Pink Prescriptions - March 2025
Celebrating Physicians’ Week With Local Docs’ Favorite Health Questions
March 2025 Issue — Pink Prescriptions
Celebrating Physicians’ Week
With Local Docs’ Favorite Health Questions
Do you appreciate your doctor? If so, show your appreciation during
National Physicians’ Week March 25-31, 2025.
Physician appreciation is symbolized by a red carnation, but we recommend adding a kind note, a fun card, or a homemade goodie to go along with it. Doctors work very hard, especially those who take call through all hours of the day and night. Doctors try to drastically improve the duration and quality of life for everyone, and throughout history, have done their best to use cutting-edge science to care for others. Doctoring can be a grueling, emotionally taxing, high-stress job, so don’t forget to extend your thanks this month during National Physicians' Week.
To celebrate, we offered a few questions to some of our local physicians and asked him/her to answer their favorite one. There’s a lot to learn in the answers that follow:
By Erica Downey, MD FACOG | Riverside
Women’s Care, now part of Novant Health
What is the most common question you are asked by your female patients?
The most common thread I discuss with the majority of my patients is mental and physical wellbeing. I think the most important thing to realize is that we, as women, are very complex, and balancing both our mental and physical health is a difficult but crucial process. It can be something small like starting a daily multivitamin or going for a short walk every day, or it can be something big like setting a life or work goal and taking steps to achieve it. I do recommend certain daily vitamins, such as Vitamin D3 and Magnesium, which have both physical and mental health benefits. It cannot be emphasized enough that regular preventative health visits to your primary care and OB/GYN providers can help identify risk factors for medical problems and detect issues early so treatment can be more effective. Above all of this, I tell my patients to give themselves grace. It’s important to expect some successes and also some failures, but my advice is to celebrate themselves through both.
Dr. Erica Downey is a board-certified OB/GYN physician with a passion for women’s health. She takes a combined approach of holistic and traditional medicine when treating her patients and takes pride in listening to and understanding each patient she sees. Dr. Downey is accepting new patients—call Riverside Women’s Care at (843) 540-5857 to schedule an appointment.
By Dr. Andrew Binamira | OneCareSpa
A common question I get from my female patients is: “Why do I have more trouble losing weight than my husband? It must be my hormones.”
It’s understandable to feel frustrated when weight loss seems more challenging for women than it is for men. Hormones can indeed play a role in weight management, but that’s just one piece of a larger puzzle. Several factors can influence weight loss, including:
1. Genetics: Your genetic makeup can affect how your body stores fat and burns calories.
2. Diet and Nutrition: What and how much you eat can significantly impact weight loss.
3. Physical Activity: The type and amount of exercise you do can make a big difference.
4. Sleep: Poor sleep can affect hormones that regulate hunger and appetite.
5. Stress: High stress levels can lead to weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.
6. Medical Conditions: Certain health issues can impact your metabolism and weight.
7. Medications: Some medications can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.
Remember, weight loss is a journey, and it’s okay to seek support along the way. You’re not alone in this!
Dr. Andrew Binamira is a board-certified Internal Medicine Physician with more 26 years experience. He has always been fascinated by Aesthetics and is excited to expand OneCareClinic and OneCareSpa to our area. He is proud to offer cutting-edge equipment, innovative technologies, weight loss management and top-of-the-line medical grade products. He is passionate about healthy eating and not only teaches what he preaches, he follows them too, the evidence is his 40-pound weight loss transformation within the last year! Find out more about his Health360 Weight Loss Program to shed those unwanted pounds.
By Dr. Vandit Sardana
Beaufort Memorial Orthopaedic Specialists
What is the number one health concern
you address with your patients?
The most common health concern my patients have is joint pain which keeps them from doing what they love and maintaining an active lifestyle. Patients may benefit from conservative, nonsurgical measures before I recommend undergoing surgery. These include dietary changes, exercise, physical therapy, over-the-counter pain relievers, injection therapy (such as cortisone, hyaluronic acid, PRP, etc.) and prescription medications. I explain all options to my patients, letting them decide what works for their lifestyle and goals, and help them develop the plan that is best suited to their individual needs.
However, sometimes surgery is the answer. When patients return to see me months after their joint replacement surgery, telling me they’re back to their favorite activities—golfing, running, playing with their kids or grandkids, I feel like I’ve made a difference in their lives, alleviating their suffering and helping them get back to doing what they love.
Vandit Sardana, M.D., FRCS, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon with Beaufort Memorial Orthopaedic Specialists in Okatie and Port Royal. He specializes in joint replacement and preservation, and is the Chairman of Department of Orthopedics at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. https://ortho.bmhsc.org/orthopedic-surgeons; 843-524-3015
By Dr. Erin P. Benjamin | Goulas Eye
What do you love most about being a doctor?
Being a doctor, specifically an ophthalmologist, brings me immense satisfaction as it combines my passion for medicine with the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. The field of ophthalmology allows me to utilize advanced technology to diagnose and treat vision problems, preserving or even restoring sight, which is one of the most valuable senses. I find fulfillment in the personal connections I build with my patients, offering both medical expertise and compassionate care. As a woman in this specialty, I also take pride in being a role model, showing other women that they too can pursue a successful career in science and medicine. It’s exciting to know I’m part of a profession that constantly evolves, providing me with the chance to continue learning and growing, while impacting my community in a meaningful way.
Erin Benjamin, DO is a board-certifed ophthalmologist, specializing in comprehensive ophthalmology with an emphasis on micro-incision cataract surgery. She is also fellowship trained in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration and dry eyes. Goulas Eye: 843-815-5454; 60 Main St, Ste A, HHI, and 23 Plantation Park Dr, #401, Bluffton.
By Dr. Katherine Coley
Advanced Women’s Care of the Lowcountry
& Aspire Medical Spa
What is the number one health concern you address with your patients?
The number one health concern I address is peri-menopause and post-menopausal hormone changes. This covers a multitude of age ranges from early 40s through women in their 80s. Menopause causes changes in a woman’s metabolism, causing weight gain that seems to come out of nowhere, resulting in central deposition of fat, even when there are no changes in what she is eating or how much she is exercising. There is a variety of options to help with weight loss and body contouring to help women feel better and avoid health problems associated with obesity.
Menopause causes estrogen levels to drop, leading to vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, laxity and dryness of skin, increased risk for recurrent UTIs, as well as disruptive hot flashes and night sweats. It also can causes low testosterone, which leads to lack of sexual desire, decreased sexual sensation, “brain fog” and joint pains. In addition, the decrease of progesterone can lead to issues with insomnia, mood changes, depression, and increased anxiety. Helping women optimize hormone balance is one of the most satisfying health concerns to address, as it can improve so many aspects of their lives.
Meet Dr. Katherine Coley, MD, FACOG—Your Partner in Total Female Wellness. With over 22 years of expertise in gynecology, Dr. Katherine Coley is dedicated to hormonal balance and total female wellness. Practicing alongside Dr. Blusewicz in Bluffton, SC, she specializes in the latest advancements in vaginal health, laxity, dryness, intimate comfort, bladder control, and bringing cutting-edge treatments to her patients. As a master-level aesthetic injector, Dr. Coley excels in neurotoxins, dermal fillers, body contouring, and vaginal rejuvenation, offering expert solutions for your overall confidence. Now accepting new patients at Advanced Women’s Care of the Lowcountry & Aspire Medical Spa. Take the first step toward confidence and wellness today! Call 843-301-0718 for more information or to schedule your appointment.