Shenary A. Cotter, MD

I love this. And, it’s true.

The most common complaint I see from patients is generalized fatigue, trouble paying attention, and wanting their "hormones checked." Very rarely (but not never) is there anything actually wrong with "the hormones."

If you are not getting quality sleep every night, at LEAST 7.5 hours, please make this a priority before you want your doctor to check your hormones. The most frequent cause of insomnia in women? Husbands. Next is kids. Next is pets. So kick the kids and pets OUT, and get your husband's snoring solved (or he can go sleep in the other room with the kids and pets). Seriously. YOU CANNOT BE WELL IF YOU ARE NOT SLEEPING.

If if you think you are not sleeping because of your hormones, please clean up your diet: no soda, processed food, foods made from flour or sugar or with either added, "coffees" especially from starbucks (that's not coffee, that's a milkshake), and you need at least 5-9 servings a day of actual food which is vegetables with a few fruits.

Add 30 minutes 4-5 times a week of walking outside.

Now, come to me and ask me to check your hormones. Better yet, just tell me your symptoms and let me do my job :)

Overweight and obesity are chronic relapsing diseases deserving of expert treatment, just like any other disease. If “move more eat less” worked, why don’t you know people who have lost significant weight, and kept it off? Stop weight stigma. Find a physician who has expertise in this illness. Get treated. Obesity kills.

'American Idol' singer Mandisa died of class III obesity, autopsy reveals — NBC News The Grammy winner, who rose to fame on season five of the singing competition show, was found dead in her home in Franklin, near Nashville, Tennessee, on April 18. She was 47.

Shenary J. Cotter MD
Diplomat, American Board of Obesity Medicine

I passed my obesity medicine board exam!!!!

so much fun!

Did you run October 16th in "Run the Good Race?" Post your photo in comments!!

Team Gainesville DPC Physicians "Run the Good Race" to raise money and awareness for Created Gainesville and World Help.... what a fun, and more importantly meaningful and impactful day. Human Trafficking is global, and local. Both these organizations are working to support women escaping from traficking.