Primary Care FAQs

Annual check-ups play a key role in maintaining health and detecting issues before they become problems.  eMDe Cares offers a variety of voluntary and mandatory exams, including  school physicals, work physicals, well visits and yearly medical check-ups.

Although Dr. Baijnath does not admit or manage patients during hospitalization, she does offer pre-operative evaluations for patients undergoing out-patient surgeries. eMDe Cares will work with your surgeon to ensure all blood testing, procedures, and paperwork are completed prior to scheduled surgery.

– What is an acute illness?  This is a condition of recent onset, such as a cough/cold, back pain, bronchitis, or strained muscles.  With supportive care and proper treatment from eMDe Cares, this condition can often resolve completely.

– What is a Chronic Disease?  This is a long standing condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, COPD, asthma, etc.  These conditions should be monitored closely by a physician to ensure symptoms are controlled and to minimize side effects or toxicity from medication.  At eMDe Cares we not only help manage these conditions, but also strive to incorporate alternative treatments such as dietary and lifestyle modification to control or reverse underlying causes. Our goal is to have you feeling well and living an active lifestyle with the least amount of medication possible.  Successful candidates for our practice are individuals who are open to change and proactive in improving their own health.

Chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol may cause hardening of the arteries, eventually lead to heart attack or stroke.  The causes of high blood pressure and high cholesterol are multi-factorial, including genetics, environmental influences, and/or lifestyle choices such as fast foods, alcohol, smoking and inadequate exercise.  However, it is possible to reverse these conditions without medication by maintaining an ideal body weight, eating healthy foods, and exercising.  At eMDe Cares a diet coach can assist in developing a customized plan and keeping you on track with your goals.

The endocrine system is a collection of hormone-producing glands that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, mood , and other body systems.

Hormone levels which are too high or low indicate a problem with the endocrine system. The most common endocrine disease in the U.S. is diabetes, a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin to properly process sugars.  Left untreated, elevated blood sugars can damage every organ in the body, cause blindness, cause chronic kidney failure requiring dialysis, and suppress the immune system & wound healing.  These serious conditions, coupled with nerve damage, can leads to foot amputations. With proper treatment and tight glucose control, one can manage these conditions and live a long, healthy life.

Another disorder, hypothyroidism, occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs.  Insufficient thyroid hormone can cause many body’s functions to slow or shut down completely.  This may lead to fatigue, lack of energy, depression, slow metabolism and weight gain.  This condition often goes undiagnosed or untreated because the traditional way of testing thyroid hormones only checks TSH and T4 (which can mistakenly signal no problems with the thyroid).  eMDe Cares encourages a more comprehensive thyroid panel to include T3 testing, which may signal an opportunity to correct T3 with bio-identical hormone therapy.

Hormone imbalances can have a significant impact on the reproductive system, particularly in women.  Among the top complications are:

Premenstrual Syndrome

Researchers have found more than 200 possible premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. These include irritability, bloating, cramping, cravings, headaches, breast tenderness, and others … sometimes occurring all at once.

• What Causes PMS symptoms?

Estrogen and progesterone are two sex hormones that fluctuate during a 28-day menstrual cycle.  Various factors can disrupt the natural rhythm of these hormones, causing an imbalance and triggering symptoms we commonly associate with PMS.

• Prescription strength Bio-identical progesterone for PMS

Women commonly manage PMS systems through birth control pills and/or antidepressants.  However, an alternative treatment, especially for women suffering from abnormal symptoms, is prescription progesterone.  The first step is to have us test your progesterone levels to determine whether this treatment is right for you.

Menopause / Peri-menopause

Call our Office for Answers to these questions.

PCOS

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.  Women with PCOS have ovaries that create an abundance of follicles each month without producing an egg.  PCOS can contribute to irregular periods, depression, excessive weight gain, acne, unwanted facial hair, and even infertility.

• PCOS and Insulin Resistance

A telltale symptom of PCOS is steady, significant weight gain, especially around the midsection, even when caloric intake is reduced.  Research shows a strong correlation between PCOS and insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance, which is commonly caused by overconsumption of carbohydrates, leads to sustained elevated levels of insulin in the bloodstream.  This excess insulin is believed to attach itself to receptors that line the ovaries and stimulate cyst production.  Those with this condition run a higher risk of developing other serious health problems like diabetes.  Fortunately, women with insulin resistance and PCOS can respond well to dietary modifications, nutritional supplements, and regular exercise.

• Treatment

Historically, PCOS has been largely misdiagnosed or overlooked entirely.  If diagnosed, it’s often treated with birth control pills, but this approach tends to treat the symptoms rather than underlying causes like insulin resistance.  Some physicians are now prescribing Glucophage (for blood sugar control), but in our view, this isn’t a sustainable treatment, especially if the patient isn’t adhering well to healthy lifestyle practices.  At eMDe Cares, we treat with a combination approach based on nutritional supplements, progesterone creams/pills, diet counseling, and regular exercise.

Bone strength is influenced by many factors:  genetics, body frame, diet, calcium intake, vitamin D levels, hormonal balance, stress, and lifestyle.  Because bones are constantly regenerating, every positive step towards supporting their function makes a big difference.

By our early 30’s, most women and men have reached peak bone mass.  By the late 30’s, bone resorption is slightly higher than formation (about .5-1%).  After menopause, this rate accelerates to 1-5%, on average, depending on a woman’s diet, exercise, body frame, drug intake, and overall health.  Within five years after menopause, bone loss levels-out again to a more gradual decline of 1-1.5% per year.  However, with osteoporosis, the rate of bone loss kicks into hyper-drive, resulting in up to 25% decline in the ten years following menopause.

Research shows a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis, as well as many other health concerns like depression, immune dysfunction, diabetes, and heart disease.  Our bones, as well as hair, teeth and nails, are mirrors of what we put into our bodies. At eMDe Cares, we counsel patients on how prevent & treat osteoporosis as follows:

• Daily medical-grade nutritional supplement rich in minerals and nutrients.
• Balanced diet rich in whole grains, leafy green vegetables, fruit, and seaweed products. If eat dairy, organic versions are preferred.
• Limit protein and avoid refined carbohydrates & simple sugars. Avoid sodas and caffeine, as they can weaken bones.
• Support hormonal balance during peri-menopause.
• Exercise daily, include weight-bearing exercises.
• After age 50, request bone scans every 2 years to monitor bone density

Insomnia can wreak havoc on people’s lives and is one of the most common reasons people seek out medical help.  For many patients, hormone imbalance can be a primary culprit.  Shifting hormones can cause temperature disturbances, triggering hot flashes and night sweats for both men & women alike.  Lack of sleep can also impede melatonin production, which we need in order to signal the brain to slow down. At eMDe Cares, we identify the root cause of your insomnia and commonly treat patients with hormones & natural supplements without reliance on prescription sleep aids.