Potassium is an electrolyte that we all know we need, and just like sodium can be excreted through too much sweating, from vomiting/diarrhea, certain medications (like diuretics or laxatives), and not absorbed due to a poor diet.  Potassium is key in helping to regulate many of the bodies functions such as blood pressure, bone mass, the nervous system, muscle function, heart/kidney/adrenal gland functions.  One current reason why a lot of younger people become hypokalemic (low potassium levels) is due to fad diets like the ‘colon cleansing’ diets; you are taking in fluids, pills, etc that act as a diuretic,  because you are not eating a normal diet, having numerous bowel movements, and your potassium levels drop down. On the opposite side, hyperkalemia is usually due to kidney dysfunction (the inability to excrete potassium seen in renal failure and people on dialysis), with disorders of the adrenal glands, and due to certain medications like ACE inhibitors (cardiac medication), Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs  (i.e. ibuprofen), Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (cardiac medication), and potassium-sparing diuretics (i.e. aldosterone).

I know that this isn’t the most uplifting  of topics, but really important for your own wellness and for those around you.  May is mental health awareness and suicide prevention month.  Depression is a very serious problem, that can cause an array of health issues, but be easily overlooked by oneself and by people close to you.  SOmetimes it is just a feeling of not being “right” or feeling “off” or being really sad or listless, and it can effect different age groups in different ways.  This is a topic that is really important to me, and I think should be better screened for by HCP’s in general, but I look towards patients and their family members to mention if you see any of these signs or symptoms because if you don’t tell us what is really going on, it is very difficult for us to notice these symptoms during your appointment:

-Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
-Irritability or frustration, even over small matters
-Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
-Reduced sex drive
-Insomnia or excessive sleeping
-Changes in appetite — depression often causes decreased appetite and weight loss, but in some people it causes increased cravings for food and weight gain
-Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing, or new aggression
-Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
-Indecisiveness, distractibility and decreased concentration
-Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy — even small tasks may seem to require a lot of effort
-Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself when things aren’t going right
-Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
-Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide
-Crying spells for no apparent reason
-Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches that aren’t related to allergies, etc. that don’t respond to OTC medications (i.e. ibuprofen, acetaminophen)


Young Children: can show signs of hopelessness, sadness, worry.


Teens: Can be irritable, anxious, angry, and avoid social interactions. Also, changes in sleep patterns….are they up all night for no reason?  Sleeping excessively?   We also need to be aware that during the teenage years is when other mental disorders can start to become prominent.


Elderly: fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of interest in sex, feel bored and helpless or worthless, and avoiding social interactions.  With the elderly, there are usually other health issues involved, so people can tend to link in the symptoms of depression with their other disease processes, so it is important to b aware of the signs.




For some people the signs are really severe and very obvious, but for other people, they are very subtle and occur over a period of time making them much harder to notice.  But, awareness of the signs is the first step, so please take notice in your own life and of your loved ones and do a mini checklist to see if they have these symptoms.  If you or your loved ones do, please call your HCP and make an appointment to talk about it, OR if you want to talk to someone immediately, you can call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.  I also encourage you to talk to anyone…a friend, family member, clergy member. Talk to anyone you feel comfortable with because the first step to getting help is to realize that there is a problem.


If you/your friends/loved ones have thoughts of suicide or homicide please seek help immediately and call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Department for help.


Yours In Good Health


B

Sorry fellows that this has been a very girly week of topics…but, that’s just where my mind is, and the requests I’ve been getting!!

There is a product that I have been using for years, I love them (cue the cute dogs, girls sharing giggles over  a cup of coffee, etc) which is a feminine hygiene product called Instead.   It is a product created by a nurse, and can be left in for 12 hours at a time, and it is an amazing product!!  It is shaped like a diaphragm, except the plastic is really thin.  It is a soft collection cup that cannot be felt while it is inside you; you squeeze it and then insert while in a sitting position and it pops right into place outside of your cervix.  To remove, just stick one finger up, grab the edge and pull down.  It is amazing because you can “set it and forget it”, I have never had issues with leaking or the product falling out, becoming uncomfortable, etc.  And, what really sold me?  You can still go and get your bikini wax and no one is any the wiser that you have your period!  Also, it can be in place so that you can have relations, and it’s your little secret 🙂

Now, there are other products on the market that are similar, but this is the one that I find most comfortable and easy to use.  It should be noted that it is not the most eco-friendly as they are disposable after each use; diaphragms can be used, cleaned, and reused; I will be honest with you, that kind of creeps me out.  I am sure that some of you reading this think this whole concept is creepy, you do need to be comfortable with your own body, but I think that the true security of knowing that I won’t have any embarrassing high school moments at the beach or in white this summer is totally worth it.

You should give these a try and let me know what you think…check out the web site www.softcup.com. The one problem that I must make you aware of, is that outside of a random Walgreens in San Francisco, I cannot find them in traditional stores, so I by them either at Amazon.com or www.drugstore.com but I but 6 months at a time, so it doesn’t really impede my life at all!  If anyone knows other places to find them, please let me know!!

I hope you guys try them and like them!

Yours in Good Health

B

Pulse oats and walnuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt and mix well. In a second large bowl, combine carrots, maple syrup, currants, coconut and vanilla. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Transfer to prepared pan and bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to let cool before cutting into squares.

I had a really scary situation occur yesterday. I am super sick and went into a slight bit of respiratory distress which required an emergent trio to the ED (Emergency Department), in a podunk little town I happen to be in whilst visiting my mom.  On the way to the ED, I was trying to get in touch with my legal healthcare proxy (someone who can legally make decisions for me, if I cannot make them for myself) because I am a responsible person I have had one for years who is in the medical field, the only issue being that he was operating and couldn’t take my calls. So, out of breath, I turn to my mom, who is already freaked out, and I explain to her, with the little breath that I have left, what I want done, what I don’t, my preferences for care, MD’s, etc.  As I was already a little anxious due to not breathing, and seeing that my mom was not computing anything I was saying I had a brief “oh shit” moment and it came to me.  I actually wasn’t all that responsible just having a health care proxy.  


Now, I am not someone who is chronically ill, I am a pretty healthy, active gal, so I thought I was on top of my game even having a legal proxy.  But, this is what happens, unexpected emergencies and whomever is with you or next of kin gives the go ahead, and the HCP’s will treat you as they see necessary…which may not correlate with what you want.  So, I am not telling everyone to run out an get a legal healthcare proxy (because I know you won’t) but discuss these things with your family and loved ones, so that in the case of a sudden emergency, they know that you want/don’t want a breathing tube, chest tubes, a certain operation, blood transfusions, etc. OR just have the discussion to know that you want EVERYTHING done!  This will also open the conversation with your entire family and friends…not the most exciting conversation, but it is so important. So many people have no idea what their parents might want in the case of a major stroke/heart attack/aneurysm/etc. And, as you should know their wishes, if they just want a comfortable death and not all of the interventions that we are able to perform that can extend lives, but not necessarily bring them back to being the mom/dad/husband/sibling/friend you remember.


Everything ended up being OK for me, but it was such a wake up call to me that I needed to be vocal with everyone in my family, it’s not a secret the interventions that I don’t want, but I just never really talked about it, yet I am always encouraging patients and their family members to do so.  I hope that some of you make a call, have a glass of wine/coffee/tea/whatever you need, and have the conversation….or even just think about what you want done….do you want your life saved but you won’t be able to live the same life? It’s something you need to think about, and talk to your HCP if you want, post questions here, get your thoughts together and have that convo!!!


Don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer today, but I just wanted to get that off my chest 🙂


Yours in Good Health!


B

Prunes are basically synonymous with old people and pooping, and that is a tough pill to swallow as a 30 year old!  Before the past few weeks, the only true memory I had of prunes was when my brother and I were younger and went to my Nana’s house, my Grandfather was home alone and offered to get us something to drink. What he pulled out of the fridge was a huge bottle of prune juice, an due to the horrified looks on both our faces, opted to forgo the juice and give us water instead.  Now, that I am completely obsessed with prunes, I wonder if my life would be any different if I had accepted that glass of prune juice?  Although, I can’t imagine my life being all that different 🙂

Prunes have a high fiber content (hence the pooping), which we all know, but prunes also have two times the amount of antioxidants as blueberries do.  Antioxidants are important to aid in maintaining health and preventing diseases like coronary artery disease and cancer (the studies are pretty ambivalent, but there is no downside to taking in antioxidants!!) They are also low in saturated fat and cholesterol and full of vitamin B6 and A.

I was watching ‘The Pregnancy Pact’ on Lifetime (yeah, the premiere…I was all about it) and every commercial break for “natures candy” and I remember balking at it; they could never be as good as candy.  And, whilst not even comparable to chocolate, I look forward to may daily prune because it is super delish and it is a good quick snack that fills me up (when you eat it and drink a glass of water- due to fiber content) and the individual wrapped ones are so easy to throw in my bag so I can have a portable snacky (the most amazing types of snacks!) when I’m out!

Trust me, try them?  You totally won’t regret it….and know that you are eating something yummy that is good for yourself AND your colon 🙂

Yours in good Health

B