Summer is a difficult season for exercise, especially here in the notorious Atlanta heat. However, here are some easy and creative ideas for summer workouts that can get you outside.

Swimming – You don’t have to own a pool to swim. There are many public pools around Atlanta that are open in the mornings for lap swimmers. Swimming is a great way to burn a ton of calories in very little time. It’s a great morning workout routine as it wakes you up and really gets you ready to start the day. Many YMCA’s have outdoor pools in addition to their workout facilities, so if a public pool is far from your house, there are other options for swimming as well.

Biking – Biking, no matter where, is a great form of exercise, because just like swimming it can help burn lots of calories with little time commitment. In the summer heat, the best biking paths are on trails. All over the Atlanta area, city parks offer bike trails. They’re usually shaded by trees and can be a cool alternative to pavement. Sometimes following a river or stream, you can burn easily burn calories while enjoying the scenery.

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Easy Summer Eat’s

Summer is all about cool, fresh, and light ingredients. Beautiful produce is available in any local grocery store that is both healthy and delicious; you just have to know what to look for! For vegetables, it’s all about the color. Vegetables that are deep and vibrant in color are often rich in beta-carotenes and other important nutrients.  Peppers, tomatoes, spinach, beets, carrots, and broccoli are all good examples of vitamin rich, healthy vegetables. As far as fruits are concerned, peaches, nectarines, and plums are good snack ideas because of their high water content.   They will fill you up without giving you the unwanted calories that many fat-laden snack foods contain.

Here are some ideas of healthy summer recipes:

Grilled Pepper Salad

4 bell peppers, (mixed colors), halved, seeded and stemmed

1/4 cup halved and pitted oil-cured black olives

1/4 cup rinsed and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1/8 tsp salt

Grill peppers on medium-high, intermittently turning until soft and charred in spots (usually 5 minutes per side.) When cool enough to handle, chop the peppers and gently mix with olives, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl.

Braised Green Beans & Summer Vegetables

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1 tb finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)

1 lb. green beans, trimmed

1 medium summer squash (or zucchini) halved and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup halved cherry (or grape) tomatoes

1 tb extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup white wine (or reduced-sodium chicken broth)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and oregano and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown (about 2 minutes. Add wine (or broth) and bring to a boil. Add green beans, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add summer squash (or zucchini) and tomatoes and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.  Season beans with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

Read Dr. Whiteman’s blog for the latest plastic surgery news and health and wellness tips.  Should you wish to learn more about the procedures Dr. Whiteman offers or to schedule a consultation contact his office or visit his website.

Dr. Whiteman stresses to patients that chemotherapy drugs, just like any other prescribed medication, should be taken as directed. Stopping medications too early can increase the risk of relapse, which can prove incredibly dangerous with such a serious illness.  Dr. Whiteman is a valued member of the breast cancer awareness community in Atlanta: co-founding the breast cancer survivors’ group Life After the Fight and serving as The Sport of Giving’s (an Atlanta-based cancer awareness non-profit) Medical Director.  Dr. Whiteman also devotes his surgical talents to breast cancer patients in performing breast reconstruction surgery for those patients who have lost breast(s) as a result of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

At Southern Plastic Surgery, Dr. Whiteman works with patients of all ages to formulate individual plans for breast reconstruction. Because every patient’s case is different, the utmost care and attention to detail is paid to ensure that health and well being remain intact throughout the cancer treatment, surgery, and healing processes.

If you are interested in breast reconstruction or have questions concerning breast cancer treatment, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We’d be happy to speak with you.

Anyone who’s ever experienced migraines which originate near the eyes knows how terribly debilitating they can be. Extreme sensitivity to lights and sound, combined with a dreadfully painful headache, are just some of the classic symptoms of migraines.  Although plastic surgeons do not typically inject Botox to treat migraines specifically, many Southern Plastic Surgery patients who have received Botox® for the treatment of wrinkles have been delighted by the fact that their migraines are a thing of the past.

If someone were to receive Botox® injections to decrease wrinkles, no additional injections would be needed to treat headaches. That means headache reductions are simply an added bonus to the primary effects of Botox® treatment.

It is important to note that, though the original study was done with specifically Botox®, Dr. David Whiteman has also seen similar results with Dysport® (a competitor to Botox®.)

If you’ve been thinking about Botox® or Dysport® treatments, please do not hesitate to contact our office with questions.

Receiving the $20 rebate is easy:  patients are merely required to complete a simple application on the Latisse® website to join the “Lash Perks” program.  Upon submitting the application, members will be given a coupon which they can mail to Latisse® with the UPC code from their prescription box by the end of August to receive the rebate as well as a complementary cosmetic case.  In addition to the rebate and free gift, becoming a Lash Perks member allows patients access to the latest news and subsequent specials from Latisse®.

If you’ve been contemplating using Latisse® now is a great time to start.  Contact Dr. Whiteman’s office today to schedule a consultation to see if Latisse®, or another facial rejuvenation product or procedure, is right for you.

• Only eat fruit on an empty stomach! You sometimes hear people complain that they cannot eat fruit because it causes them to bloat, have gas, or feel like they have to go to the bathroom. The real reason for this is that the food you eat before eating your fruit, ferments in your stomach and turns to acid. Once fruit comes in contact with the acid, it causes gas and bloating and prevents the fruit from being quickly digested; robbing it of the nutrients and health benefits it has to offer.
• Know the right way to drink fruit. Make sure it is fresh juice and not from concentrate and avoid drinking juice that has been heated. And remember, even though fruit juice does have its benefits, the best way get the full vitamins and nutrients from fruit is to eat it whole!
• Avoid cooked fruit. Once you cook a fruit, you rob it of the valuable vitamins and all you are left with is the taste.
• Know the right types of fruit to eat.
  • Apples: Rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, apples help to lower the risk of colon cancer, stroke, and heart attack.
  • Strawberries: Fruit with the most powerful antioxidants, protecting you from free radicals, blood clots, and some types of cancer.
  • Kiwi: With twice the amount of vitamin C that an orange has, kiwi is also a great source of vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.
  • Papaya: Has one of the highest vitamin C contents; Also rich in carotene which improves eye health.
  • Watermelon: Contains glutathione which boosts the immune system, vitamin C and potassium. Also has lycopene (also found in tomatoes) which helps protect against cancer.
• Be aware of the benefits of fruit and take advantage! Fruits can detoxify your body while simultaneously providing you with the energy needed for everything from day-to-day activities to strenuous exercise.

For more information about diet and exercise tips and healthy recipes, visit the health and wellness section of our website. As always, feel free to contact Dr. Whiteman’s office if you have any questions are wish to schedule a consultation.

The extended special works the same: if you take on the challenge of trying Dysport®, you will receive a $75 rebate on a 300 unit injection. If you “love it” – you will receive another $75 rebate on a second injection of Dysport® (resulting in $150 in savings). If for whatever reason you decide to “leave it”, you can receive a rebate on a second injection of a competition product. More information and rebate form can be found on DysportUSA.com.

Dr. Whiteman of Southern Plastic Surgery offers injections of both Dysport® and Botox® if you are interested in taking on the “Love it or Leave it” Challenge. Both products work by relaxing the muscles in the face to smooth out wrinkles and prevent future wrinkles from forming. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation, make an appointment, or learn more about products and services offered.

While all mommy makeover surgical plans must be custom tailored to each mother’s concerns and health histories, Dr. David Whiteman’s mommy makeover surgery often consists of tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty), to tighten the abdominal muscle and/or remove skin that is stretched with the baby’s growth, liposuction of small areas of fat, and breast augmentation or breast lift procedures to remedy the effects of breast feeding and to restore mothers’ bodies to their pre-baby appearance.

As evidenced by his previous blogs, Dr. Whiteman is a major proponent of responsible, health-oriented life changes- not quick fixes. He understands the extreme pressure on new mother’s to instantly bounce back to their pre-baby appearance, but emphasizes the fact that major physical changes take time stating:

“It takes nine whole months for a baby to fully develop. Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect that reversing the effects from those changes could be instantaneous.”

Also important to note, mommy makeover surgery is only suitable for women who are done having children; as additional pregnancy could reverse surgical results. To schedule a consultation, call Dr. Whiteman’s office or visit his website to develop a plan to get you back to your pre-baby best!