Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Performer Robin Williams had a common, but tricky to diagnose form of dementia when he died in August. Autopsy results showed Williams had Lewy bodies dementia (sometimes called dementia with Lewy bodies or LBD), as well as Parkinson’s disease. LBD occurs when tiny clumps of proteins build up on brain cells. Like Alzheimer’s disease, a better-known form of dementia, it is progressive and fatal. LBD affects an estimated 1.3 million Americans, but it’s not well-known and can be difficult to diagnose, according to the Lewy Bodies Dementia Association. It can be confused with Parkinson’s disease, another degenerative brain disease with…

We brought you a story in December on the rising cases of whooping cough in Northern Kentucky. According to  WCPO.com, whooping cough cases have continued to reach “record levels” in Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties, mostly among school-age children from 7 to 17 years old. Public health officials are urging parents and children to get  vaccinated. Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. “Whooping cough starts just like an upper respiratory infection,” said Dr. John LaCount, a pediatrician with St. Elizabeth Physicians’ Florence office.…

You probably know osteoporosis is a disease that affects our bones, and you likely know calcium is a good way to fight it. But when you think of people diagnosed with osteoporosis, you probably aren’t thinking about men. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes weak or brittle bones because of bone loss ““ but it isn’t confined to women. While women are at greater risk for developing osteoporosis, men are not immune to it. So could you be at risk? Visit NPR to learn about your risk factors and the steps you can take to protect you bones from…

Only seven minutes for an intense workout sounds too good to be true, right? This article from the New York Times shows how different muscle groups can get more out of short interval-style exercises than an hour of low-impact workouts, such as walking or jogging. The specific workout outlined requires dumbbells and includes lunges, push-ups, burpees and curls. I know it sounds demanding, but a workout is meant to get your heart racing and burn calories. Recent articles have shown that interval-style exercise provides several benefits including increased endurance, decreased appetite and improved metabolic and cardiovascular health. If you’re a…

Looking for ways to show your support for local veterans this month? We found several organizations and initiatives you can take part in to give back and show your gratitude. Volunteering is a great way to make another person’s day better and teach younger family members the importance of saying “thank you” to our active military and veterans. Give your time or treasure Compass Retreat Center: helps welcome veterans to civilian life after their service ends. The organization offers programs, retreats, support groups and a sense of community for service members to heal and reconnect with other veterans, their friends…

You might think someone who is under hospice care would be confined to a bed. But that’s not necessarily so. Taking care of someone in hospice is about keeping the patient comfortable and maintaining the patient’s quality of life, not just end of life. Hospice provides care and support ““  both emotional and spiritual ““ to people in the last stages of a serious illness. It’s a specialized kind of care for those facing a life-limiting illness, not just cancer as some people think. But it also helps the family manage the details of caring for the seriously ill. People…

You know the right music can give your high-intensity workout a boost. But you may not know why ““ or how to improve your personal playlist. So, how does it work? Your body naturally responds to music rhythms, which you can use to your advantage. During an aerobic workout, your target heart rate should be around 170-190 BPM, which means the songs on your workout playlist should also be 170-190 BPM. For less intense workouts, like walking, songs with 120-140 BPM are ideal. Create your playlist Craft a playlist with music you already own or access apps and websites that…

We’ve all experienced those moments when we can’t recall the name of someone or something that we absolutely know we know. Most of us have gone on a scavenger hunt for our misplaced keys. From experience, it’s terrifying when I’m driving on autopilot and then suddenly reach my destination without realizing I was nearly there. These episodes are referenced by a variety of names: memory lapses, brain fog, senior moments, and in my family”brain farts. There are a variety of potential contributing factors to such episodes, such as: Sleep deprivation Stress Medications Chemotherapy Vitamin and nutritional deficiencies Disease processes…

The math is simple. This is how many grams of sugar you consume if you drink an average of one 12-ounce can of Coke, Pepsi or Mountain Dew each week/year: Coke: 273 grams of sugar per week, 14,196 per year Pepsi: 287 per week, 14,924 per year Mountain Dew: 323 per week, 16,817 per year “There is often so much emphasis on what people eat that what they drink can get lost,” says Angel Hall, practice manager at the St. Elizabeth Physicians Regional Diabetes Center in Covington, Ky. “Intake of sugary beverages can be among the greatest contributors to diabetes.…

Do you find yourself eating the same frozen entrees over and over at lunch? Or maybe you try to eat healthier so you reheat leftovers each day from the night before? Do your salads or sandwiches prepared at home look miserable and soggy at the office? Well it’s time to put down your plastic fork, turn off the microwave and throw away that wet lettuce. Bon Appétit has introduced 15 new ways for you to upgrade your lunch hour. These tips include actual recipes for easy lunchtime meals as well as tips to transport and enjoy your meal. If your…