by on March 12, 2015

How to Shed Those Post-Pregnancy Pounds

Dr. Lori Gore Gore-Green PregnantCongratulations! Your new baby is here and now you’re impatient to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. Following a smart plan will help you shed the extra pounds, but these things take time you’ll need to do it in a way that is healthy for your body.

Follow these 6 steps to healthily shedding your post-pregnancy pounds:

  • Stay Hydrated: The recommendations for your suggested daily water intake vary from place to place, but most doctors nevertheless agree that staying hydrated is key for maintaining a healthy weight. Use your urine color as a gauge for your hydration level — if your urine is relatively clear, you know that you’re probably drinking enough fluids. (Note: Some medications and pills, such as B vitamins, can cause your urine to turn bright yellow, regardless of your hydration level).
  • Don’t Diet: Dieting can be the wrong mindset for new mothers, especially if they are breastfeeding their babies. Instead of putting an exclusive focus on cutting calories, put the focus back on eating healthy foods in a well-balanced variety. Eat lots and lots of vegetables, have a portion of healthy grains and lean protein at each meal, and keep small, healthy snacks available for noshing in between.
  • Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods: Your body needs all the nutrition it can get while it’s recovering from a delivery. This is particularly true if you’re breastfeeding your baby. Routinely add superfoods to your diet, such as salmon, quinoa, milk, greek yogurt, spinach, and avocados, in moderation.
  • Breastfeed: The jury is still out on whether breastfeeding can actually help mothers lose weight — some studies suggest it can help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight faster while others find no difference. Either way, breastfeeding is worth pursuing because it gives your baby a number of health benefits, including a boosted immunity. You can add 200-300 extra calories to your diet if you exclusively breastfeed, but just make sure to keep those calories in line with the rest of your weight loss plan.
  • Start Burning Calories: Your weight loss starts in the kitchen, but it ends with your exercising routine. Make sure to include both strength training and aerobic training exercises into your weekly regimen to help you de-stress, achieve better sleep, avoid depression, and keep off the extra pounds.
  • Catch Up On Sleep: Getting a good night’s sleep with a new baby around may sound impossible but getting those 8 hours of sleep is one of the most effective ways to keep off the extra weight. When you’re well rested, you’ll have more motivation to exercise and you’ll reduce the weight-gain effects of stress hormones like cortisol. Make it a priority to sleep when your baby sleeps and try to take naps during the day to catch up on lost sleep. You’ll have to go to bed earlier, but you’ll be thankful that you did.
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by on February 27, 2015

5 Most Frequently Asked Questions About That First OB/GYN Visit

Dr. Lori Gore-Green

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding OB/GYN appointments. Many people don’t know what to expect, don’t understand why the appointment is important, and don’t know the difference between a Pap smear and an STD test. Dr. Lori Gore-Green has put together this list of the top 5 most frequently asked questions about the first visit so you can make an informed decision and keep yourself in optimal health.

Here are Dr. Lori Gore-Green’s answers to the top 5 FAQs about OB/GYN visits:

When Should I Go? The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that 13-15 year old girls should start visiting an OB/GYN, even if it’s just to have an initial talk with the doctor. Girls that become sexually active before that age should visit the OB/GYN earlier.

How Do I Prepare? There’s not much you have to do to prepare for an OB/GYN appointment. You should try to avoid douching or having sex for a day or so before your appointment to ensure accuracy on your Pap test results.

What Will Happen At My Appointment? A nurse will begin by giving you a general health check including weight, blood pressure, and sometimes urine tests. Afterward, you’ll need to get undressed for the physical exam, but you’ll be provided with a gown to cover up. Your doctor will ask some questions about your health and then examine your vagina.

What Are They Checking For? The OB/GYN will check the outside of your vagina for any abnormalities and then use a speculum device to check the inside of your vagina and cervix. The idea is to examine your reproductive organs to make sure that everything looks safe and that you are not developing any tumors. You’ll also be given a Pap test (or Pap smear) with a small brush to check for cervical cancer.

Will I Be Tested For STDs? A pap smear is not the same as being tested for STDs. While a Pap smear will test for cervical cancer and abnormalities, an STD test will determine if you have any sexually transmitted diseases. If you are sexually active, your doctor will check you for common STDs by taking a swab of tissue during your exam. This test is fairly comprehensive, but you’ll need to get a blood test to check for HIV.

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by on March 20, 2014

Physicians on Social Media

Professionals should always market themselves positively on any social media profile.

Social media can be a touchy subject for some individuals depending on their lifestyles, careers, areas of expertise, and so on. While social media can help many professionals, if an individual is not careful enough with what the put on the Internet, it is also something that can hurt. In a recent video on obgynnews.com, Dr. Matthew DeCamp, tells us what physicians specifically should leave off the Internet.

Matthew DeCamp is an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and in the Johns Hopkins division of general internal medicine. He expresses in this video that there are certain things that physicians post on their social media forums that can be detrimental to their careers and the lives of their patients. In particular, some dangerous areas to post about are alcohol consumption, profane language, or statements about patients – even without mentioning names.

Many times an individual in the medical field, or any professional field for that matter, will post something on social media that is derogatory or exploits someone’s personal business, and even when they think they are in the clear because they’ve kept names out of it, they are wrong. That patient may be identified by any other individual reading the post. As a physician, there are tons of documents that need to be signed and confidentiality is huge. There is never a reason for a doctor or nurse or assistant to be speaking about a patient or client on the Internet. This is absolutely an invasion of privacy.

Social Media is not a bad thing by any means, however the users must be extremely cautious of what is on their profiles, as well as what is in the fine print. Some social media profiles allow the public to see almost everything you put out there, so awareness is key. Educate yourself on every single profile you are on or wish to be on. Privacy settings are another very important part that individuals must read through entirely. Social media can be the perfect way to market and advertise a business or skill set as well. Learn how to make it a positive and stay away from anything questionable!

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