2017 Archived Newsletter

Do You Know These Medicare Coverage Terms? Knowing a bit of Medicare terminology can come in handy when you're talking with your doctor or other healthcare provider. Benefit period - The way original Medicare measures your use of hospital and skilled nuring facility...

Stay Alert and Informed A food-drug interaction can prevent a medicine from working correctly, cause a side effect from a medicine to get worse or cause a new side effect.  A medicine can also change the way your body uses a food.  A number of factors can affect how...

Plan Ahead and Slow Down Driving in winter can be challenging.  Here are some tips to help keep you safe: Keep your tires properly inflated. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up. Don't use cruise control when driving on any slippery road....

Is It Time to Update Your Routine? As one ages, it can become harder to maintain proper dental health.  Teeth wear down and gums can recede.  As you get older, it becomes more important to avoid tobacco and carefully brush your teeth and floss twice daily to reduce...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly - and Delicious! Pear and Blue Cheese Salad Serves 6 Since there is always so much rich food during the holidays, it's always good to have a go-to salad that will offer a lighter alternative as a side dish.  Both pears and apples are...

Controlling Diabetes Is Critical to Protecting Your Vision Diabetes can cause eye disease that results in any one of a group of conditions, all of which have the potential to cause severe vision loss and blindness. Among people with diabetes, retinopathy is the most...

What’s the Connection? Diabetes is a group of diseases in which glucose levels are higher than normal.  The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin that helps glucose enter the body’s cells.  When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough...

Lifestyle Changes Can Help How often you have a bowel movement varies, but people normally have as many as three bowel movements a day to as few as three a week.  You may be constipated if you have fewer bowel movements than are normal for you.  In addition,...

Eat Right for More Energy If you engage in physical activity and sports, healthy eating is essential for optimizing performance.  Combining good nutrition with physical activity can lead to an overall healthier lifestyle, too.  Here’s how. Choose...

Talk with Your Pharmacist The next time you reach for an over-the-counter product to treat your upset stomach or heartburn, consider whether you should choose one of the many antacids that don’t contain aspirin.  Aspirin-containing medicines that treat heartburn,...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious! Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots Serves 6 Dressing down some of our holiday favorites can not only be healthier but actually can awaken our taste buds.  Without all the mushroom soup and canned fried...

Here’s Help for Dandruff Dandruff is the excess shedding of the top layer of the skin on the scalp.  It is normal for these cells to be shed.  However, with dandruff, larger “scales” are shed at an increased rate.  There is nothing medically serious...

Eating More Fiber When Younger May Help Reduce Future Breast Cancer Risk Women who eat more high-fiber roods during adolescence and young adulthood, especially lots of fruits and vegetables, may have significantly lower breast cancer risk than those who eat less fiber...

Take Charge Many factors can cause bad breath, including underlying medical conditions, foods we eat, oral-hygiene habits, dry mouth and tobacco use. Your dentist can help determine the cause. There are some basic steps that can help you control bad breath. See your...

Keep Your Baby Comfy and Happy Diaper rash can be caused by irritation from stool or urine; friction from diapers; yeast infection; or an allergic reaction to soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, baby wipes or lotions. In many cases, it can be prevented. Try...

Review FSA, Medicare Choices Welcome, October! It’s time to make sure you’re using up the dollars you’ve stashed in your 2017 Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Although employer plans vary, FSA expenses generally must occur no later than December 31. Schedule doctor...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly - and Delicious! Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette Serves 4 This easy salad can be dressed up or down, depending on what else you’re serving. To make it a main-dish, add your choice of additional veggies, chopped boiled eggs,...

Your Doctor and Pharmacist Are Her to Help Your doctor and pharmacist are your partners in protecting your health. Part of their job is to provide patient education. When you get a new prescription, be sure to ask the following questions: What is the name of the...

Changing Your Reaction to Pain Thinking of arthritis pain as a signal that may be changed by taking positive action is a healthy approach.  Following your doctor’s treatment plan is important, of course.  Adding these tips can make a difference, too. ...

When Should They Start? Children need eye exams to ensure healthy vision.  But less than 22% of preschool children receive vision screening and less than 14% receive an eye exam.  Vision screening can reveal a possible vision problem but can’t diagnose...

Be Smart When Treating a Sunburn To help heal sunburned skin, take cool baths or showers to ease pain.  Pat yourself dry, leaving a bit of water on your skin.  Apply moisturizer, choosing one that contains aloe vera.  If an area feels particularly...

Know the Rules for Driving Near a School Bus School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation on the road today.  The reality of school-bus safety is that more children are hurt outside the bus than inside as passengers.  Most of the children who...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious Citrus Garlic Roasted Shrimp Serves 4 (about 9 jumbo shrimp per person) So many cooks shy away from cooking seafood, including shrimp, because they think it is difficult.  It really isn’t.  The only critical...

What Is a Cataract? A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye.  By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.  The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus an image on the retina.  The...

Be Wise and Protect Your Skin Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 before going outside, even on cloudy or cool days. (Bring along lip balm with SPF, too.)  Apply to all exposed skin.  Ask for help for hard-to-reach...

Self-Exams Improve Early Detection Rate It’s important to learn about the warning signs of skin cancer and what to look for during a self-examination.  You may find it helpful to have your doctor do a full-body exam first.  Then, following your doctor’s...

Strings, Cords and Necklaces Can Strangle Infants The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received numerous reports of infants who have been strangled by strings, cords, ribbons or necklaces around their necks.  These items can become caught on a product,...

What Are Sealants? Sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth.  They are applied in dentists’ offices, clinics and sometimes in schools.  Application is simple and painless.  Sealants are painted on as a liquid...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious! Greek Salad Serves 3 Craving a fresh salad with all kinds of crunchy vegetables, salty olives and creamy cheese?  This this delicious, healthy Greek salad served with warm pita bread.  The recipe makes enough...

Tips for Maintaining Good Posture Throughout Life Developing healthy posture now is an important gift to give yourself.  The benefits will last a lifetime!  These tips can help: Keep your weight down. Excess weight exerts a constant forward pull on the back...

Can Diet Make a Difference? Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a group of symptoms, including pain or discomfort in your abdomen and changes in your bowel movement patterns, that occur together.  If you’ve been diagnosed with IBS, talk with your doctor about how...

Guys, You Can Eat Hearty and Stay Healthy Men’s Health Week is June 12-18, so it’s a great time to think about your diet.  According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a healthy diet for men includes: At least 2 cups of fruits and 2 ½ cups of vegetables...

What’s the Difference? Headaches are the most common form of pain, according to the National Institutes of Health.  They’re a major reason why people miss work or school or visit a doctor. Tension headaches (the most common type of headache) are caused by tight...

Have Fun and Stay Safe on July 4 Everyone loves July 4th fireworks!  Attending a professional fireworks celebration is best.  But if fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off, follow these safety tips: Never allow children to play...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious! Teriyaki Ginger Chicken Serves 3 These tasty chicken pieces are so tender and full of flavor.  They can be cooked outside on the grill, inside on a kitchen grill or even in a stove-top pan.  Try serving them...

When to See the Doctor? Most bug bites and stings aren’t serious and can be safely treated at home with topical medication, such as hydrocortisone cream or an oral antihistamine to reduce the itch.  But sometimes a bug bite or sting could become serious.  Go...

(And Parents, Too!) Asthma (az-ma) is a condition that causes people to have trouble getting enough air into their lungs.  An “asthma attack” is when you have trouble catching your breath.  Some common triggers include: Dust in your house Tobacco smoke Dirty...

Talk with Your Family The best way to prevent poisoning at home is to think about it and take precautions before an emergency occurs.  That includes talking with your family. Never call medicine “candy.” This can be confusing to children. Remind family members...

This Vital Mineral Helps Strengthen Bones, Teeth Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Approximately 99% of the body’s calcium...

Try These Tips If you have insomnia, developing healthy sleep habits can make a big difference.  These guidelines are especially important for people who can’t fall asleep or stay asleep regularly. Stick to the same bedtime and wake time, even on the weekends....

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious! Grilled Port Skewers Serves 5 Want to make a simple, delicious recipe for your next barbecue that will wow all of your guests? This is it. The marinade is super easy and the pork will turn out juicy and flavorful. If...

Ask the Right Questions and Stay Safe If you take several different medicines, see more than one doctor or have certain health conditions, you and your doctors need to be aware of all the medicines you take to avoid potential problems, such as drug interactions....

See Your Doctor High blood pressure is a common, and potentially dangerous, condition that requires careful monitoring by your doctor.  The term means the pressure of the blood in your blood vessels is higher than it should be.  The good news: You can take...

Try These Tips for Boosting Healthy Eating Habits Replacing less-than-healthy habits with those that lead to better health is do-able if you take it one step at a time.  Check out these tips to help you get started: Eat more slowly. If you eat too quickly, you...

Benefits for Mind and Body Meditation is a mind-and-body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being.  Mind and body...

What You Need to Know When colorectal cancer occurs, abnormal cells in the colon or rectum divide uncontrollably, eventually forming a malignant tumor.  Most colorectal cancers begin as a polyp, a growth in the tissue that lines the inner surface of the colon or...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious! Stir fry dishes are great because you can easily change out the protein with what you have on hand: pork, beef, chicken, or even shrimp.  You can also experiment with different vegetables. Chicken Pepper Stir Fry...

They Fight Bacteria, Not Viruses Antibiotics are meant to be used against bacterial infections.  For example, they are used to treat strep throat, which is caused by streptococcal bacteria, and skin infections caused by staphylococcal bacteria.  Although...

Know the Signs - and What to do Although some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you feel: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest...

Talk with Your Doctor Everyone reacts to pain differently. Many older people, especially, have been told not to talk about their aches and pains. Some people feel they should be brave and not complain when they hurt. Other people are quick to report pain and ask for...

Here's Help for "Winter Itch" Cold weather, with its low relative humidity, wreaks havoc on our skin, making it dry and flaky. To help replenish the water content of your skin, moisturize daily. Apply moisturize directly to your wet skin after bathing so it can help...

What's the Connection? Recent research has suggested a link between poor oral health and heart disease. Some of the findings include: Poor oral health may be a predictor of future heart disease. Oral infections may produce inflammation that can be associated with...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly - and Delicious! Kids love this yummy fruit dip. It is sweet and nutty without a lot of added sugar or calories and makes plain fruit seem like dessert. And what could be easier than stirring together three or four ingredients? Let...

When Is It Time to See Your Doctor? Most winter colds and coughs are viral and will go away on their own with home care. But you'll want to see your doctor if you aren't getting any better over time or if your symptoms worsen. Mucus buildup from a viral infection can...

Find a Class That Fits Your Needs These days, it’s possible to learn yoga by following DVDs, online classes and even apps.  But beginners usually find it helpful to learn with an instructor.  Classes also offer a sense of community and the opportunity to make new...

It’s Easier Than You Think New Year’s resolutions are so easy to make – and break.  Why is it so hard to make them last?  Scientists, funded by the National Institutes of Health, are learning more about how we can make healthy changes and sustain them. “Change is...

These Tips Can Help Are you one of the more than 70% of smokers who want to quit?  Check out this advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Write down why you want to quit. Do you want to enjoy better health?  Set a good example for your children? ...

Heart Healthy, Diabetes Friendly – and Delicious! When it is cold outside, you want something comforting to take off the chill, and nothing is better than soup to warm you from the inside out.  Plus, January is the time for those resolutions to lose those extra...

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help Being a caregiver to an adult who is dealing with illness can be a rewarding experience.  It also can be challenging.  It’s important to not try to go it alone.  Accepting help from others isn’t always easy.  When tough things happen,...

Simple Steps Make All the Difference Follow these easy steps to keep your skin healthy and radiant. Bathe in warm – not hot – water using mild cleansers that don’t irritate. Wash gently.  Don’t scrub. Keep skin from drying out by drinking plenty of water and using...