Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

The holidays are almost here and as part of our mission to help you live a healthier life, we’re kicking off a three-part series about gift giving. Today, we’ll help you find a healthy gift for your wish list. Look for stories about what to get your loved ones and how not to give a healthy holiday gift. If you’re like me the dreaded question always comes around the first week of December ““ “what do you want for Christmas?” After graduating from asking for Disney toys to clothes to points for my college meal plan, I’m never sure what…

Alzheimer’s disease is often called “the long goodbye.” It can take decades for a person with the disease to fade away and gradually lose the ability to care for themselves and make decisions about how and where they’ll live. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends families begin making long-term plans as soon as a loved one is diagnosed with dementia that looks like Alzheimer’s. Their tips: Don’t put off talking about finances and future care. The sooner the process starts, the more the person with dementia can participate and make their wishes known. You’ll need to talk about what kind of care…

Did you know there are nearly  90 million family caregivers in the United States, and  that number is growing? We’re recognizing these folks throughout November for National Family Caregivers Month. We kicked it off with a quiz to test your knowledge on family caregivers. Keep visiting stelizabeth.com/healthyheadlines  all month long for more tips! Like most chronic diseases, diabetes doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed with it: Everyone in the household will be impacted as the patient has to implement small and, sometimes, very large lifestyle changes. The American Diabetes Association offers these tips for caregivers trying to help their…

At one point salt was a necessary part of life ““ but that may not still be true today. Before refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food. In the 1920s, iodine was added to table salt to reduce thyroid goiters in the U.S. Salt’s glory days went by the wayside with the increased awareness of the negative effects of salt on heart health. With the arrival of sea salt on the grocery shelves and in cooking shows, salt is once again on the tips of our tongue. But, you may not want to start adding it liberally to each meal.…

I may be the only kid who enjoyed getting a cold! My grandmother was a big believer in the healing benefits of honey for her grandchildren. I had “the preventive cure” after being exposed to sneezing, snotty cousins, followed by “the treatment cure” to help me ““ and the rest of the household ““ get a reprieve from my coughing once a cold settled in. As it turns out, my grandmother was right on target about the healing benefits of honey! The World Health Organization recognizes honey as a treatment for childhood cough related to upper respiratory infections in children…

If you think the Beatles used to sing about a “chicken to ride” (vs. “ticket to ride”), you’re not alone. But the phenomenon of misheard lyrics did not end when the Beatles broke up. In fact, it’s plaguing Taylor Swift fans ““ and anyone who listens to a top-40 station ““ right now. In Swift’s latest hit single “Black Space,” listeners think she feels badly for coffee fanatics ““ instead of talking about her exes.   The song says, “Got a long list of ex-lovers.” What people are hearing is, “All the lonely Starbucks lovers.” That’s because of a mondgreen.…

Vitamin B12, sometimes called the “energy vitamin” or the “longevity vitamin,” is found in significant amounts only in the animal-protein foods. B12 is also manufactured by bacteria in our intestines, but it is not known how much we can naturally absorb and utilize from that source. In general, digestion and absorption must be good for adequate B12 to be obtained. Many laxatives and overuse of antacids can reduce absorption and deplete stores of B12. Sources Best sources of B12 are organ meats, most fish, crabs, oysters, egg yolk, yogurt and other milk products Supplements, tempeh and sprouts can be used…

The holiday season typically means additional parties, expected guests and occasional “stop by” visits from friends who are in town and just want to say hi. Most of us enjoy the opportunity to gather with others, but many of us fear being unprepared! Here is your holiday survival list to be ready for almost most any guest situation”planned or impromptu! Essentials: Have one room that is designated as “usually” clean and one place you can stash any last-minute clutter out of sight. Keep a portable “guest bathroom” bucket of quick-access items. You can always excuse yourself for just a minute…

Symptoms of dementia can vary greatly and can be troublesome enough that they  interfere with day-to-day life. People affected face issues with memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgment, and visual perception. Often times they face problems with short-term memory. As we read various health-related articles, we come across a few that are just a good read. This article from  The Atlantic  is one of them. It’s a true story of a woman in Amsterdam who worked at a nursing home and raised money during a  20-year period to make “nursing homes more livable…

Sometimes managing diabetes feels like a numbers game. Counting everything from carbs to calories, glucose to pounds adds up quickly ““ and it’s a lot to keep track of. People with diabetes need to track one more number to make sure they’re keeping they’re diabetes as controlled as possible: A1C levels. What is the A1C test? The A1C test can be used to gauge how well you’re controlling your blood sugar, and to help guide your diet and medication. It can also be used to help diagnose diabetes and pre-diabetes. People with diabetes are supposed to check their blood sugar…