Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

We know how important a good night’s sleep is for our overall health. It effects our mood, immune system, blood pressure and ability to concentrate, among other things. If you go through a non-sleeping period that lasts more than a month you may have insomnia. Talking to your doctor can help you determine what’s causing the sleeplessness and how it can be treated. If you’re having trouble sleeping and are considering making an appointment with your doctor, here are six things to know about insomnia from the Huffington Post. You may be predisposed to insomnia. Some people are naturally good…

Just because it’s starting to get colder outside doesn’t mean you should neglect your running shoes or jump on the dreaded treadmill. November is full of races to help you stay in shape and support causes in your area. Already started hibernating for winter? Give this Couch to 5K six-week training program a try to get back in action. 1. Reading, Writing and Running 5K Walk/Run “” November 1 Where: Colerain Park, 4725 Springdale Road When: November 1, 10 a.m. What: Located next to the Colerain Middle School, this race will fund programs for students to improve reading and writing…

If you like the taste of kale and prefer your coffee black, you may have a predisposition to bitter foods, according to a new study shared by NPR. The study found people without a specific taste receptor gene were less sensitive to bitter compounds and consumed significantly more vegetables compared to those who had the receptor gene. In fact, during the course of a year, individuals without the receptor gene consumed approximately 200 more servings of vegetables than their counterparts. University of Connecticut researcher Valerie Duffy said the most surprising finding was people who are sensitive to bitter tastes ate…

Are you being needled? If not, maybe you should be! “Needling” is a term often used in reference to the administration of acupuncture needles. 1. What is acupuncture? The Chinese have used acupuncture for thousands of years as a primary method for maintaining health and fighting disease. In fact, one of the emperors made it unlawful for acupuncturists to practice except on the emperor himself or his warriors. The emperor’s fear was that because acupuncture was so successful, the common people would take guidance from an acupuncturist rather than the emperor! Today, acupuncture is recognized by the World Health Organization…

Mealtime with young kids can be a daily struggle especially when you’re busy. Sometimes pulling through a drive-thru window is extremely tempting so you can get food in front of your kids that they’ll actually eat. The good news is that fast food restaurants now offer healthier drinks and side items in their kids’ meals. For those nights when you can’t gather the family around the dinner table, BuzzFeed offers a side-by-side comparison of the best and worst fast food kids’ meals. The article focuses on calories, if you’re interested in additional nutritional value you can click through to the…

Medicine is based on a lot of scientific diagnostic tests and scans. But one specialty, neurology (medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system), can rely more heavily on bedside observation and conversation to determine issues going on in the brain, according to this article from NPR. Simple tasks like repeating a phrase or squeezing a rolled-up blood pressure cuff can be difficult for someone who has suffered a stroke or for someone who has myasthenia, a disease that causes muscles to weaken rapidly with use. The article features Dr. Allan Ropper, a Harvard neurologist, who says, “When someone…

Losing weight can be really difficult. It takes motivation, discipline, support and commitment. It also takes know-how. One way to get started is by cutting calories from your daily diet. This article from Health.com shares 25 ways to cut 500 calories a day. We picked out a few of our favorites: Don’t eat in front of the TV. If you’re watching TV, you aren’t thinking about what you’re putting in your mouth. This leads to mindless eating and lots of extra calories. Limit salad toppings. Cheese, candied nuts, dried fruit, croutons and certain dressings can add a lot of calories.…

Time is the enemy when a stroke occurs. The longer treatment is delayed, the higher the risk permanent brain damage can occur. The National Stroke Association urges you to act FAST when you suspect someone’s suffered a stroke so they can get treatment quickly. Here are the signs to look for: F, as in face: Facial droop; uneven smile. Paralysis or limited movement on one side of the face. A, as in arms: Arm numbness; arm weakness. Can also affect the legs on one side of the body. S, as in speech: Slurred speech; inability to speak or using the…

The e-cigarette, or electronic cigarette, was heralded as a breakthrough option for smokers who wanted to quit, cut back or still be able to legally smoke in public non-smoking areas. As you may have heard, there is recent controversy about e-cigarettes. Here’s the scoop” E-Cigarettes Many are shaped like an actual cigarette and the hand to mouth gestures, along with inhaling and exhaling of a vapor, mimics the behaviors used in smoking a real cigarette.  Other shapes resemble pipes and cigars, and some look like inhalers. Have been tried by as many as one-fifth of smokers. Do not produce smoke,…

About 54 million Americans have high enough blood sugar levels that they’re in serious danger of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, federal health data show. But treating pre-diabetes can prevent those health risks, according to the American Diabetes Association. The first step you should take after being diagnosed with pre-diabetes is to ask your doctor your exact blood glucose test results, according to the ADA. Pre-diabetes increases a person’s risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Most people with pre-diabetes are told by their healthcare providers that they have either: Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) – a…