Clinical Trials to Benefit Your Health.

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Clinical trials are research studies that test new, potentially beneficial, medical interventions on people. In most cases, the intervention is intended to prevent, diagnose or treat disease, manage symptoms associated with that illness or mitigate side effects from treatment.

Regardless of the intent, the trial seeks to answer two important questions: Is this intervention safe? Is it effective?

While trial designs vary widely, many studies include comparisons between the new drug (or drugs) and the standard of care (the therapeutic plan proven to help many patients). These are the test and control groups. The test group receives the new drug, which is sometimes added to the standard of care. The control group receives the standard of care plus a placebo, an inert substance that looks like the drug being tested. By measuring the different responses in each group, researchers can determine if the drug is safe and more effective than the standard treatment.

Government requires rigorous trials before any new intervention can be approved. As a result, trials are a critical component in any efforts to improve patient care.

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Keeping an Open Mind.

Many people have the misconception that clinical trials only come into play for patients with no other choices. This is both incorrect and dangerous. It’s incorrect, because there are trials that can help patients regardless of their disease stage. It’s dangerous because patients can wait too long. By the time they seek out a trial, their disease may have progressed too far or their previous treatments could eliminate them from consideration. As a result, they cannot participate in a trial that might have helped them.

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Who Can Participate.

Clinical trials have standards, also known as eligibility requirements, that determine who can or cannot participate based on specific characteristics, such as the stage of the cancer, treatment history, medical conditions and other factors.

To be included in a trial, a person must volunteer to participate, understand what is being tested, and acknowledge the potential risks and benefits associated with the study.

Clinical Trials May Help.

When faced with an serious disease diagnosis or recurrence, patients want the best available treatment. The standard of care may be appropriate for the specific conditions and treatment history.

However, since existing treatments don’t cure everyone, the standard of care can always be improved. Clinical trials evaluate new approaches to treat diseases. Some of these treatments may ultimately become part of the standard of care, while others will not be effective. For many patients, clinical trials, even at the time of diagnosis, may offer the best treatment option.

We help our patients finding clinical trials around the world that might help them best.

We specialize in the following clinical trials areas:

• Cancer
• Alzheimer
• Cardiology
• Respiratory diseases
• Parkinsons
  

Providing Care with Telemedicine.

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Telemedicine uses telecommunications technology to provide clinical health care at a distance.

It helps improve access to medical services that often would not be available. Telemedicine can surpass geographical and sometimes political constraints. Telemedicine can provide broader and more objective medical opinion that is not tainted by government policies, insurance regulations and local constraints. Often telemedicine improves diagnosis or treatment plan and at times saves lives in critical care and emergency situations.

Three Ways Telemedicine is Making Your Health Care Better.

‍E-Care - Our easy-to-use software and coaching from health care professionals provides the support you need. We can’t thoroughly evaluate your condition, provide meaningful and actionable input and help you enjoy your best possible health.
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E-Consult - Our eConsult service allows you to consult with specialists across the world so you get the best knowledge, treatment and care possible.

E-Visit - Telemedicine uses videoconferencing and other electronic tools to allow you to access specialized care no matter where you live. We can arrange for you to see a specialist from anywhere in the world—without the stress and cost of travel.

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Genetic Counselling.

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Genetic counselling provides information and support to people who have, or may be at risk for, genetic disorders.

‍A genetic counsellor meets with you to discuss genetic risks. The counselling may be for yourself or a family member. Or you may get it if certain health concerns arise or when you are planning or expecting a baby. Genetic counsellor will review and explain to you the results of your genetic testing as well as creating an actionable follow up plan if applicable.

Our Tele-health service provides deep medical expertise for personalized genetic counselling sessions, delivered through our platform that integrates well with your schedule.

Clinical Trials to Benefit Your Health.

‍

Clinical trials are research studies that test new, potentially beneficial, medical interventions on people. In most cases, the intervention is intended to prevent, diagnose or treat disease, manage symptoms associated with that illness or mitigate side effects from treatment.

Regardless of the intent, the trial seeks to answer two important questions: Is this intervention safe? Is it effective?

While trial designs vary widely, many studies include comparisons between the new drug (or drugs) and the standard of care (the therapeutic plan proven to help many patients). These are the test and control groups. The test group receives the new drug, which is sometimes added to the standard of care. The control group receives the standard of care plus a placebo, an inert substance that looks like the drug being tested. By measuring the different responses in each group, researchers can determine if the drug is safe and more effective than the standard treatment.

Government requires rigorous trials before any new intervention can be approved. As a result, trials are a critical component in any efforts to improve patient care.

‍

Keeping an Open Mind.

Many people have the misconception that clinical trials only come into play for patients with no other choices. This is both incorrect and dangerous. It’s incorrect, because there are trials that can help patients regardless of their disease stage. It’s dangerous because patients can wait too long. By the time they seek out a trial, their disease may have progressed too far or their previous treatments could eliminate them from consideration. As a result, they cannot participate in a trial that might have helped them.

‍

Who Can Participate.

Clinical trials have standards, also known as eligibility requirements, that determine who can or cannot participate based on specific characteristics, such as the stage of the cancer, treatment history, medical conditions and other factors.

To be included in a trial, a person must volunteer to participate, understand what is being tested, and acknowledge the potential risks and benefits associated with the study.

Clinical Trials May Help.

When faced with an serious disease diagnosis or recurrence, patients want the best available treatment. The standard of care may be appropriate for the specific conditions and treatment history.

However, since existing treatments don’t cure everyone, the standard of care can always be improved. Clinical trials evaluate new approaches to treat diseases. Some of these treatments may ultimately become part of the standard of care, while others will not be effective. For many patients, clinical trials, even at the time of diagnosis, may offer the best treatment option.

We help our patients finding clinical trials around the world that might help them best.

We specialize in the following clinical trials areas:

• Cancer
• Alzheimer
• Cardiology
• Respiratory diseases
• Parkinsons
  

Cancer Prevention: 8 Tips to Reduce Your Risk.

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Know Your Cancer Genetic Risks.

‍Get your DNA tested for possible cancer mutations.

By analyzing a patient's DNA we are able to search for specific genetic variants that put one at an increased risk of Hereditary Cancer.

We use the latest advances in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to analyze a patient’s sample. Thus, providing comprehensive reports of genetic variants and risk factors. The ordering physician, supported by our genetic counselors, is able to formulate a treatment protocol to address any negative findings. Awareness of one’s risk factors allows patients and their physicians to take a proactive, rather than reactive approach to managing identified risks.

‍Who is at risk?

• An individual with a personal history of cancer.
• An individual with family members diagnosed with cancer under the age of 50.
• An individual with multiple family members possessing different cancers.
• An individual with a family member who has had hereditary cancer genetic testing and variants were identified.

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Don't Use Tobacco.

Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. Chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don't use tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer.

Avoiding tobacco — or deciding to stop using it — is one of the most important health decisions you can make. It's also an important part of cancer prevention. If you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting.

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Eat a Healthy Diet.

Although making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can't guarantee cancer prevention, it might help reduce your risk.

Consider these guidelines:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Base your diet on fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.

• Avoid obesity. Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-calorie foods, including refined sugars and fat from animal sources.

• If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. The risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've been drinking regularly.

• Limit processed meats. A report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, concluded that eating large amounts of processed meat can slightly increase the risk of certain types of cancer.

In addition, women who eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts might have a reduced risk of breast cancer. The Mediterranean diet focuses on mostly on plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. People who follow the Mediterranean diet choose healthy fats, like olive oil, over butter and fish instead of red meat.

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Maintain a Healthy Weight and be Physically Active.

Maintaining a healthy weight might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney.

Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own might lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.

Adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. But for substantial health benefits, strive to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic physical activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better.

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Protect Yourself From The Sun.

Skin cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer — and one of the most preventable.

Try these guidelines:

• Avoid midday sun. Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.

• Stay in the shade. When you're outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat help, too.

• Cover exposed areas. Wear tightly woven, loosefitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Opt for bright or dark colours, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.

• Don't skimp on sunscreen. Use generous amounts of sunscreen when you're outdoors, and reapply often.

• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. These are just as damaging as natural sunlight.

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Get Immunized.

Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your doctor about immunization against:

• Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, people with sexually transmitted infections, intravenous drug users, men who have sex with men, and health care or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.

• Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and other genital cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. The HPV vaccine is recommended for girls and boys ages 11 and 12. It is also available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn't have the vaccine as adolescents.

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Avoid Risky Behaviors.

Another effective cancer prevention tactic is to avoid risky behaviours that can lead to infections that, in turn, might increase the risk of cancer.

For example:

• Practice safe sex. Limit your number of sexual partners, and use a condom when you have sex. The more sexual partners you have in your lifetime, the more likely you are to contract a sexually transmitted infection — such as HIV or HPV. People who have HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of cancer of the anus, liver and lung. HPV is most often associated with cervical cancer, but it might also increase the risk of cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.

• Don't share needles. Sharing needles with an infected drug user can lead to HIV, as well as hepatitis B and hepatitis C — which can increase the risk of liver cancer. If you're concerned about drug abuse or addiction, seek professional help.

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Get Regular Medical Care.

Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the skin, colon, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor about the best cancer screening schedule for you.

Take cancer prevention into your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.

Obesity - NovaMed Fights Obesity With You!

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Our nutritionists and dieticians will work with you to achieve the best heath results and support you on your quest to defeat obesity.

We are here to make you healthier, more energized, more satisfied with yourself and yes also better looking!

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‍How to Prevent Obesity.

Obesity is a chronic disease affecting more and more children, adolescents and adults:

• Obesity rates among children in the U.S. have doubled since 1980 and have tripled for adolescents.

• 15% percent of children aged six to 19 are considered overweight

• Over 60 percent of adults are considered overweight or obese

Healthcare professionals are seeing earlier onset of Type 2 diabetes (normally an adult-onset disease), cardiovascular disease and obesity-related depression in children and adolescents. The longer a person is obese, the more significant obesity-related risk factors become. Given the chronic diseases and conditions associated with obesity, and the fact that obesity is difficult to treat, prevention is extremely important.

A primary reason that prevention of obesity is so vital in children is because the likelihood of obese becoming obese adults is thought to increase from about 20 percent at four years of age to 80 percent by adolescence.

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Preventing Obesity in Infants.

The longer babies are breastfed, the less likely they are to become overweight as they grow older. Breastfed babies are 15 to 25 percent less likely to become overweight. For those who are breastfed for six months or longer, the likelihood is 20 to 40 percent less.

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Preventing Obesity in Children and Adolescents.

Young people generally become overweight or obese because they don't get enough physical activity in combination with poor eating habits. Genetics and lifestyle also contribute to a child's weight status.

There are a number of steps you can take to help prevent overweight and obesity during childhood and adolescence. (They'll help you, too!) They include:

• Gradually work to change family eating habits and activity levels rather than focusing on weight. Change the habits and the weight will take care of itself.
• Be a role model. Parents who eat healthy foods and are physically activity set an example that increases the likelihood their children will do the same.
• Encourage physical activity. Children should have an hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week. More than an hour of activity may promote weight loss and subsequent maintenance.
• Reduce time in front of the TV and computer to less than two hours a day.
• Encourage children to eat only when hungry, and to eat slowly.
• Avoid using food as a reward or withholding food as a punishment.
• Keep the refrigerator stocked with fat-free or low-fat milk and fresh fruit and vegetables instead of soft drinks and snacks high in sugar and fat.
• Serve at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Encourage children to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, such as soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice drinks.

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Preventing Obesity in Adults

Many of the strategies that produce successful weight loss and maintenance will help prevent obesity. Improving your eating habits and increasing physical activity play a vital role in preventing obesity. Things you can do include:

• Eat five to six servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A vegetable serving is one cup of raw vegetables or one-half cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice. A fruit serving is one piece of small to medium fresh fruit, one-half cup of canned or fresh fruit or fruit juice, or one-fourth cup of dried fruit.
• Choose whole grain foods such as brown rice and whole wheat bread. Avoid highly processed foods made with refined white sugar, flour and saturated fat.
• Weigh and measure food to gain an understanding of portion sizes. For example, a three-ounce serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards. Avoid super-sized menu items particularly at fast-food restaurants. You can achieve a lot just with proper choices in serving sizes.
• Balance the food "checkbook." Eating more calories than you burn for energy will lead to weight gain.
• Weigh yourself regularly.
• Avoid foods that are high in "energy density" or that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food. For example, a large cheeseburger and a large order of fries may have almost 1,000 calories and 30 or more grams of fat. By ordering a grilled chicken sandwich or a plain hamburger and a small salad with low-fat dressing, you can avoid hundreds of calories and eliminate much of the fat intake. For dessert, have fruit or a piece of angel food cake rather than the "death by chocolate" special or three pieces of home-made pie.
• Crack a sweat: accumulate at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most, or preferably, all days of the week. Examples include walking a 15-minute mile, or weeding and hoeing the garden.
• Make opportunities during the day for even just 10 or 15 minutes of some calorie-burning activity, such as walking around the block or up and down a few flights of stairs at work. Again, every little bit helps.