Welcome to the Silicon Valley Young Professionals (SVYP) Health Corner
I hope that you find SVYP a valuable resource to help you build professional and personal success. An integral key to success in life is good health. We are all entering a period of our lives when dreams can become a reality and possibilities are endless. I hope to help you achieve all of your goals by providing relevant health information on topics that affect you today and tomorrow.
A little about my background, I am a Family Nurse Practitioner with a specialty in Diabetes and Obesity. I studied nursing at Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, CA, and graduated with a Masters of Nursing Science in 2007. I obtained my BA in Sociology from State University of New York, College at New Paltz in 1996, and also have a background in nutrition science. As an FNP, I spent a year working with patients living with diabetes at the Diabetes Care Center in Salinas, CA. Currently; I have since changed my focus to the prevention of chronic disease, treating overweight and obesity at Medi-Weightloss Clinics. I am also a Nurse Educator at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center, where I previously spent three years working as an in-patient nurse.
What exactly is the function of a Nurse Practitioner (NP)? NPs are Registered Nurses with advanced educational training. We offer health care services to our community in a variety of settings including primary care clinics, specialty practices, and hospitals. We are licensed to diagnose and treat a variety of health issues and have the authority to furnish medications according to individual state regulations. NPs strive to provide well- rounded care with a focus on disease prevention and health education (1,2).
Twice a month I will cover health topics that affect our daily lives. Many of us place our health on the back burner because we are busy and generally feel well. It isn’t until something happens, an ankle sprain that doesn’t heal as quickly as it used too, chronic back aches, less energy, or lack of sleep that we realize there might be a problem. We are surprised by such changes as they seem to appear out nowhere, but truthfully, many of these problems are a result of lifestyle. The great news is that many problems can be alleviated and prevented, along with the more serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. I hope to help you live a long and healthy life. Please feel free to send suggestions and health questions.
Next Topic: Alcohol, the good the bad and the controversy…
Take Care and Live Well.
Gretchen Suess, MSN, FNP, RN.
Click here to learn more about Gretchen Suess
