Dr. Grimes’ Bottom Line

Freaking Out Over FINALS? You’re Not Alone!

Intense test anxiety affects up to 20% of college students, and this time of year is the WORST. Finals are approaching, projects and papers are due, and added pressure from mistakes earlier in the semester can push students over the edge. Students (and their parents) often question whether they feel different than everyone else- is this “normal” or should they seek help?

With a typical student, test day adrenaline might cause extra bathroom trips up until the test starts, a racing heart and anxious anticipation, but once she starts answering questions, the physical symptoms subside enough for the … Read more

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Are Vaccines Safe?

The MEASLES outbreak has again rekindled the fires of passion that surround VACCINES in the United States. As a family physician and mom, to me there is no debate. VACCINES SAVE LIVES. Are there risks with vaccines? Yes, (mostly transiently sore arms) but they are minor compared to the risks of the diseases that they minimize or prevent. Does my family vaccinate our children and ourselves? YES. We also wear seat belts, exercise, and try to make healthy food choices…but I digress.

In our country, we are fortunate to have extensive health monitoring systems in place, particularly in regards to … Read more

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Ankle Sprain? Do THIS to Fully Heal and Avoid “Weak Ankles”

College students seem to have more than their fair share of ankle sprains, likely courtesy of ridiculously competitive intramural sports, spike heels on uneven parking lots, rainy/icy days coupled with oversleeping-induced-rushing to class, and oh yes, alcohol-induced wobbling. And don’t get me started about electric scooters…At any rate, the vast majority (~85%) of injured ankles are sprains, and one sprained ankle often leads to a cycle of other injuries, from repeat sprains and “weak ankles” to knee or hip issues. Let’s talk about what to expect and and what you can do to avoid this pathway.

First things first- … Read more

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Stinging “No-See-Ums” of the Sea

Heading to a beach for Spring Break? VINEGAR (not ALCOHOL) is the ANSWER…

Have you ever jumped into the ocean and suddenly felt something stinging your arms or legs?  I’m not talking about jellyfish here, but the “no-see-ums” of the sea.

The picture above is from the Na’ Pali coastline in Hawaii. While snorkeling there, a small group of the swimmers (including myself and one daughter) were bothered enough by invisible “stings” to get back on the boat. Meanwhile the majority of snorkelers were completely fine, despite swimming right next to other people who were being stung. Back on the … Read more

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Can’t (cough) Stop (cough) COUGHING?

COUGHS often seem to hang around FOREVER, and this year’s flu season has been a prime culprit.

Allergies certainly can cause coughs as well, but typically allergy coughs are more the dry, annoying, clear-your-throat variety, rather than the wet sounding coughing fits (that worsen every evening and prevent sleep) which come from viral respiratory infections. Typically there are a few days of headaches, fever, body aches, sore throats and stuffy nose, but then the cough itself may persist for up to SIX WEEKS after the initial illness.

Is there anything that can be done for a cough that wont go … Read more

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Why get a Flu test?

Rapid flu tests can tell you in about ten minutes if you have the flu; why don’t doctors use these all the time, instead of wasting your time with more questions or examining you?

POSITIVE flu tests are GREAT, and yes, they speed up our assessment. We STILL need to examine you to see, for example, if your cough is aggravated with wheezing in an asthma-like response (because that involves an additional, different treatment) or if it sounds like you have developed a pneumonia (either directly from the influenza virus or as a secondary bacterial infection)-again, different treatment.

A … Read more

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Tidy Up: Medicine Cabinet Edition

Tidying up in 2019? Truly, reducing clutter does indeed REDUCE STRESS, so it sparks joy in me, whether or not you follow Marie Kondo’s method. In addition to precision-folded t-shirts, I’d like to encourage you to tackle your MEDICINE CABINET.

First of all, I’m betting you will find WAY-EXPIRED drugs that are at best merely adding clutter, and at worst, INEFFECTIVE when you need them. Take diphenhydramine (popular trade name Benadryl)- if you are grabbing this because you’re having an allergic reaction, you want it to WORK! Obviously the same would be true reaching for migraine, stomach acid, or fever-reduction … Read more

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2019 Resolutions Road Block

2019 is my year of STRENGTH, or so I proudly proclaimed on December 31, 2018. Our nest is empty, work schedules are modified, and FINALLY, it’s time to add RESISTANCE TRAINING back into my healthy habits.

January 2, 2019: I blast into the gym, super pumped to sign up for some personal training sessions to re-introduce myself to weight machines after a decade-long hiatus. (Side note, friends, if we can treat ourselves to hair highlights or Starbucks, we can prioritize money to meet with dietitians or personal trainers- don’t be cheap on your health!) I try to … Read more

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SUPERDOC Master Cleanse Diet

Welcome to 2019!

As we face the new year, many of us are looking to jumpstart our health. Like many, I happily over-indulged in treats, sweets and celebratory liquid calories during the holidays, and now it’s time to face the scale (or the jeans), own the numbers and get to work. So back by popular demand, here is my annual new year’s WORLD FAMOUS Dr. Grimes’ SUPERDOC Cleansing 3-Day Detox Diet* (or insert whatever over-the-top superlative and overstated title you prefer) 

TWITTER VERSION:

Eat #VEGGIES, #FRUIT & a #PROTEIN source + drink #WATER.

Yep, that’s it. Processed foods are … Read more

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Top Five Best Gifts for College Students

In the final stretch of holiday season, what can you purchase for the college student who has “everything”? From the perspective of a COLLEGE CAMPUS DOC and mom of two college students, here are my top five gift choices:   (Disclaimer: NO financial ties to any products mentioned)

  1. Weighted blanket: Expensive ($100+)? Yes, relatively, but for anyone dealing with anxiety or insomnia, these are worth their weight (pun intended) in gold. These blankets feel like a massively prolonged hug, and have been shown to reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Any brand works, but if your student is particular about
… Read more
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