National Women's Health Week

National Women’s Health Week is a great time to focus on your well-being. No matter your age, there are things you can do every day to improve your health and prevent some major health issues. One thing you can do is focus on healthy eating and maintaining a healthy weight. Visit ChooseMyPlate.gov to learn more about healthy eating and find the right plan for you. Another great resource for personalized recommendations is https://healthfinder.gov/. Remember to also try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. Remember to wear a seatbelt and don’t text and drive to avoid injury and possible need for surgery. Also, wear a helmet when riding your bike to decrease the risk of head injury or brain damage. There are several things you should talk to your doctor about at least once a year. Family health history can play a huge role in your health, so it is important to bring up any family health issues, especially cancer. You should definitely let your doctor know about your alcohol and tobacco use, and any mental health concerns. Remember to ask your doctor if you need any tests, medicines or vaccines for blood pressure, cholesterol, flu, hepatitis B & C, HIV, pap, HPV or tuberculosis.

Celebrate National Women’s Health Week and remember these tips for staying healthy. Focus on how you’re doing, how you’d like to be doing and what changes you can make to reach your health goals.

What to Expect During Each Trimester of Pregnancy – First Trimester

Here we are presenting a journey through pregnancy, based on some of Dr. Wilkes' personal and professional experience. In this series of letters to guide you through each trimester, she provides personal insights into things you may experience and steps you should take to ensure a healthy pregnancy. In this first letter from Dr. Wilkes, she discusses pregnancy testing, early side effects, and how to celebrate and enjoy this experience.

Pregnancy is an amazing experience that should be celebrated and enjoyed! There is nothing more remarkable then to think about all the amazing changes that are happening to your baby daily!

Finding out you are pregnant is an exhilarating time and absolutely life-changing.  When the time comes to confirm your pregnancy, there are many choices with pregnancy tests. Some require longer wait times in order for specific hormone levels to register properly. For example, during my pregnancy I waited one week after my cycle was late. If you have taken a pregnancy test and it shows a positive result it does not necessarily mean that it is correct.  Set an appointment for a second test and ultrasound 7 weeks after your last menstrual period or 2 weeks after your positive urine pregnancy test to confirm with a doctor that you are indeed pregnant.

Regardless of all the planning and trying, conception can sometimes be a stressful yet rewarding experience. The first trimester alone brings changes in your mind and body that are nothing like you have ever experienced before.

In the first few months you may experience nausea (morning sickness), light spotting and sore, tender breasts early on and throughout the first trimester just like I did.  Fatigue, discharge and heartburn are also some common symptoms of pregnancy that occur during the first trimester.

However, watching your body change and adapt is a pretty amazing experience and it should make all of you feel proud of your body and its abilities.

Check out the rest of the series! What to Expect During Each Trimester of Pregnancy - First Trimester - Second Trimester - Third Trimester

If you have any questions regarding pregnancy, please contact SRB & Associates at (904) 262-5333 and we will help answer all of your pregnancy questions!

New Mammography Guidelines

Recently, doctors are recommending mammograms above and beyond the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). This revision to the common school of thought is driven by the understanding that women’s lives are saved by early screening and early detection. Therefore, the recommended age to begin getting screened has been reduced to 40. This information was the topic of a recent breast cancer screening study performed by the JAMA Internal Medicine. Based upon mammography’s potential to save lives, the JAMA study results have concluded that it’s not just worthwhile, but a physical imperative for women to begin getting screened at a younger age as well as extending the maximum recommended age to get screened. The thought behind this is to recommend various screening options to women and give them the opportunity to decide for themselves whether or not to pursue additional potentially life-saving screenings.

Some women may feel additional anxiety at the thought of being screened more frequently or at a younger age, but the recommendation seems to be the general consensus given that the Society for Breast Imaging (SBI), American College of Radiology (ACR), American Cancer Society (ACS), and the USPSTF are all in agreement that screening should begin as young as age 40.

Let Us Help You Understand Vaccine Schedules

It's never been more important to get vaccinated. Kids need to get necessary vaccines at certain times in their lives prior to beginning different scholastic milestones. As we age, we need boosters. Even adults who have been free of a number of diseases since childhood now need to consider vaccines such as shingles which can suddenly appear after decades of lying dormant within you. Use the available charts to see when you need to be vaccinated and for what.

Guide for Pregnant Women and the Zika Threat

The number of non-travel related Zika cases has grown substantially, more specifically in the Wynwood area of Miami, Florida. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) recommends that people who reside in or have traveled to the area of Miami-Dade county any time after June 15, 2016, and show symptoms of Zika infection, should be tested for the virus. Symptoms of a Zika infection may include fever, rash, conjunctivitis and arthralgia. The DOH and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) highly recommend that pregnant women avoid nonessential travel to the aforementioned area. Pregnant women who have traveled to the area of active Zika transmission or have had unprotected sex with a partner living in that area should consult their healthcare provider. If you are pregnant and asymptomatic, it is recommended that you get tested for the Zika virus in your first and second trimester.

For more information on what to do in the face of a Zika threat, download the PDF in the link shown below: http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/zika-virus/_documents/zika-testing-update-8-4-16-v14.pdf

Get Ready for National Women's Health Week!

National Women’s Health Week runs from May 8th-May 15th this year.  As an OBGYN practice, we here at SRB & Associates want to offer up some helpful tips to help you achieve better health and wellness for yourself.  It’s never too early or too late to begin living a healthy lifestyle!1) Be Active The secret is out:  living an active lifestyle can significantly lower your risk of a shortened lifespan caused by a slew of possible health problems.  Evidence strongly supports this hypothesis.  Studies have shown lowered risk of:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• HBP (high blood pressure)
• Type-2 Diabetes
• High Cholesterol
• Cancer
• Depression
• Obesity

Combing daily exercise and adapting an active lifestyle, along with healthy eating habits can lead to positive effects across the overall personal health and well-being board for women of all ages.  Speaking of healthy eating habits… 2) Eat Better = Live Better Eating well doesn’t mean only nuts & berries, starving yourself, or never indulging in decadent meals and snacks.  Being aware of what you eat and how it affects your overall health and wellness can lead to better physical as well as mental health.  When combined with routine exercise, results include:

• Improved cardio function (heart, lungs, veins and blood vessels)
• Improved muscle function (strength and flexibility)
• Reduced visceral fat
• Weight loss and maintaining weight loss
• Improved quality of sleep
• Increased bone density
• Reduced cancer risk

There are many resources available to help you find the right mix of exercise and eating well that will allow you achieve the healthy life you’re looking to live.  Don’t be afraid to try some different tactics until you find a routine that suits you and your schedule.  The benefits are too incredible to not try to live as well as you can.

For further helpful info you can check out http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw or contact our office and we’ll be happy to help answer your questions on how to create a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle today!