Popular Trends

I was recently watching the Today's Show where they were talking about the most popular cosmetic procedures in the Industry right now. To my surprise, Liposuction, followed by the Asian Eye Lid Surgery (Upper Blepharoplasty) ranked first. The reasons Asian people have attributed to their deciding for the procedure, was not only their personal desire for a more Caucasian look, but they felt they their eye lids made them appear tired. What is wonderful about this procedure is that it can be achieved with the use of local anesthesia and takes about 20-30 minutes not to mention a quick recovery and a fairly instant result! As for lipo, I can truly understand why it has gotten so popular. People continue to starve themselves with the latest diets only to find that there are stubborn areas that won't come off. Stubborn areas vary between men and women. For a man the stubborn areas are usually the stomach and hip area. For a woman, you will find the abdomen, hip area, inner and outer tights and occasionally knees! Many factors come to play when a successful operation is to be achieved. It is important first to have a realistic goal of what liposuction can conquer for your body. It is not a good idea to consider liposuction a weight loss device, in fact, most people will not weight much less after lipo. but their shape, contour and outline will look drastically different. As for example if you have saddle bags, liposuction is the perfect solution for getting rid of them. There are some limitations that cannot be overlooked. It is important to consider, skin tone and elasticity. These things can be affected either by age, or by drastic weight loss. Sometimes, by removing the fat, sogginess may occur. To determine if you are a good candidate for liposuction, a consultation with the plastic surgeon is a must! Let's face it.... nobody loves a love handle! Michelle Heavens

Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

‘Don’t forget your sisters,’ she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. ‘They’ll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.’

‘Remember that ‘sisters’ means ALL the women…your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. ‘You’ll need other women. Women always do.’ What a funny piece of advice!’ the young woman thought. Haven’t I just gotten married?
Haven’t I just joined the couple-world? I’m now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!’

But she listened to her mother. She kept contact with her sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her mother really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I’ve learned:

THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Men don’t do what they’re supposed to do.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.

BUT………

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley’s rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley’s end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you….Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family: all bless our life!

The world wouldn’t be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still. Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful. I just did. Short and very sweet: There are more than twenty angels in this world. Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are playing. And one is reading her email at this moment.
Happy days!

Michelle Heavens

The Time to Detox is Now

Where's the salt? Oh, it's hidden in your food. If you're not careful, it could be overflowing out of every bite of salt water-injected leftover turkey—probably a fact many wouldn't realize unless they were studying the fine print of the packaging with reading glasses.

It's a fact. Americans eat too much sodium and are suffering from a high-blood pressure epidemic. The problem is that sodium is laced into pre-packaged and processed foods. That means if you over-indulged, at say Thanksgiving dinner with all that green bean casserole and stuffing, you likely reached your daily sodium allotment in one sitting.

Salt is a known skin aggravator, causing inflammation and swelling, so to get you back on tract after a salty dinner, try detoxing your body. That doesn't mean starving, it means sipping a cup of mint tea after your meal. Herbal peppermint contains no caffeine, and its essential oils increase energy flow to the digestive organs, allowing them to rid your body of excess sodium and function better.

Mint tea has also been shown to help settle stomachs, ease heartburn, relieve nausea, and help perk up your complexion. The skin is an eliminative organ, so if your body isn't properly digesting your food by expelling it through the colon (detoxing), many experts believe it can manifest in the pores as blemishes.

Try drinking three cups of mint tea each day to help flush out impurities. Look for all-natural tea, sans fragrance and flavoring, for the best results.

How Yoga Boosts Beauty

You probably know that yoga is good for improving your flexibility, muscle tone and stress levels, but did you know it also benefits the look and health of your skin? Here's one compelling reason to incorporate a few sessions into your exercise routine, whether you do a few poses at home every day or take a class at the gym.

If you're trying to detox by eliminating processed foods, cutting out alcohol or simply adding more fresh fruits and veggies into your diet with the goal of clear and brighter skin, then it's important to know how it works. If you have toxins in your system, chances are, many of them are stored in your skin unless they have been eliminated by your internal organs.

When exposed to toxins, particularly the environmental kind, your skin becomes more vulnerable to the effects of free radicals, a main culprit in premature aging. Your skin detoxifies itself through perspiration, and, in fact, your skin's sweat glands can perform as much detoxification as your liver.

Yoga helps this process because it improves your blood circulation...and makes you sweat. Through improved blood circulation and sweat, you're aiding the effects of any nutritional detoxing you may be doing.

Poses that incorporate sitting twists or forward bends are particularly helpful in engaging the internal organs, as well. Be sure to drink lots of water to replenish yourself and flush out those toxins.

By Shellie Terry Benson

Foundation for Women's Cancer

This year marks the first year Dr. Hochstein’s office became a proud sponsor of the Foundation for Women’s Cancer. The Foundation for Women’s Cancer provides information on the leading types of cancer including gynecologic cancers, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer. About 22,430 women in the United States will be told they have ovarian each year. In May of 2011 our Business Manager, Michelle Heavens, was one of the 22k that was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. This unforeseen tragedy has made the staff and Dr. Hochstein want to make all of our female patients aware of the importance of getting tested each year.

Early Signs of Ovarian Cancer

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are not specific to the disease, and they often mimic those of many other more-common conditions, including digestive and bladder problems.

When ovarian cancer symptoms are present, they tend to be persistent and worsen with time.

Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:
•Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
•Pelvic discomfort or pain
•Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
•Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
•Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
•Loss of appetite or quickly feeling full
•Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
•A persistent lack of energy
•Low back pain

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you.

If you have a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, talk to your doctor about your risk of ovarian cancer. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a genetic counselor to discuss testing for certain gene mutations that increase your risk of breast and ovarian cancers.