Clinic Information & Announcements
Welcome
Hello and welcome to our website! Just a few words about why we created this site, along with some tips on how to use it so you can get the most out of the resources!
Why a Website?
As family doctors, we talk to patients about a variety of health conditions every day and it is not always possible to go through all the information we would like during an office visit. We want to provide information for you to have at home. We want to be able to refer you to reliable websites so you can do research on your own and be confident that the information you find is trustworthy and backed by science. Most importantly, we want to be able to share more information about health maintenance and disease prevention- something we don’t have as much time as we would like to discuss in the office!
Our hope is that we can help move away from a mindset where we wait for medical problems and hope for medications to treat them. We would like to inspire you to learn what you can do to not only prevent illness but to promote good health and well-being! (Have a look at “Notes From Your Doctor: The Six Pillars of Healthy Living” and see what you think).
So, we created a site full of relevant, reliable resources that we can easily share. We have also added our own “Notes From Your Doctor” for the topics we discuss most often with our patients. (Please note that this is still a work in progress, so more Notes will be added as they are created.)
This site is meant to enhance your health care with us. Our hope is that you will be able to dive in and read about any medical condition(s) you may have so that you are more informed about what is happening with your body and better able to take an active role in managing your health.
For example, check out this information sheet on “Intestinal Gas,” or maybe you want to find out about your sleep issues here: “Insomnia: Do You Have It?”
We highly recommend you have a look through some of the great information about how to stay healthy and prevent disease. There are so many LITTLE THINGS we can do that will improve our well-being A LOT!
Announcements
UPCOMING EVENTS
Flu Shot Clinic Dates [DATE]
Scheduled Closures
Please note that the office will be closed from [DATES HERE]. Please make sure that you have enough medication to get you through this time. If you think you might be short, please call the office as soon as possible to make an appointment for your refills so that you do not run out while we are away from the office.
NORTH SYDNEY URGENT TREATMENT CENTER: 902-794-8966
CAPE BRETON REGIONAL HOSPITAL: 902-567-8000
About Our Clinic
Note that we have started a “LITTLE LENDING LIBRARY” with books that I have recommended in the past. (Including some of the books that are listed on this website!) The library is new and expanding all the time. Please remember to have a look next time you are in the office- perhaps you might find something useful or inspirational!
Contact
Clinic Policies
Welcome to our practice! We look forward to working with you to help you promote and maintain good health, as well as provide optimal management for any medical conditions you may have. To make the most of our services, and to ensure there are no lapses in care for any of our patients, please review our office policies below. (Click the title to open the policy.)
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It is important that we have up-to-date contact information and MSI numbers for all patients. This information is needed to send referrals to specialists, requisitions for tests, etc. We also need an accurate telephone number so that we can contact you for appointments, test results, etc. Please notify the office of any changes to your address/phone number as soon as possible to avoid delays in your medical care
Thank You
We would like to extend our gratitude and support to all those in our communities who are working hard every day to deliver a variety of services to anyone in need. Much respect & many thanks for your continued hard work and dedication!
How to Use This Website
In an attempt to provide as much information as possible, this site is packed full of great resources… and we want to make sure you know how to find what you are looking for!
Like many other web pages, the headings in the top right corner (in BLUE) will let you navigate the site. You can click on any of the headings and get a drop-down menu with the topics included under each.
The first “Welcome & Clinic Information” is where you will find scheduled clinic closures, office cancellation announcements and a few health related things we think everyone should know. These include information about:
- the six pillars that form a solid foundation for healthy living
- how to read a nutrition label
- how to take a temperature
- what is a normal temperature
- how to take your pulse
- how to set a SMART goal
The next “Local Resources” is were you will find contact information for a wide variety of services available in our community/province.
“Patient Resources” is where you will find most of the health information. We have divided this into three main categories:
- “STAYING HEALTHY/PREVENTING DISEASE” (where you will find great information about how to promote health and well-being)
- “SPECIFIC CONDITIONS” (where you will learn about a condition/problem you may have)
- “BABIES, KIDS & TEENS” is its own category that includes both disease prevention and condition-specific information.
Note that for some of the most common topics we discuss as family doctors, we have included our own
“Notes From Your Doctor”. These were meant to be short & sweet summaries for those of you who don’t have the time (or the motivation?) to read through all resources on a particular topic. Unfortunately, we got carried away wanting to ensure all the important information was included… so some of our notes are far longer than we had initially planned. 😳 DON’T PANIC! We decided to make a little “Summary & Suggestions” section at the top of each note for those of you who want to get right to the point. In some notes, you may see something called “DID YOU KNOW?” after the summary section. This is a collection of some of the research that is relevant to the topic we are discussing. You can find references to all the data in the NFYD NUTRITION & HEALTH RESEARCH in case you want to learn more.
“Resource Types” allows you to search only for a certain type of information, like “NOTES FROM YOUR DOCTOR” , or “HANDOUTS FOR PATIENTS”. You can also look for “Apps” that may be helpful, or find reliable “Websites” or “Books” you can refer to. There are also sections that are relevant to “Seniors” or “Cancer” patients. You can search for specific information about “Medications”, look up “Screening Guidelines” or and “Questionnaires/Calculators” if you have symptoms of certain conditions.
I have also added a section for “My Favourite Recipes”. There are already a vast number of resources for healthy recipes available online, and I am not aiming to replace any of those! This is just a collection of some of the recipes that I make at home on a regular basis- all plant based, full of fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants to help keep us healthy. Feel free to try some of them out and let me know what you think!
Of course, there is also the search bar 🔍 where you can type in key words to find what you are looking for.
Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress, and if there is information you are looking for that we don’t have, it is probably in the works! Please feel free to let us know if there is something you would like added next time you are in the office.
A Few Things You Should Know
Six Pillars of Healthy Living
Courtesy UnlockFood.ca
How to Read a Nutrition Label
Oceanview Family Practice
How To Take a Temperature & What is a Normal Temperature
Courtesy HealthLinkBC
How To Take Your Pulse
Courtesy The Mayo Clinic
Normal Temperature Chart
Oceanview Family Practice
Setting a SMART Goal
Oceanview Family Practice
Notes From Your Doctor: Setting A SMART Goal
What is a Smart Goal?
SMART is an acronym we can use when setting goals so we can increase our chances of achieving them. Rather than setting goals that are vague and hard to define, SMART goals are intended to be:
- S = Specific
- M = Measurable
- A = Achievable
- R = Relevant/Realistic
- T = Timed
A SPECIFIC goal is one that states exactly what/when/where/how, for how long and with who you will do what you want to do.
A MEASURABLE goal is one that you can objectively measure and track so you can see your progress.
An ACHIEVABLE goal is something that you can see yourself doing.
A RELEVANT/REALISTIC goal is one that will help you move towards a healthier lifestyle
A TIMED goal is one that lasts for a specific amount of time.
For example, many of us have set New Years Resolutions at some point in our lives. Most of the time, these resolutions are very broad, vague, and difficult to assess for success. Things like:
“I will eat better”
“I will exercise more”
“I will take more time for myself”.
While these are all noble goals and worth working toward, how do we know if we have accomplished these goals? Perhaps one of the reasons most of us give up on our resolutions within the first few months is because we have no way of knowing how we are doing?
Examples of Smart Goals
Let’s turn those resolutions into SMART goals so we can see what the differences are.
“I will eat better” can become:
“I will add one serving of berries for breakfast and one serving of vegetables for supper. (SPECIFIC & MEASURABLE). I will do this 3 days/week, on days that I don’t have to work. (ACHIEVABLE). I will do this for 1 month and then re-assess” (TIMED). This goal is relevant because it will move you in the direction of a healthier diet. (RELEVANT)
“I will exercise more” can look like:
“I will go for a 30 minute walk every Monday, Wednesday & Friday during my lunch break. (SPECIFIC & MEASURABLE) I have a friend who would go with me, and we can go to the indoor track when the weather is bad. (ACHIEVABLE). I will do this for one month and then re-assess. (TIMED). This is relevant because it will help you increase your exercise. (RELEVANT).
“I will take more time for myself” can be clarified as:
“I will join a 1 hour book club on Tuesday & Thursday evenings (SPECIFIC & MEASURABLE) when my mom looks after my kids. (ACHIEVABLE). I will do this for three months while the class is running and then re-assess. (TIMED). This is relevant if it helps you feel better, more relaxed after you do it (RELEVANT).
Keys to Success
It is easy to see how the SMART goals might be easier to act on and accomplish than the New Years Resolutions.
Here are some tips for success:
–Make your goals as specific as possible! This leaves little doubt about what has to be done and when. Set the days of the week, the times in the day, where, for how long and with whom you will do the activity. Put it on your schedule and have it become part of your plans for the day.
–Choose a goal that you think you will be able to accomplish. You can push yourself a little out of your comfort zone, but not so much that you will be too intimidated to get going, or will have trouble keeping up. For example, choosing to go from not exercising at all to working out every day may be setting yourself up for failure. When/if you miss a day, you may feel like you’ve failed, and may be tempted to give up. But if you set your goal of working out 3 days/week, you are more likely o manage that, and will feel better about sticking to your plan..
–Prepare whatever you may need in advance so you have fewer reasons not to do it. This might mean:
-having your gym bag/workout clothes/sneakers ready the day before
-meal prepping on the weekend for the healthy lunches you want to bring to work
–Other suggestions to help you along your journey include:
- Identify challenges you might face & come up with solutions. For example, if you know you have some busy days in your week, can you plan to exercise in the morning or at lunch? Can you prep the food you will need for that day so you are not stuck grabbing whatever is quick and easy (and usually unhealthy? If you are going out to eat, can you check the menu beforehand so you can see what the healthiest options are?
- -Monitor your progress. This could be in a journal or calendar, on a smart watch or fit bit, etc. When we keep track of how/what we do, we tend to be more motivated to accomplish our goals.
- Recruit a support team. Let others know what your goals are and see if anyone wants to join you. We would love to know about any changes you are making to become healthier, stronger and happier! Let us cheer you on!
- Celebrate your success! Making sustainable lifestyle change is much easier if we break it down into small, manageable steps. Be proud of the steps you are taking to lead a healthier life, and build upon your successes!
If you are not sure how to set a SMART goal, come see us so we can help set you up for success!
One of the most important parts about setting a goal is knowing WHY you are doing it. Do you want to be healthier so you can:
- Be around to see your kids get married?
- Go for a hike with your grandkids?
- Be able to go dancing without being short of reath?
- Run 5km?
- Get off your blood pressure medication?
- Avoid having heart problems that run in your family?
Once you known you WHY, can you put a reminder of that WHY where you will see it every day? (Maybe in many places?) Can you put a photo of your kids on the fridge? The date for your grandchild’s graduation? The schedule for the community dances? It is important that you keep your WHY in mind. This will help you stay dedicated when your motivation may be lacking.