Dr. Crystal A. Young-Wilson

Sometimes, I remind my patients that stress, poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyle and dehydration can affect their gut health, and ultimately, their overall health. The gut has many responsibilities, so when it’s not properly cared for, you may gain weight, catch viruses more often or experience gastrointestinal issues. Here’s more on your gut health influences your overall health. If you need more information, let’s talk at your next appointment.

How Your Gut Health Influences Your Overall Health | MDVIP It makes sense that if we have an unhealthy gut, we'll have gastrointestinal issues. But sometimes we forget that what we eat affects our entire body – not just our gut. How does the gut have so much influence over our health?

Today we reflect on the victims of 9/11 and their families.

Many of my patients want to lose weight quickly and I can’t blame them. But rapid weight loss is difficult to sustain; in fact, it’s usually followed by rapid weight gain. Here’s more on the importance of losing weight gradually.

What If I Lose Weight Too Quickly? | MDVIP A lot of people trying to lose weight often start out fast – dropping pounds at a rapid pace. But losing weight too fast can be detrimental to your health and sabotage your overall goals. Rapid weight loss is often followed by rapid weight gain. Or wors...

A few of my patients are die-hard outdoor exercisers, which can be tough in extreme elements like summer’s very high temperatures. But there are handful of tactics you can take to help make your summer outdoor workouts safer.

5 Tips to Survive Hot Summer Workouts | MDVIP It's mid-summer, 90 degrees and humid, but you want to work out and you prefer doing it outdoors. Treadmills really aren't your thing – you feel like a hamster walking or running on one. You're probably aware summer heat raises your risk for sunburn, h...

Many of my patients take their gut health seriously. Unfortunately, their efforts can be thwarted by taking medications that throw off gut biome. If you’re take any of these drugs, talk to me about gut health at your next office visit.

These Medications Mess with Your Gut Biomes | MDVIP Gut health is a relatively new line of research. As more and more studies are published, experts realize that gut microbiota function like an organ. And like other organs, it's affected by what you ingest. While you're probably aware your diet can affec...

Type 2 diabetes is very common. In fact, about 10 percent of Americans have it. Unfortunately, it can have profound consequences. Genetics are involved, but it’s largely a lifestyle disease. Getting exercise and eating a healthy diet, in particular, can delay and often prevent it. Both are also helpful in managing the condition. Here’s more information. https://bit.ly/3yj95u7

Poor Quality Diet Significantly Raises Risk for Type 2 Diabetes | MDVIP Type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest public health issues. About 1 in 10 Americans have type 2 diabetes and a third have pre-diabetes, which if left untreated will become type 2, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goo...

I’m a big proponent of walking. Walking helps control various conditions. But many of my patients often ask me if they really need to walk 10,000 steps a day. Where did this number come from? Here’s what you need to know.

Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps a Day? | MDVIP Walking an average of 7,000-10,000 per day can help manage weight, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure & strengthen your heart. Helping you live longer.

Most of my patients are coffee drinkers and some of them wonder if it’s harming their health. Coffee can cause insomnia, raise heart rates and upset stomachs. But it’s also tied to a lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, skin cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease and obesity. And if you take it unsweetened, it may lower your risk of death. Here’s what you need to know.

Good News for Coffee Drinkers: Coffee is Linked to Lower Risk of Death | MDVIP Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the United States. Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee every day. That's more coffee than soda, juice and tea combined.

Many of my older patients have knee arthritis, which interferes with their ability to move, perform daily activities and even walk. I usually advise these patients to lose weight, wear a brace, work with a physical therapist and begin a walking program. Here’s why.

Walking for Exercise Eases Knee Arthritis in People Over 50 | MDVIP Do you struggle with knee pain? If you do, you know the problem is more than just pain. When your knees hurt, you can't move very well. And your ability to perform daily activities, including walking, are compromised.

For many of my patients, body fat might as well be a four-letter word. However, not all body fat is the same. There are four types (or colors) of body fat and believe it or not, each has a purpose. Learn more about body fat.

Understanding the Colors of Fat: How to Convert White to Brown Fat | MDVIP Fat is a very important component of the human body composition. It is important to know the types of fat and the differentiation between them. Learn More.

“How much should I weigh?” If I had a nickel for every time a patient asked me that question – I would be able to offer free valet parking for my patients. I’m kidding, but you get my point; I’m asked this question a lot. In truth, your weight isn’t that important; in fact, it’s just a number on a scale. Your focus should be your body composition. Here’s what you need to know.

How Much Should I Weigh? | MDVIP Do you feel may like you're on a lifelong journey to lose 20 elusive pounds? Or maybe you're a hard gainer – always trying to put on 10 pounds. Either way, managing your weight can be very frustrating, especially if you're living a healthy lifestyle. Wh...

I spend time discussing nutrition with my patients because poor nutrition can lead to many health issues, like type 2 diabetes -- one of the biggest public health issues. But you can lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes by eating a healthy diet. Here’s what you need to know. https://bit.ly/3yj95u7

Poor Quality Diet Significantly Raises Risk for Type 2 Diabetes | MDVIP Type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest public health issues. About 1 in 10 Americans have type 2 diabetes and a third have pre-diabetes, which if left untreated will become type 2, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goo...

If you’re one of my patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, I know you have your hands full managing your condition. But the next time you’re in the office, we need to talk about living a heart-healthy lifestyle. The inflammation involved in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can raise your risk for a heart attack by 23 percent. In the meantime, here’s more on IBD and heart attacks.

IBD And Increased Risk for Heart Attack – Living Well - MDVIP Chronic inflammation of the gut can increase the risk of a heart attack and stroke. This is one reason MDVIP focuses on inflammation as a risk factor for disease.

Most Fourth of July celebrations take place outdoors, which means spending time around mosquitoes. If you swear that you’re “mosquito magnet," you may be correct. Studies show mosquitoes are more attracted to some people than others. But there’s good news: You can lower your risk for mosquito bites. Here’s what you need to know.

Are You a Mosquito Magnet? 6 Tips to Help Control Mosquitoes | MDVIP Now that we're heading into the summer months, you'll probably spend more time outdoors and a lot more time around mosquitoes. If you're one of those people mosquitoes love to target, we have some good news.

Weight loss is a top concern in my practice. Many patients can drop some weight after making some simple lifestyle changes. But sometimes, lifestyle changes aren’t enough. There’s a deeper issue involved, for example, gut health. Here’s how your gut biome can affect your weight. https://bit.ly/3VqbU9q l

How Your Gut Biome Can Affect Your Weight | MDVIP You've cleaned-up your diet, cut your calories and ramped up your workouts, but the scale still hasn't budged. We all know that managing weight can be a difficult, complex process. And experts still don't have all the answers. But a new weight managemen...

I have patients with GI issues – mostly IBS and some SIBO. I advise them to watch out for gluten, but I also educate them on fodmaps – foods with simple carbohydrates (or sugars) that the small intestine doesn’t absorb well. If you have a GI issue, you should understand fodmaps. Here’s what you need to know.

MDVIP | Gluten May Not Be A Trigger For Your IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome is triggered by certain foods. Discover a study that showed gluten might not be a trigger & learn which foods you should try to avoid.

I get a lot of questions about metabolism from my patients. I know it’s a confusing subject. And it doesn’t help that there’s so much misinformation about how to speed up your metabolism in late night TV commercials and internet ads. Here is an overview of how your metabolism works and the role it plays in your health.

How Does Your Metabolism Work? | MDVIP Metabolism is the chemical process where nutrients are converted into energy or calories. It’s one of the most essential processes in our body.

Managing a chronic condition can be very expensive. Co-pays, medications, diagnostic procedures and lab tests are costly. But did you realize that the some of the most expensive illnesses are preventable? That’s right. Lifestyle plays a role in these illnesses. Learn more about these conditions and work with me to help you prevent and/or control them.

The Most Expensive Preventable Illnesses to Treat in the U.S. | MDVIP According to the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, the preventable health conditions and diseases with the highest cost, if you get them, are:

Depression is often associated with women more than men. But it also affects men and in large numbers. Unfortunately, men are less likely to address their depression than women. One reason is many men don’t experience textbook depression symptoms. Here’s some information I use to help educate my patients.

Depression in Men Looks Different than It Does in Women | MDVIP Depression also affects men and in large numbers — about six million American men struggle with depression. However, it usually goes undiagnosed.

Happy Father’s Day! The men in our lives protect us – whether they’re our partners, fathers or sons. Unfortunately, many of them don’t protect themselves from health issues. And there’s a surprising gap in understanding many basic men’s health issues. How much do you know about men’s health? Take our quiz to test your knowledge.
https://bit.ly/3yHHwOK

Men's Health | MDVIP How much do you know about Men's Health? Take the MDVIP quiz and test your knowledge.

If you’re experiencing symptoms such as tummy aches, headaches or even hives after you eat certain foods, talk to me about it. You may have a food sensitivity, intolerance or allergy. A growing number of American adults are living with food allergies. But there are steps we can take to help manage the situation.

Food Allergies and What You Can Do About Them | MDVIP Food allergies are incredibly common and can often result in hospitalization. Discover types of allergies, what you can do about them, and how MDVIP can help.

Of all the things we eat, some of the most harmful are high-sugar foods. While some foods are obviously high in sugar like desserts, sodas and smoothies, others like gourmet coffees, flavored yogurts, salad dressings and barbecue sauces are often overlooked. But it’s important to pay attention to the amount of sugar you’re eating. Here’s why.

Why is Sugar Bad for You? 68& of processed food contains some added sugar. Sugars cause a chemical response in the brain associated with addiction and can cause health problems.

I preach the basic tenets of heart disease prevention to my patients -- healthy diet, exercise, weight management and stress control. But there are other factors that can put you at risk for heart disease. Here are nine unusual heart disease risks.

9 Unusual Heart Disease Risks to Look Out For | MDVIP Discover 9 unusual heart disease risks that you may never have heard of. Learn about what signs to look out for and what these risks mean to your health.

For years, a lack of sleep has been associated with obesity, heart disease and diabetes. However, a recent study is now linking insomnia with dementia. Here’s what you need to know.

Sleep Deprivation & Dementia Links | MDVIP Sleep deprivation is associated with raising the risk of numerous health conditions. Now, a study recently published suggested that poor sleep may be linked to dementia.

With summer right around the corner, you’re probably spending more time outdoors and a lot more time around mosquitoes. As you know, mosquitoes are a hassle and spread viruses. For my patients who swear they’re mosquito magnets (and even for those who don’t), check out these six tips to help you control mosquitoes.

Are You a Mosquito Magnet? 6 Tips to Help Control Mosquitoes | MDVIP Now that we're heading into the summer months, you'll probably spend more time outdoors and a lot more time around mosquitoes. If you're one of those people mosquitoes love to target, we have some good news.

Spring and summer allergies can be rough. It’s a very common complaint in my practice. And while medications help, I find it important to limit exposure to allergens. Here are five tips to help you do that.

5 Tips for Managing Spring Allergies | MDVIP After a long winter, who doesn't love a beautiful spring day? The warm air, the gentle breezes, fragrant flowers, buzzing bees and ... the sound of sneezing, sniffling and coughing. Okay, nobody likes that last part, but there is relief if you suffer f...

For years, I’ve been encouraging my patients to choose whole foods. Ultra-processed foods like many brands of frozen pizza, sports drinks and breakfast cereals raise your risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline. They’re also linked to cancer. Learn how ultra-processed foods increase your risk for cancer.

Ultra-Processed Foods May Be Linked to Cancer | MDVIP Ultra-processed foods, although more affordable than whole foods, may be linked to cancer. Prioritize your health by exploring this study by The Lancet.

Many of my patients have heard the terms “gut health”, “microbiome” and “probiotics” but don’t really know what they mean. However, it’s important to understand these terms, as maintaining gut health can contribute to a strong immune system, controlled inflammation levels and possibly healthy neurological function. Here’s what you need to know about probiotics and gut health.

Probiotics And Their Effect On Overall Gut Health | MDVIP Discover what probiotics and prebiotics are and how they can positively impact your gut health. Discover daily habits you can change to improve gut health.

I get lots of questions about certain foods from my patients, particularly the foods that seem to gain popularity overnight. Food crazes usually occur when a new study finds unknown health benefits in a specific food. Food manufacturers then create products involving that food and market it. But are the processed versions of these healthy foods still healthy? In many cases, they aren’t — at least not as healthy as you think. Here are six so-called healthy foods along with four runner ups.

Fake Healthy Foods: 6 Foods We Think are Healthy | MDVIP Some of the foods we consider “healthy” often have benefits in their natural form. But as the food undergoes processing, its nutrients are stripped. Learn more.

Mother’s Day 5/12: Mom’s health is important. But there a surprising gap in understanding many basic women’s health issues. Take our Women’s Health Quiz to test your knowledge. Then visit MDVIP’s Women’s Health Center and educate yourself. Do it for Mom! https://bit.ly/3QCkkrx

Women's Health Center | Health Quiz & Common Myths | MDVIP How much do you know about women's health? Test your knowledge by taking our quiz & learn more about common myths about women's health.