Disease Prevention Articles

Proper Way to Apply Mosquito Repellant

In the News

With all of the talk about the Zika virus daily on the news, we need to be more aware about mosquitoes. One way to protect yourself and your loved ones is by learning the proper ways to apply mosquito repellant.

• Apply repellants only to exposed skin or clothing. Never put it on underneath your clothes.
• Use just enough to cover your body and for the amount of time you need it, over applying will not protect you any more than typical application.

Do not use repellants AT ALL on infants under two months.

• Do not apply repellant on wounds, cuts or immediately after shaving.
• When applying to your face, spray the repellant in your hands and then apply it to your face. Use sparingly around your ears.
• Do not let young children apply the repellant themselves. Put it in your hands and apply it for them.  Children put their hands/fingers in their mouth too often.
• Do not use near food and wash your hands immediately after applying and before eating and drinking.

Do You Need a Cardiac Stress Test?

Heart Awareness

A cardiac stress test measures how well your heart is able to perform when it is under physical stress and it is used to help diagnose heart problems. While February was Heart Awareness Month, every month is important to take care of your heart.  That's why the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute list some of the following reasons why you may need a cardiac stress test:

• You have experienced symptoms of reduced blood flow to the heart, including shortness of breath and chest pains.
• You have arrhythmia symptoms during exercise, including a fluttering sensation in the chest, irregular heartbeat or feeling faint.
• You have shortness of breath without chest pain following exercise

Obesity and Your Heart Health Risk

In the News:  Heart Awareness Month

It's a well-known fact that being overweight increases your chance of being at risk of a number of chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.  But research shows that even a small amount of weight loss can lessen your risk of falling victim to these deadly diseases.

Research also shows that, unfortunately, eating just 100 more calories a day than you should, can cause your body weight to be in the obese category and not just the overweight category.

To determine whether or not you are overweight or obese, use a BMI Calculator.  A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight; a BMI between 30 and 39.9 is considered obese.

If your BMI is greater than 25 and you are older than 30 years old, you should strongly consider losing weight to reduce your risk of heart disease and other life-threatening conditions.

In recognition of American Heart Month here are some important statistics regarding heart health:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
• In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a coronary attack.
• The average age for a first heart attack for men is 66 years.
• Many cases of heart disease can be prevented. Learn more at cdc.gov.

Osteoporosis Warning Signs Ways you can tell if you are on your way to this dreaded disease

Osteoporosis is one of the most common ailments of adults over the age of 50 and it is definitely a problem that people do not want to live with.  Weak bones lead to fractures and many other scary problems that could leave you disabled.

Before turning into full-blown osteoporosis, osteopenia : the process of thinning bones - precedes the ailment.  There are some warning signs to look for to determine if your bones are in fact thinning.

Here are some warning signs for osteoporosis:

• Warning Sign #1 - You've had more than one fracture in the past two years or a fracture that seemed pretty severe considering the circumstances.
• Warning Sign #2 : You are naturally a small or thin person.
• Warning Sign #3 : You have an autoimmune condition that causes you to take prednisone or another corticosteroid.

• Warning Sign #4 : You are a smoker and have been throughout your adult life.
• Warning Sign #5 : You drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day.
• Warning Sign #6 : You do not drink milk or you have a lactose intolerance that prevents you from drinking milk.
• Warning Sign #7 : You have an eating disorder.
• Warning Sign #8 : You are an Asian or Caucasian female over the age of 50.
• Warning Sign #9 : You have a family member who had osteoporosis before the age of 50 or before menopause.