Health Meditations

December Health Reminders

The Christmas season has arrived and there are a few key health reminders to keep in mind:

You need to stay fit while you feast.
You need to make sure that the toys and gifts you buy are safe.
You need to celebrate the Christmas season without jeopardizing your financial health.

I will share some thoughts on each of these topics in the days ahead.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

November Health Reminders

November's health reminders include:

• American Diabetes Month
• Diabetic Eye Disease Month
• Foot Health Issues Related to Diabetes Awareness Month
• Lung Cancer Awareness Month
• Great American Smokeout on November 19, 2009
• Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
• National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
• National Family Caregivers Month
• National Healthy Skin Month
• Prematurity Awareness Day
• National Adoption Month

Look for more information on these health reminders in the weeks to come.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

October Health Reminders

October's health reminders include:

Eye Injury Prevention Month  the better to see you with
Healthy Lung Month  watch wear and what you breathe
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month  get your mammogram
National Dental Hygiene Month  dental care is primary care
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month don’t hide it and don’t ignore it
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month  risk factors
National Physical Therapy Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month  folate
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month  risk factors
"Talk About Prescriptions" Month  ask questions

Each one of these health reminders deserves a posting.  So look for more info on each one in the weeks to come.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

September Health Reminders

September's health reminders include:

• America On the Move's Steptember Campaign
• Fruit and Veggies—More Matters™ Month
• Whole Grains Month
• Healthy Aging® Month
• National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
• National Cholesterol Education Month
• National Sickle Cell Month
• Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
• Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• Sports and Home Eye Safety Month

Each one of these health reminders deserves a posting.  So look for more info on each one in the weeks to come.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

August Health Reminders

As you enjoy the rest of the summer, you need to remain mindful of your health.  Here are a few health reminders for the month of August.

Cataract Awareness Month
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.  If you or an older loved one is having trouble with their vision it’s time for an eye exam.  See your eye care professional ASAP.

Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
It's difficult for children to do well in school if they cannot see clearly.  Make sure any child in your care has 20/20 vision.  When you take them for their back-to-school physical, make sure they get an eye exam.  If your child needs glasses, make sure they wear their glasses and take proper care of them.  Also, make sure children wear the appropriate protective gear for hobbies and recreational activities.

National Immunization Awareness Month
A back-to-school physical includes an immunization review and update.  But immunizations aren't just for kids.  Adults need a tetanus booster shot every ten years and a flu shot every year.  Ask your doctor if your immunizations are up to date.

Psoriasis Awareness Month
Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. You usually get them on your elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms and feet, but they can show up on other parts of your body such as fingernails, toenails, genitals, and inside the mouth. A problem with your immune system causes psoriasis. In a process called cell turnover, skin cells that grow deep in your skin rise to the surface. Normally, this takes a month.  With psoriasis, it happens in just days; because your cells rise too fast, they pile up on the surface.

Psoriasis usually occurs in adults.  It sometimes runs in families.  Psoriasis can last a long time, even a lifetime.  Symptoms come and go. Things that make symptoms worse include infections, stress, dry skin and some medications.  Treatments include creams, medications and light therapy.  If you think you have psoriasis, see your doctor ASAP.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

July Health Reminders

July is a month for celebration.  In the United States, we celebrate our independence and we celebrate summer.  You need to celebrate in safety.  In future postings, I will share come recommendations for:

• Sun Safety
• Heat Safety
• Water Safety
• Food Safety
• Motor Vehicle Safety
• Fun Safety
• Healthy Eating

Enjoy your summer in safety and in good health!

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

June Health Reminders

There are several health reminders associated with June.  They include:

• Home Safety Month

• Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
• National Scleroderma Awareness Month
• National Scoliosis Awareness Month
• National Men's Health Week (June 15–21, 209)

The reminder that will get the most attention this month is Mens Health Week.  In future postings, I will share some suggestions on the actions men can and should take to stay healthy.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

May Health Reminders

May is packed with monthly health reminders.  Get healthy and stay healthy so you can enjoy the beautiful warm weather.

American Stroke Month
A good way to guard against having a stroke is to control your blood pressure.  Have your blood pressure checked regularly.  Reduce your salt intake.  Maintain a body mass index in the normal range.  Exercise daily.  If you take medication for high blood pressure, take it according to your doctor's directions.

National High Blood Pressure Education Month
Education about high blood pressure starts with knowing your own blood pressure.  Have your blood pressure checked regularly.  If you have high blood pressure, speak with your doctor about what you can do to keep it under control.  Follow your doctor's instructions.

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
April showers bring May flowers.  But those May flowers can aggravate asthma and allergies.  If you have asthma or allergies, take prescribed medication as directed by your doctor.  Avoid your asthma or allergy triggers.  If you have asthma, make sure you have an asthma action plan.

Clean Air Month
You should keep our air clean every month, not just during May.  Use public transportation whenever possible.  And don't smoke. 

Healthy Vision Month–Refractive Errors
Have your eyes checked regularly.  If you wear glasses or contact lenses, make sure your prescription is up to date.

Hepatitis Awareness Month
Keep your liver healthy.  Speak with your doctor about getting vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.  There is no vaccination for hepatitis C.

Lupus Awareness Month
Lupus is an autoimmune disease.  Lupus is not contagious, infectious, or malignant. It usually develops in young women of childbearing age, but men and children also can develop lupus. Lupus can run in families, but most cases of lupus occur sporadically.  Lupus can range from mild to severe.  Severe lupus can cause significant and potentially fatal damage to vital organs such as your lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain.  If you have lupus, follow your doctor’s instructions for treatments and check ups.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that features a skin rash, swollen joints and flu-like symptoms. You get the disease from the bite of an infected tick.  As you enjoy the great outdoors, protect yourself against Lyme disease: 

• Use an insect repellent on exposed skin to repel mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other arthropods.  When using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and then repellent. Repellent should be washed off at the end of the day before going to bed.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts which should be tucked in, long pants, and hats to cover exposed skin. When you visit areas with ticks and fleas, wear boots, not sandals, and tuck pants into socks.
• Inspect your body and clothing for ticks during outdoor activity and at the end of the day. Wear light-colored or white clothing so ticks can be more easily seen. Removing ticks right away can prevent some infections.
• Apply permethrin-containing or other insect repellents to clothing, shoes, tents, mosquito nets, and other gear for greater protection. Permethrin is not labeled for use directly on skin. Most repellent is generally removed from clothing and gear by a single washing, but permethrin-treated clothing is effective for up to 5 washings.

Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in this country. About one million Americans develop skin cancer each year.  The best way to prevent skin cancer is to protect yourself from the sun. Also, protect children from an early age. People of all ages should limit their time in the sun and avoid other sources of UV radiation:

• It is best to stay out of the midday sun (from mid-morning to late afternoon) whenever you can. You also should protect yourself from UV radiation reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice. UV radiation can go through light clothing, windshields, windows, and clouds.
• Wear long sleeves and long pants of tightly woven fabrics, a hat with a wide brim, and sunglasses that absorb UV.
• Use sunscreen lotions. Sunscreen may help prevent skin cancer, especially broad-spectrum sunscreen (to filter UVB and UVA rays) with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. But you still need to avoid the sun and wear clothing to protect your skin.  Stay away from sunlamps and tanning booths.

Mental Health Month
Mental health covers a broad range of topics, including:

• Anxiety Disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders)
• Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Illness)
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Panic Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia
• Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)
• Suicide Prevention

Mental health disorders occur in children and adolescents and men and women of all ages.  Treatment includes psychotherapies and medications.  If you think you have a mental health challenge, get help.  Speak with doctor.  Ask your doctor about affordable mental health services in your area.

National Arthritis Awareness Month
If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or if you have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis.  Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints.  Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin.  If you think you have arthritis, speak with your doctor.

National Bike Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
If you know how to ride a bike, ride your bike in May.  It's an excellent way to get physically fit.  It's good for your body and good for the environment.

National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
To prevent osteoporosis, you need to consume enough calcium and vitamin D, and you need to do weight bearing exercise regularly.  There are also medications that decrease bone loss in women who are post-menopausal.  Speak with your doctor about what you can do to prevent osteoporosis.

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
The only truly safe sex is the physical intimacy that occurs between a man and a woman in the context of the covenant relationship called marriage.  Talk with your children early and often about sex and its proper context, and be specific.  Age-appropriate conversations about relationships and intimacy should begin early in a child's life and continue through adolescence.  Parents and kids should be talking about sex and love all along.  This applies to both sons and daughters and mothers and fathers. 

Better Sleep Month
Restful sleep is essential for good health.  If you are having trouble sleeping, speak with your doctor about good sleep hygiene.

National Women's Health Week: May 10–16, 2009
National Women's Check-up Day: May 11, 2009
Celebrate Women's Health Week and Women's Check-up Day.  Make an appointment to see your doctor.  Get checked from head to toe.  Commit to making the lifestyle changes that will get you into good health and keep you there.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

April Health Reminders

April brings showers of monthly health remnders.  Don't be an April fool.  Take care of your health.

Alcohol Awareness Month
If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.  Do not drink and drive.  If you do not drink, volunteer to be the designated driver.  If you think you have a problem with alcohol, speak with your doctor.  If someone you love has a problem with alcohol, pray. Then seek the help of a support group in your area.

Cancer Control Month
The best way to control cancer is to reduce your risk through prudent lifestyle choices.  If your risk factors are beyond your control, such as age, gender or family history, you can control cancer by finding it early and getting the necessary treatment.  Speak to your doctor about the cancer screening tests that are right for you.

Foot Health Awareness Month
It's important to keep your feet healthy, especially if you have diabetes.  Don't walk around barefoot.  Dry your feet thoroughly after you bathe, especially between your toes.  Be careful when clipping your toenails; if you can't clip your toenails yourself, see a podiatrist regularly.  If you have diabetes, see a podiatrist at least once a year.  If you keep your feet healthy, you will always be ready to put your best foot forward.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
Irritable bowel syndrome is also called nervous indigestion, spastic colon, intestinal neurosis, functional colitis, irritable colon, mucous colitis, laxative colitis and IBS.  This condition involves a combination of abdominal pain and alternating constipation and diarrhea.  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can occur at any age, but often begins in adolescence or early adulthood. It is more common in women. Risk factors may include a low-fiber diet, emotional stress, use of laxatives, having had infectious diarrhea, or other temporary bowel inflammation.  If you think you have IBS, see your doctor.

National Autism Awareness Month
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), cause severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. These disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and range from a severe form, called autistic disorder to a much milder form, Asperger syndrome. They also include two rare disorders, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder.  Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child.  In some cases, the baby seemed "different" from birth, unresponsive to people or focusing intently on one item for long periods of time. The first signs of an autism spectrum disorder can also appear in children who had been developing normally. When an affectionate, babbling toddler suddenly becomes silent, withdrawn, self-abusive, or indifferent to social overtures, something is wrong.  If you notice a sudden change in your child's behavior, see your pediatrician as soon as possible.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Every child is a precious, priceless treasure.  There is no reason or excuse to tolerate child abuse.  If you suspect that a child you know is being abused, report it immediately.

National Donate Life Month
When you donate an organ, you give the gift of life.  Consider being an organ, eye or tissue donor.

National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that most commonly affects your lungs, lymph nodes, eyes or liver.  Tiny clumps of inflammatory cells develop in different areas of your body.  It may be so mild that you don't know you have it, or it can be severe enough to compromise organ function and do lasting damage.  You symptoms will vary, depending on which organs are affected.  No one is sure what causes sarcoidosis.  It affects men and women of all ages and races worldwide.  However, it occurs mostly in people ages 20 to 40, African Americans, especially women, and people of Asian, German, Irish, Puerto Rican and Scandinavian origin.  If you have concerns about sarcoidosis, speak with your doctor.

National Youth Sports Safety Month and Sports Eye Safety Month
It's important for young people to be physically active.  When your children participate in sports and recreational activities, make sure they have the right equipment to protect against head injury, eye trauma and other harm.

Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Whether you are at work or at play, your eye health and safety is important.  Get your eyes examined regularly and wear protective eye gear when appropriate.

STD Awareness Month
It's not enough to be aware of sexually transmitted diseases.  You need to avoid them.  You will avoid sexually transmitted diseases if you only engage in sex with your spouse.  If you have sex in any other context, you do so at your own risk.

More health reminders in May.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

March Health Reminders

In the northern hemisphere, March is the transition from winter to spring.  As you make the transition to warmer weather, don't lose track of your health.  Here are some important health reminders for March:

National Nutrition Month
Increase your nutritional knowledge.  Learn how to read food labels.  Use your nutritional knowledge to improve your eating lifestyle.

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
No one knows for sure what causes colorectal cancer. There are, however, certain risk factors that can increase your chances of getting or dying from colon cancer.  Speak with your doctor about your risk factors for colon cancer.

National Endometriosis Awareness Month
Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows somewhere else.  It can grow on the ovaries, behind the uterus or on the bowels or bladder. Rarely, it grows in other parts of the body.  This "misplaced" tissue can cause pain, infertility and very heavy periods.  The cause of endometriosis is not known.  If you have concerns or questions about endometriosis, speak with your doctor.

National Kidney Month
Healthy kidneys clean your blood by filtering out wastes and excess water.  They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy.  When both of your kidneys fail, your body retains fluid.  Your blood pressure rises.  Harmful wastes accumulate in your body.  And your body doesn't make enough red blood cells.  When your kidneys fail, you need dialysis and other treatments to replace the work of your failed kidneys.  Speak to your doctor about keeping your kidneys healthy.

National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between your brain and your body.  No one knows what causes MS. If you have questions or concerns about MS, speak with you doctor.

Save Your Vision Month
Speak with your doctor about how often you need a complete eye exam.

Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month
Eye injuries can result in missed workdays and temporary or permanent vision loss.  The right eye protection can reduce and prevent injuries.  If you work in an environment with eye safety hazards, take precautions to protect your vision.

More health reminders in April.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA