Jessica Cruz

09/29/2021

Many people have been made to feel they need to stay away and "not bother the doctors." Please do not feel that way, we are here for you. If there is a concern or question, if you are due for a wellness visit- make sure to schedule an appointment with us.

03/08/2021

Each March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), and our partners work together to create a social media campaign that highlights the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities.

02/12/2021

02/08/2021

More on American Heart Month: This week is Congenital Heart Defect Week. Sometimes a new baby is born with an abnormality in the structure or function of their heart- this is a congenital heart defect. It can be scary and life-threatening if untreated. Prenatal screening and newborn exams can help find defects so treatment can be planned and initiated as soon as possible.
However, some defects produce symptoms so mild that they may not be found until later on in childhood, some may even persist until early adulthood. If you have questions about yourself or a loved one, do not hesitate to reach out and ask your healthcare provider.

02/05/2021

Do you have any questions about your risks for heart disease or heart attack? Always share any "facts" you have heard or are questioning with your healthcare provider, we love to help you sort through all of the (sometimes misleading) information so you can make the best healthcare decisions for you!

02/01/2021

Your heart starts beating at around 5 weeks gestation and continues without rest until death- talk about dedication!

02/01/2021

Welcome to . Check out https://www.facebook.com/millionhearts/ for tips and tricks on how to help yourself and your loved ones stay strong, healthy and ticking away for years to come.

01/25/2021

Numbness, tingling, burning pain in the extremities should always be evaluated by a healthcare provider. These symptoms may indicate pressure or damage to nerve cells that can originate anywhere along the nerve path, even at the root as it exits your spine. However, sometimes we can find less scary causes of these symptoms- it may be... POOR POSTURE.

01/22/2021

Slumped shoulder also contributes to chronic tension headache, upper back and neck pain. So here is a reminder- pull your shoulder blades back and tuck them into your back pockets, then pull your belly button into your spine.

01/19/2021

Something to consider- many western adults are stuck in this cycle. Actively choosing to improve our posture, which increases muscle strength, flexibility balance, and improves mood through a variety of mechanisms, is a drug-free way to help improve so many chronic conditions.

01/18/2021

Take some time each day to really focus on your posture while performing your daily tasks. After some time, you may find that you feel less fatigued by the end of the day.

01/16/2021

Posture: I recently had a patient comment that I mention the importance of good posture in most of our visits. This is because POSTURE IS SO IMPORTANT, and so many of us have terrible "western posture". Improving posture has been shown in numerous studies (I will mention a few below) to contribute to improved mental health (who couldn't use that), better career performance, better sleep, fewer injuries, and less chronic back pain. This week, I will post some tips and tricks to help improve YOUR posture.

Wilkes C, Kydd R, Sagar M, Broadbent E. Upright posture improves affect and fatigue in people with depressive symptoms. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2017 Mar;54:143-149

Hackford J, Mackey A, Broadbent E. The effects of walking posture on affective and physiological states during stress. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2019 Mar;62:80-87.

Fraizer EV, Mitra S. Methodological and interpretive issues in posture-cognition dual-tasking in upright stance. Gait Posture. 2008 Feb;27(2):271-9.

01/14/2021

Worried about hair loss? It can be normal for your scalp to lose up to 200 hairs per day. However, there are some conditions that can contribute to increased hair loss or breakage, including vitamin deficiencies and hormone imbalances (these may also contribute to changes in the appearance or health of nails and skin). Sometimes, hair growth and health can be improved by simply altering your care routine or products. Talk to a family medicine specialist about how to R/O some concerning causes of hair, skin and nail changes.

12/15/2020

Tonsiliths, or tonsil stones, may be what is causing your sore throat. These "stones" are little pieces of calcified material that can get stuck in the pockets of your tonsils (for those of us who still have tonsils), usually on only one side. Tonsilliths are easy to treat in most cases, gargling with warm salt-water, increasing salivation with sour candy, etc can help wash the stones out. However, it is not a good idea to assume that tonsilliths are the cause of your symptoms without having someone evaluate you. It can be hard for an untrained person to distinguish between a tonsil stone and abscess or exudates that can appear on the tonsils due to infection.

12/07/2020

The importance of a smile:
For years we have been uncovering evidence that the act of smiling, and sharing a smile, laugh, etc with those closest to us, is vitally important to our overall health and the function of our immune systems. So... here is a reminder to take some time today and SMILE, share a laugh with a coworker or stranger you meet. Even in tough times- smile.

"Affective immunology: where emotions and the immune response converge." by Fulvio D'Acquisto

"Humor, laughter, learning, and health! A brief review" by Savage BM, Lujan HL, Thipparthi RR, DiCarlo SE.

"Receiving a hug is associated with the attenuation of negative mood that occurs on days with interpersonal conflict" by Murphy MLM, Janicki-Deverts D, Cohen S.
- "Possible mechanisms through which hugs facilitate positive adaptation to conflict are discussed."

"There's Magic in Your Smile: How smiling affects your brain." by Riggio, RE, PhD.

"Psychology to Grin About: The Benefits of Smiling and Laughter." by UWA's Psychology and Counseling News.