Tammy Jones, MD

Avoid Overeating to Ensure a Healthier Holiday Season
Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season
Holiday celebrations are a tempting trap. The holiday table overflows with food that’s as delicious as it can be challenging for those with health risks or chronic illnesses.

If you suffer from diabetes, high cholesterol, heart or kidney disease, are overweight, or have any other illness about which your doctor has warned you to “watch what you eat,” then eat smart.

Eat like the Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth II never eats at a State dinner. She does this for protocol. For those with health issues, having a light meal or appetizer before heading out to the party will help curb your cravings. This also goes for diabetics. Once at the party, sip water or a diet beverage before the holiday meal (those with kidney issues should consult their physician first).

Choose heart- and health-friendly substitutes. If you’re preparing the meal, use egg whites, low-fat sour cream and apple sauce. Instead of sugar, use flavorful spice substitutes like vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg. It’ll taste just as good – maybe even better - and will be heart-healthier.

Look for hidden dangers. Before the party, ask the host what will be on the menu. Then research the dishes for risky ingredients, like carbohydrates, protein, potassium, phosphorus or sodium. Even nuts or other ingredients can trigger a food allergy. Once there, break out the smartphone to check any surprise dishes. If the menu doesn’t match your dietary needs, bring your own meal. The host shouldn’t be offended.

Get moving. The sedentary tradition of relaxing in the comfy sofa or chair after the meal to watch football can be unhealthy. Start a new tradition. Take a walk. Play horseshoes. Power up the Wii or toss a football with the kids or grandkids.

Don't assume it's indigestion. The holidays are peak season for indigestion, acid reflux – and heart attacks. Holiday sweets, alcohol and big meals can trigger acid reflux and chest pain. Yet, someone in the early stages of a heart attack might reach for the antacids. Know the warning signs.

Too Much Salt Might Be Impairing Your Immune System
By Janet Tiberian, MA, MPH, CHES
October 28, 2020
Too Much Salt Might Be Impairing Your Immune System
It doesn’t look like COVID-19 is going away any time soon, which means it’s important to keep your immune system strong. This means getting good quality sleep, exercising regularly, managing stress and eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.

It also is a good idea to curb eating foods loaded with ingredients that can suppress your immune system like sugar and the other white stuff – salt. That’s right; eating too much salt may impair the immune system’s ability to fight bacterial infections, according to a study published in Science Translational Medicine.

Yes, COVID-19 is a virus. However, contracting a virus raises your risk for secondary bacterial infections.

“We’ve known for decades that too much dietary salt can raise blood pressure, taking a toll on the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal systems,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “But the idea that sodium may be weakening the immune system is news.”

A previous study conducted by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical Center found that when mice consumed an excessive amount of salt, their immune systems triggered a response that ultimately damaged their cognitive skills. This led scientists from University Hospital of Bonn in Germany to conduct additional research to gain a better understanding of how sodium chloride affects the immune system.

German scientists also began their study by feeding mice a diet extremely high in salt. Results suggested the mice suffered from more infections and were less able to fight kidney infections cause by E. coli and body-wide infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes, a common cause of food poisoning. Scientists believe the surfeit of sodium suppressed the immune system, enabling the bacteria to cause more damage before the immune system was able to fight off the infection.

Scientists then recruited 10 healthy adult participants between the ages of 25 and 50 and tested their blood to see how quickly their neutrophils responded to bacteria. Neutrophils are white blood cells that are the first to arrive at the site of an infection. They ingest infection-causing microorganisms and then release enzymes that kill the microorganism.

Participants were then asked to take three salt tablets per day, equaling an additional six grams of salt on top of their normal diet. After one week of extra dietary sodium, scientists noticed that participants’ neutrophils had a diminished ability to destroy bacteria compared to before they began taking salt tablets.

Although more research is needed, the scientists have a couple of theories. One thought is that an overabundance of sodium causes a release of hormones, some of which cause the body to excrete even more salt, which can suppress the immune system. And when you consume too much salt, urea accumulates in the kidneys, which impairs the neutrophils.

“A lot more research is needed. But this study provides a logical connection between excessive salt intake and lower immunity,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “It’s not simply a matter of cutting back on table salt. The typical Western diet is laden with salt.”

Here are a few simple ways to cut back on your salt intake:

Season food with fresh herbs and spices, instead of salt or garlic salt.
Buy fresh or frozen vegetables, as opposed to canned. Food manufacturers rely on large amounts of salt to preserve canned vegetables.
Skip lunch meats, deli cold cuts and packaged meats, as they tend to be high in salt.
Limit frozen meals, as salt is used as a preservative.
Minimize bread. Most breads are high in salt, as salt regulates yeast, helping the bread rise at a slow and steady rate.
Consult your physician before making changes to your diet. And if you need a doctor, consider partnering with MDVIP. MDVIP doctors have the time to work with you to help you develop a personalized wellness program that focuses on nutrition.

THE MDVIP WELLNESS PROGRAM
An Annual Wellness Plan Customized for You
Think about the last wellness checkup you had. How much one-on-one time did you have with the doctor? Did you feel rushed? Did you talk about prevention? Did you leave with a detailed action plan for your health and understand the next steps?

The Annual MDVIP Wellness Program >
In most annual health screenings and checkups, a nurse takes your vitals, records your medications and asks a few questions about your medical history. She may also screen you for certain risk factors, such as smoking. Following your physical exam, your doctor may recommend some follow-up tests, draw your blood and send you on your way with the suggestion that you lose a few pounds or continue taking your vitamins. This is all that time allows.

With more time devoted to less patients, MDVIP-affiliated primary care practices can go beyond basic. Each year your doctor will take you through the MDVIP Wellness Program, which is paid for by your membership fee. You will receive comprehensive, advanced health screenings and diagnostic tests that have been shown to help detect issues earlier but are not typically covered by commercial insurance or Medicare. The results help give a clearer view of your overall health.

An Investment in Your Health
You and your doctor will discuss your health test results in detail. You’ll know your numbers and your doctor will help you understand what those numbers mean and how they can be improved. Together, you’ll develop an individualized action plan that will include next steps, how progress will be measured and a time frame for follow up.

Whether you’re managing a chronic illness, have a family history of disease or consider yourself the picture of health, there’s always room for improvement. This is what the MDVIP Wellness Program is all about — identifying and addressing your unique needs so you can focus on living your best.

The MDVIP Wellness Program Measures:
Heart Health Diabetes Respiratory Health
Bone Health Sleep Nutrition and Fitness
Vision Hearing Emotional Well-Being
Sexual Health Weight Management
Your Customized Wellness Plan
Here are examples of what could be included in your personalized wellness plan:

Meal plans, recipes and shopping lists if you’re following a diet that can help prevent or manage diabetes or cholesterol levels;
Customized exercise videos tailored to your fitness level if osteoporosis or re-injuring your back is a concern;
A nutrition and fitness plan that can actually help you lose weight and finally keep it off.
Even if you’re in the best shape of your life, MDVIP’s Wellness Program can help you maintain good health and avoid some of the problems that come with aging through early detection. In short, the MDVIP Wellness Program is a comprehensive tool to help you and your doctor map out a health plan specific to you. It reflects your test results AND your health goals. Published studies have shown that the MDVIP personalized preventive care approach leads to better health outcomes and can help keep you out of the ER and the hospital.

Other advantages of membership in an MDVIP-affiliated practice include:

24/7 physician availability by phone
MDVIP Connect website and app
Medical Centers Of Excellence
Family Plan & Travel Benefits

Dash Diet for Hypertension Lowers Heart Attack Risk
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Janet Tiberian Author
By Janet Tiberian, MA, MPH, CHES
July 15, 2021
Blood pressure and Dash Diet
BLOOD PRESSURE DIET CREDITED WITH REDUCING HEART INJURY AND STRAIN
High blood pressure is a major problem in the United States. In fact, close to half of all Americans have it. And while the condition is one of the leading predictors of cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – it also contributes to kidney problems, vision conditions and s*xual dysfunction.

While they’re plenty of medications available to help control it, blood pressure control also has a strong tie to lifestyle behaviors, particularly diet. In the early 1990s, good nutrition inspired researchers at the National Institutes of Health to develop the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – better known as the DASH diet.

DASH DIET FOR BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION)
The diet is flexible and easy to sustain. It encourages followers to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods and lean proteins, while limiting red meat and foods high in sugar, salt and added fats.

STUDY ON DASH DIET LINKED TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE & HEALTHIER HEART
DASH diet is one of the country’s leading diets and considered very effective in managing blood pressure (and cholesterol); but researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Massachusetts wanted to see if the diet had a direct effect on heart health, as high blood pressure can lead to structural and functional damage to the heart as well as systemic inflammation, both which raise your risk for a heart attack.

BIDMC used stored blood sample specimens from a previous DASH-Sodium study, conducted between 1997 and 1999. That study involved 412 participants with high blood pressure. Participants were randomly assigned to follow the DASH diet or a control diet that reflected typical American eating habits. Participants of both groups also were assigned to a sodium intake level (i.e., low, medium or high) for four weeks. Researchers provided participants with all meals and snacks and observed them eat one meal a day (remaining meals and snacks were consumed off site). Researchers analyzed blood samples for proteins that serve as biomarkers for three different pathways of asymptomatic cardiac damage -- high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (for cardiac injury), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (for stress) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (for inflammation).

Results showed that following the DASH diet lowered cardiac damage by 18 percent and inflammation by 13 percent. And when the DASH diet was combined with a reduced-sodium diet, it lowered cardiac injury by 20 percent and stress by 23 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“The DASH diet is an easy-to-follow and works very well,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “However, I recommend that patients discuss the DASH diet with their doctors before making any dietary changes.”

Besides diet, blood pressure management often involves

exercising regularly
managing weight
controlling stress
limiting alcohol consumption
avoiding to***co
getting adequate sleep
You can work with your doctor to help you set and achieve personal goals in these areas.

NEED GUIDANCE ON BLOOD PRESSURE MANAGEMENT?
If you don’t have a physician, consider working with MDVIP. Find a physician near you and begin your partnership in health »

Five Myths About Exercise and Your Heart – Busted
Sean Kelley
By Sean Kelley , MDVIP
April 26, 2019
Cardiovascular Disease and Exercise
If you’re like most Americans, you probably have a good idea on what types of exercise is good for your heart: running, swimming, bicycling. In short, cardiovascular exercise – and lots of it.

But you may be surprised to learn that strength training may actually be better for your heart. Here are the truths behind five common heart disease and exercise misconceptions that can help provide better protection for your heart.

Resistance training and weight lifting are good for your heart. You’ve probably been told your whole life that cardiovascular exercise – the kind of exercise that gets your heart pumping — is the best exercise for your ticker. But strength training is also good for your heart — even if you don’t do aerobic exercise (you should anyway!).

A study published in March in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that even moderate resistance training or weight lifting was associated with a decreased risk of heart attack, stroke and death. How much training was necessary to get the protective effect? Working out for one, two or three hours a week was associated with approximately 40 percent to 70 percent decreased risk of total cardiovascular disease events.

Smaller studies have backed this up and even suggested that strength training may be more protective of the heart than aerobic exercise.

Normal daily activity reduces heart attack risk. You don’t have to run a marathon (or even around the block) to lower your risk of heart disease. Light physical activity, including activities such as gardening, slow walking, cooking, washing dishes and shopping, was associated with a 42 percent reduced risk of heart attack or coronary death and a 22 percent reduced risk of incident of all cardiovascular disease events.

In an article published in March in the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers looked a cohort of nearly 6,000 older women (average age was 78) and found replacing sedentary behavior like sitting with light-intensity physical activity reduces the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. The relationship was linear: Women who got the most activity lowered their risk of heart disease complications.

Your weight, shape and ratio of muscle mass to fat mass and body mass index matters. Obesity in general is associated with cardiovascular disease risk. If you’re obese, losing as little as 10 percent of your body weight can significantly reduce many heart disease risk factors, including: fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, one study found. Even modest weight losses of less than five percent of your body weight can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the same study found.

When it comes to your body shape, it’s not all about how thick or thin you are, but what makes up your body. People with a favorable muscle to fat mass ratio typically have a lower risk of heart disease risk.

And where you carry your fat also matters. In a 2018 study, researchers found that women who carried more weight around their middle section had a 10 to 20 percent greater risk for heart attack than women who were heavier but whose weight was distributed more evenly.

Exercise is important even after you’ve had a heart attack. For heart attack survivors, exercise may seem impossible or frightening. You may worry that you’ll strain your heart while recovers. But studies show that exercise is good for the recuperating heart. A 2018 study, for example, found that even modest activity had a protective effect.

Researchers asked survivors about their activity level six to 10 weeks after their heart attack and then again at the one-year mark. Those who reported increased activity between the two follow-up visits had a 59 percent lower risk of dying over the next four years compared to those who were constantly inactive. Risks were 71 percent lower for survivors who researchers categorized as “constantly active”.

You benefit even if you don’t exercise 30 minutes five days a week. Regular exercise lowers blood pressure, reducing risk for heart attack, stroke and a bunch of other chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes. Current exercise guidelines recommend Americans get at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week – in reality, twice this amount is considered optimal. But most Americans don’t get enough exercise; in fact, many are intimidated just by the recommendations. The result: They get little to no exercise.

When it comes to exercise, doing nothing puts you at greater risk for heart disease. And studies suggest that some exercise, however modest, can help you lower that risk. In a 2015 review, researchers found that:

Intensity matters, but it’s less important than your total amount of activity.
Even modest activities like climbing stairs, walking and gardening produce benefits.
Exercising daily may be best but bundling exercise sessions are also effective.
The bottom line: Exercise is an incredibly beneficial for your heart and may keep you from having a heart attack or stroke.

Owning my own practice has been the most satisfying accomplishment of my life thus far. It is my honor and a pleasure to provide you care and to get to know you all on a personal level.. Thank you to all of my patients who attended the first annual patient appreciation event. Thank you to Jocelyn for organizing and to Tamara and Emily for implementing such an enjoyable event. We hope you all have a fun and healthy summer.

We look forward to seeing you here again next year!!

Hello Facebook family,
I wear quite a few hats as a physician. One of my hats includes being a BioTE method provider-I provide hormone replacement therapy via pellets. many men in particular have no idea that some of the sluggishness, weight gain and decrease in libido are due to low testosterone levels. I would like to share some information with you about this subject:

The Truth About Erectile Dysfunction and Low Testosterone

Low testosterone is thought to be associated primarily with diminished s*x drive – but most men don’t know the facts about erectile dysfunction and low testosterone. Watch this video explanation from MDVIP-affiliated physician Dr. Louis Minsky.

TRANSCRIPT

What are the symptoms of low testosterone?
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: Low testosterone symptoms are characterized by low stamina, loss of muscle mass, perhaps irritability, decreased s*x drive and maybe erectile dysfunction as well.

FACT: According to the MDVIP/IPSOS Men’s Health Survey, 57% of men have never, or don’t know if they have ever, had their testosterone levels checked.

LOUIS MINSKY, MD: You should go see a doctor if you feel that you have low testosterone before you try supplements, or before you try some, uh, medical therapy that you think will intend to get your testosterone levels up. It generally takes a fasting blood test because sugar can lower testosterone levels. So you wanna have an adequate fast. You usually wanna draw that blood work between 8 and 10a AM in the morning. You wanna have those levels repeated on two or three occasions to validate that you truly do have low testosterone that's consistent and not waxing and waning. From there you can discuss with your physician whether testosterone replacement's necessary or whether there's some other lifestyle changes or natural ways that you can improve your testosterone level without having to begin medication.

Myth: More testosterone is better.
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: I know instances where men have had stroke or heart attacks after taking testosterone replacement therapy. And in every one of those cases, they were men who did not need testosterone replacement, but were hoping to have better testosterone levels so that they could perform better s*xually. And that's just not very safe, uh, and should discuss with your doctor and know what your levels are before taking testosterone replacement therapy.

FACT: The proportion of men who have low testosterone increases from 0.1% in men aged 40 to 49 to 5.1% among those 70 to 79.

Myth: Erectile dysfunction is most often caused by low testosterone.
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are both two very important disorders that affect erectile function. Both of those disorders can one, lead to low testosterone or two, arterial insufficiency or blood supply to the s*x organ, so that it makes, uh, erectile ability weakened or non existent at all. It can be one of the earliest indicators in fact of heart disease.

Common Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction:

Type 2 diabetes
Hypertension
Cardiovascular disease
Chronic sleep disorder
Alcohol use
Depression
Smoking
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: Erectile dysfunction can come in a gentleman who's overweight, who's not eating very healthy, uh, glucose disorders, early diabetes, or prediabetes can lower testosterone levels that can somewhat lead to erectile dysfunction. Uh, obesity lowers testosterone. Uh, a gentleman is not very confident when they look in the mirror and see their body habitus. And so they, they don't want to go into the bedroom and perform. Uh, once erectile dysfunction has occurred once, twice or three times, it becomes more difficult to get that erectile function back, because now they're either embarrassed or they think something's really wrong, uh, and they just can't perform at the same way that they did previously.

Myth: Men with low testosterone usually need testosterone replacement therapy.
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: In the last decade, direct-to-consumer advertising has just flooded the airwaves in the media with advertising about low testosterone syndrome. As a result, three percent of American men are on some form of low testosterone replacement therapy, whether it's indicated or not indicated. When a gentleman experiences erectile dysfunction or what they consider to be low testosterone syndrome, an interview at the doctor, a physical examination and a stepwise approach to obtaining the right laboratory draw to determine if someone actually has low testosterone is very important.

FACT: High levels of testosterone can lead to:

High blood pressure
Headaches
Heart problems
Mood swings
Infertility
Weight gain
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: We discourage having trials of testosterone replacement therapy. If you have normal testosterone levels, you're not gonna benefit from increasing your levels of testosterone. And I think that the advertising and the media that we see give men the message that more is better. If I raise my testosterone levels above where they fall, then I'll be better s*xually, or I'll be better strength wise, or I'll have more stamina. And that's just not been proven to be the case, especially if you truly do not have low testosterone.

Truth: Any form of exercise can increase a man’s testosterone levels.
LOUIS MINSKY, MD: There is a number of natural treatments for low testosterone. And low testosterone I'll define in this situation as maybe low normal or right at normal, or just below normal. We know that exercise will increase testosterone levels, weight loss by reducing body fat, eating Mediterranean or other plant-based type diets will lower sugar intake. And processed food decreased amounts of, uh, of, of processed foods also lower sugar, so that testosterone levels normally, uh, are elevated. Magnesium is found in peanuts, almonds and cashews. Oysters have large amounts of zinc. Pomegranate, fish, which has a lot of vitamin D. All of these are natural ways of increasing testosterone levels. And for someone who's borderline or just not that symptomatic, or maybe they don't want testosterone replacement therapy, these are some very natural ways that have been proven with good data to increase levels of testosterone.

FACT: For men, nearly any exercise will increase testosterone levels, according to multiple studies.

I also provide BioTE method of hormone replacement therapy to treat low testosterone. Feel free to call the office at 703.426.4900 to learn more.

4 Health Issues Women Might Not Think About

4 Health Risks Women Need to Be More Concerned About
Traditionally, women have been concerned about women’s related health issues – breast cancer, reproductive health, urinary tract infections and osteoporosis. These are legitimate concerns that women should address and discuss with their doctors.

But many women fail to consider other serious conditions like:

Heart attacks and Strokes
Type 2 Diabetes
Sexual Health
Alzheimer’s Disease
Heart attacks kill more women than breast cancer. Stroke and Alzheimer’s are the fourth and fifth leading cause of death for women and diabetes is the seventh. Here’s why you should focus not just on diseases we associate more with women, but on all conditions likely to affect you.

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE: HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when an abnormal amount of plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, causing the arteries to narrow and limit blood flow to the heart. Risk factors for women and men include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, poor diet, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, type 2 diabetes and family history. But women have additional risk factors that men don’t have. Endometriosis, for instance, raises the risk for developing CAD by 400 percent for women younger than 40, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Polycystic ovarian syndrome and high blood pressure during pregnancy also raise the risk for CAD.

And if a woman develops CAD, it’s generally more difficult to diagnose. An angiogram is commonly used to diagnose CAD. Angiogram is a type of X-ray used in conjunction with a cardiac catheterization -- procedure in which a long thin tube (or catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel and threaded through to the heart. Angiograms with a cardiac catheterization detect narrowed or blocked blood vessels in the large cardiac arteries. However, CAD in women often affects small arteries -- not detected on angiogram, resulting in their condition going undiagnosed and untreated. This is a big problem, as CAD is the leading cause of heart attacks and a major cause of strokes.

Women usually don’t fare as well as men after a heart attack. There are several reasons for this. Some experts chalk it up to women caring more for their families and themselves and not controlling their risk factors, leading to complications after a heart attack.

Estrogen also helps stave off heart disease, so women tend to be older than men at their first heart attack. In fact, 70 is the average age for a heart attack in women, while it’s 66 for men. The older age often leads to longer recovery time and more complications.

Women also experience different heart attack symptoms than men. As a result, heart attacks are often dismissed as stress or misdiagnosed for another condition and treated incorrectly.

Finally, women are more likely to have a blood clot after a heart attack than men, yet doctors often don’t prescribe blood thinners. When you combine these variables, it’s understandable that women have a higher chance of having a second heart attack within 12 months compared to men.

“Heart attack symptoms in women often mimic a panic attack, which can cause a misdiagnosis” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “It’s important for women to understand the symptoms they may have during a heart attack and advocate for proper testing such as electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests to identify cardiac enzymes, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, angiogram and cardiac CT scan or MRI.”

Women also tend to have their first stroke at an older age than men. High blood pressure during pregnancy, use of certain types of birth control and depression (which affects more women than men) raise your risk of stroke, along with the typical CAD risk factors. Stroke is deadlier in women than in men, again probably because women are older when they have them. Stroke also is the leading cause of disability in women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

TYPE 2 DIABETES
Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent in men than women, but women tend to develop more serious complications. Anyone with type 2 diabetes is at risk for amputation, neuropathy, retinopathy and kidney disease, but the leading complication of diabetes is heart disease, the leading cause of death among women. Studies have found that more women than men develop heart disease, kidney disease and depression along with type 2 diabetes. And after menopause, the shift in hormones often triggers a rise in blood sugar, weight gain and poor sleep, exacerbating health issues.

SEXUAL HEALTH
Many older women think they’re beyond developing a s*xually transmitted infection (STI) such as human papilloma virus, human immunodeficiency virus, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, ge***al herpes and warts, hepatitis B and trichomoniasis. But the reality is: if you are involved in non-monogamous, s*xual relationships, you are. STIs are more common in older Americans now than in previous generations because drugs like Vi**ra are available. And your risk is higher for contracting one of these infections if you’re older and engage in unprotected s*x. That’s because your immune system is weaker, making it more difficult for you to fight off these infections. Doctors often skip screening for these infections once you hit a certain age, which means if you’re at risk, practice safe s*x and use a condom.

If you’re high risk for an STI, let your doctor know if you’re experiencing abnormal vaginal pain, itching, discharge, bleeding, rashes or soreness, as well as changes in urination, Kaminetsky says. “And discuss prevention, screenings and treatment with your doctor.”

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Many people are under the assumption that genes dictate your risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. However, studies suggest that dementia in women is more prominent. Recent research found women’s brains, compared to men’s, have:

More brain plaque
More shrinkage
Less energy
Wider spread network of tau (a protein that forms tangles and destroys nerve cells)
Use sugar as energy more efficiently, which helps masks early-stage symptoms
“More research is necessary, but at this point, researchers think hormones play a role in how women’s and men’s brains age,” says Kaminetsky.

If you are concerned about the status of your brain health, take MDVIP's brain health quiz »

You can help lower the risk for developing these conditions and/or serious complications by working with your doctor to live a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating nutritious diet, exercising regularly, managing weight, cholesterol and blood pressure, controlling stress, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding to***co, getting adequate sleep, practicing safe s*x and staying up to date with early detection screenings. If you don’t have a physician, consider working with MDVIP.