Archives for August 2018

Vitamins You May Be Lacking if You Live in Florida

Living in the Sunshine State is great for everything from year-round golf to year-round beach activities, and thousands of snowbirds flock to Florida each winter for fun in the sun.

The advantages of living in Florida are plentiful, but there is one disadvantage to which health-conscious Floridians should pay attention: Floridians are at risk for certain vitamin deficiencies.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is naturally produced in our bodies when our skin is directly exposed to the sun’s UVB (ultraviolet B) rays. According to the Vitamin D Council, “in the southern United States, in places like Florida, your body can produce vitamin D most of the year.”

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, adults between the ages of 19 and 70 need at least 600 IU of vitamin D, and those aged 71 and over should get at least 800 IU. This vitamin is essential in the function of your bones, muscles, nerves, and immunity.

It’s best for the body to get most of its vitamin D from foods, such as salmon, liver, tuna, mackerel, cheese, and egg yolks. Many foods are fortified with vitamin D, such as milk, orange juice, and cereals.

Although sun exposure without sunscreen for 10 minutes can help the body produce more than 1,000 IU of vitamin D, this isn’t recommended since it can contribute to skin cancer.

Calcium Deficiency

Like vitamin D, calcium is necessary to maintain healthy bones, muscles, and nerve function. Low calcium might result in diseases like osteoporosis, which causes brittle bones and fragility. The culture in Florida isn’t as focused on drinking milk as it is in northern states, so low calcium levels tend to be a common health issue.

The NIH recommends adult men between the ages of 19 and 70 get at least 1,000 mg of calcium per day. Adult women should also consume this amount until they’re age 51 or over when the NIH recommends women start consuming at least 1,200 mg every day.

Floridians are especially susceptible to calcium deficiency because there is a direct correlation between vitamin D deficiency and a lack of calcium. Vitamin D is essential to calcium absorption in the body.

Important Vitamins and Minerals for the Body

Calcium and vitamin D are the two most common vitamins that are lacking in people living in Florida, but they may also be at risk of having the following deficiencies:

  • Vitamin B-12
  • Iron
  • Iodine
  • Vitamin A
  • Magnesium

How Can I Find Out if I’m Deficient in Vitamins?

Living in Florida and receiving inadequate amounts of vitamin D, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals could result in serious health consequences. If you’d like to find out whether you’re deficient in these essential nutrients and how to get on the road to a healthier body, call the Advanced Medical Clinic today at (561) 434-1935 to schedule an appointment.

You can also fill out our easy-to-use online appointment request form today. Our skilled and caring health professionals at the Advanced Medical Center can explain your options to combat deficiency and help you feel better and more healthy.

How Different Hormones Affect Your Body

Hormones play a variety of roles in the body, but their primary function is as chemical messengers that control bodily functions. Some hormone-producing glands are more complex than others; and while men and women share many of the same hormones, there are some that are gender-specific.

Hormone-Producing Systems

Certain glands in the body are responsible for dispatching hormones, and these message-sending glands are part of the endocrine system. Different glands dispatch different chemical messages, all of which are integral to a healthy body.

A healthy endocrine system is optimal for the body’s good health. If the endocrine system is unhealthy, it will have a negative effect on how the body develops and works. For example, faulty chemical signals sent during puberty will affect development.

Primary Glands that Produce Hormones

Pituitary

The pituitary gland creates growth hormones and controls aspects of other hormones produced by other glands. It’s a key gland in the endocrine system in its regulation of metabolism, blood pressure, milk production, and various reproductive functions.

Thymus

The thymus produces the thymosin hormone, which stimulates the development of T-cells when a person is young – before puberty. The thymus transforms white blood cells into these immune-enforcing T-cells. After puberty, the thymus basically becomes a lump of fatty tissue. However, these T-cells continue to support your body’s immune function throughout your lifetime.

Ovaries

Ovaries are gender-specific and secrete female sex hormones into a woman’s body: estrogen and progesterone. The hormones secreted by the ovaries assist in the proper development of the female body and help foster fertility.

Testes

Testes are gender-specific to men and produce the hormone testosterone. Testosterone helps foster male development in growing boys, and it contributes to healthy libido, strong muscles, and dense bones.

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is critical in maintaining the stability of all functions throughout the body – this stability is called homeostasis. It is the link between the endocrine system and the central nervous system. The hypothalamus is also responsible for balancing the hormones from other glands, and it regulates functions including body temperature, sleep, heart rate, blood pressure, and hunger, thirst.

Thyroid

The thyroid gland, located in the neck, is often associated with weight loss and weight gain because it determines your metabolism. The secretion of the thyroid hormone regulates a person’s metabolic rate. The thyroid gland is controlled by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus.

Parathyroid

The parathyroid is located around the thyroid as four little rice-size glands. The primary function of the parathyroid hormone is to regulate the body’s calcium levels.

Pineal

The pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin from its location in the center of the brain. Melatonin helps to regulate sleep patterns, maintain a person’s circadian rhythm, and regulate hormones involving reproduction.

Adrenal

The adrenal gland produces the hormones cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenaline. The adrenal gland is a set of two organs that are located above each of the kidneys. This gland is responsible for producing hormones that assist with regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and metabolism. They also help react to stress brought on by illness, injury, or pressure via adrenaline.

Pancreas

The pancreas regulates blood sugar (glucose) and salt by releasing the hormone insulin. An imbalance of blood sugar can result in diabetes and other health issues. The pancreas is part of both the endocrine and the digestive systems, but primarily digestive. This gland is located just above the stomach in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen.

Who Can Help With My Hormonal Imbalance Issues?

It is essential that your glands perform correctly, or your health will be negatively affected. If your body is showing signs that a gland is not working properly – such as if you’ve gained weight or lost weight, or your blood pressure is too low or too high, etc. – call the Advanced Medical Clinic today at (561) 434-1935 or fill out our simple online appointment request form to discuss your concerns with our caring professionals.

Following a diagnosis, a plan will be put in place to address the symptoms you’ve been experiencing, and we can help you get on the road to recovery so you can enjoy life again. We look forward to hearing from you.