Author: West End Healthline

The Importance of Primary Care

“Follow up with your primary care provider.” Many people have heard this phrase after receiving medical care, whether at urgent care, the emergency room or even a cardiologist. Many do not understand why this is recommended, but patients are provided with this instruction for an important reason. A primary care provider (PCP) helps to coordinate your care and ensure that nothing is missed in keeping you healthy. Over time, the PCP goes beyond looking at only a single acute problem and cares for all aspects of your health. Connecting with a PCP is one of the few things in healthcare that has been shown to keep you healthy. 

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When It’s Not a Breath of Fresh Air: A Review of Asthma

With Spring in full swing, bringing with it allergy season, decreased air quality and more people out and about getting exercise, now is a good time to brush up your knowledge of asthma. This is a relatively common condition that affects up to 7% of children and up to 10% of adults in Minnesota. However, while common, this condition is not one size fits all and every person who has this is affected differently. 

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Setting SMART goals this New Year!

It’s a new year and a new you! The time has rolled around again to write down your New Year’s resolutions and make good on your goals. Many people use this time to kickstart changes to improve their health. Unfortunately, research shows that almost 80% of New Year’s resolutions, no matter how well intentioned, come to an end by the second week of February. Often this is because the goals we set are too broad or unrealistic. For example, the goals to exercise more or eat healthier, while great ideas, do not give us a strong foundation to achieve those goals. Without specific steps and smaller milestones, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or discouraged when progress is slower than expected. When changes don’t happen right away, it’s easy to lose motivation, but slow and steady wins the race. 

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Being Smart About Alcohol During The Holidays 

Although it may be hard to believe, the holiday season is here! During this time of the year, many people travel and get together with family and friends. Alcohol is a common beverage offered during these gatherings and there can be a feeling that this is something that is normally consumed when getting together with others. When watching football on television the commercials make alcoholic beverages seem to always make good times better without consequences. Unfortunately, this is not true as health and social problems from alcohol consumption resulted in an economic burden of over $249 billion in the United States in 2010. Thus, while alcohol can be safely consumed by many adults, caution should be taken when drinking this beverage. 

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How to not get SAD this year!

As winter begins to approach, it brings many joys – the upcoming holidays, hockey season, snow falling on a quiet street –but it also brings some down sides. Days get shorter and the cold can get unbearable. Sometimes these changes with the seasons can cause mood changes. When these moods get more serious or start to affect your daily life, this is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. 

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