Tag: self-help

How to be an empowered patient phoebemd

How To Be an Empowered Patient

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Have you ever left one of your health appointments disappointed with your visit? Maybe you had just spoken to a health care professional, but instead of feeling like all of your concerns were addressed, you found yourself with even more questions? In this article, I will present practical tools that you can use to help you prepare for any encounters you might have with the health care system–whether it is a routine doctor’s visit or an unexpected trip to the ER—and by helping you make the most out of your interactions with your health care professionals. In short, these tips will show you how to be an “empowered patient.”

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How to Control Blood Sugar Levels: A Diabetes Guide

How to Control Blood Sugar Levels: A Diabetes Guide

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In my previous articles, I discussed both the importance of knowing your Diabetes ABC’s as well as how to easily make diabetes-friendly diet changes. In this article, I will focus on another essential diabetes skill: how to control your blood sugar levels and keep them in a healthy range. By knowing what to watch for and knowing how to react, you can be empowered to truly take control of this condition. 

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Diabetes Basics: What You Need to Know

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Like most chronic conditions, diabetes is a disease that–while serious–should not deprive you of a long and fulfilling life. With that said, you might be feeling overwhelmed at the vast amount of information there is to know about the condition. If this is you, fear not! This article will cover the Diabetes Basics…which is essentially what you need to know in order to gauge how well you are managing your diabetes. 

In other articles, I will discuss how to eat successfully with diabetes by presenting two ways of meal planning (the Plate Method and Carb Counting). Together, you will be equipped with the skills you need to take control of your health once again.

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The Ketogenic Diet: Fact or Fad?

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Over the past year, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the ketogenic diet. Not surprisingly, I have encountered many questions regarding them. What is it? Is it safe? Would I recommend it? 

Despite the recent trend, a “ketogenic diet” is actually not new at all. In the 1970’s, Dr. Atkins popularized his low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss that began with a very strict two-week ketogenic phase. Over the years, other popular diets also incorporated similar approaches for weight loss. But in medicine, we have been using this method for almost a century to treat some forms of epilepsy, especially drug-resistant types in children.

As you know, whenever something is popularized, much information goes around—some accurate, some not so accurate. The purpose of this post is to summarize for you what the medical community actually knows so far through its research on the health effects of ketogenic diets. This post is not to make a stance either for or against, because as you will see, there are both pros and potential cons (as well as some unknowns); rather, I simply want to equip you with the right information in order to empower you to make the best decision for your personal situation.

So let’s get started!

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