Old Hook Medical Blog | Medical Care in New Jersey | Primary Care Physician

Learn New Skills To Grow Your Brain

Posted on May 16, 2012 by admin

Learning new skills at any age makes your brain grow. Researchers have found that challenging yourself to learn something new produces new brain cells and increases the number of connections between them. Taking on mental challenges such as conquering a new computer game or program triggers parts of the brain that control decision making and complex reasoning. Couldn’t we all use more of those abilities?

Simply doing the mental tasks or games you already engage in doesn’t count. So, if you usually do crossword puzzles, try Sudoku or solve jigsaw puzzles. Or, take up something social, such as learning to play bridge and reap the rewards of social interactions with friends as well.

Keeping our brains fresh as we age is… in most part, up to us. A sound mind really needs a sound body to live in. Let Old Hook Medical help you stay well. Make a checkup appointment with your OHM primary care physician. We’re focused on your good health. www.oldhookmedical.com

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Posted in Alzheimers Disease, Family Medicine, General, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Medical News and Facts, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, aging, brain health, doctor bergen county new jersey, family practice bergen county, internal medicine new jersey, internists in bergen county, multi-specialty primary care, Old Hook Medical Associates, one-stop shopping, primary care physician new jersey wms | Leave a comment

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Posted on May 12, 2012 by admin

When you drive by the garden store, do you look longingly at the tomato plants and herbs? Make this summer the year you enjoy fresh-picked vegetables and herbs at your own dinner table. If you’re new to gardening, the growing process can seem a bit intimidating. Here are some tips for getting started.

Some vegetables are more novice-gardener friendly than others. Start with the easy ones:

Tomatoes – try just a couple of plants because tomatoes really “produce”. Look at the tag to see the number of days to fruiting. Try one early and one late variety.
Summer squash or zucchini – big producers so you need only a couple of plants. Remember, these are vines that like to stretch out.
Basil – this versatile herb can make a big difference in your salads and sauces. Think about all the pesto you can make and buy a few plants now and a few later in the season to extend your harvest. Keep pinching off the growing tips.
Oregano, rosemary, and thyme – these are fairly hardy herbs and don’t mind being trimmed often. Grow in pots on your deck close to the kitchen.

With enough sun and water (and occasionally, a bit of plant food), your kitchen garden will add fresh zest to your meals well into the fall. For diet and nutrition counseling, make an appointment with your Old Hook Medical primary care physician. We care about your health. www.oldhookmedical.com/our-doctors

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Posted in Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Nutrition, Obesity, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, doctor bergen county new jersey, family practice bergen county, Gardening, internal medicine bergen county, internal medicine new jersey, medical professionals, multi-specialty primary care, nutrition, nutrition counseling, Old Hook Medical Associates, primary care physician new jersey, vegetables wms | Leave a comment

Low Carbs vs. Low Fat — Which Is Best?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by admin

Trimming your waistline is no easy matter. Experts have battled for years about whether cutting carbs or cutting dietary fat is more effective. New research shows that a low carb diet can be more effective, particularly for reducing belly fat.

It was always “accepted wisdom” that when people cut carbs, they unconsciously added fat to their diets, trying to get the same satisfaction from meals. This added fat is bad for the heart as well as the waistline. However, the new research shows that either diet has a good effect on blood vessel health.

Today’s healthcare consumers are more aware of diet issues and are careful to balance both ends of the scale. A low carb diet is not an excuse to over indulge in fatty salad dressings or sugar-free ice cream. And, a low fat diet doesn’t mean we can drown ourselves in sweet soda.

If you know you need to lose some pounds but just can’t get started, make an appointment with your Old Hook Medical primary care physician. Discuss how much and how fast the weight should come off. Consider what exercise method you’ll add to your week. At OHM, we’re dedicated to your best health and we’re ready to help. http://www.oldhookmedical.com/our-doctors/

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Posted in Cardiology, Exercise, Family Medicine, General, Internal Medicine, Medical News and Facts, Nutrition, Obesity, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, balanced diet, doctor bergen county new jersey, family practice bergen county, internal medicine bergen county, low carb diet, low fat diet, medical professionals, nutrition, primary care physician new jersey, specialty physicians wms | Leave a comment

When To Buy Organic

Posted on May 3, 2012 by admin

Roll your shopping card down the aisle of just about any supermarket or greengrocer in New Jersey and you’ll see a wondrous array of fruits and vegetables. The green peppers are beautifully stacked next to their red, orange, yellow, and even purple cousins. Potatoes now come in shapes and sizes ranging from deep blue to pale beige. And the fruits present an entire rainbow of color and aroma.

So many choices…and now we must also choose between organic and conventionally grown produce. Organic produce can be worth the extra money. Some experts say that organic fruits and vegetables deliver more nutrition and it certainly never hurts to avoid pesticides and other chemicals. The Environmental Working Group has published a list of produce items that carry the biggest pesticide loads. If you’re considering buying organic, start with these:

Celery Peaches Strawberries Apples Spinach Nectarines Sweet Bell Peppers Blueberries (Domestic) Collard Greens/Kale Cherries Potatoes Grapes (Imported)

Healthy eating is important for everyone in the family. If you need advice on creating and sticking to a healthy diet or if you have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, make an appointment with an Old Hook Medical nutritionist. Check out the profiles of our doctors and other healthcare professionals at: www.oldhookmedical.com/our-doctors. We’re dedicated to your best health.

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Posted in Family Medicine, General, Internal Medicine, Nutrition, Obesity, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, buy organic, diabetes management new jersey, diet, doctor bergen county new jersey, family practice bergen county, fruits and vegetables, internists in bergen county, medical professionals, multi-specialty primary care, nurse practitioners, nutrition, Old Hook Medical Associates, one-stop shopping, organic, primary care physician new jersey, specialty physicians wms | Leave a comment

Good Healthcare News

Posted on April 30, 2012 by admin

Nationally, the shift to Accountable Care is making a difference by slowing the rise in healthcare costs. Experts say that while much of the flattening in healthcare expenditures is due to the recession, other factors are at work as well. One example is the increased usage of generic drugs instead of their brand name counterparts.

In an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), doctors are paid for the quality of care, not the quantity. Many benchmarks are tracked, such as the number of patients getting flu shots, mammograms, and other tests. Records are kept of patients who are re-admitted to the hospital or need an Emergency Department visit shortly after going home from the hospital. In addition, electronic health records (EHR) must be kept and shared by all practitioners treating a patient.

Old Hook Medical Associates is an ACO and consistently meets its benchmarks in such areas as blood glucose management in patients with diabetes, compliance with screenings, and low hospital re-admission rates. If you are looking for a Patient-Centered Medical Home where quality of care is important and where your primary care provider leads a team of physicians dedicated to your wellness, learn more about our medical team. http://www.oldhookmedical.com/our-doctors/

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Posted in Accountable Care, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Medical News and Facts, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, Accountable Care, ACO, association for ambulatory health care, doctor bergen county new jersey, internists in bergen county, medical screenings, multi-specialty primary care, Old Hook Medical Associates, Patient-Centered Medical Home wms | Leave a comment

Friendship: The Glue Of Living

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

Friends are the people who listen to your stories. Whether you’ve had a good day or a bad one… when you need a ride to the train station or when you run out of milk, or need glue for that project that your kid forgot about, friends are there to save the day.

But did you know that just having friends is good for your health? By helping each other cope with stress, by sharing good times and by providing companionship or a sounding board for ideas, friends promote well-being. Friends can also encourage each other in healthy eating and exercise habits.

Some friendships are casual; some are deep and last a lifetime. To make new friends, reach out to others by chatting with neighbors or folks you see every day at the gym. Another great way to meet new friends is to volunteer for a cause. Anyone you meet that way already shares your viewpoint on at least one issue. Attend community events or work on a local election. Remember, it’s never too late to make new friends. To have friends, you need to “be” a friend. Listen, sympathize, and be ready to help with life’s little emergencies.

If making new friends, meeting new people or coping with stress seems overwhelming to you, consider speaking with a professional who can help you. Old Hook Medical’s Board-Certified Psychiatrist is Dr. Syed Zaidi (http://www.oldhookmedical.com/our-doctors/dr-zaidi-md/). He specializes in the treatment of mental or emotional illnesses and behavioral disorders.

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Posted in Behavioral disorders, Family Medicine, General, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Old Hook Medical, women's health | Tagged - Patient centered focus, doctor bergen county new jersey, emotional issues, family practice bergen county, family practice northern new jersey, friends, friendship, internal medicine bergen county, internists in bergen county, medical professionals, multi-specialty primary care, primary care physician new jersey, psychiatry, stress wms | Leave a comment

What’s A Superfruit?

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin

Superfruit is a healthfood marketing term invented to describe relatively uncommon fruits that are high in certain nutrients such as antioxidants. While pomegranate juice has been popular for a few years, others such as acai berries, goji berries, noni, and mangosteen are now available in juice form.

This is the good news as American consumers are turning away from soft drinks and looking for tasty, good-for-you alternatives. However, superfruits have flavor profiles unfamiliar to most of us and many consumers find them too tart, bitter, or strong to be taken “straight up”. Superfruits are often blended with other juices such a grape, apple, or pear to soften the taste and make it more appealing.

Superfruits undoubtedly deliver nutrients in abundance but so do many conventional fruits such as cherries, blueberries, and bananas. In fact, if these well-known fruits were newly marketed today, they too, would be designated as super. Perhaps conventional fruits just need a better press agent to shout out their nutritional value. Make fruits of all kinds a regular part of your diet and reap the nutritional rewards.

For the best advice on nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, visit with Old Hook Medical’s Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Kathy TIgue, RD, CDE. http://www.oldhookmedical.com/our-doctors/kathy-tigue-rd-cde/

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Posted in Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Nutrition, Obesity, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, acai berries, bananas. nutrition, blueberries, cherries, diabetes management new jersey, doctor bergen county new jersey, goji berries, internal medicine bergen county, mangosteen, multi-specialty primary care, noni, nurse practitioners, Old Hook Medical Associates, pomegranate juice, superfruit wms | Leave a comment

Bees Are Back — Don’t Get Stung

Posted on April 17, 2012 by admin

Spring brings us the beauty of warm weather and colorful flowers, but also the return of bees, wasps, and hornets. For most of us, they are just another symbol of spring, but for those with sting allergies, their appearance is an unwelcome event. Only one or two people out of 1,000 are allergic to stings, but for those people, a sting is a life-threatening emergency. Many carry auto-injector Epi-pens to quickly block the allergic reaction.

Bees, wasps and hornets do not prey on humans. They sting primarily to defend themselves or their homes and a sting is often fatal to the insect as well. For humans allergic to their venom, prevention is the best strategy and there are some simple measures worth taking to help avoid interactions with stinging insects.

If you look like a flower and smell like a flower, bees will assume you’re a flower. Put away perfumes and colognes until next fall when bees have disappeared. When outdoors, stick to white, beige, and light colored clothing. Don’t walk barefoot. You may not notice the tiny flowers in the grass, but the bees did, and they don’t like being stepped on. If you’re outdoors, be aware that fruits and sugary foods such as sodas will attract bees. What is nectar, after all, but sugar produced by a flower. Bees will stop by to investigate and could fall into your soda can. The next sip you take could include a very distressed insect.

If bees do come buzzing around, don’t run and don’t swat at them. This is very difficult to achieve, particularly if you’ve been stung in the past. Take a deep breath, stay calm and slowly move away. However, if you have accidently disturbed a nest, cover your face with your hands and put as much distance between you and the nest as you can.

The physicians at Old Hook Medical Associates know all about allergic reactions to bees and other substances. If you’ve had serious allergic reactions to stings, foods, or medications, be sure to mention that to your OHM primary care provider so it can become part of your electronic health record (EHR). You can access your records through the OHM Patient Portal. https://oldhookmedical.secure-sage.com/portal/default.aspx

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Posted in Allergies, Exercise, First Aid, General, Internal Medicine, Medical News and Facts, Old Hook Medical, Patient Safety, Patient-Centered Medical Home, Sports, Sun Safety, Travel Medicine | Tagged - Patient centered focus, allergies, anaphylactic shock, anaphylaxis, association for ambulatory health care, bee stings, bee venom, bees, doctor bergen county new jersey, EHR, electronic health records, family practice bergen county, internal medicine bergen county, internists in bergen county, medical professionals, nurse practitioners, Old Hook Medical Associates, patient portal wms | Leave a comment

Easter Eggs

Posted on April 11, 2012 by admin

Are you wondering what to do with all those colored Easter eggs in your frig? We’ve all been conditioned to think that eating eggs in any form is an unhealthy choice. But here are a few facts about egg nutrition. One large sized egg delivers:

70 calories – half in the yolk, half in the egg white
12.6% of the daily recommended intake for protein
A good source of choline, B12, and Vitamin D
210 mg of cholesterol, 7 g of total fat

Munching a hard-boiled egg is not the same as drowning it in mayo in egg salad, or frying raw eggs in butter for breakfast. As the source of many nutrients, a hard boiled egg’s benefits often outweigh the cholesterol intake. Enjoy those gifts from the Easter Bunny without guilt.

If you have questions about nutrition, or realize that you need to get your weight under control, contact your Old Hook Medical primary care physician. Old Hook Medical Associates is a multi-specialty medical practice where doctors and other medical professionals work together for the benefit of patients. OHM has a Registered Dietitian on staff to help you develop a food plan you can stick to and benefit from. Your health is our biggest concern. www.oldhookmedical.com

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Posted in Family Medicine, General, Internal Medicine, Nutrition, Obesity, Old Hook Medical, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, cholesterol, diabetes management new jersey, dieticians, dietitians, doctor bergen county new jersey, easter, easter eggs, family medicine, internal medicine, internists in bergen county, nurse practitioners, nutrition, Old Hook Medical Associates, primary care physician new jersey, protein wms | Leave a comment

Medication Safety

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

Young children are naturally curious. They also like to imitate what they see adults doing. This includes taking adult medicines when they find the bottle on the kitchen counter, in Mom’s purse, or on the bathroom sink. More than 60,000 kids under the age of 5 years are treated for medication overdoses each year.

Let’s face it. Today, there are more medications available in our home than ever before and we have an obligation to store them properly and keep our children and grandchildren safe. Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control:

Store medicines out of sight and reach of children – not on counters or tables.
Never refer to medicine as “candy”.
Ask guests and babysitters to keep coats, purses, and bags with medicines out of sight and out of reach when visiting your home.
Close child-resistant caps every time.
For accuracy, use the spoon, dispenser or measuring cap that came with the medication when giving medicine. Kitchen spoons are not accurate for measuring medicine.
Adults should not take medicine in front of children since this practice can spur imitative behavior.

At Old Hook Medical Associates we are dedicated to patient safety. We have established a Patient Portal where patients can check medications, allergies, and other health records through a secure patient portal 24 hours a day from anywhere. OHM is a multi-specialty medical practice dedicated to delivering outstanding medical care to you and your family. www.oldhookmedical.com

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Posted in Family Medicine, First Aid, General, Internal Medicine, Medical News and Facts, Old Hook Medical, Patient Safety, Patient-Centered Medical Home | Tagged - Patient centered focus, child resistant caps, child safety, doctor bergen county new jersey, family practice bergen county, internal medicine, medication adherence, medication safety, medicine storage, multi-specialty primary care, Old Hook Medical Associates, patient safety, primary care physician new jersey, specialty physicians wms | Leave a comment

Learn New Skills To Grow Your Brain

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Low Carbs vs. Low Fat — Which Is Best?

When To Buy Organic

Good Healthcare News

Friendship: The Glue Of Living

What’s A Superfruit?

Bees Are Back — Don’t Get Stung

Easter Eggs

Medication Safety

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