We are pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Rivera Gutekunst to the practice. She is double board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and board eligible in Allergy and Clinical Immunology. She has expertise in the treatment of allergies, asthma, sinus disease and immunodeficiency.

A native of Raleigh, Dr. Gutekunst attended UNC-Chapel Hill for her undergraduate studies. She went to medical school at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and interned at the Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. She completed her residency at Georgetown University Hospital where she was Chief Resident in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She received her fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the University of Virginia Hospital.

Dr. Gutekunst is practicing at the Durant Medical Center office location. She is accepting new pediatric and adult patients and those in need of specialized allergy care.

Wake Internal Medicine Consultants, Inc. is pleased to welcome Wake Women’s Health to our family of medical practices. Wake Women’s Health is a gynecology practice committed to providing women’s health care that is up-to-date, compassionate and patient friendly.

The doctors of Wake Women’s Health are Richard Kurzmann, MD, Rildia Pritchett, MD, and Wanda Radford, MD. The doctors previously practiced at Capital Area OB/GYN. Each brings extensive experience to the new practice.

The doctors are welcoming previous patients back and looking forward to serving new patients. Wake Women’s Health offices are located at 3100 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh. Appointments may be made by calling (919) 719-2600. The practice website www.WakeWomensHealth.com will be available shortly after publication of this newsletter.

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Whether you’re young or just young at heart, bicycling is not only great fun, but also great exercise. Regardless of age, following some basic bike safety tips will keep your fun and exercise rolling right along!

Before getting on the bike, do a quick check and make sure all the parts are secure and working as they should.

Always wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet. Follow the instructions on your helmet to adjust it for the correct fit. Helmets prevent brain injuries, making this the number one safety tip to follow.

Be sure your bicycle fits you properly. If you are using a road bike, there should be one to two inches between you and the top bar. If mountain bikes are your choice, three to four inches should separate you from the bar. The seat should be level and the height of the seat should allow you a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. Handlebars should be at the same level as the seat.

Properly inflate tires and check their pressure with a gauge.

Try to wear neon colors when biking. They make you more visible. Wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape, markings or a flashing light. Teach your children that just because you can see a driver, that doesn’t mean they can see you.

Always ride with at least one hand on the handlebars. Books or carry-along items should be in a backpack, securely strapped on your back.

Keep your eyes on the road to make sure you are aware of potholes, broken glass, puddles, etc.

Avoid riding at night if possible. If you do ride after dark, have reflectors on the front and back of the bike in addition to reflectors on the wheels.

Ride on the right in the same direction as traffic.

Obey traffic laws. You must follow the same rules that all drivers do.

Always signal your moves to those around you and do not move in and out of the car lanes.

Always look before turning.

Watch for parked cars, car doors opening, and cars pulling out into traffic.

Follow these basic tips and you can enjoy a safe, relaxing bicycle ride and log some exercise time in the process!

The hottest months of the year are upon us, and along with the heat comes an increase in outdoor activities. While it’s important to be outside and active, it’s vital to make sure you follow some basic rules to keep your body safe from the dangers of too much sun and heat. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. The two most common forms of skin cancer – basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas – are highly curable. The third most common form, melanoma, is much more dangerous and is caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning beds. To block against UVA and UVB light from the sun, follow these tips:

• Use a water resistant sunscreen or sun block that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher and says on the packaging that it provides broad-spectrum coverage against BOTH UVA and UVB light. Reapply every 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

• Wear a hat outside.

• Wear sunglasses that protect against both UVA and UVB light.

• Wear a shirt if you will have prolonged exposure to the sun.

• Wear lightweight and light colored clothing.

• Avoid drinks with caffeine and alcohol. They can dehydrate the body.

• Seek shade between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• NEVER leave a child or pet in a car for any length of time in extreme heat.

• Drink plenty of fluids. When you sweat you lose water, and it’s important to replace lost fluid to prevent heat exhaustion. Drink before you become thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, dehydration is already setting in.

• Get out of the sun if you feel overheated, tired, weak or dizzy. Take frequent breaks and head to the shade for rest and fluid replacement.

• If a person stops sweating and has very red, hot skin, a very high temperature, becomes uncoordinated, confused or even loses consciousness, seek medical attention immediately. Heat stroke is occurring and can be extremely dangerous and even fatal if not treated quickly.

There is no reason you can’t enjoy the summer outdoors...just be careful to follow some basic rules and pay attention to your body for signs that it is receiving too much sun or heat.

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Motivating Your Inactive Child

In the excessive technology age we live in, it’s often difficult to get your child up from the couch where they are enthralled with TV, video games and the Internet. However, physical activity is vital to a child’s health and vital for weight loss and maintaining healthy weight levels. Here are some quick and easy tips that may help motivate your child to get moving!

All activity is good activity, so be creative. Ask your child what they like to do as physical exercise and then be encouraging in every way possible. Getting them to follow a fitness routine at a young age will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

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