Are You a Couch Potato?

February 4th, 2012

Are you a couch potato?

A couch potato is someone who leads a sedentary lifestyle. The
term is used to describe someone who sits most of the time,
often watching TV, using the computer, playing video games, or
engaging in some other type of non-challenging activity.

I’m sure you know that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to a
variety of ailments. Depression, anxiety, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, venous and arterial compromise, and obesity
are just a few of the possibilities.

If your purpose in life is to weigh down the sofa to make sure
it doesn’t move, you can also succumb to “brain drain.” Sitting
on the sofa will not help you in any way, shape, or form.

The solution is easy; get up and start doing some type of
activity. Join or start a group related to your interests.

Getting up off the couch, taking part in a group meeting
related to your passion or hobby, and participating in an
exercise program will help you to be healthier from the neck up
(your brain and mind) and from the neck down (your spine,
muscles, heart and organs).

Just get going!

To a Healthier Mind and Body,

Dr. Michael Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

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Look for the Right Vitamin

December 26th, 2011

As Boomers we have to be careful with the vitamins and supplements we choose to take, especially if you take medicine.

If you take medication talk to your pharmacist about taking any supplements or vitamins, which may
compromise your medicine, either increasing or decreasing its potency.

Here is a quick recommendation when taking vitamins…

Don’t buy EVERY vitamin when you are in the health food store.

Often we can get sucked into buying vitamins/supplements for every ailment we have or might have. Before you know it, you will have spent $100-250.00 for vitamins and in a few weeks you won’t know what you are taking, let alone what you are taking the vitamin for.

One of the most important aspects of taking vitamins is how fast the vitamin is absorbed into your system. Look for the letters “USP” on the supplement. The “USP” means the vitamins meet the voluntary standards of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia and that they dissolve in a lab test designed to mimic what happens in your gut. If you want to find out if your vitamin meets the standards of USP, please aj the reseller of that vitamin or the company who produces the vitamin.

Please note that just because a vitamin is not listed on the Council for Responsible Nutrition or the United States Pharmacopoeia , it does not necessarily mean that the vitamin is of poor quality. It cost money to test for quality, purity, disintegration and dissolution and some manufacturers of supplements and vitamins do not want to pay additional costs.

If you don’t know where to begin, seek out a nutritionist. You have to take into consideration your gender, age, genetic predisposition, past and present health history, and your future health goals.

If you are still not sure you can always hedge your bet and begin taking a multi-vitamin made from whole foods versus a synthetic base.

Stay Healthy & Happy!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Wisdom

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Health as a Priority

November 1st, 2011

In the past I’ve written about the importance of persistence,
desire and the ability to adapt to change to reach the top of
the success ladder.

There’s another important underlying characteristic-your
health.

Most of the successful business people I know make their health
a priority.

And I request you do the same.

If you are currently not involved in an exercise program I
strongly recommend you change your lifestyle if you want to
enjoy the fruits of your labor–the result of you reaching the
top of your game.

I know time is at a premium and making time in your day to
exercise may be difficult so let me offer some suggestions:

-Purchase a jump rope. Using a jump rope 10-15 minutes a day
will improve your cardiovascular health

-Perform resistance exercises such as squats, lunges and
push-ups. If you can’t do regular push-ups, perform push-ups
off the wall or a chair.

-Flexibility exercises. On a daily basis, stretch your
hamstrings (back of your legs), gluteal muscles (your
buttocks), low back muscles, upper back and neck muscles.
Stretching these muscles are extremely important if you sit
most of your day.

Make your health a priority!

To Your Health & Success!

Dr. Michael Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

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A News Diet

September 17th, 2011

Watching and reading the news every day can be detrimental to
having a healthy attitude towards life.

I am not advocating that you stick your head in the sand and be
completely oblivious to what is happening in your local
community, your state, and the world.

I am, however, recommending that you limit your intake of the
news.

I’m sure you are aware that the financial markets were very
turbulent last week. In addition, we hear of heightened unrest
in the Middle East, famine and suffering in Somalia, rioting in
the United Kingdom, and the threat of economic collapse in some
European Union countries.

All of it is crazy, unsettling, and stressful.

Does exposing yourself to every detail of the news have any
positive result?

Here are my thoughts:

-If you own a business, you do have to know about current
events so you can prepare yourself for changes which may
directly impact your business and your customers. Consider
reading, listening to or watching short news bits as opposed to
thirty-minute- and hour-long shows.

-If you don’t own a business, I suggest you review current
events only twice a week. It will be healthier for you. Do you
really want to expose yourself to negativity on a daily basis?
Too much negative news can result in feelings of hopelessness,
which are not healthy for either the heart or the mind.

This week, go on a “news diet.” Use the time you normally spend
watching or reading news to enjoy some good music, a comedy or
a book. Feed your mind with “feel-good” stuff. You will be much
happier.

To a Healthy Mind & Heart,

Dr. Michael Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

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Top 4 Tips for Baby Boomers with Chronic Pain

July 21st, 2011

1. Be wary of scams and offers of bogus cures

Boomers with chronic pain are especially vulnerable to marketing schemes and scams promising “quick-fixes” or “cure-alls’. When you are in pain, often you are taking medications, the quality of your sleep is compromised, and your judgment may be negatively affected. Combine these factors with a fierce desire to be healed and you become an easy target for those who wish to profit from your condition.

If you watch daytime or late-night television, you’ll see all sorts of commercials pushing special drinks, herbal cures, magnets, and other questionable health products. If you are on the Internet, you’ll see an even wider variety of scams, offering you miracle cures at a special price.

Be smart. Never invest your money or your time in anything offered for sale without first discussing it with your physician. Most doctors are open to alternative health practices like acupuncture or massage therapy as a compliment to traditional medical care, but will steer you away from dangerous medications or practices.

Before you buy that healing bracelet, special Amazonian drink, or colon cleansing system, talk it over with your physician to ensure that it is right for you. Your health and your finances will be safer if you do.

2. Increase your mental strength

Since your body is in pain, your physical strength diminishes. To compensate, increase your mental power.

Read, watch game shows like Jeopardy, do crossword puzzles or Sudoku, and play card or board games. Be sure to stimulate your brain and give it a good workout every day. Start dialing your phone instead of using the memory function. These practices and many other simple exercises will help your memory stay sharp.

Living well with chronic pain takes mental skill and agility. The more you can increase your mental strength, the better you’ll be able to create strategies to live a satisfying life, in spite of that pain.

3. Don’t be upset by the latest and greatest medical research

It seems like a new medical research study comes out every week and the results are mixed. First, they tell us a certain food is good and then the following week we hear that food is bad. It’s very confusing.

Medical researchers are studying foods, medications, and treatments at a fast pace. I’m glad they are, since innovation in medicine is always important.

However, my Boomer patients are often concerned about news of the latest research breakthrough. They wonder if they should stop taking certain medications or start taking others they’ve heard about on the news or in a commercial.

While it is important to pay attention to what’s going on in medical science, it is equally important not to over react to the latest results.

When you learn of a new medical research study, evaluate it. See if you can determine who the test subjects were, the size of the sample of people who participated in the study, and the objectivity of the results. Don’t make any changes in your medications or daily routines based on the study until you’ve discussed it with your physician.

4. Decide to take charge and live well in spite of chronic pain

You are not your pain.

You are not your disease, dysfunction or diagnosis.

You are not invisible or worthless.

You are a person, valuable and important, who happens to have chronic pain.

My Boomer patients need constant reminders that they are worthy and life is always worth living. It’s hard not to feel less than others or disappointed that you can’t always do the things you want to do.

Dealing with chronic pain isn’t for the weak. It takes courage, guts, and fortitude. Some days you may wallow in self-pity, unable to get out of bed because you can’t see any point to it.

But every day you decide to get out of bed, you’re a winner.

Making a decision to live well, no matter how much pain you feel, calls on every bit of resolve you have inside you. When you do make that decision, you’ll find a new sense of power. You’ll be in charge of your pain, instead of it being in charge of you.

Sign up for the FREE newsletter and recive a complimentary report on The 8 Essential Components of a Healthy Nutritional Lifestyle. Just click or paste the following link, http://tinyurl.com/6b9zs2v

To Your Health,

Dr. Michael Kaye
www.aboomersguidetochronicpain.com

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Getting Old is for the Birds, or Is It?

July 13th, 2011

I can’t tell you how many patients say to me, “Doc, whatever you do, don’t get old. It’s for the birds. Everyday you wake up there’s a new pain”. And I always reply, “Well, the alternative to getting old is worse”.

As far as I am concerned, every day above the grass is a bonus.

Sure we are all going to get old, hopefully. The goal is to get old with grace.

Here are some easy tips to help you along the way:

1. Eat smaller meals throughout the day. By reducing your caloric intake at each meal and eating every 1.5-2 hours you will experience more energy.

2. Start a yoga or flexibility program. Take time each day to stretch. This doesn’t have to be an hour long process. Perform stretches for 1-2 minutes throughout the day. This will ease morning stiffness.

3. Practice balance. As we age our ability to maintain proper balance often becomes compromised. Take the time to practice balance exercises each day. A simple balance exercise is standing on one leg for as long as you can (no more than 3 minutes) then switch to the other leg. If you feel unstable, use a chair or a wooden dowel for support.

These three simple steps will help you age with grace.

To Your Health,

Dr. Michael Kaye
www.aboomersguidetochronicpain.com
www.drmichaelkaye.com

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The Power of a Second Opinion

June 26th, 2011

For the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to treat a very pleasant man, a Baby Boomer, who had unfortunately fallen on ice back in February.

He complained of pain throughout his lower back, left hip, and knee. When he came to my facility he was using a walker because he could barely walk. He could not shower or dress without help. I developed a treatment program to help him walk better and to decrease his pain.

This man had been examined by an orthopedic surgeon before coming to my facility. The surgeon took X-rays of his hip, prescribed anti-inflammatory medication, and told him to return a couple of weeks later. When he returned, the doctor told him that he needed a hip replacement because he has osteoarthritis (loss of cartilage of the joints). He was escorted to the front desk and scheduled for pre-operative blood work and a complete cardiologic workup.

As you can imagine, the patient and his wife showed up in my office significantly distressed about the idea of having a hip replacement.

I asked him two simple questions. Did you have this pain six weeks ago? His answer was “No.” Are you getting better? The answer was “Yes.”

I referred the patient to another orthopedic surgeon. After a careful evaluation, he did not recommend the surgery. He felt that the patient should continue with treatment since he was improving.

What do you think would have happened if the patient had not gone for a second opinion? He probably would have had an unnecessary surgery.

I have often referred patients for second opinions (and sometimes third opinions, if necessary). If you do not feel comfortable with a doctor’s recommendation, it’s time to get a second opinion. If a doctor is treating you and you are not getting better (experiencing a decrease in the frequency, intensity, and duration of your pain or managing your condition), it’s time to get a second opinion. You can’t depend on your doctor to refer you to another doctor for a second opinion; sometimes you just have to get one on your own.

Doctors are extremely busy and overworked. Quite often they have a tendency to rush in and out of an appointment without focusing on the patient’s needs.

When doctors are rushed, they may fail to answer patients’ questions. Sometimes patients think of other questions after the visit.

I suggest that you prepare a list of written questions for your appointment. When you get home, write down any further questions that you may have thought of after the appointment. If the questions are urgent, call the office and speak with the nurse or physician’s assistant.

If you do not feel comfortable with the answers and recommendations of your doctor, get another opinion. It’s always helpful to have a second pair of eyes look at and evaluate your situation.

To Your Health!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye

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When Pain has Turned Your Life Upside Down

May 22nd, 2011

One of the major roadblocks to happiness and success is pain.

I have the opportunity to treat the chronic pain population. I
am sure you can imagine how hard it must be to think of
becoming a success while suffering with pain. Your ability to
concentrate is limited by the distraction of the pain. If and
when you have periods of time when the pain is not so bad, you
have to determine whether you should play with the kids, do a
load of laundry, speak with your spouse, exercise, sleep, or
work on your business. 

I treat individuals whose lives have been interrupted by a car
accident or a work injury. They are forced to spend much of
their time dealing with actions related to their
accident/injury.  Things that they were able to do easily prior
to the accident may be difficult. In addition to pain and
problems with daily living, many have to learn to deal with
attorneys, insurance companies, claim adjusters, human resource
departments, doctors and the medical system.

If you have been involved in an accident or suffered an injury,
please click on this link to discover the Accident
Documentation Kit. This kit was created to help close a giant
gap in understanding how to manage life after you’ve been
involved in an accident.
http://tinyurl.com/yc3cdmd

Although it may be hard to concentrate, you must take back
control of your life. This kit will help you deal with doctors,
therapists, insurance companies, and lawyers.

Now is the time to take charge.

Please feel free to forward this link to a friend or relative
who has been in accident. 

http://tinyurl.com/yc3cdmd

Here is a testimonial from one of my clients who purchased the
kit…
“Being a do-it-yourself kind of person, I have bought packages
of forms before from various sources, such as paralegal stores
and discount online venues. And I can tell you Dr. Kaye’s price
for this kit, which not only gives you the forms but also helps
you navigate the maze of insurance, medical and legal dealings,
is incredibly generous.”  -C. Blankenship, Travel Writer

Wishing you Health & Happiness!

Dr. Michael Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results
P.S. Click here now to learn more about The Accident Documentation Kit

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What’s Playing in Your Head?

April 17th, 2011

Have you noticed how frequently you can hear a song and then not
get it out of your head for the rest of the day?

The song seems to be on a continuous loop in your brain.

The same thing can happen with our thoughts; they can play on a
loop all day long.

The act or practice of talking to oneself mentally, i.e. through
our thoughts, is referred to as self-talk. Self-talk can also
be done aloud, but most of us keep our talk to ourselves.

Self-talk can be positive or negative.

Negative self-talk often starts in our early years. Remarks by
family members or teachers such as “You’ll never amount to
anything” or “Why can’t you be more like your brother/sister?”
can cause negative thoughts, compromising our self-esteem as we
get older.

When my clients use negative self- talk (“I don’t deserve this”,
“I can’t do anything right”), I ask what they are basing their
thought processes on.

It’s interesting to note that, more often than not, they have no
basis to support their negative self-talk.

One of the best defenses against negative self-talk is
journaling. Record your negative thoughts and determine if said
thoughts are actually true. It’s important to end the day’s
entry with five positive thoughts/statements as well as with
five things you are grateful for having in your life.

Another trick which I have used is the rubber band snap. Wear a
rubber band around your wrist and every time your self-talk
becomes negative, snap the rubber band. Hopefully, you’ll
condition yourself to decrease the negative self-talk. Not too
many people enjoy the feeling of a rubber band snap too often
during the day!

I hope my last point will help you the most. If you feel bad
about yourself, if you are down in the dumps and just plain
miserable, go help someone less fortunate. I know this may sound
crazy, but actually helping someone when you feel depressed can
be very good medicine for you, as well as for the person you are
helping.

You may not think it, but in all honesty, you do make a
difference in this world and to others.

Here’s to better thoughts throughout your day!

Dr. Michael Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results
www.aboomersguidetochronicpain.com
www.drmichaelkaye.com

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Based on What?

March 13th, 2011

A few months ago one of my patients reported to my office for a
follow-up examination. He seemed “bummed out.” When I asked what
was wrong, he said that one of his co-workers told him that he
was wasting his time at my office and that he should be better
by now.

I replied, “Based on what?” He looked at me, hesitated, and
said, “That’s a great question.”

This patient was involved in a serious accident. Since he
started treatment at my facility and with another doctor, the
activities of daily living have become easier for him.

I have heard this statement (“You should be…”) many times. Often
the statement, or rather judgment, is made by a co-worker or
family member.

“You should be better by now; you’ve been going for treatment
for so long.”

When I hear these remarks, I always think to myself, “Based on
what?”

I counsel my patients to reply, “Should I be better based on how
your brother (or friend or other relative) healed? Should I be
better based on the results of research? Should I be better
based on criteria that an insurance company may be employing?”

Everyone heals at a different pace. There may also be
contributing factors that vary with each individual. Underlying
clinical complications may range from disease processes to
psycho-social issues.

I have also heard this remark in reference to business and
financial matters. “You should be a success by now; you’ve been
working for years.”

It usually takes two to five years for a new business to
succeed. You have to remember that this does not happen
overnight. It generally takes many nights (and days, too) of
working, sweating, building, and worrying to build a business.
Many factors influence the speed with which success is achieved.

Whether you are healing from an injury or building a business,
don’t give up. Move at your own pace and surround yourself with
a great team. Your success should be “based on” your own
timetable.

To Your Health, Wealth, Happiness & Not Giving Up,

Dr. Michael Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results
www.drmichaelkaye.com
www.aboomersguidetochronicpain.com

P.S. To checkout The Ladder of Success
click on this link http://tinyurl.com/65js8vf

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