Why is it important to maintain a healthy weight?

When you think about your weight, you might focus on the way that your jeans fit or the way you look. However, your weight has a significant impact on your overall health. For example, being overweight or obese increases your risk of a wide range of health conditions such as:

• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Arthritis
• Gallstones
• Asthma
• Sleep apnea
• Infertility 
• Certain cancers

You may also find that maintaining a healthy body weight helps you feel more energetic.

Why is nutrition important?

Your body needs certain nutrients for optimal functionality, and ideally, you should consume those nutrients through the food you eat. However, the standard American diet typically includes far more processed and prepackaged foods that are nutritionally deficient. 

Additionally, Americans tend to eat more meat, dairy, and refined grains and fewer vegetables and fruits — which is where many of the essential vitamins and minerals are found.

Why are vaccinations important?

Vaccinations save lives. In 1952, the United States experienced a surge of polio outbreaks. Around 60,000 children were infected, leading to over 3,000 deaths and 21,000 cases of paralysis. 

When the polio vaccine was finally released in 1955, incidents of polio began to decrease, and by 1979, the disease was eliminated from the country. 

Although diseases like polio have more or less disappeared from the US, other conditions are still present, as evidenced by the recent measles outbreaks. 

How do vaccinations work?

Vaccines introduce a tiny, diluted amount of a virus or bacteria to your body. It isn’t enough to make you sick, but it will trigger your immune system into creating and releasing the antibodies needed to fight off the disease. 

The antibodies stay in your system, and if you happen to be exposed to those germs again, your body is equipped to fight it off before it has a chance to make you feel sick.

What vaccinations do adults need?

As an adult, you should have certain booster shots. For example, you need a Td (tetanus and diphtheria) booster every 10 years. 

Additionally, if you’re under the age of 26, talk to Dr. Revoredo about the HPV vaccination. If you’re over 50, you should get vaccines for shingles and pneumococcal vaccines.

What vaccinations should my child have?

Dr. Revoredo provides customized advice on the immunizations that your child needs. In general, most kids receive vaccinations for:

• Chickenpox
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Pertussis
• Hepatitis A and B
• Hib
• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Meningococcal diseases
• Pneumococcal diseases
• Polio
• Rotavirus 
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Your children should also have annual flu vaccinations. The flu virus changes quickly, so a new vaccine is needed each year to protect you from the current strain of the illness.

What are the standard lab tests?

Dr. Revoredo uses lab blood tests, urinalysis, and other tests to aid his assessment of your health. Some of the most common lab tests include:

What should I expect during laboratory testing?

At Elite Premier Medical Care, your laboratory test experience is quick and convenient. A member of the clinical staff either takes a blood draw, swab, or gives you a cup to collect urine. 

They run the tests in-house, which means that your results are available quickly, and you don’t incur any additional costs from outside labs. 

What happens if my lab tests have abnormal results?

If you have abnormal results, Dr. Revoredo shares them with along with a treatment plan to restore your health and wellness. 

For example, if you have prediabetes, he can help you implement lifestyle changes to regulate your blood sugar prevent full-blown diabetes from impacting your health.

How are asthma and allergies treated?

When it comes to treating asthma and allergies, one of the first steps is learning your triggers and avoiding them. 

For example, if you know that pollen makes your asthma flare up, limit your time outside when pollen counts are high. You can take the same approach if you have hay fever.

Why do I need an annual physical?

You feel healthy, so you don’t need to see your doctor, right? Wrong. Your annual physical is an integral part of preventive care that includes health screenings that can reveal diseases before you even experience symptoms. 

In addition to health screenings, your annual physical is an excellent opportunity to talk to Dr. Revoredo about any health concerns. For example, he can help with weight gain, depression, or that annoying, but persistent pain you keep having in your knee.

What should I expect during an annual physical?

When you arrive at Elite Premier Medical Care, the friendly office staff will take copies of your ID and insurance card and confirm your address and contact information. 

Then a member of the clinical team calls you back to check your weight and blood pressure. They may also take a blood or urine sample.

Then you meet with Dr. Revoredo. He reviews your personal and family medical history and asks if you have any health changes or concerns. He listens to your heart and lungs and feels your abdomen. 

Dr. Revoredo also looks into your eyes, throat, and ears. He may also check your reflexes. If you need any additional health screenings, he provides them at this time.

After your physical exam, you and the doctor talk about your health and what you can do to improve it. He may suggest adding physical activity to your day or adjusting your diet to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. 

What health screenings should I have at my annual physical?

As an adult, you should have routine health screenings depending on your gender, age, and risk for certain diseases. 

For example, the average adult should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. Women need Pap smears and mammograms, while men need prostate cancer tests.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

If you have Type 1 diabetes, your symptoms are severe and develop rapidly. However, if you have Type 2 or gestational diabetes, you might not have any noticeable symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. Nonetheless, some of the common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Slowly healing sores
• Frequent infections

How can I prevent diabetes?

Although you can’t prevent Type 1 diabetes, you can take steps to reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes and reverse prediabetes. Dr. Revoredo provides customized advice and diabetes prevention plans, but in general, you can:

• Cut sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet
• Get more physical activity — even a 30-minute walk after dinner can make a difference
• Drink more water, and cut out sugary juices and soft drinks
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Avoid smoking and tobacco products

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force exerted on the insides of your blood vessels. It’s measured both when your heart beats and when it rests between beats, which is why your blood pressure is represented in two numbers. 

Healthy blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg or lower. The higher number is your systolic (active) blood pressure, and the lower number is your diastolic (resting) pressure. Your blood pressure is:

• Elevated - systolic pressure between 120-129, diastolic pressure 80 or less
• Stage 1 hypertension - systolic pressure between 130-139, diastolic pressure 80-89
• Stage 2 hypertension - systolic pressure 140 or higher, diastolic pressure 90 or higher
• Hypertensive crisis - systolic 180 or higher, diastolic higher than 120

You should take action to reduce your blood pressure as soon as you have elevated figures. The sooner you take action, the less likely you are to experience negative health consequences.

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?

High blood pressure doesn’t usually cause any symptoms until you experience a cardiac event such as heart attack or stroke. In fact, around half of the Americans who have high blood pressure don’t know it. 

However, as your condition becomes more severe, you may experience headaches, shortness of breath, or nose bleeds.

What causes high blood pressure?

Although there is a genetic factor to high blood pressure, in many cases, your lifestyle provides the most risk factors, such as:

• Being overweight or obese
• Not getting enough physical activity
• Smoking or using other tobacco products
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Eating too much fat and salt
• Having too much stress

How is high blood pressure treated?

Dr. Revoredo provides customized treatment plans to treat high blood pressure. For example, he can help you make lifestyle modifications to lower your blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular health. 

He offers customized nutrition and weight-loss programs to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, while also cutting extra salt and fat from your diet.

What is an EKG?

An EKG is a diagnostic test that monitors and records the electrical signals in your heart. The test is noninvasive and painless but provides critical information about your cardiovascular activity. 

When your heart beats, an electrical pulse travels through your heart, causing the different chambers to contract and move your blood. 

An EKG monitors that electrical pulse to show Dr. Revoredo how quickly the electrical pulse runs through your heart as well as the amount of electrical activity. 

This information reveals if your heartbeat is too fast or too slow as well as if any part of your heart is overworked or enlarged.

Why do I need an EKG?

Dr. Revoredo uses EKGs to diagnose the cause of cardiovascular symptoms, such as:

• Heart palpitations
• A pulse that’s too rapid or slow
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Declined ability to exercise

The results of an EKG provide a wide range of useful data about your heart, its function, and potential problems, including:

• Arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythm)
• Structural issues in your heart
• Signs of a previous heart attack
• Coronary artery disease
• Whether your heart disease treatments are working

If you have a personal or family history of heart disease and are experiencing symptoms that could indicate a heart problem, contact Dr. Revoredo at Elite Premier Medical Care today. 

What happens during an EKG?

When you have an EKG, Dr. Revoredo places 10 electrode patches on your chest, arms, and legs. While you lie flat on a treatment table and relax, the EKG computer records your resting heart activity. 

Dr. Revoredo may also ask you to walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike to collect information about your heart activity while it’s under stress. 

You should wear comfortable clothing and shoes for your EKG appointment. Dr. Revoredo provides detailed advice on how to prepare for your test. 

For example, you should avoid caffeine for at least 24 hours before your test. Also, don’t use any oily or greasy lotions on the day of your EKG as they can interfere with the way the electrodes stick to your skin.