Blog Archive

5 Benefits of Concierge Medicine Sep 17th, 2024

Concierge medicine involves a yearly fee for enhanced connectivity to your health care provider, along with additional enhancements and amenities. With a limited membership, your concierge provider can offer you ample time and attention to meet your medical needs. The annual fee covers an array of primary care services that...

5 Ways to Protect Your Heart Health When Heat and Humidity Rise Aug 12th, 2024

With extreme heat waves across New York state this summer, some of which are deadly, you want to be diligent. Heat and humidity increase health risks for people with chronic conditions, including heart disease. In fact, heat and humidity impact your heart health more than you might realize.  When it’s...

I Feel Fine. Do I Still Need an Annual Physical? Jul 24th, 2024

Annual physical exams are yearly appointments with your primary care provider that cover a lot of information about your health. Every 12 months or so, you schedule an annual physical to touch base with your physician about your health and wellness.  These routine visits might seem to make more sense...

What Is Angina? Jun 25th, 2024

Angina is a leading symptom of heart issues, but not many people are familiar with the term. If you’ve ever noticed chest pain or pressure, or had a sense of a heavy weight on your chest, you’ve experienced it. Angina isn’t just any chest pain, but rather chest pain related...

Understanding Your Blood Pressure Reading May 2nd, 2024

Paperwork aside, one of the first steps of a comprehensive physical exam is getting a blood pressure reading. Your blood pressure is one of several vital signs your physician checks to evaluate your basic body functions.  Blood pressure that’s too high or too low can be dangerous or even deadly....

Avoid These Foods to Minimize Your GERD Symptoms Apr 8th, 2024

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when a small opening in your digestive system called the lower esophageal sphincter weakens, which causes the acidic contents of your stomach to migrate upward into your esophagus. GERD is extremely common, affecting around 20% of Americans. Although it’s one of the more benign causes...

Why Did My Doctor Order a C-Reactive Protein Test? Mar 7th, 2024

The levels of many components suspended in your blood can tell your doctor a lot about your health status, and C-reactive protein (CRP) is no exception. Based on the findings of a physical exam, Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, often uses blood tests to gather more information about your health and...

The Link Between Heart Palpitations and Your Thyroid Feb 1st, 2024

Your thyroid is an endocrine gland located on the front of your neck — it has two connected lobes and is shaped similarly to a butterfly. Among other vitals, you can thank your thyroid gland for regulating your body temperature, heart rate and more.  As with other hormone imbalances, thyroid...

The Role of Insulin in Your Body Jan 2nd, 2024

Insulin is one of many essential hormones that keeps your body functioning smoothly. More specifically, it plays an important role in blood sugar (glucose) control.  You’ve probably heard of insulin in association with diabetes, a condition that occurs when your body can’t make enough of the hormone or can’t use...

Lifestyle Factors That Affect Your Blood Pressure Dec 1st, 2023

Your blood pressure is one of your vital signs. It’s a reading that indicates the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels. While blood pressure gradually increases with age, it can also increase because of various behaviors that influence your heart rate, blood vessel elasticity, cardiac output,...

When Should I Get Checked Out for Chest Pain? Nov 2nd, 2023

Pain in any part of your chest can be sharp or dull, long-lasting or short-lived. Because your chest houses your heart, you might feel a sense of concern regardless of the features of your chest discomfort. Chest pain isn’t always a sign of something serious or even heart-related. However, it’s...

7 Things You Can Do to Monitor and Maintain Your Heart Health Oct 4th, 2023

Composed of your heart and blood vessels, your cardiovascular system is the powerhouse of your body. Its main role is to deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to all of your organs and tissues in order to keep them functioning properly. The system also helps dispose of waste products from your...

How (and Why) to Eat More Omega-3s Sep 1st, 2023

Omega-3 fatty acids facilitate many of your body’s natural processes. In short, they help your body run more efficiently. While you can find omega-3 capsules in the supplement aisle at your local pharmacy or grocery store, it’s entirely possible to get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from the foods you...

How an Internist Can Help You Manage Diabetes Aug 7th, 2023

You can trust an internist for most of your basic medical concerns. These physicians are well-versed in preventive medicine and can help adults achieve and maintain their best possible health. This is also true if you have a chronic illness, most of which are largely manageable through mindful lifestyle changes. ...

Why Is Weight Control More Challenging After 50? Jul 6th, 2023

Do you feel like managing your weight is suddenly more challenging in your 50s than it was a few years or decades ago? Unfortunately, you might be onto something. Weight control gets harder as you get older, which means it’s not only tougher to lose extra pounds, but also more...

5 Ways to Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease Jun 1st, 2023

As the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, heart disease is a condition worth learning about. Even if you don’t have a family history of heart conditions, you can still develop heart disease because of how you live your life.  Many lifestyle factors...

I Want to Get My Weight Under Control: Can You Help? May 1st, 2023

Excessive fat on your body comes with many drawbacks, including an increased risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes as well as mobility problems that seem premature for your age. Are you struggling to get your weight under control? Patients of Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan...

Can Heart Palpitations Put My Health in Danger? Apr 6th, 2023

Heart palpitations might feel like your heart is fluttering, has skipped a beat, or the beat is off-rhythm. The occasional heart palpitation usually isn’t cause for concern, but there are a myriad of possible reasons you could be experiencing heart palpitations, as well as different indications and causes.  As a...

Understanding How Concierge Medicine Works Mar 9th, 2023

Health care access can come with a lot of uncertainty. Whether you’re navigating life with a new medical insurance provider or you’ve struggled to get a timely appointment with your primary care provider, setbacks and inconveniences can prevent you from seeing a physician promptly to address your medical concerns.  Perhaps...

The Dangers of High Blood Pressure Feb 19th, 2023

Every time you visit the doctor, one of the first steps of the appointment is getting a blood pressure reading. The numbers indicate the force of blood against the walls of your arteries during a heartbeat (systolic blood pressure) and between heartbeats (diastolic blood pressure). A healthy systolic reading is...

Here’s Why You Should Make the Switch to Concierge Medicine Jan 1st, 2023

With the start of a new year, there’s no better time to re-evaluate your needs in relation to your current habits,lifestyle, and health care. Standard primary care might have been a good option for you in the past, but an increasing number of Americans are opting for concierge medicine.  In fact,...

I’m Really Struggling to Lose Weight Dec 1st, 2022

Weight loss can be difficult when you attempt to do it independently. You can find pages upon pages of information online about fad diets and the latest exercise trends, but there’s no way of telling which information is based on evidence and research.  Losing weight can be especially difficult if...

Is Diabetes Reversible? Nov 6th, 2022

Diabetes, a metabolic illness with several different varieties, can affect you for years, decades, or even your entire life. The answer to the question of whether diabetes is reversible isn’t so clear-cut, because it depends on the type of diabetes you have.  With weight management solutions and other treatments from top-ranked physician Jeffrey...

How Excess Weight Is Linked to High Blood Pressure Oct 1st, 2022

Too much body fat is associated with dozens of increased health risks, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. High blood pressure is on the list, too, and it’s particularly insidious because you can have it for years or even decades with no awareness of it....

Concierge Medicine Could Change Your Life for the Better Sep 1st, 2022

Primary care involves yearly visits to your physician for wellness on top of any appointments you make for various mild illnesses and injuries. While getting the care you need sounds simple enough on the surface, many people struggle to find a primary care provider in their network who gives them...

5 Foods That Can Improve Your Cholesterol Health Aug 1st, 2022

For many people, developing a healthy diet is a long-term or even lifelong process of learning about your body’s needs and the benefits of specific nutrients within various foods. If you’re making an effort to improve your health via your diet, one way to get measurable results is by honing...

How Dehydration Affects Your Heart Jul 1st, 2022

Being about 60% water itself, your body largely relies on water to function properly. Not consuming enough of it can have many effects on your health and well-being, starting with small changes and problems that worsen the longer you remain dehydrated.  Concierge medicine provider Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, is highly familiar with the impact...

5 Topics to Bring Up at Your Next Physical Jun 1st, 2022

A routine physical exam is important for your long-term health as it gives you the opportunity to examine your overall wellness and evaluate behaviors that impact it. Once a year, you should prepare to give your provider any health updates and undergo a series of simple tests at your appointment.  As a concierge...

Are Palpitations Cause for Concern? May 4th, 2022

Some people describe heart palpitations as a skipped beat, while others consider them more of a fluttering sensation. In any case, palpitations can catch you off guard and leave you wondering if something’s wrong with your heart. Cardiac specialist Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, evaluates patients for palpitations quite frequently at our office on...

What a Physical Exam Can Tell Us About Your Health Apr 7th, 2022

A physical exam is an opportunity for your primary care provider to evaluate your health status after performing a series of tests and measurements. Collectively, the test results and measurements paint a picture of your current overall wellness and are helpful in building a health plan for the months until you see...

Benefits of Concierge Medicine Mar 8th, 2022

Concierge medicine is a model for health care that offers customization options and highly personalized care. Your membership covers primary and preventive care with strong communication between yourself and your provider.  Here at the office of Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, on the Upper East Side of New York City, Dr....

What Services Does Concierge Model Provide? Jan 16th, 2022

Concierge medicine is a personalized structure for health care that covers many of your basic and preventive health needs. Not only do you receive more support and increased access to your provider; you also get benefits like same-day appointments and longer, more detailed appointments.  If you’re considering getting on board...

Why Annual Exams are Important at Every Stage of Life Dec 28th, 2021

Your health care needs change slightly as you age, with preventive care becoming increasingly important as the years go by. A physical exam from your primary care physician gives you a comprehensive overview of your health and highlights the areas where you need to improve your habits as time goes...

Myths and Facts Surrounding Concierge Medicine Nov 18th, 2021

Concierge medicine is a model of medical care that gives you direct access to your physician for a reasonable membership fee. As opposed to a more traditional health care model, you get longer office visits, easy telephone and email access with your physician, and personalized lifestyle and nutrition counselling among...

Why You Should Choose Concierge Medical Care Oct 12th, 2021

Concierge medicine offers highly individualized care to meet the specific and unique needs of each patient. With more personalized options than standard medical plans, more people are choosing concierge medical care for its many benefits and advantages.  Cardiology specialist Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, offers a full spectrum of care through...

Concierge Medicine Feb 12th, 2018

Dr. Jeffrey Graf offers concierge medicine services to help men and women throughout New York City.  Our Concierge Program launched on June 1st, 2012, for patients who are interested in a greater focus on healthy living, wellness, and prevention.  What Does Concierge Medicine Include? Concierge medicine includes the same services...