Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Counting carbohydrates is a fact of life for people managing their diabetes. Limiting the number of carbs eaten every day is one strategy for keeping blood sugar at healthy levels and to help lose weight. Your diabetes care team will help you figure out the maximum number of carbohydrates you should eat every day for best results. It’s up to you to accurately keep track of carbs, along with calories and fat, to make sure you’re sticking to a healthy diet. Here are the three tips from the American Diabetes Association to make the count a little less complicated: Make…

Think back to your high school and college days, also known as the “BK” time period (before kids). Do you remember saying some of these mantras we read on Buzzfeed this week? Of course you do! Everyone says these things until the reality of starting a family and taking care of their  own children sets in. Here are our favorites: I’ll never ever yell at my kids. My kids will always behave at the grocery store. No way will I post pictures of my kids to Facebook. And we’d also like to add to the list, “I’ll never buy a…

After a life-altering diagnosis like Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, it’s important to stay active. The person diagnosed with dementia might withdraw from activities he or she used to enjoying, even though continuing with those activities can help improve quality of life and may slow the loss of some cognitive function, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Staying active can also ease some problematic behaviors, such as wandering or agitation. You have an important part Caregivers play a crucial role in helping people with dementia remain active. Here are 10 tips for caregivers to keep their loved ones engaged: Keep…

Your child is growing and you need to make sure they’re up-to-date on all of their immunizations. Here are six appointments your child should not miss:

We admit, despite not being the best thing for you, we are suckers for a good bag of instant rice or box of instant mashed potatoes. There’s just something about their simplicity. In the hectic flurry that usually surrounds dinner time, they are a godsend. And, according to Karah Stanley, registered dietitian at St. Elizabeth Physicians, you don’t need to feel too  guilty for indulging. Watch the video to learn more:

When e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that deliver nicotine through a vapor, first became popular, health professionals warned that not enough was known about the devices to deem them safe. After all, while many considered them to be safer  than traditional cigarettes because there is no smoke, only water vapor, they still contain nicotine and can still be just as addictive. Yet, e-cigarettes are marketed as a tool smokers can use to quit that can also be smoked in public. They also tend to be popular among teens and young adults. A new study out of the University of Southern California indicates…

A good carpenter takes care of his or her tools, knowing what a difference it’ll make on the job site. Likewise, people with diabetes should take care of their diabetes supplies ““ the “tools” they need to manage the disease and maintain their ongoing health. Here are five tips from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston for maintaining your diabetes supplies: Be nice to your glucose meter The gadgets are very sensitive to temperature, so don’t expose them to extreme heat or cold. That means not leaving the meter in your car when the temperature is going to reach one…

Are you sitting down? We have some news for you pumpkin spice lovers. Up until Starbucks’ announcement this year that it would begin making lattes with real pumpkin, the pumpkin spice flavor was (and still is at most other chains) composed of more than 300 elements and pumpkin is not actually one of them. Now that we got that off our chest, you can watch the video below to learn  what those 300 elements are that  make up the latte we all love so much. Spoiler: Not all 300 have to be used at once. Your brain will recognize the…

Is the balance between your work life and the rest of your existence out of whack? Do you always hope to leave the office at 5 p.m., but find yourself continuing to work hours beyond that, when others have gone home? We know that working overtime happens at times. But, if you answered yes to these questions and have been feeling stressed for a period of time, it may be time to speak with someone from your workplace’s employee assistance program, or another therapist, who can help you get your personal life back. Here’s another tip: Set some goals, and…

Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t just damage a person’s ability to remember. It also damages his or her ability to perceive information and act on it. As the disease progresses, a person’s judgment, behavior, sense of time and place, physical abilities and sensory abilities (vision, hearing, smell, etc.) are all impaired. Because of these changes, safety becomes a concern. People with Alzheimer’s tend to wander away from home, or they may do things like light a candle and forget about it, sparking a fire that could injure them or damage their home. Balancing freedom and safety Caregivers and family members have…