This month, you’ll see hearts everywhere in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Have you ever stopped to consider whether you’re taking care of your own heart? While February 14th only comes once a year, you can boost your own heart’s health 365 days a year with these five tips:
1. Find activities you love
Maybe you’ve always thought that making exercise a regular part of your life means sweating it out for hours at the gym. But activities like walking, dancing in your living room, swimming, bowling and even cleaning the house can count as exercise as long as you’re getting a little out of breath when you’re doing them.
Make a list of all of the active things you like to do and find a way to make at least one of them a part of your day, every day. Once you’ve made those activities into regular habits, try new ones—maybe now you’d feel more confident joining an exercise or dance class.
2. Remember the power of 10
You may think you don’t have time to exercise, but you can get heart-health benefits from just 10-minute bouts of activity. For example, ten minutes of walking three times a day has been shown to lower blood pressure more effectively than a one 30-minute stretch of walking. Try a simple schedule of walking once before work, once over lunch and once after dinner, and you’ve just squeezed in a good amount of exercise!
3. Add something other than cardio
When you think of heart-healthy exercise, you probably think of aerobic or cardiovascular activities like jogging. But strength training, like lifting weights or doing push-ups and lunges can improve the health of your ticker, too. When you lift weights at a moderate intensity, you’ll raise your heart rate—you’ll be working both your muscular system and your cardiovascular system. And when you make your muscles stronger, you make your entire body stronger. So try to do some resistance training a few times a week.
4. Find ways to lower your stress level
Stress plays a critical role in heart health, and exercise is great at kicking stress to the curb. Workouts like yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi are especially good for de-stressing and improving the mind-body connection. If you’re not ready to try those activities, try meditation or just a relaxing hot bath with some soft music playing. It’s important to give your heart a break from the stresses of your regular lifestyle.
5. Eat healthy foods
Of course you have to fuel yourself right to power yourself through your day and your workouts. Eating a diet that’s rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats is key. Colorful foods like pomegranates, blueberries, tomatoes, and spinach are rich in heart-healthy antioxidants, while fatty fish like salmon, sardines, or rainbow trout twice a week provide omega-3 fatty acids, which help decrease your blood pressure.
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, we promote a patient’s total health. If you’d like to find out more about our OB-GYN practice in Buffalo, call us anytime or visit our website at wny-obgyn.com.
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.
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It’s International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month, which many of you have probably never heard of.
But it’s important to spread the word about some conditions that can cause serious problems for both you and your unborn baby:
Group B Strep
If you are pregnant, you need to know whether you have group B strep. About 25 percent of all women carry the bacteria that can cause group B strep infection. These bacteria are usually not harmful to you and won’t make the people around you sick—but they can be very dangerous for your newborn.
Babies can get very sick and even die if their mothers pass group B strep bacteria to them during childbirth. Ask your healthcare provider for a group B strep test when you are in your third trimester, at around 35 to 37 weeks pregnant. If you test positive, your doctor can give you an antibiotic during labor to prevent the bacteria from spreading to your baby.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
A pregnant woman infected with CMV can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy. Most babies born with CMV infection will be fine, but some may be born with problems such as hearing or vision loss or mental disabilities, or develop issues later on.
How can you avoid getting cytomegalovirus? CMV is passed from infected people to others through body fluids, such as saliva, urine, blood, vaginal secretions and semen, but it doesn’t spread very easily. For pregnant women, the two most common ways they contract CMV is through sexual activity or contact with the saliva and urine of children who already have a CMV infection.
If you’re pregnant and have contact with a CMV-infected child, wash your hands soap and water after changing the child’s diapers, wiping their nose or mouth and touching their toys, pacifier, or other objects. Don’t share food, drinks, eating utensils or a toothbrush with the child and disinfect all toys, countertops or other surfaces that may have the child’s saliva or urine on them.
Listeriosis
Listeriosis is a rare but serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria. Pregnant women are about 10 times more likely than the general population to get listeriosis. Listeriosis during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or infection in newborns.
To prevent contracting listeriosis, avoid certain foods during pregnancy, such as:
- hot dogs and lunchmeats unless they have been heated/reheated to more than 160 degrees F
- raw (unpasteurized) milk
- soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses and Mexican-style cheeses unless they are made from pasteurized milk,
- raw or undercooked seafood, such as sushi or sashimi
- refrigerated pates and meat spreads
- refrigerated smoked seafood.
Pregnant women should also take extra precautions not to get fluid from delicatessen meat or hot dog packages on other foods or food preparation surfaces.
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, we believe an informed patient is a healthy patient—and healthy patients are our goal! To make an appointment with one of our doctors, please call us. We are a top OB-GYN practice in Buffalo.
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Are you thinking about trying to have a baby? Before you take that leap, take the time to evaluate your current health and habits. Taking care of your body and your health before you try to get pregnant will not only help you get pregnant. It can also improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby. How?
1. Visit Your Doctor
Tell your doctor your plans, so the two of you can discuss your personal and family health histories and any medical conditions you currently have that could affect a pregnancy, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), diabetes, thyroid disease, phenylketonuria (PKU), seizure disorders, high blood pressure, arthritis or eating disorders. You’ll need to review which medicines you’re currently taking, vaccinations that you might need, and steps you can take before pregnancy to prevent certain birth defects. If you’ve been pregnant before, the two of you can go over any previous pregnancy-related problems.
2. Quit Birth Control
This one sounds like a given, but depending on what form you use, you may need some time. If you use an IUD, your doctor will need to remove it. If you take the Pill or use Depo-Provera, you might not ovulate for month. Give your body time to adjust and restart its own monthly cycle.
3. Take 400 Micrograms of Folic Acid Every Day
Folic acid is a B vitamin. You’ll want to have enough folic acid in your body for at least 1 month before pregnancy, then during pregnancy, to help prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine.
4. Stop Drinking Alcohol, Smoking, and Using Street Drugs
If you smoke, regularly drink alcohol or use street drugs, be honest with your doctor. These habits can cause many problems during pregnancy for you and your baby, such as premature birth, birth defects and infant death. Your doctor can help you quit, or find someone who can.
5. Avoid Toxic Substances and Contaminants
Both at work and at home, stay away from potentially harmful materials like synthetic chemicals, fertilizer, bug spray and cat or rodent feces (have someone else clean the litter box or do your weeding). Any of these substances can hurt your reproductive system and make it more difficult to get pregnant. And exposure to even small amounts during pregnancy, infancy, childhood, or puberty can lead to diseases.
6. Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you are overweight or obese, you run a higher risk for many serious conditions, including pregnancy complications, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. If you are underweight, you’re also at risk for serious health problems. If you are underweight, overweight, or obese, talk with your doctor about ways to reach and maintain a healthy weight before you get pregnant.
Once you are pregnant, be sure to keep up all of your new healthy habits and get regular prenatal care from your doctor. If you have any questions about planning a pregnancy or are newly pregnant, please call Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello. Your health is our top priority!
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IUDs are one of the least common forms of birth control in this country—only 2 percent of American women use them—although their success rate is high. Why? Possibly because there is so much misinformation about them.
Basic Information
An IUD, or intra-uterine device, is an object that is placed inside the uterus by a physician. There are three different kinds of IUDs manufactured in the United States today. One type is hormonal and lasts up to five years; the second type delivers a lower dose of hormones and lasts up to three years; and the third uses copper as a spermicide and lasts up to 10 years.
How they work
Non-hormonal IUDs are made from copper, which acts as a natural spermicide. Hormonal IUDs gradually release small doses of synthetic hormones. Both types thicken your cervical mucus, which creates a hostile environment for embryo implantation and prevents pregnancy.
The two main types of IUDs
The two hormonal IUDs are Mirena and Skyla. Mirena lasts up to five years, while Skyla delivers a lower dose of hormones, is slightly smaller, and lasts up to three years.
The copper-coil IUD, ParaGard, slowly releases copper ions for up to 10 years.
IUDs: Busting the Myths
Myth #1: Getting an IUD will make me infertile.
The truth: No, it won’t!
IUDs got a bad rap in the 1970s due to a product called the Dalkon Shield. This plastic IUD’s was badly designed and led to septic miscarriage and even death for some users. IUDs began to be associated with higher risks of infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Doctors know that today’s IUDs do not affect fertility.
Myth #2: IUDs cause infections like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
The truth: No, they don’t!
Although IUDs do not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), they can’t cause them. This fear came about due to the lack of rigorous STI testing in previous decades. People would get an STI—or have one prior to the IUD’s insertion—then blame the infection on the device. You still cannot get an IUD if you already have an STI. If your STI status is negative, getting an IUD is extremely unlikely to cause any kind of infection.
Myth #3: IUDs are really expensive.
The truth: IUDs are cheaper than pills in the long run—but must be paid for up front.
It’s hard to estimate what your IUD might cost because there are so many factors, the most significant one being insurance coverage. But research has shown that out of five popular contraceptives, IUDs are the cheapest over five years for both insured and uninsured users.
Is an IUD the right method for you?
Birth control is not one size fits all. Your age, health and other factors come into play. If you would like to discuss your options, please call Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello. We always work with our patients to create the most successful course of care!
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Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body, but you also lose it every day through your skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and feces—and our bodies cannot produce new calcium on their own. If you don’t get enough for your body’s needs, calcium is taken from your bones, causing osteoporosis.
Calcium plays many vital roles in your body, including:
- building healthy bones and teeth and keeping them strong as you age,
- sending messages through the nervous system,
- maintaining healthy blood vessels,
- regulating blood pressure,
- preventing insulin resistance (which could lead to Type 2 diabetes),
- helping your blood clot, and
- regulating your heart’s rhythm.
Obviously, if you want to enjoy good health, you need to make sure you have enough calcium in your diet. And once you understand the basics, it’s not that hard to include it in your diet and get the calcium you need.
Supplements vs. Food
Your body can absorb more calcium from food than it can from supplements, so your calcium intake should come primarily from the food you eat. People who get most of their calcium from food have stronger bones.
Calcium from food often comes with other beneficial nutrients that help calcium do its job, like Vitamin D.
Doctors advise that you get as much of your daily calcium needs from food as possible and use supplements only to make up any shortfall. Older women who get high amounts of calcium from supplements seem to have a higher risk of kidney stones and strokes. And using high-dose calcium supplements may increase your risk of heart disease.
How much calcium is right for you?
The healthiest or safest amount of dietary calcium hasn’t been definitively established. Different scientific approaches have yielded different estimates. To ensure that 95 percent of the population gets this much calcium, the National Academy of Sciences established the following recommended intake levels:
- Age 19 to 50: 1,000 milligrams/day
- Age 50 or over: 1,200 milligrams/day
- Pregnant or lactating adult women 1,000 milligrams/day
Good food sources of calcium
So what foods can you eat to get enough calcium in your diet? You probably know about dairy products, like milk, yogurt, and cheese, but here are some unexpected sources:
- White Beans
- Canned Salmon
- Sardines
- Dried Figs
- Bok Choy
- Blackstrap Molasses
- Kale
- Black-eyed Peas
- Almonds
- Oranges
- Turnip Greens
- Sesame Seeds
- Seaweed
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, we believe in supporting the total health of our patients and our community. If you have any questions about your dietary or nutritional needs, we’d be happy to help. Contact us anytime at any of our three convenient WNY locations.
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By admin
13 Jan, 2014
Pregnancy, Women's Health
calcium when pregnant, Dr. Adel Chouchani, Dr. Carola Bagnarello, Dr. Christian Chouchani, Dr. Gabriel Chouchani, Dr. Magdi Sayegh, how much calcium do I need, WNY OB-GYN, women and calcium, women's calcium intake
Everyone thinks that because breastfeeding is natural, that it’s easy. But experienced nursing moms can tell you—it’s not always! If you’re planning to breastfeed, you’re probably going to need some support. Where are your best resources in Western New York?
At the Hospital
When you give birth at Mercy Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban, Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo or Sisters Hospital, you can expect to receive support from an onsite lactation consultant. Be sure to tell the staff when you arrive that you plan to breastfeed after your baby is born, so they can help you get started correctly, right away.
Most of these facilities also offer breastfeeding classes as part of their preparation courses for new parents-to-be. These classes are taught by experienced, internationally board certified lactation consultants and are designed to help answer common questions and concerns that you may experience during pregnancy. They should prepare you for both the initial breastfeeding experience and what to expect during the first few weeks at home.
At Home
However, we all know that what works one day might not work the next. If you were doing well with breastfeeding at the hospital but things don’t seem to be going right now, or if you just want some reassurance, both Sisters and Mercy hospitals have the Baby Café, a weekly drop-in center where you can get support and guidance from certified lactation consultant nurses.
You can also ask your child’s pediatrician if they have a lactation consultant on staff. Care Connections, a lactation center located in Amherst that serves all eight counties of WNY, provides lactation consultant services for over 35 local pediatricians.
Care Connections also offers home visits by their IBC-certified lactation consultants in addition to onsite breastfeeding consultations. And if you can make the drive to their Amherst location, they rent breast pumps and sell a variety of clothing and accessories designed to make your breastfeeding experience easier.
At Work
If you’ll be returning to work and plan to continue nursing, Millard Fillmore Suburban offers a special class called Breastfeeding and the Working Mother, which will help you prepare to return to work by teaching you to use your breast pump and store your breast milk.
And if you have a question in the middle of the night, there are several great websites out there full of helpful information. Try:
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, MD, we strive to prepare and support all of our patients who want to breastfeed to have a successful experience. In fact, we want any woman who wants to breastfeed to have a successful experience! Please contact us if you have any questions. Our team is here for you before, during and after your pregnancy.
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By admin
23 Dec, 2013
Breastfeeding support, Pregnancy
breastfeeding classes Buffalo, breastfeeding classes Western New York, breastfeeding support WNY, Dr. Carola Bagnarello, Dr. Christian Chouchani, Dr. Gabriel Chouchani, Dr. Magdi Sayegh, lactation consultants Buffalo, lactation consultants Western New York, nursing support WNY, WNY OB-GYN
You probably mean to do your breast self-exam (BSE) every month, but it often slips your mind, right? Or maybe you’ve heard that some people don’t think BSE is helpful in detecting breast cancer early and increasing the likelihood of survival. But experts still believe that BSE is a useful and essential screening strategy, especially in conjunction with regular physical exams by a doctor and mammography. Why?
Sure, there are statistics that say things like:
- About 20% of the time, breast cancers are found by physical examination rather than by mammography
- Nine out of 10 breast masses are detected through BSE.
But put aside the numbers and the science. The point is, in order to keep yourself healthy, you need to know your body better than anyone else! And being proactive with your health means doing whatever you can to lower your chances of developing breast cancer—which includes making sure that if breast cancer does develop it is caught early, in a treatable stage. With early detection and treatment, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer soars to more than 90%. Plus, performing your monthly BSE will help to determine what is normal for your breasts, and help you recognize a change.
The experience can be frustrating—for example, you may feel things but not know what they mean. But the more often you do it, the more you’ll learn about your own breasts and what’s normal for them, and the easier it will be for you to tell if something different or unusual is going on.
Perform your BSE 6 days after your period or on the first day of the month, if you no longer have periods. Remember that everyone’s breasts are different, and that any changes you see or feel can be related to aging, your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause or hormone use. Regular BSE will help to identify changes that require further evaluation and possible treatment.
What should you look for?
- Lumps, hard knots or thickening in the breast or underarm area
- Unusual swelling, warmth, redness or darkening that does not go away
- Change in the size or shape of your breast
- Dimpling or puckering of the skin
- An itch, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
- Pulling in of the nipple or other parts of the breast
- Nipple discharge that starts suddenly or is bloody
- Pain that is localized in one area and that does not vary with your monthly cycle
Nobody wants to think about getting cancer. But the fact is, taking the time to check yourself out is your best defense when it comes to caring for your health. If you have any questions about how to perform your BSE, ask your doctor – or call Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, MD. We’d be happy to offer any help you need.
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.
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By admin
15 Dec, 2013
Breast health, Women's Health
breast self-exam, check your breasts every month, Dr. Adel Chouchani, Dr. Carola Bagnarello, Dr. Christian Chouchani, Dr. Gabriel Chouchani, Dr. Magdi Sayegh, is breast self-exam important?, the benefits of breast self-exam, WNY OB-GYN
Medical professionals have known for decades that everyone’s vitamin D levels drop in the wintertime, especially those who live in the northern part of the country. Why is it a problem? Because vitamin D deficiency is connected with several health issues, especially anxiety and depression, and you may need to take extra action to keep your vitamin D levels high enough, and steady.
Vitamin D helps your body use calcium to build and maintain strong bones. It may also increase muscle strength to help prevent falls and broken bones as you age. And low levels of vitamin D have been linked with high blood pressure, diabetes, hypothyroidism, arthritis, and cancer.
Then there’s seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs during the winter months, when there’s not much sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency can actually cause depression year-round.
Why is it so hard to get enough vitamin D in the winter? Mostly because of the lack of sun.
Your body gets vitamin D from three places: sunlight, food and supplements. Your body makes Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the ultraviolet light (UVB rays) from the sun. During Western New York’s snowy, often overcast winter days, you won’t get enough UVB rays to make enough vitamin D. And the foods where vitamin D is found—cod liver oil, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and tuna and eggs—are often high in fat and low in popularity. It’s no wonder most of us need to supplement!
How much should you take? If your doctor has tested your vitamin D levels and found them to be too low, he or she may prescribe a very high level supplement to be taken for a short period of time. After that time, a maintenance dose should suffice.
It’s been proven that women who take supplements in winter are able to significantly elevate their vitamin D levels compared to those who don’t take supplements. It’s yet another way you can take care of yourself and your health, something that the doctors at Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello encourage. Please make an appointment with us if you have any health concerns you feel we can help you with!
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By admin
13 Dec, 2013
Women's Health
Dr. Adel Chouchani, Dr. Carola Bagnarello, Dr. Christian Chouchani, Dr. Gabriel Chouchani, Dr. Magdi Sayegh, how to avoid the winter blues, Vitamin D supplements in the winter, why Vitamin D supplements are important, winter blues in Western New York, WNY OB-GYN, women's health tips
Earlier this month we featured an article about what a Robotic Hysterectomy is and why someone might need this surgery. In this article, we also covered the benefits and risks of this procedure. At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello we perform the Robotic Hysterectomy with the da Vinci®Surgical System – which means there are very small incisions and a quicker recovery time than traditional hysterectomies.
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Robotic Hysterectomy might sound a little like something out of a science fiction movie, but in reality it’s a cutting edge, minimally invasive procedure, that is at the forefront of gynecology.
Did you know that besides the C-Section, the second most performed surgery on women in this country is the hysterectomy – or the removal of the uterus?
What are the most common reasons why a woman would need a hysterectomy?
Here are a few of the most common reasons…
- Benign fibroid tumors
- Cancerous tumors
- Uterine prolapse
- Endometriosis
- Long-term abnormal uterine bleeding
- Chronic pelvic pain
Why robotic?
Benefits of the robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy include:
- Smaller incisions, and as a result smaller scars.
- Less pain and a shorter hospital stay after surgery.
- An easier and possibly shorter recovery at home.
Are there any risks?
As, with any surgery, there are always risks involved. Your physician will determine if the benefits of the surgery outweigh complications that may arise. Although this is a relatively safe procedure, some risks include:
- Reaction to the anesthesia
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Damage to other organs inside the abdomen
- Blood clots that form in your legs and may travel to your lungs
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello we perform the Robotic Hysterectomy with the da Vinci®Surgical System. Using this cutting edge technology, we are able to dramatically decrease pain and speed up the recovery process. Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, our surgeons using the da Vinci System can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery and excellent clinical outcomes.
Are you a candidate for this type of surgery? Find out more about this amazing procedure. Or call our office at (716) 633-6363 for details.
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This month, you’ll see hearts everywhere in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Have you ever stopped to consider whether you’re taking care of your own heart? While February 14th only comes once a year, you can boost your own heart’s health 365 days a year with these five tips:
