During the hustle and bustle of the holidays it is easy to overlook items in your home that could cause a poisoning. The number of poisoning incidents involving children typically increases during the holiday season. The Idaho Poison Center offers a few tips on how to keep your holidays safe this year: Continue reading
Several food safety alerts and recalls this season have made it difficult to know what’s safe to eat. Even though we can’t do much personally to control those national events except to pay attention and not consume recalled products, we can take some basic food safety actions, both as a guest and as a host, so we don’t add insult to injury. Nearly 1 in 6 Americans get sick each year from contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reducing that number by just 10 percent would keep nearly 5 million people from getting sick each year.
What is the most common cause of food poisoning?
There are more than 250 agents that can cause foodborne illness including viruses, bacteria, parasites, toxins, and foreign objects. Norovirus is the most common virus to cause food poisoning, while salmonella is the most common bacterial cause and results in more deaths than infections with other bacteria.
Are there certain foods we should avoid at gatherings?
Contaminated leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce, and undercooked poultry are the main culprits for foodborne disease. But illness can come from lots of different types of foods, including raw milk, raw eggs (as in eggnog), and undercooked meat. You should wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing, serving, or eating food, and always cook foods to a safe internal temperature. Also, be sure to thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before you serve or eat them. Continue reading
Now is a good time to be reminded about how important it is to do something very simple for your health: Wash your hands, and wash them often. It’s one of the best things you can do (besides getting immunized) to avoid getting sick or spreading germs to others.
Let’s start with the basics. When should you wash your hands?
After using the toilet is No. 1, but in general it’s a good idea to wash your hands when you get home or are preparing food or are ready to eat. You should also wash up before and after caring for someone who is sick, after changing a diaper, after holding or petting an animal, and after blowing your nose or coughing or sneezing into your hands.
Is there a right way to wash your hands?
There are essentially five steps to washing your hands the right way: Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse and Dry. You should use soap and water and rub your hands together to lather the soap. Be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails each time you wash. You need to vigorously rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, which also is the length of the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end, twice. Hum it to yourself and then rinse your hands under running water and dry them with a clean towel or allow them to air dry. Continue reading
Diabetes is a huge health problem for many Idahoans: Nearly 600,000 Idaho adults have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to learn what you can do to prevent the disease or get help managing it.
How do you find out if you have it?
The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults over the age of 45 be screened for diabetes every three years. Catching it early can prevent complications such as heart disease, stroke, and blindness. Many insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, will pay for the screening with the recommendation from a healthcare provider.
Is it possible to have prediabetes but still prevent type 2 diabetes?
Prediabetes happens when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. For some people, early diagnosis and intervention can return blood glucose levels to the normal range. People who have been diagnosed with prediabetes are eligible to participate in a Diabetes Prevention Program, which are offered throughout the state. The program will help you take charge of your health to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Find out your risk for developing prediabetes and learn more about the Diabetes Prevention Program by going to www.diabetes.idaho.gov. Continue reading
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is pleased to announce that a complaint investigation at Southwest Idaho Treatment Center has been completed, and the conclusion of the third-party survey team is that the complaint is unsubstantiated.
“I am so pleased to see our efforts recognized in the outcome of this survey,” said SWITC Administrator Jamie Newton. “We have been working diligently to update policies, procedures, and practice to address the issues we discovered in the summer of 2017. This is good news.” Continue reading
Mary Barinaga, MD, president of the Idaho Rural Health Association board, presents an Idaho Rural Health Hero Award to Mary Sheridan, bureau chief of Rural Health and Primary Care in the Division of Public Health, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Mary Sheridan was one of eight Idaho healthcare professionals to receive an Idaho Rural Health Hero Award at the Idaho Rural Health Association’s 2018 Annual Meeting and Awards Reception on Nov. 7.
The awards are given a week before National Rural Health Day in Idaho (November 15th) to recognize rural health educators, community advocates, healthcare providers and program administrators who demonstrate outstanding service and dedication to rural communities. Nominations described the many contributions of this year’s awardees as advocates, communicators, educators, collaborators and innovators.
Mary has been a key public figure in rural health policy and innovation since joining the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in 1995. She is a member of the Idaho Healthcare Coalition appointed by the Governor and winner of the 2017 National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Award. She is passionate about understanding rural health issues and seeking resources to help address unmet needs. Continue reading
The Great American Smokeout is one day each year when smokers are encouraged to make a plan to quit. Nov. 16 can be your day to begin that journey. It may be a difficult journey, but it’s worth it. Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. Quitting tobacco is the best decision you can make for your immediate health and for the rest of your life.
How many Idahoans smoke or use tobacco products?
About 14.5 percent of adult Idahoans smoke. And just over 9 percent of high school students between 9th and 12th grades smoke, with many beginning to use cigarettes as early as age 13. Nicotine in tobacco is so addictive, it’s difficult to stop once you start.
Why is it important to quit smoking sooner rather than later?
The benefits of quitting start immediately after you stop. After 20 minutes of not smoking, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. 12 hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. A year after quitting, the extra risk of a heart attack you’ve gained from smoking drops by half. And after 10-15 years of being cigarette-free, there is a substantial reduction in your risk for cancer or heart disease from smoking.
Are electronic cigarettes a good option to help a person quit?
E-cigarettes have no medically endorsed program to use them with, and some studies have shown that they don’t, in fact, help people quit smoking. Traditional nicotine replacement therapy is a much better choice because it helps a person kick the habit in a gradual, controlled way. Plus, it has been scientifically proven to be an effective intervention.
Are there benefits to a smoker’s family and friends when they quit?
Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including 50 known cancer-causing chemicals. Infants and children of parents who smoke are more likely to have ear infections and asthma, as well as more frequent lower respiratory problems such as coughs, pneumonia, bronchitis, and croup. Secondhand smoke also increases an infant’s risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Everyone who lives with a smoker has a 20-percent greater risk of developing lung cancer than people who don’t live with a smoker.
Where can a person go to get help?
Idahoans who want to quit can call 1-800-QuitNow to talk to a professional cessation coach or sign up online at ProjectFilter.org. When you sign up or call, a quit coach will help you decide which nicotine substitute, if any, is best for you. You can receive up to eight weeks of free nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges, mailed directly to your home, as part of your personalized quitting plan. You’ll also find lots of resources when you sign up, including eCoach forums and chats, and expert advice. The Idaho Careline, which you can reach by calling 2-1-1 anywhere in the state of Idaho, also has information about local programs to help you quit.
(A Closer Look At Your Health airs at around 6:50 a.m. most Tuesdays. This is an edited transcript from the Nov. 13 segment. Join us next week!)
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