Coastal Prestige Medical Services, Inc

Focus on Sleep

2011-04-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to our blog. Just a quick note first...we want to welcome Sara Phillips, the newest member of our team. You will meet Sara as you come into the clinic, and will be welcomed by an incredible smile and warm personality, in addition to her pure talent. Welcome Sara!

So, many of our patients deal with sleep issues, and often it is difficult to find some decent answers without resorting to medications that have side effects. As with all health issues, the major key is the right diet, exercise, and making sure your hormones are balanced and working for you instead of against you. But here are some other thoughts, based on some recent research:

Sleep Strategies:

1. Keep lighting low
Don’t turn on any bright overhead lights, advises Health.com. Light interferes with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Instead, keep a small night light or book light nearby.

A bedroom that will invite sleep should be dark, quiet, and cool, the National Sleep Foundation recommends. Eye shades, ear plugs, blackout curtains, and “white noise” fans and other devices all can help induce sleep.

2. Write it down
If you wake up with worry over work-related issues or other stressors, write down your concerns in a notebook that you keep at your bedside, suggests Caring.com. After your write it down, mentally cross it off the list in your mind and in the morning, write the item on a list of things to do. With repetition of this task you’ll convince yourself that putting your concerns on paper is the same as getting things done, the website says.

Trying to distract your brain from what’s worrying you by focusing on your breathing also can help, says RealSimple.com.

3. Stop restroom calls
Cut out liquids by 7 p.m. to avoid middle-of-the-night awakenings for the bathroom. Also, refraining from caffeine for six to eight hours before bedtime will help prevent the stimulant from interfering with sleep.

You might also want to skip the evening martini or glass of wine. While alcohol is a depressant that calms you and makes you feel sleepy, it also increases the number of times you awaken during the night and adds to the urge to go, according to experts.

4. Avoid electronics
Using the sleep environment for only sleep and sex will strengthen your association between your bed and sleep. Watching TV or working on your computer in the bedroom will only stimulate you, making it harder to fall asleep.

On the other hand, reading a book, as long as it’s not an exciting page turner or something that disturbs you, can help you get back to sleep if you wake up. Books of poetry, quotations, or meditations that you read in short installments are good choices, suggests Caring.com.

5. Can the clock
The last thing you want to stare at if you have woken up early is the glare of the digital clock. Turn the clock about face or stick it under the bed, advises Health.com. Repeatedly checking on the time will make you anxious and interfere with efforts to drift back to sleep.

Experts advise not stressing too much over occasional awakenings, which are normal for many people. "You need to accept that you will arouse some, so reassure yourself in the middle of the night that nothing catastrophic will happen if you are awake for a while," Dr. Susie Esthera, a specialist in sleep disorder medicine, tells RealSimple.com

6. Treat seasonal allergies
Seasonal allergy sufferers know the nasal congestion, runny nose, and watery eyes that can plague them this time of year are a sleep disrupter. Cut down on allergens like dust mites, mold, pollen, and pet dander by washing sheets, blankets, and washable pillows once a week in hot water, the National Sleep Foundation advises. Also, take a hot shower before bed to open congested nasal passages and wash away any allergens on your skin and hair. This also is a relaxing way to wind down for sleep.

Adapted from NewsMax, Dr Russell Blaylock

Supplements to try: There is some very exciting research published last month by the Life Extension Foundation on the effectiveness of milk peptides to help with sleep.

What You Need to Know:
*Over 30% of Americans suffer from chronic insomnia, while approximately 60 million experience problems falling asleep in a given year.
*The dire health consequences of sleep debt range from chronically elevated levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), insulin resistance, and increased fat storage to greater risk of mortality from all causes, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
*A proprietary set of bioactive milk-derived peptides used widely in Europe has been identified that operate along the same neurological pathways as anti-anxiety drugs—without side effects.
*Published studies show they effectively combat the stress response, blunt elevations of cortisol, and relieve anxiety.
*Milk peptides decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, improve sleep efficiency, and increase daytime wakefulness.
*By improving several aspects of healthy sleep, milk peptides may offer protection against the many health disorders associated with sleep deprivation.

One Possible solution: Enhanced Natural Sleep from Life Extension. It contains milk peptides, a dual action melatonin, and Sendara™, a proprietary nutrient complex consisting of ashwagandha and Indian gooseberry extracts. See lef.org.

New Center for Medical Weight Loss

2010-10-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

This past year, we have teamed up with the Center for Medical Weight Loss. The CMWL is the largest network of weight lossm or bariatric physicians in the country, with over 375 centers in 43 states. Our program is based on sound science, using in general a holistic apporach to weight loss that is very successful. 99% of the patients on our programlose the weight we predict, and 99% keep it off after a year, with 97% at two years. Patients lose anywhere from 17-21 pounds in 6 weeks, many lose much more. For me personally, it was 25 pounds in 5 weeks last April, and it has remained off ever since. The program includes extensive one-on-one counseling and physician monitoring to make sure you are successful both long term and short term. We have two Wellness Consultants we have added tour our Staff, Megan and Lisa, and both have been trained in NYC at the CMWL Headquarters on this exciting new program. Already, we have had over 75 patients come thru and all have done very well. To get started: Step 1. Schedule Your Consultation
Your consultation lays the foundation for your program. Your CMWL Doctor will learn all about your current weight loss goals and other factors such as your medications, individual body composition, and personal motivations that make you different from everyone else. The initial consultation is only $19 in most centers, including ours. Call us for more information at (805) 201-9135.

Step 2. Get A Personalized Weight Loss Plan
Your CMWL Doctor will give you a personalized plan at the end of your consultation. There is no obligation to proceed, but you will see that there is an approach for you to lose the weight you want in a safe and effective way.

If you would like more info on the Centers in general, you can go to www.MdBeThin.com.

Happy Holidays!

2009-11-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

As we roll into the 2009 Holiday Season, I just want to wish everyone a politically correct Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! We are very excited about recent developments in our practice, and the wonderful success we have had with so many patients seeking care for hormonal balance. It is such a joy to see lives transformed or restored, and is something that motivates me every day. We are now using Human Growth Hormone, and have started performing iv Vitamin Therapy, using the Modified Myers Solution, great for boosting your immune system and for general health. The Clinic has sponsored a number of recent activities, including presentations around the county on BioIdentical Hormones, Male Andropause, and Nutrition. We have also hosted a Boundaries for Women Series, which has been very well received. We have welcomed two additions to our staff as well, Chelsea Haskins, who joined us for the summer, and now continues to work for us everyday thru a unique telemedicine link as she pursues her degree in Criminal Justice at Chico State, and Angela Ramos, with whom I had the wonderful pleasure to work with before at the Community Health Centers. If you have not had a chance to visit us, come take a peek at what we have to offer here, in one of the most personalized, comprehensive medical experiences you may have ever encountered. And, the view of the beach alone is worth the trip. As I look out my window right now, the only parting words that come to mind are "surf's up!"

Dr Johnnie Ham

We are Open!

2009-02-11T11:19:00.000-08:00

We opened the doors on January 2nd, 2009. This has truly been a dream come true for me personally and professionally. Already we have a number of patients who have signed up for our unique practice and services. Our electronic medical records are in place, our insurance contracts are set, our furniture is here, and now we are starting to collect some of the local art for display in our gallery. Besides the membership programs, we are also taking gynecology consultations, hormone replacement analysis and treatment, and providing house calls to both members and nonmembers. We will be offering a limited substance abuse program in the near future, for patients who desire a more personal, confidential program than what is available in the many community treatment centers. Special thanks to Jennifer Thompson of Interior Motives, who did a wonderful job on the interior design. The facility is gorgeous! And of course, many thanks to Chris Will of Caliber CPAs who has been providing unwaivering support in all aspects of the new venture.

Most of all, thanks to my beautiful wife Lisa, for her patience, support and love, and for her belief that we could actually do this. This is intended to be a community resource that will be a benefit to anyone who comes our way. And, our promise was to give 10% of all our profits to the Wounded Warrior Program, to help fund the services offered by our communities to these special national heros is being realized. We have been able to send our first check!

God is good!

Welcome

2008-10-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our blog! Just as an update, we have starting taking new patients now and are finalizing architectural plans for the office. We hope to be in the new office by January 1st, 2009. It will be absolutely gorgeous! The team has been putting together a wonderful plan than any visitor is sure to love. I look forward to your postings here...feel free!

Dr Johnnie Ham