Manage Your Blood Sugar with These Foods

Living with Type 2 Diabetes can be challenging. If you have recently been diagnosed with this chronic condition, then you will be working with your healthcare providers to keep your blood sugar under control. One of the first steps to diabetes treatment in Rockville, MD, is to make lifestyle changes, starting with your diet.

One of the aims of diabetic treatment is to prevent blood sugar spikes. This is a condition where there is an excess of glucose in the bloodstream. Chronic blood sugar spikes can cause complications, including heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure. Controlling what you eat and how much can allow you to avoid them.

What to Eat?

Generally speaking, physicians and dietitians recommend people going through diabetes treatment to eat fewer carbohydrates--and its partner in crime, sugar. You can start by cutting out foods with refined grains, like white bread or enriched pasta. Milk and sugary desserts should also be avoided.

With that out of the way, there is still plenty of foods you can eat and enjoy. Vegetables and leafy greens can add flavor to any dish. They are also high in fiber and nutrients.

Instead of reaching for a soda, try fruit-infused water. There are many varieties of tea and herbal infusions that can take the place of fruit juices and sports drinks.

While we may have told you to drop refined grains, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on bread entirely. Go for breads, cereals, and pastas that are comprised mostly of whole grains (check the ingredient list!). The body digests whole grains differently from their refined counterparts, which reduces the chance of a blood sugar spike.

Aside from choosing the right types of food to eat during diabetes treatment, it is also important to control how much you eat. Talk with your physician or a dietitian to get more advice on healthy foods.

Here Are Some Tips to Help You Stop Smoking When You’re Ready to Quit

Kicking tobacco to the curb is one of the best things you can do for your health, plus your wallet will thank you. However, quitting is easier said than done. Here are some tips for smoking cessation from Rockville, MD doctors to help you on your journey to breathing easier.

Find Your Motivation: Smoking is more than a habit; it’s an addiction. To beat your cravings, you’ll need to keep your reasons for quitting at top of your mind. Whether you want to get healthier, stop exposing your loved ones to secondhand smoke, or save money, remind yourself about your motivation option.

Consider Nicotine Replacement Therapy or Prescription Help: Modern medicine offers many smoking cessation aids. Nicotine replacement therapies like gum, lozenges, and patches help you ward off the unpleasant symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. In addition, there are prescription pills that may help curb your urges; talk to a doctor to learn more.

Discover New Ways to Relax: Many people smoke to deal with stress. If you find yourself craving a cigarette during hard times, try exploring new ways to relax, like working out, breathing exercises, or even fidget toys. Everyone responds to different things, so experiment until you find what works for you.

Avoid Your Triggers: Part of addiction is psychological, so your smoking cessation efforts will be more successful if you identify what drives your urges. For example, some people have a habit of smoking after meals or around certain people. Instead, you could try picking up a new routine for those situations or avoiding them altogether if possible.

This New Year, Resolve to Get Healthy -- But Don’t Focus on the Scale

The New Year is when it’s traditional to make resolutions to take off that weight you gained over the holidays. This is getting more attention than ever this year when many of us want to lose the pounds we’ve gained during the COVID-19 quarantine.

However, with weight gain and loss, the primary focus is your good health. Our physicians recommend you put your energy into establishing a healthy lifestyle.

Seek Help from a Dietician 

A key component of medical care for adults in Rockville, MD, is helping the patient develop healthful practices. This includes eating plenty of lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Such healthy habits take the weight off and keep it off as long as you persist with this positive behavior. 

Your physician can refer you to a dietician, a professional who helps patients lose weight by establishing a healthy lifestyle, including sound nutrition and regular exercise. These professionals are there to help you incorporate healthy behaviors into your lifestyle. 

We don’t want to see you starve yourself for short-term weight loss that creeps back on as soon as the diet is over. Instead, with medical care for adults in Rockville, MD, we provide you with oversight and resources that lead to long-term weight loss and management.

Preparing for the Holidays with Tips For Weight Management in Rockville, MD

The holidays are well known for having some of the most delicious foods in what seems like a marathon of family meals and holiday parties. For people who may be trying to lose weight can be a really difficult and daunting time of the year where their resolve and work are really put to the test. But seeing as this is a common struggle in America, there are many ways you can deter the temptation of sweets and other tempting foods with some tips on weight management in Rockville, MD.

It's great to get ahead of the game by doing some preparation to tackle any dietary obstacle. Here is a list of things you can do:

1.     Keep the Sugar Out of the House

2.     Eat Earlier in the Day

3.     Stick to Your Regular Exercise Routine

4.     Focus on Whole Fruits and Veggies

5.     Walk Your Dog (If You Have One)

6.     Weigh Yourself Daily

7.     Start a New Tradition

8.     Keep It Simple

9.     Be Kind to Yourself

 

Weight management can be tricky, but if you try your best to be diligent and kind to yourself, it will set you up for success. Feel free to reach out to Bethel Medical Center if you'd like to find out more about how we can help you on your journey to weight loss.

Why Adults Should Still Go to the Doctor Regularly

A bad cold or the flu, seasonal allergies, and unusual aches and pains are some of the reasons people go to the doctor. It is to your advantage to seek help if you are not feeling well. However, health officials also recommend that you have regularly scheduled visits with your physician. Doctors may be able to help you avoid the full development of diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions if they can identify them at an early stage. Being proactive about your health begins with adult primary care in Rockville, MD.

Your doctor doesn’t weigh you, take your temperature, and check your blood pressure and heart rate on a whim. The readings from these diagnostic services, along with blood work, can tell them much about your current state of health. Depending on any symptoms you are experiencing, your primary care physician may refer you to a specialist.

Adult primary care is your first defense against threats to your health. However, your doctor needs to see if you have any troubling symptoms that may indicate serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If you haven’t already had one, schedule your annual appointment today to enjoy peace of mind about your overall health.

What Happens During DOT Physical Exams in Rockville, MD?

If you are wondering what the process is for undergoing DOT physical exams in Rockville, MD, the staff at Bethel Medical Center is happy to give you details in this article.

As you know, Department of Transportation or DOT physical exams are mandatory to ensure you meet the requirements to obtain or retain a commercial driving license. Passing this exam provides assurances that no physical conditions are apparent that will impact your truck or bus driving performance.

A doctor, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner will do your DOT physical and begin by reviewing your medical history and any medications you take regularly. The exam will also include:

• Blood Pressure Testing
• Vision Test
• Hearing Exam
• Check for Spinal Deformities
• Check Breathing/Swallowing
• Neurological Exam of Reflexes and Coordination
• Listen to Heart and Lungs
• Abdomen and Hernia Check
• Urinalysis

Once you pass all of these tests, the examiner will issue you a medical certificate that will be valid for two years if you do not require periodic monitoring. In some instances, a certificate may be given that is only valid for three months, six months, or a year. These exams do not take long and are well worth the investment for your career.

Tips for Staying Positive While Losing Weight

Starting a healthy weight loss program should inspire you and make you feel proud of yourself, but it also takes time and patience. This fact can be difficult, but try to remember that when you start to lose weight from a place of acceptance and self-love, you are more likely to set realistic goals and allow for the small setbacks that are a common stumbling block for many.

Here are some useful suggestions to help you stay positive on your road to reaching a healthy weight with weight management in Rockville, MD.

Give Yourself at Least One Complement Every Day

It’s a fact that self-kindness leads to self-encouragement. Limit your self-doubt, which can lead to self-loathing. Remembering what you love about yourself will lead to the mindset of wanting the best for your body with weight management.

 Treat Every Day Like a New Beginning

Whatever happened yesterday doesn’t matter. Start each day by affirming to yourself that you will do the best you can today. Think of every day as a new opportunity for a fresh start. This will help you to avoid a potential cycle of negative self-talk that causes many people to give up on their weight management goals.

Set Achievable Goals

Aiming at unrealistic goals and coming down on yourself can contribute to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This has been shown to increase the amount of belly fat stored by the body, particularly in women. Set attainable goals, such as trying a new exercise each week or switching sweets treat for healthier options, to help protect your self-esteem and respect your body’s limits.