Doctors know this message is nothing new, but it’s the first topic that’s brought up when they discuss how people can get healthy and stay healthy. They’re repeating it they say, because we are not listening.
Obesity leads to hypertension, diabetes, heart ailments, arthritis and psychological and emotional issues, says Whitmer.
“It’s boring to even hear it anymore, but we’re obese as a country,” said Dr. Tamara Togliatti, a Kettering doctor. “Our bodies can’t maintain that body mass index forever. If you’re overweight, it leads to other issues.”
Being overweight creates a negative cycle, she said. If you’re overweight, you sweat more and struggle to breathe during activity, so you do less.
Whitmer advises if you are currently overweight, lose weight. Even a small weight loss can positively affect your joints, vascular system, heart and lungs and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses.
Parents need to be aware of the importance of raising active kids with healthy diets, he said.
“A lot of those eating and exercising habits are learned at an early age from parents and peers,” he said.
Listen to your body
Doctors said it is important to pay attention to signals your body sends. Doctors chronicled some symptoms that should not be ignored.
Dizziness, especially if it lasts more than five days and happens during activity. You could have vertigo, dehydration, problems with medications, anemia, stroke or multiple sclerosis.
Nights sweats can mean you have cancer or hormone-related issues such as a thyroid disorder or perimenopause.
Unexplained weight loss is not something to celebrate. If you lost weight without trying, you could have diabetes, cancer or a thyroid problem.
Fatigue should be taken seriously, Whitmer said. Everybody feels run down sometimes, but if fatigue is keeping you from doing regular activities, you could have a sleep problem.
“We’ve seen an explosion of people with sleep apnea,” he said. Sleep apnea causes restorative sleep to be disrupted during the night, with bouts of waking up with a “snort” because the person is not breathing, Whitmer said. The person wakes up feeling as if he never went to sleep.
Hearing damage was also a concern to doctors. Whitmer admitted he’s done a bad job of protecting his hearing over the years.
“We all went to concerts and didn’t wear hearing protection,” he said.
He suggests wearing ear plugs at concerts or when using loud machinery, including lawn mowers. Ear plugs are available in bulk at your corner drugstore. Or you can get a personal, fitted pair for your ear canal for about $90.
Finally, some good news: Years of staring at a computer does not damage vision. It may require glasses to relieve eye strain, but, said Whitmer, that’s it.
Prescription medications, vitamins and supplements
Do not use prescription medication that belongs to anyone else, Togliatti said.
“Just because Vicodin is good for your mom doesn’t mean it is good for you,” she said.
Using someone else’s medication could lead to lowering of blood pressure or allergic reactions. For example, someone might know they cannot use Bactrim because it is sulfa-based and they have a sulfa allergy. That person might want to use someone’s Celebrex for pain and not realize it has sulfa.
Whitmer adds that just taking one prescription pill belonging to someone else can lead to being fired. The presence of a drug that a person does not have a prescription for has to be reported as a “positive” drug test, he said.
Vitamins are great, Dr. Whitmer said, but more is not necessarily better. The body can only absorb so much of certain vitamins, so you would be wasting money by taking too many. In some cases you run the risk of getting a toxic dose of the vitamin.
How to advocate at the doctor’s office
Once you’ve taken a look at your health and realized you want to bring some issues to your doctors attention, there are good ways to do that, said Dr. Jennifer Hauler, a Tipp City doctor, who also works at the Grandview Hospital emergency room.
First, know you’re in charge of your health and need to work with your doctor on a problem.
“People have to realize they’re always their best advocate,” Dr. Hauler said.
“You know your body best. If you’re feeling something is out of line, it needs to get checked.”
Hauler said a patient who chronicles when pain or discomfort comes up is “a physician’s dream.” For example, if a patient reports that stomach pain comes after eating, the doctor knows to suspect gall bladder problems.
Don’t hesitate to share symptoms you think sound odd. Often her best diagnoses come from someone starting with, “I know this is crazy, but ...”
Use the most descriptive words as possible. If you feel dizzy, let the doctor know if that means “lightheaded” or that you feel things are spinning.
Keeping your doctor informed between appointments is also key. If you were seen at urgent care three times for, for instance, an ear infection, your doctor needs to know.
“It’s easy enough to call the doctor’s office and leave a message, saying ‘add this to my chart,’ ” she said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2216 or kmargolis@coxohio.com.
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