Update From John

Update From John

Hello!  John Jain here.  I know you don’t hear too much from me these days.  Kristi is the queen of keeping you all updated.  I thought it was high time I chime in with some things we are working on here at High Desert Doppler.

We will be starting a clinic in the next couple of months, the purpose of which is to be able to treat some of the conditions we diagnose at HDD.  The most impactful of these are deep venous thrombosis (DVT) also know as “blood clots.”  Most of you have heard the advertisements recently and the fact that Covid 19 infections can lead to long term issues with DVT.

We thought it would be expedient for High Desert Doppler to offer our referring base the option of having us treat the patients we see straight away and start our patients on medication, should they need it, at the time of their evaluation if their primary of referring provider wishes us to do so.  We also will be able to follow up on the progression of their condition/treatment right in our office.  We are excited to be able to offer this service and will have more information on the conditions we can treat forthcoming.

We will also be offering a high-quality line of nutraceuticals and health products.  You can find our selection on our website, highdesertdoppler.com, under the “marketplace” tab.  Our clinical and office staff and HDD can help you if you have questions.  In addition to nutraceuticals, there are skin products and CBD products available, all of which are the absolute highest quality.

Our services will be expanding as well as our locations where we will be seeing patients outside of the Albuquerque metro area.  More to come on the lines of diagnostic services and locations to come.

We look very optimistically at the coming year and hope to have more to offer.  Rest assured the same dedication to customer service and timely delivery as well as to our patients having a pleasant experience is still at our core and will remain so.

We have had some excellent additions to our sonography staff as well and I would like to offer a warm welcome to our newest additions, Meriah Sandoval and Lauren Strong.  Both of these dynamic ladies are featured on our “about” tab under “the team.”

In addition, we are also starting a foundation to offer free health screenings.  These will be extremely focused initially to young athletes to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is the cause of sudden cardiac death syndrome for this particular demographic.  Once the foundation is up and running, we will start to look for other demographics to screen for.  We will continue to look to where our expertise can have a positive impact on the communities we serve.

Thank you for your time and your patronage of High Desert Doppler.  We do what we do for you!

Thank you for your time,

John Jain

Blockage

Blockage

Today’s blog inspiration comes from an Audible book I’m enjoying.  It is on the New Your Times best seller list called “The Untethered Soul:  The Journey Beyond Yourself” by Michael A. Singer.  It is a fascinating venture into the question “Who are you?”

 

MINDFULNESS

Are you a physical body, a collection of experiences and memories?  Michael Singer has arrived at the conclusion that our identity is to be found in our consciousness, our ability to observe ourselves, and the world around us.  By practicing mindfulness, Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us to live in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.

 

ENERGY

The book examines the experience of vibration and energy as it flows through us and helps listeners overcome tendencies to block the flow.  Speaking of flow, do you experience blockage in other ways?

 

BLOCKAGE

Webster defines blockage as “An obstruction which makes movement or flow difficult or impossible.”  Blockage can be physical, mental, spiritual and emotional.  Not all blockage is bad.  For example, the Robo-Kill app on my phone blocks the majority of robocalls I receive daily, saving me frustration and time.  Recently I attended a self defense class where I learned how to block off a potential attacker.

 

NOT SO FAST

Not all blockage is good.  For example, arterial blockage is called Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.  It is a condition where a waxy substance called plaque forms inside the arteries.  If enough plaque builds up, the artery becomes clogged and blood flow is slowed or stopped.

 

BE STILL MY HEART

When plaque builds up, it narrows your coronary arteries, decreasing blood flow to your heart. Decreased blood flow may cause chest pain (angina), and shortness of breath, and heart attack or even death. Plaque can suddenly, unexpectedly rupture.  The blood clot that forms over the rupture, can break loose and can cause a heart attack or stroke.

 

HOW SWEET IT IS

Only those from another planet are unaware that saturated fats, fried foods, foods high in sodium, sodas, processed and fast food are some pretty serious offenders when it comes to poor heart health.  We are all aware of the evils of sugar, but experts agree that diets high in added sugar may be just as big a threat by contributing to obesity, inflammation, high cholesterol and diabetes, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.

 

IT’S SIMPLE, JUST NOT EASY

Eat a heart healthy diet including “good fats” and lean protein.  Increase your intake of fiber, fresh fruits and veggies.  Vacate that couch and exercise.  Lose the weight.  Nothing good comes from using tobacco, ever.  Minimize bad habits like excessive alcohol although studies show a glass or two of red wine may actually be heart healthy.   Lifestyle changes are the key to better health.  It is simple, just not easy.

 

HDD

If HDD can help in the diagnosis of blockages or other conditions, call us at 505-350-3397.

Acronyms

Acronyms

Today’s blog is a recycle from a couple of years ago.  Due to unusual time constraints and commitments, genius ideas and fresh blogs will be unavailable for the next two weeks.  I hope you enjoy a couple weeks’ worth of oldies but goodies!

 

HDD

I assumed that each time I use the acronym HDD, you know what I am referring to.  HDD stands for “High Desert Doppler.”  That got me thinking, how many other acronyms do we use each day and have no clue about what they really mean.

 

LET’S REVIEW

I realize I am not addressing a group of kindergarteners however, l though we might review for old time sake.  An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word.  Now that our memories are refreshed (as if you needed it), here is a bit of trivia.

 

DID YOU KNOW…

WD-40 stands for Water displacement- 40th attempt.  That’s how long it took manufacturers to figure out the recipe.

CVS stands for Consumer Value Store.

M&Ms stands for Mars & Murrie’s, the last names of the candy’s founders.

Pam (cooking spray) stands for Product of Arthur Meyerhoff.

YAHOO stands for Yet Another Hierarchical Office Oracle.

TASER stands for Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle.

Your ZIP code is actually your Zone Improvement Plan.

TIME magazine stands for The International Magazine of Events.

IKEA stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd, named for the founder’s initials and his hometown.

LASER stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.

CANOLA OIL stands for Canada oil, low acid.  The is no canola plant; the oil comes from rapeseed.

 

HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH?

Good, in that case, let’s continue.

GEICO stands for Government Employees Insurance Company.

NABISCO stands for National Biscuit Company.

SPAM (not junk mail but the nasty canned meat) stands for Shoulder of Pork and Ham.

BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works.

3M stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing.

EPCOT center stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

NIKE stands for National Infrastructure for Knowledge Exchange (lifelong learning.)

GOOGLE I GOODLED GOOGLE and found a plethora of various possible meanings.  There are way too many to list, so if you remotely care, GOOGLE it.

SOS…doesn’t stand for anything.  It was chosen as a sign of distress for its unmistakable Morse code representation-three dots, three dashes, three dots.

 

IN SUMMARY…

FYI (for your information), JIC (just in case) you have an SOS (emergency), BAE (before anyone else), YSK (you should know) that IANAD (I am not a doctor) but IMHO (in my humble opinion), HDD (High Desert Doppler) is the leader in DMU (diagnostic mobile ultrasound…I made this one up.)

OAN (on another note), I’d like to give credit to Reader’s Digest and HUFFPOST for enlightening me and raising my CQ (coolness quotient) in updated acronyms I was clueless about.  OMG (oh my gosh) I can’t believe I didn’t know!

In summary and in normal language, If HDD can help with any of your mobile diagnostic ultrasound needs, call us at 505-350-3397.   TY (thank you!)

Health Benefits of Having Pets

Health Benefits of Having Pets

I hope you enjoy reading today’s blog.  Perhaps while you do so, you have a loyal furry friend resting comfortably in your lap.  In my case, I have a snobbish terrier under my feet who could care less and a large goofy Labrador slobbering on them.  Today’s blog discusses the health benefits of having pets.

 

OUR BUDDIES

John’s and my life would simply not be the same without our two little canine buddies greeting us when we get home.  They are always hopeful a morsel will drop off the dinner table, exhibit total euphoria for a post dinner walk and can’t wait to curl up at the foot of our bed after an exhausting day of napping.

 

TO PET OR NOT TO PET

I realize there are a few of you who couldn’t imagine a life of copious amounts of pet hair, letting critters out periodically throughout the day, feedings and scooping poo.  There are vet bills, food cost, training, grooming along with various discipline problems.  If you’ve ever been in panic mode about finding a pet sitter, raise your hand.  The above mentioned might dissuade you from being a pet owner. However, we can’t imagine life without them.

 

PETS CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

Can you feel the love the minute you walk in the door?  Research has shown that living with pets provide health benefits.  WebMD suggests that pets can help lower blood pressure and lessen anxiety.  They boost our immunity.  Oddly enough, they say they can even help you single folks get dates.  Interesting.  Let me know how that works for you.

 

ALLERGIES?

James E. Gern, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison tells WebMD that a growing number of studies have suggested that kids growing up in a home with furred animals, whether it’s a cat, dog or farm animal will have less risk of allergies and asthma.

 

SENIOR MOMENTS

Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have fewer anxious outburst if there is an animal available to them says Lynette Hart, PhD.  Their caregivers also feel less burdened when there is a pet. Caring for a pet for the elderly who are able can provide exercise and companionship.

 

CHEER UP!

WebMD has been my source du jour.  They say that pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression.  The benefit is especially pronounced when people are strongly attached to their pets.  In one study, those with high blood pressure had lower reading in stressful situations than did people without pets.  Playing with your pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine which are nerve transmitter that are known to have pleasurable and calming properties.

 

HDD

Yes it’s true.  If your pet has health issues, diagnostic ultrasound is an option for them.  Consult your vet for further information.  Stay tuned.  At some point in the near future, HDD is hoping to be able to provide Ultrasound for your furry friends as well!  If you need ultrasound, consult us.  We can be reached at 505-350-3397.

 

Simply Sleep

Simply Sleep

I hope today finds you happy, healthy and ready to slay dragons!  A healthy morning meal, a bit of exercise and a good night’s sleep will help insure you make the most of another day.  We take it for granted that we will rise, shine and function well.  Hopefully, that is the case.  Is there more we can do to facilitate this?

 

ELUSIVE SLEEP

Many of us find a good night’s sleep to be a challenge.  Once we find the conditions right and establish a comfortable sleeping position, we assume a blissful night’s sleep will follow.  Not so fast.  Studies suggest the position of your body while you sleep may have an impact on your overall health.  This didn’t make a lot of sense until I did some research.  This is what I found.

 

FLIP FLOP

Sleeping face up might relieve back pain but exacerbate sleep apnea.  While side sleeping may relieve you sleep apnea, you may find it hurts your back. Sleeping on your tummy may alleviate sleep apnea and snoring but can cause neck or back pain.  Untreated sleep apnea is associated with in increased risk of heart failure.

 

RELOCATION?

Get a load of this.  If you’re dealing with a heart condition, sleeping on your left side may increase pressure on your heart. It is thought to reposition your heart in your chest and change its electrical activity.  It’s not clear if this effect is large enough to be of concern.  I’d love to hear cardiologist Dr. Harvey White’s opinion on this one. Feel free to chime in at any time Dr. White!

 

RIGHT ON

Healthline.com suggests that those who sleep on their right side have their heart held in place by a thin layer of tissue between the lungs called the mediastinum.  Some experts think that sleeping on your right side could compress your vena cava which is the vein that feeds into the right side of your heart.

 

CLEARLY UNCLEAR

A 2018 review of studies published in the Journal of Clinical sleep Medicine found that both poor sleep quality and short sleep duration are associated with a risk of coronary heart disease.  It is not clear what is the best sleeping position for your heart health if you don’t already have an underlying heart condition.  Seems like getting quality sleep is more important that your sleeping position.

 

ALL THIS TO SAY…

It remains unclear what the best way to sleep is best for your heart health.  Research seems to suggest that not getting enough sleep or poor sleep quality raises your risk of developing heart disease, obviously among other factors.  Staying well rested is critical for maintaining optimal heart health no matter how you hit the mattress.  Today’s blog didn’t solve the world’s problems, but I believe it gave us something to think about!

 

HDD

If you have concerns about your heart health, contact your healthcare provider immediately.  If they determine diagnostic ultrasound is indicated, we can help.  Call us at 505-350-3397.

Buenas noches!