Transforming Healthcare: A Blog By Gwinnett Medical Center

No one said being a parent was easy. From the first diaper to the day you drop your child off at college, the parenting game is full of critical moments. Some days, you score; others, you strike out. When it comes to your child’s health, every moment matters.

Every meal is an opportunity to give your child the nutrition he or she needs and a chance to instill healthy habits that willlast a lifetime—healthy habits that will win big against diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
Here are five steps parents can take right now to step up to the plate and reverse the trend by helping their children live healthier lives.

What if an expectant mom's baby bump was like a crystal ball, and her pregnancy could predict her future health? Actually, the idea isn’t that farfetched. How a woman’s body responds to pregnancy can give her important clues about health issues that lie ahead. Pregnancy is a time when doctors can spot things they might otherwise not be looking for. If you’re expecting, be on the lookout for four other pregnancy indicators:

Just as a road map leads you to your destination, a nuclear imaging scan can lead you to the proper treatment. When you’re lost, you rely on your GPS or your trusty atlas. And when your body veers off course, your doctor may order a nuclear imaging scan to get it back on track.

For many, “nuclear” brings to mind two other words: duck and cover. The common nuclear imaging scan, however, gives your doctor a look at how a particular body part is functioning—a road map, if you will, of your internal workings.

The ‘cardio’ in cardiovascular is just half the story. Vascular disease can affect your whole body. If you’re like most people, when you think about your cardiovascular system you think first about your heart. But don’t forget that your blood vessels are every bit as important to your health. Vascular diseases show up in places you might least expect—from the large arteries that send blood to your major organs to the tiny veins that carry it back from the tips of your toes. Having a parent, sibling or child with vascular disease raises your own risk, but the most significant risk factors for vascular disease are smoking and diabetes.

While some circulatory problems are just annoying, others are dangerous and even fatal. This head-to-toe guide intends to keep you in circulation. Read on to learn more about six common vascular diseases, telltale symptoms and actions you must take to protect your health.

Aerobic activity tends to steal the fitness spotlight, but your body isn't getting a well-rounded routine without the rest of the fitness ensemble: strength training and flexibility. 
So, whether you're an amateur fitness act that needs help getting off the ground, a repeat performer who's ready to the hit the road or an exercise enthusiast who aspires to attain rock-star status, here are a few tips for a harmonious fitness routine from Edward Gilbert, exercise physiologist at GMC's Gwinnett SportsRehab.

Which color springs to mind when you see the word clean? How about cold? Or spicy? We’re conditioned to associate particular colors with concepts and moods. Blue, for example, is often linked to nature. As a result, most people find sky blues to be tranquil and relaxing. Once you’re aware of how color affects your mood and behavior, use that knowledge strategically in every part of your life—from the color of your walls and clothes to the plates you use—to help enhance your mental or physical health. There’s truly a whole spectrum to consider. 
How do colors make you feel? Learn how red, black, blue white, yellow and brown influence you.

On a Sunday afternoon, Sept. 26, 2010, Jaynil Shah, a 21-year-old college student, was driving through a heavy rainstorm. Next thing he knew, it was November. He had suffered a stroke and gotten into an automobile accident, resulting in left pontine ischemic infarct and subarachnoid hemorrhage—an elaborate medical term for bleeding on both sides of the brain. When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, he was unconscious and unresponsive.

At Gwinnett Medical Center–Lawrenceville’s emergency department, the trauma team, led by trauma surgeon Romeo P. Massoud, M., and neurosurgeon Michael Amaral, MD, worked to control the bleeding in Shah’s brain. When he was stabilized, he was taken upstairs in the hospital to the Center for Neuroscience.

Read more about Jaynil's long road to recovery.