Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

The Legionnaires disease outbreak captured news headlines,  first in New York’s South Bronx and now, perhaps in an unrelated case, in Cleveland. So far, 11 people have died, including  one in Cleveland, and 100 other cases have been diagnosed. Here’s what you need to know about the disease: What is Legionnaires disease? It’s a form of pneumonia. Patients, who may not show signs or symptoms until a couple of days after exposure, usually have a fever, chills and a cough. It is spread by breathing in a mist (or consuming infected water) which contains legionella bacteria. The disease is not…

If you haven’t been following the  recent controversy  surrounding Honest Company’s sunscreen, here’s a quick overview. Honest Company, owned by Jessica Alba, is under fire because a  sunscreen it manufactures  appears  to be ineffective. Customers across the U.S. are posting photos of their sunburned skin after using the SPF 30 product. The company promotes its products as “safe and eco-friendly.” The Food and Drug Administration says a third party independently verified the product as effective, but customers are disagreeing – loudly. So, why is this a problem right now? According to Forbes, the sunscreen was recently reformulated after  complaints…

Open a magazine or watch the evening news, and it won’t be long until you see something about the “obesity epidemic” that threatens to consume the average American. Now, for the first time in more than  40 years (as far back as data is available), Americans may finally be eating less. Calories eaten daily by adults and children are  decreasing across  all socioeconomic and racial classes. With more information about our food and its harmful effects available, it seems more Americans are aware what they’re buying for their families  and are making smarter choices. Great job – keep up the…

If you don’t stretch at all, you’re asking for an injury. But, the big question remains – should you do it before or after you exercise? Stretching before According to Greatist, stretching before a workout is crucial to avoiding injuries. That said, the “stretching” you did in gym class likely isn’t as effective as you think before your workout. Next time you workout, try a  “dynamic warm-up.” Use lunges, jumping jacks and high-knee runs to get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. Don’t give up on stretching after your workout, yet, though. Stretching after Although recent studies have…

In as little as two years, Type 2 diabetes damages the way blood flows to the brain. The negative changes are associated with lower scores on tests measuring cognitive skills and the ability to perform activities of daily living, a new study from Harvard University found. The small study, published July 8 in Neurology, found people with Type 2 diabetes experienced negative changes in their ability to regulate blood flow to the brain. “Normal blood flow regulation allows the brain to redistribute blood to areas of the brain that have increased activity while performing certain tasks,” study author Vera Novak,…

We’ve seen some great weather the past few  weekends. And, this weekend’s forecast is shaping up to be beautiful. If you’re looking for a fun way to get out and enjoy the sunshine, pack up the family and go canoeing. We looked up a few nearby canoe rentals and here’s what we found: Scenic River Excursions offers tours along the Little Miami River. Terrell’s Short Trip is 2.1 miles long (ideal for families with younger children), but they also have 6- and 9-mile trips  with plenty of places to stop and “beach” along the way. The short trip is $17/person,…

When you think about an ambitious person, you likely imagine someone who has a high income, a great job and more satisfaction at home and at work. In spite of  these perceived benefits, ambitious people can get a bad rap for focusing too much on their own success and using whatever means necessary to be successful – even if that means stepping on people in their way. If you want to be ambitious, or already consider yourself ambitious, here are some tips from Fast Company to have ambition  the healthy way: 1. Keep your goals to yourself, as sharing them…

Do you have to follow up every meal with something sweet? What about when you’re snacking at work – do you reach for a chocolate bar or  a handful of pretzels? If those sugary treats are your weakness, you’re stuck with a sweet tooth! Why do you prefer sugar? If you are looking for a reason behind your ice cream cravings and affinity for  gummy bears, you can start with your genes. According to  a recent study we saw on the TODAY show, folks with more intense sweet cravings have weaker taste receptors, meaning they need more sugar to satisfy…

Exercise is an important part of managing diabetes. But people who’ve been living with diabetes long-term develop complications related to diabetes that make some activities less safe than others. Get started the right way Remember to talk to your doctor or an exercise expert experienced with working with people with diabetes before you start an exercise regime. Also, test your blood sugar levels before and after activity. Here are a few exercise tips based on your diabetes diagnosis: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) Avoid activities that require heavy lifting, harsh, high-impact activities and anything that requires you to invert…

“Chunking” is something we all do to help with memorization, organization or to-do lists. We memorize phone numbers by putting  groups of numbers together. For example, 859-301-2570 is memorized like this: “859,” “301,” “2570”. It’s easier than memorizing it all together as “8593012570”. We organize our children’s clothes by size and season. And, we prefer to read a 500-page book with 20 chapters rather than two. Chunk your chores So, why not “chunk” your household chores and work projects? You can do this by tackling different tasks, one room at a time. Is the clutter in your garage about to…