What is a food allergy? A food allergy occurs when the immune system responds defensively to a specific food protein that is not harmful to the body. When that food is first eaten, the immune system responds by creating specific IgE antibodies. When the food is eaten again, the IgE antibodies go into action, releasing large amounts of histamines, which work to expel the food protein from the body. Histamines can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and cardiovascular…

What are allergies? Allergic disorders affect an estimated 1 in 5 adults and children (40 to 50 million people) and are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, according to the Allergy Report from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAI). Allergies are the immune system’s inappropriate response to a foreign substance. Exposure to what is normally a harmless substance, such as pollen, causes the immune system to react as if the substance were…

Why should I use cabinet locks? Cabinet locks are important to use if you have small children in your house. Many cabinets in your home contain medicines, household cleaning supplies, outside cleaning supplies and lawn and garden chemicals, or sharp objects that could cause serious injuries or even death if ingested or played with by a child. Typically, which cabinets or drawers are most in need of cabinet locks? Lock all cabinets that are located: In the garage In the shed In the…

How do I protect my eyes while playing sports? Americans love sports and they love to look fashionable. And we oftentimes insist that sports and fashion go together, sometimes to our own detriment. For while protective eye gear may never be the latest craze in tennis or baseball, think for a moment about the logic of not protecting our eyes. We wear helmets to protect our heads and pads and braces to protect our bones and joints, so why not take the extra step to protect our eyes? We take…

All bike riders should wear a bicycle helmet. Each year in the United States, approximately 800 bicyclists are killed and another 500,000 end up in hospital emergency rooms. About two-thirds of the deaths and one-third of the injuries involve the head and face. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury to bicyclists by as much as 85%. What safety information should I look for when purchasing a helmet? Look for the Consumer Product Safety Committee—the CPSC sticker—inside…

Soon you will be taking your baby home from the hospital. The best way to ensure that your baby arrives home safely is to use a safe and properly installed car seat. Every state has laws that require infants to ride in car safety seats. For the best possible protection, keep your infant in a rear-facing child safety seat in a back seat for as long as possible--up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. For many children, that will be 30, 35, or even 40 pounds. Many kids will be…

What is a toxic substance? A toxic substance is any chemical or mixture that is harmful to the environment, animals, or to human health if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. A poison is another name for a toxic substance that kills, injures or impairs a living organism. Toxic substances can be found in many of the common products used around the home, including: oven and drain cleaners laundry detergents floor and furniture…

Q. I’m planning a vacation on board a cruise ship. Should I plan on bringing my own medical kit and if so, what products should be included? A. It’s always wise to bring a medical kit with you on vacation, and especially for extended vacations. Even though you will be on board a cruise ship for a portion of your travel, you will be disembarking for day long or longer excursions at various ports of call. Therefore here are some suggested items to pack in your medical kit: Extra pair of…

Talk to Your Partner and Physician About Sexual Health Issues Sexuality is an integral part of being human. Love, affection, and sexual intimacy contribute to healthy relationships and individual well-being. But along with the positive aspects of our human sexuality, there also are illnesses, mixed emotions and unintended consequences that can affect our sexual health. An open discussion of sexuality issues is important to promoting sexual health and responsibility. More attention has been…

What is second-hand smoke? Second-hand smoke (also called passive smoke or environmental tobacco smoke) is the combination of smoke from a burning cigarette and smoke exhaled by a smoker. The smoke that burns off the end of a cigarette or cigar actually contains more harmful substances than the smoke inhaled by the smoker. This means that people who don’t smoke but are regularly around those who smoke are exposed to the health risks of cigarette smoking. How does second-hand smoke affect…

What is a drug allergy? A drug allergy is an allergic reaction to a medication. When the drug enters the body, it triggers a response by the immune system, which creates specific IgE antibodies (proteins made by the immune system to fight specific antigens). The body becomes sensitized, and when the drug is taken again, the IgE antibodies go into action, releasing large amounts of histamine that attempt to expel the drug from the body. What are the symptoms of drug allergy? Symptoms can…

1. Components of Good Health Personal history and prior illness Life style habits including: Diet - Mediterranean is best Exercise Tobacco use - Stop Alcohol use Safety belt use Safer sex practices 2. Evaluating a Person’s Future Risk of Disease Family history of inheritable diseases such as: breast cancer colon cancer diabetes hypertension Physical examinations to evaluate: blood pressure body mass…

Did you know... There’s only a 1 in 4000 chance that an antibiotic will help most acute upper respiratory infections. But there’s a 1 in 4 chance of diarrhea and a 1 in 50 chance of a skin reaction and a 1 in 1000 chance it’ll cause an ER visit due to some side effect. Antibiotics can also lead to more resistant infections that are harder to treat. Bottom line: There’s little to no benefit to taking antibiotics for most acute upper respiratory tract infections...and the downsides are…

9 Tips for Medication Safety Read all labels carefully. Know your drug and food allergies. Make a list of your medications and dosages. Keep this with you and update it as necessary. Eye drops, skin lotions, and vitamins are considered medications and should be included on your list. Also include any herbal products and over-the-counter medications. Make ALL health care providers aware of ALL the medications you are using. Give each a list of your current medications. Use pill boxes…

1. Pharmacy computers predict interactions between medications that may be harmful to your health; therefore, the consumer can depend on the pharmacist to alert them to all problems with their medications. True False 2. Vitamins and nutritional supplements are not considered medication; therefore, they cannot interact adversely with medications. True False 3. "Natural" and "herbal" are synonymous with "safe." True False 4. The effect of alcohol on medications is…

Tell your doctor: If you are allergic to any medications or have had an unusual reaction to any medication, food, or other substance If you are currently taking any other medications (including over-the-counter medications) or dietary supplements such as herbal preparations, vitamins, and minerals If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant If you are breastfeeding If you are following a special diet, such as a low-sodium or low-sugar diet If you have…

Anyone at any age can have a drinking problem. Great Uncle George may have always liked his liquor, so his family may not see that his drinking behavior is getting worse as he gets older. Grandma Betty was a teetotaler all her life—she started having a drink each night to help her get to sleep after her husband died. Now no one realizes that she needs a couple of drinks to get through each day. These are common stories. The fact is that families, friends, and health care professionals…

Why Exercise? Exercising is the single most important thing that you can do to keep yourself healthy and to delay the aging process. Keeping physically fit may add up to two to three years to an individual's life span. The benefits of exercise go far beyond improving cardiovascular fitness and pulmonary function. Exercise helps to: Control blood pressure Protect against diabetes Ward off depression, anxiety, and insomnia Enhance balance and strength (minimizing accidental…

Caring for Aging Family Members Today, nearly 100 million people in the United States have chronic conditions — from Alzheimer's disease to serious physical or developmental disabilities—and many of these conditions require 24-hour care. Further, a national survey conducted by the National Alliance for Caregivers and AARP estimates that 80 percent of all care received by older Americans is provided by family members, including spouses, children, grandchildren, or other relatives. As America’s…

Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. One in three people older than 60 and half of those older than 85 have hearing loss. Hearing problems can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, to respond to warnings, and to hear doorbells and alarms. They can also make it hard to enjoy talking with friends and family. All of this can be frustrating, embarrassing, and even dangerous. Do I Have a Hearing Problem? Ask yourself the following questions.…