Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

If your child has not come home from school with a low-grade fever or the telltale blisters yet, this might be your last warning – several cases of hand, foot and mouth disease have been reported in Northern Kentucky, according to WLWT and the Northern Kentucky Health Department. Here are the symptoms to watch for: Blisters toward the front of the mouth, on the sides of the tongue, inside the cheeks, and on the gums. Sores may last 7-10 days. Sores also may be on the palms of the hands, the fingers, and the soles of the feet. A low-grade…

Halloween may evoke images of jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and ghouls, but there’s only one thing most children have on their minds when it comes to the spookiest holiday of the year: Candy. Children love putting on costumes and trick-or-treating, but parents of diabetic children might be wary of allowing their kids to participate because of the mountain of candy they will inevitably collect. After all, while too much candy could create problems for any child, the dangers are much more immediate and urgent for children with diabetes. But under a parent’s watchful eye, diabetic children should be allowed to take part…

Do you ever catch yourself bouncing in line or tapping your fingers during a meeting? Fidgeters, rejoice! The same habits that likely got you a stern look from mothers and teachers of the past may actually be keeping you healthy, according to a new study  we read about in the New York Times. Most of us spend eight to ten hours a day sitting without moving a muscle, which can lead to an increased risk of weight gain and diabetes. It can also decrease the  blood flow to the legs, increasing blood pressure and the risk for atherosclerosis (buildup of…

Capture the flavors of the season with this yummy pumpkin recipe, courtesy of  Chris Crowley, a chef at St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s Edgewood facility. With only 360 calories per serving, and 7 grams of protein, it’s a  new comfort dish the whole family can enjoy. Click here to download the recipe. Want more recipes? Click the button below for dozens of healthy, lightened-up versions of your favorite foods.

Have you noticed any teal pumpkins in your neighborhood this fall?  They are not simply an unorthodox decoration or a step away from traditional orange, white and green squash. They are serving a much higher purpose for children with food allergies. You see, Halloween, and trick-or-treating in particular, can be  a very difficult season to navigate for children with food allergies and parents of children with food allergies. But, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), a nonprofit dedicated to  education and advocacy of food allergy, launched the Teal Pumpkin Project in 2014 with the intent to make Halloween a fun…

Women are notoriously inattentive to their own health needs. With other time-consuming responsibilties such as heading to work, volunteering over the weekend, traveling and taking care of kids, their well-being is often a low priority on the totem pole. We get that, but that’s why these reminders, courtesy of Dr. Aleah Gibson with  St. Elizabeth Physicians, are doubly important. When do you need a pap smear? And, at what age do you need to begin yearly mammograms? Gibson explains these important dates and more in the video below: If this video helped jog your memory and you are…

Nationally,  acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) – a mysterious muscle weakness similar to polio that has potentially been linked to one strain of enterovirus – is unexpectedly affecting otherwise healthy children. If “enterovirus” sounds familiar, it’s because there was an enterovirus D68 outbreak here in 2014. The symptoms of this respiratory infection were similar to the flu or the  common cold: Fever Runny nose Sneezing Cough Body and muscle aches Parents were urged to seek medical help if their child appeared to have trouble breathing or began wheezing, but most children were expected to be back on their feet within a…

It’s time to step up the battle to prevent strokes, the number one cause of serious disability for adults, according to Dr. James P. Farrell, director of the Stroke Program for St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “Our job is to keep disease from interfering with your life. Disease can take your life or prevent you from doing what you would like to do in life,” Farrell said. “The challenge of our time is to prevent disabilities caused by strokes.” Your risk of a first stroke can be lowered by 80 percent if you: Exercise regularly Eat right Maintain a healthy weight Don’t…

My dad always used to joke, “I may be  getting older, but it sure beats the alternative.” And it’s true. Each birthday is another year on earth to make memories, hug your loved ones and learn something new. Unfortunately, it’s usually another year for hair to gray, wrinkles to deepen and memories to fade. How can you tell the difference between normal aging occurrences (i.e. forgetting where you put the keys or why you walked into the living room) and warning signs for dementia? Take the quiz below to see if you recognize a few signs of dementia. And, if…

Craving the flavors of fall, and want an all-in-one dish to serve for brunch this weekend? This healthy quiche  recipe from the American Heart Association has all that and much more. Unfortunately, like many other comfort foods, cheese-laden quiche is not usually known for its health benefits, but with this lightened-up version, you truly can have your quiche and eat it, too. With just 136 calories per serving (and only five grams of fat!), this is one satisfying meal you don’t have to feel guilty about. See the full recipe below: Ingredients 1 medium sweet potato, washed 1 tsp. canola…