Igor Elman, DO

Are you noticing that you or your family/friends are having a difficult time during the pandemic coping with anxiety, lack of restorative sleep, poor eating habits or lack of exercise? Our practice offers multi disciplinary guidance and board certified expertise to get you out of the winter doldrums. We can achieve this without even starting pharmaceutical medications! We put you as the PRIMARY focus of our Primary Care practice. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about our personalized medicine approach! See the website below and PM me for further details. https://www.mdvip.com/doctors/igorelmando

So grateful to science for this gift and privileged to have my first Covid Pfizer vaccine today. Pre-medicated with 200 mg of ibuprofen about 2 hours before the shot, so far feeling fine. #thisisourshot #istandwithscience Will keep everyone posted how things go in the coming days! Stay safe and happy holidays!

Credit to my friend and colleague, infectious disease physician, Dr. Alan Bulbin, for an excellent overview of COVID vaccines. Thanks for all your hard work on the front lines! Please share to spread the good word so we can all help science win this battle!

I think this could be a very appealing regimen for those with high blood pressure and high cholesterol but not great about taking multiple medicines to control these conditions. Often times in the US these combination therapies can be expensive however. An affordable one-pill-a-day regimen to help manage the issue could be a game changer. Thoughts? As always your shares and comments are welcome!

I wish there were larger studies that can corroborate this. I've anecdotally seen this effect on my own blood pressure sometimes as much as 20 points on lowering the systolic (top number) and 10 points on the diastolic (bottom number). I encourage my patients to swim (assuming they know how) or do water aerobics as an alternative for a strategy toward treating back pain or chronic pain, losing weight, high blood pressure and those that cannot walk/run/do cardio due to joint i...ssues. My pool currently has 4 lanes and only allows 1 person per lane for up to a half hour per session which I think is a great COVID safety protocol. Have you considered integrating swimming into your exercise routine? Have you noticed a noticeable drop in blood pressure from your exercise regimen? Do you notice you sleep better after a good workout? Feel free to share and leave your feedback. https://www.reuters.com//us-swimming-bloodpressure-idUSTRE

Two months in a row and a natural remedy is showing promise (last month it was vinegar followed by a rinse with sea water for a jelly fish sting). I've always felt better with drinking hot tea with a table spoon of honey during a bad cold or sore throat. Amazing, the healing power of honey.

Interesting read but have to disagree on the point of vinegar. Had a personal encounter yesterday (for the first time in my life as a swimmer) and was stung by a jellyfish on my left arm while swimming in the ocean. Some friends on the beach advised me there was a "vinegar station" next to the restroom facilities and first aid tent. Recommendations were to spray vinegar on the stung area and once dry, rinse with sea water. Then repeat several times. I first developed a local skin reaction with some redness and small urticaria (hives). After 2 applications of the above protocol, itching and stinging sensation resolved and the hives completely disappeared. It was as if nothing happened barely 6 hours from the time of sting. Home remedies can sometimes be the best remedies!

The consequences of extreme heat have never been so relevant to our society as they are today. From increased risk of disease transmission, drought and strains on water and energy supply, forest fires, and air quality leading to respiratory disease and illness. It is a significant public health challenge.

I think Self- Care is a highly overlooked concept in our society (especially during COVID). It's absolutely essential that we spend the time to curate our mental health. Its' impact on chronic and preventable disease is massive. One simple sequence to understand the application. Increased anxiety or depression -> poor sleep -> reduced exercise and less healthy eating choices -> weight gain -> less energy -> worsened mood, less endorphin release, worsened gut health. This article offers some pearls of wisdom to avoid the negative feedback loop.

A very timely and interesting article written by a well informed JD/MD (lawyer and doctor, a rare accomplishment in itself). "As many medical institutions have temporarily banned elective procedures and routine office visits unless medically essential, this pandemic has shown people the value of having regular access to primary care. Furthermore, the jarring number of lives that the virus has already claimed will only further encourage people to get routine care and maintain ...healthier lifestyles, acting as yet another reason for more frequent visits with a primary care physician. These factors, in light of a newfound appeal toward social distancing, create the perfect platform for concierge medicine." In short, there's no more crucial time for patients to embrace the concierge model or as I like to call it; the personalized care model. Remember, an investment in your health is the strongest investment in your future. On points two and three, we prioritize access to medications for all our patients in a timely fashion and we are extremely flexible in providing Digital or TeleHealth appointments from the convenience of your home! Feel free to like and share with friends and family!

Poignant article with some very astute points.

Thank you Rivertown Magazine for the opportunity to share valuable information in helping to keep the public safe. We really appreciate our healthcare workers!

Excellent job by Rivertown Magazine documenting our philosophy and goals to improve patient care for every patient in our MDVIP practice. Couldn’t thank you guys enough for the humbling editorial attached below in the February issue!

Caffeine was a staple of my professional work life from college through medical school, residency and then through nearly 4 years of rigorous hospital medicine. During this time frame, I battled ocular migraines (visual deficits accompanying a migraine), acid reflux (heartburn) and even white coat hypertension (high blood pressure at your doctor’s office). At the height of my caffeine dependence, I was drinking a double shot of expresso in the morning and a cup of tea in the ...afternoon. So when I told my colleagues and friends that I had quit caffeine essentially cold turkey (I have a rare cup of black tea and once drank a can of expresso in the past 7 months for no particular reason), they were surprised and skeptical that it would hold up. Despite working in hospital medicine admitting shifts often until 1 am and even one until 7 am, I have essentially remained caffeine free. Plenty of days I’ve gotten up at 6 am or earlier to get ready for work. So what have my personal results demonstrated to me from a medical perspective? 1. Zero migraines. Zilch. Nil. None. Nada. I typically only had them 3-4 times a year but when I did they were fierce and debilitating, putting me out of commission for hours. And I had plenty of days of mild barely perceptible headaches which are now few and far between. I was lucky and also did not suffer withdrawal caffeine headaches when I did quit drinking it. Not bad. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org//caffeine-and-migr/ 2. Less reflux. I would say at least 30% less but it is hard to quantify as there is a confounding variable, a few months ago I also cut out sugary beverages during my lunch where I used to have either a small can of ginger ale or a small juice. Either option was still loaded with sugar and calories. Cutting out a sugary beverage at lunch and caffeine allowed me to lose 10 lbs in the past 5-7 months which ironically also helps to reduce reflux. Interesting. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20065484 3. Perhaps most importantly? My white coat hypertension is gone. Whereas I previously measured as high as 130s-140s/70s-low 80s at pharmacies and doctor’s offices and probably 5-10 points lower then that at home, I was now at home measuring 100s-110s/60-low 70s. This was a dramatic drop. https://www.mayoclinic.org//ex/blood-pressure/faq-20058543 The ideas above are just my own anecdotal observations. I quoted some articles and sites that I think have useful content on the ideas mentioned. I am happy to discuss these and other health related, diet and lifestyle tips. Come check us out in our office in Pomona, NY or email me your thoughts at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you luck and success in your quest to live a healthier more fulfilling life!

Happy and healthy thanksgiving to all! We all have so much to be thankful for, most importantly enjoy your family, friends and of course the food too!

I am excited to carry on the philosophy of personalized medicine in Pomona, NY (part of Rockland County). Find out more about the primary care that you and all your friends and family deserve! https://www.mdvip.com/doctors/IgorElmanDO