As hospitals, health professionals and healthcare systems, governments and leaders work to reduce community spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. and protect the most vulnerable individuals, the American Heart Association (AHA) is offering further tips for heart attack and stroke survivors on preventing a second event in the midst of a pandemic. Reducing risk… Continue reading COVID-19 and Heart Health
Tag: prevention
The Simple Words that Can Save Suicidal People
Most of us are likely to know or love somebody who has been affected by suicide. Statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show how common this disturbing phenomenon is. Nearly 45,000 lives were lost to suicide in 2016. Suicide rates have gone up more than 30 percent in half of the… Continue reading The Simple Words that Can Save Suicidal People
Suicide Prevention: How to Help Others in Need
Many Americans have experienced the devastating effects of suicide firsthand. Some have had a family member or friend take their own life. Others may have experienced suicidal thoughts or actions themselves. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), suicide is the second leading cause of death among 18- to 24-year-olds and claims the… Continue reading Suicide Prevention: How to Help Others in Need
Limited Health Literacy is a Major Barrier to Heart Prevention and Treatment
Limited health literacy is a major barrier blocking many people from achieving good cardiovascular health or benefiting from effective treatment for heart attacks, heart failure, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, according to a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. Health literacy encompasses not only the ability to read, but skills such… Continue reading Limited Health Literacy is a Major Barrier to Heart Prevention and Treatment
3 Home Exercises to Strengthen Balance and Prevent Outdoor Falls
By now, practically nothing Mother Nature throws my way is a surprise. Depending on where you live, this time of year can be a toss-up between navigating through snow, ice, rain or mud – sometimes all at once! As we age, our balance naturally declines and inclement weather conditions and uneven ground outside only increases… Continue reading 3 Home Exercises to Strengthen Balance and Prevent Outdoor Falls
Cold and Flu: Prevention, Symptoms, Treatments
Cold and flu viruses are always around. So why do we seem to be especially vulnerable during the fall and winter months? For the most part, it’s because we spend more time indoors, and the viruses that cause the sniffles, congestion, and body aches of a cold or the flu can spread more easily… Continue reading Cold and Flu: Prevention, Symptoms, Treatments
Treating and Preventing Head Lice
As kids return to school, experts from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) share how to recognize, treat and prevent head lice. Head lice are most common among preschool children attending child care, elementary school children, and household members of children who have head lice. While lice are a year-round problem, the number of cases… Continue reading Treating and Preventing Head Lice
Study: Poor Skin-Cancer Survival Rates in People of Color
Because Caucasians have a higher skin cancer risk than the general population, people with skin of color may believe that they don’t need to be concerned about this disease — but new research reveals this to be a dangerous misconception. According to a study published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,… Continue reading Study: Poor Skin-Cancer Survival Rates in People of Color
Preventive Steps Substantially Reduce Cancer Risk
If people follow cancer prevention recommendations on diet and physical activity, overall cancer incidence and mortality will be reduced, according to results of a systematic review published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Adherence to the guidelines set by leading cancer organizations also was associated with… Continue reading Preventive Steps Substantially Reduce Cancer Risk
Top 9 Ways to Prevent the Cold & Flu Naturally
Cold and flu season has officially arrived! It is imperative to take action and protect yourself. Nationally recognized Clinical Pharmacist, Dr. James LaValle offers these tips on doing just that : 1. Wash your hands as often as you can. 2. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, keep a travel size and take it with you where ever you go. 3. Avoid touching your… Continue reading Top 9 Ways to Prevent the Cold & Flu Naturally
“Health Risk Assessment” Questionnaire Benefits Non-Disabled Elderly
Implementation of a collaborative care model among community-dwelling older people using a health risk assessment instrument resulted in better health behaviors and increased use of preventative care, according to a study published in October 2015 in PLOS Medicine. The trial, conducted by Andreas Stuck from the University Hospital Bern and University of Bern, Switzerland, and… Continue reading “Health Risk Assessment” Questionnaire Benefits Non-Disabled Elderly
Purple Potatoes: A New Weapon Against Colon Cancer?
Purple potatoes contain compounds that could help kill colon cancer cells, according to new research. They may also limit the spread of the illness. The researchers made the discovery while investigating the potatoes’ effect using petri dishes and mice. The investigators said the potatoes targeted the cancer’s stem cells. Colon cancer is the second leading… Continue reading Purple Potatoes: A New Weapon Against Colon Cancer?
Cataracts Facts: Understanding the Inevitable Aging Process
Particularly for those who are approaching middle age, cataracts are a fact of life and a natural condition that has afflicted humans for hundreds, if not thousands of years. In simple terms, a cataract is a white, cloudy formation or opacity that develops in the lens of the eye—progressing slowly over time and with age—reducing… Continue reading Cataracts Facts: Understanding the Inevitable Aging Process
Peanuts & Nuts May Protect Against Major Causes of Death
A paper published on June 11th 2015 in the International Journal of Epidemiology confirms a link between peanut and nut intake and lower mortality rates, but finds no protective effect for peanut butter. This study was carried out within the Netherlands Cohort Study, which has been running since 1986 among over 120,000 Dutch 55-69 year… Continue reading Peanuts & Nuts May Protect Against Major Causes of Death
Automated Process Paves the Way for Screening, Prevention, and Treatment
A breakthrough in machine learning has also brought about a “game changer” for the science of metabolomics, the study of substances involved in metabolism. A researcher at the University of Alberta in Canada contends that the discovery will hasten the development of diagnostic and predictive tests for Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes and numerous other conditions, leading… Continue reading Automated Process Paves the Way for Screening, Prevention, and Treatment
How to Recognize and Prevent Stroke
May is Stroke Awareness Month, a good time to bring attention to the deadly issue of stroke. According to the American Stroke association, an estimated 129,000 Americans die each year from stroke. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. Here, physicians from New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, in Manhattan, share their… Continue reading How to Recognize and Prevent Stroke
More than Half of All Older Adults Take Aspirin for Health Reasons
Slightly more than half of older adults in the U.S. are taking a daily dose of aspirin, even though the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t recommended it for people who have not yet had a heart attack or stroke. The analysis, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, observed that aspirin use… Continue reading More than Half of All Older Adults Take Aspirin for Health Reasons
Myths and Facts About Mental Illness
Although most of us are perfectly fine with discussing physical health, mental health is another matter. The truth about mental health is often lost in a fog of fear, anger and ignorance. Here, the experts at www.mentalhealth.gov , a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, separate mental-health facts from myths: Myth:… Continue reading Myths and Facts About Mental Illness