Oh, Christmas Tree An ER visit after decorating a Christmas tree.By Marven Ewen, MDMedical DirectorIt was the Christmas holiday season. A time of good cheer, festivities and, unfortunately, holiday-related accidents.    Rudolf, a 32-year-old accountant, had just arrived home late at night from his office Christmas party, filled with Christmas cheer and spiked eggnog. He…

HIIT: A Fitness Strategy for Transformative Health HIIT has been a workout method for a long time – but is it actually effective?By Mariah Xzena Briones, RMTCertification SpecialistIn the fast-paced world of fitness, one approach has emerged as a game-changer—High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is a fitness strategy characterized by alternating short bursts of intense…

    Meet AMT: Pete Johnson We interview our staff members for details on their EMS journey.   When/why did you first become interested in working in the EMS field? About twelve years ago, my local Fire Department had a hiring event for paid-on call firefighting positions. At the time I saw firefighting as both…

Meet AMT: Sarah Fox We interview our staff members for details on their EMS journey.When/why did you first become interested in working in the medical field? I have always been interested in working in the medical field, but wasn’t sure where I belonged! In 2018, I was working in education and wanted to move to…

 Auto-Brewery SyndromeThe rare syndrome making yeast into alcohol – in the patient’s body.By Jenny Ewen, BA, NREMTEditor-In-ChiefThe signs of being intoxicated are typically pretty obvious – flushed cheeks, dizziness, disorientation, slurred speech, memory problems. While it usually requires actually drinking alcohol to reach this state, a rare disease actually creates these symptoms, making someone very…

Milk Wars: Cow vs. Plant – Which is Healthier? A deep dive into the nutritional profiles of many types of milks on the market.By Mariah Xzena Briones, RMTCertification SpecialistMilk has been a dietary staple for centuries, providing essential nutrients for growth and overall health; however, in recent years, the rise of plant-based milk alternatives has…

One Punch An ER visit with the reasons why one punch is really all it takes.By Marven Ewen, MDMedical DirectorIn Hollywood movies, during fight scenes, the characters often take multiple blows to the face and yet continue fighting with minimal apparent injury. This is not true in real life.    I recall the first time…

Maximizing Protein Intake for Optimal Health and Vitality How much protein do we really need?By Mariah Xzena Briones, RMTCertification SpecialistProtein is a crucial macronutrient that plays a vital role in our overall health and well-being. While protein has long been recognized as an essential component of our diet, emerging evidence suggests that the recommended protein…

A Less Common Indication for High-Flow Oxygen A look back at an ER visit for an ongoing painful headache.By Marven Ewen, MDMedical DirectorLate one evening, a 36-year-old man presented to the ER with a severe stabbing right sided headache. As he rocked back and forth holding his head he told me that he had been…

 POEMS SyndromeThe rare blood disorder named for its symptoms.By Jenny Ewen, BA, NREMTEditor-In-ChiefPOEMS syndrome is a  rare blood disorder suspected to affect up to 5000 people in the USA, primarily men who are in later adulthood (around age 50). This syndrome damages the nerves and organs due to an increased number of abnormal plasma cells with…