Be Fully Prepared For Upcoming Allergy Season

Spring may herald an end to winter and the beginning of outdoor fun in the sun, but it also marks the opening of seasonal suffering for allergy sufferers. Even worse, recent years have seen the allergy season extend as the years have longer periods that are warm and are warmer. Mild winters only aggravate the situation, making it a perfect storm of pollen and allergens the moment it starts to warm up. This means that allergy sufferers will be sneezing, getting itchy eyes, and suffering from the post-nasal drip and coughing earlier than ever. If you’re like most allergy sufferers, you’re wondering what you can do to arm up before the worst of it hits.

Preparing For Allergy Season The Right Way

Getting prepared is easy enough when you follow these four steps. Each of them is aimed at easing the misery pollens can bring into your life, so take careful note.

• Preload Your Medications – If you usually wait until you’re in the thick of allergy symptoms to medicate, it’s time to change that habit. You’ll save yourself considerable misery by starting to take your medication the moment you notice allergies or even earlier. This will help prevent your immune system from going haywire and prevent it from becoming your worst enemy.
• Spring Cleaning Now! – Dedicate yourself to digging into spring cleaning early this year. A thorough cleaning of your whole home, including dusting, often missed areas, can help create a safe-space from allergens. Curtains, rugs, and furniture all need special care as common places dust can build up.
• Tell Mold No Way – Basements, bathrooms, and kitchens should be a particular focus as these are areas where mold likes to gather. With detergent, water, and a little bit of effort, you can ease your allergy concerns by eliminating mold in your home.
• Stay On Top Of Your Day – Pollen counts are tracked all over the country and reported to users of the Allergy Alert Map offered by the AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology). Knowing when peak pollen hours occur and when a day is expected to be particularly bad can be of great help to allergy sufferers.

Following these tips are going to help your allergy season be a much less daunting experience, so start getting prepared today!

One Final Tip – Change Up Your Schedule

While this isn’t an option for everyone, those who are able would do well to change their daily schedule to take advantage of low pollen hours. Pollen is particularly prevalent in the early mornings and when it is hot and dry out. Take advantage of those cool, rainy days and try to sneak your time out into the afternoon to avoid the worst pollen levels, and you’ll have a much better time of things.

New Year’s Resolution: All About Your Family Wellness Visit

As the new year begins, it’s a good time to start making important decisions about your family’s health. The best way to begin is by scheduling a wellness visit for all the members of the family. During your visit, your physician will go through your medical records, ask questions about your health since your last visit, and make sure everything is up to date. Your wellness visit is an important part of your overall care; it allows your physician to monitor your progress and identify growing trends or signs of health problems ahead.

How To Prepare For Your Family Wellness Visit

When you’re getting ready to visit your physician for a wellness visit, there are some things that you can do to prepare. The time you have with your doctor is limited and important, so it pays to plan ahead for your visit. While you’re there, you want to bring an open mind and be sure to ask questions about maintaining and improving your health. Also, be sure to ask about when you should get your next screenings for your colon, prostate, etc.

• A list of questions for your doctor
• Complete health records
• Complete list of the supplements and medication you’re taking
• Notes about symptoms, signs, or changes in your health over the past year

Another thing that is often suggested, especially for inexperienced or elderly patients, is bringing along a friend or family member. This person can be a second set of ears for you and serve as an advocate for you if necessary. This can be a good idea even for those who have a positive relationship with their physician just to ensure you remember their guidance clearly.

The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don’t take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop. – Quentin Regestein

The Benefits Of Regular Family Wellness Visits

There are many benefits to seeing your physician on a regular basis, starting with the fact that preventative care visits are covered under most insurance plans. This is your opportunity to check in with your provider and ensure that everything is going well with your health, and express your thoughts and concerns with your doctor.

During your visit, you’ll receive a series of tests and check-ups that are designed to catch the presence of medical conditions. These include checking your blood pressure, weight, height, and other vitals, including your reflexes. They’ll also check for any sign of cognitive impairment, reduced range of motion, and problems with balance. These tests give a clear view of your current health status and tell the doctor if there’s anything to worry about.

Your wellness visit is going to give you peace of mind concerning the overall health of your entire family, so make sure you schedule this year’s visit today!

Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasons change frequently, and the onset of the waning sun and colder weather can bring about depression symptoms, known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. The occurrence happens to over 10 million Americans annually, and those affected by SAD tend to experience significant struggles with their depression disorders throughout the colder seasons. While the cause of SAD isn’t specific, psychologists believe that the presence of melatonin decreases and causes a disruption to the circadian rhythm of how we sleep and function because of the waning sunlight.

It’s important to recognize and treat SAD because all forms of depression can limit a person’s ability to fully live their lives, function well at work, and enjoy time with their families. If you know someone with SAD, here are some treatment options you can consider to help relieve those symptoms and how to best approach this disorder when it appears.

Try Exercising

Any form of depression can benefit from exercise because the endorphins from exercising can help relieve symptoms. However, during the winter months, getting outside to work out can be a struggle, especially for SAD patients. Any form of exercise can be performed indoors. Finding resources for yoga, weight training, and even indoor cardio exercises can help boost the heart and keep the mind healthy.

Stick to a Schedule

Finding a schedule and working with it can be a great mood booster for those with SAD; by keeping a regular schedule, you can help manage sleep better, expose yourself to light throughout the day, and help keep the mind and body healthy. Balancing exercise, diet, and work throughout the day can provide you with more energy for activities and help you feel tired for adequate sleep.

Keeping a Journal

Writing down your thoughts can help provide you with an internal perspective about the emotions you experience and help keep track of your mood throughout each day. Getting those negative emotions out of your system can help relieve depression symptoms and provide you introspection on what you can do to change your behaviors.

Use Light Therapy

Light and aroma can both be beneficial to one’s health. Light therapy through dawn simulators and light therapy boxes can help the body’s circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin. Working with full-spectrum light is closest to natural light and is a useful measure for treating SAD. Also, spending time throughout the day near dawn can help brighten your mood.

Speak with Your Doctor

Because SAD is a type of depression, speaking with a mental health professional can help determine the cause of the depression and find the right treatment course. Speaking with a professional can help you work through the various emotions and thoughts you can experience with SAD and recognize how SAD plays a part in your life.

If you’ve begun to see the effects of SAD this winter, then the best place to speak to about your problems is at Dr. Trang D Nguyen’s office at Conroe Family Doctor in Conroe, TX.