Blog Archive

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...