Answering Parents’ Questions About Childhood Vaccines

Emily R. Faltemier, MD, is board-certified in family medicine and specializes in pediatrics, women’s health and primary care for adults. Dr. Faltemier sees patients at Family Medicine of Clifton/Centreville. The Internet is full of misleading or downright false information about vaccines. Parents want to do what’s best for their children, but they get conflicting messages.…

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Five Steps to Better Skin Cancer Prevention

Donald J. Brideau, MD, is a board-certified primary care physician with a special interest in dermatology. He practices family medicine at Inova Primary Care – Lorton. Skin is your body’s largest organ. It keeps your other organs safe from the elements and infection while helping to regulate your body temperature. But with all that exposure,…

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Talking to Your Primary Care Provider About Mental Health

Alex Krist, MD, is a board-certified primary care physician. He chairs the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which makes the national guidelines for preventive care. He also directs a primary care practice-based research network in Virginia and practices family medicine at Fairfax Family Practice – An Inova Partner. Every once in a while, the stress…

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7 Ways to Prevent the Most Common Exercise Injuries

Work up a sweat safely with these expert-backed tips Perhaps, like millions of Americans, you set a New Year’s resolution to exercise more often. Kudos! You are taking a step in the right direction toward having a healthier lifestyle. But before diving into a new exercise regimen, it is essential to be prepared to prevent…

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Fun and Fitness for the Whole Family

Strengthen bonds and improve your family’s fitness with these heart-pumping activities. Family activities focused on fitness don’t require rigorous planning, and there are often remarkably affordable (if not free!) and build lifelong memories. Here’s the icing on the cake. Family activities, says the American College of Pediatricians, improves everyone’s physical health and delivers mental and…

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Tips for Aging Gracefully

With some simple strategies, you can transition as the years roll by Frank Lloyd Wright said, “the longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.” As the years advance and our bodies and brains show the marks of time, it can feel like it takes more effort and fortitude to stay healthy. There are simple…

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Keep Your Belly in Check

Tips for maintaining a healthy gut while traveling this summer You’re traveling in a new country, trying unique, exotic foods, and excited to learn about the local culture and cuisine. And then your stomach starts to rumble. Oh no, you think. Where’s the nearest bathroom? Travel tummy, also referred to as travelers’ diarrhea, is a…

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How to Protect Yourself Against the Flu This Year

The 2018-2019 flu season was the longest one in 10 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It lasted 21 weeks. Although the CDC reported that last year’s flu season wasn’t as severe as previous ones, the agency estimates that somewhere between 37.4 million and 42.9 million people contracted influenza last…

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