Better Health - August 2021

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Better Health D

HEALTH: Parenting during a pandemic, D2 JACOB’S PILLOW: STREB dance company to perform in Becket, D7 GARDEN TOUR: 6 private, several public gardens in Springfield, D7

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Mind, Body, and Spirit the connection is powerful Dr. John R. Diggs, Jr. takes a holistic approach to primary care, addressing the patient’s physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. “These different aspects of our selves do not operate in isolation,” he says.

ers. Diggs has two exceptions to treating people in his office who are not members: He treats those with COVID-19 active infection and long-hauler issues, and he performs a specific nerve block to relieve headaches for people with migraines, cluster headaches or trigeminal

is here to serve. Having insurance is super-expensive when considering how much it cost and how little individual attention one gets. We all know the complaints – can’t get through on the phone, rushed appointments.” The doctor specializes in internal medicine, treating people from age 17 on with

screening exams,” he says, emphasizing that as people age, preventive care becomes more important. “This is simply due to the universal propensity for things and people to fall apart with the passage of time. Prevention of all disease is an unachievable ideal. And yet, as physicians we encourage prevention for

coercion.” Dr. Diggs graduated from University of Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 1983. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he treated people with the illness. Ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine and additional nutritional supplements is widespread and has been

By Cori Urban

Special To The Republican

The mind-body-spirit connection is powerful, and, for example, Dr. John Diggs has observed one’s emotions cause a heart attack. “It is clear that each aspect of our selves influences other aspects. It is no secret that one’s mind can impact the state of one’s body and vice versa,” he says. “I also know that I am not smart enough to know what is in someone’s mind. I dare say that at times we scarcely know what is in our own minds. Nevertheless, sometimes calling attention to these connections enables patients to make appropriate adjustments.” Modern society too often looks for solutions to come in a pill or a shot. “Patients benefit from recognizing that like a spider’s web, pulling on one part affects other parts. The answer is frequently not in a pill but in a change of lifestyle,” said the solo doctor at John Diggs MD, LLC at 2030 Boston Road, Suite 2, Wilbraham. Diggs operates his practice on a membership model: The annual fee covers all activities that take place in the office and all telephone calls, emails and tele-visits, seven days a week. There are no co-pays or other fees even for procedures. “I do my best to lower the barriers between patients and medical care,” he says. He plans to limit the membership at 300-400 subscrib-

Left: Dr. John Diggs, MD. Right: Dr. John Diggs, MD examines patient Louis Tulik. (PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOANG ‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)

neuralgia. For 12 months the individual membership is $2,400 for the first person and $2,000 for the second person in the same family. Insurance is still used for other doctors, medications and hospitalization. It can also be for labs and imaging. “Direct Primary Care is not the cheapest care, but it is the best, in my opinion, because the patient is in charge of their body,” says Diggs, who worked in primary care with Wing Memorial Hospital in Monson for 15 years before opening his own solo private practice last year. “The doctor

multi-system complex disease and relatively simple complaints. These are usually the doctors of first contact for general health issues, treating patients directly or referring them to specialists when appropriate. “We tend to have long-term relationships with patients getting to know their preferences and concerns on a personal basis,” Diggs says. Exams that are considered “routine” vary with the patient’s sex, age and past medical history. “Periodic full physical exams should be done along with select immunizations and health

those things for which we have knowledge.” The most frequent problems he encounters in his office include high blood pressure, anxiety, diabetes and obesity. “The impact of obesity on one’s overall health is generally under- appreciated,” he says. “Because Direct Primary Care prioritizes the doctor-patient relationship, we alleviate many of the anxieties associated with doctor visits. For example, my office is beautiful and comfortable. I am not under corporate time pressure. I treat the patient as the boss of their body – no

published in journals worldwide including the American Journal of Medicine, he explains. “However, because they have not been promoted by public health institutions like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), American physicians have been slow on the utilization of these treatments. The process includes assessing the stages of illness, co-morbidities and applying the interventions that match.” As of mid-July he had treated about 20 COVID patients, many of whom had been told by their doctor that there

was no treatment short of hospitalization. “Fortunately, the demand for such treatment has dropped. However, inquiries regarding so-called ‘long-haulers’ have risen since some people are still having side effects from their original infections. These interventions are possible but are generally less satisfactory.” The best prevention is to optimize the activity of one’s immune system, Diggs advises. “It protects us from all sorts of infectious agents.” The management of the pandemic has been “the most bizarre episode in my career,” he says. “Effective treatments have been suppressed and censored. Dissent from a narrow ‘company line’ has been suppressed. Political interests have interfered in the doctor-patient relationship in ways I have never seen before. Early care and self-care have been dismissed. The costs, in terms of avoidable lost life and misery, have been enormous. There are many practices individuals could have done to minimize the impact of infection without a doctor’s help.” He mentions such things as weight loss, vitamin D and zinc supplementation and improving ventilation. “Instead, public health emphasized universal mask wearing, an intervention which cannot endure scientific scrutiny. He adds that enough people have immunity from recovering from infection or from vaccination that there will be isolated infections now but not massive spread. “The primary lesson is to recognize that good general habits are preparation for training our bodies to survive infections,” he says.

For more information, call 413-300-2233 or go online to JohnDiggsMD.com


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D2 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 2021

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Recharging your superpowers:

Parenting

in a pandemic When was the last time you took time for yourself? Was it meaningful and pleasurable for you? Were you worried or pressured?

hard to keep an adequate sleep schedule, exercise, eat healthy, have friends, while being on top of everything. That would be cool right? Like having superpowers! However, many times it is just not possible. As I said before, parenting may be hard. Being aware of your emotions and needs, while normalizing not meeting every single goal is a good place to start. Instead using self-criticism, self-compassion is a strategy to handle our struggles and challenges with kindness, being more supportive and present with ourselves and our relationships. According to pioneering self-compassion researcher, Dr. Kristin By Elizabaeth Neff, it involves being warm Maldonado-Díaz, MS and understanding toward The parent-child relationourselves when we suffer, ship brings many challenges, fail, or feel uncomfortable. even more so in a pandemic. It is also a way to be kind Parenting is a continuous to ourselves, by the means learning process that involves of self-care. Building on caring and helping children self-compassion takes time grow and healthily develop as and requires practice. Here a unique individual, to live in are a few tips to recharge your society. The time and energy superpowers while being compassionate to yourself. devoted to this task, leaves parents with little time to The Golden Rule: take care of themselves. It’s like being on an emotional Treat yourself as you might treat your friend or another roller-coaster, with a new journey every day with mixed parent. Many parents tend results. This may be hard at to be compassionate with times, more so when we have other parents, giving kind high expectations. This may advice and normalizing their be a good opportunity to nur- experience. ture yourself, recharge your Take a pause. Be aware of your feelings and thoughts: superpowers and take stock to continue giving your best. Don’t be hard on yourself. Give yourself permission to It is possible to live a feel and ponder how you are meaningful life and take time for yourself, depending receiving your feelings and thoughts. on your experiences, and Be kind and compassionate expectations. It is certainly

with yourself: What would be your advice and encouraging words to a friend or relative living a similar situation? Remember, you are trying your best and doing as much as you can. Appreciate the little details: Move towards gratitude, focus on things you can control and your strengths as a parent. You may not be perfect, try to enjoy your imperfection.

You can try these:

• Write something you feel grateful about. • Go for a walk and find something beautiful. Enjoy your surroundings. • Say something nice to someone. • Tell yourself something you appreciate about yourself. • Think about your favorite memory of your kid, family, or yourself. • Think of 2 great things about you and your child. • Take 2 minutes to breathe. Be aware of how breathing can relieve you. • Self-compassion might be challenging at first. If you notice that you may need more support, it’s always a good idea to seek assistance from a mental health provider.

For more information on Behavioral Health Network, visit BHN.org or call 413-246-9675.

Elizabaeth Maldonado-Díaz, MS, is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Carlos Albizu University, San Juan PR Campus. She is currently working as an Outpatient Clinician and is part of the Trauma Program in School Street Counseling Institute (SSCI), part of Behavioral Health Network, Inc (BHN). She provides services of individual therapy, clinical assessments, case and family consultations, and case presentations to children and adults with mental and medical diagnosis.

Mental Health | Addiction | Crisis | BHN TeleCare

Get Well. We Can Help. Call BHN today at 413-BHN-WORK (413-246-9675) 24-Hour Crisis Line: 413-733-6661 bhninc.org

Strategies to protect

Mental Health

Improving one’s overall health and maintaining that health over the long haul can have a profound impact on quality of life. For example, the Harvard Medical School notes that regular exercise can slow the natural decline in physical performance that occurs as people age. That means routine exercise can serve as something like a fountain of youth that allows people to keep their cardiovascular fitness, metabolism and muscle function on par with their younger counterparts. When attempting to improve long-term health, it’s important that people emphasize mental health as much as they do their physical health. The Anxiety & Depression Association of America notes the importance and effectiveness of preventive efforts in relation to depression and anxiety. In regard to mental health, prevention efforts can function in much the same way that exercise serves physical health. Routine exercise helps people to maintain healthy weights, reducing their risk for various conditions and diseases. Preventive efforts designed to improve mental health can significant-

ly reduce a person’s risk for anxiety and depression. Various techniques and strategies can be utilized to promote mental health, and these three are simple and highly effective.

Get enough sleep According to the Primary Care Collaborative, a not-forprofit member organization dedicated to advancing an effective and efficient health system, sleep and mental health are intimately related. Sleep loss can contribute to emotional instability. The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for humans’ emotional responses. When an individual does not get enough sleep, his or her amygdala goes into overdrive, leading to more intense emotional reactions. The prefrontal cortex is another part of the brain that needs sufficient sleep to function properly. Without it, the prefrontal cortex, which is integral to impulse control, cannot function properly. Adults can speak with their physicians about how much sleep they should be getting each night. Those needs change as individuals age.

Eat a balanced diet

A balanced, healthy diet doesn’t just benefit the waistline. According to the ADAA, a balanced diet that includes protein, healthy non-saturated fats, fiber, and some simple carbohydrates can reduce the likelihood that mental health issues like fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability will arise during the day.

Volunteer in your community

A 2020 study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who volunteered in the past were more satisfied with their lives and rated their overall health as much better than people who didn’t volunteer. Perhaps the most noteworthy finding in the study was that people who began volunteering with lower levels of well-being tended to get the biggest boost from volunteering. Volunteering provides opportunities to socialize, which can help ward off the loneliness that can sometimes contribute to anxiety and depression. Mental health is important, and protecting it should be part of everyone’s health care regimen.


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