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Lifestyle Medicine

Thrive Carolinas / Lifestyle Medicine (Page 3)

Weight Management Solutions: A Comprehensive Approach

Written By: Dr. Tracy Larson Edited By: Thrive Carolinas Weight management has become a key focus in healthcare, driven by its strong links to serious health concerns such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, and cancer. At the same time, societal factors and lifestyle changes have contributed to a sharp rise in obesity rates. Today, nearly 40% of U.S. adults are classified as obese, and 70% fall into the overweight or obese category. Childhood obesity is also on the rise, setting the stage for significant long-term health challenges. At Thrive, we offer a holistic, personalized approach to weight management. While medications can play a role, we focus on sustainable lifestyle changes that empower individuals to achieve lasting health and wellness. Understanding the Obesity Epidemic Obesity is a complex...

Why You Need to Pay Attention to Body Composition

Understanding your body composition is essential for long-term health and fitness. While many focus on the number on the scale, this approach can be misleading—especially if you're building muscle through strength training. Recent research highlights the importance of strength training for health, longevity, and metabolic well-being. However, body composition, not just weight, is a more accurate measure of your progress and health. What Is Body Composition? Body composition refers to the fat and lean mass percentages that make up your total body weight. Unlike weight alone, body composition breaks these elements into key components: Fat Mass: Includes subcutaneous fat (under the skin) and visceral fat (around internal organs). Lean Mass: Comprises skeletal muscle, bones, organs, fluids, and other non-fat elements. Understanding your body composition can give you a more...

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Supporting Your Natural Detoxification Systems

Written by: Nancy Palermo, MD | Edited by: Thrive Carolinas Our modern environment is filled with toxins—from the foods we eat and the water we drink to the air we breathe and the products we use daily. Fortunately, our bodies are naturally equipped with robust detoxification systems. The liver, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and kidneys work together to eliminate harmful substances through urine, stool, mucus, and sweat. Sometimes, however, our “toxic load” becomes too great, and we need extra support. That’s where temporary diets and detox protocols can help. Let’s explore how the body’s built-in detoxification process works and ways to support it naturally. Factors Influencing Toxic Load Several elements can affect how well our bodies handle toxins, including: Environment: Pollutants, chemicals, and other external contaminants Genetics: Inherited predispositions that...

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Counting Your Macros and Enjoying What You Eat

Are you looking to shed unwanted pounds, build muscle, or simply eat healthier? Although we’ve long heard that weight management is all about “calories in and calories out,” there’s more to it than just tracking calories. By focusing on macronutrients—proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—you can create a more personalized, effective plan to reach your health goals without feeling deprived. So, What Exactly are Macronutrients? “Macros” is short for macronutrients, the nutrients that provide energy, specifically proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Proteins and carbohydrates provide four calories per gram, and fats deliver nine calories per gram. We need to consider macronutrients as a source of fuel for our bodies. The total calorie intake comes from the macronutrients.  We do not want to confuse macronutrients with micronutrients. Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals...

Why Do a Detox??

Originally published December 13, 2023 Updated December 30, 2024 Why Is Detoxing The Body So Important? Here is the cruel reality: our bodies are exposed to numerous toxins each day. These toxins include environmental toxins, chemical pollutants in the air we breathe, and toxins from our food and beverages.  Although your body has an amazing ability to remove these harmful toxins, they continue to accumulate and can have many negative effects on your body. Your organs can become bogged down, and toxicity can manifest in your body through a wide variety of symptoms. Many of the symptoms are vague and persistent. To see if you are experiencing some of the negative effects of your toxic load, consider completing an MSQ questionnaire ( see below ). This may provide you...

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Healthy Habits to Maintain During the Holidays – Part 1

Mindful Holiday Health Tips Part 1 – Healthy Habits to Maintain During the Holidays Written by: Nancy Palermo, MD Edited by: Thrive The holiday season can be challenging for anyone trying to make healthy choices. With added time constraints, many of us struggle with exercising, maintaining healthy sleep habits, or limiting the intake of processed and sugary foods that abound at this time of year. The added burdens of financial, political, and social stressors can crack our resolve and discipline even more. Many of us enter the holiday season with extra padding, and we must focus on what we can control to maintain our well-being. While we cannot control whether it will be a white Christmas, if our flight will be delayed, or what food our families might serve...

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Cranberries: Beyond Thanksgiving

November may be the only month you buy a bag of cranberries, but these tangy fruits pack a powerful nutritional punch. These tiny berries are grown on vines in large, sandy bogs. The average American can consume over 2 pounds of cranberries; however, this is mostly through juice, as 95% of cranberries are processed into juice and other drinks. Less than 5 percent of purchased cranberries are in the fresh form. As you will see, the processed version does not offer the same benefits. Cranberries are tart and can be challenging to eat without being sweetened with sugar or honey. They are acidic and share a pH like lemons, explaining why sugar is often added to recipes with cranberries. In fact, the sugar-ladened canned cranberry gelatin, first...

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Optimizing Bones for Your Future Health

[caption id="attachment_12211" align="alignleft" width="192"] Nancy Palermo, MD[/caption] Written By: Nancy Palermo, MD Edited by: Thrive Carolinas Osteoporosis affects an estimated 10.2 million American adults aged 50 and older, of which more than 80% are women. Another 44 million are at risk for osteoporosis due to loss of bone density (osteopenia). Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), poses significant health risks, leading to fractures, reduced mobility, and a diminished quality of life. In a study based on almost 380,000 osteoporotic fractures in females, 10% had another fracture within one year, 18% within two years, and 31% within five years. More concerning is the mortality rate after a hip fracture can be as high as 36% within a year of the break.  The physical and economic burden of osteoporosis is underrated....

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Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Sauce

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons Light Olive Oil 4 pieces Fresh Cod Fillets (200-250 grams each) 300 grams Cherry Tomatoes cut in half 1/4 cup Garlic, chopped finely 1/2 cup Chardonnay White Wine Juice of 1 Lemon Fresh Thyme Leaves Salt & Pepper, to taste Directions: Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Season cod fillets with salt and paper. Add it to the pan and cook until golden brown and tender, it will take about 3 minutes on each. Once the cod fillets are cooked, remove from the pan and set it aside. Use the same sauté pan, add more oil if pan is getting dry. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they are soft and blistering. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. ...

More Evidence to Support Primary Prevention in Breast Cancer

By Dr. Nancy A. Palermo, MD Edited by: Thrive Carolinas A recent landmark study published in BMJ Oncology by researchers from the University of Edinburgh examined the incidence of 29 cancers in individuals aged 14 to 49 across 200 countries over a 30-year period. The findings were alarming: the incidence of cancers in those under 50 rose by 79%, accounting for over 3.26 million cases. The researchers suggested that this increase is not due to genetic factors but rather to environmental influences like poor diet (high in processed foods and added sugars), alcohol consumption, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and exposure to environmental toxins. Our genes haven't changed in the last 30 years, but our environment has—highlighting the need for lifestyle changes to address this growing issue. The...

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