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Detox Water: 3 Recipes to Cleanse Your Body

March 17, 2015 by

water with lemon and cucumberDetox water. It’s all the rage.

But is this new fad healthy? Absolutely! Just add it to your normal daily routine.

Detox water has a balance of fruits and herbs that flush fat, support liver and kidney health, and give your metabolism a jump-start.

Each of the ingredients in these recipes contain natural health benefits—and most you can find already in your kitchen!

Mix up a big pitcher of these 3 water detoxes or pour into a water bottle if you’re on the go.

Pre-Bathing Suit Season Detox

 

Ingredients:

  • ½ gallon spring water
  • ½ grapefruit, sliced
  • ½ cucumber, sliced
  • 2-3 mint leaves
  • ½ lemon, sliced
  • ½ lime, sliced

Why it’s good for you: The cucumbers serve as a natural diuretic, and help your body release water you’ve been retaining. The enzymes in grapefruits help you burn fat more easily. In addition, the lemons and limes help your digestive system. This detox will flatten your belly and have you bathing suit ready in no time!

Lemon Ginger Detox

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-ounce glass water, at room temperature
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 inch knob of zested ginger root

Why it’s good for you: The properties of zested ginger act as a detoxifier that help give your metabolism a jump-start. Lemons serve as a diuretic and improve digestive health to release toxins. Having a glass of lemon ginger water is a great drink for first thing in the morning to get your metabolism moving.

Fat Flush Detox

Ingredients:

-1 gallon of water

-Chopped-up watermelon in squares (about 3 slices)

-1 whole sliced cucumber

-1 lemon and/or lime

-Fresh mint leaves (about 10-13)

Why it’s good for you: The mint leaves are not only refreshing, but they also help cleanse the liver and relieve stomach cramping. Watermelon and cucumbers help filter your kidneys and liver. Lemons help to regulate your digestive track and break down fat. This is a great after-weekend detox to get your body back in tip-top shape.

Have a favorite detox recipe? Share on our Facebook page!

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Ask The Doctor-Will you give me your second opinion on insurance coverage?

March 13, 2015 by

This week, Gail Lanter, CPC, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: Do you accept BCBS insurance from Ga? I had a double mastectomy a year ago and breast implant reconstruction. I’ve had to have both taken out their weeks apart due to one being infected and one implant exposed. I would like a second opinion on where to go from here.

Answer: I’d have to see your card and check your plan to be completely certain, but we do participate within the Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Card Nationwide Network.  Does your card have a little suitcase on the bottom corner that looks like the one below?

BlueCross Blue Shield insurance card example

 

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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Discover the Happy You

March 10, 2015 by

happy girl jumping in field

What makes us unhappy?

Chances are it comes down to at least one of these three underlying causes: a toxic person, a toxic mindset, or a toxic lifestyle.

When you get into the cycle of consistently having negative people, thoughts, and lifestyle controlling you, it’s difficult to move to a truly happy place.

Here are three reasons why you need to rid of the toxicity in your life:

1.    Toxic People

Having toxic people in your life is incredibly draining. The Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology at Friedrich Schiller University in Germany conducted a study and found that your brain’s reaction to these negative people results in a massive stress response.

Here are three types of friends that may be causing stress and unhappiness in your life.

  • “The friend that doesn’t reciprocate”—This is the friend that you are always the one reaching out to meet up, doing favors for, and being there for her. Because that’s what friends are for. But it gets old and upsetting when they just don’t prioritize you in the same way.
  • “The friend that’s always the victim”—This friend always seems to have stuff happen “to” her, and she never considers that her actions have an impact on these circumstances. She is always negative, and there is always a crisis.
  • “The friend that wants to feel better about herself”—This is the friend who guilt trips you for not going out on a Tuesday night and makes fun of you for always being “lame.” This person puts other people down to make up for her own issues.

It may be difficult to separate yourself from a toxic friend if you’ve been close for a long time, but if she is truly weighing you down, consider how much healthier and happier your life will be with more supportive and positive influences.

2.    Toxic Mindset

Sure, there can be a lot of toxic people in our lives, but it’s important to realize when we are being toxic to ourselves. We may be treating others in an unfair way, because we are unhappy.

Are you still angry with your ex for leaving? Do you still resent your parent for not being there? This hatred can turn into a toxic cycle of unhappiness and depression.

In the words of Frozen, let it go.

Seriously. It’s difficult get to that forgiving mindset, but when you truly decide to stop holding resentment, the feeling is indescribably uplifting.

Chances are, when you decide to move on without bitterness toward that person, other areas of your life will be positively affected by this change.

Not to mention maintaining a high level of toxic emotions can lead to serious health risks. According to Better Health Channel, this inner stress can even cause heart attacks and stroke.

3.    Toxic Lifestyle

This may be the trickiest of all three to overcome, but can make such a profound difference in your happiness. A toxic lifestyle consists of habits and routines that you do habitually, but you know that they are unhealthy and causing you a lot of unhappiness.

Scenario:

Your friends only like to hang out at the bar and don’t have many other interests or hobbies other than drinking, so that’s where you spend the majority of your free time. You’d like to do other things, but it seems too stressful to meet new friends.

Solution:

This is a tough situation, because you’re comfortable in your current situation. The important thing to realize is how much happier you could be finding friends with aspirations similar to yours. Join as many groups as you can that interest you, and find out whom you click with!

To end the cycle of a toxic lifestyle, the most important thing is to truly recognize exactly how unhappy it is making you. Next, you need to decide what is going to make you happier. Finally, you have to make steps for yourself on how to achieve those goals.

Everyone deserves to find inner joy. Once you surmount the toxicity in your life, the opportunities for happiness are boundless.

Read more on how to find happiness in your life.

 

 

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Ask The Doctor-What can be done about hard breasts?

March 6, 2015 by

8404745471_aa5de5fd5f_mThis week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: I have had a natural breast reconstruction. I have several places in both breasts that are hard. I also have a hole in the right breast that needs tissue. Will the hard places soften as time goes by? I am considering having tissue taken from my groins to fill the cavity. I also have to have the tummy tuck closed. Please advise. Part of me is thinking to have all the tissue removed. The hard areas feel like armor. Thanks. What do you recommend?

Answer: Thanks for your question, I’m sorry you’re having difficulties. How long ago did you have breast reconstruction? Have you had a second stage yet? If you had reconstruction with your own fatty tissue, sometimes some of the fat may not survive and can cause hard lumps. The lumps will soften with time but usually not completely go away  unless they are small. We usually remove any hard lumps at the second stage procedure about 3 months following the first surgery. If most of the fat is hard then sometimes we might need to add more fat to the breast to give it shape, or start over with tissue from another area. The thigh area is another possible area to get fat if needed depending on your situation. We avoid taking the groin muscles when we use the thigh fat to rebuild the breast. Let me know how long ago you had your surgery. Time may improve your situation and hopefully you won’t feel like you need to go back to having no breasts.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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The Charleston Cinderella Project

March 3, 2015 by

girl in her purple prom dressThe Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction wants to share some information about one of our favorite events of the year, The Charleston Cinderella Project. The organization collects formal dresses, gowns, purses, jewelry, shawls, shoes, and accessories, and provide those items to financially challenged high school ladies free of cost.

This year’s event will be hosted at John Wesley United Methodist Church March 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations are still being accepted, at the locations on their website,

through March 11.  If you’re interested in helping to set up March 13, please sign up online. We appreciate everyone’s support to help these young women look gorgeous for their big day!

Alissa Collins Lietzow, Project Chair for the Charleston Cinderella Project, tells us what this event means to her: 

Tell us how you became involved with The Cinderella Project?

I became involved back in 2004, when I was a Freshman at College of Charleston. I was volunteering at St. Matthew’s after school program when I started to see dresses being donated in the early months. After learning more about the Cinderella Project, I jumped in! I started chairing the project the next year.

How many young ladies attend the event each year? 

The project has really grown since its inception. The first year I volunteered, we maybe had 20/25 girls come and about 100 dresses. Over the last several years, we’ve really grown the event, adding in accessories, dressing rooms, and fabulous door prizes to make the entire experience feel like a day of shopping. We’re hoping for several hundred girls to attend March 14.

racks of the prom dresses

What is the one “made my day” moment that you have experienced while working on this project?

I have several of those “made my day” moments throughout the years. The hugs from moms and grandmamas that come shopping with the girls are always heartwarming. Some of the e-mails asking for assistance are quite touching. I also remember a young lady who reached out and wanted to donate her dress back to the event because she had such a wonderful time, she wanted to give another young lady that same opportunity.  The project takes months of planning, but it’s always worth it.

cinderella_project-64

 

How can people contact you if they want to help or donate?

For more information, e-mail  CinderellaProjectCharleston@gmail.com, visit their website www.cinderellaprojectcharleston.com, or find them on social media

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Ask The Doctor-What could be causing the cramps in my breast?

February 27, 2015 by

5987018633_ca7f1c6f97_mThis week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: I am 70 years old, and 5 years ago had a bilateral with reconstruction. Since then, I have had severe cramps in both breasts and they can even tie a knot in my stomach I can feel knot up when I cough. These are not like stomach pains, they are very painful, hard cramps like one experiences in the calf of their legs….I asked my Plastic Surgeon about them, and he just said he had never heard of cramps in breasts. I can cause my breasts to cramp by simply turning over on. My side, raising my arm or reaching around for something…I’m a tough ole broad, but these cramps make me nauseous they hurt so bad…have you any experience with this? Thank you so much for your time.

Answer: Thanks for your question. I’m sorry you’re having a difficult time. Painful cramping suggests muscles are having spasms. Normally the breast does not have muscle but the chest muscle is underneath the breasts and can have spasms for different reasons. The explanation could possibly be related to the type of breast reconstruction. If you have implant reconstruction the implants are often placed under the muscles. If the body rejects the implants or develops scaring that tightens around the implant the distortion can cause muscle spasm. If you had reconstruction using one of your body muscles to rebuild the breast,  that too could possibly be related to the cramping pain. If the muscles from the tummy wall were used to rebuild your breast or breasts that might explain the “knot in your stomach”. I would need more information to let you know what I would recommend. What type of breast reconstruction did you have? Do you have implants and did you have radiation to the breast? Thanks again.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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Have Fun While Breaking A Sweat

February 24, 2015 by

exercisingThere are rumors rolling around town that there are some new workouts that are (*gasp*) fun!

We don’t know about you, but this just simply goes against everything we know.  Don’t get us wrong—we are always open to new things. But if there were ever a day where we’d see pigs fly, today is the day.

In case you want to try this whole “fun workout thing” with us, we’re sharing the top 5 newest calorie-burning trends.

Bounce the Calories Off

This is the place of your childhood dreams: an entire room made of trampolines for as far as your eye can see. You can literally bounce the calories off and not even know you’re doing it. It’s great cardio AND leg sculpting. And bouncing is great for the lymphatic system!

Our Charleston recommendation: Sky Zone Trampoline Park.

Join the Circus for the Day

Who said you have to work out on the ground? Try your talents at the aerial sling, aerial silks, aerial hoop, or the trapeze! You will definitely feel the burn on this one. Warning: this might not be your thing if you have a fear of heights.

Our Charleston recommendation: Aerial Fit.

Walk on Water

You’ve probably seen Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) by now, but have you tried it yet? With a little help from an instructor, you’ll be up on your feet in no time! There are so many great SUP activities for all experience levels, ranging from laid-back tours of rivers and canals to more intense workout classes and races.

Our Charleston recommendation: Nature Adventures Outfitters.

Dance the Weight Off

Have you tried a Zumba class yet? This workout involves dancing off calories to high-energy music. It’s the perfect full-body workout!

Our Charleston recommendation: Pivotal Fitness.

Walk and Talk

Okay so this one isn’t a new trend, but it sure is fun! Instead of meeting your friends for coffee, plan on going for a walk together. You will still get to check in with each other, but you’ll also get to burn some calories too!

Have you tried any of these fun workouts? Let us know what you think!

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Ask The Doctor- If you choose natural breast reconstruction as opposed to implants is there sensation in the breast?

February 20, 2015 by

multi-colored flowerThis week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: If you choose natural breast reconstruction as opposed to implants is there sensation in the breast? Is there sensation with nipple sparing? What is the rate of success with natural reconstruction? Thank you.

Answer: As a general rule, there is no erogenous sensation after any type of breast reconstruction, although in isolated circumstances some people do seem to get that back, or something like it. Most of the skin is usually completely numb initially, but may regain some feeling after months, or even years. Even after nipple-sparing mastectomy, there is usually no sensation. While it is theoretically possible for the nerves to grow back, it is rare to get normal feeling back, even after a prolonged period. The flap survival rate after natural breast reconstruction is approximately 98%. Completion of reconstruction usually requires 2 or 3 surgeries in all, but they tend to get sequentially shorter and less involved. Once you have competed natural breast reconstruction, however, your breasts will usually continue to improve on their own for many years. This is in sharp contrast to implant-based reconstruction, where the quality of the reconstruction often tends to deteriorate over time. Thank you for your question.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

(**Note to our readers: We really do personally reply to all questions sent through our website within 24 to 48 hours directly to the e-mail provided by the sender. We want you to receive your answer quickly, so please assure that you are entering your information correctly so that you receive the personal answer to your question and do not have to wait for it to be published as an Ask The Doctor Q & A.) 

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Ask The Doctor-Are the lymph nodes disturbed during DIEP flap reconstruction?

February 20, 2015 by

pink flowerThis week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: After a DIEP flap reconstruction, the top part of my tummy above the incision protrudes over the scar-especially in the evening. Is this a lymph issue or edema? Are the lymph glands disturbed in the abdomen with this kind of surgery?

Answer: Thanks for your question. During a typical DIEP procedure the lymph nodes that serve the tummy area are not removed and the lymphatic fluid can move in the normal direction. It is possible to have lymphedema of the tummy area after a DIEP but it certainly is not very common. It would be more likely if someone had multiple tummy surgeries and scars before the DIEP procedure. In my patients I see that their tummy wall and tummy incision may be swollen for 3-4 months after the surgery. If someone has healing problems, infections or a seroma (pocket of fluid underneath the incision), then swelling can be more prolonged. If someone has persistent swelling and none of the above issues for 6 months then I would consider having a therapist who has experience treating lymphedema see them for possible lymphatic massage treatments. Let me know if you need more information, thanks again.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

(**Note to our readers: We really do personally reply to all questions sent through our website within 24 to 48 hours directly to the e-mail provided by the sender. We want you to receive your answer quickly, so please assure that you are entering your information correctly so that you receive the personal answer to your question and do not have to wait for it to be published as an Ask The Doctor Q & A.) 

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Preventative Measures: Staying Healthy to Stave Off Breast Cancer

February 17, 2015 by

fruit pileHave you ever heard that wearing a bra with underwire increases your chances of breast cancer? According to health.com, this has been totally debunked by the scientific community.

There are a lot of myths about what does and doesn’t cause cancer. That’s why we’re sharing 5 ways that the Mayo Clinic has listed as being proven to decrease the risk of breast cancer—and every slight decrease counts!

1.    Exercise Often

Yeah, yeah. Exercise seems to be the answer to everything. But we’re serious. Breaking a sweat will help boost your immune system to fight off cancer cells.

2.    Lower Alcohol Consumption

Limit your alcohol intake to 1 drink. Research has shown that drinking 2 or more drinks increases the risk of breast cancer by 21%. However, according to Women’sHealth.com, grape juice contains properties to help decrease your risk of cancer—just think of it as drinking unfermented wine!

3.    Be Weight Conscious

Being overweight increases your risk for cancer substantially. By staying fit you are able to boost your immune system and lower your levels of estrogen and insulin.

4.    Breast-Feed

According to Dr. Debbie Saslow from the American Cancer Society, some studies suggest that breast-feeding may offer a slight chance of protection against breast cancer.

5.    Limit Use of Hormone Therapy

Long-term use of hormone therapy can increase the risk of a cancer diagnosis. If you are currently taking hormones, ask your doctor about nonhormonal therapies that are available.

Consult your doctor if you observe any changes or lumps in your breasts. If you have a family history of breast cancer, meet with your doctor to talk more about preventative measures.

Did you find this information helpful? Let’s continue the conversation on Facebook!

 

 

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