Stretching improves your flexibility, and flexibility keeps your joints healthy and prevents other injuries. Stretching also eases aches and pains in your body later in life, when your muscles and tendons tend to degrade.

A Quick Overview on Stretching

When getting ready to exercise, many trainers will suggest stretching as part of your pre-workout. While you don’t want to stretch while your muscles are cold, start with some light movements to move your muscles and begin to stretch. Stretching while you aren’t warmed up a bit can lean to muscle strains and pulls.

Be sure to move slowly through your stretches, and hold them rather than bounce. Smooth, graceful motions keep your muscles safe and allow you to feel your limits comfortably.

You don’t want to stretch out to the point at which it hurts. You want to feel the muscle stretching; if it starts to hurt, take a breath, and back off the stretch until the pain subsides. 

Don’t Forget to Breathe

Breathing is an important part of stretching. The oxygen you take in helps keep the blood flow to your muscles with a healthy amount of oxygen, which allows them to flex and heal.

Take in a deep breath before the stretch, exhale as you move into it until you have reached the fully stretched position. Breathe in and out as you hold the stretch. 

Take it Easy

It would be best if you held the stretches for longer than you would feel necessary to be effective. A slow 20-25 second count is recommended to maximize benefits. Try to stretch each muscle group, but especially stretch groups if you plan on working them out. 

Always stretch after exercising. Take a brief cool-down period of about 5 minutes, then move through some stretches to help with next-day soreness. 

Why Stretching is a Good Idea

Stretching is an excellent form of everyday easy movement that does great things for your body. Stretching helps with poor posture, tight muscles, rehabilitation, and increasing your range of motion. Be sure to carefully go through your stretching motions and pay attention to your body’s signals. 

Quick Care Med has a trained staff prepared and ready to treat strained or sprained muscles. Click Here to find your local office or click here to make a Telemedicine appointment.

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The Staples

There are three main items that you want to keep in any first-aid kit you bring with you.

•Benadryl

•Hydrocortisone cream

•Neosporin with Band-aids

Some medical professionals believe that Benadryl is the single most crucial over-the-counter medication you could have in your aid kit. While not treating severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis, Benadryl works excellent for minor reactions and keeps situations calm.

You’ll want to pack Anti-itch ointment to deal with any itchy bites. It will also help soothe an itchy rash, like poison ivy.

Keep a tube of antibiotic ointment packed away; it’s great to treat cuts, scrapes, and burns and provide some protection to the wound. Be sure to have a few different sizes of band-aids handy to cover up these minor wounds.

Items to Keep for Wounds

There are a handful of more specific items you’ll want to keep in your first-aid kit:

•Gauze: Sterile gauze pads are handy for a variety of injuries to keep them clean and covered.

•Tape: Bandage tape will ensure you’ll wrap up any cuts and won’t miss any playtime.

•Pain Relievers: Keep a little of both Ibuprofen and Tylenol in liquid forms for kids. If you don’t feel like packing extra for the adults, check the bottle’s dosage, and get an adult amount. It’s typically about double.

•Numbing Spray: Any OTC wound-numbing spray comes in handy for any burns, sunburns, or nasty cuts.

Odds and Ends

A few extra items that are good to carry if you have the room, but don’t have a single category to keep them in:

•Ace Bandage: For sprains and strains. Wrapping any aches up and apply pressure.

•Small Scissors: To cut and size out gauze and cloths to dress wounds and cut tape and more.

•Tweezer: For splinters and dealing with some things that fingers are just too big for.

•Pedialyte: Great for rehydration, especially when unable to keep food or other liquids down well. Suitable for all ages.

Be sure you check your first-aid kit before leaving on a trip to ensure it has everything it needs. Sometimes an item gets used at home and doesn’t find its way back to the kit. Keep a list of required medications in case you find yourself without them for any reason.

Keeping in the habit of having a first-aid kit nearby, whether at home or anytime you leave the house, is an excellent way of being prepared. It may not always be needed, but you’ll be thankful its there when you do. The peace of mind knowing that you have just the right thing when your child runs up to with tears in their eyes is invaluable.

For injuries that require a little more care than a first-aid kit can provide, Quick Care Med Urgent Care is there. From sprains to cuts, from dehydration to nausea, Quick Care can help get back on your feet quickly. Drop by one of our 10 locations or click here to schedule a Telemedicine visit.

The post Planning on Traveling? Here’s what you need in your First-Aid Kit appeared first on Quick Med Care.

They don’t realize that any amount of sun exposure is dangerous and will damage your skin. Tanning is bad for you because your skin doesn’t begin even to tan until the sun’s UV rays have already pierced your skin and started messing with your DNA.

Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen

Even the old idea of a “base tan” to protect you from burning in the future is a myth. Tanned skin only offers as much protection as an SPF 2 sunscreen. With this mind, it’s a good idea to make sure you apply sunscreen of at least 30 SPF anytime you’re out and exposed to sunlight.

Benefits with Proper Precaution

Not all sun is bad, mind you. Populations with higher sun exposure levels have better blood pressure and moods while showing fewer cases of autoimmune diseases. The sun is also a great source of vitamin D; however, many experts say you get the necessary amounts of vitamin D within a few minutes. So, it’s still highly recommended to apply sunscreen before heading outside at all.

Any type of UV exposure is dangerous, meaning that tanning beds, which were thought to be a safer alternative, are also off the table. Excess UV light leads to many skin problems, including melanomas, cancers, DNA damage, and wrinkles.

If you want that sun-kissed look, it’s recommended that you go with a tanning lotion or spray-tan. When heading out, you’re better off applying a thick layer of sunscreen and proper coverings.

It’s easy to get too much sun, so if you’re in pain from a sunburn, or are suffering from the effects of heat exhaustion/stroke, drop by one of our 10 locations across Florida, or click here to sign up for a Telemedicine appointment.

The post Is There Such a Thing as a Healthy Tan appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Heat exhaustion can sneak up on anyone if they ignore the symptoms that lead up to it. With as quick as it can happen, it’s just as easily avoidable. Here are a few signs to keep an eye out for and stop heat exhaustion in its tracks.

Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Confusion

• Dark-colored urine (a sign of dehydration)

• Dizziness

• Fainting

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Muscle or abdominal cramps

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

• Pale skin

• Profuse sweating

• Rapid heartbeat

Cooldown

If you or anyone you know begin to suffer any of these symptoms, immediately take them to a cool area and start working to cool their body off. Bring them to an air-conditioned room, a shaded area, a cool bath or shower, or have them sit down in front of a fan.

If symptoms don’t seem to improve in 10-15 minutes, immediately seek emergency medical care as untreated heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke.

Heatstroke may lead to complications, such as:

• Damage to critical bodily organs

• Death

Heat exhaustion correlates with the heat index, which is how hot you feel when humidity and air temperature are combined. Higher levels of moisture hamper your body’s ability to evaporate sweat off the skin, how your body cools itself.

Heat exhaustion risk rises as temperatures reach about 90 degrees and higher. So it is essential to pay attention to upcoming weather patterns and take necessary precautions for, especially hot days.

Prevent heat-related illnesses by taking these steps:

• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing, that has plenty of room for your skin to breathe.

• Wear SPF 30 sunscreen or better.

• Drink plenty of fluids (water, juice, sports drinks). Dehydration will amplify the effects of heat exposure. 

• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after activities.

• Avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol. Both of these substances make you lose more fluids.

• Take regular breaks to cool off.

Heatwaves don’t need to mean that you can’t enjoy the outdoors. With some easy precautionary steps to prepare your body and your surroundings, you can get any projects done or just plain have fun. Stay cool, and stay safe.

If you or a loved one is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke symptoms, drop by one of our 10 locations, or click here to schedule a Telemedicine appointment.

The post Don’t Let Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke Take the Fun Out of Summer appeared first on Quick Med Care.

You can make a few preparations to ensure that the trip will be without too much distraction. Here are a few ideas to keep you on the road to safety as you take the long drive to relaxation.

Adjust your Leaving Time

Rather than leaving during the day, think about adjusting your sleeping pattern so that you, the driver or passenger, are awake for an overnight drive.

Driving overnight, or at least in the early hours of the morning, means that your family is more likely to spend a more significant portion of your journey asleep.

Teach your Kids to Read a Map

Avoid those pesky “are we there yet?’ questions by handing over the road map to the kids. Encourage them to look and figure out themselves just how much further you have to go.

Talk them through looking at the key and judging the distance using finger widths as measuring tools and translating them into time.

Take Frequent Stops

It may seem counter-productive to take frequent breaks from the actual driving portion, but letting your high-energy-balls-of-fury get out and run around should keep them calm when you get back to your journey.

Plan out some sites to see, or even just hit some parks along the way and let the kids run around. Twenty to thirty minutes of playtime can turn into a few hours of peace for your concentration on the road.

Break Out Snacks

The type of food you eat along your journey will make a difference in everyone’s mood and behavior while in the car. Think about packing some healthy, yet neat, snacks that everybody can snack on in the car.

Avoid stopping in the drive-thru or the road-side diner as these foods will tend to be high in fat and salt that bring the mood down as you sit in the car. Bring some nuts, dried fruit, even some homemade sandwiches are great alternatives.

There are many great ways to ensure you can keep your concentration on the road and avoid having the craziest backseat on this side of the Mississippi. Take these tips, utilize them, and use them to fit your family and their interests. Ensure that the journey is just as memorable as the destination itself, and it will be a vacation your family will remember forever.

The post Summer Vacation Travel: How to stay safe on the road and keep the kids occupied appeared first on Quick Med Care.

1. Avoid Peak Sun Hours

From around 10 am-2 pm, the sun is at its highest point, and the day is at its hottest. If you are making plans to spend some time outside, try and aim it towards earlier or later in the afternoon.

1. Know Your Shade

Shaded areas are going to keep you cool and protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. Whether you bring an umbrella or find a tree, having a space to retreat to and relax without fear is invaluable.

1. Sunblock, Sunblock, Sunblock

Applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher about 15 minutes before going outdoors is a great way to start your skin’s journey to a safe day. Don’t be afraid to use plenty of it either. An adult should use about 1 oz. of sunscreen to cover exposed areas of the skin.

Reapply sunscreen after about 2 hours of swimming or sweating. Don’t forget your ears, neck, and the tops of your feet if you go barefoot or wear sandals.

1. Protective Clothing

Cover your body with clothing to protect it from the sun. Some clothes offer more protection than others, but if you take the necessary precautions, you can prevent unnecessary sun damage. Long-sleeve shirts, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses are a great start.

Excessive sun exposure can lead to many skin problems, including cancer. Take all precautions necessary so you can be safe, have fun, and create lasting memories. These tips don’t only apply to the summertime. Sun damage can happen year-round when you least expect it.

If you get too much sun, drop by one of our locations or click here to schedule a Telemedicine visit.

The post 4 Quick Tips to Avoid Sunburn appeared first on Quick Med Care.

There’s never a moment of reprieve when your home is filled with allergens that trigger your asthma. Carpets, bedding, and even the air in your home can harbor asthma triggers.

Keep Bedding Clean

Like blankets, couches, mattresses, pillows, and other linens, soft surfaces can potentially harbor many, many dust mites. Dust mites irritate your lung cells that your body struggles to repair, causing shortness of breath and worsening other asthma symptoms.

Pet dander will also tend to stick to your soft surfaces in the home. If you have a pet in your home, whether dog, cat, or hamster, their dander and fur are added to your home. Without regular cleaning of the animal and your home, these allergens can become a major trigger for your asthma.

Change your bedding once a week, wash it in hot water, dry thoroughly before putting it back on your bed, and any other washable linens you may have in your house.

Some items that aren’t washable can be placed into a freezer bag and put into a freezer for 3 to 5 hours to kill dust mites.

Fragrances Can Be A Trigger

Fragrance sensitivity is another common symptom of asthma. Chemicals in manufactured scents, and even natural ones, can be irritating to your senses. Candles, air fresheners, lotions, cigarettes, and laundry detergents are common triggers.

Avoiding these triggers is the most effective way to manage the allergen, though that isn’t always possible. Communicating with your partner or coworkers about the items causing your issue can help others make changes where possible to aid with this distress.

Keep Mold Out of Your Home

Keeping mold out of your home seems like it should be pretty straightforward, but it is a common asthma trigger. Anywhere in your home where water can settle, or humidity can sit is at risk of developing some mold. Keeping a bathroom fan on or opening a window during or after showers can be the difference between having a mold haven or a safe place to bathe.

Other common areas to watch for mold are under sinks, basements, and where you wash your dishes. Keep areas clean and dry so that mold doesn’t have a space to grow on.

While not all asthma and allergy symptoms will be handled by keeping a clean home, it helps to keep your linens clean, moisture levels down, and artificial fragrances to a minimum.

If you are having problems with asthma or allergies, visit one of our neighborhood locations or click here to schedule a Telemedicine visit.

The post Are Allergens Triggering Your Asthma? appeared first on Quick Med Care.

There are countless guides and tutorials for self-care tips and how-to’s in this day of readily available information on the internet.

How Do Your Nails Look These Days?

Many people can keep up basic nail maintenance at home, but the more advanced techniques are best left to the professionals. However, with some clippers, an emery board, and a buffer, you can bring a shine back to your nails that make you feel like…you.

 If you need some guidance, there are more than a few online videos and guides. Find one you’re comfortable with and have at it.

Keep Those Locks Luscious 

Cutting your hair is not for the faint of heart. Any mistakes made here are harder to make up for, and you end up living with the repercussions for at least a month. However, with a little patience and know-how, you can keep your hair trimmed up and looking fresh when we all return to our offices and public places.

If you have a style that you maintain, there should be many tutorials online you can search for and watch to learn how to freshen your look so that you’re ship-shape.

This could also be an excellent time to try another style if you aren’t comfortable attempting a more complicated cut or finding a technique that you want to try.

Self-Care and Your Mind

Take some time, while you can, to give your mind some love and care. What better time to work a time of relaxation into your daily or weekly routine? How you do this is entirely up to you.

Perhaps you prefer taking some time alone, or spending time with friends and family – the choice is yours. You can meditate, pray, stretch, practice yoga, lay in a pool, tan in the sun, go for a jog, take some time away from your stresses, and improve your mental state.

Since many of us are on the go 24/7, our minds don’t have a moment’s rest. It’s like leaving every program open that you’ve worked on in the last month on your computer; it slows everything down and eventually crashes. Our brains work the same way because they need to take a break to file things away to come back refreshed with a new outlook.

 What kinds of self-care have you added to your home routine?

The post Self-Care – The Trend is Real appeared first on Quick Med Care.

but with the recent outbreak, we are taking additional measures to ensure your safety.

We want our patients to feel safe no matter how they choose to be seen; in a traditional office setting or via Telemedicine.

Here’s an Overview of our Process for Office Visits

• Patients will be pre-screened at check-in for COVID-19 related symptoms

• Those who have COVID-19 related symptoms will be asked to register in their vehicle

  and will be brought directly into an exam room when the provider is ready to see them

• Those who do not have COVID-19 related symptoms:

   •May choose to wait in their car if they prefer to OR

   •They may remain in the lobby while following safe distancing procedures

We’re Taking Additional Steps to Ensure your Safety

• Hand sanitizer is readily available throughout the lobby and exam rooms

• Routine cleaning of the lobby, counters, restrooms, and door handles

• Lobby magazines, books, and children’s toys have been removed as these items are

  difficult to disinfect

•Exam rooms are sanitized after every patient

•Limit of 1 accompanying person per patient

•All employees’ temperatures are checked at the beginning and end of every shift

•Staff are wearing appropriate PPE, which may include masks, gloves, and sometimes goggles and suits, to reduce risk of exposure so we may stay healthy to care for our communities 

In addition to our precautionary methods, we continue to offer same-day COVID-19 testing. Click here to find out how to schedule an appointment at one of our locations or via Telemedicine.

The post We’re Taking Steps to Keep our Offices Germ-Free appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Work it Out

There aren’t many activities that double as a low-impact work-out regimen and provide you with some healthy subsistence to keep you going. Gardening offers plenty of both.

Between the squatting down, the pulling of weeds, and kneading the soil, your body gets plenty of movement to get your blood pumping. You don’t even realize all the work that goes into maintaining the garden until you feel it in your muscles by the end of the day.

Getting in some time in your garden gives you 1.5-2 hours of physical activity a week, which goes a long way. There’s always plenty of upkeep to do; between the soil, weeding, watering and checking on your little growing seedlings.

Healthy Eating

Maintaining a garden guarantees you know exactly what you’re eating when it comes time for harvest. There’s no need to worry about what pesticides or other chemicals are being used. Plus, you get to grow what you want to eat and get plenty of it.

Nothing tastes better than produce grown with your hard work. You end up eating more vegetables and fruits, which is never a bad thing. Vegetables picked when ripe have more nutrients, unlike some store-bought vegetables that are picked early.

Top off your gardening with some vitamin D from your time in the sun and an increase of dopamine from spending time in your garden, and you’re looking at some great benefits. It reduces stress while being a physically challenging yet enjoyable activity.

Staying Safe in the Sun

While you sit out in your garden soaking in the sunshine and tilling to your garden, it’s important to remember to keep yourself safe: apply sunscreen regularly, use insect repellent, and wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face.

Wear gardening gloves to reduce rashes, cuts, and chemicals from getting on your hands as you work in your soil. If you end up using any machinery or power tools, make sure you wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes, and long pants.

When using any tools or chemicals, make sure you follow the instructions and heed any warnings. Keep your tools sharp, and out of the reach of children.

Drink plenty of fluids, take breaks often, and pay attention to sign of any heat-related illnesses. The last thing you want is for your relaxing day of gardening to take a turn for the worst.

Gardening is a great relaxing activity if you are prepared and have the right mindset. Plus, it can be great fun getting the whole family involved.

If you happen to overdo it while gardening, whether it’s muscle strain, heatstroke, or insect bites, please drop by one of our locations, or click here to schedule a Telemedicine visit.

The post Tips for Happy & Healthy Gardening appeared first on Quick Med Care.