Health care

Have you ever heard of the four agreements? This set of very simple concepts can literally transform your life; profound, yet extremely difficult to practice on a daily basis. “You need a very strong will in order to adopt the four Agreements – but if you can begin to live your life with these agreements, the transformation in your life will be amazing.” From The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz’s classic book of Toltec wisdom.

1st Agreement: Be Impeccable with Your Word

I pride myself on usually keeping my word. However, I am often disappointed in business and even in friendship, when another person blatantly promises to do something – and then doesn’t even acknowledge that they cannot do it. They just don’t keep their word.

But there is another aspect to being impeccable with your word that I often fall prey to. That is expressing my truth, saying exactly what I want, need or desire – in the moment. Sometimes I don’t want to hurt or upset somebody else, sometimes I fear the consequences, so I keep my words to myself – and then I may spend days returning in my mind to that unresolved situation.

Are you and the people in your life impeccable with their word?

2nd Agreement: Don’t Take Anything Personally

It is so easy to take it personally, especially when it appears to be directed directly at you. Your boss criticizes you, your business partner blames you for something you did incorrectly, or your intimate partner labels you selfish or self-serving or inconsiderate.

Yes, they may be directing their words and emotional outbursts at you, but the real cause can be something entirely different. Your boss may have had a fight with his wife, your business partner may feel inadequate about his or her own shortcomings, and your intimate partner may have unrealistic expectations so that your caring behavior is not viewed that way.

Do you take everything personally or are you able to step back and realize there is more to each situation?

3rd Agreement: Don’t Make Assumptions

Do you tend to jump to conclusions about people and situations before checking out the true facts? Do you assume that others are caring or do you automatically assume they are trying to take advantage of you?

Catch yourself the next time you make an assumption. Take a breath. Relax. And re-evaluate the situation. Ask questions. Find out what is really going on.

4th Agreement: Always Do Your Best

Do you make sure to always do your best or do you save that for times when you are expecting a big reward? What stops you from doing your best? What inspires you to do your best?

Develop the mindset to always do your best, no matter what.

These are 4 very simple agreements. Try keeping them for the next few days or even the next few hours. Watch what happens around you?

Dr. Erica Goodstone is a Healing Through Love Mentor, personally dealing with many of the common concerns of health, wellness, aging, productivity, financial well being, intimacy, etc. She has maintained a successful private practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Somatic Body Psychotherapist (specializing in The Rubenfeld Synergy Method and Polarity Therapy) for over two decades. During this same time period, she also served as a professor of health and physical education, teaching gymnastics, yoga, tennis, other physical activities, as well as holistic health, stress management and human sexuality. To alleviate her own body aches and pains and injuries over the years, she made it her life’s work to study and combine a variety of body therapy modalities to overcome neuromuscular, emotional and spiritual limitations.

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Shingles
Shingles, or Herpes Zoster as it is sometimes called, is a painful reactivation of the Chickenpox virus. These outbreaks usually appears as a local rash to one specific area of the body, what doctors call a dermatome distribution. It usually does not cross the midline of the body (i.e. left versus right side). The rash follows the dermatome nerve root pattern from the ganglion to the tip at the end of the nerve. Most of us have had the chicken pox virus at some point in our lives. Chicken pox is usually self limited though it can vary from mild to severe requiring hospitalization. This very sturdy virus can remain dormant in the areas in and around the ganglions being kept under control by the immune system.
Ganglions are junction boxes of the nervous system where they connect to other nerves. A patient may have particularly higher stress levels, decreased immunity due to old age or disease, excessive sunlight, acidy foods as pizza, grape fruit, orange juice or some unknown reason the virus can suddenly become active in a nerve root on one side of the body. There is some evidence that acidy or spicy foods as tomatoes, pineapple, peppers, pizza, spaghetti, lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, orange juice, pepper, red sauce, drugs, immune suppressors, medicines or steroids can also affect outbreaks. The virus wakes up and it travels up from the ganglion in a peripheral nerve where it really starts “raising cane.” The initial symptoms are benign enough usually a patient will begin to feel tingly and painful in that area. A day or so later, a vesicular chickenpox-like rash develops. The pain level experienced fluctuates and can increase until it is almost unbearable in some cases. Shingles can be frustrating because nothing seems to work well enough to stop it.
Generally the earlier in the shingles outbreak you are treated the better the outcome and the duration is usually shortened. Taking oral anti-viral medications has been shown to shorten the duration of the outbreak but more importantly they lower the incidence of the very painful post shingles neuralgia experienced by some patients. This neuralgia can be severe and cause an almost permanent pain area when the rash goes away; Doctors term this sequelae post-herpetic neuralgia. It can set up really odd pain syndromes such as severe pain when even a breeze blows across it (allodynia). This can last a long time or remain a constant reminder of the shingles outbreak over a lifetime. Shingles usually do not cross the midline of the body and swell the nerve root. Sometimes a local anesthetic cream or oral pain medicine can help, but like many things in life, time is the curative treatment. Shingles generally resolve in four to six weeks. Interestingly, it has been seen in some teenagers and young adults who only received one chickenpox immunization in childhood
L-Lysine tablets decrease pain and decreases healing time and may work well with a low dose on a daily basis to help prevent re-infection. New infections get a dose pack of high to low doses over approximately 10 days (i.e. 10 day 1, 10 day 2, 10 day 3, 8 day 4, 6 day 5, 4 day 6, 2 day 7). You should never just stop this medication suddenly once given as it may precipitate a new or worse flare. Never use steroids with this diagnosis–it could be disastrous. Steroids decrease inflammation and suppress the immune system both of which help the virus dramatically grow and spread greatly, worsening the disease.
We now have a preventive vaccination for shingles. It is a vaccination of an attenuated virus, which builds the body’s immunity to shingles. It is a bit pricey but has had some excellent results. It is approved now for people over 60 years old. It is a onetime shot which is safe if you are not allergic to gelatin or neomycin. You should not have it if you are pregnant or may become pregnant, have significant immune deficiency, or are on high doses of corticosteroids.
If you develop shingles or think you have developed them, see a physician. The earlier a physician prescribes you an antiviral, the better. The duration will be shorter and you decrease your chances of developing post herpetic neuralgia. You are most contagious when you first develop the start of a new eruption. Keep the rash clean and dry, and watch for any signs of secondary bacterial infection. Use caution that you do not touch or spread the shingles to your eyes. If you have an outbreak in your eye it is imperative that you immediately see a physician. Your physician can treat shingles and can usually give you something for pain if necessary. Remember the shingles rash could actually spread the disease and have serious consequences to someone who is pregnant, anyone with HIV/AIDS, cancers, bone marrow or organ transplant patients or anyone with other immune deficiencies. Exposure to these people can have disastrous or even deadly results.
So, before the misery strikes, get your shingles prevention vaccine and see your doctor ASAP with any new eruptions as symptoms.
Douglas Beatty M.D.
Doctors Medical Center

Dr. Laurusonis was conferred his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1983 and has been actively taking care of patients since completing his Internal Medicine residency in 1987 in the Garden State of New Jersey. Dr. Laurusonis has been licensed in four states but ultimately chose to permanently relocate to Georgia with his family and begin a private practice. Through his extensive experience in Internal Medicine, as well as in Emergency Rooms throughout the United States, Dr. Laurusonis saw how traditional Emergency Rooms were often overwhelmed by patients suffering medical conditions that were urgent but may not need the traditional “Level I Trauma Center”. Patients often waited six to twelve hours to be seen by a physician, were riddled with thousands of dollars in medical bills, and were generally unhappy with the system.
Dr. Laurusonis decided to open an Urgent Care Center instead of a 9-5 doctor’s office. Through the last fifteen years he has received accolades from the community and his patients. He has expanded his practice to include many cosmetic therapies that have previously been treated with painful and extensive plastic surgery. He has been invited to the White House numerous times, has been named Physician of the Year from GA, as seen in the Wall Street Journal, and has served as Honorary Co-Chairman on the Congressional Physicians Advisory Board
Dr. Laurusonis and his practice, Doctors Medical Center, is open 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm offering such services as lab, x-ray, EKGs, aesthetics (Botox, dermabrasion, sclerotheraby and veins etc.), cold/flu, sore throats, fractures, sprains, lacerations, GYN, Pediatrics, Phlebology Anxiety/Insomnia/Depression Treatment, skin tag/mole removal, veins, allergies, asthma, physicals–just to name a few. Dr. Laurusonis welcomes you to either make an appointment or just walk-in to see him. Dr. Laurusonis will take the time to speak with you about your concerns–no problem is too big or too small. If you need additional services we have specialist referrals available or we can refer you to the neighborhood hospital emergency room. Give Doctors Medical Center a call–Dr. Laurusonis will be happy to speak with you.

John Drew Laurusonis, MD
Doctors Medical Center
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Suite 110
Duluth, GA 30096
770-232-1101
www.doctorsmedicalctr.com

It’s a development stricken world and it’s a rat-race all around with each one of us loaded with prior commitments and responsibilities, be it related to our workspace, our family, or our relationships. We strive hard and put in relentless efforts to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves. But this fast-paced dynamic world that we live in has somehow altered our priorities. We tend to turn a blind eye towards some basic aspects of our life that can eventually land us in unprecedented circumstances. Issues like difficulty in coping up to the work pressure, managing relationships, managing personal life in general have now become more common than ever that can lead us to depression.

Counseling in a broader sense means understanding someone’s problem and guide the person through to a better scenario. But its not as easy as said, it involves proper analysis, understanding the root cause of the issue, guidance in an effective way, and the last but far from least are the care, comfort and confidentiality.

The term, “Christian Counseling”, reveals the meaning in itself. The word “counseling” can have multiple meanings, including offering advice and encouragement, sharing wisdom and skills, setting goals, resolving conflict; etc. It is a direct way that came through the God to the common man. The concept behind the project is to provide a very soothing, heeding and a confidential surrounding to cope up into the various states of life. There are Christian Counselors in Lancaster, PA who helps the every individual in order to unravel the problems and sorrows by applying different ways of counseling.

It is named as “Christian counseling” that way it has a sound base of the holy book, “Bible”. The counselors should be very detailed about the philosophy of “The Bible”, as the Christian faith has many variations in its belief. They should be trained professionals who can understand different mental states to diagnose and provide appropriate treatment interventions. Every individual is surrounded with diverse situations; one should have a strong fair of psychology to help the individual to emerge from his deep sorrow.

There are services available to the core those who can not attend the counselors in person. These services are called as “Online Christian Counseling Services” or “E-counseling Services”. These services are conducted over internet through video sessions, chat sessions or a private telephonic call session. Attending the online sessions, you should be very controlled and well organized with your mental stress and situations. You may get angry to hear the views of the counselors with your concerns. There are also different counseling sessions for individuals, adolescents, couples, and families, who may be dealing with challenges of: Depression, Sadness, Grief and Loss, Anxiety and Stress, Career Decisions, Sexual Intimacy, Family Conflicts and many more.

Christian Counseling Services also involves Christian Marriage Counseling, Individual Counseling, Family Counseling, Career Counseling, and Couples Counseling. Many patients are now out of grieves by using the Christian Counseling Services.

What are you waiting for? Consult your Christian Counselors today and give us a chance to provide you best services.

Respecting the most precious thing gifted to us by God – our life and living it with joy and peace was never so easy and what’s more effective and satisfying than JC?

Dr. Vanessa Lee, An experienced Christian Counselor for depression, anxiety and stress at JC Christian Counseling, committed to offer Christian counseling services at affordable prices while providing and maintaining excellent quality of care.

Skin resurfacing
Precise Computerized Erbium laser skin resurfacing is a very exact procedure. It is designed to precisely remove superficial and moderately deep and deep lines, imperfections, scars, pigments and wrinkles on the face, neck and virtually all parts of the body. The laser is used for the treatment of aging, pigmented, pitted, scarred and sun-damaged skin. It provides a safe, more accurate and less painful method of restoring a softer, smoother, more evenly toned, less scarred, and more youthful-appearing skin. It usually removes scarring caused by prior acne, chickenpox, trauma, and surgery. It has been described as the sensation of a rubber band fells against the skin. You may request a mild sedative to help you relax prior to or during the procedure if you feel this is necessary. We usually use a substantial combination of topical anesthetic to make your procedure much more comfortable. Cold, topical anesthetic and sedation work great to reduce pain during the procedure. We additionally blow frozen air across the skin to numb the area and decrease pain or discomfort. Procedures take approximately ½ to 4 hours depending on what you are having done.

The laser works great by exactly hitting the frequency of water in the cells of the targeted area. When the energy from the laser hits the water, within the cell of the skin the cell fractures from the inside out. It changes the liquid water to plasma. Remember solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. This allows for much safer, predictable, precise, and effective treatment of specifically removing the damaged or scarred cells. The exact regulation of the intensity of the beam precisely determines the depth of laser penetration into the skin. The precision of the computer delivers an adjustable overlapping pattern of penetration, which is perfectly flat to evenly remove the damaged cells and tissue. This allows for an even surface of new and healthy tissue growth. The result is evenly smooth skin with minimal treatments needed with the luxury of having the procedure performed in the doctor’s office and being home the same day.

This procedure produces less heating and burning of healthy surrounding tissues than other light energy used for resurfacing. It is much more exact and precise than any hand held laser without computer alignment. Therefore, your results are much better. It does not have the unpredictability of chemical peels. You do not have the possibility of an allergic or significant reaction to the vast variety of chemicals used in chemical peels. There are many units that are measured cooling unit that first cools the skin and then, immediately re-cools the skin to remove heat from the surface of the skin. This stops further damage to good healthy tissue re-growth. Other methods are less powerful and unable to go as deep as necessary. Most importantly, the precise pattern of our laser never misses and its overlapping pattern is adjusted perfect, first time, and every time. This is the gold standard of resurfacings and scar removal. Your skin will be smoother and softer. No other light energy we know of does this so precisely with such perfection and with such an advanced important cooling. If the heat is not removed instantaneously from the surgical site, the heat can often damage the new, exposed skin below defeating the purpose of the treatment. Our units are equipped with a vacuum micron filter to keep the area sterile and free from any harmful DNA/viruses that could be passed to both you and our staff. We vacuum and filter off all smoke and debris for your protection.

The laser is capable of specific depth penetration of the skin in micrometers. Redness and edema may be seen for about 6-10 hours following a very superficial treatment. However, side effects from a much deeper penetration could last anywhere from 2-3 days and rarely up to 7-10 days with a complete very deep resurfacing because of severe major imperfections depending on depth of laser penetration and the patient problems and response. Precise skin resurfacing with using solid, mirrored, reflective armature results in less post-procedure redness, less swelling, and provides an obviously much more rapid and even healing process that with any other skin resurfacing methods available today. In most cases, patients are recovered and back to normal activities within 1-6 days depending on the depth of penetration. The results are startling and very pleasing and are a fountain of youth to your face and skin. Your baby skin deep down is re-growing for a new youthful appearance.

Results do vary specifically with each individual. Multiple treatments may be necessary over time, but most patients usually only need one treatment. Results should be evaluated one week and again at 3-4 weeks after treatment by the physician. Complete total benefits and results are significantly seen in a few days and vast improvement in weeks, but rarely could it possibly take several months to see 100% maturity of all the skin that will last for years and years.

There are newer techniques of drilling holes in the skin to remove imperfections, and doing it again and again and again. They are done because the down time is about a day. However, Erbium results are in short superior. The drilling of the holes does leave debris in the skin and it heals over this. The Erbium removes it all. The results are truly dramatic and fantastic.

Dr. Laurusonis was conferred his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1983 and has been actively taking care of patients since completing his Internal Medicine residency in 1987 in the Garden State of New Jersey. Dr. Laurusonis has been licensed in four states but ultimately chose to permanently relocate to Georgia with his family and begin a private practice. Through his extensive experience in Internal Medicine, as well as in Emergency Rooms throughout the United States, Dr. Laurusonis saw how traditional Emergency Rooms were often overwhelmed by patients suffering medical conditions that were urgent but may not need the traditional “Level I Trauma Center”. Patients often waited six to twelve hours to be seen by a physician, were riddled with thousands of dollars in medical bills, and were generally unhappy with the system.
Dr. Laurusonis decided to open an Urgent Care Center instead of a 9-5 doctor’s office. Through the last fifteen years he has received accolades from the community and his patients. He has expanded his practice to include many cosmetic therapies that have previously been treated with painful and extensive plastic surgery. He has been invited to the White House numerous times, has been named Physician of the Year from GA, as seen in the Wall Street Journal, and has served as Honorary Co-Chairman on the Congressional Physicians Advisory Board
Dr. Laurusonis and his practice, Doctors Medical Center, is open 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm offering such services as lab, x-ray, EKGs, aesthetics (Botox, dermabrasion, sclerotheraby and veins etc.), cold/flu, sore throats, fractures, sprains, lacerations, GYN, Pediatrics, Phlebology Anxiety/Insomnia/Depression Treatment, skin tag/mole removal, veins, allergies, asthma, physicals–just to name a few. Dr. Laurusonis welcomes you to either make an appointment or just walk-in to see him. Dr. Laurusonis will take the time to speak with you about your concerns–no problem is too big or too small. If you need additional services we have specialist referrals available or we can refer you to the neighborhood hospital emergency room. Give Doctors Medical Center a call–Dr. Laurusonis will be happy to speak with you.

John Drew Laurusonis, MD
Doctors Medical Center
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Suite 110
Duluth, GA 30096
770-232-1101
www.doctorsmedicalctr.com

Sinusitis and Allergies

Nasal congestion is an inflammation or infection of the inside of the nose and nasal passageways. The infection can be bacterial such as part of a sinus infection. It could be viral such as a cold or an allergic reaction with inflammation and nasal congestion. The nasal passageway is like a main hallway in which air is constantly flowing in and out from respirations from the lungs through the nose. The normal nasal mucosa is pink. Inflamed or infected mucosa is red. Allergy usually has blush nasal mucosa.

Extending off this main hallway on each side are hollow areas like empty rooms with no doors. These empty rooms extending off the nasal hallway are your sinuses. As air flows through the main nasal hallway, it will swirl in little eddies currents in to these empty rooms of your sinuses. As air swirls in and about your sinuses, the sinuses will slowly gather dust, dirt, viral, mycoplasma and bacteria. The sinuses do act somewhat as a rudimentary filter for small amounts of debris. When overwhelmed, the airway passages in your nose and in the rooms of the hallway of sinuses get excessive debris and bacteria. This will often cause pooling of fluids, swelling, inflammation, further complicating obstructions, and setting up for bacterial and other infections. The sinuses were not meant as filters but rather as lightening of air cells to keep the head erect. Gorillas have no sinuses that is why usually their face usually tilts down. This is due to heavy solid bone mass not hollow with sinuses of the face. The nose has turbinates covered by nasal mucosa which is highly vascular that heat and cleanses the incoming and outgoing air.

There are four primary sinuses usually in pairs. There can be multiple sinuses of each sinus. The sinuses may vary on number on the left vs right.

A. The frontal sinuses are located in the lower central region of your forehead. They are just above your eyes and on both sides of your nose and between your eyebrows. They are just above and behind the central region of your eyebrows under your forehead and in the fontal bones of the skull.
B. Your sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses are slightly lower deep inside behind
the central region between your eyes and upper nose. They are set back
deeper in the bones of your skull below your brain. They are set back
deeper in the central region between your eyes and nose. They are
about the quarter of volume of your maxillary sinuses.
C Your maxillary sinuses are on both sides of the base of your nose under
the bones in your eyes on your face under your cheek muscles. Their size
usually can be that of almost a hollow golf ball.

Nasal infection or inflammation is a common medical condition that affects millions of people. Patients suffer from seasonal environmental infections and allergic nasal problems. These symptoms are in the patient’s history of sneezing, allergy response postnasal drip, cough, stuffy or runny nose, and watery eyes. They absolutely affect the patient’s quality of life. They can lead to recurrent respiratory, sinus, ear, and throat infections. They usually include an asthma exacerbation, headache, fatigue, and/or bronchitis. Allergic nasal problem is treated with medical agents singly or in multiple combinations to reduce the response and increase the quality of life. It can often be considered as the starting trigger of a complex mechanism. Initial therapy is usually nasal inhaled steroids. It is a common chronic disorder in many adults and children. Sinusitis and allergies may additionally give anyone daytime fatigue, irritability, impaired learning, cough, interruption of sleep, and great reduction in the quality of life. Sinusitis and allergies result in lost workdays and reduced effectiveness. Allergy triggers should be specially identified and eliminated if possible at all. If environment triggers cannot be avoided; antihistamines, decongestants, mast-cell stabilizers, nasal steroid, immunotherapy and/or other steroid, and antibiotics may be dispensed.

Radiology of the sinus and possibly better a CAT scan may get to the bottom of why problems are occurring. There may be polyps or a growth resulting from this condition over a long-term period of inflammation poor drainage, obstruction, a bad tooth, and partial tooth removal after extractions, and often other-congenital malformations and drainage problems. These differences on a simple X-ray may reveal extremely important information of short, long-term, and the precise direction of appropriate therapy. The patient could often perceive these chronic, varying symptoms, sudden, or new, when in reality they have been ominously present for week’s months or years. They are often much more significant than they appear or realize from day to day.

Antibiotics work to kill the bacterial infections that have developed. Primarily or secondary they are used and truly necessary. Sometimes they have to be used up to six weeks. They should be given to clearly advanced or recurrent infections. Antibiotics are not benign drugs without possible complications. Amoxicillian the book drug of choice is possibly 70% resistance in the Atlanta area. Multiple antibiotic are often used by ENT surgeons often may not work resulting in surgery. There is in vitro, in the laboratory, in Latin. And there is in vivo which is in daily life your home town which is where our varied patients at are treated precisely from the history, X-ray, and physical style, exposures, and past trials. Specific sensitivities or appropriate testing determines yearly antibiotics to be used.

Decongestants are agents giving vasoconstriction of nasal blood vessels. They are fast acting and usually perceived by the public to give an immediate response and are apparently are effective. They are likely to cause rebound congestion within hours and worsening and possible addiction with use. They may dry the mucosa so much they usually bleed and it destroys the lining of the sinuses and nose and allows opportunity for infection. They may possibly lengthen the time of the infection. Oral decongestants are longer lasting but have many side effects of fast heartbeat, excitability and may not be effective in the elderly, hypothyroid, cardiac, or hypertensive patient. The above medicine usually should not be taken for more then 1-3 days and usually never longer than ten days because they may have rebound congestion. These are quite addictive. Nasal corticosteroids sprays are considered initial treatments. They stop the synthesis, triggering or manufacture of allergy mediators often starting a complex process of or Allergy. Other types of steroids may be necessary tablet or injectable form for short term. Epinephrine stops cholinergic receptors in the nose. They stop nasal secretions in the nose possibly affecting progressive infection count and the constructive normal immunoglobulin response. They can give excessive nasal dryness leading to nosebleeds. Mast-cell stabilizers block the degranulation of mast cells from releasing allergic and inflammatory mediators but usually they last about 6 hours. Shot for allergens desensitize a patient with allergy injections. Serum injections may take up to 3-5 years on a consistent basis to be truly effective; but are a solution. They may as well constructively desensitize the patient from the trigger

Allergy testing could be necessary. From simple to very complex starting with the basics of common things, you are often exposed to in the real world, and things you commonly ingest as food. More specific individual testing and gross widespread testing from the family dog or cat, to food, and spices may be effective and necessary to be tailored to you. This is usually not the first step directive, but they may be immediately considered for you with your specific history, physical exam, X-ray, severity, and system or specific type of problem. Antihistamines block the release of histamine to its receptors. This stops the symptoms resulting from the effects of histamine of the eyes, nose, and sinuses they could be administered often with a steroid or in other combinations with decongestants, antibiotics, and many other medications and/or specific therapies with specific testing. Immunizations of flu and pneumonia vaccine, which protect you from complications of chronic bronchitis and pneumonia for years to life; are often very helpful as great therapeutic preventatives in these very special medical problems.

John Drew Laurusonis M.D.
Doctors Medical Center

Dr. Laurusonis was conferred his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1983 and has been actively taking care of patients since completing his Internal Medicine residency in 1987 in the Garden State of New Jersey. Dr. Laurusonis has been licensed in four states but ultimately chose to permanently relocate to Georgia with his family and begin a private practice. Through his extensive experience in Internal Medicine, as well as in Emergency Rooms throughout the United States, Dr. Laurusonis saw how traditional Emergency Rooms were often overwhelmed by patients suffering medical conditions that were urgent but may not need the traditional “Level I Trauma Center”. Patients often waited six to twelve hours to be seen by a physician, were riddled with thousands of dollars in medical bills, and were generally unhappy with the system.
Dr. Laurusonis decided to open an Urgent Care Center instead of a 9-5 doctor’s office. Through the last fifteen years he has received accolades from the community and his patients. He has expanded his practice to include many cosmetic therapies that have previously been treated with painful and extensive plastic surgery. He has been invited to the White House numerous times, has been named Physician of the Year from GA, as seen in the Wall Street Journal, and has served as Honorary Co-Chairman on the Congressional Physicians Advisory Board
Dr. Laurusonis and his practice, Doctors Medical Center, is open 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm offering such services as lab, x-ray, EKGs, aesthetics (Botox, dermabrasion, sclerotheraby and veins etc.), cold/flu, sore throats, fractures, sprains, lacerations, GYN, Pediatrics, Phlebology Anxiety/Insomnia/Depression Treatment, skin tag/mole removal, veins, allergies, asthma, physicals–just to name a few. Dr. Laurusonis welcomes you to either make an appointment or just walk-in to see him. Dr. Laurusonis will take the time to speak with you about your concerns–no problem is too big or too small. If you need additional services we have specialist referrals available or we can refer you to the neighborhood hospital emergency room. Give Doctors Medical Center a call–Dr. Laurusonis will be happy to speak with you.

John Drew Laurusonis, MD
Doctors Medical Center
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Suite 110
Duluth, GA 30096
770-232-1101
www.doctorsmedicalctr.com

Well, really not ALL about it, just the parts I don’t like. I avoid eating/drinking/buying foods or drinks with aspartame in them when I can, and one of my friends just asked me why, so I told her I’d blog about it. To tell the truth, I’m not really sure if she really wants to know, or if she just thinks I’m a crazy person and is trying to call me out, but I’ll be emailing her a link to this post either way.

Where to start? Well, 78% of all consumer complaints to the FDA are about aspartame.

Aspartame (found in NutraSweet and Equal) is comprised of phenylalanine (50% – an amino acid), aspartic acid (40% – an amino acid, nonessential), and methanol (10% wood alcohol, as in “moonshine”). These break down into formaldehyde, formic acid (like the venom in insect stings) and DKP (may cause brain tumors), and this breakdown is accelerated when products containing it are stored at 85 degrees for a period of days or stored for longer periods (over 250 days).

These are all things I don’t want in my body.

Now, some of these components are also found in food items like fruits and vegetables. For instance, pears and bananas are on the high-end of those containing naturally-occurring formaldehyde, but fruits also contain ethanol, which stablilizes it. Also, fruits contain natural pectins and enzymes which help to stabilize the compound.

And, before you ask, we all hear about the essential amino acids we need in our diet, right? Well, the synthetic ones in aspartame are incomplete, and as our bodies go to work to break them down, it causes an imbalance in the brain. “What?” our brains ask. “Where’s the nutrition?” This contributes to the idea that drinking diet sodas will increase hunger, causing you to gain weight. Ummm, I think I can do without.

Another interesting tidbit: In 1996, there are about 164 peer-reviewed studies relevant to aspartame safety. Seventy-four deemed it safe, and 90 deemed it unsafe. Seventy-four studies were industry-funded, and 90 studies were independently funded. Hmmm.

And I wish more people knew about this, but ask a pilot, and he/she will tell you that aspartame is bad. Pilots are actually told to avoid aspartame in order to pass their yearly medical exam. And in 1992, the US Air Force issued an alert to its pilots in its Flying Safety magazine. In the past, many pilots have passed out in the cockpit while flying and eating/drinking products with aspartame, thus putting the entire flight at risk. (Possibly due to the elevation causing increased symptoms, not unlike how people from sea level can get drunk really fast in the high altitute places like Colorado). Not to mention, aspartame can adversely affect EKGs and the methanol in it can impair vision.

There’s lots of anecdotal evidence on the effects of aspartame, too, which you can google if you’re interested. But for me, I avoid it simply because it’s not something I need, it provides no health benefit, and it may actually be quite harmful. I don’t miss it.

Melanie Downey is the Owner/Founder of Wilava (http://wilava.com), which specializes in premium, handcrafted, natural skin care for the whole family. She’s dedicated to all aspects of fun and healthy living, and when she’s not working in the lab, or driving her kids to swim practice, she’s busy researching the latest news in health and wellness. You can visit her blog, The Wilava Workshop, at http://wilava.blogspot.com. Her magically balanced life and business are both headquartered in Massachusetts.