Navigating Hospitals: Teaching Hospital vs. Non-teaching, Does it Matter?

A recent study reported major teaching hospitals may have lower mortality rates than minor teaching and non-teaching hospitals.

Do the Legwork to Prevent and Treat Varicose Veins

As we approach summer, we are starting to wear more shorts and swimsuits. If you look closely at your legs, you may notice some visible veins that perhaps were not there last summer. They may be varicose veins and are very common. According to Cleveland Clinic, almost 50% of women between ages 40 and 50 have some form of varicose veins, and varicose veins are 4 times more common in women than men.

Is a Forbidden Romance Weighing on Your Health?

France’s new president Emmanuel Macron has something in common with U.S. President Donald Trump … an age gap of more than 20 years with his wife. Macron, however, is the younger one in the relationship at 39-years-old. He is married to Brigitte Trogneux, 64-years-old. Of course any relationship in the public eye will have its fair share of scrutiny, but a significant age gap coupled with the fact that the woman is the older of the two seems to add an extra layer of public interest. It made me wonder whether there are health implications of a marginalized relationship?

Mumps are Back. Should Women of Childbearing Age Have Cause For Concern?

It seems the mumps are back! Between January and March of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported it received more than 1,900 reports of mumps from individuals across the country. Additionally last week, the Texas Department of Health Services reported an estimated 221 mumps cases in 2017, the highest outbreak in Texas in 22 years!

To get the flu shot or not get the flu shot? That is the question

Influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is a contagious viral infection that causes an epidemic every one to three years in the United States. It starts in late fall and peaks mid to late winter. It usually spreads via aerosol droplets like when you cough and sneeze. Typically, you are sick for about five days, but children may be sick longer. Symptoms abruptly occur with chills, high fever, headaches, muscle aches, weakness and occasionally cough. It is more serious and even life-threatening if you are elderly, very young or have pre-existing illnesses like asthma or diabetes mellitus.

Massage therapy: A necessary luxury?

Massage therapy involves the rubbing and kneading of muscles and other soft tissues. The practice dates back thousands of years. There are references to massage found in ancient writings from China, Japan, Egypt and India. It’s no surprise it’s been around for so long. Many people use massage to soothe sore muscles, reduce stress and improve blood flow. While the average person may see massage therapy as a luxurious indulgence, your massage therapist may disagree and recommend you regularly visit for ongoing wellness!

How to form healthy habits and stop feeling guilty about slacking off

Do you suffer from health guilt? It’s that uneasy pit in your stomach when the latest headlines say your bad habits are setting you up for all kinds of diseases. Or when your oh-so-healthy friend posts yet another photo of her dramatic weight loss. Or when you “Netflix and chill” instead of going to the gym, again. You feel bad and think, “I should do something about this.” But hey, life gets in the way. We’ve all been there! An interesting NPR article calls out all this health guilt.

How to spend your flexible spending account before it expires Dec. 31

The end of the year means you may be budgeting for holiday gifts and party provisions. But many people have another kind of spending they need to do before December 31st: flexible spending account (FSA) spending. Why the urgency? Flexible spending accounts contain pre-tax money set aside by employers to help with medical expenses during the year. But the money expires on December 31st, and if you’ve had a healthy year without many co-pays, time is of the essence to spend it.

What is homeopathy?

Proactive Health Labs doctors sometimes get asked if they are homeopathic doctors. Homeopathy and allopathic or “Western” medicine are actually quite different, and the doctors at pH fall under the allopathic umbrella. Homeopathy, which was invented by a German physician in the 1800s, suggests that if you give someone a tiny amount of a plant that causes symptoms similar to the illness they have, their body will be able to rid itself of the illness. The plants are taken in small doses, diluted in 99 percent water.

Look at the whole picture for root causes of disease

Our current health care system has sometimes been criticized for addressing the symptoms of various diseases as opposed to treating the root cause. And many bright minds have tried to find root causes of diseases since the beginning of time. While many brilliant discoveries have been made, root causes of diseases are often multifold and complex, and what exactly the root cause is may vary, depending on who you ask!

Hitting your peaks in life

Many people think they know when they hit their peak in life. But you may be wrong. Perhaps the best is yet to come. A recent article in BBC news titled “What is the prime of your life?” examined research by Harvard scientist Josh Hartshorne, which was recently published in Psychology Science. The findings are that life has many peaks, whether it is in regards to fitness, brain function, social skills, knowledge and reasoning, sex life or life satisfaction. For example, you may peak in athletics in your 20s but be happiest in your 60s. It’s not “all downhill from here!”

See Why Our Clients Are Raving About Proactive Health Labs (pH Labs)!

Here are just a few recent examples of how our clients have enjoyed healthier and happier lives by visiting Proactive Health Labs, in their own words.