Experts at Saint Agnes Healthcare recommend these 5 tips to help your child stay healthy:

• Visit the doctor. A check-up is a great way to make sure your child’s school year gets off to a healthy start. It’s also an opportunity to get a physical for your child, which is usually required for kids who will be playing a sport.
• Don’t skip the shots. Before your child walks into the classroom, make sure their immunizations are up to date. And don’t forget about the flu. It is recommended that all school-age children get the flu vaccine, unless they have an allergy to the vaccine or a health problem that will cause complications from the vaccine.
• Getting sleep schedules back on track. Before they head back to classroom, get your kids back on their school year sleep schedule. Start readjusting bedtimes several days or weeks ahead of time so children can get used to getting their shut-eye earlier. Parents should also encourage kids to cut back on time spent with screens and games in the evening.
• Good food=good health. A healthy diet is the fuel children need to succeed in the classroom. Make sure your child is eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and foods low that are low in fat and rich in protein, such as fish, eggs and beans.
• Wash away the germs. Encourage your child to wash their hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer. Clean hands go a long way in reducing the spread of germs and infectious diseases.

Find a primary care doctor.

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• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer. It grows very slowly and almost never metastasizes. According to the American Cancer Society treatment depend on factors such as the tumor size, location, a person’s age and general health.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common skin cancer. Most cases are easily treated; however, SCC is more likely than BCC to be invasive and metastatic. Treatment is to remove the tumor.
• Melanoma is less common than non-melanoma skin cancers, but it is also more dangerous. The CDC reports the estimated five-year survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99 percent in the U.S. The survival rate falls to 63 percent when the disease reaches the lymph nodes and 20 percent when the disease metastasizes to distant organs.

How can someone spot skin cancer? The earlier you find cancer, the higher the likelihood of successful treatment.

• A – Asymmetry – One half of the mole/skin spot is unlike the other half.
• B – Border – An irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border.
• C – Color – An uneven colored mole/spot with shades of tan, brown or black, or is sometimes red, white, or blue.
• D – Diameter – The mole/spot is larger than 6mm in diameter, about the size of pea.
• E – Evolving – One that changes size, shape, color, or looks different than the rest.

 What is the treatment for skin cancer?

Most skin cancers are removed surgically, by a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist. If the cancer is small, the procedure can be done quickly and easily.

 What is the most effective technique for treating most skin cancer?

Mohs micrographic surgery is considered the most effective technique for treating many basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), the two most common types of skin cancer. The Mohs procedure is done by a surgeon with special training. First, the surgeon removes a very thin layer of the skin (including the tumor) and then checks the removed sample under a microscope. If cancer cells are seen, another layer is removed and examined.

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Populations of children at an increased risk of drowning, include:

• African American children. The fatal unintentional drowning rate for African Americans was significantly higher than that of Caucasian children across all ages. The disparity is most pronounced among African American children between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, as they drown in swimming pools at rates nearly 6 times higher than those of Caucasian children.
• Children with autism who are prone to wandering. In fact, drowning is the cause of death for nearly 3 out of every 4 children with autism who wander off alone.

While these statistics are alarming, several practical steps can be taken to help reduce the risk of drowning. Doctors at Saint Agnes Healthcare offer the following layers of protection to help keep children safe in and around pools this summer:

WHEN NOT SWIMMING:

• Use barriers. Barriers, such as pool fencing, can help prevent young children from gaining access to the pool area without caregivers’ awareness. A four-sided isolation fence (separating the pool area from the house and yard) and standing at least 4 feet tall can help reduce a child’s risk of drowning by 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing. Having a self-closing and self-latching gate can serve as an added layer of protection.
• Use pool covers, alarms, and locks. Use pool covers that completely blanket the entire pool surface and do not allow space for a child to slip under or for water to accumulate on the surface. Use alarms to indicate whether someone is near the pool gate or swimming area. Exterior door alarms, door latches, window guards, doorknob covers cam also help to prevent children from entering the pool area unsupervised. Make sure members of the household remember to always close the door behind them.
• Remove all pool toys and empty wading pools when not in use. This can help to prevent children from being tempted to enter pool areas unsupervised.

WHEN CHILDREN ARE SWIMMING:

• Keep a close eye. Provide close, constant, undistracted supervision in and around water. With toddlers, practice ‘touch’ supervision—where you are within arm’s reach and close enough to touch them. While floatation devices can provide a sense of safety, they aren’t a substitute for adult supervision.
• Designate an adult to serve as a ‘Water Watcher’. No cell phone, no conversation, no alcohol. Commit to short ‘shifts’ and rotate duties with another designated adult ‘Water Watcher’. It is also good to have an adult on-site who knows CPR.
• Start swimming lessons ASAP, and as early as age 1. However, remember that children taking swimming lessons and experienced swimmers are not ‘drown proof’ and still require safety precautions.

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1. Include resistance and weight training – having more muscle helps you burn calories faster and it helps both men and women boost their metabolism. By adding resistance training at least twice a week for 20 to 30 minutes per session can help you maintain your muscle.
2. Find a meal plan that works best for you – for a typical middle-aged woman who is interested in losing weight, you need about 1,200 calories per day. A balanced diet plan, which includes lower carbohydrates is also highly recommended. It is best to have a consultation with a dietitian for a customized caloric intake that would encompass underlying medical conditions. 

Be patient – studies show that individuals seeking to lose weight should see a 5% to 10% difference in their weight within a year; if they stick to a consistent plan. If you are not satisfied with your results, consult with your physician about additional options

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The global study of 195 countries found that 11 million deaths were attributed to a poor diet in 2017. The study also showed a serious impact on the quality of a person’s life due to disease and disability caused by poor diets.

The study showed that not eating healthy foods like whole grains, fruit and vegetables is more important to a person’s health than eating too many unhealthy foods like sugary drinks and processed meat. Increased salt intake was the only dietary factor that contributed more to early death.

Providers at a Saint Agnes Healthcare advise to look beyond eliminating unhealthy food from one’s diet. Increasing the amounts of nuts, seeds and omega-3 fatty acids like those from fish can have a significant impact on your health and quality of life.

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Studies have shown that exercise along with proper nutrition usually provides the best results for individuals seeking to lose weight, but what are the best foods for you to eat? To help answer this question, some people are opting for the DNA diet. The DNA Diet is a digital weight loss program based on personalized diet and lifestyle resulting from DNA.

Although some have had promising results with The DNA Diet, there’s not a consensus around gene-based nutrition. When starting any new weight loss regiment, individuals should consult with their physician.

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Many people believe that arthritis is a disease that only impacts the older population, but that is not the case. The Arthritis Foundation says that an estimate 300,000 young people have some form the disease. Another myth is that arthritis can’t be prevented. While you can’t prevent arthritis, there are ways to reduce the risks including, watching your weight, being active, not smoking, and avoiding putting too much strain on joints.

If you are diagnosed with arthritis, there are medications that can effectively help reduce the discomfort caused by the disease. Making healthy lifestyle changes along with getting the sleep you need are also important factors.

If you start to experience symptoms of what you think might be the onset of arthritis, get to your doctor. Orthopedic surgeons at Saint Agnes Healthcare say treatment is more effective with an early diagnosis.

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William Kang, MD, orthopedic surgeon with Saint Agnes Medical Group, says it’s important that hip fracture patients get the proper follow-up treatment that could help prevent another fracture.

“After surgery, patients should have a bone density test, which can determine the strength of their bones. In addition, patients can benefit from an evaluation of their calcium and vitamin D levels.”

Dr. Kang also recommends patients should talk with their primary care doctor about medications that can help improve their bone health.

The post Not Again! Tips to Avoid a Second Hip Fracture appeared first on Saint Agnes Healthcare.

1. Monitor the weather forecast. Know how hot it is likely to be during your workout, prepare accordingly and dress appropriately.
2. Take time to get used to the temperature. This is especially critical if you are used to exercising indoors or in cooler weather. It can take a week or two to adapt to the heat, so don’t push too hard at first.
3. Be realistic about your fitness level. If you’re relatively new to exercise, be even more careful when exercising in the heat. Start slowly and take breaks.
4. Drink plenty of water (before you feel thirsty). Dehydration is one of the most significant factors in heat-related illnesses. Many people will wait until they feel thirsty to drink water, but you should hydrate before feeling thirsty. Sports drinks are not typically needed unless you are performing an intense exercise, and you should watch out for excess sugar content in them.
5. Exercise during non-peak hours. Workout during hours that are cooler, like the morning or evening, and exercise in shaded areas, if possible.
6. Wear sunscreen. Skin cancer can affect anyone and applying sunscreen has been proven to reduce one’s risk of developing skin cancer.
7. Pay attention to your body for warning signs of heat-related illness. Signs and symptoms of heat-related illness can include muscle cramps, nausea or vomiting, weakness, headache, confusion, and visual problems. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop exercising, get to a cooler setting, and hydrate to help bring down your body temperature.

The post 7 Strategies for Exercising Safely In The Summer Heat appeared first on Saint Agnes Healthcare.

Here are four things to know about stress fractures:

• A stress fracture is an injury of accumulation. Between everyday activities and exercise, our bones are under a lot of stress, so if you don’t give them long enough to catch up, they can break down instead of getting stronger.
• Stress fractures can happen anywhere, but often happen in hips and feet. Teenagers can be particularly susceptible to stress fractures in bones they use a lot, as they are still growing.
• Conditions that impact bone health can also increase the likelihood of getting a stress fracture. Conditions include thyroid diseases and renal diseases.
• Vegetarian or vegan diets can also have an impact. People on these diets can be more likely to get a stress fracture if they aren’t getting enough protein or certain nutrients like vitamin D and calcium.

Experts say senior citizens and those who live in northern climates may also be more susceptible if they are not ensuring they’re getting the proper amount of protein and nutrients.

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