Lifestyle - Issue 127

LIFESTYLE EDITION - ISS. 127

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE BETTER SEX NOW? PG 11

8 HEALTHY EATING HABITS TO START TODAY PG 05

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PSORIASIS PG 20

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Brianna Connors

Derek Archer

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ionuț Raicea

Aviana Roth

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Mille Wright

Lillian Myers

CONTRIBUTORS

Justin Miller, Yuko Tabasa, Oyalola Lateef, Ionuț Raicea, Esther Oladapo, Joseph Smalley

A WORD FROM THE EDITORS Leading a healthy, well-balanced life is a challenging undertaking for many of us. New advancements in lifestyle or nutrition come to life daily, and the busy rhythm of our lives often prevents us from keeping up with what's fun and fresh.

Here at Top Doctor Magazine Lifestyle Edition, we are on a mission to bring these advancements to your attention and become a source of inspiration for those who want to live their lives to the fullest. Our contributors will constantly keep you up to speed with fresh, entertaining, and reliable content, from nutrition and travel to lifestyle choices!

We hope that our handpicked ideas will guide you towards self-realization, selfimprovement, and willingness to help those around you better themselves.

- Brianna & Derek

TABLE OF CONTENTS

05

8 Healthy Eating Habits to Start Today

08

How Lifestyle Medicine Effects Modern Healthcare

11

The Miami Love Doctor

14

What to Watch for in the Growing Skincare Industry

17

Psoriasis: 8 Things You Should Know about this Chronic Skin Disease

20

Types of Psoriasis

22

10 Triggers of Psoriasis and How to Avoid Them

25

Taking the Proactive Approach to Healthcare with Tim Spooner

a healthy outside starts from the inside.

ROBERT URICH

8 Healthy Eating Habits to Start Today

By Esther Oladapo

Modifying your eating habits, including eating at the right time, can help you turn your life around. It takes a certain degree of dedication and commitment to introduce new habits into your daily routine. In time, you will be surprised how it can help your body become stronger and healthier.

Drink More Water If you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you have to drink more than a few glasses of water a day. One case study after another proves the short-term and long-term benefits of drinking a lot of water. Drinking more water leads to weight loss and burns more calories each day.

Eat Greek Yogurt Thick and creamy Greek yogurt is another healthy food for your daily routine. Greek yogurt is an ideal source of protein that provides a long-lasting feeling of fullness. It will allow you to manage your appetite and consume fewer calories over time.

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Get the Whole-Grain Bread You may like the taste, but white bread is not your friend. Whole-grain bread, on the other hand, is a healthier choice. Besides, refined grains come with a lot of health issues. Eat whole-grain bread to decrease potential type-2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease risk.

Have a Proper Breakfast You should also introduce eggs into your breakfast. Eggs can be pretty healthy so long as you consume them during your morning breakfast. Eggs contain high-level protein and create a feeling of fullness in the morning. A study shows that people consume less food after an egg-based breakfast in the morning.

Set a Normal Eating Pace Just because you skipped lunch doesn’t mean you can devour the dinner in an instant. Ideally, you should take your time and make sure to chew while eating. Consequently, slow-paced eating will reduce the chance of obesity and signal your brain that you’re full.

Try to Cook More at Home If you want to adopt a healthier eating lifestyle, start cooking more at home. Of course, It’s no harm to eat out every now and then at your favorite restaurants. However, try to learn to cook more dishes at home. Besides, there is an ocean of recipes and available material online. It would help if you took your time to perfect your home cooking skills. In time, you will feel and look healthier.

Eat More Protein When it comes to nutrients, protein is king.

Think of protein as a supercharged nutrient that can affect your daily hunger. One research demonstrates that a high protein intake propels individuals to consume less food over a long period.

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More Baking Less Frying Your method to prepare food matters, and frying food comes with serious health consequences.

You may love your meat or fish deep-fried, but it also leads to heart diseases and cancer. So, if you don’t want to intake toxic compounds because of frying and grilling methods, focus on baking more.

Conclusion Remember not to confuse healthy eating with dieting. Healthy eating is more than about losing weight – it’s about feeling mentally and physically sound. Think of healthy eating as a balanced approach for your body to get necessary nutrients and ensure optimal bodily functions.

From vegetables to fruits to fats to starches to proteins, healthy eating also makes you more mindful about what you drink and eat. The more you lean towards healthy eating habits, the faster you can cut out processed or fried foods from your life.

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How Lifestyle Medicine Effects Modern Healthcare

By Oyalola M. Lateef Lifestyle medicine is an evolving healthcare approach using evidence-based therapeutic intervention and natural treatment for holistic care. As an evolving branch of medicine, it deals with research, prevention, treatment, and reversal of lifestyle-related diseases.

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In addition, lifestyle medicine encourages the adoption and practice of healthy behaviors by motivating patients to embrace a plantpredominant diet, restorative sleep, regular physical exercise, stress management, and healthy social relations.

Over the years, humans generally retrogressed into harmful and unhealthy lifestyles, creating a burden of noncommunicable diseases that account for about 63% of global deaths. Recognizing that the status quo – a pill for every ill – is unsustainable, given that American's health hasn't grown appreciably in recent decades, health care professionals are focusing on creating a movement around lifestyle medicine to eradicate the root cause of disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the quality of medical care affects a patient by 10%, genetics by 18%, environment by 19% but lifestyle has over 50% effect on an individual's quality of life. In conjunction with the World Health Organization, the CDC also reported that 70% of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and hypertension result from major lifestylerelated risk factors, including lack of exercise, poor eating habits, and long-term stress.

Contrary to opinion, lifestyle medicine doesn't replace conventional modern medicine but complements it with its potential to mitigate and even reverse chronic disease. As a viable first approach to health care, lifestyle medicine is gradually gaining traction both in the United States and worldwide, creating a trend of daily habits and actions with a profound positive effect on long-term health and quality of life.

Lifestyle medicine created a multi-million dollar industry as mineral and vitamins supplements to prevent the occurrence or progression of chronic diseases. Vitamins and minerals are organic compounds every human needs in small quantities. The human body produces a small quantity of some vitamins while the rest come from food. For example, humans get vitamin C from their diet while dogs produce all the vitamin C they need. By comparison, only a tiny quantity of vitamin D is available in human food, while the human body synthesizes the vitamin when exposed to sunlight.

The human body needs all the vitamins in the correct quantity to function optimally and maintain good health. Thirteen essential vitamins are crucial for human metabolic processes. Unfortunately, with all the inherent benefits of supplements, a dangerous trend is creeping into the spotlight: supplements receive much less scrutiny by the FDA before hitting the market. Even though the FDA ruled that supplements must meet specific quality standards, the rules don't guarantee that the supplements are safe for anyone. The FDA also reserves the right to remove dangerous products from the market, yet thousands of companies make false, unsupported claims to sell their products.

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Ignoring the overly exaggerated claim by supplements makers, are their products safe?

Does the label carry honest information about the contents in the bottle? Private labs and researchers waded into the matter and uncovered a shocking reality – one-quarter of the tested supplements have different problems that make them pretty unsafe.

Over the last decade, an independent company tested hundreds of supplements, and onequarter have had issues. Some supplements contained contaminants, while others had ingredients that exceeded the safe limit. Others had contents that didn't match label claims, and in some, real drugs were added as natural supplements. Although supplement makers intensify publicity about the potential benefits, using these products can land users in the emergency department.

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine revealed that adverse effects of supplements led to an average of about 23,000 medical visits per year. The 10-year study looked at data from 63 hospital emergency departments and reported that weight-loss products make up one-quarter of all single-product emergency department visits and affect primarily women while men experience adverse effects from bodybuilding and sexual enhancements products.

In another test, consumerLab.com found lead in at least one brand, including black cohosh, zinc, and ginkgo products. Accumulation of lead can cause severe health problems. The testing company recommends a national limit of 0.5 micrograms per day – a level that requires a warning on the product label in California. Similarly, a test showed that four out of seven supplements contain less ginkgo than their label claimed. In addition, ayurvedic – a notorious herbal ingredient used in traditional medicine from India – often contains hazardous metals, a study reported in medical journals. This type of industry fraud is shocking for what is supposed to be suitable for users.

Ultimately, some dietary supplements are safe and beneficial because they contain active ingredients that cause physiological changes. Unfortunately, these active ingredients can also create adverse effects such as racing irregular heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, digestive symptoms, dizziness, or headache. Staying healthy requires multiple approaches to self-care. Awareness and informed knowledge about any supplement, including the content – whether advertised as herbal, natural, or non-drug – is part of that care.

If you do take herbal products, vitamins, or supplements, make sure you read any safety labels on the bottle at all times. Consult a clinician to review everything you take to avoid adverse effects, either you are taking the supplement alone or together with over-thecounter drugs. Call your doctor if you notice any strange symptoms after taking dietary supplements.

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An Exclusive Interview with

The Miami Love Doctor

By Victoria Cook

Dr. David Hernandez is steadily growing in popularity as Miami's Love Doctor. He educates patients and physicians alike on sexual health and regenerative options to improve people's sex lives.

Dr. Hernandez has overcome many hurdles before becoming a sexual health specialist and educator. As a child, he wanted to become a paramedic firefighter. With the inspiration of his hardworking parents, Dr. Hernandez became a paramedic for the American Medical Response.

He then worked in the ER at Jackson Memorial Hospital as an emergency room technician.

It wasn't until a doctor saw his skill and challenged him to study medicine that Dr. Hernandez realized a medical degree was in the books for him. He studied in the Dominican Republic at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo and was touched by the humble appreciation of his patients.

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His hands-on experience prepared him for his move into sexual health and regenerative medicine.

Improving People's Sexual Health The pandemic increased the proximity of most couples and, subsequently, Hernandez's number of patients. Spreading the word on such a sensitive topic as sexual health is not easy, even as Dr. Hernandez's patients have had success in restoring their sex lives.

Dr. Hernandez offers IV nutrition, shockwave therapy, vampire facelifts, and O and P shots.

His work entails helping patients improve their sex lives by educating them on how decreasing stress balances patients' sympathetic nervous system and thus improves their sex lives. Dr. Hernandez has been helping patients rediscover the joys of sex and helps them feel more comfortable in their skin.

"I make intimacy more enjoyable for both males and females," Dr. Hernandez said. "And the most rewarding part that I've seen is when you know the patient comes back and says, 'Thank you, you saved my marriage' or 'I don't know what I was going to do with my life; thank you!'"

Pornography and Sex Some aspects of sexual health are not as easy to navigate for patients. Dr. Hernandez has noticed young people having sexual health problems that are much more common in much older patients -- all due to pornography addictions.

"It creates this altered reality," Dr. Hernandez said. "Since our brain is instinctively designed to take the easy way out, it's a lot easier to sit in front of a computer screen watching porn and masturbate than it is to seduce somebody."

Dr. Hernandez doesn't think that porn is wrong, but he does think the addiction is harmful to a sexually healthy life. He tells his patients that if they can get aroused without any pornography stimulus and hold until climax, they do not have a pornography addiction. It's when porn becomes the only way to attain climax that an addiction is present.

Smart Moves "Sexual health is part of your overall health. It has a lot of ties to not only your physical but also to your mental health," Dr. Hernandez said.

As the pandemic helped people reflect on their values and what truly matters, Dr. David Hernandez hopes that people will continue seeking education and action to improve their sexual health.

He hopes to expand his reach, which is why he has been promoting sex education and well-being on his social media platforms.

To learn more about Dr. Hernandez and his work, you can visit him over at his Instagram and Facebook.

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What to Watch for in The Growing Skincare Industry

By Esther Oladapo

More organic product awareness as compared to their synthetic counterparts is driving an increase in production demand. Organic products come from natural resources and are free from damaging toxins and chemicals.

Their benefits compel manufacturers to launch new products and conduct more research on new developments. As more people turn to these products, the trend will likely continue in the future. Consequently, the market for organic skincare products is also expanding.

The modern consumer is willing to pay a high price for such products, first, because consumers now trust organic products more, especially from countries like Japan, U.S., China, and India; second, because organic products claim more benefits than synthetic products. Consumers are keen to purchase these products because natural ingredients ensure fewer to no side effects.

Why are Organic Skincare Products Becoming Popular?

The growing popularity is not the only factor that is driving demand for organic skincare products. A steady increase in distribution channels is allowing consumers to choose the best products. E-commerce platforms allow consumers to enjoy access to products they can’t buy from their local malls and stores.

Such advancements pave the path for numerous emerging skincare brands.

Products indicate the evolving preferences of consumers for better health, beauty, and hygiene in modern times. Thus, R&D efforts and new technologies will result in the development of oral care and other hygiene products from various brands.

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The Effect on Popular Beauty Brands Successful brands are already working to capture the target audience that is slowly shifting towards organic products. Big brands are now setting up internal incubators that are quick to launch groundbreaking skincare products. For instance, Unilever, the brand behind world-famous products such as Suave and Dove, acquired new skincare-focused brands. Another famous brand, Procter & Gamble, added another skincare brand to their portfolio when they bought Kiwi. That’s because the company from New Zealand was making headlines because of their natural products.

Additionally, the skincare industry is observing a shift from an older consumer base to a younger consumer base. Thanks to the global impact of fashion influencers on the internet, teens are now beginning to capture the market more than women do. Hence, skincare brands are now targeting the younger generation and making efforts to retain their older consumer base.

The U.S. skincare industry is now focusing on using natural ingredients for manufacturing safe and organic products. According to a survey, 35% of women showed interest in using all-natural and organic skin products in 2016.

Hence, brands continue to develop innovative skincare products that are great for us and the environment. The concept of using locally sourced ingredients and adapting eco-friendly production methods is also gaining more popularity.

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The Future of Anti-Aging Organic Products Emerging and successful brands are producing a variety of organic anti-aging creams, lotions, and serums. Today’s consumers are more wellness-conscious than before. Groundbreaking trends like CBD, Ayurvedic herbs, and personal rituals are changing the way consumers use skincare products.

Modern consumers look forward to developing a deeper relationship with their wellness. That’s the reason many brands focus on creating an “experience” rather than a “product.” Another factor to consider is that many of our current interest-driving skin concerns were less relevant in the past.

Work-related stress during the pandemic, sun protection, and pollution influence brands to develop new and improved skincare products. UV exposure, daily exposure to pollution, and premature aging are common problems of today’s consumers; consequently, brands are switching to natural and local ingredients to develop relevant and effective products.

Consumers believe that natural products will reverse or slow down the progression of these problems. Organic skincare products do not have parabens or synthetic ingredients, which guarantee effective results.

Bottom Line Cell communicating ingredients can improve the appearance of our skin. Brands are partnering with researchers and scientists to identify the most valuable elements and ingredients for improving the health of our skin. Skincare brands continue to place a high emphasis on manufacturing products out of natural and local ingredients, an approach that will help them drive revenues and expand their services in emerging markets such as Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.

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Psoriasis: 8 Things You Should Know About This Chronic Skin Disease

By Yuko Tabasa If you’re suffering from having red, scaly, inflamed, and itchy patches around your skin that sometimes cause burning sensations or even bleeding, there’s a big chance that you could have Psoriasis. But don’t worry - you are not alone. In fact, 7.5 million people in the United States are affected with psoriasis, and not even celebrities like Kim Kardashian or Cara Delevigne are spared from this disease. Although psoriasis is a common ailment, there are still many things about it that the public misunderstands, which is why we’re here to help clear things out.

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Psoriasis is not just a rash. It is an autoimmune disease.

We tend to mistake psoriasis with just another rash, but many experts believe it is an autoimmune disease, meaning that specific triggers can cause the immune system to malfunction by launching an inflammatory response to attack healthy cells. These triggers result in having a build-up of red, scaly, and inflamed skin plaques.

Psoriasis is not contagious.

When you see someone with flushed, scaly patches of skin, don’t be afraid to shake their hands or hug them. Psoriasis is not contagious; therefore, you shouldn’t treat the person struggling with them differently. However, studies have shown that psoriasis can come from genetics, and if both of your parents have them, there is a 50% chance you will get them as well.

Psoriasis is not curable, but it is manageable.

To date, there is still no cure for psoriasis - but that doesn’t mean you should give up hope. This chronic skin disorder is easily manageable if you go and see a dermatologist who can recommend the right treatment plan, whether using skincare products, applying topical medication, or changing your lifestyle. If you’re seeking a dermatologist who can help you with this skin condition, you may visit the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) Patient Navigation Center for assistance.

There are different kinds of psoriasis.

Psoriasis can manifest itself in more than one way. The most common type we see is plaque psoriasis, which translates into having red scaly patches on the skin. However, 30% of people suffer from psoriatic arthritis, which happens when there is joint inflammation.

Psoriasis can appear all over your body.

The most common parts of your body that psoriasis takes over are your scalp, elbows, knees, hands, and feet. Patches on the scalp can even lead to hair loss, and when psoriasis occurs around your nail beds, sometimes the nails can become brittle and not grow back.

An unhealthy lifestyle makes psoriasis worse.

While half of the psoriasis cases are genetic, environmental factors cause the other half. Stress, alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of sunlight, viral infections, and certain medications usually trigger flare-ups in adults. If you want to keep your psoriasis dormant, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle with proper exercise and diet. Studies even show that a Mediterranean diet is a key to slow down psoriasis progression.

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Psoriasis can cause other diseases.

If not treated, psoriasis can lead to other more severe diseases such as heart disease, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and even depression. Since psoriasis causes inflammation in and around your body, it is highly plausible for inflammation to affect your blood vessels and interfere with the transfer of blood and oxygen needed to function correctly.

Most people have mild cases.

Luckily, the majority of people living with psoriasis only experience mild cases. Only 20% have moderate to severe cases, wherein severe cases cover more than 5 percent of the body’s surface area.

If you suspect that you are exhibiting symptoms of psoriasis or know someone who is, be sure to contact your doctor or visit the NPF website to ask for the necessary help.

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Types of Psoriasis

By Yuko Tabasa Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects over 8 million adults in America today. This autoimmune condition occurs when an overactive immune system speeds up the skin cell growth three times faster than normal, and the body hasn’t had the time to shed old skin cells yet. The phenomenon results in a build-up of skin that manifests as red plaques and scaly patches all over the body. There are different types of psoriasis, and knowing what they look like can help people get a more accurate diagnosis that will help them treat the skin disease accordingly.

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Plaque Psoriasis Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis, with up to 80 to 90 percent of people with psoriasis developing plaques. Usually, the skin takes 21 to 28 days to regenerate new skin cells, but in psoriasis, the immune system attacks healthy skin cells, so new ones develop every 4 to 7 days.

Plaque psoriasis will leave skin with red, irritated patches, and the damage causes the skin to have itchy grayish-white scales. These plaques usually show up in the scalp, elbow, knees, face, hands, and feet. Some people with more severe plaque psoriasis cases can develop psoriatic arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.

Guttate Psoriasis According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, about 8% of people with psoriasis have guttate psoriasis, which is the second most common psoriasis type. Guttate is the Latin word for “drop,” which perfectly characterizes the little red raindrop-shaped patches on the skin.

Compared to the large red and silvery lesions in plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis has much smaller and thinner patches. Several hundred of these tiny drop-shaped patches may appear on the arms, legs, torso, scalp, face, and ears. Most people affected by guttate psoriasis usually start to see symptoms during childhood or young adulthood, and a common trigger for this in children is strep throat.

Pustular Psoriasis Pustular Psoriasis is a rare and severe form of psoriasis characterized by pustules, painful white pus-filled bumps with possible surrounding inflamed skin. Light skin will appear red in the affected areas, and dark skin will appear darker in color. And although the pustules may look worrisome, the pus in the pustules is not contagious as it consists of white blood cells.

Pustular psoriasis is also categorized into three types: General pustular psoriasis (GPP) or von Zumbusch psoriasis affects large body areas and can develop quite rapidly. The onset of symptoms often comes with fever, chills, severe itching, heart rate change, and fatigue.

Localized pustular psoriasis or palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPPP) affects the palms of the hands and/or the foot soles.

Acropustulosis affects the tips of the fingers and/or toes. This type rarely appears, usually after a skin injury or infection.

Pregnant women may also experience pustular psoriasis as hormonal changes can affect the immune system. This condition is called impetigo herpetiformis and typically occurs during the third trimester.

Treatment for Psoriasis Psoriasis is a life-long condition that many have to carry. Although there is no cure yet, a simple lifestyle change such as avoiding alcohol and nicotine, exercising regularly, and eating nutritious food is enough to reduce flare-ups. A trip to the doctor is also recommended for a suitable treatment plan tailored to each type of psoriasis. Check out the National Psoriasis Foundation Health Care Provider Directory to help find the right doctor for you or your loved one.

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10 Triggers of Psoriasis and How to Avoid Them

By Yuko Tabasa Medication People living with psoriasis know that skin flares come and go. Some days, they’re mild, with only a few red patches here and there.

Other days, they’re unbearable and take over the whole body. What triggers psoriasis flares may differ for each person, but we’ve listed all of them below to help you become more cautious about possible triggers and how to avoid them.

Stress Stress can be a trigger for many types of diseases, including psoriasis. Unfortunately, these two often go hand in hand -- psoriasis causes stress for many people, and the stress can make outbreaks worse.

Finding ways to reduce stress can help avoid worsening the condition. For example, try practicing yoga and meditation or soaking in a tub with a scented candle. Calling a friend to vent or joining a support group is also another great way to minimize stress.

Infection Some common infections like strep throat, bronchitis, tonsillitis, respiratory or ear infections may cause a flare-up 2 to 6 weeks after the infection. Since infections attack the immune system, which is also responsible for psoriasis, a disturbance will likely trigger flares.

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Some medications may also cause psoriasis flares after a couple of weeks from using them. For example, doctors have linked antimalarial drugs (Plaquenil or chloroquine), beta-blockers (Inderal for high blood pressure), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Indomethacin for arthritis), and lithium for psychiatric disorders to flare-ups. Even steroids, which are essentially given as medication to deal with flares, may end up triggering an outbreak after withdrawal from long-term use of the drug.

However, these drugs are also necessary to treat other ailments, and they may impact a person’s health if they stop using them. If flare-ups occur, make sure to consult with a doctor or dermatologist to figure out what medication is causing the flares and find a way to treat it. Some physicians may even offer alternative medication that won’t trigger flares.

Skin Injury Cuts, scratches, bruises, bug bites, extreme sunburn, or broken skin signs can also trigger a psoriasis outbreak. Flares are more likely to appear around the injured skin area.

It’s quite easy to get minor injuries from daily activities like cooking, cleaning, gardening, or exercising -- to avoid that, try to be more careful. And when injured, quickly treat the lesion, so it heals before flares start to show.

Alcohol Consumption Drinking alcohol can make symptoms worse for someone with psoriasis in many ways.

According to a 2011 study, alcohol consumption can trigger the production of inflammatory proteins and increase a person’s risk of infection, which both contribute to psoriasis symptoms. Moreover, alcohol also interferes with methotrexate, which is a medication that treats psoriatic arthritis.

As enticing as a nice cold beer or a refreshing margarita sounds, it’s best to stay away from drinking alcohol (or at least limit your consumption) to prevent psoriasis flare-ups.

Smoking Smoking is not only harmful to a person’s overall health, but it can also set off a psoriasis flare. Based on a 2006 study, smoking and tobacco use may also increase your risk of developing palmoplantar pustular psoriasis, a rare psoriasis type that affects the hands and feet. Additionally, smoking can also reduce the effectiveness of psoriatic arthritis medication.

Avoid smoking and secondhand smoking at all costs if you want to keep psoriasis flares at bay.

Food A person’s diet may influence psoriasis symptoms. For example, studies suggest that people who eliminate gluten, red meat, dairy products, nightshade vegetables (like eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes), and fatty, sugary foods from their diet have fewer psoriasis outbreaks.

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The study also found that taking vitamin D and following a strict vegetarian, vegan, or Mediterranean diet could help alleviate psoriasis symptoms.

Weight Gain According to a recent study by the National Psoriasis Foundation, overweight people with psoriasis are more likely to develop severe symptoms and are at greater risk for heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. In addition, since psoriasis causes inflammation in the cells, the inflammation may block blood flow and make it harder for cells to absorb sugar.

People who are overweight should reduce their calorie intake, exercise more often, drink lots of water, and eat less junk.

Hormones Changes in hormone levels in females can cause psoriasis flare-ups, based on a 2013 study. Flares tend to occur when women have low estrogen levels, which explains why women experience psoriasis outbreaks during puberty, menopause, or after giving birth.

However, when estrogen levels are higher, symptoms tend to improve - that’s why psoriasis flares are less common during pregnancy.

Weather Some people may find their psoriasis symptoms worsen when temperatures drop, and others may experience an outbreak after too much sun exposure. Therefore, it is essential to set balanced conditions at home to prevent outbreaks.

If it is too cold or dry, using a humidifier at home may help reduce flares. Getting sun and the vitamin D that comes with it is also an excellent way to manage flares, but remember to only go for 5 to 10 minutes to avoid sunburn, which also causes psoriasis flares.

Although there is no found cure for psoriasis yet, understanding triggers and finding ways to prevent them can help you manage your symptoms. Don’t forget to seek support and find a doctor you trust to help you overcome a life-long battle with this skin disease.

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Taking the Proactive Approach to Healthcare with Tim Spooner

By Esther Oladapo After over 35 years of experience as a physical therapist, Tim Spooner was happy just to continue helping his patients. On any given day, he could treat a tennis champion, a 71-year-old downhill skier, or a grandmother looking for help to play with her grandchildren.

Recently he could not ignore an alarming trend: his patients (and their employers) were seeing skyrocketing healthcare costs. The leading cost in a health plan is Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Health care premiums for his patients have steadily increased while payouts from healthcare insurance companies have simultaneously decreased. This discrepancy results in wasteful overspending by employers and many aspects of insurance plans effectively limit people from promptly receiving care for their pain. Almost as bad, it was significantly reducing the financial health of millions of Americans. In his interview with Top Doctor Magazine, Tim Spooner discusses his solutions to this problem and how he is disrupting the current healthcare model with his company, Proactive MSD.

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Employees are Your Number One Asset Spooner starts by saying, “I have never met a single CEO that didn’t tell me, ‘Our people are our greatest asset.’” Despite this, every year, thousands of employers in the United States are losing employees and money to the number one cause of disability, Musculoskeletal Disorders. “Everyone twists their back, strains a muscle, or tweaks a joint during work or recreational activities.”

Spooner says that 85% of these pain issues can be solved with conservative care, but because of insurance barriers, these patients are either not seeking care or not receiving the correct intervention. Taking it even further, he says that left untreated, these problems will worsen and individuals may choose to seek selfmedication with an extremely high risk of opioid addiction.

It’s a Biomechanical Problem Spooner’s company, Proactive MSD (a joint venture with Solveglobal), takes a disruptive approach to the current system. By offering a complete population health strategy for MSD’s at a fixed cost, they help employers decrease wasteful overspending on healthcare. This pricing model targets self insured employers looking for a transparent price and reduced run-around time due to multiple appointments from medical doctors. “Most MSD’s start as a biomechanical problem, not a medical one.”

Proactive MSD’s goal: Right Care, Right Time, Right Provider, Right Value. When employers fix their healthcare costs and eliminate barriers to services, their employees are more likely to receive prompt medical attention. This proactive approach decreases expensive interventions which drive up health insurance premiums.

Only One Out of Ten Patients Gets Referred for MSDs Tim Spooner describes the current healthcare model as “dangerously wasteful.” The overspending affects both his patients’ health and their employers’ bottom line. Health insurance companies have steadily increased their deductibles and patients may spend several visits to a primary care doctor or a specialist before they even get to the physical therapist’s office. This delay in receiving care means the patient suffers longer and also tends to lead to more costly interventions.

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Not All Therapies are Created Equal After over three decades of patient care, Tim Spooner has noticed many individuals and large organizations assume that all physical therapists deliver equal results . It is not unusual for patients to stop attending physical therapy after only two or three visits. He attributes this to several reasons. As healthcare providers, there is a need to connect with patients and their goals. There is a need to educate patients on the recovery process and the timetables involved. As therapists, there is a need to be flexible to changing symptoms and adjust the movement prescription to obtain the desired results.

Spooner got into physical therapy through a background in sports, experience with exercise, and a love of teaching. Although the work can be demanding both physically and mentally, seeing patients achieve their goals is very satisfying. Today’s disruptive healthcare environment will create many new and financially rewarding opportunities for those entering the physical therapy profession.

Physical Therapy of the Future Many innovations are moving the industry forward. Telehealth has allowed Spooner to treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic safely. “Telehealth has been very useful in reaching patients who could not access facilities and those that travel for work. I expect this trend to continue as patients expect greater convenience and value from their healthcare providers.

Proactive MSD’s disruptive business model is enticing business owners to recalibrate their healthcare spend. “We reallocate what employers are currently spending and help their employees move and feel better.” In return, the employer saves on wasteful overspending and can deliver higher wages and additional benefits to employees. These direct contracts between healthcare providers, such as Proactive MSD, and employers are helping to reshape how healthcare is both delivered and received.

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