Dr. Fagin on Healthvue
Newscaster: Start thinking about the changes you want to make in 2009 and for many, that includes trying to stay healthy and joining us this morning is Dr. Randy Fagin to talk more about those health-related resolutions. Good morning doctor.
Dr. Randy Fagin: Good morning Quita.
Newscaster: Now I know that quite a few of us link on New Years resolution to our health, and what do you suggest that people will remember when it comes to health and making those important resolutions.
Dr. Randy Fagin: Now New Years is a great time for making health-related resolutions, and it is really after reviewing the last 4 months we spent together if you havent quit smoking yet, you have to do it. It is the single most important thing you can do that will affect your overall health. And whether you just want to go cold turkey or use jug like chances to help you out, you just have to do it. Health and eating habits are important. Regular exercise is important and seeing your doctor once in a year.
Newscaster: Now you are an expert in mens health, so what specific advice do you have for men in their 20s, 30s and 40s? Are there any test or habits that are really vital to those particular age groups?
Dr. Randy Fagin: Absolutely. You know starting with guys in their 20s, now this is an age group where you are obviously trying to set the standards. So healthy diet and regular exercise is important, but you also have to see your doctor once in a year. You know these guys are in a strange age group. They are not young enough to see a pediatrician any more, but I dont think they are old enough to go see a doctor regularly. They do need to be seeing the doctor once in a year. Simple blood work is what we are looking for here. You are going to get your red blood cell count here, your white blood cell count here, your kidney function and believe it or not your cholesterol. High cholesterol starts in the 20s. And things that we do in the 20s can actually affect us for lifetime to come. So check your cholesterol, check your blood work in your 20s.
As we are getting into the 30s, guy sin the 30s can start worrying about their heart health actually which means you can add an EKG to their blood work. In addition, exercise becomes really, really important for this age group so even though they are working harder than they did 10 years ago, they still have to make time for exercise and playing tennis on the week does not count.
Guys in their 40s, we have to start screening now. These are people who are at risk for silent cancers. Things like colon cancer, prostate cancer are silent because they have no symptoms. If you dont screen for it, you dont find it. So colonoscopy for colon cancer and PSA for prostate cancer especially, especially if you have a family history, you must start doing these things in the 40s. Lots of great ways for us to make resolutions to stay healthy in the New Year.
Newscaster: Now Dr. Fagin last time you were here, you shared some exciting news about the first US trial of a microscopic device that you are using in surgery. Can you give us a bit of an update?
Dr. Randy Fagin: Absolutely, it is called Optiscan. It is an amazing technology that allows me as a surgeon to actually see at the microscopic level in the real time when I am operating now. I have done a little over half a dozen cases now over at the hospital at West Lake. And although it is very, very early, we cant predict where it is going. We certainly hope that the ability to see not just tissues but cells is going to give surgeons better information to make better decisions and help their patients toreate better outcomes and lots more to come on this.
Newscaster: I bet it is fascinating doctor. Thank you very much for being with us this morning. We appreciate it.
Dr. Randy Fagin: It is my pleasure.
Newscaster: And we will have Dr. Fagin on every other week and if you have any question for him or a topic you would like him to discuss, log onto kvue.com and go to our web link section and you can ask your question on this website, and he will answer it in the coming weeks.