The CDC estimates that each year 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Pregnant women, young children, older adults
and people with immune systems weakened from medical conditions are at highest risk from foodborne illnesses.
Keeping your family safe from foodborne illness at home is all about practicing good food handling procedures. Here are some tips to keep your food safe.
Skin cancer rates have been rising in the US and it has become the most common cancer in young people. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk, including using sunscreen, wearing UV protective clothing and avoiding indoor tanning.
Early detection of skin cancer is also important. Examine your skin on on your entire body for suspicious spots or changes to moles at least once a month. Be especially suspicious of new moles. Taking photos of moles can help you monitor them for changes over time.
Dermatologists look for particular features in skin referred to as the ABCs of skin cancer. The ABCDEs are important characteristics to be aware of when examining your skin for moles and other growth, here's what to look for:
A is for Asymmetry
Normal moles are symmetrical, with both sides looking the same. If they do not look the same on both sides, have it checked by a dermatologist.
B is for Borders
If a mole does not look circular, or is irregular with bumps, ragged or blurred edges, have it checked by a dermatologist. Melanoma lesions often have uneven borders.
C is for Color
Normal moles are usually a single shade of color. Look for areas of uneven or multiple colors. Moles with shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white, or red should be checked by a doctor.
D is for Diameter
A mole should be checked by a doctor if it is larger than 6mm – about the size of the eraser of a pencil.
E for is Evolution
If a mole is shrinking, growing larger, changing color, causing irritation or bleeding – it should be checked. Melanoma lesions often grow in size or change in height rapidly.
If you find a mole or spot that has any ABCDE's see a doctor. Your doctor may want remove a tissue sample from the mole to perform a biopsy.
With the arrival of warm summer weather in Minnesota comes the increased risk for diseases spread by mosquitos, ticks and fleas. Minnesota is a particularly high risk state for tick-borne diseases, with the second highest number of disease cases. Between 2004 and 2016, there were 26,886 tick-borne disease cases in Minnesota, according to CDC data. While Lyme Disease is the most common disease spread by ticks, spotted fever rickettsioses, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis/ehrlichiosis have all seen cases rise in the last decade.
Here are some tips for reducing your risk of contracting tick-borne illnesses.
If you get a rash or a fever, let the doctor know if you may have been exposed to ticks, even if you don't remember having a tick bite.
A migraine is headache that can include throbbing pain, nausea and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. They affect as many as 12 percent of the population and can be debilitating, leaving sufferers unable to function normally.
Migraines can be triggered by a number of factors, including:
Kidney stones are a common condition that will affect 1 out of 10 people at some point in their lives, most likely past the age 40. While the hard deposits of minerals and acid salts that stick together in concentrated urine and pass through the urinary tract can be very painful, they usually don't cause permanent damage.
The most common symptoms are severe abdominal pain and nausea, but may also include:
You should see your doctor is you experience any of the following symptoms:
Taking pain relievers and drinking a lot water can help alleviate the pain and pass the stone. If the stones cannot be passed, medical procedures may be needed to break up larger stones.
Treatment includes pain relievers and drinking lots of water to help pass the stone. Medical procedures may be needed to remove or break up larger stones.
Dietary factors, including high levels of vitamin D and Oxalate, which is a naturally occurring substance found in food and produced by the liver. A diet that is high in protein, high levels of sodium and sugar may increase the risk for certain types of kidney stones.
According to the Mayo Clinic, kidney stones can be successfully treated by analyzing urine samples in the lab and pinpointing the cause. With dietary changes and in some cases medication, the risk of new stones developing can be reduced by 90%.
Several dietary changes are known to help reduce kidney stones, including:
In Minnesota we pride ourselves on being able to survive our long, cold winters. We know how to dress warm and plan for emergencies when we are away from home. Even with the forecast of sub-zero temperatures, emergency rooms always see a steady flow of visitors suffering from everything from frost bite to broken bones from falls on icy sidewalks. Here are some safety steps you can take to ensure that you stay safe during the frigid winter months.
By far the most common injury during the winter months is from slipping and falling on ice. Even if a surface looks ice-free, black ice and ice hidden under snow can cause a sudden loss of traction. When walking in icy conditions keep your center of gravity over your front leg, take short, deliberate steps, and keep your hands out of your pockets to maintain balance. If you do lose your balance, although it seems counterintuitive, try to relax and distribute your body weight to avoid taking the force of the fall on your arms or wrists.
If you're running or exercising outdoors during the winter, consider wearing traction devices, like cables, on your shoes for extra traction on icy surfaces.
Shivering is your body's signal that your body temperature is dropping. You’re not at risk yet, but you need to take steps to avoid hypothermia and a dangerously low body temperature. Look out for these warning signs:
In that case, get out of the cold immediately and seek a warm place. Get out of wet clothes. Bundle up in warm blankets.
Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. Mittens that keep the fingers together are warmer than gloves. Wear a hat that covers your mouth to protect your lungs.
Pay attention to your body's warning signals that indicate your extremities are getting too cold. If you feel tingling and pain, immediately take steps to warm up. By the time the tingling turns to numbness, you're experiencing frostbite, and a medical emergency.
Most people think of frostbite as only being a risk to fingers and toes, but the ears and nose are also vulnerable, so be sure to insulate and protect your face.
Winter in Minnesota means less daylight, snow, ice and frigid temperatures. It's understandable that many of us want to stay indoors and hibernate. Thankfully, there are options for staying physically active during the winter. The key is to just keep moving and have a consistent schedule of activity.
Many communities in the Twin Cities offer outdoor recreation opportunities that are prefect for staying in shape. Try cross-country or downhill skiing, snowboarding, or just take a hike through the woods with snowshoes.
If you exercise outside in the winter, whether running, walking or biking, be sure to wear reflective clothing and a headlamp. Stay in well-lit areas and avoid areas where you don't feel safe. Wear a waterproof outer layer and other layers made of wool or polypropylene — wool socks, waterproof shoes, a warm hat, and mittens. Know your limits and ensure that you have good traction on slick surfaces.
There are many forms of exercise you can do at home, even if you don't have a stationary bike or treadmill. Try 15 to 30 minutes of squats, jumping jacks, push-ups and sit-ups. In most cases that's all you will need to stay healthy at fit.
If you prefer to work out in a social setting, the gym or health club can offer a feeling of camaraderie along with an almost unlimited number of activities from yoga and martial arts to tennis and indoor soccer.
At work, try a walking meeting, climb the stairs and take a walk during lunch to get your heart rate up.
Gathering around with with family during the holidays can bring real joy. However, during cold and flu season, it can also mean spreading germs. Germs can spread quickly and before you know it, the whole house is sick. Here are some tips to limit your risk of catching the cold or flu.
To help keep your immune system healthy, it's important to get enough sleep each night. For adults this is around 7-9 hours. If you're feeling stressed or rundown, take timeout to rest. Exercise can also help keep your body and mind feel less worn down during the holidays.
Because germs are often spread by touch, regular hand washing is the best defense against illness. Scrub your hands thoroughly for at least 30 seconds with warm soapy water. Wash your hands before and after preparing food and eating and after contact with bathrooms.
When hand washing isn't an option, hand sanitizers containing alcohol can be helpful in killing most germs on your hands.
If you do catch a cold or flu, stay home from work and avoid contact with other people as much as possible. Cough or sneeze into your elbow, or use tissues. Wash your hands regularly.
The best way to prevent getting the flu is to get a flu shot every year. Because each year's flu strain is different, a flu shot is designed to protect you from the strains that are most expected.
If you do become sick during the holidays, Parkway Family physicians is here to help.
The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine glands in your body. Located inside the neck right below the larynx, the thyroid plays an important role in producing the hormones that control nearly every function in the body. It plays a key role in a child's growth and controls your metabolism and weight level by regulating the fat-burning process.
When the thyroid stops functioning normally, hormone secretion can be thrown out of balance, leading to serious health consequences. Because hormones produced by the thyroid interact with other hormones, including insulin, cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, thyroid problems are associated with many symptoms and diseases. Serious health conditions like fibromyalgia, acne, eczema, infertility, and autoimmune diseases can occur when the thyroid gland is not functioning normally.
When your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, it's called hypothyroidism. Iodine deficiency is one cause of hypothyroidism.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
Untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to heart problems like atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, angina, and heart failure. Hyperthyroid women can potentially have difficulty giving birth.
There are several causes of hyperthyroidism. Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism and is caused when the immune system produces an antibody that stimulates the entire thyroid gland; this leads to overactivity and higher levels of thyroid hormones.
Cuts are one of the most common injuries that occur in the home. Knife accidents in the home were responsible for almost 330,000 hospital visits in 2011 alone. Whether it happens from cutting a tomato in the kitchen or using garden tools in the yard, cuts can range from a minor annoyance to a serious medical emergency. So how do you know if a cut can be safely treated at home or if professional medical attention is needed?
The doctor will clean out the wound to ensure there is no debris inside, and then close the wound to reduce the risk of infection and scarring.
In the U.S. heart disease remains the leading cause of death. Fortunately, many of the risk factors are well known and can be reduced by making healthy lifestyle choices and making sure that your blood pressure, cholesterol a weight stay at healthy levels.
Here are the top 7 ways to lead heart healthy lifestyle.
Even occasional smoking increases the risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking is the best way to lower your risk of cardiac arrest.
While some recent studies have shown limited health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, excessive alcohol consumption can put a strain on your heart. It is recommended that women drink no more than one drink a day and men no more than two drinks a day.
Regular physical activity is important for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. In addition to helping maintain a healthy weight, exercise can lower blood pressure, strengthen heart muscles and reduce stress.
If you have ever experienced lower leg pain after exercise or physical exertion, you're not alone. The cause is often a condition called shin splints.
Shin splints affect over 3 million Americans every year and are most commonly caused by overusing leg muscles to the point that they become irritated and swollen from micro tears in muscle tissue. Other causes include stress fractures, or tiny breaks in the lower leg bones. Overpronation or "flat feet" where the foot's arch collapses when stepping, and weakness in the stabilizing muscles of the hips or core.
To relieve the pain of shin splints, the best treatment is rest, ice, and over the counter pain relievers. When the pain first appears, ice your shin for 20-30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours to reduce pain and swelling. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or aspirin, can help with pain and swelling.
Rare cases shin splints are caused by a more severe stress fracture that may require surgery and physical therapy. If you're concerned about your leg pain, don't hesitate to give us a call.
Summer is here and for many families the calendar is filled with lots of outdoor activities. Because summer in Minnesota can mean an increased risk for certain injuries and illnesses, we've put together a list of health tips so you and your family can spend more time relaxing at the lake and less time at the doctor this summer.
After a long cold winter Minnesotans relish the nice hot days outside. However, the sun and heat can pose a real danger, particularly to young children and the elderly. Of course, the best protection from the sun is to avoid direct exposure, but the next best option is to wear light colored, UV protective clothing and a wide brim hat. Even when the sky is partly cloudy UV rays can be harmful, so use a suntan lotion with an SPF of 15 or higher, and remember to reapply it every two hours or after swimming. If you do get sunburn, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with the pain, while lotions containing aloe vera can cool and sooth red skin.
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are another danger that can come with outdoor activities. You can minimize your risk by taking frequent breaks from the sun and heat and staying hydrated with non-alcoholic beverages. Never leave young children or pets in a car unattended, even if you're just running a quick errand.
Because barbecue pose a real danger to children, they should never be left unattended. Teach children to stay away from grills. Many small, portable grills can be knocked over easily, so keep pets and kids away while cooking. It's also a good idea to keep a garden hose or bucket of water nearby. When cleaning a grill, avoid metal bristle brushes that can break off and be accidentally ingested with the cooked food.
While swimming in a cool lake or swimming pool is a prefect complement to a hot summer day, it's important that everyone know who is responsible for watching young children around water. Even if they know how to swim well, never allow a child to swim unattended. Don't assume that others are watching out for them. Children who cannot swim should have approved life jackets (not inflatable devices). If a child is missing near the pool, always look for them underwater first.
Children should never be allowed to play with firecrackers, rockets or other fireworks. While sparklers may seem harmless, but they can cause serious burns. Teach children to never pick up "duds" or fireworks that have failed to go off.
Protecting children from lead exposure is critical to ensuring healthy start. The most common source of lead exposure in U.S. homes built prior to 1978 is from lead-based paints and dust from paint. Children under the age of 6 years old are at higher risk because they are growing rapidly and tend to put their hands or other objects, which may be contaminated with lead dust, into their mouths.
If your home, a relative's home or daycare was built before 1978, assume that the paint contains lead unless it tests negative. If you're concerned about the possibility of lead contamination, most local health departments can assist with testing paint and dust in your home for lead. Pregnant women and young children who are at high risk of lead exposure should be tested for lead. Because the effects of lead exposure are irreversible and can cause lifelong learning and attention problems, its important to limit the risks of exposure during pregnancy and early in life.
Preventing Lead Exposure
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers these tips to prevent lead exposure in children.