HealthWise – Spring 2014: Boosting Your Immune System

Welcome to the spring edition of HealthWise,
In this issue of the Maryland Primary Care Physicians e-newsletter, our providers offer advice on how we can boost our immune system, dealing with back pain, and the earliest warning signs of a stroke.

In this issue: Immune System Boost? | Back Pain | Stroke Warnings

Appointments

Like us on Facebook

Forward to a Friend

Can We Boost Our Immune System?
The latest science on staying healthy.

Visit your local pharmacy, page through a magazine, or browse online and you’re sure to see products promising to boost your body’s immune system. Everything from echinacea, ginseng, probiotics to mega-dose vitamins – claim to help prevent or cure disease. But is there enough science to prove we should hop on the immune-supplement bandwagon?

Got Back Pain? Help keep it in check.
By Konni Bringman, M.D.

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide according to a recent study. I see a lot of back issues in my practice. It’s not surprising since our back is literally our body’s support system, made up or more than 30 bones, and hundreds of nerves, muscles and tendons. All of those moving parts mean our back can be vulnerable to problems or injury.

Stroke Warnings- Remember F.A.S.T.
A Q&A with Dr. James Chaconas

Q: What exactly is a stroke?
A: A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery, or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to an area of the brain. The result is that brain cells begin to die and brain damage can occur. Minutes count when someone’s having a stroke.

MPCP News:

New Providers. Three new providers have joined the MPCP team. Colleen Webb, CRNP has joined the Bowie practice and Danielle Cheplowitz, CRNP is at our Pasadena practice. Both have their Masters of Science in Nursing and are certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Timothy Klepper, M.D. has joined the Queenstown practice and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. See their profiles here.

Congratulations! Thomas Walsh, M.D., one of our MPCP founders and partner at the Queenstown practice, was appointed judge of the Maryland Orphan’s Court for Queen Anne’s County by Governor Martin O’Malley. Dr. Walsh was sworn in on April 8 and says he is excited about this opportunity to give back to the community.