Health Tips
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Feelings of irritation or sadness can creep up on a person and soon, completely take over, interfering with a person’s daily functioning. Sometimes there are no external reasons to account for these overall “off” feelings. But when these feelings persist over time, especially during the fall and winter months, the diagnosis is often seasonal affective…
Read MoreIt’s Thyroid Awareness Month!
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. Although relatively small, the thyroid plays a huge role in the body, influencing the function of many important organs, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and skin. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether your thyroid is healthy and functioning properly.
Read MoreMedication Management is Essential
Medication can be an exceptional tool for healing and pain management. However, when not used properly, medicine can be harmful and even deadly. Proper medication management is essential to preventing misusage and harm. To manage your medications or the medications of a loved-one, it’s important to understand the following: Communicate with your Healthcare Provider It’s…
Read More10 Important Foot Care Rules for Diabetics
The elevated blood sugar levels associated with diabetes mellitus cause a range of complications. Between one-third and one-half of diabetics will develop peripheral neuropathy, nerve damage that usually affects the feet and legs. Diabetics also have reduced circulation, which in combination with peripheral neuropathy means that even minor foot issues can quickly become medical emergencies,…
Read MoreIrritable Bowel Syndrome: Just the Facts
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder afflicting approximately 12% of adults in the United States. It is more commonly found in women than men: nearly twice as many women suffer from IBS as men. There are many theories about the cause of IBS, but currently scientists seem to be honing in on two…
Read MoreThe 4 Most Common Complications of Diabetes
Since today is World Diabetes Day, it is especially fitting to talk about the serious — and common — complications this disease can cause. Diabetes affects the blood, but its complications are not limited to blood-related issues, such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Blood nourishes every cell of the body, and therefore diabetes can disrupt…
Read MoreShort-Term Rehab Improves Outcomes for Hospitalized Seniors
A hospital stay is almost always traumatic for an older person. But going home is not necessarily much easier. There may be new medications to manage, new dietary restrictions to implement, new wounds to treat, follow-up appointments to make, and even in-house repairs to make, such as installing grab bars or ramps. So difficult is…
Read MoreThe Emotional Costs of Heart Failure
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is not strong enough to pump as much blood as the body needs. The heart is a muscle, but unlike other muscles, it doesn’t get stronger the harder it works. Instead, as it works harder to pump blood, it gets weaker, not stronger. As the heart…
Read More6 Surprising Causes of Heart Palpitations
With heart disease the leading cause of death in the US, people are right to be concerned if their heartbeat ever feels “funny.” Heart palpitations, when the heart skips a beat, flutters, or beats too hard or too fast, can occur for many reasons, only some of which require medical attention. Many people feel heart…
Read MoreGetting Your Loved One the Care They Need
Helping a loved one navigate the world of Medicare or Medicaid involves becoming familiar with a variety of acronyms, including ADL and IADL. While these two may sound similar, knowing the difference determine what type of care your loved one can get — and whether it’s covered. ADLs ADL stands for Activities of Daily Living.…
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