Keep Your Family Healthy this Holiday Season

01/Dec/2022

The holiday season can be a great time with friends and family, during this season but it can also be a lot on your health. So how do you enjoy the glorious holiday repast without sabotaging your health?

Be a smart sugar cookie by following these simple steps to stay healthy during the holiday season:

Wash your hands often. Washing hands can help prevent sickness and prevent the spread of germs. Wash your hands thoroughly, and wash your hands often.

Food-borne illness. 48 million people get sick from a food-borne illness each year, according to the CDC. Thoroughly clean utensils, cook foods to recommended temperatures, and properly store perishable foods.

Eat mindfully. When you’re eating, sit back and allow yourself to truly enjoy your favorite holiday flavors. Pay attention to the taste, aroma and texture of the foods. Since it takes a few minutes for your stomach’s “I’m full signal” to reach your brain, it’s advisable to take a 10-minute break after your first helping. Other than that, don’t attend a party on an empty stomach as it makes you prone to overeating. As for the dessert, eat only one or two dishes you really love instead of sampling each and every option available on the table.

Stay hydrated. Water accounts for 60% of our body’s total weight and we need to stay hydrated in order to maintain this ratio. Water is also necessary for several bodily functions, including maintaining our cell’s fluids and delivering nutrients Drink plain or infused H2O as often as you can throughout the day. Limit your intake of high-calorie drinks like eggnog, martinis and margaritas.

Reinvent your holiday workout. It might be a bit challenging to make time for a sweat sesh when your social calendar and to-do lists are jam-packed. In order to stay motivated, plan your workout regimen around your holiday schedule. Instead of the usual 30-minute routine, do a 15-minute workout in the morning and evening or go for a 10-minute walk twice daily. The aim is to split your physical activity into smaller, more manageable time intervals.

Boost your immune system. “Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is one of the best things you can do to bolster your immune system. This will ensure you’re getting some top immune-boosting nutrients, including vitamin C and vitamin A. Eating a handful of nuts and seeds daily is also a great way to fight illness as they contain immune-boosting minerals such as zinc and selenium.

Get a flu shot. The holiday season overlaps with flu season. People typically travel more, and spend more time around other people during this time of year. Flu vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu outbreaks.

Decorating safety. Accidents and injuries caused by decorating for the holidays are common. Be extra careful when dealing with roofs and ladders, and always keep an eye on young children.

With Agape Family Medical Center, you can receive primary care for a low monthly fee without copays or hurried visits. We remove the hassle of visiting the doctor by giving you the access and discounts you need in a timely manner. We are a family owned healthcare provider.

01/Nov/2022

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated before the start of each flu season, with very few exceptions. Some people are more likely to get health problems from the flu, such as the elderly, pregnant women, infants, and people with medical conditions like asthma or diabetes. Getting a flu vaccine is especially important for them and for those who live with them.

Babies younger than 6 months can’t get the vaccine. But they will be protected if their parents, other caregivers, and older kids in the household get it. This is important because infants who get the flu are more likely to have serious problems than older kids.

Some things might prevent a person from getting the flu vaccine. Talk to your doctor to see if the vaccine is still recommended if your child:

has ever had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine
has had

Have questions? Call Dr. Felly Mazhandu FNP-BC wants to be your primary care physician and if you are dealing with chronic disease, help you manage it. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576

17/Oct/2020

Six in ten American adults have a chronic disease. That’s means over half of the adults you know are a dealing with a life threatening disease. Now consider this: Four in ten U.S. adults have two or more chronic diseases such as diabetes.

In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, more than two-thirds of all deaths in America are caused by one of the following chronic diseases:

Heart disease
Cancer
Stroke
COPD
Diabetes

Complications Related to Chronic Diseases

Regular appointments help you avoid any serious complications that can arise from chronic illnesses. Still don’t think you need to show up to each appointment? Let’s take a look at some of the serious problems that can happen if these diseases are not properly managed.

DIABETES

When you have diabetes, it may take your body longer to recover from injuries or infections. You can also develop other serious problems such as:

Glaucoma
Cataracts
Kidney disease
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart disease

Some of these problems, such as kidney disease, don’t show any symptoms until the disease has dramatically progressed. That’s why regular appointments—including blood tests—are so important for those with diabetes. Almost half of those with diabetes can also develop neuropathy, which is another word for nerve damage.

You may not think of diabetes affecting your skin, but if left unchecked, the disease can also lead to bacterial infections such as:

Styes
Boils
Folliculitis
Deep skin infections (carbuncles) Nail infections

As internal medicine physicians in Waterbury CT, we specialize in treating diseases such as diabetes, because we take a look at how one illness can affect the systems of the entire body.

HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is sometimes called the silent killer because most people don’t know they even have it.

By working with Agape Family Medical Center, you can be sure you’re keeping up with the things needed to reduce your risk for the disease. For example, we’ll be able to monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol.

If we discover a problem, we’re also able to reach a diagnosis.

If you have heart disease, it’s important to follow-up with your cardiologist to ensure that you’re following the right treatment protocols. Failure to do so can lead to more serious tissue destruction, heart attack or stroke.

CANCER

Early detection is the key to being a cancer survivor and why it’s so important to have regular screenings. For example, we offer cancer screenings such as Pap smears that detect cervical cancer early. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and unfortunately most men don’t know they have it. Again if detected early enough we can stop this in its tracks and increase your chances of survival

Agape Family Medical Center Wants to Be Your Primary Care Home

Chronic diseases never stop. They don’t wait for your schedule to be more convenient. They can consistently lead to some of the most devastating medical problems. That’s why you can’t afford to skip your doctor’s appointment.

At Agape Family Medical Center, we’re here to help you fight chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. Through management, treatment, education and nutritional counseling, we’ll help you make positive changes that enable you to live your healthiest life.

We want to be your primary care physician and if you are dealing with chronic disease, help you manage it. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576

10/Oct/2020

As the months of your pregnancy begin, we know it can be hard to stay active. You may not feel like moving around much and it may be hard to fit any sort of activity in with everything else going on. But staying active during pregnancy has proven to reduce the risk of complications and make your overall pregnancy experience better. So, we have compiled a list of tips to help you stay on track.

1.Start with a slower walk and move up to a brisker pace. This can be done around your house when you’re going from the parking lot to the grocery store, or during a break at work. Walking is a great, low impact option for pregnant moms.

2.Find a buddy. Having another pregnant mom with you means you can both keep each other accountable and have fun while staying active.

3.Find activities you enjoy. If you didn’t like going to yoga before you got pregnant you aren’t going to like it now. Finding exercises that you like will increase the likelihood of sticking to it. Just be sure to clear them with your doctor first.

4.Sign up for a class. Having a set time every week that you are being active will help keep you on track!

5.Dance around This is an awesome way to have fun and get yourself moving. Put on some of your favorite pump up music and dance around your house. If you have other children this is a great way to get them involved as well!

Using these tips to help you stay active will help keep both you and your baby healthy and happy. Just make sure to check with us before starting a new exercise routine.

With Agape Family Medical Center, you can receive primary care for a low monthly fee without copays or hurried visits. We remove the hassle of visiting the doctor by giving you the access and discounts you need in a timely manner. We are a family owned healthcare provider.

10/Oct/2020

Summer In Connecticut means plenty of swimming, whether it’s in pools or the ocean. Swimming is a great way to cool off on a hot day and to get some exercise, all while being outside and enjoying the best weather of the year. For many Nee Englanders, however, a day in the water this summer could potentially lead to an earache.

Swimmer’s ear is a common summer problem for children and is part of growing up like sunburns and mosquito bites. Also known as otitis externa, swimmer’s ear can hurt — but it doesn’t have to change your summer plans!

Here’s what you need to know before you and your children hit the water.

1. What is swimmer’s ear?

Swimmer’s ear is an outer ear infection: it affects the outer ear canal, which runs from the outside of your ear to your eardrum. While infections can occur for any number of reasons, swimmer’s ear is caused by an excess amount of moisture remaining in the ear canal.

Because the ear canal is dark, any build up of moisture is going to promote the growth of bacteria.

Once bacteria starts to grow, the ear canal becomes inflamed, leading to pain and discomfort. While swimmer’s ear is most common in children, adults can get it as well.

2. How do you get swimmer’s ear?

The easy answer is “by swimming!” Of course it’s not quite that simple, you can also get swimmer’s ear without swimming. Too much moisture in the ear is the main cause of swimmer’s ear, but there are other factors as well. Some children may be predisposed to swimmer’s ear due to the way their ear canals are shaped, making it more difficult for water to drain out. The type of water matters as well: swimming in ponds, lakes, or poorly treated pools may increase exposure to bacteria, raising the risk of swimmer’s ear.

Finally, the wax in your ears serves as a way to stop moisture from building up inside. People who keep their ears a little too clean, may actually be increasing their chances of contracting swimmer’s ear.

3. How do you prevent swimmer’s ear?

We can’t just stop kids from swimming, especially during summertime in CT! Instead, preventing swimmer’s ear starts with taking steps to keep moisture from building up inside the ear canals.

Have your children thoroughly dry their ears after getting out of the water.
Have them try to shake the water out or lean each side of the head to remove any excess water.
Avoid swimming in untreated water or at beaches where the bacteria count is high.

If you find that your child is particularly susceptible to swimmer’s ear, waterproof ear plugs are an option. While it may take some time for your child to get used to them, they do a good job keeping ear canals dry.

4. How do you treat swimmer’s ear?

If you suspect swimmer’s ear (whether in your child or yourself), it’s a good idea to contact your primary care provider. Your provider will be able to confirm that it’s swimmer’s ear and not something more serious. Your provider will know the best approach to treat the issue.

Normally, swimmer’s ear is treated with special ear drops that help fight off the infection. Ibuprofen or another over-the-counter pain reliever can to relive the the ear pain as well. With the proper medication, swimmer’s ear should be resolved within a week or so.

One thing that you should never do with a suspected case of swimmer’s ear is ignore it. While swimmer’s ear is usually pretty easy , ignoring it gives the infection a chance to spread and potentially become more serious.

Have questions? Call Dr. Felly Mazhandu FNP-BC wants to be your primary care physician and if you are dealing with chronic disease, help you manage it. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576

24/Sep/2020

As we continue to move forward with getting back to normal it is important not to forget how important it is to wash your hands. Children come into contact with germs on a regular basis. Think about it they are going to school and daycare while still learning about personal hygiene so they are wiping their noses with their hands and touching everywhere. Proper hand washing can help stop the spread of many illnesses – from the common cold to more serious illnesses like hepatitis A. Washing your hands is easy, inexpensive, effective, and can help prevent sick days and trips to the doctor! Public Service announcement!!!! Using hand sanitizer is not the same as washing your hands. Yes if you don’t have access to running water and soap its a good alternative but nothing can replace washing your hands with soap and water.

Here are some techniques for proper hand washing:

Remind children to wash their hands in these situations:

Before eating and cooking
After using the bathroom
After coughing, sneezing, or blowing one’s nose
After cleaning around the house
After touching animals or pets
After coming home from school
After playing outside
Before and after visiting or taking care of sick friends or relatives

Wash your own hands with your children and model proper hand washing

Talk about it! Announce when and why you are going to wash your hands or talk about something you touched and how you washed your hands after you touched it
Carry hand sanitizer for times when there is no sink or soap available
Sing the happy birthday song with them twice while you are washing to show them how long to wash!

Children will need reminders even though they know the rules. To stop the spread of germs, make hand washing rules and routines, such as washing before meals and after using the bathroom.

Have questions or concerns? Call Dr. Felly Mazhandu FNP-BC. Agape Family Medical Center wants to be your primary care facility. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576

30/Apr/2020

Direct Care is a medical practice model where providers contract directly with patients. For almost all of America’s history, Americans paid their provider directly for care. It was only in the 20th century that health insurance outpaced out-of-pocket pay as the primary revenue source for medical practices. But since the turn of the 21st century, direct care has made a resurgence.

In 2005, there were fewer than 150 physicians practicing in direct primary care, concierge, and other direct care models. This number grew 5x in the next five years, to 756 in 2010, and then even more rapidly to an estimated 6,500 direct care physicians across the country by the end of 2015.

The complexities of contracting with insurers have placed more demands on physicians in recent years, leading more to choose direct care. This alternative payment model has helped strengthen the relationship between patients and physicians in many communities, allowing physicians more control over their patient panel sizes, practice staffing, and care delivery.

For physicians, adopting a direct care model can improve work-life balance, reduce practice overhead, bring higher per patient revenues, and maintain physician autonomy.

For patients, direct care can mean a greater degree of access to, and time with, physicians. Improved communication and more regular, engaged care leads to fewer unnecessary tests, less frequent hospital visits, and lower total cost of care.

With Agape Family Medical Center, you can receive primary care for a low monthly fee without copays or hurried visits. We remove the hassle of visiting the doctor by giving you the access and discounts you need in a timely manner. We are a family, locally, and Christian-owned healthcare provider dedicated to whole-person care.