News and Information
Take 3 Steps To Fight The Flu
1) Take Time to get a flu vaccine.
* CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and
most important step in protecting against this serious
disease.
* While there are many different flu viruses, the flu
vaccine protects against the three main flu strains
that research indicates will cause the most illness
during the flu season.
* The vaccine can protect you from getting sick from
these three viruses or it can make your illness milder
if you get a different flu virus.
* Getting a vaccine is very important for people at high
risk for serious flu complications, including young
children, pregnant women, people with chronic health
conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart or lung
disease, and people 65 and over.
* People who live with or care for those at high risk
should also get a flu vaccine to protect their high
risk contact.
2) Take everyday preventive actions.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough
or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use
it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially
after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners
are also effective.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* If you get the flu, CDC recommends that you stay home
from work or school and limit contact with others.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread
this way.
3) Take Flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them
* If you do get the flu, antiviral drugs are an
important treatment option. (They are not the
substitue for vaccination.)
* Antiviral drugs are prescription medication that fight
the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in
your body.
* Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make
you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious
Flu complications. This could be especially important
for people at high risk.
* For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started
soon after getting sick (within 2 days)
* Flu symptoms include fever (usually high), headache,
extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or
stuffy nose and muscle aches.
For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/flu or call
800-CDC-INFO
Chronic Insomnia
What is chronic insomnia?
Insomnia (in-SOHM-nee-uh) is when you have trouble sleeping. Chronic insomnia is when your sleeping problem lasts for four week or longer. This causes you to feel tired and have less energy. You may also worry about being able to sleep. Some people with insomnia fall asleep easily, but wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. 0thers may have trouble falling asleep when they first go to bed.
How is it treated?
Improving your sleep habits is the best way to treat chronic insomnia. Behavior therapy can help teach you about good sleep habits. This usually includes learning ways to relax and not worry as much about sleep. Some medical conditions (one example: depression) and medicines can also lead to chronic insomnia, so it is important to let your doctor know if you have other conditions. Talk to your doctor about behavior therapy versus medications for insomnia.
What can I do to help myself get better sleep?
Keep in mind that we need less sleep as we age. Some people need only five or six hours of sleep a night, but most people do better with seven or eight hours. Sleep usually occurs in three-hour cycles, so it is important to get at least three uninterrupted hours of sleep.
These tips can help you develop better sleep habits:
- Go to sleep only when you feel tired.
- Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex.
- Avoid reading, watching TV, or worrying in bed.
- If you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes, go to another room and return to your bed only when you feel tired. You may repeat this as often as needed during the night.
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day.
- Avoid napping, because it can disturb your normal sleep rhythm.
- Avoid caffeine from coffee and soft drinks, and nicotine from cigarettes late in the day.
- Avoid eating large meals or drinking a lot of water in the evening.
-Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature and as dark as possible.
- Set aside some time to relax before going to bed.
A good way to relax is to focus on your breathing by taking slow, deep breaths while counting to five. Then listen to the sound of your breath as you breathe out. You can also try to tighten and relax the muscle groups in your body, beginning at your feet and ending with your face muscles. A trained therapist can teach you other ways to relax. You can also listen to relaxation CDs or tapes,
Varicose Veins
Treatment Options
Conservative Measures
Compression: can provide relief (e.g., bandages, support stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devices)
Leg Elevation: may alleviate some symptoms in patients.
Lifestyle Modifications:
- avoid prolonged standing
- exercise
- less restrictive clothing
- reduction in cardiovascular risk factors
- reduction of peripheral edema
Weight Loss: may alleviate some symptoms in obese patients.
Other Measures
Endovenous or interventional therapy: randomized controlled trials comparing clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are lacking.
- Endovenous obliteration
- External laser therapy
- Sclerotherapy
Surgery: historically, the most widely recommended treatment option.
- Ligation
- Phlebectomy
- Stripping
Blood Pressure and Diabetes
Lifestyle Modifications for the Management of Hypertension in Patients with Diabetes
Limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men and one per day for women.
Implement the DASH diet (Daily Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
Each day eat:
- four to five servings of fruit
- four to five servings of vegetables
- six to eight servings of whole grains
Increase daily intake:
- 1250 mg of calcium
- 500 mg of magnesium
- 4700 mg of potassium
Limit daily intake of:
- cholesterol (less than 150 mg)
- saturated fat (less than 6% of daily calories)
- sodium (less than 2.4 g)
Engage in 30-45 minutes of moderately intense activity most days of the week.
Stop smoking to improve cardiovascular health
Lose weight, if necessary, to maintain a healthy body weight (i.e., Body Mass Index (BMI) of 19-25)
Cough & Cold Facts
It is estimated that Americans experience over one billion colds every year.
Children have between three and ten cold every year.
Adults typically have between two and four could each year.
Handwashing is the simplest and most effective way to keep from getting colds.
Heavy smokers get more severe cold, often accompanied by a severe cough.
Approximately one in ten US children use one or more cough/cold medications during a given week.
Around 95 million cough and cold products are purchased each year for ill children.
A cough can reach speeds of greater than 100 mph when leaving the mouth.
