My Health 360

02/19/2023

My practice is OPEN - I am helping patients on Mondays (10AM to 5PM) at Main Line Spine in King of Prussia: 700 S. Henderson Road, The Merion Building, Suite 308C. Call 610-337-3111 for appointments.

With Regenerative Medicine needs/questions: Call 215-595-2207 or visit QCKinetix.com

Send a message to learn more

07/20/2020

https://philadelphiafreedoms.com/

World Team Tennis is back - it is now "mid-season" during the fortnight at The Greenbriar in White Sulphur Springs, WV ... and the Freedoms are in FIRST PLACE!! Sofia Kenin, Donald Young, Taylor Fritz, Taylor Townshend, Fabrice Martin, and Corolyn Dolehyde have been dominating the field of 9 teams in the league.

Tennis is the SAFEST sport to play during COVID. The ATP and USTA created a protocol to follow for safe play:
https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/national/usta-statement-on-safety-of-playing-tennis-during-the-covid-19-v.html

Within my practice, I focus on Tennis Medicine, providing integrative Tennis Medicine Consultation to assist players in achieving optimal physical and mental health and performance on the court and beyond. If you or anyone you know needs injury prevention or treatment to optimize on-court performance, please call me - 215-280-3475.

Please check out my website at www.TennisDoc.org STAY ON COURT!!

Best! Matt Schwartz, MD - TennisDoc

Providing adult recreational Tennis Players in the Greater Philadelphia Area a Tennis Medicine Physician with TennisDoc.

06/07/2020

https://ucsusa.org/food/sustainable-agriculture

Rounding Down: it's time to act

Glyphosate, trade name "Round Up," invented in 1976, is a week killer that is so overused by "Big Ag" (agriculture - in wheat, corn, soy, sugar beets, alfalfa, etc., since 1992), that it has bioaccumulated into everyone's fat stores and even in unborn babies (as measured in umbilical cord blood of newborns). Its' intended use - to kill weeds that compete for water and nutrients within our giant monocrop agriculture system. Glyphosate is horribly effective, contributing to the collapse of biodiversity. Infectious and other chronic diseases are the collateral damage.

Many other toxic chemicals and pharmaceuticals find their way into the food supply, wreaking havoc on our environment, both external and internal. Species extinction has accelerated (10,000X increase of the background rate over the past few decades) to about one every 20 minutes. Exposure to heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and other nanoparticles leads to chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases from neuroendocrine and immune disruption and dysregulation.

Glyphosate causes plants to reduce formation of alkaloids and essential amino acids (in bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals ... including humans), leading to the harvesting of nutrient-poor foods, the consumption of which leads to the epigenetic reprogramming of the populations' genetics. It also destroys our gut microbiomes, leading to leaky membranes in our intestines, as well as membranes in our brains, kidneys, and other specialized tissues: larger molecules not intended to course through our circulation disrupt tissue physiology, producing disease. The integrity of the fabric of our innate self-sustaining biology is eroded.

The Flat Earth Society (really ... it's a thing ... google it) promulgates the abject ignorance of and disregard for science, as well as governmental and institutional mistrust. A fact-free portion of the electorate has proven its willingness to usher in dangerous imperious "leaders." The existence of anti-science activists makes one wonder if humankind will save itself and reverse the insidious trend toward potential cataclysmic environmental distruction.

The attached article gives important background on this subject. However, during this upcoming election season, it is incumbent upon all of us to support successful campaigns to update public servant leadership. Perhaps, then, we will have leaders who will favor allocating our own wealth, paid in taxes and surrendered to the government, towards initiatives that serve "We, the People," including repair of our broken food system.

In the meantime, we can eat an organic plant-based diet, minimize exposure to animal products (that most voraciously bioaccumulate toxins, in light of their altitude in the food chain), purify our home cooking/drinking water with reverse osmosis filtration systems, and minimize consumtion in general.

Check out Zach Bush, MD, who is the CEO of Farmers Footprint. Watch the videos on his website www.zachbushmd.com.

Also check out Dr. Mark Hyman's "Food Fix" campaign.

Your Daily Apple - In peace and health,

Matt

Farmers and scientists are working together to transform the way we grow our food by building healthier soil and more diverse, resilient farm landscapes.

05/23/2020

https://patients.healthquest.org/exercise-is-essential-for-well-being-during-covid-19-pandemic/

Dealing with the stress associated with so many unknowns due to the pandemic and accentuated by the impending opening up of Society again, it is especially important to get routine exercise safely, without risking spreading the virus.

Gyms remain closed. They are relatively poorly ventilated, so it is probably a better idea to stick with what we have been doing for the past 2 months rather than exercising in an indoor environment.

If you have been resourceful, you may have found myriad online exercise classes that keep you engaged. Perhaps you have become creative in finding dumbbell replacements like carry-on suitcases filled with books so that you can keep lifting. You might leave your yoga mat unrolled on your floor to make it easier to incorporate calisthenics in stride throughout your day.

There are a lot of hiking trails open yet many are getting crowded and is getting more difficult to maintain 6 feet of distance between others. Perhaps going for a hike during less popular times would be more sensible.

Whatever you do, keep moving!

This article has some good suggestions.

In peace and health,

Dr. Matt

The importance of physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how you can continue to exercise effectively and safely Summary: Measures taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are causing changes in everyday schedules are disrupting workout routines for many Americans. Exercise is especially....

05/14/2020

Medical Ma*****na Certification and Telemedicine

For the past 2+ years, the PA Department of Health Medical Ma*****na Program has been permitting qualifying patients to get certified for Medical Ma*****na (MMJ) by credentialed physicians. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has been the means by which physicians provide clinical care. MMJ is sold by the many dispensaries in PA, considered by Governor Wolf in March as "Essential Businesses."

As if life wasn't stressful enough before this pandemic, you can imagine that the incidence and prevalence of anxiety and PTSD, both qualifying medical conditions for MMJ, have skyrocketed. There is so much existential angst in the atmosphere. In addition, many Pennsylvanians who suffer with chronic unremitting neuropathic pain (despite trials of conventional therapies with persistent suboptimal outcomes) also qualify for MMJ.

In order to get certified for MMJ, one MUST have been diagnosed with one of the 23 qualifying conditions (listed on the PA DOH MMP website) AND must be able to produce medical documentation (from a primary or specialist physician) corroborating the existence of that/those condition(s). With this documentation forwarded to a certifying physician (I am one), a prospective MMJ-treated patient must register within the PA Medical Ma*****na Program (clear instructions on its website). Thereafter, an appointment may be made with the certifying physician for a telehealth visit. A thorough discussion is held about medical history, logistical management, and precautions. The whole process can be accomplished within a few days. Then, a certified patient may pay for his/her ID card, which will arrive by the USPS within 1-3 weeks. Once the card is received, a patient (or caretaker) may contact any dispensary for guidance from the clinician (board certified pharmacist or physician), who provides unlimited consultation, as a patient trials various strains, formulations, and doses, in order to identify the best combination of products that optimize clinical effectiveness while minimizing undesireable side effects.

In my experience, 95% of all patients seeking MMJ have virtually no interest in "getting high." MMJ is routinely dosed specifically in order to minimize cognitive blunting and sedation, so patients may remain normally functional.

For anxiety, I have been recommending a long-acting 1:1 THC:CBD hybrid (combination C. Sativa and C. Indica) pill along with a higher-THC C. Indica tincture for breakthrough symptoms and for sleep at night. This is a very effective combination that restores sleep, mood, and function in many spheres of life.

If you or anyone you know is suffering with any qualifying condition, and is not getting answers from medical professionals despite considerable effort, then pursuit of MMJ may, indeed, be appropriate.

Feel free to contact me at my office with any questions.

05/10/2020

https://hscnews.usc.edu/five-tips-to-prepare-for-your-first-telemedicine-visit

You can still get medical care despite this pandemic - safely and in the comfort of your own home!

Americans are on track to have participated in 1 billion telemedicine visits in 2020! These virtual "eVisits" are real-time encounters that have limitations, but can be quite productive. While you cannot be physically examined thoroughly (I actually can check spinal and joint range of motion, coordination, gross strength, balance, and gait), you can voice your concerns, describe your functional challenges, and receive sound medical advice about diagnostic and therapeutic plans of care, all without the inconvenience of traveling to your physicians' offices and dealing with waiting room delays.

The article linked reviews what you can do to have the most successful televisit. When calling for an appointment, it is best to specify what type of device (with camera/microphone/speaker) you will be using - to determine how the practitioner will initiate the linkup. Some docs use Doxy.Me, some use Webex, and others can directly link to you with FaceTime (Apple devices) or FaceBook video (Android devices). It is best to have a pen and paper, and be seated upright in a chair at a desk or table, with your device in a fixed position, propped up most vertically.

Please don't be intimidated about this type of care - your needs will be met so you can continue to make gains in improving your health outcomes.

In health, Dr. Matt

As more doctors’ offices move toward telemedicine for those appointments that can be held remotely, patients should know how to prepare for these virtual visits. Sirisha Mohan, MD, telemedicine lead for the Department of Family Medicine at Keck Medicine of USC, knows just how beneficial it is to h...

05/08/2020

What it means to truly take care (of ourselves) during a pandemic

Reflecting on the challenges we are all facing, we must take the best care of ourselves as possible - so we are ok ... and we can help others. How do we "put on our own oxygen masks first?"

We can make sure we flip off the TV/phone/computer earlier, throw ourselves in bed, and get a good night sleep, hopefully every night. We can creatively exercise (while the gyms are closed), eat whole and clean food, and regularly get out into nature (safely)! We can schedule video chats frequently to maintain social connection ... and think about those in our circles who might be isolated, to have them feel connected.

If we empower ourselves - we will regain reserves ... to care for others, who need us most now.

Your Daily Apple - in Peace and Health - Matt

04/04/2020

Your Daily Apple:

We watch aghast at how this viral storm whirls around the globe with stealth and efficiency.

As we all slow the spread with effective sanitizing measures, social distancing, staying at home, and wearing facemasks to fend off this silent foe, let us all, with resolve, vow to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our community by optimizing our own immune systems.

Let’s all encourage our loved ones, and seek support for ourselves if needed, to:

- Limit intake of alcohol and quit smoking
- Keep our bodies active and vigorous at home and in nature
- Do what we can to get seven hours of sleep per night (or more)
- Eat a plant-based anti-inflammatory diet
- Manage our stress with meditation and movement
- And, above all, stay socially connected, making appointments with our loved ones to share video calls

This is our new way of life.
It must be.



In peace and health,

Dr. Matt

03/28/2020

During these trying times, each one of us or perhaps someone we know and love may be wrestling with sleeplessness, anxiety, or depression. At these times, it is especially important for us to be taking the best care of ourselves possible. Following the six pillars of wellness (eliminating unhealthy behaviors; optimizing sleep, nutrition, and exercise; stress management; and optimizing social and spiritual connectivity) is a great strategy. In addition, anxiety is a qualifying condition for medical cannabis.

If I can be of service to you or anyone you know and love, please contact me through my website at www.MyHealth360.org.

In peace,

Dr. Matt

Dr. Matt Schwartz provides services in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Pain Medicine, and Integrative Holistic Medicine. He’s focused on you, providing thorough evaluations in an unhurried fashion by listening, assessing, and thoughtfully analyzing your health issues. Communication with you an...