Have You Checked Your Neck?
It’s midway through the first month of the new year and I have one powerful question for you…Where do you stand with your New Year’s Resolution(s)? Truth be told, many of us resolve at the beginning of the year to eat right, exercise and generally take better care of ourselves. Unfortunately, the challenges to truly … Read more
Why does the herd have immunity?
Tech Term Tuesday. When a significant proportion of a community (or herd) is immune to a contagious disease through prior illness or immunization, the remaining members of that community (such as newborns, the chronically ill, the elderly and those otherwise not immunized) also receive some level of protection. This is because the likelihood of coming … Read more
9 Reasons To Eat Blueberries
Get a little over a third (36%) of the recommended daily value of Vitamin K that is important to bone density and bone growth. The antioxidant properties of Vitamin K have been found to reduce damage to nerve cells.
Are We Safe from Vaccine-Preventable Illnesses?
During one particularly severe crisis, young Vanessa stopped breathing and turned blue. In the emergency call to the doctor, Alvaro exclaimed, ”Tell me that this is normal. I mean, she’s turning blue.” At the doctor’s advice, the Fontans rushed to the nearby emergency room but it was not equipped to handle pediatric patients so an ambulance had to transfer Vanessa to a children’s hospital…
5 Topics in Men’s Health
June is Men’s Health Month. The month when fathers and surrogate fathers are recognized for all that they do is also an ideal time to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. After all, the most powerful thing any father can do is … Read more
5 Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer
There are a number of traits and conditions known as risk factors that can increase your risk for developing colorectal cancer. Having a risk factor does not guarantee you will develop cancer of the colon and the absence of any risk factors does not ensure that you will not develop cancer of the colon. However, knowledge of these risk factors and discussing them with your doctor or health care provider can lead to the prevention or early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
It’s Not Sexy but So Very Necessary…Get Screened for Colorectal Cancer
First Friday in First Person. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awarenesss Month and a good time to highlight actor Terrence Howard’s very personal campaign against colorectal cancer. It’s aptly called This is Personal and underscores the need for regular screening for colorectal cancer and the advantages of early detection. Check out his popular PSA. While … Read more
Looking Ahead to Flu Season
It may be difficult to think about the winter and how to avoid a bout with the flu as the thermometer continues to register triple-digit temperatures. Nevertheless, preparations are well under way.
Menin-what? What You Don’t Know about Meningitis Could Be Deadly
First Fridays in First Person. National Immunization Month is a good time to bring attention to Meningococcal Disease, which includes meningitis and blood infection. “Menin-what?” you say. Meningitis is the swelling of tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis caused by the meningococcal bacteria though rare, can be especially dangerous. Amy Purdy (pictured at left) a survivor of meningococcal disease bears witness to this fact. “I lost both of my legs, my kidneys, my spleen, part of my hearing, and almost my life to meningitis. And I’m one of the lucky ones,” she says
Humpday Humor
by Gary Varvel, originally uploaded by the Health Advocate. The World Health Organization has now increased it’s pandemic alert to phase 5 which means there has been human-to-human spread of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) into two or more countries. Most of the cartoonist commenting on the recent events surrounding swine influenza took the ‘just … Read more
