With the media focusing on COVID-19, you may have missed the news: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced new nutrition fact labels. Next time you are grocery shopping, pick up a packaged food item and check out the updated label. They’ve changed to include information on potassium and vitamin D, two nutrients consumers often don’t get enough of.

After having a heart attack, it’s common to make lifestyle changes. Get more exercise. Give up certain foods. Throw away the cigarettes. Another step that may help especially if you’re experiencing chest pains following a heart attack – also known as early post-infarction angina: Listen to more music. 

Listening to 30 minutes of music a day can reduce pain and anxiety in post-infarction angina patients, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology. 

Using herbs and spices is one of the easiest ways to enhance the flavor of your food. And they’re certainly healthier than adding salt or sodium-laden condiments such as soy sauce, salad dressings and dips. Because they’re plant-based, they’re also high in antioxidants and minerals and can boost the nutritional value of your meal. 

It’s an important question -- especially now, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. If you’re experiencing symptoms possibly related to COVID-19, another illness or an injury, where do you go? Your primary care doctor office? A walk-in clinic? Urgent care? Or an emergency department? 

Each offers different treatment options as well as price points, which are important considerations when deciding where to go for your own symptoms or for someone you love.

Some states that issued stay-at-home orders in the wake of COVID-19 are starting to reopen for business. If it’s safe for you to go get your hair cut, shouldn’t that mean it’s safe for you to see your grandchildren? 

Maybe. Maybe not. 

 Base your plans not only on local government recommendations, but also on factors unique to your family. These may include age, health status and commitment to protective measures. 

If you (or a loved one) has a cough, you might be worried, as coughing is a hallmark symptom of COVID-19. But there are many different types of coughs. And of course, developing a cough doesn’t mean you have COVID-19.

Coughing has a purpose. It’s a reflex that helps protect your body by clearing germs, toxins and mucus from your lungs and trachea. However, a cough that lasts longer than eight weeks is considered persistent; if you have a persistent cough, you should contact your doctor because chronic coughs may be a sign of an underlying health issue.  

In this simplest terms, COVID-19 is respiratory tract infection. It can affect sinuses, nose, throat, trachea and lungs. About 80 percent of cases are mild, producing symptoms similar to the flu such as fever, fatigue, aches/pains, cough, sore throat, runny nose and congestion. With rest and some over-the-counter medications to help control symptoms, most people recover from a mild case COVID-19 within two weeks.

The coronavirus is interrupting much of our normal routines right now, and most of us are spending a lot more time at home. Fortunately, many of your MDVIP benefits are still there for you — like having tools to support healthy living 24/7, inside and outside of the doctor’s office.

Reach Your Doctor 24/7

Veggie burgers have been on the market for years. But when Burger King added the Impossible Burger to their menu, vegetarians and folks trying to limit their red meat intake might have thought they found heaven on Earth. 

Food manufacturers may have figured out how to improve the taste of meatless burgers, but what about the nutrition? Are plant-based burgers, which are highly processed, healthier than traditional hamburgers? 

Highlights from Kimberly Collins’ Nominations

The wife of a 94-year-old patient who had a recent fall felt his health was declining. She was scared and unwilling to call 911. Sensing her desperation, Kimberly drove six miles to their house and convinced them to call 911. Kimberly stayed by their side until the paramedics arrived.