Blog Archive
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus.But what...
Diabetes is a common, chronic condition that causes serious health complications when not treated properly. It can damage your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, nervous system, digestion, and vision — to name a few. Family medicine specialist and female physician Poonam Malhotra, MD, and our team at Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida,...
Depression manifests differently in every individual. However, certain signs and symptoms are generally associated with this increasingly common mental health condition. The first step in overcoming the challenges of depression is recognizing the symptoms and how they affect you. Family medicine specialist and female physician Poonam Malhotra, MD, at Central Clinic follows a whole-patient...
Fatigue is common after a restless night, stressful experience, change in routine, or recent illness. However, ongoing (chronic) fatigue is entirely different, characterized by persistent and sometimes debilitating tiredness that lasts for an extended period, eventually interfering with your daily activities and overall quality of life. Family medicine specialist and female...
Seconds count when it comes to minimizing brain damage caused by a stroke. So whether you witness someone experiencing the symptoms or find yourself in that situation, knowing what to do can help save lives and reduce long-term disabilities. Family medicine specialist and female physician Poonam Malhotra, MD, at Central...
Diabetes affects your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. There’s no cure, but a combination of lifestyle changes and medication can help prevent diabetes complications such as nerve damage, limb amputation, kidney failure, and vision loss. Regularly monitoring your blood glucose is critical to successful diabetes management. Family medicine specialist...
You’re not alone if you’ve spent years struggling to lose excess weight. Many people plan, start, and then drop their diets because they find them too restrictive or can’t resist the cravings. Others lose weight and then put it right back on. That’s because dieting addresses only part of the...
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 21 million adults in the United States have depression. Perhaps more startling, over 4 million teens ages 12-17 also struggle with this complex mental health disorder. Poonam Malhotra, MD, is a female family medicine specialist at Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida. Dr. Malhotra is...
Anxiety is a complex disorder that affects about 40 million people in the United States. Children, teens, and adults can experience excessive and sometimes debilitating fear or worry over everyday situations caused by an anxiety disorder. Poonam Malhotra, MD, is a female, board-certified family medicine physician at Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, who...
Chronic illnesses come in all shapes and sizes, from arthritis to depression to kidney disease. Unfortunately, most aren’t curable. But effective treatment can reduce their impact on your overall health and quality of life. However, a few chronic illnesses are reversible; some might say curable. Family medicine doctor Poonam Malhotra,...
The CDC estimates that 1 in 5 people with diabetes don’t know they have it. And 80% of the estimated 96 million people with prediabetes, meaning they’re on course to develop diabetes, don’t know it. Family medicine doctor Poonam Malhotra, MD, at Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, is a...
Addiction is a complex problem that negatively impacts your physical, emotional, and social well-being. Unfortunately, there’s no one determining factor that can prevent or predict addiction, making it difficult to treat. Fortunately, a multifaceted treatment approach can help you break the habit of addiction. Dr. Poonam Malhotra, at Central Clinic in Spring...
Our team at Central Clinic, led by family medicine specialist Dr. Poonam Malhotra, is committed to providing the highest quality medical care to people in and around our Spring Hill, Florida, community. Our comprehensive services include chronic disease management and a strong focus on preventive medicine. Learn how our medically supervised weight management program covers both...
Blog: Depression is a common and very treatable disorder. However, it’s also common for the people closest to the condition to not realize there’s a problem, whether it’s a dear friend, spouse, sibling, or yourself. Part of the challenge with spotting depression lies in the fact that it can vary...
If you or a loved one has trouble stopping or controlling alcohol use, this may be a sign of alcohol use disorder. This can be especially true if alcohol use is interfering with your job, relationships, or health. Alcohol use disorder is not a matter of poor willpower. It’s a brain...
According to the World Health Organization(WHO), anxiety and depression cases have increased by 25% since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. This number is concerning, especially if it includes you. But there’s help available when you can’t seem to get your depression or anxiety under control on your own. At Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, our...
Are you eating healthy and exercising but finding it difficult to lose weight? Believe it or not, it could be the type of food you’re eating. Some seemingly healthy foods are actually anything but — and they could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Here are five so-called healthy foods...
Being overweight can be incredibly frustrating and disrupt your quality of life in many ways. This is especially true when your extra pounds start to affect your joints. You may not realize it, but excess weight causes nearly a quarter of all diagnosed cases of arthritis. If you’re obese, you’re...
It’s extremely difficult to stand by and watch a loved one fall down the hole into an alcohol use disorder. You want to do what you can to help. Still, having a conversation with someone about drinking can be tricky under the best of circumstances, and when addiction has hijacked...
Have you ever noticed how people love organizing things into specific categories? Like having one dresser drawer for socks, one for t-shirts, and another for underwear? Putting things into neat and tidy boxes can simplify many things in life, but that approach doesn’t really work when it comes to your...
High blood pressure doesn’t usually cause symptoms and may not be a health condition you worry too much about. However, having high blood pressure puts you at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke. At Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, our family medicine physician Dr. Poonam Malhotra takes...
As a woman, routine Pap smears are essential to your health. They are vital for women of all ages. This short, simple procedure in your doctor’s office can save your life. January is Cervical Health Awareness Month and the ideal opportunity to discuss how regular Pap smears can save your...
Traveling for the holidays is finally back on the menu of options, so you may be gearing up to hit the road or head down to the airport soon. However, the holidays can also stress your body out. At Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, Dr. Poonam Malhotra wants all...
The holidays are a time of cheer, togetherness, and, very often, excessive amounts of food. While the latter can be challenging health-wise for many people, that’s especially the case when you have diabetes. If you’re one of the over 34 million people in the United States who live with this...
Hormones are tiny but powerful chemicals. Made by your endocrine glands, these chemicals direct many vital body functions. Though your body only needs a small amount of hormones to make things happen, any slight change in production can send your body into disarray. Though an imbalance in hormone levels may...
Sex is an important part of a happy, healthy life, but it’s not without its risks. Every year, about 20 million Americans find out that a sexual encounter has left them with an infection. While sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are nothing new, what is new is the dramatic uptick in...
It’s normal to feel anxious occasionally. Whether you have a big test coming up at school or a public speaking engagement at work, feeling anxious once in a while is a part of life. Intense, persistent worrying, however, is a reason to seek help from a medical professional. Family medicine...
Nearly 50% of adults in the United States try to lose weight every year. However, more than 70% of adults in the US are overweight or obese. At Central Clinic in Spring Hill, Florida, our family medicine specialist, Dr. Poonam Malhotra, understands the struggles many people face when it comes...
About 20 million Americans suffer from thyroid-related health problems, including hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). What’s more, as many as 60% of those with thyroid problems are undiagnosed. Located at the base of your neck, your thyroid gland produces and releases hormones that are essential for metabolism, temperature...
Addiction is a complex and often chronic disease that can distort thinking, behavior, and bodily functions through compulsive alcohol or drug use. For an addicted individual, obtaining the substance they need becomes their only priority, regardless of the harm their actions cause themselves or others. No matter who you are,...
The American Heart Association recommends you start having your blood cholesterol levels tested at age 20 and then rechecked every four to six years. This routine health screening determines if you have high cholesterol, which is one of the factors that may increase your risk of heart disease. At Central...
More than 16.4 million Americans have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the American Lung Association says millions more may have the disease and be undiagnosed. Without proper treatment, COPD can lead to significant complications and even death. At Central Clinic, our family medicine specialist, Poonam Malhotra,...
Women are at a higher risk for several health conditions compared with men, and the female reproductive system is complex. Unfortunately, women often find themselves taking care of others while neglecting themselves. Your annual women’s health checkup is a great time to make sure your health is on track. At...
While it’s normal to experience periods of fatigue due to an acute illness or emotional stress, feeling this way for six months or more can indicate chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue is a condition in which you experience extreme exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest or sleep. Symptoms may also include...
While everyone feels stress or worry at different points in their lives, around 40 million adults and millions of children live with clinical anxiety disorders that have a profound impact on their quality of life. Increasing stress and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic aren’t helping: A 2020 study reports...
Every year, millions of adults in the United States try to lose weight by exercising more and eating less. Though diet and exercise are an essential part of any weight-loss plan, they’re not the only factors that lead to long-term weight-loss success. At Central Clinic, we take a proactive and...
According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2002, 18.2 million Americans, or 6.3% of the total population, had diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death in the US. Direct and indirect costs of the disease at that time were estimated at $132 billion. At Central Clinic, family medicine specialist Dr....
Before the COVID-19 crisis, depression was one of the leading mental illnesses in the United States, with more than 16 million adults (almost 7% of the adult population) caught in its grips. Since the pandemic, however, the Census Bureau and the CDC report that one-quarter of Americans are now displaying...
With each beat of your heart, oxygen-rich blood flows throughout your body and delivers nutrients to your muscles, tissue, and organs. Blood that’s low in nutrients and oxygen returns to your heart and lungs to get replenished. Heartbeats exert pressure against the walls of your veins and arteries, and it’s...