Kathi McCree, MD

I have patients complaining about work stress affecting their health. Even if you love your job, it can take a toll on your mental health. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ease the mental strain of a job. Check out these 5 tips.

MDVIP | 5 Tips to Help Manage Your Mental Health at Work Work stress can take a toll on you whether you love your job or not. Discover ways that can help you to manage your work stress to be able to perform better.

Unhealthy cholesterol numbers raise your risk for heart disease. But don’t assume your heart is healthy because your total cholesterol is below 200. Half of patients with ideal cholesterol have an underlying heart condition. Read why there’s more to heart health than just cholesterol from Dr. Alan Reisinger, MDVIP associate medical director.

There’s So Much More to Heart Disease than Just Cholesterol Numbers | MDVIP The year I graduated from medical school, 1982, a brave new world of cardiology was just beginning. Researchers conducting a trial of the drug lovastatin discovered it lowered cholesterol in a small group of patients with a genetic predisposition for dangerously high cholesterol. Patients with this....

You’re probably familiar with the typical risk factors of heart disease – high blood pressure, unhealthy blood fats, obesity, stress, poor nutrition, sleep deprivation and sedentary lifestyle. But a commonly overlooked risk factor is oral health. Learn more about the heart health – dental health connection from Alan Reisinger, MD, FACP, MDVIP associate medical director.

Bad Teeth & Heart Disease | MDVIP Having bad teeth has been linked to heart disease. It is important to practice good dental hygiene and schedule regular check ups with your dentist.

Your gut health has a connection to your overall health. When I refer to your gut health, I am talking how well your body absorbs nutrients, remains disease free, keeps a strong immune system and maintains a thriving, balanced composition of microorganisms. But the real key is the microorganisms. Here’s why.

Science-Based Ways to Improve Gut Health | MDVIP Many things you can do to improve your general overall health and wellbeing are also proven to positively impact gut health. These include lifestyle efforts like getting regular exercise, eating less sugar, reducing stress and quitting smoking. But there are additional specific things you can do for...

During office visits you may have heard me mention triglycerides, a type of blood fat. They often take a backseat to cholesterol, but they can raise your risk for heart disease. Here’s the beginning of what you need to know.

How to Lower Triglycerides | MDVIP Triglycerides are a lipid that can increase your risk of heart disease. Here’s what you need to know about triglycerides and how you can lower them.

I have a handful of patients who frequently sleep in during the weekends to catch up on sleep lost during the week. While it sounds like a good idea, it’s been linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Here’s what you need to know.

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Every Night Helps Heart | MDVIP Do you like sleeping in on the weekends? Many of us look forward to staying under the covers on our Saturdays and Sundays, especially after a late night or a long week. The extra shuteye helps us recover from missed sleep during the week. Or so we think. Unfortunately, this kind of inconsistent slee...

For years, patients have been asking me about Alzheimer’s early-detection tests. I often recommend learning from Dr Dean & Ayesha Sherzai's book "The Alzheimer's Solution."
Historically, we couldn’t test for dementia until a patient began exhibiting symptoms. But there is good news on the horizon. Researchers developed a lab test that may one day be able to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s what you need to know.

How to Detect Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease | MDVIP Explore a new way to detect early stage Alzheimer's disease with the use of blood testing. Learn about new Alzheimer's testing abilities and prevention tactics.

You might have heard me use the terms probiotics and prebiotics. They are a complex carbohydrate and healthy bacteria, respectively, and help foster healthy gut microbiome. And while you may be tempted to use daily over-the-counter probiotic and prebiotic supplements, your diet is the best source of both. Add these foods to your shopping list, excepting the dairy...

Your Guide to Probiotics and Prebiotics in Food | MDVIP Our gastrointestinal tract needs probiotics and prebiotics to create an environment where communities of beneficial bacteria can flourish. And while you may be tempted to use daily over-the-counter probiotic and prebiotic supplements, your diet is the best source of both. Probiotics Probiotic foods....

Many of my patients tune out when I begin lecturing on the importance of exercise. But exercise provides countless health benefits. Read this blog to learn more and then talk to me about starting an exercise program.

How Exercise Can Extend Your Heart and Your Years | MDVIP Discover the effects that regular exercise can have on your heart and overall health. Learn about 4 health upgrades you can expect after incorporating exercise.

I regularly preach to my patients the importance of whole foods. Yes, I realize most people don’t have the time to make homemade bread and pasta. But keeping your diet as minimally processed as possible can make a difference in your health. To motivate you to limit your processed foods, here’s a detailed look at what’s in them.

Are You Aware of What's In Your Processed Foods? | MDVIP Explore the pros and cons of processed foods and how they can affect your health. Learn what to look out for in your packaged foods and what to avoid.

Unfortunately, I see a lot of anxiety and depression. When necessary, I will prescribe medication, but I also recommend lifestyle changes, including changes to nutrition. Here are five tips.

5 Dietary Tips to Lower Risk for Depression and Anxiety | MDVIP Explore 5 tips for maintaining a healthy diet for your mental health. Incorporate these foods into your diet to decrease depression and anxiety. Learn more.

If you’re struggling with depression, lifestyle habits like healthy eating, exercise and meditation can help. But a new study found waking up just one hour earlier than usual may be beneficial. Here’s what you need to know.

Waking Up One Hour Earlier Can Lower Depression | MDVIP Studies have found that waking up one hour earlier can potentially lower your risk of depression. Quality sleep is important. Starting the day off earlier is better.

I advise many of my patients to take vitamin D. When most people link vitamin D with bone health, as they should. But this nutrient also contributes as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotector, which means it can contribute to brain health. In fact, a recent study linked low vitamin D levels to dementia and stroke. Here’s what you need to know.

Study Shows Ties Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Dementia | MDVIP Discover the important functions that Vitamin D provides to your body. Explore tips to avoid dementia risks that Vitamin D deficiency can lead to. Learn more.

Introduction to Epigenetics and Nutrition

Human Genes are Turned On and Off by Diet - Dr. McDougall Good genes are “turned on” by a healthy environment, just as “bad genes” are silenced by a healthy environment.

6/18: 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 g*t in understanding many basic men’s health issues. Take our Men’s Health IQ quiz to test your knowledge. Then visit MDVIP’s Men’s Health Center to educate yourself. Do it for Dad!

https://www.mdvip.com/menshealthiq

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

Depression is often thought of as a women’s health issue. But the truth is: Depression also affects men and in large numbers. Unfortunately, they’re 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.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/depression-men-looks-different-it-does-women

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.

Some of my patients complain about being hungry all the time – even shortly after eating a meal. Of course, it’s a problem from a weight management standpoint. But it’s also a red flag for blood sugar issues. Here’s what you need to know.

https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/are-you-hungry-all-time-you-may-have-low-blood-sugar

Study on Blood Sugar Levels and Hunger | MDVIP Low blood sugar has been linked to people feeling constantly hungry. Eating at regular intervals can help curb cravings. Talk to your doctor to find out more.

James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits" shares encouragement and reflections that I appreciate. He has given permission to re-post today's thoughts.

3-2-1: The process of life, joys of walking, and best hour of your week 3 IDEAS FROM ME I. “The trick to viewing feedback as a gift is to be more worried about having blind spots than hearing about them.” ​II. “The world seems to be accustomed to delaying gratification less and less, which means the rewards of delaying gratification grow more and more.” III. ....

One of the problems my patients who are trying to lose weight run into is unexplainable hunger. This hunger can sabotage their weight-loss efforts – and there may be a good explanation for it. A new study has found a link between hunger and low blood sugar. Here’s what you need to know.

Study on Blood Sugar Levels and Hunger | MDVIP Low blood sugar has been linked to people feeling constantly hungry. Eating at regular intervals can help curb cravings. Talk to your doctor to find out more.

Exercise is not good for you - it is GREAT for you!
But some of my own patients, once they get into the groove of their workouts, go overboard. They set lofty goals like participating in a marathon or triathlon. While lofty goals are great, they can also create health problems if you train too hard. Here’s why it’s safer to train for endurance events at a slower pace.

Want to Run a Marathon? Train at a Slower Pace for Your Heart How much marathon training is too much? Learn how to maintain a healthy heart while running the extra mile