This year on February 7th, it is “National Wear Red Day.” This day is dedicated to spreading awareness about heart disease and how you can help to both lower your risk and recognize early signs and symptoms. One of the most dangerous outcomes of heart disease is a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when the blood vessels supplying the heart with oxygenated blood become blocked, causing heart muscle to die.
Heart Disease in Women Read More »
Indiana winters seem to drag on forever during the early months of the year, and those few warm days send everyone outside to get some much-needed Vitamin D and fresh air. These brief periods of high activity during an otherwise sedentary time of the year can put you at increased risk of injury. Staying active during the colder months will allow you to safely jump right back into those spring activities, like golfing, hiking, pickleball, or gardening.
If You Don’t Use It, You Lose It…Keeping Active During Winter Months. Read More »
Depression is a common emotion that, at one time or another, we have all felt. Sometimes the stigma of admitting one’s concerns or feelings keeps us from speaking up. Rest assured that depression is the most common mood disorder causing disability in the United States and throughout the world. When depression is left untreated, an individual is at risk of developing other conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, thyroid disease, and diabetes. Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of despair and sadness, and it can lead to a loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities as well as a loss of interest in relationships.
The following are some signs and symptoms of depression:
Feeling sad or anxious frequently or all of the time
Not wanting to do activities that used to be fun
Feeling irritable, easily frustrated, or restless
Having difficulty falling or staying asleep?
Waking up too early or sleeping too much
Eating more or less than usual or having no appetite
Experiencing aches, pains, headaches, or stomach problems that do not improve with treatment
Having trouble concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions
feeling tired, even after sleeping well.
Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless
Thinking about suicide or hurting yourself
When any of these symptoms last over a period of time, one needs to seek help from a medical provider as they can interfere with one’s quality of life. Depression can be caused by a variety of factors, including a life stressor, trauma, the death of a loved one, suffering relatives, or financial stress. While no one person handles depression alike, there are different therapies to help cope with it. The first step is to seek help in dealing with the issue at hand. Therapy or counseling can often help sort through the thoughts and feelings one is experiencing in their life. Counseling helps with behavioral change and finding solutions to the issues at hand.
To help improve coping skills and mood, antidepressants and other medications can be started. There are many different drug classes available for your provider to try in treatment. While taking these medications, it’s important for the patient to know they may not feel the benefit in a few days and that it takes up to four weeks for the full effects.
The most important thing is to realize you are not alone, and resources are available to help. Contact your primary care provider, as they can perform a depression screening to determine if you fit the diagnosis of depression.
Depression – You are Not Alone Read More »
May is Stroke Awareness Month. A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or disrupted. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, resulting in stroke- related death every 3.5 minutes. It is the leading cause of disability in adults. These statistics are staggering, but we can do something about it. First, know and reduce your risk factors.
BE FAST- and Recognize Stroke Read More »
Indiana winters seem to drag on forever during the early months of the year, and those few warm days send everyone outside to get some much-needed Vitamin D and fresh air. These brief periods of high activity during an otherwise sedentary time of the year can put you at increased risk of injury. Staying active during the colder months will allow you to safely jump right back into those spring activities, like golfing, hiking, pickleball, or gardening.
Here are three tips to keep you moving this winter.
If You Don’t Use It, You Lose It…Keeping Active During Winter Months Read More »
What are the benefits of employer lead wellness programs for the employee and employer? It is a wise investment for both parties.
Employee Benefit
The 2021 U.S. Census tells us that 66% of the nation has private insurance coverage. Most of this coverage comes from employer-based group plans and is the backbone of the American healthcare system. Many of us use our employer-based insurance to cover normal visits to our family physicians, labs, and unforeseen illnesses and injuries. However, a lot of us miss out on the advantage of wellness screenings and health education covered by our insurance. Sometimes it isn’t openly offered, or it is presented as an obligation instead of the huge benefit that it really is. Not partaking in your company’s wellness screening is like leaving money on the table.
The Overlooked Benefit of Wellness Programs Read More »
The Fall and Winter months (September through March) bring cooler weather and the dreaded Flu (Influenza) Season. We have spent so much time living in the pandemic world and attention given to COVID-19 that we forget about the Flu.
Influenza, called the Flu, is an infectious disease caused by the Influenza Virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and many deaths each year.
Unlike a common cold, the flu comes on suddenly. Symptoms typically include very high fever (greater than 101F), severe muscle and body aches, headache, weakness and fatigue, runny nose, sore throat and coughing.
Here’s to Good Health Read More »
