Fred Bakht, MD

Here is an interesting article on exercise that has practical applications:

Hate Exercise? This New Fitness Trend Might Be for You
Janet Tiberian Author
By Janet Tiberian, MA, MPH, CHES
July 17, 2019
Hate Exercise? This New Fitness Trend Might Be for You
A new trend in physical activity is quickly gaining popularity -- high-intensity interval physical activity (HIIPA). It’s based on the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) method and could be a way for you to get the benefits of intense training without the risks or even working out.

HIIT
Bursts of intense athletic activity such as sprinting, burpees or mountain climbers that last a few seconds to a few minutes.
Helps manage weight, blood pressure, blood sugar
Works best with fitness enthusiasts and athletes who are conditioned and want a vigorous workout.
Often attracts participants who are not conditioned enough to handle these types of workouts.
More on HIIPA in a minute. If you’ve been to the gym recently, you might have seen people moving from machines to free weights to stretching areas in a quick circuit — that’s HIIT, the more intense inspiration for HIIPA. It involves working out with repetitive short bursts of very intense exercise (few seconds to a few minutes) to get close to your maximum heart rate, cool down and repeat. Think of sprinting as fast as you can for 30 to 45 seconds in the middle of a walk or jog.

HIIT workouts are known to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time, raise your metabolic rate and lower blood sugar, blood pressure and heart rate. It’s effective because workouts produce large amounts of free radicals that break down calcium channels in muscles, allowing calcium ions to leak into muscles. Calcium is necessary for muscular function; it enables muscles to contract and relax. So when calcium ions seep directly into muscles, it improves their strength, efficiency and resistance to fatigue, studies show.

HIIT has drawbacks, too — it’s associated with musculoskeletal injuries and rhabdomyolysis, a syndrome in which fibers from an injured muscle breakdown. HIIT workouts can be problematic if you have a pulmonary or cardiovascular disease or a pre-existing musculoskeletal injury. And of course, if you hate exercising, you probably won’t last very long in an HIIT class.

But you might embrace HIIPA, which can give you many of the same benefits as HIIT without the risks, according to experts at University of Sydney Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health. Adding a few high-intensity activities – such as a quick walk around the block, carrying heavy loads of laundry, active work in the garden or heavy yardwork — over the course of a day can make a difference.

HIIPA
Bursts of intense physical activity such as raking, walking upstairs with bundles or pulling weeds that last a few seconds to a few minutes.
Helps manage weight, blood pressure, blood sugar
Works best with people who are middle age or older, sedentary or have some physical limitations.
Every day chores can be used as HIIPA activities.
In an editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Emmanuel Stamatakis, PhD and colleagues claim that depending on your age, gender, weight and physical capabilities, working in a handful of high-intensity daily tasks can help you reap benefits similar to HIIT.

“HIIPA is valuable for everyone, but people who are middle aged or older, overweight and sedentary will probably experience the biggest benefits,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “What’s great about HIIPA is that it’s making a few, simple lifestyle changes – you don’t have to train like an athlete.”

Incorporating HIIPA into your routine is fairly easy. Engage in three to five vigorous activities throughout the day, equaling five to 10 minutes per day, most days of the week. Examples of activities include:

Walking briskly
Carrying groceries
Heavy housework
Pulling weeds, raking leaves, trimming hedges
“It’s using the stairs instead of the escalator at the mall or subway station that will help you get HIIPA into your day,” Kaminetsky says.

Dear Friends,
We’re all getting inundated with news of the coronavirus epidemic, and with starting to see a handful of cases in the greater Houston area, I thought a little practical summary of what to do would be helpful. At the end of this paragraph, there will be some links to authoritative websites for further reading. This is a RNA type virus , called a Novel coronavirus SARS-C0V-2, and is the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus can be transmitted both from animals to people ,and people to people . Usually to catch this, there has to be close contact with an infected person (less than 6 feet distance) for some time, or exposure to respiratory secretions (cough droplets or saliva) that land on furniture or other objects.
Who should get tested? Persons with fever and or symptoms of acute respiratory illness (cough, trouble breathing) AND who have either traveled within the preceding 2 weeks to affected countries (China, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran,) or have been exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 case.
What precautions can an individual take to help prevent catching coronavirus?
1. Avoid shaking hands, instead use a fist bump, or some other greeting
2. Use your knuckle to touch a light switch, elevator button, use a paper towel or napkin to lift gasoline dispenser, use a napkin to open doors or open with a hip or closed fist(especially high traffic areas.) The virus is transmitted from hand to mouth and nose, so keep the fingers and palm as germ free as possible. People touch their face, nose and mouth at least 3.5 times per hour, basically self inoculating. Use tissue and avoid this habit.
3. Wash hands with soap and water a good 20 seconds, and use sanitizer everywhere else where that’s not possible, especially upon return from public areas with high human traffic. Use the sanitizers provided at supermarkets. Keep sanitizers in the car and purse.
4.Always cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard; sneezing into the sleeve area would keep germs there for a week.
5 . Use disinfectant such as Lysol, to clean surfaces where others have been, think of judicious use of nitrile or latex gloves for cleaning purposes. A mask (N-95) is useful to put on if you are the one coughing, does not do too much to prevent catching the virus in general ( although useful if you are a health care worker exposed to lots of folks who are coughing.)
6.Keep your immune system strong. The people who get into trouble with any infection, are the very young, the very old and the very sick. Tips: stay warm in cold weather, sleep enough, eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Keep stress levels as low as possible and keep exercising. There may be a small benefit , although of questionable significance, from taking Vitamin C and Zinc supplement in terms of shortening the duration of a cold, but if you do, do not use the intranasal form of zinc as it can cause subsequent problems with the sense of smell.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-criteria.html
https://coronavirus.baylorcme.org/professionals/resources.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html
https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/what-you-need-know-about-coronavirus-or-covid-19

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/protecting-yourself-coronavirus-what-you-need-know

The above link is a short review on coronavirus with some good basic advice. Along with avoiding ill contacts, and good hand washing with soap and water, remember to keep your immune system strong with fresh vegetable and fruit intake, staying warm, well hydrated and getting enough rest and enough exercise.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/studies-suggest-these-4-methods-can-prevent-migraines?

Happy start of 2020!
Starting this year's educational section with a well written article on migraine headaches cited above. This article focuses on lifestyle changes, not the various medications which are also available. From Imitrex (Sumatriptan) and its class to Botox to the once a month injectables which are new on the market for frequent migraine sufferers (Egality, or galcanezumab), there are many treatments available. Remember the basics: enough sleep, rest and pay attention to the many triggers by playing "detective" to see what triggers your migraine. I had a patient once who got a migraine the following day after eating oranges, another who got them after eating apricots (due to sulfite additives used there to keep the yellow color and fresh look)

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/why-we-focus-inflammation-when-it-comes-heart-disease-prevention?utm_source=mdvip-m&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201911livingwell&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT0dSak5HWXdNalZoTmpVeSIsInQiOiJob1RXVEdOOFFudW5xdWo1Q2RUOXkwdmFBOVB6Y2RTV3FaeFRMdkNOVVFwYnc5alFLVDBqanFEN01vU2FwNzFQMmtaZzNnWm8zVFNoTHFFY2h3YXN1Zz09In0%3D

The above link discusses the rationale for testing for inflammation, an important concept that is linked to heart disease, dementia, and all sorts of chronic disease. This is part of what we are doing in the annual wellness program at MDVIP.

Happy and safe Thanksgiving to all.

Why We Focus on Inflammation When It Comes to Heart Disease Prevention | MDVIP Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. This is nothing new – heart disease has been identified as a major public health problem for the past 80 years. What is new is how we’re trying to prevent it. Since about half heart attacks in the United States occur in p...

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/diet-and-health-beyond-the-basics?search=berberine&topicRef=4561&source=see_link

So much information out there on healthy eating. The above link from "Up to Date", a well used medical reference source, is practical and helpful.

Happy Thanksgiving

Patient education: Diet and health (Beyond the Basics) - UpToDate The food choices we make can have an important impact on our health. However, expert opinions continue to change about which and how much of these foods are opt

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/diet-and-health-beyond-the-basics?search=berberine&topicRef=4561&source=see_link

The above link from the "up to date" series is a good review of eating well. So much out there regarding diets, I found this to be useful and practical article.

Happy Thanksgiving!

UpToDate Subscriptions for Patients and Caregivers Use the Resource Trusted by Clinicians and Healthcare Practitioners Worldwide Learn more about a medical condition and explore treatment options using UpToDate®, the same resource trusted by more than [stats:users-world-en] clinicians around the world. After you read the information in UpToDate, yo...

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/talcum-powder-and-cancer.html

An interesting article about the possible health hazards of talc powder, in light of recent litigation involving talcum products.with the allegation that there is a weak link to ovarian cancer. A recent FDA bulletin reported that Johnson and Johnson voluntarily recalled one lot ( ) of Baby Powder due to a minute amount of asbestos, although they are typically stating that their product is asbestos free. Think of alternatives such as corn starch products.

Talcum Powder and Cancer Talcum powder is made from talc, a mineral composed mainly of the elements magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. It is widely used in cosmetic products such as baby powder and adult body and facial powders.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/red-wine-really-heart-healthy

I found this brief article helpful. Another study in the American Journal of Medicine 2016 involving over 28k subjects found no evidence of lower overall mortality rates in association with moderate alcohol use.

The Effects of Alcohol on the Heart - Cardiovascular Health - MDVIP There have been many conflicting studies of the effects of red wine on heart health. Discover if red wine is good for your heart.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/getting-enough-sleep-can-reduce-your-heart-disease-risk-improve-overall-health?utm_sourcemd

Friends, this is a good general article about the benefits of sleep written by a colleague.

How Does Sleep Impact Your Heart Health? - Sleep Disorders - MDVIP Your sleeping patterns are closely tied with your heart health. Learn more about the types of sleep disorders that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/exercise-good-your-brain-dementia-risk

The above link is to an interesting article on how exercise may play a role in protecting us from dementia as we all age😁

Exercise Is Good for Your Brain, Dementia Risk | MDVIP

I’m constantly preaching the benefits of exercise to my patients. But many of my patients have limitations and others flat-out hate exercising. There’s a new trend I exercise that works for both groups. It’s called high-intensity interval physical activity. It has some of the benefits of intense training without the risks. Here’s what you need to know.
https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/hate-exercise-new-fitness-trend-might-be-you

Hate Exercise? This New Fitness Trend Might Be for You | MDVIP A new trend in physical activity is quickly gaining popularity -- high-intensity interval physical activity (HIIPA). It’s based on the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) method and could be a way for you to get the benefits of intense training without the risks or even working out.

Dear Friends,
The link below takes you t a good review article on exercise which you might enjoy!

https://www.mdvip.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/MDVIP-Exercise-Guide.pdf?utm_source=mdvip-m&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201906livingwell&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTXpWa01tRmhZelZqTm1JeCIsInQiOiJoNUI5VE11MFNBaHQzc0FhUkFwMXhcLzdrbktuc3UrNlFsUHlzVDMzck5kU2N0ckRnUXZ6bTgrUXhNOFVjc253XC9CR2hyeVVheDczZUFtakt0TTBQTE5nPT0ifQ%3D%3D

www.mdvip.com

Exercise: Don't Skip This Essential Component of Heart Health

If you’re not moving, you're not doing your heart any favors. In fact, by not exercising, you may be doing a great deal of harm – one recent study found that not exercising was worse for you than smoking! Other studies have found that sedentary adults who had a healthy weight range ages 40 to 79 have the same risk of heart disease as their overweight counter parts.

But here’s the good news: Every little bit — from gardening to yoga to walking to running to lifting weights — helps your heart. How? Exercise reduces your risk of dying from heart disease or having a non-fatal heart attack or stroke, and it lowers your chances of needing procedures like heart bypass. Regular exercise also lowers your blood pressure, and it can boost levels of your good cholesterol.
The more you challenge yourself (within reason), the more it can help your heart.
This month, as part of MDVIP’s Year of Cardiovascular Health, we want to challenge you to get more exercise. Below you’ll find tools that will help you get started if you’re not exercising or take it to the next level if you are.
(Before starting any new exercise program, talk to your MDVIP-affiliated physician to make sure what kind of exercise is best for you.)
»» Five Myths About Exercise and Your Heart Busted
»» Read MDVIP’s Heart Health Exercise Guide
»» Download Our Be Strong-Hearted Fundamental Workout
»» Find Hundreds of Exercises on MDVIP Connect
»» Walking Helps Prevent Heart Failure in Women
»» Study: Why Women with Heart Disease Aren’t Exercising
»» Visit the Be Strong-Hearted Inspiration Center

Did you ever wonder what happens to the heart during a heart attack? The term “heart attack” is kind of a misnomer because nothing actually attacks your heart. So, what really happens during a heart attack? Here’s an easy-to-understand explanation. https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/what-happens-during-heart-attack

What Happens During a Heart Attack - Causes & Signs of Heart Attacks - MDVIP The term “heart attack” is kind of a misnomer. Nothing actually attacks your heart. So, what really happens during a heart attack? MDVIP discusses the mechanisms and causes, & signs of heart attacks.

Struggling with osteoarthritis? I realize it can cause debilitating pain that sidelines you from your daily activities. Sometimes I try tackling my patients’ pain from a nutrition standpoint. Check out these easy dietary changes that might ease your pain. Remember glucosamine as a nutritional supplement helps also, but be patient, it may take 4-6 months to see a benefit. For more detailed fish oil info, see the first link by Dr Louis Malinow at the bottom of the article.
https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/here-are-two-alternatives-may-help-osteoarthritis-pain

With Summer upon us it's a good time to revisit protection from mosquitoes. Here’s are some tips:

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/simple-tips-control-mosquitoes

Tips To Control Mosquitoes & Prevent Bites - Living Well - MDVIP While local mosquito control programs may treat bodies of water for mosquito eggs, larvae or pupae and spray insecticides for adult mosquitoes, you can take steps to help.

Wishing you all a joyful Easter. For those who can, please join me next Tuesday evening (April 23) as we celebrate our 1st anniversary with MDVIP. It has been a great year and I think everyone who joined has seen the benefits of more in depth preventive and personalized care. You and your guests are welcome to drop in between 5:30 and 8 PM for casual socializing and food. Where: The Hilton Westchase , 9999 Westheimer Rd. RSVP Monday to the office 713-782-6300.

My colleagues and I usually treat depression with counseling and medication. But we may begin incorporating lifestyle changes. I read an older study from Duke University which showed that depressed patients who were given a moderately vigorous exercise program 3 days a week improved just as much as the group who were placed on anti-depressant medication (Zoloft , or Sertraline.)
A new study suggests the DASH diet (more fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy) —known for controlling high blood pressure — may help lower the risk for developing depression.
https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/blood-pressure-reducing-diet-lowers-depression-risk

DASH Diet Reduces Blood Pressure And Risk of Depression – Living Well - MDVIP Studies have found the DASH diet to be helpful in lowering blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and the risk of depression. This natural approach to reducing hypertension consists of mainly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

Home About MDVIP Living Well Blog
4 Ways to Help Improve Your Memory
Tips to Help Your Memory

We live in a fast-paced, hectic world in which remembering details can sometimes be difficult. And when you add the demands of the holiday season with travel arrangements, busy social calendars and exhaustive shopping lists, your memory can be affected.

Recent studies suggest that adopting a few simple lifestyle changes can help preserve your memory. If you are struggling to remember everything on your holiday to-do list, try these four tips.



1. Strength train for 20 minutes

Georgia Tech researchers found that brief but intense workouts that incorporate weights, resistance equipment or body weight exercises (e.g., pushups, squats and planks) can improve long-term memory. Experts theorize that the body’s response to stress and release of certain hormones help us remember. Continue reading about how lifting weights can help improve memory.



2. Add cauliflower and raspberries to your holiday meals

Cauliflower is a good source of choline, a vitamin-like nutrient that has various functions including helping maintain memory. Cauliflower can easily fit into a holiday menu as either part of a crudités platter or as a side dish at dinner.

Raspberries also contain choline, as well as flavonoids, plant-based nutrients that help improve memory and delay age-related cognitive decline. Other festive fruits that can help your memory and contribute to brain health include blueberries, blackberries and apples.



3. Maintain your blood sugar level

Although monitoring your sugar intake is easier said than done, particularly during the dessert-laden holiday season, studies suggest it is quite important. Researchers have found that spikes in blood sugar from eating sweets can interfere with memory.

In addition, having elevated blood sugar levels on a regular basis is a sign of diabetes and can damage blood vessels, reducing blood and nutrient flow to brain cells and ultimately contribute to age-related memory loss, as well as Alzheimer's disease. Help keep your blood sugar under control by having a snack or meal every three hours that combines a lean protein with a complex carbohydrate. Here are some suggestions:

1 cup of whole grain cereal with low fat milk
1 ounce of almonds with an apple
A small pita pocket with 2 ounces of light tuna


4. Get seven to eight hours of sleep each night

While it is not news that a lack of sleep can impair your memory, researchers from the University of California-Irvine and Michigan State University recently found a connection between sleep deprivation and a distortion of memories.

MYTH: Men have a higher risk for heart attack. TRUTH: Women and men have the same risk. But women may experience different heart attack symptoms than men, often delaying appropriate care.

https://www.facebook.com/MDVIP/videos/602187950208221/

As an intern at the Methodist Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine, I remember my attending cardiology professor saying that heart disease was a “humbling disease” because it was sometimes hard to diagnose. I remember a patient with angina manifesting as pain in his thumbs, none in his chest. If you have risk factors, and feel something is not quite right, call or take action right away, don’t minimize or ignore it.

Fred Bakht, MD A true partner in health who you can reach 24/7 and see same- or next-day.

Folks this is a pretty good basic review on high blood pressure which affects so many.

Tips To Control Your Blood Pressure - Living Well - MDVIP Managing your blood pressure can be a challenge. Here are some common strategies that can help lower your systolic blood pressure.

Yes, I preach the importance of a plant-based diet to my patients, but I even have a tough time swapping a T-bone steak for a mushroom-lentil loaf. The good news is -- there’s a middle ground. You can get the benefit of plant proteins while still eating some meat, suggests one study.
https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/swap-some-animal-proteins-plant-proteins-lower-cardiovascular-disease

Swap Some Animal Proteins with Plant Proteins to Lower Cardiovascular Disease - MDVIP - Living Well Plant-based diets are credited with preventing, treating and even reversing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. For a dedicated omnivore, plant-based proteins probably don’t sound very appealing. Who wants to swap a T-bone steak for a mushroom-lentil loaf?

Calcium May Help Prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Living Well - MDVIP Researchers have known the connection between low calcium levels and arrhythmias for 15 years, but a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that lower calcium levels may be a stand-alone risk factor for sudden cardiac arrest.