Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Last week the FDA made headlines when it  announced its  three year plan to ban trans fat in food. Trans fat is most commonly found in hydrogenated oils and has been linked to dangerous health conditions including heart disease, high  cholesterol and memory issues. While trans fat will never be completely eliminated (it’s found naturally in meat and dairy products), the FDA hopes the change will “prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.” How many products will be affected by the ban? More than you think. According to Time, a recent report found 37 percent of grocery store items…

Summer can be  a dangerous time for your family pets, especially Fido. Dogs don’t have the ability to cool themselves the way humans do, which puts them at risk for a heatstroke in the summer sun. According to Healthy Pets, if your dog shows any of these signs he  could be overheating and  should be moved to a cool location immediately: Heavy panting or rapid breathing Elevated body temperature Excessive thirst Weakness or collapse Glazed eyes Increased pulse and heartbeat Vomiting or bloody diarrhea Seizures Bright or dark red tongue, gums Excessive drooling Staggering or stumbling Unconsciousness Keep your pet…

Multiple sclerosis isn’t an easy disease to diagnose or define. It occurs when the myelin sheathing that protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system (the brain, the spinal cord and the optic nerves) wears away. The disease occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks the myelin, though it’s unclear why, according to the National Institutes of Health. Most researchers believe there’s a complex interaction between environmental factors and a genetic predisposition at play in the disease. Geography also plays a role; it’s more common in populations that live farthest from the equator. What multiple sclerosis can do…

Quick quiz – how much water should you drink each day? Most of us should be drink an  average of eight 8-ounce glasses, or two liters (and if we’re active, we should be drinking more). But what about your little ones? How much water should my child drink? The answer varies by age:  According to the Institute of Medicine, children  should drink anywhere from  1.7 to 3.3 liters a day. And in the summer, kids are perspiring more and staying active longer, which means they should be drinking even more. NPR  reports  most kids are dehydrated, though not seriously dehydrated…

Gardening is a fun way to stay active when the weather gets warm – and it has the added benefit of fresh food or beautiful flowers. If you’re a gardening newbie, you may not realize a few seemingly innocent plants could completely take over your garden. Here are a few from the list that caught us by surprise: 1. Mint Sure, it smells nice and would be refreshing for summer drinks and snacks, but its roots are extremely invasive. Plant one or two mint sprigs, and soon you’ll end up with enough for the neighborhood…and no other plants left. 2.…

The number of people suffering from diabetes. especially those with Type 2 diabetes, has  risen in recent years. Many diagnosed with the disease will continuously struggle in regulating their blood sugar, but new hope may be found by simply adjusting the size of morning meals. In a recent article in the Northern Kentucky Tribune.  St. Elizabeth family physician Dr. Rajeev Kurapati explains  how a new study from  Tel Aviv University may make it easier for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar. The study found  that while  two people can eat the same number  of calories in a day,…

For our office, the weekly…okay, daily…trip to Starbucks is a great excuse to get outside and indulge in our favorite coffee beverages. With the debut of six new Frappuccino flavors last week, we were eager to find a refreshing go-to summer drink. After we ran across an article by FitFabFun with the recipe and – unfortunately – calorie count of each new sweet treat, we decided to taste test these calorie-packed, sugar-filled drinks for you. See how much we love you! Here you go – the definitive Healthy Headlines team ranking of Starbucks’ newest Frappuccino offerings (calorie counts based on…

If you’re like us, summer nights mean firing up the grill in the backyard. Rather than sticking with the typical burgers, hot dogs and an occasional brat, give this unique recipe a try. Cooking Light’s  spiedini of chicken and zucchini with an almond salsa verde recipe makes our mouths water just reading it. These spiedini, or “little skewers,” are the perfect Italian kebabs for a summer night. Ingredients Salsa: 1 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped almonds, toasted 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 3 tablespoons capers, chopped 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1…

Young men and boys exposed to a certain kind of pesticide could be at a higher risk for developing ADHD. According to Tanya Froehlich, local pediatrician and  main author of a recent study published in the journal Environmental Health, pyrethroid pesticides may  be connected to the hyperactivity disorder. Developed in 2001 as a less toxic alternative to those  currently available, pyrethroid pesticides have become increasingly common in pest control for use at home and in commercial agriculture. Many – including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – consider  this pesticide to be safe. In a recent study conducted by Froehlich and…

As a newbie to Greater Cincinnati, I’ve enlisted my significant other to explore our city – one hike at a time. For  our first trip, we visited  Mt. Airy Forest,  and  this weekend we stopped by  Withrow Nature Preserve. Short and cool trip for a hot, humid day According to our faithful guide – 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Cincinnati  –  the hike along the Trout Lily Trail is considered “moderate.” The entire trip is  1.7 miles, and it took us about an hour with a water break at the overlook near  the Ohio River.  This overlook was our…