Cancer

• "Studies suggest that eating more fruits and vegetables can eliminate about 20 percent of cancers."
• "Early detection, or finding out right away if cancer is present, gives the best chance to be cured."
• "Change in a wart or mole may signal potential cancer and must be addressed."
• "Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere may signal potential cancer and must be addressed."
• "The American Cancer Society recommends that females 20 years or older perform breast self examinations every month."
• "The American Cancer Society recommends that all women who are sexually active or over the age 18 have a Pap test annually with a pelvic examination."
• "The American Cancer Society recommends that males 50 years and older have a prostate examination (PSA and digital rectal exam) every year."
• "The American Cancer Society recommends that both males and females, 50 years and older have a Fecal Occult Blood test every year."
• "The American Cancer Society recommends that both males and females, 50 years and older have a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy procedure every 3 years."

Cardiac

• "Smokers who stop smoking reduce their heart attack risk 50 to 70 percent within five years."
• "If you exercise regularly, your heart attack risk is 45 percent lower than those who lead sedentary lives."
• "If you maintain your ideal weight, you have 35 to 55 percent lower heart attack risk than those who are 20 percent or more overweight."
• "Women on post-menopausal estrogen replacement therapy lower their risk of heart attack 44 percent, compared with that of non-users."
• "For each 1 percent reduction in your blood cholesterol levels, your heart attack risk decreases 2 to 3 percent."
• "Each one-point (1 mm Hg) decrease in your diastolic blood pressure produces a 2 to 3 percent decline in heart disease risk."

Children

• "Use cough syrup for children over four years old, and corn syrup (2 to 5ml) for younger children."
• "The three most common childhood allergies are hay fever, asthma and eczema. They're all related genetically and frequently run together in the same patient or the same family."
• "Since teens and young adults have a higher risk of complications from chickenpox infection, those who have not already had the infection are candidates to receive the VZV (Chickenpox) vaccine. It consists of two shots given at least four weeks apart."
• "It's important that all children receive two MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines. Experts say many teens have not received the second shot in the series."
• "Children should be in the back seat of a vehicle, in a rear-facing car seat, until they are at least 20 pounds or 1 and 1 year old."
• "Want to help allergy- and asthma- proof your home? Wash pillows, mattress pads, comforters, and stuffed animals weekly in hot (130-degree) water."
• "Want to help allergy- and asthma- proof your home? Avoid upholstered furniture and heavy curtains."
• "Want to help allergy- and asthma- proof your home? Prune trees and bushes around the house."
• "Want to help allergy- and asthma- proof your home? Check household plants for mold."
• "If children are playing in the sun for long periods of time, ensuring adequate hydration in the form of Gatorade, PowerAde or 10k to help replace electrolytes rather than carbonated beverages or juices."
• "Make sure your children wear helmets when riding a bicycle. Helmets should be worn with the chinstrap firmly buckled, flat on the top of the head-not tilted back. Head injuries cause approximately 75% of all bicycle fatalities."

Diabetes

• "Diabetics should look at their feet every day. Look for wounds, blisters, calluses, or anything out of the ordinary."
• "If you are a diabetic, make sure all your shoes are made of leather or fabric. Do not use any shoes that are made of vinyl. Vinyl doesn't allow the skin to breathe."
• "A diabetic should check his blood sugar in the morning BEFORE taking his medication."
• "Diabetics should call their doctor when their blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dL or greater than 250 mg/dL for three routine tests in a row. They may be getting too much or not enough medication, exercise or food."
• "Diabetics should store their insulin in a cool, dry place away from heat, sunlight or freezing temperatures."
• "Diabetics: If your blood sugar is over 400 mg/dL, notify your physician immediately."
• "Your blood glucose meter has a toll free number printed on the back. Call that number any time you suspect that your meter is not working properly."
• "When using a blood glucose meter, wash your hands using warm water before using the fingerstick to stimulate blood flow to the surface of the skin."
• "When using a blood glucose meter, use sides of fingertips for puncture sites to get blood samples for testing."
• "Diabetics: If you have any wounds or "bo-bo's" on your feet, ask your doctor how to care for them."

Exercise and Fitness

• "It generally takes two to four weeks for exercise to improve energy, depending on the person and how much he or she exercises."
• "A package of frozen vegetables makes a good ice pack; it is lightweight, conforms to injured area, and is inexpensive and reusable."
• "Staying well hydrated cannot be overemphasized. If the body becomes slightly dehydrated, muscles weaken and coordination is compromised."
• "Experts believe the three most common ailments helped by yoga and tai chi are depression, headaches, and chronic pain."

Mens Health

• "Studies show that men who eat more foods containing tomatoes or tomato sauce such as lasagna, pizza and spaghetti have a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer."

Nutrition and Weight

• "How do you tell the right food portions? Three ounces of meat, fish or poultry is about the size of a deck of playing cards. One medium potato is about the size of a computer mouse. One ounce of cheese is about the size of four dice."
• "A high-fiber diet should consist of at least 25 grams a day of fruits, vegetables and cereals."
• "Despise milk and broccoli? Try getting your recommended daily calcium intake this way; calcium-fortified antacids, whole-grain waffles, chewable supplements, dried figs, calcium-fortified orange or grapefruit juice, sunflower seeds, cornbread."
• "Potassium helps lower blood pressure, reduces the risk of stroke, maintains fluid balance, prevents muscle cramping and reduces calcium loss. Eat bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew melons, nectarines, strawberries, oranges, watermelon and grapefruit."
• "Grains fill you up, not out, because gram for gram, carbohydrates contain less than half the calories found in fat."
• "On average, one slice of bread contains 1 gram of fat and 75 calories, the majority of which come from complete carbohydrates."
• "To supplement fiber intake, mix and match white bread with a variety of other breads (honey, whole wheat or oatmeal), as well as breakfast cereals, fruits and vegetables."
• "The Food Guide Pyramid recommends a range of 6 to 11 servings of grain food daily; 6 servings for older adults and sedentary women; nice for busy kids, teenage girls, active women and sedentary men; 11 servings for teenage and active men."
• "A diet high in produce can reduce blood pressure, a key risk factor in heart disease."
• "Switch vegetable juice for water in soups and stews to add more produce to your diet. Use spinach or Swiss chard leaves instead of iceberg lettuce on sandwiches.
• "An ideal breakfast is high in carbohydrates, has some protein and fat, and provides about one-fourth of your daily calories."
• "It isn't necessary to add salt when boiling water for pasta. For subtle flavor, add fresh lemon juice instead."
• "The best sources of calcium are milk and milk products; an 8-ounce glass of milk provides between 275 and 300 mg. of calcium."
• "Low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese and leafy greens such as broccoli are great calcium-rich foods."

Stroke

• "While age or family history can increase your chances of having a stroke, there are some things you can do to reduce the risk; stop smoking, control your blood pressure or diabetes, take medication if you've ever had a transient ischemic attack (TIA), use alcohol in moderation if at all, exercise regularly, consider vascular surgery if recommended and control your weight and cholesterol levels."
• "A stroke can happen very rapidly; so it's important to get medical care quickly to slow further swelling of blood cells. If you suspect that someone has had a stroke, get immediate emergency treatment even if they seem fine a few minutes later."
• "Sweat-induced workouts, done once a week, are thought to lower men's risk for stroke by 21 percent."
• "Potassium, found in spinach and tomatoes as well as citrus fruits and bananas, substantially reduces the risk of stroke."
• "The risks of stroke doubles each decade after age 55."

Summer Safety

• "If parents are going out of town and leaving a child with a caregiver, you have the option to sign emergency consent forms at the local emergency rooms prior to your trip."
• "Make sure your child's car seat is secured properly. Call us at 337-289-7777 to schedule a free inspection check."

Sun/Exposure

• "It's good to know when choosing sunglasses that gray, followed by green, lenses have traditionally been considered best because they distort colors the least.
• "If you spend a great deal of time in the sun, use a sunscreen with an SPF number of 15 or higher."
• "To get the full benefit from sunscreen, apply the equivalent of one ounce for full-body coverage or one-quarter of a standard-sized tube."
• "Sunglasses shouldn't skip down your nose. When glasses slip even just a fraction of an inch from the forehead, about 20 percent more UV rays enter the eyes."

Womens Health

• "The American Heart Association recommends women take five steps to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke; don't smoke, eat a diet low in saturated fat, have your blood pressure checked, be physically active, and ask about hormone replacement therapy if past menopause."
• "The National Center for Health Statistics put life expectancy for women at 78.8 years in 1990. That compared to 77.4 a decade earlier, 74.7 in 1970, just over 73 in 1960, right at 71 in 1950 and 65.2 in 1940."
• "Hormone replacement therapy helps protect menopausal women against increased risks for heart disease and osteoporosis and may help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease."