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Author: Natalia Southerland

Dr. Southerland on BRAND NEW MED AND COVID-19

Written by Natalia Southerland on . Posted in Uncategorized. 45 Comments

 

We are HERE!      The present COVID -19 (Coronavirus) Situation is what I call unsettling.   My main goal is and always will be Health and Wellness.    While we are dealing with what can make you sick, let’s also concentrate on keeping you well.

BRAND NEW MED is unique in that we are a practice who offers telemedicine visits (remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by telecommunications technology) Yes, I’m talking about your SPRUCE APP. We have been that way from the beginning.

Because of our present public health situation and   the nature of my practice, I will be moving all medical visits to telemedicine visits WITH THE OPTION for a face to face visit starting Monday March 23rd.

I will contact you BEFORE your visit and if there is an indication that you need a hands-on exam to make a correct and valid diagnosis, I will meet you in the office if that is necessary.   I ask that you participate in your Telehealth visit by providing temperatures, blood pressures, blood sugar readings, or pictures when needed.

When you make an appointment online you will be asked to complete screening questions around symptoms of COVID- 19 before you complete scheduling of your appointment.  This allows us to provide you with proper direction    regarding your symptoms and to keep the office safe and open for others who may need to be seen in person.

I  will  continue   with  daily  monitoring  of  recommendations  and  protocols  established  by  trusted  scientific     sources  including  the  World  Health Organization,  the  U.S. Centers  for  Disease  Control  and  Prevention  (CDC), The Texas  State  Health  Department,  and  local county  and Waxahachie and Dallas city authorities and  provide  you  with  important updates.

At this point, the concept of “Heal Yourself by Yourself” becomes important.  Until testing become widely available, the only way, we can prevent the spread of this infection is by social distancing.    I encourage you all  to differentiate between what you want and what you need, keep others in your consideration and keep yourself and others safe.   I understand this is difficult, but life has become “different” and change can help us learn.

What I most want to express is social distancing DOES NOT have to mean isolation.  Also, you are not your thoughts, you are what you decide to do.   Keep in contact with your friends and family via phone   or social media, learn and leverage new technology   like using Facetime, Google DUO or What’s App to see and talk to friends safely.  Read that book, clean that closet, start a new hobby, healthier way of eating or exercise. Get outside and breath some fresh air at least once a day.  Sit on your porch, go for a walk.     Fear and loneliness can breed stress   and affect sleep and your immune system.  Our greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another-William James. 

You are not alone.  I am here to answer questions when you need me.  I too, want to stay healthy enough to serve your health needs.

 

Stay Well,

Dr.  Southerland

BRAND NEW MED

Written by Natalia Southerland on . Posted in Uncategorized. 8 Comments

When you decide  to stop  listening  to  what  you should  do  or can’t do.

When  healthcare  becomes about   health  and people  instead  of  insurance and regulations.

When  people  are  more  important  than  statistics,  THEN  health  statistics  change.

When you  decide  to  change  the  course  of  the  health  of a community  one  person  at a  time.

When  education  doesn’t  stop  at  what  you  learned in  medical  school .

When its becomes less  about  a prescription,   and  more  about  helping people with healthy  behaviors.

When  you  realize don’t  have  to  figure  it  out  on  your  own .

When you  need  help  because  the first  thing  you always sacrifice  is  your  health.

When you decide  your  disease   DOES NOT  define you.  (You  are not a diabetic, you happen  to have diabetes.)

When  decide you want to stop ignoring  your health  and instead of   waiting  for  the  “BIG GUESS WHAT,  ”  you decide  to  prevent  it.

When you  decide   your  ARE  NOT   your  family history  -Nurture  versus  nature , remember?

When   you  decide  that  caring  for  others  HAS TO  mean  taking care  of yourself  first.

When  your  age is no longer  a medical  condition.

When   your  inner  voice   becomes  more  positive  that   negative .

When  you  decide  to  stop  saying  “I  can’t”  or  “I  don’t  have  time”  when  it   comes  to  your  health.

When you  decide  that  focusing  on  life  is  more  important  than  focusing  on  illness .

When a  doctor  become  a  coach …..

That’s   when  medicine   becomes

BRAND  NEW MED

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10 Habits of Healthy People

Written by Natalia Southerland on . Posted in Healthy Habits. 4 Comments

Let’s  get this  straight  first.  Health  IS  NOT  the  absence  of  disease.

I  dont  care  if  you  haven’t  had  to  go  to a  doctor,  Urgent Care, or  ER  for  the  last  10  years.  This  does  not  mean  you  are  healthy.  It  might just  mean  you are  in denial.

So  here  are  ten    things  that, as  a doctor and  health  coach  I  feel  healthy  people pay attention to.

1. They  Know  Their  Health  History  And  Their  Risk  Factors.    If  you  can’t  remember  the  name  of  the   place  where  you  were  hospitalized  for   a  major  health  event, its  a  problem.  If are  in your  20’s or  thirties  ask  you  family  members  for  family  history.  If  you  are  older,  its  important  you  already  have  that  information.  

I’ve  met  people  who  cant  recall  the  name  of  the  surgeon  who  cracked  their  chest  open  and  repaired   their  coronary  arteries.  Your  medical  history  and  information is  just  that,  YOURS!  Your  doctor  records  it  .  They  are  not  the  keeper  of  it.  You  don’t  let  the  bank   record  what  you  do  with  your  money  on a  day  to  day  basis and  tell  you  you  spent  $200  on Tuesday  when  you  know  you  didnt .  You  pay  special  attention  to  your $$$  so if there  is  an  error, you  call attention to  it    Your  health  is  even more  valuable.  

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