Wintery Conditions
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2022

Wintery Conditions

Winter weather dries out the air. It makes it easier for contagious respiratory illnesses—like COVID, the flu, and RSV—to travel between people. It also affects our skin and lips. Here’s a quick run down of some things you can do to fight back against both the serious and more minor conditions that affect us this time of year. 

Get vaccinated. I know. We say this all the time. Because it’s true. Vaccines keep serious illnesses from becoming serious. When you get vaccinated you spare yourself weeks of illness, and you decrease your odds of spreading a potentially deadly disease to someone more vulnerable.

Wash your hands. Wash your hands with warm water and plenty of soap for 20 seconds frequently throughout the day, especially before and after eating or preparing food; after using the toilet, changing a diaper, or helping a child with using the toilet; and after blowing your nose or catching a cough or sneeze. See a complete list of handwashing moments at cdc.gov/handwashing.

Wear gloves. Wearing warm outdoor gloves in cold weather protects skin from extreme cold and wind and the drying that comes with it. Wearing rubber or latex gloves for water-related chores, like doing dishes and heavy cleaning, prevents the water and chemicals from stripping important skin-protecting oils from your skin. 

Eat a healthy diet. Nutritious food is an important part of maintaining our immune system and the moisture in our skin and lips. A variety of proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables will provide vitamins A, C, D, and E; zinc; and selenium, all of which help to keep skin and the rest of your body healthy.

Moisturize your hands and lips regularly. After bathing and before bed are good moments to apply moisturizer and lip balm. Target the hands, lower legs, elbows, and lower arms, which get particularly dry, especially as we age. Lotion can keep skin from drying and cracking. Cracked skin can become itchy, stinging, and inflamed and is more vulnerable to infection.

If skin is already in need of healing, moisturize with an ointment. Then, put on a pair of cotton gloves overnight. Dry patches that persist could be a sign of a more serious condition. Consult with your doctor.

With these steps, we can keep our skin and lungs safe from conditions that afflict us when the temperature drops.

Dagmar Tobits, MD, is a primary care and family medicine physician at SVMC Deerfield Valley Campus in Wilmington, VT. The practice is part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and Southwestern Vermont Health Care in Bennington. 

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Introducing Dr. Amy Freeth

Amy E. Freeth, MD, resumed endocrinology services at SVMC in March 2020. The practice, known as SVMC Endocrinology, is a part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) and Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC). It replaces the Bennington Osteoporosis Center, where Dr. David Gorson had provided similar services to the community until his retirement in 2019.

How do you describe endocrinology to people who don’t know what it is? The endocrine system is made up of glands that make hormones. These hormones are chemical messengers that travel via the bloodstream to communicate with the cells and organs of the body. Hormones are important for growth, development, mood, metabolism, and reproduction. These glands include the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, adrenal, testes, and ovaries.

Endocrinology is a practice of medicine that specializes in disorders of these systems. Disorders most commonly are related to underactive or overactive function of these glands and require replacement of the hormone or specific treatments such as medications, ablation, or surgery.

Since hormones function in feedback loops and are part of a larger complex functional system that exists in flow with the human body, replacement hormones or treatment of endocrine disorders can be challenging and involve changes to our lifestyles that support the optimal functioning of the body.

What diagnoses are most common among the patients you treat?  Pituitary tumors, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, hyperparathyroidism, osteoporosis, diabetes, adrenal insufficiency, Cushing’s disease, primary hyperaldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, obesity, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

What sorts of treatments do you offer? I offer comprehensive consultation and management of endocrine disorders. I also interpret testing and make treatment plans for endocrine disorders. I also provide interpretation of bone density reports and perform fine needle aspiration biopsies in collaboration with Radiology Associates of Bennington. Technology is increasingly becoming more important in the management of diabetes. Technology includes glucose meters, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose monitoring (sensors). I work with certified diabetes educators to create a team approach to diabetes management. As we develop this new department, we are looking for innovative ways to help people regain and optimize their health. I have training in nutrition counseling and health coaching to help people find their path to good health.

Why is it important for patients who need an endocrinologist see them regularly? Your endocrinologist is part of your health team and has experience and a deep understanding of what is happening within your body to help assess, guide, and co-manage your disorder. There is testing that may need to be done to make sure you are living with optimal hormonal balance. Allowing hormones to run too low or too high can have lasting adverse effects on the body leading to other disease or imbalances.

How do you help protect patients who need to come into the office from infections, like COVID-19? At this time, I am seeing patients via telemedicine and phone visits. This week we are starting to see a portion of our patients in the clinic. Patients can register on the phone and wait in their car until the room is ready. Patients will be screened for fever and should wear a mask. Staff will wear proper protective equipment and follow guidelines for handwashing and cleaning of the rooms.

Since many patients who will likely want to come to the endocrinology clinic will be members of high-risk populations (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and the elderly), patients will have a choice of the type of visit they have.

Dr. Freeth sees patients 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday in Suite 307 of the Medical Office Building located at 140 Hospital Drive in Bennington. For an appointment, call 802-447-4555. The schedule will expand to additional days as needed.

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