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What is the difference between a cold and the flu?
The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Flu can have very serious associated complications.
How can you tell the difference between a cold and the flu?
Because colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Special tests that usually must be done within the first few days of illness can tell if a person has the flu.
What are the symptoms of the flu versus the symptoms of a cold?
The symptoms of flu can include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue (tiredness). Cold symptoms are usually milder than the symptoms of flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems.
Information provided by CDC.gov. Original article HERE
Preventing Heart Disease: Healthy Living Habits
By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar normal and lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack. A healthy lifestyle includes the following:
Healthy Diet
Choosing healthful meal and snack options can help you avoid heart disease and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods.
Eating foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high cholesterol. Limiting salt (sodium) in your diet also can lower your blood pressure. Limiting sugar in your diet can lower you blood sugar level to prevent or help control diabetes. For more information on healthy diet and nutrition, see CDC’s Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program website
No Smoking
Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your doctor can suggest ways to help you quit.
For more information about tobacco use and quitting, see CDC's Smoking & Tobacco Use Web site Limited Alcohol
Avoid drinking too much alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than 2 drinks per day, and women only 1. For more information, visit CDC's Alcohol and Public Health Web site
Content from the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/healthy_living.htm
Make 2018 your healthiest year yet! Add these tips to your resolution list to boost your health and well-being!Six Tips for 2018
Content provided by the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/Features/HealthyNewYear/index.html
Before You Go
During Your Trip*Eat and drink safely. Contaminated food or drinks can cause travelers’ diarrhea and other diseases. Travelers’ diarrhea is the most common travel-related illness, especially in children. Reduce your risk by eating only food that is cooked and served hot. Drink water, sodas, or sports drinks that are bottled and sealed or very hot coffee or tea. Get on-the-spot food and water advice in CDC’s Can I Eat This? app. After You Return*If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, find a clinic here. Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal or were around any sick people while traveling. This will help your doctor understand your symptoms to exclude certain infections and avoid unnecessary testing.
Lead in Toys
How can I test a toy for lead?Only a certified laboratory can accurately test a toy for lead.. What should I do if I am concerned about my child’s exposure to lead in a toy?
Lead in Toy JewelryWhat are the effects of wearing toy jewelry?Just wearing toy jewelry that contains lead will not cause children to have a high level of lead in their blood. However, chewing or sucking on the jewelry will. What should I do if I think my child put lead jewelry in his or her mouth?If you think your child put jewelry containing lead in his or her mouth, remove the jewelry and see your health care provider. He or she can do a blood test to see if your child has been exposed to lead and recommend treatment if necessary. What are STDs?Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are passed from one person to another through intimate physical contact – such as heavy petting – and from sexual activity including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. STDs are very common. In fact, CDC estimates 20 million new infections occur every year in the United States. STDs can mostly be prevented by not having sex. If you do have sex, you can lower your risk by using condoms and being in a sexual relationship with a partner who does not have an STD. STDs do not always cause symptoms, so it is possible to have an infection and not know it. That is why it is important to get tested if you are having sex. If you are diagnosed with an STD, know that all can be treated with medicine and some can be cured entirely. There are dozens of STDS. Some STDs, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, are spread mainly by sexual contact. Other diseases, including Zika and Ebola, can be spread sexually but are more often spread through ways other than sex. The diseases, conditions, and infections below are listed in alphabetical order. Bacterial Vaginosis Any woman can get bacterial vaginosis. Having bacterial vaginosis can increase your chance of getting an STD. Chlamydia Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can be easily cured. If left untreated, chlamydia can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant. Gonorrhea Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhea. Gonorrhea can cause very serious complications when not treated, but can be cured with the right medication. Hepatitis Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation. Herpes Genital herpes is a common STD, and most people with genital herpes infection do not know they have it. HIV/AIDS & STDs People who have STDs are more likely to get HIV, when compared to people who do not have STDs. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Some health effects caused by HPV can be prevented with vaccines. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) can lead to serious consequences including infertility. STDs & Infertility Chlamydia and gonorrhea are preventable causes of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility. STDs during Pregnancy For a healthier baby, ask your doctor about STD testing. Syphilis Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can have very serious complications when left untreated, but it is simple to cure with the right treatment. Trichomoniasis Most people who have trichomoniasis do not have any symptoms. Other STDs Chancroid, scabies, and more. Content provided by CDC at cdc.gov 
December 3-9 is National Influenza Vaccination Week. If you haven’t gotten your flu vaccine yet, now’s the time! An annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect against flu.This year, National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) takes place December 3-9, 2017. NIVW highlights the importance of continuing flu vaccination through the holiday season and beyond. Vaccination is the Best Way to Prevent Flu!As long as flu viruses are spreading and causing illness, vaccination can still provide protection against flu. Most of the time, flu activity peaks between December and February in the United States, although activity can last as late as May. Flu activity is expected to increase in the coming weeks; the sooner you get vaccinated, the more likely you are to be protected against flu when activity picks up in your community. View CDC’s influenza summary map for a weekly update on flu activity in the United States. Who Needs a Flu Vaccine?CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal flu viruses. This season, CDC recommends the use of injectable flu vaccines (flu shots) only. Again this season, nasal spray flu vaccine is not recommended. Vaccination to prevent flu is particularly important for people who are at high risk of serious complications from influenza. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu. Are You at High Risk?One of the goals of NIVW is to communicate the importance of flu vaccination for people who are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications that can lead to hospitalization or even death. Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu, while pneumonia is a serious flu complication that can result from either influenza virus infection alone or from co-infection with the flu virus and bacteria. Other possible serious complications triggered by flu can include inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle tissues (myositis, rhabdomyolysis), and multi-organ failure. Take Everyday Preventive ActionsIn addition to getting your flu vaccine this season, CDC also urges you to take everyday preventive actions to protect yourself and your loved ones from flu. Everyday preventive actions include the following: Be a Flu Fighter!Each year, people around the world work to study, track, and prevent flu. This year, CDC is recognizing these Flu Fighters and the work they are doing to prevent flu in the U.S. and around the world. Check out some of CDC’s own Flu Fighters, here. Do your part and be a flu fighter this year by getting a flu shot today!
content from the CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/features/fighttheflu/index.html
You may not realize that you need vaccines throughout your life. Adults need to keep their vaccinations up to date because immunity from childhood vaccines can wear off over time. You are also at risk for different diseases as an adult. Vaccination is one of the most convenient and safest preventive care measures available.
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To learn more goto https://www.bryantfamilymanagedcare.com/patientportal.html Here's What Not to Do If You Wake Up in the Middle of the NightPublished: 2017-09-28Date Modified: 2017-09-28 Bryant Family Managed Care - Here's What Not to Do If You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night  Author: NAOMI GORDON Here's What Not to Do If You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night Or you can kiss a good night's sleep goodbye. Turns out there are a number of things you definitely shouldn't do if you wake up in the middle of the night — and yes, not looking at the clock is definitely one of them. In a January 2017 interview with INSIDER, Michael Breus, PhD, aka the Sleep Doctor and author of The Power of When, offered tips for catching some much-needed shuteye, even when you happen to wake up before your alarm sounds. First and foremost, he advises against getting up and going to the bathroom unless you really need to, because that nagging urge to get up and go in the middle of the night can also hinder your ability to fall back to sleep. Dr. Breus says that just sitting up in bed can increase your heart rateand disrupt the rate at which your heart should be beating when you sleep. For most people, this is 60 beats per minute, but if you get up, your heart has to pump against gravity — and therefore, it reaches a rate above 60 bpm. In order to reclaim your unconsciousness, your heartbeat has to lower itself back down to 60 bpm, which obviously won't happen right away and is sometimes the reason why it's not always easy to get back to sleep. The Sleep Doctor also says that even though it's tricky, you should try to relax and make your mind go blank when you wake up in the middle of the night. Don't check your phone to look at the time, however instinctual it may be. Seriously, put it down! Panicking while trying to calculate the number of hours of sleep you have left until the alarm goes off is a massive no-no, too. Dr. Breus says that a lot of people have an irrational fear of not getting enough hours of sleep, but he advises not to stress about the hours slipping away. Instead, Dr. Breus suggests relaxing, however impossible it may seem at the time, because if you get worked up about anything, you can kiss the idea of getting any sleep at all goodbye. He recommends switching off your thoughts and letting sleep happen naturally, without trying to force it. So there you have it! From: CosmopolitanUK. |
