by Kristi Jain | Jun 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
This week’s blog covers a lot. To be a bit more specific, today let’s talk skin. Your skin covers a lot! I may have some good news. If you were slightly overweight last time you stepped on the scale, remember skin makes up about 15% of your total body weight.
STOP!
About face. That doesn’t mean you should bolt to Dairy Queen for a Blizzard because you thought that 15% of your weight was fat. Today we are looking at a few fun facts about the largest organ in your body. Using the correct medical terminology, skin is part of the integumentary system.
WHAAAAT?
This term refers to your body’s outer layer. This is made up of your skin, nails, hair, glands and nerves on your skin. This system protects your muscles, organs and bones from injury, infection and bacteria. The appearance and color of your skin can define your heritage and ancestry but wait…that’s not all. There are some cool things about this ubiquitous organ that you may not know.
FUN FACTS
- The average adult has nearly 21 square feet of skin that contain over 11 miles of blood vessels.
- A single square inch of skin has about 300 sweat glands.
- The thickest skin is found on your feet and the thinnest is on your eyelids.
- Your skin renews itself every 28 days and sheds about 9 pounds of dead skin cells every year.
- Some of the dust in your home may actually be dead skin…eeeooowww.
- Your skin has nerves that are connected to your muscles to help you react to extreme temperatures or pain.
- Changes in your skin can be a warning sign of medical conditions or changes in your body’s health.
- There are at least five types of receptors in the skin that respond to pain and touch.
- Sleep is vital for healthy vibrant youthful skin.
- Skin turns sunlight into vitamin D, which is important for healthy bones, reducing cancer cell growth, helping to control infections and reduce inflammation.
PARCHED!
This time of year many suffer from dry skin. The fact is dry skin is caused by lack of natural oils. Dehydrated skin is caused from lack of water. Dehydrated skin occurs when your body is losing more water than it’s taking in. Note to self, drink up.
GETTING OLD
As we age the number of pigment- containing cells (melanocytes) decreases. The remaining melanocytes increase in size. Aging skin looks thinner and paler. Pigmented spots including age spots or “liver spots” may appear in sun exposed areas. When many of us were youngsters, slathering on sunscreen was not a thing, slathering on baby oil was.
HDD
Speaking of skin, during an ultrasound, high level sound wave technology is used to penetrate deep below the surface of the skin to see what lies beneath. Ultrasound has difficulty penetrating bone and other dense material hence can only depict the outer surface of a bony structure. This week’s fun facts are brought to you by High Desert Doppler. If we can assist in any of your diagnostic ultrasound needs, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Jun 20, 2023 | Uncategorized
How are we doing guys? Summer 2023 is in full swing. Do you have a good attitude and a sense of optimism that will help catapult you over most any obstacle that is thrown your way? I sure hope this summer proves to be fun, happy and healthy. On that note, look ahead, be positive and quit complaining!
COMPLAINTS
Lately we are hard pressed to run across a soul who doesn’t have a slew of complaints about either what has happened, what is happening or what will happen. Let’s all look at the negative, pessimistic, depressing side of things, shall we? We get a lot more validation when we commiserate, right? Wrong.
FEET
“I cried because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
VALID
The above quote by no means minimizes our concerns nor does it render them invalid. It is simply a reminder to be grateful for the good things you have. Have some optimism, positivity and hope for the future and for the love of Pete, keep the complaining to a dull roar.
COMPLAINING
Complaining is defined as the expression of dissatisfaction or annoyance about something. Oh come on. We all do it probably more often than we care to admit. Consistent complaining or the propensity to complain is where we run into trouble. Remember that complaining impacts those around you who, in turn, impact you.
CHRONIC
Huffpost.com says chronic complainers don’t usually see themselves as negative people. They see the world as negative and themselves as merely responding appropriately to annoying, aggravating and unfortunate circumstances. They complain excessively because they believe that have ample reason to do so.
HOW TO QUIT
We are not talking quitting heroine. We are talking about how we might cut back on the need to complain. Lifehack.org gives us a few suggestions about how to quit chronic complaining and become the kind of person that people actually enjoy being around.
- Nourish a positive attitude. Change the way you think.
- Learn to adapt. The only sure thing about life is that nothing stays the same.
- Be more mindful.
- Be assertive.
- Be less judgmental.
- Be responsible.
- Keep moving forward.
SELF REFLECTION
As I type the above information, I did a little self-reflection. I realize that I could personally benefit from the above suggestions. Complaining is a bad habit. I know that misery loves company. Maybe we should keep better company as we focus on complaining less and becoming more mindful. Like they say, if you don’t do it for you, do it for someone who loves you!
HDD
As always, we do our best to deliver the highest quality, prompt mobile diagnostic ultrasound to you. Have we ever had a complaint? Of course we have. We have used those complaints as teaching tools to make things right. We want your ultrasound experience with us to be a great one. You can reach us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Jun 13, 2023 | Uncategorized
When was the last time you sat quietly and read a book? If I ever find time to read, I prefer to hold an actual book in my hands. I like the smell of a book, turning paper pages and anticipating the next chapter. I know there are Kindle or tablet fans who may disagree. It doesn’t matter which vehicle you use, the goal is to see a story unfold.
CHAPTERS
Books are one of the many things that has chapters. Life is full of chapters and transitions. Transition is often difficult. Whether it is the death of a loved one, the transition of a relationship or a changing situation, finishing one chapter then moving on to the next can be challenging. Remember, change is constant, growth is optional.
WHY SAVE THE CHINA?
This is random however, I am guilty of saving that special something for the “right time.” When special occasions approach, I’ll be digging out the china, silver and crystal. It will be dusty and tarnished since it rarely gets used. It makes me wonder why we save the china for only special occasions. Life is short. Break out the good stuff and celebrate today’s chapter!
IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES
At the expense of sounding grim, what if tomorrow never comes? Will you be pleased you resisted that slice of birthday cake, chastised yourself for your weight or appearance, deprived yourself of pleasure and joy, or stayed at work way too late as usual? Will you reflect happily about the guilt you felt when you didn’t do anything wrong, regretted something you said, did or didn’t do, or worried yourself sick over a situation that may never materialize?
STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES
Maybe it is time we slow down, stop and smell the proverbial roses. Life is short, make good use of it. Our days are numbered. Do your best to make each one count.
“The trouble is you think you have time.”
-Buddha
Spend time reflecting on the last chapter and anticipate the next one, but don’t spend excessive energy on anything other than now.
YOUR BOOK
What do the chapters in your book look like? Some are filled with happiness and health, while others are less promising. Whatever the pages in your chapters might say, you choose how you deal with it. Trust me, nothing on the planet hits you harder than when you or someone you love is given a devasting medical diagnosis. None of us can predict our health and happiness, yet it is our choice to live the best possible life, given our circumstances.
GET CHECKED
This serves as a reminder to get your health checked frequently. Early detection saves lives. Make your next chapters be filled with the healthiest and happiest outcome your situation will allow. If HDD can help with any of your diagnostic ultrasound needs, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Jun 7, 2023 | Uncategorized
I hope today finds you happy and well! A huge majority of the time, this is my circumstance, however some days I just feel old and tired. On those days, I look in the mirror to do my hair and makeup and wonder who that old lady is staring back at me. It might have something to do with the greying hair…ya think?
IT’S HAPPENING TO EVERYONE
Aging can be shocking and scary but if you look at it from a positive point of view, it is actually quite a privilege. Some didn’t or won’t have the luxury of growing older. Wrinkles, crepey skin and grey hair are all part of the glorious process. Embracing the process can make the journey a joy.
WHY GREY?
I read an article recently posing the question, “Why does our hair turn grey?” The answer if pretty simple and has to do with a group of natural pigments called melanin. The more melanin we have, the darker our hair. Less melanin means lighter hair. As we age, the cells slow down, hence producing less melanin.
I REPEAT…WHY?
Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, board-certified dermatologist says smoking, psychological stress, physical stress, and unhealthy diet actually contribute to greying hair. She believes one of the biggest culprits is sun. Who knew? Of course, if your mom or dad turned grey prematurely, chances are you are next. Heredity plays a role to some degree.
HOW ARE YOU AGING?
If you exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, get an adequate amount of rest, get your health checked regularly and keep stress to a dull roar, chances are the answer to that question is “I’m aging well.” Thedermgrouppartners.com gives us a few indicators that we are aging well.
- You have fewer wrinkles.
- You heal from acne quickly (yes we get it even if we are old.)
- You have minimal hair loss.
- You don’t have sunspots.
- Your skin stays hydrated.
FUN FACTS
As we age, we naturally lose elastin, collagen and melanin to name a few. This in addition to years of chasing that deep golden tan along with hot showers that parch our skin, wrinkles are pretty tough to avoid. Alternatively, there are those who keep our plastic surgeons in business with an abundance of Botox, poufy fillers and tight shiny faces. More power to you if that is your thing. Others chose to age naturally and gracefully. Our body, our choice.
HDD
We at HDD can do nothing about slowing the aging process or the old lady looking back at you in the mirror. If you are in less than optimum health, a little grey hair and a few wrinkles are the least of our concern. Eat well, drink LOTS of water, move your body, rest, have a low stress existence, enjoy your family and friends and don’t waste your life worrying about things you can’t control. Live your life and enjoy the ride! If we can help in any diagnostic ultrasound exams you might require, call us at 505-350-3397.
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.
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