Thrive Family Medicine

ARE LOW-FAT FOODS ALWAYS HEALTHIER?

Short answer: Not always.

Long answer: Low-fat food options seem like the logical choice. However, foods labeled fat-free, low-fat, or reduced fat may contain additives like sugar, salt, or other unhealthy fillers to make them taste better. When thinking about fat, think healthy fat vs. low or no fat. Try to limit your intake of saturated and trans fats and incorporate ‘good’ fats like monounsaturated fats (olive oil) and polyunsaturated fats (found in fish). Be sure to read your food labels.

HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS TOO MUCH?

Short answer: You should be counting.

Long answer: Excessive amounts of alcohol can increase your risk of chronic diseases, injury, and can also have a negative effect on your social and mental health. You can reduce these health risks by drinking less alcohol. Moderate drinking is considered one drink or less daily for women and two drinks or less daily for men. If you choose to drink, drink in moderation. For additional recommendations, please discuss with your provider.

WHY SHOULD I SIGN UP FOR THE PATIENT PORTAL?

Short answer: For many reasons.

Long answer: Our patient portal allows you to log in any time to view your health records, lab results, send messages to the clinical staff and your provider, request refills, make payments, and schedule appointments. It is a convenient tool to help improve communication between you and your care team. We are always available by phone during office hours if you have any urgent needs.

DO I NEED AN ANTIBIOTIC?

Short answer: Not always.

Long answer: Antibiotics are for bacterial infections only. This includes some infections like UTI and strep throat. Not all bacterial infections require an antibiotic. Antibiotics do not work for viral infections like cold or flu. It is important to only take antibiotics when truly needed so as to avoid antibiotic resistance and unnecessary side effects. When prescribed an antibiotic, be sure to take it as prescribed.

IS EXERCISE REALLY WORTH IT?

Short answer: It sure is.

Long answer: Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity can help manage weight, strengthen muscles and bones, reduce the risk of health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, can help boost your mood and mental health, and exercise can be fun. Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week such as brisk walking, swimming, or dancing. So get out there and get moving!

IS THIS A COLD OR ALLERGIES?

Short answer: It can be hard to tell.

Long answer: The truth is allergy and cold symptoms can be very similar…congestion, sneezing, runny nose, scratchy or sore throat. Allergies will not cause fever or body aches. Colds tend to clear up in a week or two, but if your symptoms linger it could be allergies. You can try over the counter treatments but if your symptoms do not improve we recommend seeing your provider.

DO I REALLY NEED SUNSCREEN?

Short answer: Absolutely.

Long answer: Applying sunscreen is one of the easiest ways to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays. It can help prevent against sunburn, skin damage, skin discoloration, premature aging, and skin cancer. When choosing a sunscreen, try for an SPF of 30 or higher and choose a product with broad spectrum coverage. If you have any concerns regarding your skin, we are happy to help and can make recommendations on a dermatologist if needed.

Drumroll, please! 🥁 Thrive Family Medicine has been nominated for Best of the Upstate!
Starting April 15th, please cast your vote for Thrive at https://greenvilleonline.gannettcontests.com/2024-Best-of-the-Upstate-Communitys-Choice-Awards. We are so grateful for your support!

Thrive is Five! Five years ago, we started Thrive Family Medicine to focus on providing quality, compassionate healthcare that helps your entire family thrive. We are so grateful for the thousands of patients that have put their trust in our team since then.

Be on the lookout for some special giveaways we have planned for our birthday month. More on that soon, and thank you again for giving us a chance to help you and your family Thrive!

SHOULD I BE TAKING PROBIOTICS?

The short answer: Maybe...

The long answer: Probiotics provide benefits for many people, produce little to no change in digestive health for others, and can create troublesome side effects for others. If you’d like to try a probiotic, we can help you select one to try based on your current health and symptoms.

DOESN’T EVERYONE NEED TO TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN?

The short answer: Not necessarily.

The long answer: Our strongest and most important recommendation is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, consisting of lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean proteins. While an age-appropriate multi-vitamin can help address some nutritional deficiencies, it should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!!!

Thrive will be closed on the following days to allow our staff to spend time with their families for the holidays.

Holiday Hours:
CLOSED - Monday 12/25 and Tuesday 12/26
CLOSED - Monday 1/1/24

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY HEALTH INSURANCE WILL COVER MY DOCTOR’S VISIT OR MEDICAL PROCEDURE?�

The short answer: Read the fine print.

The Long Answer: “Every plan is a little different and deductibles vary based on the plan you chose, which means you really need to review your plan to understand what is covered, what your deductibles are, and any coverage limits or restrictions. The best place to start is your “Summary of Benefits” which is usually 1 to 2 pages and makes the details easier to determine your financial responsibilities.”

HOW CAN I LOWER MY BLOOD PRESSURE?

The short answer: The formula: better diet + more exercise + no smoking = lowered BP

The long answer: A healthy, low-sodium diet, increasing your exercise, and quitting smoking are far and away the most important things you can do to lower your blood pressure (and improve your health generally). Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness also can help lower blood pressure in some patients.

DO I REALLY NEED A YEARLY PHYSICAL?

The short answer: Yes!

The long answer: Just like your vehicle’s health needs regular oil changes and other maintenance, you need regular checkups. This is a good time for your provider to make sure you are up to date on preventative screenings, do a thorough head-to-toe physical exam, and age appropriate tests.

Annual physicals can even help us discover potential issues before they become larger problems.

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR A DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT?

The short answer: Not much. We’re like that low-maintenance friend you always wanted.

The long answer: The most important thing is to just show up, on time (more about that later). But if you can remember to bring a list of your medications, any refills you need, your personal and family medical history, and a list of questions you have, you will get the very most out of your visit!

We will be closed in honor of Memorial Day on 5/29/2023. As always, we will have a provider on call for any emergency needs.

We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful day!

Voting has started!
Thrive Family Medicine is grateful to be in the running for Best of the Upstate 2023 - click below to VOTE!

Check out Thrive Family Medicine. Check it out now!

Happy Holidays!

Thrive will be closed on Monday, December 26th. As always, we will have a provider on call 24/7.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

In observance of Thanksgiving, Thrive will be closed from Wednesday afternoon through Friday (November 23pm - 25). As always, we will have a provider on call 24/7.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Due to continued icy road conditions, we will open at 1:30 pm today.

We will be closed on Monday, January 17th due to inclement weather. Stay safe!!

Thrive will be closed for the holidays on Friday, December 24 and Friday December 31.

As always, we will have a provider on call 24/7 for emergencies.
We hope everyone has a safe and healthy holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

In observance of Thanksgiving, Thrive will be closed from Wednesday afternoon through Friday (November 24pm - 26). As always, we will have a provider on call 24/7.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

We will be closed on July 5th in remembrance of Independence Day. We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

As always, we will have a provider on call 24/7 for emergencies.

We will be closed in honor of Memorial Day on 5/31/2021. As always, we will have a provider on call for any emergency needs.

We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful day!

Vote for Thrive Family Medicine as the Best Primary Care Physician/Practice for the 2021 Best of the Upstate Awards!
—http://bit.ly/VoteForThrive
We’re excited and honored to be nominated by our community for the Best of the Upstate Awards for the second year in a row! Thank you to our amazing patients for nominating Thrive Family Medicine for this year’s awards, and thank you in advance for your vote. Voting is open now through May 30th for the Best Primary Care Physician/Practice under the Beauty and Health category.

2021 Best of the Upstate Check it out now!

All SC residents 16 and older will be able to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine starting Wednesday, March 31st!

https://www.wyff4.com/article/who-is-eligible-for-covid-vaccine-in-south-carolina/35951899

When will all South Carolina residents 16+ be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine? All South Carolinians 16 and older will be eligible starting Mar. 31

https://www.wyff4.com/article/south-carolina-moves-to-phase-1b-for-covid-19-vaccines/35695309

Next up! South Carolina moves to next group for COVID-19 vaccine distribution South Carolina is moving to the next phase for the COVID-19 distribution plan.

Starting Monday, Feb 8th, anyone age 65 and older can sign up to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Check the link below to find a location (you can also check with local pharmacy websites):

https://scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-vaccine/covid-19-vaccine-appointments