Empowering You to Get Well, Stay Well and Live Well!

OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 2014ISSUE 4 VOL. 3

at homeHealthy Living

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Feeling Sick? It May Be Fall Allergies

The blooms of summer have faded and fall has arrived. While fall

allergy triggers are different, they can cause just as many symptoms as you have in spring and summer. Approxi-mately 10 to 20 percent of the public is allergic to ragweed, the most com-mon culprit of fall seasonal allergies. The biggest fall allergy trigger is rag-weed with the season often stretching from early August into November in many parts of the country. Even if ragweed doesn’t grow where you live, it can still travel for hundreds of miles on the wind.

Another fall trigger is mold. While we often think of mold growing in the basement or bathroom – damp areas of the house – mold spores also love wet spots outside. Piles of damp leaves are ideal breeding grounds for mold. Dust mites can trigger sneezes, wheezes and runny noses. Although common during the humid summer months, they can get stirred into the air the first time you turn on your heat in the fall.

There are some things you can do to ease fall allergy symptoms:

• Stay indoors when ragweed pollen is at its peak (10 am – 3 pm) and keep track of pollen counts in your area from sites like www.pollen.com.• In the fall have your heating and cooling ducts cleaned. Particles of mold and other allergens can get trapped in the vents over the spring and summer.• Use a high efficiency air filter (HEPA) in your heating/cooling systems to remove pollen and mold from the air. • Consider using a nasal rinse to wash away pollen and other airborne irritants to maintain proper sinus health. • Wear a mask if doing yard work, especially if raking leaves so not to breathe in mold spores.

Seasonal allergies don’t have to put a damper on your health. A bit of edu-cation and small action can go a long way to fight against allergies.

Sources: www.cpsc.gov www.nfpa.org www.kidshealth.org

Is it a Cold or Allergies?Telling the Difference Between Symptoms

Occurrence of Symptoms:Colds: Symptoms often appear one

at a time: first sneezing, then a runny nose, then congestion.

Allergies: Symptoms occur all at once.

Duration of Symptoms:Colds: Generally last from seven to

ten days.Allergies: Continue as long as a person is exposed to the allergy-

causing agent (allergen).

Sneezing:Colds: Less common than with

allergies.Allergies: More common than with

colds, especially when sneezing occurs two or three times in a row.

Fever:Colds: May be accompanied by fever.Allergies: Not usually associated with

a fever.

Source: www.medicine.net

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Connecting People, Community and Care

2

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Early detection plays a key role in the improved long-term survival and overall well-being of women with

breast cancer.

The National Cancer Society encourages women to make healthy lifestyle choices such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and reducing alcohol, if a woman drinks. These choices can help reduce their breast cancer risk. Numerous studies have clearly shown that getting a mammogram and a breast exam reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society’s current Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines recommend:

• Yearly mammograms at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health • Breast exams about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over • All women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and should report ANY breast change promptly to their doctor or nurse. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s. .Source: www.cancer.org

Upcoming EduCare Classes

Thursday, October 9th

11:30 am - 1 pmDoors open at 10:45 am

Museum of AviationCentury of Flight Hangar

Call 923-9771 to purchase tickets.

Tickets are $15 each(Includes lunch & gift)

LUNCH AND LEARN Coping with the Challenges of Lung Disease

Tuesday, October 711:30 am – 12:30 pm: FREE spirom-etry and blood pressure screenings12:30 – 1:30 pm: Lunch and Learn program1:30 pm: Better Breathers Club – new Support GroupPerry Hospital Cafeteria

Healthy Living for Life

Tuesdays Weigh-in: 4 pmClass: 4:30 – 5:30 pm Houston Health Pavilion EduCare Center 233 North Houston Road Warner Robins

Baby Care Boot CampCost is $5

Saturday, November 1 • 9 am – 1 pmHouston Health Pavilion EduCare Center 233 North Houston Road, Warner Robins

Healthy Holiday Snacks

Friday, December 12 • 11 am – noon Rozar Park, 1060 Keith Drive, Perry

For more information or to pre-register, call 923-9771 or register online at www.hhc.org/calendar.

Featuring

Dr. Ava BeaudoinRadiologist Specialized in Breast Imaging

- also -Guest Emcee,

Portia Lake, 13 WMAZ News Anchor

www.hhc.org

Connecting People, Community and Care

3

What You Should Know For the 2014-2015 Flu Season

Flu season is often unpredictable in a number of ways. While flu spreads every year, the timing, severity, and

length of the season varies from one year to another. Flu viruses are constantly changing so it is not unusual for new flu viruses to appear each year. According to the CDC, flu activity most often peaks in the U.S. in January or February and seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May.

The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu. In addition to getting vaccinated, the CDC recommends you take these everyday preventive steps:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs. • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. • Practice other good health habits such as getting

plenty of rest, managing stress, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating a nutritious diet. • If you are sick, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading flu to others. • Seek medical advice quickly if you develop flu symptoms to see whether you might need medical evaluation or treatment with antiviral drugs.

Encourage your friends and loved ones to get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available in their communi-ties, preferably by October. Vaccination is especially impor-tant for people at high risk for serious flu complications.Children younger than six months are at higher risk of serious flu complications, but are too young to get a flu vaccine. Safeguarding them from the flu is especially im-portant. If you live with or care for an infant younger than six months of age, you should get the flu vaccine to help protect them from the flu.

Source: www.cdc.gov

Diabetes is a Family AffairNovember is National Diabetes Month

Diabetes is a challenging disease that affects the entire family in

many ways. For people living with diabetes and their loved ones, fam-ily support is very important when it comes to managing diabetes and preventing serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, blind-ness, kidney disease, and nerve dam-age that can lead to amputation. It’s also important to know that having a family history of diabetes – such as a mother, father, brother, or sister with diabetes – increases a person’s risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Emotional StressWhen a family member is diagnosed with diabetes, emotional stress im-pacts the whole family. Spouses may feel stressed as they assist with new meal planning and medication man-agement. Children might feel anxious

about changes in family routines including additional doctor visits, daily blood glucose monitoring and expanded exercise routines.

Communication StressFamilies dealing with diabetes can suffer from communication chal-lenges. Parents whose adult children have diabetes may feel compelled to provide regular reminders about eat-ing, exercise and medications, causing the diabetic sufferer to feel scolded or nagged.

Financial StressDiabetes often adds a financial strain to families. With or without insur-ance, the extra costs of medication and doctor visits may be overwhelming. According to the American Diabetes Association, individuals with diabetes spend $4,100 more on annual medical

costs than individuals without diabetes. When someone in the family suffers from diabetes, the family might need to cut back on expenses, postpone planned expenditures or cancel vacations.

Diabetes Day 2014The Power to Control Diabetes

“One Step at a Time”

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/76324-effects-diabetes-families/.

Wednesday, October 29th

Registration: 9 amProgram: 9:30 am - 2:15 pm

Wellston Center155 Maple StreetWarner Robins

Call 923-9771 to pre-register.

www.hhc.org

Connecting People, Community and Care

4

In 2011, an estimated 262,300 children were treated in an emergency room for a toy-related injury. That’s 718 kids

every day. More than a third of those injured were children aged 4 and under.

With the holidays approaching, come thoughts of purchasing toys and games for the children in our lives. Toys and games are tons of fun for kids and adults. Whether your kids are working on a puzzle, playing with building blocks or even inventing their own games, here are a few things to think about to help them stay safer and have fun:

• Consider your child’s age when purchasing a toy or game. It’s worth a second to read the instructions and warning labels to make sure it’s just right for your child.

• Before you’ve settled on the perfect toy, check to make sure there aren’t any small parts or other potential choking hazards.

• Keep a special eye on small game pieces that may be a choking hazard for young children. While these kinds of games are great for older kids, they can pose a potential danger for younger, curious siblings.

• After play time is over, use a bin or container to store toys for next time. Make sure there are no holes or hinges that could catch little fingers.

• Toys made of fabric should be labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant.

• Stuffed toys should be washable.

• Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint.

• Art materials should say nontoxic.

• Sign up for product recalls specific to children at www.recalls.gov

Sources: www.safekids.org http://kidshealth.org/parent

Toy Safety During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time filled with parties, family gatherings, and

lots of food, but with a little help, you can keep from eating too much during the holidays. If you continue to eat a healthy and nutritious diet, you will feel better and have more energy to enjoy the season.

How To Survive the Holidays:

Don't skip meals. Many people believe that if they skip breakfast or lunch, they can save all those calories for the holiday party that night. That sounds like a good idea, but skipping meals can make you crabby and tired and maybe lead to a headache that just might ruin your evening festivities.

Eat small meals. Eating a bowl of whole grain cereal and low-fat milk

for breakfast, a mid-morning snack of raisins and nuts, followed by a healthy lunch with a big salad or a sandwich made with whole grain bread will keep your body and brain fueled throughout the day.

Eat high-fiber foods before the party. When you have a party to attend, snack on some fiber-filled foods just before you go. Fiber helps you to feel full, and if you aren't feeling so hungry, you might not eat so much at the party. Choose foods like low-calorie veg-etables, a small salad, a piece of fresh fruit, or a small bowl of oatmeal.

Eat small amounts of the foods you love. No one wants to feel deprived, so go ahead and take a small piece of pie or one cookie -- but not both. Look over the buffet or the serving table,

and pick out one thing that you really would love to enjoy. The rest of your plate can be filled with healthy vegetables and fruits, whole grain crackers, cheese and lean meats.

Drink plenty of water. Many people believe that mild dehydration feels like hunger, and the best way to avoid becoming dehydrated to drink plenty of water. You can also use water to slow down your eating by taking a sip or two between bites.

Drink a glass of water before you drink alcohol -- and in between drinks to slow down your alcohol consumption.

Eating Healthy During the Holidays

Sources: http://nutrition.about.com/od/calories/qt/overeatholidays.htm