The days of summer are now gone, and the kids are back in school. While the sun is now setting earlier, we still have plenty of light in the early part of the evening. Trying to get children to bed so they can be fresh for school the next day can be challenging. Even little ones who may need to get up for day care or pre-school can struggle falling off to sleep.
“Your internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm, is regulated by light exposure,” says Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Hospital pediatric sleep specialist and pulmonologist Dharmeshkumar Suratwala, MD, with LVPG Pediatric Pulmonology–1210 Cedar Crest. “The cause is the photoreceptor in your eyes called a melanopsin. When exposed to light, this receptor suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that is a key factor in sleep/wake cycles.” Read More
Your eye doctor is like a detective. When she examines your eyes, she assesses your eye health and finds important clues to your overall well-being.
“Many patients first learn they have a health condition such as diabetes during a routine eye exam,” says ophthalmologist Christine Saad, MD, with LVPG Ophthalmology–17th Street. That’s just one reason why having regular eye exams is important.
How often should you see an eye doctor?
If you have healthy eyes, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends: Read More
You’re a woman who loves to work out and stay in shape. However, you’ve recently discovered you’re pregnant. Is it wise to maintain your commitment to fitness as you prepare to give birth?
“I think it’s always important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially as you go through one of life’s milestones such as the birth of a child,” says Lehigh Valley Health Network obstetrician/gynecologist Hai-yen Nguyen, MD, of LVPG Obstetrics and Gynecology–Fogelsville. “Exercise can be beneficial and safe under the guidance of a doctor in order to ensure that what you’re doing is healthy for both you and your baby.” Read More
Through the years, you tend to develop a working knowledge of the warning signs of many illnesses either from your own experience or through the experience of others. You start sneezing and have a runny nose, you’ll probably think you’re getting a cold or having allergy problems. If you experience chest tightness or a shortness of breath, you know it might mean a heart attack.
Cancer has some classic warning signs as well, but a recent study indicated that many people either don’t know about them or simply choose to ignore them. That study was conducted in England and focused on 1,700 people age 50 and older, asking them if they had experienced certain symptoms in the previous three months. If they responded yes to any of the symptoms, they were asked to list a possible cause and then add if they considered the symptom serious enough to consult a doctor. Read More
Strengthening your core – the muscles of the trunk that surround and stabilize the spine – helps you prevent exercise-related injuries. But if you aren’t doing those exercises properly, you can create new problems, says Jeffery Smee, DC, a chiropractor with LVPG Chiropractic Medicine–1243 Cedar Crest. “Popular media have led us to desire ‘six-pack abs,’” he says. “However the common approach to obtain this physique is unrealistic and potentially puts your body, and specifically your back, in harm’s way.” Read More