Jeanette L. Pinnace's Blog

This past weekend my local PBS station had a discussion on heart disease hosted by Larry King. A number of heart experts talked about what you can do to preserve the health of your heart and the changes you can make in your life to support good heart health.

One of the suggestions was to make sure that your diet includes healthy portions of proteins, fruits, vegetables and grains. I am sure this comes as no surprise if you have been following what’s being said about this topic. I always wonder, however, if doctors are aware that people don’t live their lives in a vacuum and that just, maybe, we are not eating properly because we can’t afford the type of foods we need. For instance, many experts recommend eating organic to avoid some of the toxins that are being used on produce. Realistically, with the prices you have to pay for everything today, how is a family supposed to keep itself healthy by purchasing organic? Organic ain’t cheap, folks!

Maybe, doctors need to show more sensitivity to the circumstances that face the patients they are advising. In today’s health environment it is impossible to let your doctor know about your particular circumstances when all you get is, maybe, 15 minutes to tell him or her what’s wrong with you. Patients do not get the opportunity to fully explain the circumstances of their lives. We are all advised to come with questions for the doctor. But, how are patients to know what questions might be pertinent to the disease they may have?

The social environment in which people live should be taken into account when doctors give health care instructions. For instance, how does a physician tell a patient he or she has to take a substantial amount of time off from work when that doctor does not know the patient’s financial circumstances? To be more effective, I think health care providers need to, first, understand the social circumstances in which a patient lives, then give their advice accordingly.

Many people say if your feet hurt, you hurt all over and I can testify to that. But, usually, we neglect taking care of our feet until we find ourselves hobbling along, two steps shy of being disabled.
Your feet can manifest a number of systemic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. People, however, are more familiar with the more common foot problems, such as bunions, hammertoes, corns and calluses. While not life threatening, these foot disorders can wreak havoc with your daily activities.
For example, bunions, an enlargement at the base and side of the joint of the big toe, can disable a person. Bunions develop when the big toe begins to drift toward the other toes. When this occurs a hammertoe of the second toe commonly occurs. Corns may also appear, due to pressure from the shoe, which now rubs against the bunion or the hammered toe.
A bunion may not be painful in the beginning but as the big toe drifts it develops into a condition called hallux abducto valgus (HAV). Once HAV develops, redness, pain, and swelling may be present. Also, the joint may be restricted in its movement, which can be a manifestation of arthritis.
In addition, having HAV can cause an ingrown toenail to develop. Should any of these problems occur, see your podiatrist as soon as possible. He/she can examine your feet and advise you about treatment.
To avoid foot problems, inspect your feet regularly, and be careful of the type of footwear you use. Sky-high pumps may give legs a beautiful line, but, worn constantly, these shoes may cause all types of problems. Also, watch shoe height. Avoid stressing your back, and prevent foot deformities, by wearing heels that are not too high. But shoes shouldn’t be too flat either. And always wear shoes with the proper foot support. When you dress up for the evening high heels may add to your look, but don't wear them all night. Always take along flats or lower-heeled shoes to put on and give your feet a break.

As a medical writer, I'm always getting health information sent to me. There is so much happening in the field of medicine that it's sometimes hard to keep up with everything that's available out there. This blog is my way of sharing information with others. Recently, I heard about a new Web site, Pollen.com which was created to help allergy sufferers manage their allergies. The site just added two new features: "Pollen History" and "Two-City Comparison." There is also now a shopping feature for those who want to comparison shop for anti-allergy products.

What's really cool is the site's "Pollen History" feature, which gives a 30-day history of allergy by zip code. Visitors can track whether allergy conditions are on the increase or decrease in any given location--important if you're considering whether to leave or stay in a particular area of the country.

The chart comparing two cities ("Two-City Comparison Chart") allows visitors to compare the pollen intensity in your area with that of another location for four days. All you have to do is plug in the zip codes from each area and the information is yours. The intensity is displayed as bar graphs showing the concentration of pollen in each area.

Finally, the site also has an area, the "Allergy Buyers Club," where you can shop for a vast array of allergy relief products.

The site is easy to negotiate and is extremely helpful in providing information that can really help you manage your allergy. Some of the information can help to alleviate possible allergy problems before they even occur.

The site reaches over 200 million people annually with useful suggestions that help those of us who suffer from allergic conditions. Check it out and let them know that I sent you there.