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
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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What if your doctor tells you you’re considered a high-risk pregnancy? What does that mean, and what can you do about it?
Being called “high-risk” may sound scary, but it’s just a way for doctors to ensure that you get special attention during your pregnancy. It usually means that you or your baby has an increased chance of a health problem—not that you or the baby will definitely have one.
What kind of conditions will put you in the high-risk category?
- You have a health problem such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart valve problems, sickle cell disease, asthma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or epilepsy
- You smoke or use alcohol or illegal drugs
- You are younger than 17 or older than 35
- You are pregnant with more than one baby
- You’ve had three or more miscarriages
- Your baby has a genetic condition, such as Down syndrome, or a heart, lung, or kidney problem
- You’ve had past problems such as preterm labor, preeclampsia or eclampsia
- You’ve already had a baby with a genetic condition
- You have an infection, such as HIV, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus (CMV), chicken pox, rubella, toxoplasmosis or syphilis
Will my doctor treat me differently for a high-risk pregnancy?
You’ll have more regularly scheduled visits to the doctor, and you may have more ultrasound tests to keep an eye on your baby’s growth. Genetic testing may also be done, especially if you are 35 or older or had a genetic issue in a past pregnancy.
Can a pregnancy become high risk later?
Yes. Sometimes a medical condition develops during pregnancy for either mom or baby causes a pregnancy to become high risk. Some complications include:
- problems with the uterus, cervix or placenta
- severe morning sickness
- too much amniotic fluid
- too little amniotic fluid
- Rh (rhesus) sensitization, which can occur if your blood type is Rh negative and your baby’s blood type is Rh positive
What can I do to stay healthy during a high-risk pregnancy?
- Seek regular prenatal care so your health care provider can monitor your health and your baby’s. Visit a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, genetics, pediatrics or other areas if necessary.
- Establish a good relationship with your doctor and with other doctors in the practice. You’ll want to feel comfortable discussing any concerns you might have and know that any of them can treat you if necessary.
- Eat a healthy diet. A daily prenatal vitamin can help fill any gaps. Consult your health care provider if you have special nutrition needs due to a health condition, such as diabetes.
- Gain weight wisely. Work with your health care provider to determine what’s right for you.
- Avoid risky substances. If you smoke, drink alcohol or do illegal drugs—quit. But get your health care provider’s OK before you start or stop taking any medications or supplements.
- Talk to your doctor about any health problems you have and any medications you are taking.
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, we pride ourselves on providing personal and friendly care to each and every patient. If you have any questions or concerns about your pregnancy or your prenatal or postnatal health, call us any time at 716.633.6363.
Disclaimer: The medical information provided in this article is of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional.
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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.