The vast majority of Americans eat way too much sugar. We are a country comprised of grain eaters and lovers of high fructose corn syrup. The next time you go out to eat, look at the menu and count how many dishes feature pasta or rice. On your next trip to the grocery store, try and buy foods without high fructose corn syrup. You will probably find it is almost impossible because grains and high fructose corn syrup are everywhere. And both turn into sugars.

One of the most important things to be aware of in your diet is sugar. The body has developed a mechanism over centuries to store energy for times of famine. When you eat a diet high in sugar, your body has to over-produce insulin to process the sugar. The extra insulin causes your body to store the sugar as fat. When you eat too much sugar for too long, your cells can become resistant to insulin. This causes your body to store even more extra sugar as fat. While this is an over-simplified explanation of what happens, it exemplifies why it is so important to be aware of what is actually in your food. It is also the reason we will talk later about focusing on complex carbohydrates instead of simple ones.

Have you ever wondered why sugar is in everything? In the 1980s, nutritionists started teaching people that the reason they were gaining weight was because they were consuming high fat foods.

Jumping on the bandwagon, food companies across the nation rushed to create foods that were “low fat”. The shelves of our supermarkets became inundated with these low fat foods. What people did not realize at the time was that in order to maintain good tasting foods, companies were just replacing “fat” with sugar. It took many years for people to wake up and realize sugar is far worse for your health than fat. The low fat craze that replaced fat with sugar actually made us fatter and sicker as a nation.

By simply paying attent-ion to your sugar intake, you can dramatically affect your total calories and the quality of those calories for the better.

This is an excerpt out of Dr. Tim Reynolds’ book.  To read more, click here, or pick-up a copy at checkout.

Running noses, itchy eyes, sneezing! Yes, allergy symp-toms are a pain.  But for many HealthCARE Express patients, allergies are simply no longer controlling their lives, thanks to a new allergy testing and treatment program now available.

Through a scratch test available today, you can find out in about 15 minutes if you are allergic to the 48 most geographically specific mold and airborne allergens in this area. Adults and children over the age of two can be tested for allergies – a testing especially important if you suffer with asthma, sneezing, coughing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, congestion, sleepiness, headache, nausea, and other problems triggered by allergies.

“The testing is not painful,” said Dr. Tim Reynolds. “A tiny comb gently scratches or abrades your skin’s surface. After the test is performed, it takes about 15 minutes for your body to react. If you have an allergic reaction to a tested allergen, it will appear as a raised, red bump on the skin, similar to a mosquito bite.”

After the test is complete, a custom-formulated immuno-therapy program can be prescribed. The treatment, commonly called allergy shots, is custom-formulated based on the allergy test results and helps desensitize you to many of the pollens, molds and other triggers that cause those annoying allergy symptoms. Thru desensitization, your body will gradually be able to be around those allergens without having an allergic reaction.

“We want the best possible care and treatment for our patients,” said Reynolds. “This service can significantly increase our patients’ quality of life by reducing or eliminating allergy symptoms and discomfort.”

Save Time & Money

Allergy shots are not new, but the program at HealthCARE Express is designed around two concepts new to medicine:
1) Saving you money and

2) Your busy lifestyle.

“Our allergy lab trains you on how to self administer your allergy shots at home,” Reynolds said. “Our patients really enjoy this.  Most clinics require you to come in weekly or monthly for your allergy shots.  This costs you a co-pay and takes time out of your already busy schedule.  We train you how to do the shots at home, saving you both time and money.”

Unmask the Problem & Treat Your Symptoms

Unlike over-the-counter allergy medicines like Benadryl, Zyrtec, or Claritan, which act only to cover up allergic symptoms or prevent them temporarily, allergy immuno-therapy can fix the underlying problem of your allergies.

“This occurs because the body treats the injection much like a vaccine, resulting in the production of infection-fighting antibodies against pollen, dust, mold or pet dander. The body then stops producing allergic antibodies against triggers, and therefore won’t have an allergic response when exposed to the allergens,” Reynolds said. “These changes can last for many years, even after stopping allergy immuno-therapy.”

Recent studies show that allergy immunotherapy can also prevent people from developing new allergies, and reduce the risk of developing asthma in children with nasal allergies. After a course of allergy immunotherapy, 80 to 90 percent of patients have less allergy symptoms, and in many cases, their allergies have completely resolved.

According to a recent survey of HeathCARE Express patients and other patients currently undergoing the same treatment regiment, 72% are using less medication to treat their allergy symptoms after only six months of treatment and 97% would recommend the treatment to their friends and family.

“At HealthCARE Express we understand every patient is different. Each responds differently to different allergens. That’s why we custom-formulate every single dose of our allergy medications specifically for the individual patient,” said Reynolds. “Unlike over-the-counter and prescription medications that ease your symptoms, but may have significant side effects, we identify, and then treat the cause of your disease with custom medications.”

If you are tired of suffering from seasonal allergies and want to be rid of your symptoms for life, call or visit HealthCARE Express today.  For more information contact Mallory Thompson in Texarkana at (903) 791-9355, ext. 135 or Andrea Gretzmier in Wake Village at (903) 831-4065, ext. 220. Additional information on allergy services is also available on-line at www.HealthCAREExpress.us/allergy/.

Many people look forward to seeing large, decorated or wrapped piles of gifts on Christmas morning. Some children, however, just hope to receive a small shoebox filled by a stranger they will never meet. Thanks to Samaritan’s Purse’s annual Operation Christmas Child, this is made possible each year.

This year, one local business has helped lead the way in box donations. Team members at HealthCARE Express in Texarkana donated time and supplies to stuff 317 shoeboxes as part of this year’s collection drive organized by the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana. Their shoeboxes were picked up on Tuesday to begin their journey around the world spreading Christmas cheer.

“It started out as a challenge I made at a Kiwanis meeting to other businesses that HealthCARE Express could collect more boxes then their business could. I didn’t really know if we would at the time, but I’m competitive. When we told our team members about Operation Christmas Child, they were really inspired and excited. At first we just asked our team members to help us gather shoeboxes, but soon we had people bringing in stuffed boxes,” said Pam Reynolds, chief operating officer of HealthCARE Express and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana.

When a family emergency took Reynolds away from town the week leading up to National Collection Week for the boxes, two team members at HealthCARE Express stepped up to make sure all the boxes got stuffed. Pat Musgrove, clinic coordinator at HealthCARE Express, and Amanda Freeman, chief financial officer, both gave up two days of vacation time to help shop for items and to stuff most of the 317 boxes.
“One of our team members shared a story with us about missionaries from her church who actually were able to deliver some of the boxes. She said the children were excited about the toys in the box, but they were equally as excited about the wrapping paper, which they used to decorate the walls in their homes,” said Reynolds. “I think this story really helped put into perspective why we were asking our team members to give something back to others. The sense of giving is something HealthCARE Express really hopes to inspire in both our team members and also in our community.”

It’s not too late to donate a box to Operation Christmas Child. National Collection week ends this Friday, but the organization also collects boxes year round. Once packed, the boxes are shipped to various countries throughout the world, in many cases going to missionaries in the field.

Participating in the program is very easy. Simply take an empty shoebox of standard size, wrap the box and lid separately so the can be opened; determine if your box is for a boy or girl and what age category they will be in; fill the box with appropriate gifts; include a $7 donation to help with postage; and drop it off at a collection location.

Reynolds added that good gifts for the boxes include toys, like small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, jump ropes and harmonicas. School supplies also are great to include in the boxes, as are hygiene items, like toothpaste and brushes, combs, mild soap and washcloths. Hard candy and lollipops, mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, sunglasses, hair clips and ball caps also can be packed.

Items that should not be included are damaged or used goods, war-related items like toy guns, chocolate or other food, out-of-date candy, liquids and lotions, medication or vitamins and breakable items.