Signature Healthcare • 1st July 2025

The Power of Creatine for Women's Health and Fitness

Is creatine good for women?
An online search gives you a mixed bag of results, and clicking one brings an instant chain of creatine marketing hype to your phone or computer. Much of it features inflated promises, intended to generate maximum clicks and product sales...

Signature Healthcare • 24th June 2025

Is Your Chronic Cough Actually GERD Cough?

GERD can sneak up on you in the form of a cough.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD) is a digestive disorder where stomach acid and food back up into the esophagus, the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach...

Signature Healthcare • 17th June 2025

Hypothyroidism vs. Hyperthyroidism: How Are They Different?

We all experience a fatiguing day every so often. Yet chronic fatigue, coupled with fairly rapid weight gain, may signal a thyroid condition.
And you may be surprised to learn that ongoing jitters, accompanied by weight loss, can point to the thyroid as well...

Signature Healthcare • 10th June 2025

Are You Eating Enough Protein?

When most people hear the word “protein,” they think of a nutrient that builds big or healthy muscles.

But it takes at least 10,000 different proteins, working together, to keep the human body fully functional...

Signature Healthcare • 3rd June 2025

Cold Plunge Benefits: Does Chilling Out Bring Better Health?

Have you been dunked or doused in ice-cold water lately… on purpose? Many people are giving it a try.
A cold plunge, also known as an ice bath or cold-water immersion, is a dip into cold water for a few minutes at a time. “Plungers” partially or fully submerge their bodies in water below 60°F (16°C) — even as low as 38°F (3°C).
The purpose of a cold plunge is to stimulate the body and mind through cold exposure, as well as reduce mus...

Signature Healthcare • 3rd June 2025

Are You Eating Enough Protein?

When most people hear the word “protein,” they think of a nutrient that builds big or healthy muscles.
But it takes at least 10,000 different proteins, working together, to keep the human body fully functional...

Signature Healthcare • 20th May 2025

Optimal Vitamin D Levels: How Much Do You Need?

Every few years, there’s a fresh wave of interest in vitamin D, and the medical community asks, “What is an optimal vitamin D level?,” assesses recommended levels, and analyzes D’s role in our health.
But answers are probably a long way off.

Signature Healthcare • 20th May 2025

Optimal Vitamin D Levels: How Much Do You Need?

Every few years, there’s a fresh wave of interest in vitamin D. The medical community asks, “What is an optimal vitamin D level?” — as they assess recommended levels and analyze D’s role in our health...

Signature Healthcare • 13th May 2025

Natural Treatment for Osteoporosis: How to Treat Osteoporosis Without Medication

For most of us, aging brings a decrease in strength.
The change typically comes from weakening muscles, declining bone mass (osteopenia), and often eventual osteoporosis, a more severe condition in which bones become fragile and prone to breakage...

Signature Healthcare • 6th May 2025

OTC Medicine Labels: Your Key to Safe, Effective Dosing

Shopping for over-the-counter medications at your local pharmacy can be daunting, especially if you’re not feeling well. Browsing the pharmacy aisle with a head cold, you’re faced with many choices: decongestants, cough formulas, fever reducers…

Signature Healthcare • 29th April 2025

How to Prevent Common Cold: Is It Possible?

If there’s one thing every patient wants to know, it’s how to prevent a cold. It’s an ailment nearly all of us experience about two or three times a year (kids, even more frequently)...

Signature Healthcare • 15th April 2025

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): Treating Restless Limbs

Do your legs continually twitch when you’re in a movie theater or seated at dinner? Do random limb movements disrupt your slumber at night?
We’ve all heard of restless legs syndrome (RLS), but most patients don’t realize that restless limbs may point to a broader condition called periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD).

Signature Healthcare • 8th April 2025

The Importance of Vaccination: A Doctor’s Perspective on Protecting Your Health

Are vaccines safe? Are they risky? Do they have side effects?
The vaccine debate is more fevered than it’s ever been in my 30+ years as a physician, particularly online. If I could sit down with every North Carolinian who’s hesitant about vaccines, here’s what I’d tell them about the importance of vaccination:

Priority Physicians • 25th February 2025

How Long Is the Flu Contagious?

Soon, temperatures will rise, and we can stop worrying about catching the flu until next fall, right?
Unfortunately, no.

Signature Healthcare • 18th February 2025

What’s the Best Exercise for a Leaky Heart Valve?

Did a physician diagnose you with mitral valve regurgitation? Is it safe to work out if you have a diseased valve, and can exercise improve your condition? Let’s find out.

11th February 2025

January’s Health Insights From Priority Physicians

It’s not always easy to stay inspired during the winter doldrums. Consistent exercise, good sleep, regular social contact, and a daily dose of fresh air can make a big difference!...

Priority Physicians • 11th February 2025

The Importance of Purpose in Life: How to Be Happy in Retirement

Many people look forward to retirement, expecting joy, but some may experience boredom, loneliness, or a sense of loss.
The importance of “purpose in life” doesn’t stop when we hit retirement. Your degree of fulfillment is directly related to your overall health and well-being in your later years. Losing your sense of purpose may result in depression, anxiety, and overall aimlessness.

Signature Healthcare • 4th February 2025

What Supplements Lower Cholesterol and When Do They Make Sense?

Suppose your lab results show your LDL cholesterol is higher than last year.
Are you concerned about taking medication to control your cholesterol? Should you consider taking a dietary supplement to improve your numbers? Do you wonder what supplements lower cholesterol?

Priority Physicians • 4th February 2025

Trading One Substance for Another: Replacing Alcohol With THC

Musical icon and recovered addict Sir Elton John recently commented on the legalization of THC, the intoxicating element in cannabis.
He thinks legalization is a mistake, characterizing THC as addictive, mentally and physically disorienting, and a gateway to the misuse of other drugs...

Priority Physicians • 28th January 2025

Our Anxiety Epidemic: How to Stop Fearing the Future

Are you worried about what tomorrow may bring? You’re not alone.
In recent years, we’ve navigated a major pandemic, political turmoil, global unrest, school shootings, and rapid, unending societal change. We all want to know how to stop fearing the future...

Signature Healthcare • 28th January 2025

Why Is Peloton So Popular? A Doctor’s Take on At-Home Workouts

I was a runner until I hurt my back 10 years ago. I began emphasizing strength and core work at the gym and did CrossFit for several years to rehab my back and ensure I was fit enough to play golf, which I enjoy. I then transitioned to swimming...

Signature Healthcare • 21st January 2025

Antioxidant Drinks: Separating Fact From Fiction

Antioxidants are hyped as a main component in so-called superfoods. But how vital are antioxidant drinks and other supplements to your good health?
Let’s separate fact from fiction about antioxidants and what’s important in your diet.

Priority Physicians • 21st January 2025

Orthopedic Pain Management: When to Skip the Specialist

Orthopedic pain management is a guessing game. Knowing where and how to get treated is challenging.
Say you’ve sprained your ankle ice skating. On the drive home, it’s swelling and painful. Now you’re concerned about the next steps. Should you check in with your primary care physician or skip that step and go to a specialist, assuming your physician will send you there anyway?

Signature Healthcare • 14th January 2025

Does Progesterone Cause Weight Gain? What Menopausal Women Need to Know

Women in menopause often notice an extra inch or two around their midsection and ask, “Is menopause making me heavier? Does progesterone cause weight gain?”
The short answer to both is no. But there are contributing factors.