Lunch And Learn With Dr. Berry

In my office more often than not "the rock" in  the family is concerned about being over burdened. Its a very common theme to see with those who serve as the mental "rock" in their family because everyone tends to come to them because they are seen as the problem solvers. My biggest gripe is that for many of the "family counselors" they tend to have no one that they can lean on for emotional support so they are burdened with not only their personal issues, but the issues of everyone else. On this episode I try to implore the family counselors of the world to stop this practice immediately because it is slowly killing them mentally and emotionally. There is a reason counselors, therapist & doctors like myself go through the training we do because you have to learn how to deal with the problems of others but not let it affect your own.    In this episode you will learn: Help you identify if you are the problem Why people are trained to be counselors Why it is detrimental for your personal well being taking

To get a medical license or even renew your medical license we are required to take a 1-2 course on domestic violence. I remember seeing it listed and being pretty excited because I had learned about its serious effects from a public health perspective. Some of the numbers are startling with one in four women and one in seven men over the age of 18 being a reported victim of abuse. Quite often its the physicians whether it be in the emergency room or in the routine often visit who could serve as the first line protectors IF they recognize the signs and are able to help.  On this episode I talk about certain cues that I look for in patients that prime me to dig in a bit deeper when I feel the situation arises because a majority of your patients will not just come out & say I am being abused. The great physician is one who recognizes when is the right time to take some action. Also, in this episode we talk a little bit about teen dating violence because as the numbers will suggest domestic & intimate pa

If there is only one thing that I absolutely want you to take from all of my lunch and learn episodes is that I never want to see you pick up a cigarette for the first time or smoke it ever again. There is absolutely nothing that could be said that would make me that that smoking a cigarette in 2017 isn't the equivalent of slowly killing yourself. As a medical student you learn that if quitting or smoking cigarettes is an answer choice you choose that. There isn't a cancer that isn't negatively affected by cigarette smoking or have cigarette as a huge cause. When you have the fact that heart disease in the number one killer in the world and then you throw on the gasoline that is cigarette smoking than you have your secret recipe for disaster.      Links/Resources  Why is smoking a cigarette still a thing to do? Are you getting a heart attack   In this episode you will learn: Who is doing all the smoking Smoking by the numbers Associated risk factors Tips for quitting Vaping benefits and risks Social Links

You know that I promote my love for Public Health whenever I get the chance and quite often find a way to point out how important it is in everyday medicine. Well, this is one of those times again with the subject of antibiotics. There isn't a shift that goes by that I have to prescribe someone an antibiotic for their illness but because of that we are beginning to run into a huge public health issue where we no longer have an arsenal of antibiotics to fight these common diseases.   What has been the biggest reason? Physicians overprescribing antibiotics just to keep the patient happy. I can't tell you how many times someone has come in my office in order to get antibiotics for something that is clearly viral and leaves upset because I won't prescribe it. For many the placebo of taking a medication is all they want regardless if it will help or not.   We know the cost of health care for patients dealing with resistant bugs is much more than those fighting resistant bugs and now its gotten to the point where i

Today's episode is a follow up from my finding out my child has autism podcast. I will be discussing some of the differences of raising kids together where one has autism and the others seeming do not. There are things now that my youngest kids(twins) do that I didn't realize you did at that age because my oldest daughter had a developmental delay. Some of the key differences from a developmental standpoint are still surprising me as we continue to watch them grow up. With Autism affecting 1 out of 68 children I knew there was a chance to have another child with autism so I think that is what sometimes causes me to be surprised at their development because they really aren't showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.    Links/Resources  Are you aware? Don't wait any longer on the diagnosis   In this episode you will learn: How actions become louder than words The differences in raising his youngest twins versus his oldest   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/jo

Hearing that your child has autism can be life altering and usually brings out way more questions than you could imagine. I remember when my wife who is a licensed mental health counselor began noticing developmental delays in our child that she was just uncomfortable with waiting to see how things played out. Being an internist, who specializes in the treatment of adults I was in the dark and really couldn't offer any guidance at the time so it was refreshing to see my wife go to work and despite all of the "experts" tell her that it was too early to diagnose she pressed forward. It was a great lesson in the treatment of autism where early intervention will always trump all.  On today's episode we discuss why autism is a big part in my life and why the key is early intervention.   Links/Resources  Waiting for a diagnosis Getting aware of autism In this episode you will learn: Why its such a personal issue for me Learn about his amazing wife efforts in the beginning Why early diagnosis is key How much it h

If you had to guess which is the most common cancer in the world how many of you would say skin cancer? In the episode today we will begin to shed the light on skin cancer and talk about how many diagnoses per year of skin cancer is found. In my office quite often do I have to tell my patients that getting a yearly test is almost mandatory (even though are insurance companies who think it is). Being in Florida the sun exposure is much higher than others parts of the country so its imperative to keep checking your self on a routine basis. Learn more about skin cancer on today's episode.    Links/Resources  Find a free screening spot   In this episode you will learn: Fun Facts about skin cancer Learn about Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month What are the risk factors? Why sun screen is important Why being African American isn’t an excuse not to get your skin checked   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - w

Heart disease is the number one killer in the WORLD. Cardiovascular disease as it is most commonly described as takes up 2 of the top 10 reasons world wide. As a primary care physician I have seen my faire share of patients who has suffered the ill effects of this disease. According to the CDC heart disease is accountable for 1 in 4 deaths here in the United States with about 600,000 deaths per year as the leading cause. In the episode today we are going to talk about just what it all entails, who suffers the most from it, and what you can do to help prevent it.    Links/Resources  What do you know about cardiovascular disease 15 reasons why you should care now   In this episode you will learn: What is heart disease? What are some risk factors? Who is affected? How can you prevent it?   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #L

How many people you know suffer from migraines? It is probably one of the most incorrect complaints that I hear in the office. Like there are many people who suffer from headaches but not as many suffer from migraine symptoms. My goal of today's episode is to educate on what migraines really are because if you knew how debilitating they were you may feel a little bad saying your headache is a migraine. For my migraine sufferers take this episode as my  On today's episode we are going to talk about exactly what a migraine is and discuss other types of headaches.     Links/Resources  What type of headache do you have?   In this episode you will learn: What is a migraine? Common signs & symptoms Why knowing the difference could be life or death How to get rid of your migraine?   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLe

Talking about a very important sleep disorder today, the dreaded sleep apnea. Find out why having a good night's rest can be live saving in patients with sleep apnea.When trying to explain to my patients exactly what sleep apnea is I give them the analogy of holding your breath while you are sleeping but being too tired to realize it. There are 3 types of sleep apnea Obstructive, Central and Mixed type but the most common one and the one that we will discuss in the episode is Obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) is due to the physical blockage of the airway when we sleep which can last 20-30 seconds at a time. I have had the opportunity to see patient both inside and outside the hospital who suffer from OSA and the risk factors and side effects can be deadly.    Links/Resources  Do you have sleep apnea? NIH Research on OSA   In this episode you will learn: What is sleep apnea? 5 signs and symptoms for Sleep Apnea Who is affected by it? What happens if you don't treat it   Social Links Jo

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and African Americans are hit even harder than the average. On this episode listen to some of the staggering numbers & effects of  colon cancer that can almost be prevented with routine screening. I can tell you that I have always been a strong advocate for my patients but in particular my African American patients to get all their routine screenings. As a practicing Internist, the colonoscopy is one of the most difficult test to get your patients to warm up to but if are firm in your stance of it's importance many (not all) will come around to your point of view.   Links/Resources  Background Information on Colon Ca in the AA community CDC colorectal rates by ethnicity   In this episode you will learn: Why the focus on African Americans How have they fared since 1999 One of the biggest reasons for the disparity What can physicians do to help Why this is a public health crisis   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community -

When I got my osteopathic medical degree I pursued a master's in public health and it's been one of the best decisions I have ever made. See why I feel that the Public Health degree has made me a better physician and why all doctors should have one. Links/Resources  NSU PH program What can I do with the degree? In this episode you will learn: Who was influential in getting pursuing a MPH Why I feel that the degree should be a requirement for all doctors The issue with medical mission trips How doctors could apply the public health degree to practice The latest Measle epidemic Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLearnPod if you have any questions, comments or requests for the podcast For More Episodes of the Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry Podcasts    To share your thoughts: Leave a comment  Use the hashtag on social m

Doing a pre-op workups is pretty routine for most primary care doctors but lately I noticed that I had been spending more time answering questions that frankly the surgeon should be answering so thats what promoted the podcast episode today. needs to be the one to answer so in this episode I discuss questions that you should ask.   In this episode you will learn: Importance of knowing what to expect with surgery Some Do’ & Dont’s from your favorite PCP What maybe harmful for surgery that you don’t know about How to avoid more pain than expected Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLearnPod if you have any questions, comments or requests for the podcast For More Episodes of the Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry Podcasts  To share your thoughts: Leave a comment  Share this show on Twitter, Facebook  If you are looking t

Going to talk about an important cardiovascular disease, stroke on the podcast. I will be talking about the signs and symptoms of a stroke, how to diagnose it early and discuss some of the biggest factors associated with the disease. It can be one of the most debilitating things to happen to a loved one. One second everything can be fine and the next second life changing. Listen to some of the most common risk factors that you can change today. Also will be talking about how to recognize stroke symptoms early because it could mean the difference between life and death.  Links/Resources  10 common symptoms   In this episode you will learn: Why the word FAST is important in stroke recognition 10 signs and symptoms of an acute stroke Who is affected & how to help prevent it from happening to a loved one.   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPo

Depression is one of the many disorders that I see manifest itself in a variety of different ways so its important to recognize the signs early. Today I talk about some signs and symptoms and how I have helped deal with the problems when they arise in my patients.  Links/Resources  Watch your family member A more detailed focus on depressive symptoms Screening Tools   In this episode you will learn: Just how bad doctors are at asking about depression Signs and symptoms of depression Common stigmas of the disorder   Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLearnPod if you have any questions, comments or requests for the podcast For More Episodes of the Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry Podcasts  To share your thoughts: Leave a comment  Share this show on Twitter, Facebook  If you are looking to help the show out Leave a re

Making sure my patient's mental health has always been a big part of my teaching and way of practicing medicine so on today's episode follow along where I discuss why your mental health is just as important than the physical one. Today's episode is an important one as we touch on various aspects of it, well talk about why its important for primary care providers to take a more proactive role in assessing it as early as possible and why it is more common than you think to suffer from mental health issues.  Links/Resources  Can't pray it away Medical Spotlight on Depression MHA In this episode you will learn: Troubling facts about Mental Health Barriers to access to Mental Health Care Who is affected the most How many people commit suicide yearly? Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLearnPod if you have any questions, co

As a physician and father of an autistic child I hate that we still have to have a debate on this topic but here we are. Yet again we have health professionals who despite all the evidence against the fact still continue to make the general public believe that there is somehow a connection to autism & vaccinations.  Today we are going to discuss exactly how the controversy started and lay out facts to dismiss claims of a relationship. Links/Resources  Vaccinating my child with Autism CDC's Statement on Vaccines In this episode you will learn: Learn about where the controversy started Public Health Risks of not vaccinating What do the rise in numbers really mean When to seek help? Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLearnPod if you have any questions, comments or requests for the podcast For More Episodes of the Lun

In Florida we just approved it late 2016 for medical use and almost immediately I started getting calls on whether I would be subscribing it. Before you start I will let you know that it wasn't from people who were drug seeking but from people with complex medical conditions that reached a point where the only they had to turn to was the medical Marijuana. It has been one of hottest topics of medical debate over the past years. I can admit that I had strong opinions on the matter but after reading & doing my research I have changed my mind on everything. Listen to today's episode to see what happened.   Links/Resources  Medical Marijuana in Florida In this episode you will learn:  Which side on stand on The Pros/Cons of Medical Marijuana Who benefits the most from it Why it isn't legal everywhere Why isn't there much research Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on t

Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in the United States.  Which is unfortunate because it is also one that could easily be prevented by one test. Over 60,000 people in the United States will die from colon cancer and we can prevent almost 90% of that if we just got treatment before it was too late. Today we are going to talk about colon cancer, who gets colon cancer, and what you can do to stop it.  I will also address a recent article that talks about which age group is on the rise for colon cancer  Links/Resources  Cancer on the rise What is a colonoscopy? In this episode you will learn: What is colon cancer? Who is affected by it. How can it be prevented? Startling facts and figures Why this is no longer an old person’s disease Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on Facebook - www.facebook.com/lunchlearnpod Follow the podcast on twitter - @LunchLearnPod - use the hashtag #LunchLearnPod if you have any quest

With a disorder that affects 1 out of every 3 adults it was only right to have a discussion on high blood pressure. Not a day goes by where I don't have to take care of a patient who is affected by hypertension in who way shape or form. Sometimes we are able to catch it early enough where it doesn't cause any problems and you are able to control it with diet alone but quite often but the time patients come to see me they sometimes require not only one medication but several. Today we are going to talk about the common causes of hypertension, how to treat it and its effects on the African American community.   Links/Resources  The Silent Killer Foods that help lower your BP   In this episode you will learn: 5 common causes of high blood pressure Why its known as the silent killer Who should be treated How much is it costing us to take care of patients with high blood pressure Fact regarding african americans and blood pressure Social Links Join the lunch and learn community - www.drpierresblog.com/joinlun