Don’t Wait to Find the Right Primary Care Physician for You
A primary care provider, or PCP, is a doctor you see yearly for your annual checkup and more often if needed. Many people put off finding a primary care doctor because they don’t feel sick. Others aren’t sure how to find a PCP. Whether it’s been years since you’ve had an annual exam or you…
Why It Gets Harder for Men to Lose Weight as They Age
Checking your weight is the first thing a primary care provider will do when you go in for a checkup. “It’s truly that important,” says Curtis Chastain, MD, of Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Men’s Health and Executive Wellness Center. Small fluctuations in weight are normal, but your doctor is always on the…
How Is Your Gut Health?
You want to stay healthy. Maybe you do your best to eat good foods and work out to keep your waistline from expanding. But good health goes deeper than your waist, and good gut health goes even deeper. Why Gut Health Matters Your gut is also known as your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It helps your…
Children and Fear of Doctors: How You Can Help
Children and Fear of Doctors: How You Can Help For many children, the prospect of seeing a doctor is a cause for concern. This fear of doctors is common and can stem from a variety of factors, from worries about shots to fear that a medical exam might reveal scary news about a child’s health.…
What Type of Care? It’s Tricky, But We’re Here to Help
Without fail, your child will start coughing or spike a fever at the least opportune time, like a Friday evening after a long week at school or bright-and-early on a holiday morning. It can be hard to know the difference between what can wait and what needs emergency care. Ashley Lucas, MD, medical director of pediatrics…
How Chronic Stress Strains Your Body From Head to Toe
Stress doesn’t (totally) deserve its bad reputation. Short-term, or acute, stress can be beneficial. It can boost your productivity on a work project or spur you to seek shelter if caught outside during a summer thunderstorm. Stress shows its harmful side when it sticks around longer than necessary. This is known as long-term, or chronic,…
How Do I Get My Child to Socialize? Know When to Step In
Parents often worry if quiet or anxious children and teens will have the social skills they need to become successful adults. It can be challenging to figure out the best way to gently encourage kids to socialize and when it’s appropriate to step back. The key to knowing what to do is to find the…
Car Seat Safety Through the Growing Years
Make sure your child’s car seat is the correct one for their height, weight, and age and that it’s properly installed. Installation Checklist More than 59 percent of car seats are used or installed incorrectly. Is your child’s car seat installed correctly? Your car seat is: Appropriate for your child’s age, weight and height Facing…
Help Kids Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Lifestyle changes can help kids who are overweight, reducing their risk of developing long-term health conditions later. We believe we can change the future of Louisiana through coordinated care among parents, providers and kids to fight childhood obesity, which is a public health crisis in our state. We’ve gathered some lifestyle changes to make together…
