What is a Psychiatrist?

A Psychiatrist is a Board-Certified Doctor who treats and diagnoses all conditions pertaining to mental health, focusing, among others, on: the detection of mental illnesses, the treatment of learning disabilities, and the management of substance use disorders.

Ultimately, a Healthy Lifestyle and Prevention are the most important steps towards maintaining your mental health:

Important recommendations include:

- stay connected with family and friends
- use relaxation and stress management techniques such as yoga
- avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs
- maintain a physical activity routine such as walking

Check for Ticks!

After spending time outside doing a yard cleanup, relaxing at the beach, hiking in the woods and grass, or visiting the dog park with your best friend, don’t forget to check for ticks! Tick bites can transmit Lyme disease, the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the United States, and other dangerous diseases. In addition to Lyme disease, the top five tick-borne diseases reported in the United States include:
Rocky Mountain Spotted Disease, considered to be the most deadly of the tick-borne diseases;
Anaplasmosis; Ehrlichiosis. and Babesiosis.

Even if you live or visit in an area where deer are not plentiful, ticks are still a concern. Mice, gray squirrels, chipmunks, other rodents, rabbits, and even bird species can host infected tick larvae and nymphs. Our dog pets can inadvertently become tick hosts if they wander in the woods, tall grass, or visit an infested dog park.

So, after you arrive inside your home, first check your clothing for ticks. Remove any ticks you find, and machine wash your clothing in hot water, followed by tumbling dry on high heat. The CDC also recommends showering within 2 hours of arriving inside, as showering may wash any unattached ticks off your body and provides an opportunity to check your body for ticks. Don’t forget to check your pet too!

You can find some helpful pointers on tick bite prevention, tick removal, and checking yourself and your pet for ticks at:

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html and

https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pdfs/publications/check-pets-for-ticks-508.pdf

(Image below used under license from shutterstock)

As a pediatrician, I deal with vaccines all day every day. I am not old enough to remember when the polio vaccine first became available, but I can imagine that the excitement for it was similar to the excitement for the Covid vaccine's unveiling. Like many others, I have signed up to get the vaccine and am trying to wait patiently (which is hard because I am so excited!). Vaccine science will be forever changed with the advent of this mRNA vaccine. As a doctor who focuses on prevention, I cannot wait to see what the future holds!

#Acne is one of the most common #Skin conditions worldwide. #Pore #Occlusion and #Plugging by excess skin oils and make-up can trigger #AcneFlares and lead to pustules, cysts and, eventually, #Scars. That is why the single most important step in the #Treatment AND #Prevention of #Acne is proper and regular #Face #Washing, 2 to 3 times a day.

#Heart #Disease is the #1 Cause of Death in Women (all ages and ethnicities) in the U.S., with 22% of all women deaths yearly being due to it. Visit your #Primary #Care doctor every year and implement #Lifestyle modifications that can help reduce your risk of heart disease: #healthy #diet, adequate #sleep, daily #activity and #exercise, and #Stress #Reduction.
#HeartDisease #HeartAttack #Hypertension #PrimaryCare #Cardiology #Prevention #PreventiveMedicine

This week is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. Children can be exposed to Lead in older homes and buildings that were painted with lead-based paint. This is a SERIOUS Health Risk and can lead to low IQ and difficulty concentrating in class. Ask your doctor about lead testing if you suspect this is happening to your family.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It is important for people who are in crisis or are having suicidal thoughts to know that there is help readily available from qualified professionals.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately
#SuicidePrevention #StigmaFree #SPM20 #NotAlone

Wearing a mask correctly can prevent the spread of #COVID19. When wearing one:
1️⃣ Wash or sanitize your hands before putting it on
2️⃣ Ensure it covers your nose and mouth
3️⃣ Avoid touching it in public
4️⃣ Wash your mask after every use
https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/prevention/

Make sure to remember the Three Cs. Following these rules along with wearing a mask, disinfecting surfaces and washing your hands can help prevent the spread of #COVID19. Visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/prevention/ for more tips.