Author: Gulfcoasthc

Preventing and Managing Arthritis

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and the team at Gulf Coast Health Center is taking the opportunity to help educate our patients about arthritis while providing them with tips for living a healthier, more active, and less painful life with the condition.

Preventing and Managing Arthritis

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and the team at Gulf Coast Health Center is taking the opportunity to help educate our patients about arthritis while providing them with tips for living a healthier, more active, and less painful life with the condition.
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5 Tips to Prevent or Manage Arthritis

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1. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Carrying around excess weight not only puts you at an increased risk for systemic health problems like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but it also exacerbates the painful symptoms of arthritis. Being overweight or obese means that your joints have to carry a heavier load. This puts an excessive amount of stress on your joints, resulting in worse arthritis pain.

2. Exercise Regularly

Although it might sound painful, physical activity is actually one of the best ways to combat arthritis pain. Keeping yourself active throughout the day will help to prevent your joints from stiffening up. Additionally, it’ll help you combat weight gain. Physical activity also releases feel-good endorphins that make you feel happier while actually reducing pain.

3. Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check

Arthritis and diabetes go hand in hand. Having diabetes puts you at a higher risk of developing arthritis and having arthritis puts you at an increased risk of developing diabetes. If you’ve already been diagnosed, keep a close watch on your blood sugar because high blood sugar can actually worsen the stiffening of joints, making arthritis symptoms even more painful.

4. Avoid Injury

A joint with a history of injury is much more likely to develop arthritis than an uninjured one. Wear protective gear when participating in sports and work with a personal trainer when exercising in the gym to ensure you aren’t exhibiting any unhealthy postures or techniques that could result in an injury.

5. Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

You can prevent and manage arthritis by focusing on eating the right nutrition, specifically nutrients that can reduce inflammation in your body and help to lubricate your joints. Fill your diet with foods containing omega-3 fatty acids and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Talk to a Doctor About Your Arthritis Risk and Management Plan

If you’re concerned about arthritis, we welcome you to schedule a pain management consultation with a doctor at Gulf Coast Health Center. We can talk with you about your lifestyle and provide you with a variety of treatments and recommendations designed to help you manage pain and prevent your arthritis from worsening. To learn more, contact any of our locations today.
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How Healthy Is Your Stress?

Stress gets a bad rap. No matter what, too much of it is usually a bad thing. However, some stress is actually good stress – also called eustress – and this type of stress can create meaning, flavor, and direction in our lives. So, while it’s important to manage your stress levels, you first need to understand the different types of stress and how they are helpful or harmful to you.

How Healthy Is Your Stress?

Stress gets a bad rap. No matter what, too much of it is usually a bad thing. However, some stress is actually good stress – also called eustress – and this type of stress can create meaning, flavor, and direction in our lives. So, while it’s important to manage your stress levels, you first need to understand the different types of stress and how they are helpful or harmful to you.
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Healthy Stress vs. Unhealthy Stress: What's the Difference?

Stress – whether healthy or unhealthy – is associated with a physiological response in the body called the stress response. Stress causes our bodies to release certain hormones (including cortisol). Plus, it triggers a release of adrenaline, elevates the heart rate, concentrates the blood flow around vital organs, and induces the fight or flight response.
What separates healthy/good stress from unhealthy/bad stress is simply the feelings, emotions, or perspectives attached to the physical changes that occur in the body.

Healthy Stress (Eustress)

Healthy stress is a stress response that’s associated with positive life events such as the excitement of a first date, riding a roller coaster, singing karaoke, or entering an interview for a job you really want.

Unhealthy Stress

Unhealthy stress is associated with negative events or things in a person’s life such as a difficult job, money problems, or an unhealthy relationship. It can either be acute (occurs in short, infrequent bursts) or chronic (occurs repeatedly and frequently).

Managing Both Types of Stress in Your Life

Just because eustress can help improve your life, give you a sense of purpose, and be fun, it doesn’t mean that experiencing it all of the time is healthy. Even good stress can trigger harmful physiological responses in our bodies, so don’t go out and turn yourself into an adrenaline junky.
If you find yourself encountering unhealthy stress on a regular or chronic basis, then you should take steps to mitigate the stress response that’s occurring inside your body. You can do this by attempting to avoid or change the circumstances that are causing you stress, changing your perspective, practicing meditation, getting plenty of exercise, participating in hobbies and self-care, and seeking out counseling with a mental health professional.
However you balance the ups and downs of life, professional counseling at Gulf Coast Health Center can help you navigate all of life’s twists and turns while keeping your stress levels in check. To learn more about the mental health services available to our patients or to schedule an appointment, we welcome you to contact any of our offices today.

Headaches? It May Be Time to Get an Eye Exam

Vision problems are not the only cause of headaches. However, they are a potential cause, and they’re more common than you might think. Throughout your lifetime, your eyes and vision will change. So, even though you have never needed glasses or had optical issues in the past, it does not necessarily mean that you won’t encounter these medical issues in the future.

Vision problems are not the only cause of headaches. However, they are a potential cause, and they’re more common than you might think. Throughout your lifetime, your eyes and vision will change. So, even though you have never needed glasses or had optical issues in the past, it does not necessarily mean that you won’t encounter these medical issues in the future.
If you find yourself getting frequent headaches that you can’t find another explanation for, then it is time to schedule an eye exam.
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How Are Headaches Related to Vision?

The primary reason why vision problems can cause headaches is eyestrain. Eyestrain is a condition that has become increasingly common as it is associated with the frequent use of electronic screens in addition to reading and other activities that require the prolonged use of concentrated, up-close vision. Eyestrain specifically related to electronic screen use is also called computer vision or digital eyestrain.
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Symptoms of Eyestrain

If you suffer from eyestrain, you might experience the following symptoms after the use of electronic screens, close-up work, or reading:
  • Headache in or around eyes
  • Blurred eyes
  • Eye fatigue
  • Burning or aching eyes
  • Itchy or dry eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Neck and shoulder stiffness or pain

When Eyestrain Is a Cause for Concern

The occasional case of eyestrain can happen to anyone. However, if you notice that you experience symptoms of eyestrain or headaches more frequently, then the strain or symptoms of over-work might actually be related to an underlying eye condition that is affecting your vision or other aspects of your ocular health.
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Eye Conditions That Can Cause Eyestrain and Eye Pain

There are several conditions and vision problems that can lead to eye pain and headaches. Some of the most common include:
  • Astigmatism
  • Hyperopia
  • Myopia
  • Presbyopia
  • Glaucoma
  • Giant Cell Arteritis
  • Optic Nerve Issues
Vision problems such as astigmatism, hyperopia, myopia, and presbyopia can cause eyestrain if uncorrected. Thankfully, these conditions can be easily corrected with corrective lenses.
Other eye-related problems can be the result of a disease, aging, or another health condition. These issues and their related symptoms can be resolved with treatment of the underlying concern.

Eye Exams at Gulf Coast Health Center

If you suffer from frequent eyestrain or have been getting frequent headaches, we strongly encourage you to contact Gulf Coast Health Center to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor today.
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Heart-Healthy Exercises for American Heart Month

Each February marks American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of heart health, ailments that affect the heart, and the things we can all do to improve our cardiovascular health and, subsequently, our quality of life and life expectancy as well.

February isn’t just a month for love; it’s a month for hearts, too! Each February marks American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of heart health, ailments that affect the heart, and the things we can all do to improve our cardiovascular health and, subsequently, our quality of life and life expectancy as well.
Some heart problems can be prevented or resolved with treatment, and others are genetic or chronic (incurable). All cardiovascular issues, however, can be prevented, improved, and/or managed with the right lifestyle choices used in conjunction with treatment from a doctor. For example, taking steps to mitigate or reduce stress and anxiety, eating healthy, and exercising.
This American Heart Month, Gulf Coast Health Center is focusing on exercising for a healthier heart, and we invite you to talk with your doctor about adding the following heart-healthy exercises to your physical activities.
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3 Types of Exercise for a Healthier Heart

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1. Aerobic

Aerobic means “with air” and aerobic exercise is the kind that really gets you breathing. This type of exercise helps to improve your body’s circulation, lower blood pressure, and decrease average heart rate. Aerobic exercises include speed walking, swimming, running, cycling, tennis, and jumping rope.

2. Strength (Resistance) Training

Strength training helps to increase muscle mass and reduce fat, making a person’s overall body composition healthier. Strength training exercises include lifting weights (free weights or weight machines), working with resistance bands, and doing body-resistance exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, squats, etc.).

3. Flexibility and Balance

Stretching exercise does not necessarily affect your heart health. They do, however, benefit the musculoskeletal system overall, improving its function. As a result, practicing flexibility and balance training improves a person’s ability to strength train and participate in aerobic exercise.

Schedule a Checkup and Cardiovascular Health Screening at Gulf Coast Health Center

For optimal heart health, healthy adults should aim for about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise weekly. That being said, we do not recommend drastically changing your level of intensity of physical activity without first consulting with a doctor to determine a healthy level of exercise based on your own unique needs and health history.
To learn more about heart health or to find out whether you’re at risk for heart disease, we encourage you to schedule an appointment for a cardiovascular health screening at Gulf Coast Health Center today.
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Why Annual Physical Exams Are Important

Everyone – no matter how healthy you are or what age you are – should visit their general practitioner each year for a wellness examination.

Why Annual Physical Exams Are Important

Everyone – no matter how healthy you are or what age you are – should visit their general practitioner each year for a wellness examination.
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What Is a Wellness Exam?

A wellness examination is a basic physical examination designed to evaluate and monitor a patient’s health, track a variety of factors that can affect health, screen for early signs of disease, and ensure that all ongoing treatment plans remain effective and appropriate for managing the patient’s ongoing medical concerns.
Additionally, wellness appointments provide an opportunity to discuss healthy lifestyle choices, mental health concerns, and preventative care. Scheduling an annual wellness exam is the first step to being proactive about your health.

5 Benefits of Annual Wellness Exams

1. Establishing a Health Baseline

By recording a patient’s weight, heart rate, blood oxygen level, and blood pressure at each appointment and taking routine laboratory tests, we can establish a baseline of the patient’s health. This makes it much easier to recognize health changes that could indicate the earliest signs of disease.

2. Early Detection and Intervention

Being able to detect the subtle shifts that can indicate health changes and developing illness means we’re able to intervene in the progression of disease. As a result, we can sometimes prevent illness from worsening before a patient even experiences noticeable symptoms.
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3. Personalized Health and Wellness Advice

Generally, everyone should strive to stay physically active and eat healthily. However, physical activity, healthy eating, and a healthy lifestyle don’t look the same for everyone. During a wellness exam, you’ll receive lifestyle, health, and wellness advice and recommendations based on your individual health, age, physical abilities, medical concerns, and more.

4. Preventative Care

Annual wellness exams also focus on preventative care, making sure your vaccinations and boosters are all kept current.

5. Cost Savings

The cost of wellness and preventative care is always less expensive than the cost of treating diseases that could have been prevented with proper vaccinations, early intervention, and/or lifestyle choices.
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Schedule Your Next Wellness Exam at Gulf Coast Health Center

At Gulf Coast Health Center, we’re fully committed to making wellness and preventative care available to everyone with our comprehensive, affordable healthcare services. Plus, with five locations around the Gulf Coast of Texas and telemedicine available, appointments are convenient, too.
To learn more about the importance of annual wellness examinations or to schedule yours, we welcome you to contact us today.

What You Should Know About the Omicron Variant

Since the beginning of the pandemic, many variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have emerged. While the changes found in many variants have almost no impact on how the virus affects us, some variants do have genetic changes that can significantly impact the effect of the virus

Since the beginning of the pandemic, many variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have emerged. While the changes found in many variants have almost no impact on how the virus affects us, some variants do have genetic changes that can significantly impact the effect of the virus. For example, the delta variant became much more easily transmissible.
The latest variant of possible concern, omicron, has already spread around the world and made its way to most of the United States. As of yet, more information is needed to determine the effect that the genetic changes of the omicron variant will have on the way the disease affects us.
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What You Should Know About the Omicron Variant

The CDC continues to monitor the omicron variant. At this time, however, there is still not enough data to determine exactly how the genetic changes of the omicron variant will affect the virus.
More information is needed to determine how severe illness from omicron will be, how well our existing vaccines work against it, and how well our current medications work to treat illness from omicron.
Although it is likely that omicron is more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the delta variant, we do not actually know how easily omicron spreads. Additionally, it is believed that any carrier – whether vaccinated and/or asymptomatic – will be able to transmit omicron to others.

Continue Protecting Yourself and Others Using the Same Methods

You can continue to protect yourself and others from the omicron variant using the same health safety methods with which you’re already familiar:
  • Wear a high-quality mask
  • Get vaccinated
  • Practice social distancing
  • Get tested and isolate if you have been exposed to a person you know has tested positive for COVID-19 or if you have any symptoms
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Schedule a COVID-19 Vaccine or Booster at Gulf Coast Health Center

According to the CDC, everyone 16 years of age and older is now eligible to receive a booster shot. If you received either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, then you are eligible for a booster shot six months after receiving your second dose. If you received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine, then you are eligible to receive a booster two months after receiving your vaccination.
To schedule an appointment for vaccination, to learn more about the omicron variant, or to speak with a doctor about the COVID-19 booster shot, we welcome you to schedule an appointment at Gulf Coast Health Center today.

Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays

Sweet treats and festive drinks are big parts of the holiday festivities. Unfortunately, most of our holiday favorites are not the healthiest dietary options.

Sweet treats and festive drinks are big parts of the holiday festivities. Unfortunately, most of our holiday favorites are not the healthiest dietary options. While you don’t have to completely restrain yourself from enjoying something sweet, you should treat yourself mindfully and continue practicing your normal healthy habits.

7 Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays

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1. Plan Your Treats

Rather than eating one of everything, it’s best to pick out and enjoy a couple of your favorite treats every couple of days. This will help you spread out the extra calories over a longer period of time so that it’s easier to burn off and work into your daily intake. If you’re watching your blood sugar, be sure to plan accordingly and keep a close eye on your numbers.

2. Keep Your Teeth Busy

If you’re at a holiday party with an open buffet of treats and snacks, you can keep yourself from eating more than you should by chewing on a stick of gum or sucking on a mint. Then you won’t be as tempted to crunch away on crackers or chips.

3. Be Active

With the increased calorie intake of the holidays, often spread over weeks of celebrations, it’s important to stay active and even to increase your activity level. Be sure you’re exercising regularly and volunteer to help with cleanup whenever possible. Helping to wash the dishes will burn more calories than sitting around chatting.

4. Start With Veggies

Drink plenty of water to help with digestion and to keep you feeling more full.

5. Stay Hydrated

Since nonprofit healthcare providers aren’t worried about satisfying investors or achieving financial growth, they have no incentive to administer or excessively up-charge patients for non-essential services like aspirin or inexpensive laboratory tests.

6. Take Your Time

It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for your brain to realize that your stomach is full. So, eat slowly and take a break before going back for seconds.

Schedule a Post-Holiday Wellness Appointment at Gulf Coast Health Center

Whether you’re concerned about your weight, managing an ongoing chronic disease, or simply want to make sure no new health surprises are in store for you, we encourage you to celebrate the new year by scheduling your annual wellness exam at a Gulf Coast Health Center location near you. To learn more about our affordable services or to schedule your next appointment, please contact us today.
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Are You Eligible for a COVID-19 Booster Shot?

Recently, the FDA and CDC have approved COVID-19 booster shots (a third dose) for certain patients who received either the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna vaccines for COVID-19.

Are You Eligible for a COVID-19 Booster Shot?

Recently, the FDA and CDC have approved COVID-19 booster shots (a third dose) for certain patients who received either the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna vaccines for COVID-19.
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Why Get a Booster Shot for a Vaccine?

Booster shots for vaccines are recommended to maintain long-term protection from a virus and reduce a patient’s risk of severe disease and hospitalization.
After receiving any vaccination, a person’s immunity can diminish over time. For example, rebuilding our immunity is the reason why we need a Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) booster every 10 years.
Additionally, in patients whose immune systems might be weaker or compromised due to any number of reasons (i.e. steroid medications, cancer, and other diseases that cause immune deficiency), vaccinations aren’t always as effective. Immunocompromised patients’ immune systems cannot generate as many antibodies as an individual of average health with an average immune system.

Who Is Eligible for a COVID-19 Booster Shot?

At this time, booster shots are not recommended for everyone. Eligibility depends on your age, medical history, living situation, and potential exposure risk.
You might consider scheduling an appointment for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if you fall into the following categories:
  • You received your second dose of either the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago.
  • You are 65 years of age or older.
  • You are 18 years of age or older and live in a long-term care facility.
  • You are 18 years of age or older and have a qualifying underlying medical condition.
  • You are 18 years of age or older and are at an increased risk of exposure and transmission as a result of your occupation (healthcare workers, essential workers, etc.)
At this time, booster shots have only been approved for Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech and have not yet been approved for the Johnson & Johnson vaccination or any other COVID-19 vaccine.
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Should I Get a COVID-19 Booster Shot?

At this time, the CDC recommends a booster shot for individuals in the above-listed categories. Of course, the decision to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccination is a personal choice that should be based on your individual risk and medical history and a decision that should be made in conjunction with your doctor.
If you’d like to speak with a doctor about your eligibility for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and your potential disease risk, we welcome you to contact Gulf Coast Health Center to schedule an appointment at a location near you.

What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Delta Variant

COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations are, unfortunately, on the rise again.

What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Delta Variant

COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations are, unfortunately, on the rise again.
The much-more contagious delta variant of COVID-19 is estimated to be about 60% more contagious than the alpha variant which was twice as contagious as the original novel coronavirus.
Additionally, studies have shown that antibodies in the vaccinated are about four times less effective at combating the delta variant, making breakthrough infections more likely.
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How Concerned Should Fully Vaccinated People Be About the Delta Variant?

According to information from Mayo Clinic, however, breakthrough cases should not all be lumped together because they’re not all the same.
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They separate them into three categories:
  • The first group of breakthrough infections includes fully vaccinated people who contract COVID-19 and have no symptoms. As the article explains, these types of infections are a sign of the vaccines working. because they weren't necessarily supposed to prevent 100% of infection; they're intended to prevent severe illness and hospitalization.
  • The second group includes individuals who contract COVID and develop mild to moderate symtpoms. Since all of the COVID vaccines were expected to be about 90% effective, we should expect to see about 10% of people contract COVID and have symptoms.
  • The third group of breakthrough infections includes fully vaccinated people who become severely ill, and the majority of these cases are, as one would predict, in individuals who are immunocompromised. These individuals' immune systems could not generate as strong of a response to vaccination as those with normally functioning immune systems. As a result, the protection they gain from vaccination isn't as strong or long-lasting.
Despite breakthrough cases, vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and those around you from COVID-19, serious illness, and hospitalization.

Do Vaccinated People Need to Wear a Mask and Social Distance?

Continuing to wear a mask and social distance will still protect you from contracting a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Additionally, it will help prevent you from unknowingly spreading an asymptomatic infection that you could potentially have to anyone near you who is vaccinated or unvaccinated.
So, although you are at a lower risk of developing a serious illness, wearing a mask and social distancing continues to protect those around you.
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Ask a Doctor About COVID, Get Vaccinated, or Schedule a COVID Test

To learn more about the COVID-19 delta variant, to get a vaccine, or to find out how to get tested for COVID-19 if you’ve been having symptoms, we encourage you to contact the Gulf Coast Health Center location nearest you today.

Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines have been a contentious issue in the news with people wondering whether or not they’re safe, effective, and worth getting. The scientific data is in, and it has revealed that there are lots of reasons why you should get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines have been a contentious issue in the news with people wondering whether or not they’re safe, effective, and worth getting. The scientific data is in, and it has revealed that there are lots of reasons why you should get vaccinated for COVID-19.
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The Benefits of Getting Vaccinated for COVID-19

  • They are safe. They were developed using science and research that has been around for decades. Plus, they've gone through extensive testing and are undergoing the most stringent safety monitoring in our history.
  • They are effective. COVID vaccines can prevent you from contracting and transmitting the virus.
  • If you do still contract COVID-19, the vaccine can prevent you from developing severe symptoms.
  • Getting vaccinated protects the people around, especially those who are at high risk for severe symptoms.
  • Once you're fully vaccinated, you can resume your normal activities. Additionally, you will no longer have to wear a mask or practice social distancing.

Protecting Everyone: Herd Immunity and Novel Coronavirus

Herd immunity is a point at which enough of a population is immune to a vaccine that it is eventually eradicated.
The point at which we reach herd immunity differs depending on how transmissible or contagious a particular disease is. For example, with highly contagious measles and polio, herd immunity is reached when a respective 80% and 95% of the population is immune.
Additionally, viruses that mutate over time, like COVID-19, require a higher level of immunity before herd immunity can be achieved. So, although initial estimates figured that 60% to 70% of the population would need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, the estimate has increased to somewhere closer to 85% due to the increased invariants.

What's the COVID-19 Situation Like in Texas?

As of the writing of this article, there are an estimated 22,652 active cases of COVID-19 in Texas and, according to the Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker, 41.2% of Texas residents have been fully vaccinated.
Everyone in Texas who is 12 years of age or older is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Additionally, the Federal government has made COVID-19 vaccinations free for everyone in the United States. So, regardless of where you receive yours, you won’t have to pay.
If you have yet to receive yours, we strongly encourage you to talk with a healthcare provider at Gulf Coast Health Center about whether the vaccine is right for you. To learn more, we welcome you to contact one of our locations today.