Reconnect with Nature

Even though it’s January weather outside, we can always benefit from fresh air (whether cold or warm). This new year, bundle up and hit the trails. An outdoor walk can naturally increase endorphins, improve the functioning of your brain, lower your blood pressure and stress hormones, and bring you a sense of joy and motivation. Not only movement, but simply being outdoors can give you a much-needed refresher. From the soothing sounds of the birds to the fresh, open air, experiencing what’s outside your front door can give you a new outlook on life.

Center Yourself Through Sound and Silence

The benefits of calmness, mindfulness, and centering the self are underrated, as there are many ways to achieve an improved state of mental wellness, which affects your physical wellness. An approaching trend in 2019 utilizes the power of sound, much like those soothing birds on an afternoon walk; some employ the use of singing bowls, sound machines, relaxation videos, and more. Harvard Medical School finds sound has been shown to help improve your cardiovascular health along with your endocrine and immune system. On the other hand, silence can have a similar effect on you through meditation or yoga, which can help you focus on just one of your senses, concentrate on deep muscle relaxation, or reconnect with your physical core.

If You Don’t Snooze, You Lose

We spend so much of our lives sleeping, something incredibly vital to our health. When you’re running on empty, it can increase irritability and make it hard to concentrate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found in 2017 that sleep disorders are so pervasive in the U.S. that it’s classified as a public health epidemic. Lack of sleep can even interfere with daily tasks and situations like driving or job performance. You can contact us at Johnson Medical Associates to get an overnight sleep apnea screening.

If your resolution for 2019 is to catch more z’s, check out these pro-sleep tips:

1. Make your bedroom an oasis. (Don’t watch tv in your bedroom, and designate it as the place where you sleep only.)
2. Turn the tech off 1 to 2 hours before turning in.
3. Stick to a schedule, and hit the hay at the same time every night.
4. Make sure you have the right temperature in the bedroom, anywhere from 60 to 68 degrees.
5. Cut down on caffeine.

Learn Something New in 2019

Expand your horizons and learn something new in 2019. Whether it’s a new language, how to knit, or perhaps playing an instrument, challenging yourself to a new skill can do wonders. It improves your mental well being, critical thinking, and can slow cognitive aging. Music is a great example, as it can alter your mood and be an emotional outlet. Turn your joy or sadness into a piece of art by expressing yourself, while improving how you think and mentally perform. Playing an instrument can also help sharpen your reading, listening and concentration levels as you recognize different notes. Meanwhile, it can better regulate your breathing, directly benefiting your respiratory system.

Check Yourself Before You Check into 2019

2019 is a chance to start new, which means you want to be sure everything’s working right from the start. Visit your doctor or contact us at Johnson Medical Associates to get that baseline checkup before making your 2019 health and wellness plans.

The post 5 Healthy Ways to Start the New Year Right appeared first on Johnson Medical Associates.

Sinus allergies are a beast of their own. Why do we also have to have food allergies? (Especially when we’re allergic to something we love to eat — that’s just not fair.) Unfortunately, it’s the way of allergies, and while food allergies cannot be cured, they can be avoided.  

Are You Allergic to One of these Eight Foods?

More than 160 foods can cause allergic reactions in individuals, but the FDA identifies 8 of the most common, which are as follows:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)
• Crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp)
• Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soybeans

Did you check any of these on the list? If you’re not sure, we can help.

Feast on the Facts

It’s estimated that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies, including nearly 6 million children under the age of 18. While many allergic reactions to food may not be serious, there are some that can be dangerous or even life-threatening, like those that cause anaphylaxis, which is a “severe, whole-body allergic reaction to a chemical that has become an allergen.” For children, it can be hard to avoid certain foods at school, so it’s important to recognize symptoms for yourself, take necessary allergy tests, and then know what to avoid and plan for it for you and your kids.

Food Allergy Symptoms are Fickle

Food allergies sometimes show themselves immediately and sometimes hours after a person has eaten the food. Some common symptoms include:

• Hives
• Tingling or itching inside the mouth
• Swelling of the face, tongue, or lips
• Swelling of throat and vocal cords
• Abdominal cramps
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Drop in blood pressure
• Coughing or sneezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Flushed skin or rash

Control Your Allergies and Be Prepared

Since we cannot cure allergies, we have to live with them and avoid the foods that trigger them. Before eating anything, especially if given to you as a gift or brought to a family dinner, ask about the ingredients. Even ask if your specific allergy-inducing ingredient was used. Read food labels before purchasing or using certain items, as manufacturers are required by law to list the ingredients in prepared foods.

Allergy-Free Cooking for the Holidays

Food allergies aren’t fun, and the holidays (and all their delicious treats) are meant to be. Pinterest and various cooking sites, like Food Network, have recipes for fun appetizers, bread substitutes, and other side dishes so that you’re not left out at the table. Find the right recipes that fit your food allergies, and maybe whip up one of your favorites that you know you’ll love.

Happy holidays from Johnson Medical Associates!

Allergic to certain foods and aren’t which ones? Dr. Alfred Johnson can help through the Johnson Medical Associates diagnostic testing.

The post What to Know About Food Allergies this Holiday appeared first on Johnson Medical Associates.