Cold and flu season is upon us! In the Unites States, peak cold and flu season is generally from late November through March. Since we are entering the peak season, how do you prevent your family from getting sick? Prevention According to the CDC, the best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine. Along with the flu shot, practicing good health habits can also keep germs from spreading and will help ...
Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to process food into energy. The food we eat is turned into glucose for our bodies to use as energy. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin which helps the glucose get to the cells in our bodies. When there isn’t enough or any insulin, glucose stays in the blood and cannot reach the cells, causing sugars to build up in the blood. There ...
“ New England falls bring the beauty of foliage, but it also brings the dreaded flu season. While getting sick isn’t always avoidable, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you’re prepared to fight off cold and flu viruses. Let’s take a look at a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself this flu season! Live a healthy lifestyle Keeping your body healthy is one of the most ...
Occupational Health refers to the many disciplines devoted to the safety and well-being of employees in the workplace, often concentrating on injury prevention. Even with solid practices in place, accidents do occur, and having an experienced occupational healthcare provider you trust can make all the difference. Workplace injuries can result in lost time, indemnity costs, and lower productivity for an employer. Studies have shown that the same workplace injury can have catastrophic consequences to the ...
The flu is a serious, potentially life-threatening illness. According to the CDC, millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. The best way to protect yourself against influenza is to get an annual flu shot. Who Should Get the Flu Shot? Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccination yearly. The U ...
Stress hormones are responsible for helping us “fight or flee” in a dangerous situation and are key to survival. However, too much stress can be detrimental, causing health issues such as digestive problems, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, weight gain and more. So, how do we handle stress? Below are a few ways to practice stress management from the American Heart Association: Make a list Make a list of everything that is important to ...
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to breastcancer.org, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, and an estimated 2,470 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year. It’s important that you know how to detect breast cancer and ways to lower your risk of developing it. Early Detection There are three specific ways to increase the chances of early detection of breast cancer set ...
Did you know that the family is the most important social influence for physical activity? Research shows that children of active parents are 5.8 times more likely to engage in physical activity on a regular basis. Today, most children do not meet the recommended amount of daily exercise, which is crucial to healthy growth and development. To get your kids moving, it’s important that you’re moving too! Here are a few fun ...
Did you know that every year, 1 in 6 Americans get sick from consuming contaminated food? Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, can be life-threatening, and therefore, it is crucial to follow the CDC’s food safety guidelines when cooking. Food Safety Tips 1. Wash Wash your hands, surfaces you will be using to cook, utensils and cutting boards with hot soapy water. 2. Separate Separate the raw meats, seafood and eggs because they can ...
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but according to the CDC, more than half of the people who have died from suicide did not have a known mental health condition at the time of their death. Other factors that often contribute to suicide are relationship problems, problematic substance abuse, financial issues, physical health problems, or a past or ...
What is Obesity? Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Body mass index (BMI) is a widely used screening tool for measuring obesity. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of a person’s height in meters. Scientists have found that BMI is moderately related to direct measures of body fatness. Measuring height and weight is easier and less expensive than other methods for assessing weight status. The CDC ...
Head lice are tiny parasites that feed on blood from the scalp and reproduce by laying their eggs in the hair. According to the CDC, an estimated 6 million to 12 million infestations occur each year in the United States among children 3 to 11 years of age. Because lice spread easily through direct contact, they are commonly found in schoolchildren and often spread to families through contact and play. Symptoms: It can take up ...
School is back in session, and we know that can mean (organized) chaos! It may be difficult to get your child fed and out the door in time, but it is crucial for development, both mentally and physically, that children receive proper nutrition throughout the school day. Breakfast keeps your child energized, full and ready to absorb knowledge. Mornings can be a time crunch, but that is no excuse to let your child miss breakfast ...
Vaccinations protect us from serious and sometimes even deadly bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it is important for your family, including children, to be up to date with each recommended vaccine. How do they work? Vaccinations work by taking advantage of the body’s immune system. When you receive a vaccination, you are being injected with a weakened strain of the bacteria or virus. When the body detects these invaders, it instantly creates antibodies that learn ...
Sun damage is a serious concern. According to the Skin Care Foundation, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. It is important to take the correct precautions when going out into the sun, because ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure can damage your skin. Use the following to help prevent sun damage: Use a broad spectrum, (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher ...
Dehydration can occur anytime of the year; however, the summer month’s high temperatures and humidity increase the risk of dehydration, especially in children. A recent study in the American Journal of Public Health found that about 55 percent of kids ages 6 to 19 are inadequately hydrated. Combined with the increased loss of fluids due to sweating in the heat, it is important that you keep an eye on how much your child is ...
Here’s How to Recognize Signs of Poison Ivy Poison ivy is the most common allergy in the United States, affecting about 50 million people every year. The rash from poison ivy is caused by an allergic reaction to urushiol, an oily substance in the leaves, stems and roots of poison ivy, through direct contact. Urushiol is also found in poison oak and poison sumac, which means the rash can be contracted by interacting with ...
School will be back in session before we know it! The start of school means the start of fall sports. Before running off to the first soccer practice of the season, it is important that your teenager receives a sports physical. Why? A sports physical helps determine if it is safe to participate in a certain sport by identifying health problems that might interfere with participation and working to resolve any problems. For example, if ...
Summertime brings many opportunities for outdoor activities. From camping and hiking to playing tag in the backyard, kids and adults alike can enjoy the warm weather. Make sure your family takes the following precautions to avoid missing outdoor fun due to mosquito and tick bites. Before you go outside: Use bug repellent on your skin and clothing. The CDC recommends wearing an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains active ingredients such as DEET or picaridin. Wear ...
When it comes to treating your seasonal allergies with home remedies, there’s usually more fiction than fact. There are healing claims about everything from apple cider vinegar to local bee pollen. The doctors at your local American Family Care understand that not everyone wants to grab a drug off of the pharmacy counter, but people want to be able to breathe too! So are there any proven natural remedies that the doctors here at ...
Table of Contents What Does “Super Flu” Actually Mean? Is the Super Flu Different From the Regular Flu? Why Does
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Table of Contents Why Sports Physicals Are Required What’s Required for Sports Physicals? What’s Screened During Sports Physicals? Sports Physicals
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