Portrait of senior woman lifting weights with classmates at the gym

A Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older

Specialdocs Consultants, LLC Healthy Aging, Patient News

It’s not yet possible to stop the passage of years, but it might well be within our sights to combat the effects of aging, according to Michael Greger, MD, internationally recognized lifestyle medicine physician, author and nutritionist. Synthesizing years of research on the essential pathways of aging, Dr. Greger believes the process can be slowed down with lifestyle changes, and …

Pie chart of foods representing the planetary Health diet

Sustainable Eating: The Planetary Healthy Diet

Specialdocs Consultants Nutrition, Patient News

The Lancet Planetary Health Diet Is there a way to eat that not only reduces the risk of disease and promotes well-being, but is also sustainable? Could a certain diet provide enough food for the 9.8 billion people estimated to be living on earth by 2050? This was the challenge first taken on in 2019 by the EAT-Lancet Commission, comprised …

Every Walk is a Step in the Right Direction

Specialdocs Consultants Patient News

“If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.” – Socrates No one has a negative word to say about the benefits of walking. Accessible to most, with no special equipment or training needed, stepping out regularly can bring a plethora of health gains: improved bone …

AI in Healthcare: An Early Look at the Power, Promise and Peril of Tech’s Latest Tool

Specialdocs Consultants Patient News

Whether you are an enthusiastic adopter of virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri, and apps to monitor everything from glucose to sleep patterns— or consider them error-prone and intrusive—it’s impossible to ignore the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT. To quickly define terms, AI is the capability of a computer system to mimic human cognitive functions, such as …

A New Era for Diabetes and Weight Loss Drugs

Specialdocs Consultants Medications, Patient News

For patients seeking new solutions to managing type 2 diabetes and obesity, the introduction of a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists (RA) has simultaneously inspired hope and excitement along with misuse and confusion. We developed the following Q&A to go beyond the headlines and explore how Ozempic and similar drugs work, who may benefit most from them, and …

Ticked Off: How to Recognize, Relieve and Resist Lyme Disease

Specialdocs Consultants Patient News, Wellness

Summertime is prime time for ticks, which are becoming more prevalent each year. A combination of changing land use and warmer winters has greatly expanded the ticks’ habitat and they’re now found in more than half of U.S. counties. As a result, tick-borne Lyme disease has doubled over the last two decades to nearly 500,000 cases annually, earning it the …

Staying Hydrated This Summer: Water Infused with Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs

Specialdocs Consultants Nutrition, Patient News

Stay hydrated and energized this summer by refreshing yourself with generous amounts of water, nature’s best elixir. Inspire yourself to keep reaching for another sip by infusing water with fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs…no sugar or artificial flavoring needed. Have a Plant shares how: Wash all produce and herbs before slicing and dicing. Start with a large glass bottle or …

Joint Assets: An Osteoarthritis Update

Specialdocs Consultants Healthy Aging, Medications, Nutrition, Patient News

The aching, swollen, stiff joints associated with osteoarthritis (OA) have long been considered a “wear and tear” condition, associated with aging. It was thought that cartilage, the smooth connective tissue on the end of bones that cushion the joints, simply breaks down over a lifetime of walking, exercising and moving. New research shows that it is a disease of the …

Bone Up: What Is Osteoporosis?

Specialdocs Consultants Healthy Aging, Medical Conditions, Medications, Nutrition, Patient News

Except for dedicated thespians, saying “break a leg” is most definitely not a harbinger of good luck. More than 10 million Americans are living with osteoporosis, a condition of low bone mass that results in increased risk of bone fracture, sometimes even from a minor fall or pressure from a big hug. Over 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures occur annually, and …

The Future of Aging

Specialdocs Consultants Patient News

The First Hundred Years: Healthy Longevity May Ultimately Define the Future Humankind has eternally searched for the fabled fountain of youth. While we suspect that a magical elixir to turn back time may never be discovered, in 2023 we are coming ever closer to a more achievable goal: using scientific breakthroughs to slow the process of aging and therefore prolong …