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R-Questions, Answered, Vol. IV

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In what’s to be our final 2017 installment of our doctor Q&A, this last stop puts us in New Brunswick. Dr. James Bancroft leads the charge at R-Health New Brunswick, our newest location on Easton Avenue. With roots across the country, discover how Dr. Bancroft got into medicine, despite a few challenging areas. Furthermore, if you have any more questions for Dr. Bancroft, scheduling a meet and greet is the best way to get the answers you need. But for now, please enjoy our fun Q&A with him.

  1. Where are you originally from?  I was born in Omaha, Nebraska. I grew up mostly in Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C
  2. Why did you study medicine? I always had an interest in health. I decided to go to medical school after teaching at a small high school. My favorite part of teaching was the one-on-one interactions.
  3. What was the hardest part of medical school? Being quizzed by the attending physicians and residents on a regular basis was probably the toughest.
  4. What do you do on a day off? I like to spend time with my family, catching up on laundry, doing yard work, working through a honey-do-list, and reading, so, a bunch of things.
  5. What’s your favorite TV show? I can’t say I have one favorite show. If I am watching TV, the channel is usually on a sports game and I am often doing something else at the time.
  6. Do you have bad handwriting? (They say all doctors do) I would consider my handwriting pretty good for a doctor, but, it has deteriorated.
  7. What’s is different about Direct Care that excites you? The opportunity to meet the needs of patients in different ways, such as offering longer appointments, phone visits, and even video visits.
  8. What’s the simplest piece of medical advice you can give? Really simple: stay active and eat more fruit and vegetables.

Dr. Bancroft’s office is open and he and his staff are eager to meet all new patients. If you’re interested in becoming a member of his practice, don’t hesitate – join today!

Sweets: Naughty or Nice?

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The holidays are full of special things, decorations, songs, events, parties and gifts.  There are also sweet treats all around.  Holiday treats can be bittersweet – both literally and figuratively.

Whether the holidays serve as a relaxing time or a stress filled environment, finding too much comfort in these treats can be damaging to your health.

Next time the tray of cookies is in front of you, try to make mindful decisions.  Think about if this cookie is truly special, or is it just there in front of you.  Is it the cookie that will bring me joy, or is it that I am surrounded by my family and friends?  Or am I reaching for this cookie because I am stressed, what else could I do to handle my stress?  If you decide to eat the cookie, great, don’t have regrets!  Take time to chew, and savor, and truly enjoy it.  You will feel more satisfied and less likely to mindlessly reach for another.

What if there were healthier options available?  You could be a part of making that available for your family and friends.

There are many options to create healthier alternatives to traditional holiday sweet treats and gifts. You can show your love and keep loved ones healthy!  For example, create your own trail mix, make dark chocolate bark with fruit and nuts, make your own spice rubs or soup kits in mason jars.  Our very own Dr. Julia Snyder even suggested a healthy treat, Almond Grabbers, and their recipe can be found here.

For more healthy holiday treat and gift ideas, check out EatingWell. For all other tips and tricks as to what you should avoid for the holidays, reach out to your R-Health doctor who’s always available for you, even during the holiday season.

Do you have ideas of your own healthy holiday treats?  We’d love to hear. Share them with us on Facebook.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat!

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The little things. It’s always the little things that are often overlooked, but can carry the most importance. Fresh air. Cold pillows. A good breakfast. Washing your hands. Few have the impact of the latter.

Washing your hands is one of the most important steps to not only protecting your own health, but also prevention of germ spread and other bacteria to others. This week is National Handwashing Awareness Week, and with the flu and many other sicknesses very prevalent during this time, now is as good a time as any to discuss the importance of handwashing, and how it’s relative to prevention.

For a little context on how important this topic is, here are a few facts, courtesy of the CDC, related to handwashing:

  • Washing hands with soap and water can reduce diarrheal disease-associated deaths by up to 50%
  • Handwashing can reduce the risk of respiratory infections by 16%
  • A large percentage of foodborne disease outbreaks are spread by contaminated hands, which could be greatly reduced by handwashing.
  • The use of alcohol gel hand sanitizer in classrooms can result in upwards of 20% reduction in absenteeism due to infection.
  • Reducing the number of infections through handwashing may help prevent the overuse of antibiotics (and eventual antibiotic resistance) often prescribed for these health issues.

Looking for more reasons why handwashing is important? Look no further than the main culprit of sickness: germs.  As the CDC describes, feces is a main source of germs, like Salmonella and E.coli that spread many respiratory infections such as, hand-foot-mouth disease and adenovirus to name a few. These germs get onto your hands a variety of ways, including:

  • After toilet use
  • Changing diapers
  • Blowing your nose
  • Handling raw meat
  • Taking out garbage
  • Petting animals
  • Caring for sick people

These are common, everyday activities that people do, yet if people don’t take the initiative to wash their hands, germs will stay on the surface of your hands for hours. With frequent touching of the body (i.e. touching eyes, nose, and mouth) coupled with germ pile up on your hand surface, it gets you sick, and even worse, it transfers to other objects that will get others sick.

So, what can you do? Wash your hands multiple times throughout the day and follow standard handwashing techniques:

  1. Wet – Wet your hands with clean water, then apply soap
  2. Lather – Rub your hands together with the soap, making sure to get the back of your hands, between fingers, and under the fingernails
  3. Scrub – Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds
  4. Rinse
  5. Dry – Air dry or use a clean towel
  6. *Tip* For public restrooms, shut the faucet off with a paper towel, and use your shoulder (or another towel on the knob) to open the door

If you’re not near a sink, hand sanitizer is a great substitute. However, if your hands are visible dirty and greasy, this will not be as effective in eliminating the high number of germs. It’s also important to note to avoid the use of antibacterial soap, due to the dangers of triclosan. As the Mayo Clinic describes, although triclosan is an active ingredient in making some soaps antibacterial, excess use can cause small amounts to be absorbed by the skin, which may lead to a damaged immune system and/or antibiotic resistance.

In closing, sometimes it’s the little things that have big impact. Don’t risk getting sick, especially during peak flu season, by not washing your hands. Your R-Health doctor hand-washes every time they see you, so take the lead and follow suit. Or use our R-Health hand sanitizer.

R-Questions, Answered, Vol. III

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We continue our new practice introductions in Hamilton, home of R-Health Hamilton and Dr. Cindy Geng. A doctor with extensive routes and unique specialties, Dr. Geng was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. If you’re curious for more answers, you can always partake in our meet and greet sessions with the doctor, but for now, here’s a look into Dr. Geng’s background, passion for medicine, and why she’s excited for this new opportunity.

  1. Where are you originally from?  China
  2. Why did you study medicine? I’d like to help people get healthier, and I love to play a detective’s role to figure out what is the real culprit for their medical issues.
  3. What was the hardest part of medical school? I am OK with exams, but there were just too many exams in med school.
  4. What do you do on a day off? If the weather is nice, I would prefer to get close to nature – near a lake or a trail. I also enjoy have a party or tea time with friends.
  5. What’s your favorite TV show? Can we skip this one – as I watch TV shows mostly in Chinese. 🙂 
  6. Do you have bad handwriting? (They say all doctors do) NOT really.
  7. What’s is different about Direct Care that excites you? I love having more time to get to know my patients, to build a rapport and be able to have a positive impact in their long-term health.
  8. What’s the simplest piece of medical advice you can give? Have a healthy life style suitable for you, it will make your days more enjoyable.

Dr. Geng’s office is open and accepting new members, so don’t hesitate to sign up and see what else you may have in common.

[Healthy] Thanksgiving!

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If you haven’t heard already, there’s a pretty big holiday coming up soon: Thanksgiving. In a time of reminiscing and gathering of friends, family, and loved ones, the main star on this day is the food. With an assortment of people and traditions, there’s always an abundance of dishes available to consume. However, how can we distinguish what’s healthy and will benefit our health? There are a few tips we all can follow without sacrificing our appetites.

Studies have shown that people gain on average, between 5-10 pounds during the holiday season (from Thanksgiving to New Year’s). WOW!!! While just averages, this can mean that people gain less than this range, or in the unfortunate instance, gain more. It’s important during the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, to be proactive in maintaining your health and keeping the extra pounds off, so you may have an easier time with your upcoming New Year’s Resolutions.  WebMD has offered a few tips that won’t impede satisfaction of the yummy holiday feasts.

  • Get active
    • Exercise before eating your favorite foods
    • Increase the number of days, and length of workouts before Thanksgiving
    • Plan a post-meal walk and/or workout the following day
  • Eat breakfast
    • Eating a small meal in the morning can give you better control over your appetite
    • More disciplined appetite makes for healthier food and beverage choices
  • Lighten up
    • Whether preparing the meals, or bringing add-ons, try and make your dishes with less sugar, no added fat, and less calories.
    • Use sugar substitutes, and reduce oil/butter when you can
  • Police your proteins
    • Survey the options and select reasonable sized portions
    • Smaller portions allow you to enjoy whatever you’d like
    • Resist the urge for second helpings
    • Stop eating when you’re satisfied. If you wait til your full, it might be too late 😉
  • Slowly savor
    • Eating slowly allows you to taste every bite while being satisfied after one plate
    • Try eating only two meals on holidays and keep them within 8 hours of each other. So perhaps skip breakfast if you expect to eat a big lunch or dinner. This style of eating is called Intermittent Fasting and has been very helpful in weight loss/weight maintenance.
  • Go easy on alcohol
    • Have a glass of wine or sparkling water in between alcoholic drinks to avoid dehydration and the calories that alcohol provide
  • Be realistic
    • During the holiday times, it’s very difficult to try and lose weight, therefore shifting focus to maintaining weight provides more desirable outcomes.

If you’re looking for which foods to include in your Thanksgiving menu you can turn to the Mayo Clinic and/or EatingWell for an assist. They provide countless recipes that are not only fresh, but contain less fat, sodium, and calories to provide guests with healthy options that are equally flavorful. If you have a particular diet or health plan that you’re on, reach out to your R-Health doctor for any meal suggestions. Otherwise, enjoy the holiday and celebrate this time with your family and friends!

Defeat Diabetes!

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With Thanksgiving approaching, it may seem like a joyous occasion for most, but for a segment of the population, it may be another day of battling your urges, for the sake of long-term health. November is recognized as American Diabetes Month; and with diabetes affecting nearly 30 million people and their families, it’s important to remind them that they are not alone, and to share information to those who are newly diagnosed.

For a quick summary of the condition, we turn to the Mayo Clinic. Diabetes affects how your body uses glucose. Glucose, or blood sugar, is a major source of energy for the cells in your muscles, tissues, and your brain. However, too much glucose in your blood can cause major health risks such as:

  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Nerve, Kidney, Foot, and/or Eye Damage
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Skin infections
  • Alzheimer’s

Since there are different types of diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) there are different risk factors associated with each, and we’ll share a few below:

  • Type 1 Diabetes – more prevalent during childhood/adolescence – removes insulin production from the body.
    • Risk Factors
      • Family History
      • Dietary Factors
      • Environment Factors
      • Geography
  • Type 2 Diabetes – more prevalent during adulthood – body becomes insulin resistant.
    • Risk Factors
      • Family History
      • Age/Weight/Race
      • Inactivity
      • High Blood Pressure
      • Abnormal Cholesterol levels

Consequently, knowing these risk factors, what should you do if you’re diagnosed? Binge eating will certainly not be the answer, however, Diabetic Living shared a few tips on how to approach a new diagnosis.

  1. Inspect your health plan – find the best and most affordable health plan that will cover your upcoming medications and supplies.
  2. Consider medications to lower your blood sugar – It’s now recommended to take at least one glucose-lowering medication as soon as you’re diagnosed (e.g. metformin).
  3. Create a diabetes eating plan – Monitor what you eat, but also track it to see its impact on your blood glucose levels. Most times you don’t have to make drastic changes.
  4. Create a physical activity plan – Just like your diet, physical activities are important when diabetic. Food provides the energy, and the activity helps burn some of it. Incorporating this into an everyday routine can have great impact.
  5. Shop for Diabetes supplies – Blood glucose meters, test strips, and a blood glucose journal are just a few things that can help you along the way.
  6. Connect with others – As we mentioned earlier, you’re not alone in this fight. Connecting with others can relieve you of any anxieties and motivate you to take care of yourself.
  7. Choose your primary care provider

Now if you’re not a diabetes rookie, you’d be more focused on how to manage your diabetes. With help from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), they shared 4 major actions you should take to manage your diabetes throughout your lifetime.

  1. Learn More about Diabetes
    • Get a better understanding about the type of diabetes you have and ones you’re not sure of (e.g. Gestational diabetes).
    • Take classes, join support groups, and talk to your doctors (i.e. dentist, dietician, eye doctor) in your health team to see how it can affect other areas
  2. Know your diabetes ABCs
    • A – A1C test. It measures your sugar levels over a 3-month span
    • B – Blood pressure. Have blood pressure goals and know what gets it too high or too low
    • C – Cholesterol. Like blood pressure, have cholesterol goals and ask your doctor what those numbers should be
  3. Learn to live with diabetes
    • Ask for help, discover new hobbies, voice your concerns to your support system
    • Spend time developing a food palette and compare your sugar levels to see what part of your diet needs changing
  4. Get routine care
    • Getting routine care at least twice a year can help catch any future problems, early
    • Get the A1C test twice
    • Ask your primary care doctor and other members in your health team if any other tests are required

If you’re already an R-Health Member, you’ve already got a great primary care doctor. Your R-Health doctor can spend the time with you to create your own health plan, covering what to eat, medication suggestions, and how to balance physical activity. A strong relationship with your primary can help you overcome some of the obstacles associated with diabetes, including a loaded Thanksgiving plate.

R-Questions, Answered, Vol. II

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In our tradition of commencing new locations, we’ve asked our Dr. Snyder, of R-Health Cherry Hill, a few questions to help introduce her to our community. Check out her answers as she discusses her background, interests, and even helpful medical advice. Moreover, if you have any questions for Dr. Snyder, you can always schedule a meet and greet to chat on a multitude of things, not discussed in this fun Q&A. Enjoy.

  1. Where are you originally from?  I was born in Washington Township, NJ and lived across the street from a farm where I fed carrots to horses. Then my family moved to Moorestown for the start of school.
  2. Why did you study medicine? I wanted to be a doctor from the time I was very little. I wanted to help people feel better. I still do.
  3. What was the hardest part of medical school? The hardest part of medical school was realizing that medicine wasn’t the way I had dreamed when I was little. After I had gotten through anatomy lab, physiology, and pharmacology in the first and second year of medical school, third year gave me a broken heart when I saw how dehumanizing medicine could be. Luckily, fourth year I discovered integrative and holistic medicine. It was what I dreamed medicine of being – addressing the care of the whole person – mind/body/spirit/family. This has been my passion ever since.
  4. What do you do on a day off? Spend time with my family. I have five-year-old twin girls. We love to play soccer, go to the playground, have dance parties at home and read together. I also spend a lot of time cooking. Having healthy food prepared for my family is very important to me. If I have a time for myself, I love to take a walk in the woods.
  5. What’s your favorite TV show? I like to watch Modern Family sometimes when I am on the elliptical. Does that count? The only thing that is ever on our actual TV is sports. My daughters love watching the Phillies or the Sixers. Thank my husband for that 🙂
  6. Do you have bad handwriting? (They say all doctors do) My signature is legible. My father taught me the importance of this. I think I have decent handwriting when I am not rushing. But I will admit that it can get sloppy if I have to move fast!
  7. What’s is different about Direct Care that excites you? I am so excited about Direct Care that I moved my family back here to NJ from Abington, PA. This is an amazing opportunity to practice medicine how I dreamed. Allowing time to develop a healing and trusting relationship, and time to focus on wellness, prevention and optimization of health, as well as taking care of illness in a holistic way as it comes up. I think it will be great for patient care and great for actually developing a healthcare system (not a sick-care system).
  8. What’s the simplest piece of medical advice you can give? Eat whole foods that come from nature, get enough sleep, manage your stress, move your body, and appreciate all that you have.

Dr. Snyder’s office is open and accepting new members, so don’t hesitate to sign up and see what else you may have in common.

The R-Health Experience, Vol. II: True Mobility

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Sarah, the mother of two young children, had been looking for a new doctor. Of the utmost importance to her was convenience since she is extremely busy with her kids. She had been looking for the right fit, but just couldn’t find it, until she got a postcard about Dr. Randi Protter’s practice at R-Health.

Like most people, she thought that what she was reading about R-Health sounded too good to be true, but she soon realized it was everything she was looking for.

“I love the mobile app. I developed a rash and instead of going to the office, I used the app to upload pictures and send it to Dr. Protter. She looked at the pictures, got back to me right away, and sent a prescription to my pharmacy. Not having to take my two children into the doctor’s office for me to be treated for something simple, was fabulous.”

Sarah has experienced a little bit of all the R-Health offerings. She got a same-day urgent care appointment, she has done her comprehensive wellness exam, and she loves to use the Spruce mobile app. For her, more than anything, she loves how Dr. Protter truly listens to her. “It’s so nice to talk to a doctor and have her actually listen.”

Sarah’s husband is also a member of R-Health and has been seeing Dr. Protter for almost a year. He recently had a cold that kept lingering for multiple days. He called the office, got a same-day appointment, and immediately had a prescription sent to the pharmacy.

“For us, the responsiveness of R-Health is so unique, we feel like we are privileged clients. We feel so lucky to have found Dr. Protter and R-Health.”

The Battle of Flu Prevention

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Although the weather is a bit misleading, we are in the start of flu season. While many people may have misconceptions about the vaccine, think they are immune to the flu, or may even believe the flu is a myth, it is very important to take the preventative measures to thrive during flu season. Moreover, if you were skeptical about the flu and its vaccine, here are some WebMD stats that might change your mind.

  • Between 5% to 20% of the U.S. population will get the flu, each year
  • 200,000 Americans are hospitalized each year from the flu and its complications
  • In the U.S., 3,000 – 49,000 people will die each year from flu-related causes
  • Finally, it can take between 1-4 days before flu symptoms begin to show, and you may still be contagious 5-10 days after the illness starts.

As you see, it’s important to take the preventative steps that aid in virus prevention, not only for yourself, but for those around you. Where can you find these tips? Look no further than your R-Health doctors, who are always available for you.  Remember, staying positive and relaxed helps the immune system.  If you are not yet an R-Health member, here are some tips to get you started.

  1. Get the Flu vaccine
  2. Wash hands frequently
  3. Eat Well (plenty of veggies, fruits, and healthy fats, while avoiding added sugar)
  4. Stay well hydrated.
  5. Get enough sleep.
  6. Wear a coat and other cold weather gear (hat/gloves/scarf) when needed
  7. Vitamin D (take 1000-20000 iu daily) unless otherwise recommended by your doctor

In the unfortunate instance you contract the flu, there are a few treatment options you can explore as well.   Talk to your doctor as soon as you have symptoms to find out if a prescription anti-flu medication is needed.  If you don’t have any special medical circumstances, often natural measures are best.  Subsequently, below are some natural treatment tips for the flu:

  1. Elderberry – Take Sambucol (1 tablespoon, 4x a day, for 5 days at first sight of the flu).
    • If you have contact with the flu you can also use Sambucol as means of prevention (2 tablespoons, 2x a day)
  2. Zinc – Take Zinc Lozenge (avoid intranasal zinc) every 1-3 hours for 3 days at first signs of the flu
  3. Steam inhalation with Eucalyptus oil and Chamomile can ease congestion, cough, and mucous membrane irritation
  4. Bone Broth – Soup helps boost the immune system
    • Beef bone broth, and yes, even chicken noodle soup works well!
  5. Honey – A natural cough suppressant, honey works better than Delsym. Take ½ to 1 tsp every 1-2 hours as needed.
  6. Treat a fever only to feel comfortable – High temperatures boost your immune system, but if needed, use the lowest effect dose of fever reducers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
    • Try the wet sock technique: put on a pair of wet socks, then a dry pair overtop

As a note, it’s important to inform your doctor on all herbal medicines you plan to take, and more importantly, if you experience shortness of breath, severe headache, confusion, and/or the inability to keep fluids down.  Remember you have unlimited access to your R-Health doctors who are available to you.

 

The R-Health Experience, Vol. I: The Best Thing to Happen to my Healthcare Toolkit

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Last fall, Risa Morris went to the State’s Passport to Benefits event to learn more about the new benefit offerings. While there, she met the team from R-Health and learned that she could join an R-Health doctor’s office for free as part of her state health plan. She was intrigued and she signed up for the R-Health Ewing location, which was set to open in January.

When she heard about R-Health, Risa was excited but she also kept thinking there had to be a catch. Once the Ewing office opened in January, she realized there really was no catch and she was astounded by the level of care she received from Dr. Protter and the rest of her team.

“R-Health is a far superior doctor’s office,” said Risa. “My R-Health doctor helps me manage everything related to my health. She calls me just to answer my questions and I can e-mail with her anytime. It feels great to know that I have access and can just keep in touch on the little things.”

Risa also likes that she doesn’t have to try to remember everything that Dr. Protter tells her during each appointment. She can access a full overview of everything discussed at her appointment through the electronic patient portal and if she still has follow up questions, she just e-mails or calls Dr. Protter to review. Says Risa, “It’s refreshing that I don’t have to keep track of everything on my own.”

One of Risa’s favorite aspects of her R-Health doctor’s office is the ability to get her blood work done onsite, saying, “It’s so nice to have everything done in one place.”

With R-Health, Risa feels like she has her own concierge doctor, but without the added access fees, and of course, with no co-pays. “I used to wait hours to see my doctor and I felt like my time wasn’t as important as theirs. With R-Health, I never wait more than 5 or 10 minutes to see my doctor – it’s a miracle.”

When asked to sum up her R-Health doctor and experience, Risa said “I love Dr Protter. She is caring, warm and friendly, yet very professional and detail oriented. I have recommended her to all my friends. R-Health is the best thing to happen in my healthcare tool kit.”

Risa also thinks it is a great thing the State of NJ is offering Direct Care for those with state health benefits, noting “R-Health is far superior to other doctor’s offices.”