As the holidays quickly approach, we give thanks to every patient we’ve been able to help this past year. The team at Lakes Urgent Care would like to wish every member of our community health, happiness, and peace, now and throughout the New Year!
Lakes Urgent Care celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2024. Our Livonia office currently is undergoing renovations so we can continue to treat our Livonia area patients in a clean and updated office. We’ll continue to support St Mary’s hospital with after-hours medical care well into the future.
Please excuse our dust (and sometimes noise) – we expect the work to be finished by the middle of January. Thank you for your patronage and patience from all of us at Lakes Urgent Care, ‘where your health concerns can’t wait.’
Twenty years ago, Lakes Urgent Care opened in West Bloomfield with the mission of providing the community with a place to receive the highest quality medical care, after hours, on weekends, or when a primary care physician was not available. We also helped patients avoid an unnecessary and expensive trip to a hospital emergency department. In September of 2015, we opened our second location in Livonia with the same dedication to service. This year, we are proud to celebrate 20 years of service to our community.
“We pride ourselves on providing excellent emergency room type services in both of our convenient locations, being a member of Urgent Care Association of America, remaining open every day of the year including the pandemic lock down years and having helped over 450,000 patients since opening our doors.” said Lakes Urgent Care owner Dr. Lawrence Dell. “We recently completely remodeled our West Bloomfield office to provide every patient with a better experience.”
“It has been a pleasure serving the community and patients of West Bloomfield, Livonia, and the surrounding areas.” said Lakes Urgent Care Medical Director Dr. Haidar Al-Saadi. “We hope to be available to serve for years to come and continue to provide appropriate and efficient healthcare. We strive to be the best, and our patients are our priority as always.”
From all of at Lakes Urgent Care, we thank every patient we’ve seen over the years with trusting us with their care and we wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when communities come together to promote education and prevention. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers globally – According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, more than 360,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. Increasing awareness around breast cancer can help in the fight against this disease, promote early detection, and save lives. The doctors at Lakes Urgent Care have four key actions that everyone can take to make a meaningful impact:
1. Understand Your Family History
Knowing your family history of cancer can significantly affect your risk profile and guide you in making proactive health decisions. Breast cancer, in some cases, is linked to genetic mutations (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2), which can be passed down from one generation to the next. If you have close family members (such as a mother, sister, or grandmother) who have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, you may be at a higher risk of developing the disease yourself.
- Action Step: Talk to family members about their health history and discuss any cancer diagnoses. If you discover a pattern of breast cancer or other cancers in your family, share this information with your healthcare provider. They may recommend genetic counseling or testing to assess your risk.
2. Get Screened Regularly
Early detection of breast cancer is key to successful treatment. Regular screening can catch the disease in its early stages, even before symptoms appear. The two most common screening methods are mammograms and breast MRIs, depending on your level of risk. Women aged 40 and older should have regular mammograms, although the recommended starting age may vary based on individual risk factors.
- Action Step: Schedule your screening appointments regularly, and don’t skip them. If you’re unsure about when to start or how often to get screened, consult your doctor for personalized advice. For those with higher risk factors, such as a family history or genetic predisposition, more frequent or advanced screenings may be necessary.
3. Be Proactive About Your Health
Being proactive about your overall health is one of the most impactful ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer. This includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, managing your weight, and limiting alcohol consumption. While these measures don’t guarantee prevention, they can help lower your risk and improve your overall well-being.
- Action Step: Make small but meaningful lifestyle changes. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals, engage in physical activity several times a week, and keep your body weight in a healthy range. You should also perform regular breast self-exams to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel, so you can detect any unusual changes.
4. Encourage Friends and Family to Get Screened
Your influence on the people around you can make a difference. One of the best ways to support breast cancer awareness is to encourage your friends and family to stay informed and get screened. By sharing your own story and providing helpful reminders, you could help someone detect breast cancer early and increase their chances of survival.
- Action Step: Talk openly with your loved ones about the importance of regular screenings. You could even schedule mammogram appointments together to make it a shared experience. Remind the women and men in your life, regardless of age or background, to be mindful of their health and take preventive measures.
Supporting the cause of breast cancer awareness involves a combination of education, personal action, and outreach. By understanding your family history, getting screened, taking care of your health, and encouraging others to do the same, you can make a significant contribution to this important cause. Early detection saves lives, and the more we spread awareness, the closer we come to reducing the impact of breast cancer globally.
We love cinnamon. We just made some cinnamon French toast the other day and it was fantastic. Cinnamon can be a great component of so many delicious recipes, especially in the fall. No wonder it is a staple in so many of kitchens. Cinnamon also has tremendous health and anti-inflammatory benefits. But new research shows that some brands of ground cinnamon contain unacceptable levels of lead, some provide “acceptable levels of lead”, while a third group is rated most safe.
It’s always surprising to learn that items purchased at a grocery store can have any unsafe levels of ingredients. In the case of cinnamon, Consumer Reports says that the cinnamon with the highest levels of lead tend to come from smaller brands and stores. You can see the whole list of the brands you want to avoid, plus a lot more information in this article from Food & Wine about cinnamon.
Of the safest brands mentioned, the 365 Whole Foods market brand is the most widely available locally, so we’ll make that our number one pick.
According to Consumer Reports, these were the brands of ground cinnamon deemed best to use:
- 365 Whole Food Market organic ground cinnamon
- Loisa organic cinnamon
- Morton & Bassett San Francisco 100% organic ground cinnamon
- Sadaf cinnamon powder
- 365 Whole Foods Market ground cinnamon
- Sadaf seven spice
Consumer Reports also mention several brands that were not the safest, but were considered OK to use:
- McCormick ground cinnamon (0.23 ppm)
- Simply Organic cinnamon (0.28 ppm)
- Bassett San Francisco ground cinnamon (0.55 ppm)
- Good & Gather ground cinnamon (0.56 ppm)
- Trader Joe organic ground cinnamon (0.69 ppm)
- Great Value ground cinnamon (0.79 ppm)
- Kirkland Signature organic Saigon cinnamon (0.80 ppm)
Now that you’ve got the right cinnamon in your spice rack, here 44 ways you can use it, courtesy of Southern Living.
And as reported by the National Institutes of Health, cinnamon provides you with lots of health benefits.
It is “an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, lipid lowering, and cardiovascular disease lowering spice. So, pick up the right brand of cinnamon, and enjoy its delicious flavor and health benefits all year long.
In the great State of Michigan, we are blessed with an abundance of fresh and tasty produce, especially during the summer. Take advantage of this time of year to help your family discover and love healthy foods and incorporate them into your diet to encourage healthy family eating habits.
Now is the time of year when your grocer’s fruit and vegetable offerings are the freshest and most locally sourced. Even if you don’t venture beyond your neighborhood Kroger, you will find a greater variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Go to a Farmer’s Market
If you have the time, consider taking the family to any of the great farmer’s markets in our area. Taking the family to a farmer’s market has many benefits: great exercise and socialization, ability to meet some of the people who grow the food, learn about how they grow it, sometimes sample products before purchase, and give family members an opportunity to see and select fruits and vegetables they might enjoy. Here’s a comprehensive list of all the farmer’s markets in our area, courtesy of Metro Parent. Eastern Market boasts an amazing array of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and other gourmet items. The Saturday Farmer’s Market in downtown Farmington was recently judged number one in the area.
Stock up on Michigan cherries
Not only are cherries one of the most delicious fruits of all-time, but they are loaded with health benefits. Many of them (especially tart cherries) come from the State of Michigan. And as outlined in this great article from the Cleveland Clinic, cherries are a super food! The fresh cherry season is short. Even more reason for you to grab as many as you can now and freeze some for the fall and winter. For safety and expediency, get a cherry pitter, which helps you to extricate the pits more easily, an essential step before freezing.
Add color to your diet
The fruits and vegetables with the highest nutritional value are also the most colorful: broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts, etc. Fruits and veggies get their intense colors from phytochemicals, which also produce the richest vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Eating more of these types of fruits and vegetables every day is the best way to help your body perform its best, relieve inflammation, and promote overall good health.
Ask for the “no thank you bite”
Do you live with a picky eater? If so, a trip to the farmer’s market is probably not on their list of favorite things to do. That’s OK. But eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is a cornerstone of good health. Pick some “high value” veggies like spinach, offer them up in different ways, and ask that picky eater to at least give it a try. And if it doesn’t work the first time, keep trying!
Sparklers aren’t as safe as you might think! The lit tips burn at temps up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, and can cause burns and start fires. Take care with sparklers and don’t let small children handle them!
Fireworks can make any celebration special and have become an important part of many Michigander’s July 4th holidays. However, handling fireworks requires a commitment to safety. To ensure your festivities are both thrilling and secure, it’s important to follow some simple but essential safety guidelines.
Our first and most-important safety tip is also the easiest: go see a public display and leave the fireworks to the experts! There are hundreds of professionally-designed public fireworks displays all over the state of Michigan during the month of July. You’ll never match such a display at home, and you can relax and enjoy the show knowing you and your family are safe.
If you’ve suffered a burn or other firework-related injury, both Lakes Urgent Care locations are equipped to treat you quickly, no appointment needed! Here are some common-sense fireworks safety tips to keep in mind this year:
1. Buy Your Fireworks from Trusted Sources
When purchasing fireworks, always opt for licensed and reputable vendors and established retailers. These sellers comply with safety regulations and offer quality products. Avoid buying fireworks from street vendors, parking lot tents, or unauthorized sources, as their products may be unsafe and unreliable.
2. Maintain a Safe Distance
Always keep a safe distance from fireworks during ignition. Adhere to the recommended distance on the packaging—typically at least 30 meters (100 feet) for smaller fireworks and more for larger ones. Be mindful of wind conditions that could affect the fireworks’ path and adjust your distance accordingly.
3. Wear Protective Gear
Protective gear is essential for personal safety. Wear safety glasses and gloves to shield yourself from potential hazards. Avoid loose clothing that can easily catch fire. When lighting fireworks, never lean over them and maintain a steady stance to prevent accidents.
4. Keep Water and Safety Equipment Nearby
Prepare for emergencies by having a bucket of water, a hose, or a fire extinguisher close at hand. This equipment allows you to quickly address any unexpected fires. If a minor fire occurs, douse it with water immediately. If the fire becomes unmanageable, call emergency services right away.
5. Supervise Children and Pets
Always supervise children and pets during firework displays. Never allow children to handle or light fireworks. Keep pets indoors or in a safe area to protect them from the noise and potential dangers.
According to the Associated Press, our mild winter has resulted in an earlier than usual start to the spring allergy season. If you suffer from spring allergies, here are some tips to keep those symptoms at bay:
If you have a medication plan that worked for you last year, now is the time to resume it.
“If you are experiencing allergy symptoms for the first time, are unsure of the source of your allergies, or don’t have a clear idea about which medications can best help you, come see us at Lakes Urgent Care,” said medical director Dr. Haidar Al-Saadi. “We can help determine what types of allergens trigger your symptoms, establish a treatment plan, and help you monitor its effectiveness. If your Lakes Urgent Care provider feels that you could benefit from immunotherapy treatment (allergy shots), he or she will recommend a allergy specialist. Allergy shots won’t cure you of your allergies, but they will help mitigate the symptoms in the long run.”
Our sensitivities to allergens can change over time. You may have had allergies as a child and have now outgrown them and vice versa. Time magazine just published an excellent and comprehensive article that will help you better understand your allergy symptoms.
Spring Allergy Season: Treatment and Prevention Tips
Starting your treatment plan now helps prevent early inflammation and the cascade of allergic reactions that can spiral out of control.
Pollen levels will escalate as our weather warms and the plant life around us comes back to life. Here’s a website to help you track daily pollen levels in our area.
Prevention is always worth a pound of cure! If you can determine the specific allergens that trigger your symptoms, this can help you reduce or potentially eliminate exposure to the elements that cause you grief.
If tree pollen is your source of misery, it may not be possible to eliminate exposure. In your home, keep windows closed and rely on your home’s heating and cooling system along with good quality HEPA air filters and dehumidifiers to reduce symptoms while indoors or sleeping. When coming in from any outdoor activity, showering and changing your clothes can help reduce your exposure to allergens.
Each year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes the month of March as National Nutrition Month.®, which started in 1973 as National Nutrition Week and became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing interest in nutrition.
The goal of National Nutrition Month.®
The 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health highlighted the fact that millions of Americans face hurdles when it comes to accessing healthy food — and far too many are at risk of experiencing diet-related diseases like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. The goal of National Nutrition Month.® is to raise awareness about the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. The campaign emphasizes the significance of nutrition education and provides resources to help individuals make healthier food choices and lead healthier lifestyles.
“Lakes Urgent Care supports the efforts of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to highlight awareness around healthier eating and increased fitness.” said Haidar Al-Saadi Medical Director at Lakes Urgent Care. “Too many in our community struggle with access to heatlhy food, and there’s more all of us can do to raise awareness.”
This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table,” which addresses “the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets — and even home food safety and storage practices. It also describes the various ways we eat — not only around a dinner table, but also on the go, in schools and restaurants, at games and events. This theme also includes sustainability, for instance, decreasing food waste from school and work to home and beyond.”
Learn more at eatright.org
The CDC is reporting increased cases of norovirus in our area and across the country. Norovirus is highly contagious, and the symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. “Other than making sure you are well hydrated, there is no other specific treatment for norovirus,” said Lakes Urgent Care medical director Dr. Haidar Al-Saadi. “We can’t give you a z pack and make you feel better if you have norovirus. That’s why prevention is by far your best approach to avoiding this nasty illness. And the number one thing you can do is wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.”
Proper hand washing involves soap, water and vigorous hand washing for at least twenty seconds. The friction of your hands rubbing together is an important part of keeping your hands clean. According to the CDC, “hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus. You can use hand sanitizer in addition to hand washing, but hand sanitizer is not a substitute for handwashing, which is best.”
Always wash your hands after using the toilet, changing a diaper, or disposing of pet waste. Always wash your hands before eating, preparing, or handling food and before handling medicine.
Another important way to prevent the spread of norovirus is to use disinfectant wipes regularly in all the “high touch areas” of your home: door and drawer handles, light switches, and doorknobs.
As our Michigan temperatures dip into the teens and lower, not dressing properly or staying in the cold too long can be dangerous. Here are some tips to keep yourself and your family safe during the cold weather season.
“When temperatures are in the teens or lower, be sure to cover all of your extremities,” said Dr. Haidar Al-Saadi, Lakes Urgent Care medical director. “Be aware that the parts of your body farthest away from your heart are most susceptible to frost bite: your ears, nose, fingers, and toes are especially prone to frostbite.”
Dress in layers, keep every part of your body covered and be aware of the first signs of frostbite, which is called frost nip. Frostnip occurs before bite. If you picture your extremities in layers, frostnip happens when the first few layers of tissue are frozen. For frostbite, the entire body part, most commonly fingers and toes, is frozen through and tissue begins to die.
If you suspect frostnip or bite, run the extremity under warm water for 20 minutes. Never use hot water or rub the finger or toes to increase circulation. If, after 20 minutes, there is pain or no feeling at all, it’s time to head to a certified urgent care such as Lakes Urgent Care or the emergency department of your nearest hospital.
Prolonged exposure to cold weather can also lead to hypothermia, which occurs when your body begins to lose heat faster than it’s produced. Your body gives plenty of warning to get warmed up before serious problems set in. “We see hypothermia in our more vulnerable populations such as the elderly, those who are significantly immunocompromised, those with dementia and those with mental illness,” said Dr. Al-Saadi. “Depending on their mental status, they might not know they’re cold, which can lead to hypothermia.”