in a workout rut a

Who doesn’t love tacos? I only just recently (I hate to admit) discovered the beauty of street tacos. Tacos to me were always beef and taco seasoning—of course they weren’t a staple in my diet. With that description, I cannot imagine they would be for anyone! Then I discovered the beauty of fish tacos, which turned into my love for all things tacos! In particular, my love for shrimp tacos! Here is a fabulous recipe that I made a few weeks ago—I used a low carb wrap for the sh

How many of you are used to saying those words. Hands up for all my mommas! You know, that was one thing that no one told me after I had my daughter—don’t try to hold anything in down there! It took me a good 6+ weeks to be able to NOT pee all over myself. I was wearing pads just to catch the urine! Though eventually my muscles got stronger and started to work again. Then I had another kid—I was ready for it this time, though it took just a little bit longer, but we were okay

Putting the banter away for this one. Mental health is a very real topic, and one that I do not take lightly. Did you know that at least 18% of Americans will suffer from anxiety? Specifically, it will affect 23% of women. Some of the highest rates are in females aged 20-50. Yet, only 37% of those suffering will actually seek help. My first guest blog comes from a strong woman. Speech pathologist, Army Wife, Mother—she is confident enough to share her story, and I applaud her

Should I be on probiotics? Seems like the $64,000 question. Well I guess we have to start with what are they, what do we use them for and how can they benefit my overall health? Let’s start with basic gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology. The mouth is connected to the esophagus. The esophagus is connected to the stomach, the stomach is connected to the small intestine. The small intestine is connected to the colon—and that’s the way it works! If only it were actually that

Okay summer is over-ish, let’s put away the sunscreen—or not? So here is a topic that applies to EVERYONE. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Many questions surround your skin: Can I be in the sun, how much, what sun screen, should I avoid water, wait is that a new mole? Shoot, that one looks kinda funny? How long have you been there, I don’t know, you are on my back—I cannot see you? A dark spot on my toe nail could be cancer?! Skin cancer is the leading cause of c

Eczema effects nearly 10% of the population—yes 30+ million people deal with dry, cracked, bleeding skin. I remember in medical school a dermatologist told me: there is normal healthy skin, there is dry healthy skin, there is DRY skin, and then there is medically dry skin—that is Eczema. Dry skin, even if it is not eczema, can be a nightmare. Burning, stinging, cracking, bleeding. If you have ever experienced this (if you haven’t, then thank your lucky stars), you have tried

Let’s talk supplements. What is all the hype—a $200+ billion dollar industry, but why? People are wanting to take their health in their own hands. Less people want to take medication, they want to find other ways to fix their medical issues. I say, why not! Now, let me be clear. I am a Doctor of Osteopathy. While having a high tolerance for alternative medicine approaches, there are many things that cannot be fixed without real medication involvement. I am sorry, essential oi

So it’s 3:00am and you are awake. Staring at the ceiling, again, for the 3rd night in a row. Running through the next day’s list of events, activities, chores, schedules…3:30, 4:00, 4:30…..*BRRRRRRRRRRRRING* 5:30—get up. Sound familiar? I get this a lot. People have lots of trouble sleeping. COVID-19 hasn’t helped. So what can be done? Of course there are sleeping pills, some safe, some not so much. But how do I get better quality sleep without medications? Well, glad you ask

So let’s talk about these 35 year old wrinkles I am starting to see. You know, the scowl lines between the eyebrows—come on 3 kids! Yes, let’s talk Botox! Botox is a booming industry, over $3 billion to be exact. By the third quarter in 2018, there were $1.3 billion in sales. Wait, I thought you said it was a $3 billion dollar industry—why did they suddenly lose money? That’s just it—they didn’t. The other $1.5 billion in sales by the 3rd quarter in 2018 was for therapeutic B

So October is breast cancer awareness month. Obviously we aren’t there, yet, but getting close. I recently had a friend ask me about BRCA testing. Her mother had breast cancer at a young age and unfortunately passed because of this. Well, she is starting to approach the age of her mother when she was first diagnosed, and of course thinking about it. Breast cancer is the [second] most common cancer in women (skin cancer is actually the most common). 13% of women (1 in 8) will

I was supposed to run this morning with my running crew. But after a later than anticipated night watching basketball and a 2 year old up at 3:30, when my clock went off at 5:30, I quietly said “nope” and went back to sleep. It was the most restful hour I had all night. It has taken me a long time to be able to be okay with saying no. Why is that? My 2 year old has quite perfected the word. When does it become easier to say yes than no. And why do we do it? Is it because FOMO

So you meditate, that’s, um, interesting? That was the response I used to give. Not because I was passing judgement (though I am sure that is how it was perceived), but more because I didn’t really understand it. My first experience with meditation was in high school. My religion teacher would take us down to the chapel once a month to meditate. She would lead us in a mantra for about 5 minutes and then send us on our own way for the next 30 minutes. She always used to say it

There are a million things I could have been doing on this Friday night; laundry, dishes, work—but I chose to dance—with my kids. We set many unprecedented and unattainable goals for ourselves as people, wives, and mothers. Sometimes we just need to pause and absorb the moment. My kids had a half day of school, my husband and I were like 2 passing ships. But we got our work done and our kids taken care of. We had framily (friend that is more like family) over tonight for dinn

We all know that physical activity is important for overall health. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of vigorous activity a week, which boils down to 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. But some studies are showing that this may actually be the very minimum you need to reap the benefits of exercise. Also, you don’t have to do the 30 minutes all at once. Studies have also shown that breaking the 30 minutes over the day is just as effective. Many of my patients will tell you about o

Wine, wine, everywhere there’s wine… So I keep hearing all these health benefits of red wine, but why. Is it the ingredients? Or what about the physical implications? Mental health—think COVID pandemic with school aged children and full time job (no, I cannot relate)? What if I say, all of the above. Let’s start with the science. One word--RESVERATROL Red wine is made from crushed grapes--the whole grape. Stem, seed, and peel, which is where the resveratrol is located. Resver

Here are three things, what do they have in common? 1. My rolled ankle on my Peloton tread when I drug my feet 2. My son's broken arm 3. My dad's diabetes Good luck with this one, I wrote this and I am still trying to figure it out-- And the answer is… INFLAMMATION, huh? Inflammation is the body’s response to damaged tissue, which isn’t all bad. There is the acute stage (rolled ankle) in which vascular changes lead to swelling and redness (sometimes) which the chemical irrita