by Kristi Jain | May 24, 2023 | Uncategorized
This week’s blog covers something most of us probably complain about at the end of each day. Even worse, some might complain about it at the beginning of the day after a full 8 hours of sleep. You might ask, what is the commonality we complain about? The answer is exhaustion. Are you exhausted?
BADGE
One of my favorite inspirational and motivational speakers is Brenee Brown. A quote from a talk she gave recently said “I no longer wear exhaustion as a badge of honor.” How important is it that we report daily about how overly busy we are? It certainly doesn’t warrant a badge and it may actually be putting your health at risk. Note to self. Slow down!
THERE’S YOUR SIGN
Psychology today gives us indicia that might reveal if you are exhausted.
- Minor tasks feel overwhelming and trigger procrastination.
- Psyching yourself up works temporarily but leave you feeling depleted afterwards.
- You eat only pre-packaged, fast food, or microwavable foods.
- You keep doing tasks in an inefficient way because organizing yourself is beyond you.
- You wake up feeling tired.
- You don’t have mental space to deal with other’s needs.
- You waste unfulfilling time gaming or on social media because you don’t have the energy to break the habit and plan an alternative activity.
- You don’t have the energy to plan or set goals because you can’t muster the energy to organize it.
As Jeff Foxworthy would say “There’s your sign!”
WHAT TO DO?
What should you do if you find your plate is too full? Try hitting the reset button. Reorganize and prioritize. Get to bed a bit earlier a few nights a week. Check for any physical causes for the way you are feeling. Are you low on iron, vitamin D or B-12? Is your thyroid low or are you suffering from sleep apnea? There could be a physical cause for your low energy.
SELF-CARE
This may a foreign concept for some, but perhaps you can try some extreme self-care. Are you getting enough uninterrupted sleep? Yoga and exercise help along with healthy eating, prayer and meditation. Reading or listening to self-help or perhaps therapy can be immensely helpful. Learn strategies that will break the cycle of being a the proverbial “Hamster on a wheel.” Stop wearing your exhaustion as a badge of honor!
SPINNING IN PLACE
Next time you get those familiar feelings of exhaustion, ask yourself the question “Are you are spinning in place or are you inching forward?” Don’t let that perpetual spinning take a toll on your health. See your provider for a yearly physical, get tested and screened. Make sure your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health are all flowing in the same direction.
EISENHOWER MATRIX
Do you recall reading the “Eisenhower Matrix” blog? If not, perhaps you should visit our website and reread it or simply Google it. It is immensely helpful in prioritizing. If HDD can help with the physical aspects of your wellness, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | May 17, 2023 | Uncategorized
Today’s blog comes to you with a few fine features such as education, inspiration and a dash of motivation. It, however, does not come with a lifetime guarantee. What does come with a lifetime guarantee? The question is, who’s lifetime?
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK
A lifetime guarantee normally means the manufacturer will repair or replace a defective part for the lifetime of a product. Not your lifetime. Chances are if you’re 90 years old, you won’t get a refund on the defective fridge you bought in 1950.
BREAK DOWN
As much as I like to keep things upbeat and report that we will always be happy, healthy, peppy, and bursting with life, I can report no such thing. The fact of the matter is, each day our bodies are getting older and just like the fridge, things break down.
YOUR BODY
Your body is truly marvelous. It has performed day in and day out from the minute you were born. It knows how to breathe, beat your heart, circulate your blood, think and move. The execution of these tasks are done largely without much thought from you. Many of us take for granted we will open our eyes in the morning, get out of bed and function optimally till it is time to count sheep. This is not always the case. As the minutes tick by, we are aging. What was once a youthful and strong physique may now be creaking, popping and in some degree of a degenerative state.
NORMAL
What is happening to us as the clock ticks. What is normal and what is not? Www.webmd.com reminds us that our heart works harder, our skin feels different, we find it harder to see and hear, your teeth and gums change, your bones become more brittle, you have to pee more often. It’s harder to get around and stay fit as well as our sleep patterns change along with our appetite.
SLOW DOWN
Although there is no way to stop the clock, there are a few things that we can do to make the wonderful process called life so much more enjoyable.
- Eat a healthy well balanced diet.
- Get adequate sleep.
- Exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy gut.
- Manage your stress level.
- Avoid risky behavior.
- See your healthcare provider regularly.
- Do for others.
- Have a positive mindset.
- Don’t forget to play!
HDD
Taking care of your physical, mental and cognitive health is imperative for healthy aging. You don’t come with a lifetime guarantee so while you are here, live your best life. If we can help if and when your provider determines diagnostic ultrasound is indicated, call us at 505-350-3397. Our guarantee to you is that we will always be ready, willing and able.
by Kristi Jain | May 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
As I type this week’s blog, beside me is my usual 24-ounce water bottle. While researching and typing, I will unconsciously reach for my bottle and sip until it is empty. Eventually I will get up and refill it. I am killing two birds with one stone. I’m able to churn out the weekly blog and get hydrated at the same time.
FAT VS LEAN
Studies show that the average adult body is 50-60% water. Apparently infants are more like 75%. Obviously body composition varies according to gender and fitness level. I read that fatty tissue contains less water than lean tissue. Who knew?
GANDHI
The human body can’t survive on love alone. It must have food and water. It can go a lot longer without food than it can without water. Mahatma Gandhi survived 21 days of complete starvation. The average human would only last 3-4 days without water. Every living cell in the body needs water to keep it functioning. Water acts as a lubricant for our joints, regulates our body temperature through respiration and sweating and helps flush waste from our system.
I’M NOT THIRSTY
Our bodies are constantly losing water. If the lost water is not replaced, you can run the risk of becoming dehydrated. No, I’m not talking about a glass per day. That is not nearly enough to replenish what you lose. What if you aren’t thirsty? Drink water anyway. Thirst isn’t always a reliable indicator of the body’s need for water. Some people don’t feel thirsty until they are already dehydrated!
HOW DO I KNOW
I don’t love drinking water. If I don’t make a conscious effort, I will forget. That is until I’m thirsty. The question is, “How will I know if I’m dehydrated?” Your first clue is thirst. You might notice less frequent urination, dark colored urine, fatigue, dizziness and confusion. Dehydration is serious. Get medical help if you have diarrhea for more than 24 hours, are irritable or disoriented, are sleepy, are less active than usual or have bloody or black stool.
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
Believe it or not, water intoxication is a real thing. It is called hyponatremia. Too much water can cause the level of sodium in your blood to drop too low and can be fatal! Don’t get crazy. Get reasonable. Although you will hear different opinions about how much to drink, health authorities recommend eight 8-ounce glasses per day.
ULTRASOUND AND WATER
If you have ever had an abdominal ultrasound, you’ll remember, you were asked to drink oceans of water prior to your exam and do not empty your bladder. Although highly uncomfortable, a full bladder actually helps the sonographer view the pelvic organs. The intention is not to cause you grief and discomfort. It is to get the clearest most accurate ultrasound study possible, which is our goal at HDD. If we can assist with any of your diagnostic ultrasound needs, call us at 505-350-3397
by Kristi Jain | May 1, 2023 | Uncategorized
Today’s blog was inspired by an interaction I had with a sales associate at one of our local home décor stores. You may ask why this matters and what is this doing in a blog post from a diagnostic ultrasound practice. The answer is this. Some things are simply universal.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
The assistance provided by folks who represent a company, service or product is what we think of as customer service. We are pleased with outstanding service and infuriated when the opposite is true. Bad customer service can sour your taste for a product, practice or business for a lifetime.
MANY HATS
I was shopping one day in search of a specific item. A kind, efficient woman was helping me at the register, pondering a thief who had just bolted out the door and had a line of customers 8 deep. Despite the stress, she offered a contagious smile and efficiently wore one of the many hats expected of her. As if she needed more stress, I asked her if she knew about a specific item. She assured me she would keep her eye out and notify me if she saw it.
EPITOME
She remembered! Days later sent me a photograph of an item that was 100% spot on. She saved me many trips and lots of trouble. She listened closely and produced exactly what I needed. She is the epitome of excellent customer service. Well done Linette.
CATTLE CALL
Products, retail and restaurants are not the only places we expect excellent customer service. This is true in the medical field as well. Have you ever been to a health care facility where it felt more like a cattle call where you can almost hear “Next in line?” I have. The front office wears many hats. I understand how stressful that position can be however that is never an excuse to be curt, unkind or inattentive. The face you see behind the desk should be representative of the excellence you are about to experience. That is our objective at HDD.
JOHN JAIN
The CEO and president of our company is John Jain. He is a busy man who wears many hats and has multiple plates spinning at once. He is in charge of a large operation and the many souls that make this operation a success. Despite this, he has time for each and every patient and client who needs his attention and expertise. Today we were discussing how he is frustrated with the poor customer service he received from a particular vendor. He doesn’t have time for inept or inadequate. Customers, clients and patients have a choice depending on how they feel about the service they are provided with. If they are polite, conscientious and communicative, chances are you have a winner.
HDD
From Home Goods to High Desert Doppler, the goal is the same…excellent customer service. Some things are simply universal. Call us at 505-350-3397. Allow us to give you an example of great customer service.
by Kristi Jain | Apr 25, 2023 | Uncategorized
This week’s blog deals with a subject each of us is aware of minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day. Today we are touching on the idea of timing. We’ve all heard of and used the old adage “Timing is everything.” Merriam-Webster defines it as “The ability to select the precise moment for doing something for optimum effect.”
ELUSIVE TIME
Time is one of those elusive things that often we feel like we never have enough of. My mom used to tell me “Everyone has 24 hours in a day. Why do you always run short?” As a clueless youngster, I was late for everything. Adulthood has changed all that. I understand the value of everyone’s time and am rarely if ever, late. Thanks mom.
CONTROL
Time controls our waking and sleeping hours. We need ample time to sleep, wake up, eat, get to work, and to accomplish our daily responsibilities. That’s just for starters. Also requiring our time are our mates, families and friends. Whatever time is left over can be rolled into a social life. I have a handful of friends who are retired and they all say the same thing. “How did I ever get anything done when I was still working?”
CREDIT
Here’s a bit of trivia for you. Do you know who coined the phrase “Timing is everything?” The credit belongs to William Shakespeare who used this phrase in 1599 in his play Julius Caesar.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Time. Nobody controls it and nobody can stop it. The most important time is right now, right this minute. You can’t change what happened in the past and you don’t have control over what happens in the future. Note to self. Be present and live in the moment.
SCREENINGS
In other news, www.hopkinsmedicine.org reminds us that a screening test is done to detect potential health disorders or diseases in people who may not have any symptoms of disease. The goal is early detection and lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of disease or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. Be sure to consult your health care provider regarding the appropriate timing and frequency of screening tests based on your age, overall health, and medical history. The following are some examples of common screening tests:
- Cholesterol measurements
- Fecal occult blood test
- Pap test
- Prostate specific antigen
- Mammography
- Colonoscopy
- Diabetes or prediabetes
“Health is not valued till sickness comes.”
-Thomas Fuller
HDD
Health and disease are universal human experiences. Keep in mind that early detection saves lives. Timing is critical when it comes to disease detection and health management. If you and your health care provider determine that diagnostic ultrasound is indicated to identify or rule out a particular health concern, call us at 505-350-3397. There is no time like the present.
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