On Wednesday, October 9, 2019, elected officials and community leaders joined Dignity Health and Mercy Medical Group for the grand opening of their first medical group location in Citrus Heights. The 68,000-square-foot state-of-the-art medical office building will serve the growing medical needs of the community while improving access to quality care for residents. 

When was the last time you had your hearing tested? The American Academy of Audiology and The Academy of Doctors of Audiology, along with many researchers and specialists, are now urging anyone age 50 and older to have annual hearing tests as part of a healthy person physical. Just as all of us are used to having our eyes tested, we should have our ears tested, too!

When was your last tetanus shot? Knowing the causes and signs of tetanus, as well as the appropriate cadence for vaccinations, can help you prevent this painful and potentially fatal condition. Dr. John Martinez, urgent care physician with Dignity Health Medical Foundation in Woodland, shares four things adults should know about tetanus. 

Dr. Harshit Shah is an endocrinologist with Dignity Health Medical Group in Bakersfield and is passionate about advising patients on the best diets to manage conditions like diabetes. 

Based on the evidence, I recommend a whole food, plant-based diet, which is low in fat, and high in minimally processed and whole foods, for a healthy living. These days, nutrition labels and food labels can be very confusing, so I'd like to share some tips!

1. Focus on Foods Without Labels
It is a great goal to try to only eat foods that do not require labels. You want your refrigerator and pantry to be full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy nuts, and legumes. Most of these items can be purchased without packaging (unless the package just functions to hold single ingredient like beans), which is another plus!

Dr. Ali Amirzadeh, an expert allergy and immunology doctor with Mercy Medical Group in Sacramento, answers questions about hay fever and allergies below. 

What is Hay Fever? What does it mean if you have Hay Fever?

Hay fever is also known as allergic rhinitis. If you have hay fever it means that your body over reacts to allergens that don’t usually cause problems. These triggering allergens could be from outdoor sources (pollen or spores) or indoor sources (dust, pet dander or fur, etc.).