Now, listeners of Star 101.5 (KPLZ-FM) can get healthier even while they’re sitting in traffic. Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:40 a.m., Star 101.5 presents the Northwest Hospital Health Tip of the Day. On-air personality Ana Kelly has teamed with Northwest Hospital physicians and staff to bring listeners useful information and interviews about diet, fitness and preventing disease. Tune in today to learn how to live a happier, healthier life!

Health Tip for 11/20/2008

If you’re under 35 years old, you’re probably adding to your bone bank account, even if you don’t know it. Dr. Julie Carkin, with the Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says up to that age, if you eat well and take in enough calcium and vitamin D, you’re building up important reserves of high-quality bone. Dr. Carkin says it’s important to build up bone density, to prevent crippling fractures later in life. The latest research says most women don’t have enough vitamin D, and that the recommended amount has gone way up – to between 800 and 1000 international units a day. Vitamin D is extremely important, since you can’t absorb calcium without it. Calcium and vitamin D are the building blocks of bone, so making sure you include them in your daily life is the way to insure that you’re making deposits in your own personal bone bank.




Health Tip for 11/18/2008

Bears put on fat so they can sleep through the winter, but some people start adding the pounds when the weather gets cold, with the vague hope of getting back in shape when spring rolls around. Dr. James Bowers, an internist at Northwest Hospital, says there are some clever tricks you can use to prevent gaining weight, without going on an actual diet. He suggests that you mentally divide your plate into quarters. Half the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetable, a quarter of the plate should be starchy food like rice, potatoes or bread, and the last quart of the plate should be for protein and a little fat.
Drinking more water helps control weight, too. If you start craving chocolate or something, try drinking some water and waiting a few minutes, to see if the craving goes away.




Health Tip for 11/17/2008

Everyone keeps saying that washing your hands frequently is the best way to stop cold and flu germs right in their tracks. It really is, if you do it right. First of all, it takes a little more than a quick splash of warm water. Here’s what the hand hygiene experts at Northwest Hospital advise: First, get your hands wet, then add some soap. Now rub your hands together for a good fifteen seconds. Now rinse thoroughly. This sends the germs down the drain, and out of your life. Dry your hands completely, and you’re good to go. The important thing about hand washing is to do it often, especially before eating, after using the bathroom, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing and before AND after taking care of someone who is sick. When in doubt, wash often so cold and flu germs have a hard time traveling from hand to hand.



Health Tip for 11/13/2008

There are three little tricks that anyone can perform to get that luscious skin you see in the magazines. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says the first trick is to avoid tobacco, especially cigarettes. Tobacco smoke cuts off the oxygen to the skin, plus it causes more wrinkling and thickening of the skin. The second trick is to avoid the sun. I have a zero sun-tolerance policy for faces, necks and chests, because those are the prime locations for skin cancer, and because sunlight makes that delicate skin age faster.
The third trick is to drink alcohol in moderation. Dr. Reichel says if you drink too much, your skin will definitely suffer. Alcohol causes small blood vessels to widen and sometimes break under the skin. And because it’s dehydrating, it can also lead to premature wrinkles.





Health Tip for 11/11/2008

Measles vaccine is ninety-nine percent effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The problem is that babies under one year old are too young to get the shots. When parents make sure that older kids are up to date on their measles vaccinations, they reduce the risk that kids will bring the potentially deadly illness home to the baby. Measles is easily spread by sneezing and coughing, especially if kids aren’t protected. If your children have a high fever, cough, runny nose, a rash that started on the face and red, watery eyes, keep them away from school, and call the doctor. While you’re at the doctor’s office with the sick child, ask for a mask to cover the child’s nose and mouth, to prevent passing measles on to others. Measles’ complications can kill, so protect your child, your family and your community by making sure your children are inoculated against measles.



Health Tip for 11/10/2008

It is possible to wear high heels without any pain – but only if you have an extremely rare kind of foot. If you’re like the rest of us in the real world, if you wear heels, your feet hurt. Crunching your toes together in a pointy high heel is setting yourself up for serious pain. You can even predict if those shoes will hurt. Trace around the shape of the shoe, then see if your toes fit within that outline. The right shoe will help prevent pain and even damage to your feet. Look for shoes with removable insoles, to give all those toes a little extra breathing room.



Health Tip for 11/6/2008

You may have wondered, as your family settles in for another winter of sniffles and coughs, just how long a cold virus can survive outside the body. Dr. Jim Bowers, the Chief of Outpatient Medicine at Northwest Hospital, says cold and flu viruses actually do better in cold weather.
He notes that a recent study shows that these bugs can survive up to seven minutes outside a host, but they have longer survival when the weather is cold and the humidity is low. That’s why winter is cold and flu season. The bottom line is that to avoid colds, you need to stay warm and drink plenty of water. It also helps to wash your hands frequently, because viruses can live on doorknobs and other surfaces long enough to be passed along. If you already have a cold or the flu, make sure to cover your coughs, to help keep viruses away from the people around you.




Health Tip for 11/4/2008

Some kids don’t just get the kind of nightmares you can soothe before they go back to sleep. A child who has night terrors wakes up screaming and in panic, and is very difficult to calm down. Dr. Gandis Mazeika,a sleep specialist at Northwest Hospital, says that, although they’re frightening to many parents, night terrors aren’t a sign that something is seriously wrong with your child.
He says children who have night terrors are actually well adjusted. These incidents are not signs of abuse or trauma in the household, and they disappear by the time the child reaches puberty.The good news is, the terror is temporary. Once children calm down and go back to sleep after having night terrors, they usually don’t remember anything in the morning about being scared.




Health Tip for 11/3/2008

You got lots and lots of sun this last summer, and now you have something on your face that you’ve never seen there before: sun spots! Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says they look a lot like big freckles, but sun spots don’t fade away once you’re out of the sun. These spots can appear on your face or hands at any age, and can be caused by tanning booths as well as the sun. People with light skin are especially susceptible. The good news is, there are a couple of prescription medications that can fade these spots. Once you’ve been to the doctor and started fading your sun spots, remember that to keep them from coming back, you need to avoid further sun exposure. Staying away from tanning beds and wearing a high-SPF sunscreen this winter when you go skiing or hiking will help.




Health Tip for 10/28/2008

You’ve been really good about getting out and walking or running, and the results are starting to show: you’re a couple pounds lighter and you have a lot more energy. The problem is, your feet hurt during every workout, and for hours afterward. If you’ve been trying to run through the pain, it may be time to slow down and go visit your primary care or foot doctor. You could be working on a stress fracture in one of the bones in your feet. If you’re noticing some swelling on the top of your foot toward your toes, or redness, swelling or increasing pain the longer you’re on your feet, you may have a problem that needs expert attention. Get the pain treated, and ask your foot and ankle specialist how to prevent future injuries. A simple over-the-counter orthotic, shoe insert, or custom orthotic, along with the right shoes, may be what you need to get back out there.



Health Tip for 10/27/2008

Skin redness takes more people to the dermatologist than any other skin condition. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says folks of every age worry when their skin starts looking too red. This is a problem that shows up more in people with light complexions, and it can be due to inherited problems, as well as too much sun or broken blood vessels right below the surface. The good news is that this is usually a cosmetic problem, rather than serious medical issue.
Many cases of redness on the face can be treated with a specially tuned laser or medications fairly easily. Before you decide to go for laser treatment though, talk with your dermatologist about just what is making you look like you’re blushing all the time.




Health Tip for 10/23/2008

A lot of runners and walkers consider their shoes old friends. They lace them up every morning and can’t figure out why their feet, ankles or knees hurt after they exercise. The fact is, they may not be paying attention to the signs of wear that mean it’s time for new sports shoes. For example, it may be time to check the tread wear on the sole of the shoe. If the tread is compressed on one side of the shoe but not the other, or the tread is worn away, it may be time to toss the old shoes. While some walkers and runners need soft shoes, depending on the type of foot they have, most of us need some support from our running shoes. If your shoes have become too flexible and flimsy, it’s time to go get fitted for new shoes. If your feet hurt, putting on the right pair of shoes will likely help you feel more comfortable and reduce the chances of injuries that might take you off the road.



Health Tip for 10/21/2008

At this time of year, the kids are back in school and we’re all up to our ears in activities, things to do and places to go all week long. As Dr. James Bowers, an internist at Northwest Hospital knows, all these distractions can keep you from exercising. He adds that it’s important to not give up on the exercise routine you developed since the last holidays. Promise yourself to keep that exercise going. So many people give up exercising once summer ends, and before you know it, they’re up five pounds or more.
Gaining weight every winter makes it harder to lose weight the next time. This creates a vicious cycle that can pile on more pounds every year. This winter, rather than trying to lose weight, focus on maintaining your current weight through the holiday season.




Health Tip for 10/20/2008

You probably remember a few years back, when it was hard to get a flu shot. This year, there’s a good supply of vaccine available, and it’s easy to get the shot at local pharmacies and clinics. Before you take the whole family out for a little vaccine, talk to your family doctor, especially if you have any severe or life-threatening allergies, or if you’ve been diagnosed with certain other syndromes. Also, if you’re ill at the moment, put off getting flu vaccine until you’re feeling better. As for who should get the inoculation, it’s for anyone over six months of age who is at high risk of complications from flu, or anyone interested in staying healthy this winter. Anyone who lives with or cares for others who are at high risk should also get vaccinated. This will help protect you and everyone around you, including seniors and young children. The best time to get a flu vaccination is between October and December, but it’s really never too late to get that ounce of prevention.



Health Tip for 10/16/2008

Almost everybody needs a moisturizer to help keep faces and necks smooth and attractive. The trick, says Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, is to find and use the right one every day. You don’t need a moisturizer if you have really oily skin, but for everyone else, the right moisturizer can help prevent problems. Make it part of your daily routine – wash and then moisturize every morning, using a cream or lotion that has an S-P-F between 15 and 20, to reduce potential sun damage.
You don’t have to buy fancy creams at a department store to find a moisturizer that works for you. Less expensive products from the drug store can be just as effective. Look for one that doesn’t leave a lot of shine. Watch out for the cream’s alcohol content, too, since it can sting and dry out your skin.




Health Tip for 10/14/2008

It’s time for flu shots, but some of us just don’t like injections very much. The vaccinations can be given to anyone age six months and older. Your arm might be a little sore for a couple of days, but serious side effects are extremely rare. You can also try the vaccine in mist form, which is sprayed into the nose. This form of the vaccine is for healthy people ages 2 through 49, who do not work with people who are at high risk of complications from influenza. High risk people are over 65 years old, or between six months and five years old, residents of long-term care facilities, people with chronic health problems or pregnant women. No matter what people may say, you can’t get the flu from injectable flu vaccine, since it’s made of inactivated virus. In the meantime, wash your hands frequently, and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, to help prevent passing on any germs this flu season.



Health Tip for 10/13/2008

You may wonder why public health officials think measles is a big deal. Though it is much less common than 40 years ago, measles can be deadly. The Centers for Disease Control says there have already been a lot of cases of measles this year here in Washington. The symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, a rash that usually starts on the face and red, watery eyes. In about one out of five cases, patients develop ear infections, pneumonia or seizures. Children can, and do, die of these complications every year. The good news is that measles can be prevented with vaccinations – talk to your doctor about that. If you find out that your child has been exposed to measles, call your doctor right away, and keep your child away from others, to prevent the disease from spreading. Measles can be especially dangerous to babies under a year old, since they are too young for the vaccine.



Health Tip for 10/9/2008

Do you ever wonder why your feet sometimes hurt when you walk or run? Your feet are full of tiny moving and supporting parts, including 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles, any of which could be bothered by your shoes. That’s why it’s important for runners and walkers to go the extra distance to make sure their shoes are not only the right size, but give their feet the right kind of support. Many people can just wear a generic sports shoe and get along fine, but if you have bunions, hammer toes, a wide or narrow foot or a narrow heel, you need to have your feet measured and analyzed , including your foot and body type, how active you are and other factors to make sure you get the right fit. In many cases, it’s a good idea to schedule a workup by a foot and ankle specialist, to help prevent problems before they get the chance to start.



Health Tip for 10/7/2008

Right this minute, somebody somewhere is writing a magazine article about what you should eat if you want perfect skin. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says while there is no magic combination of foods that will clear up acne or stop wrinkles, you can take some simple nutritional steps to improve your skin.She says you should try for a balanced diet, without going overboard on carbs or fats and with lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and fiber. Get good hydration, too, by drinking plenty of water every day and using the right moisturizer for your particular skin. If you find that a particular food disagrees with your skin, take it off your menu. Scientific research doesn’t show that any one food causes everyone to break out, but you may be sensitive to certain ingredients, like chocolate or cooking oil.




Health Tip for 10/6/2008

You can tell from all the coughing: we’re right in at the start of flu season. For many of us, that means we need to get at least some family members lined up for flu shots. Public health authorities recommend the vaccine for children between 6 months and five years old, and for all children up to age 18 who have chronic illnesses, like diabetes or asthma. The shots are also recommended for adults with chronic illnesses, or those over 65 years old, and family members and others who live and work with them. Of course, you don’t have to be in a high-risk group to get the shot – it’s a great tool for maintaining good health. By getting the vaccine, healthy parents and healthcare workers can also help protect others in the community. Although flu shots don’t prevent every flu-like illness, the shot should protect you from severe symptoms and help you and your entire family have a happier holiday season.



Health Tip for 10/2/2008

We haven’t had a lot of hot days this year, but there’s always the possibility of really hot weather. Since we usually have moderate temperatures in Seattle, most of us aren’t ready for the temps to go up into the 90s, so be prepared, with lots of water and cool beverages. Experts say we should avoid caffeine drinks in really hot weather, because caffeine causes dehydration – something you’re already in danger of if you’re hot and sweaty. And although a cold beer may sound like a good idea, grab that cold water instead. Alcohol can change your body’s temperature regulation center, making you think you’re feeling cooled off when you’re not. That could cause you to stay outside and active in extreme temperatures longer than you should. Next thing you know, you could be dehydrated, wiped out and on the way to the emergency room.



Health Tip for 9/30/2008

Okay, it’s time to fess up: you’ve been having breakouts on your face for months and months, and you keep thinking it will go away on its own. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says it may be time for you to face reality. Often as adults, we try to treat our acne with home remedies for months before we seek medical help, because we don’t think this should be happening to our grown up skin. We keep thinking it will go away on its own, but often our skin needs professional help.
Since this kind of acne is more than just a few blocked pores or blackheads, your primary care doctor or dermatologist may prescribe an oral antibiotic or other medications to control the bacteria lurking in your oil glands. If you have breakouts more than twice a month, it’s time to make the call for serious help.




Health Tip for 9/29/2008

You may think melanoma, a form of skin cancer that strikes young adults, is no big deal. But Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon at Northwest Hospital, says you need to take melanoma seriously, since it can be a killer. Melanoma can metastasize, or spread, from the skin to other parts of the body, like the lungs, liver or brain. Once it has done that, melanoma is very hard to treat, and can lead to death. The number one thing you can do is to protect yourself from the sun, and stay away from indoor tanning beds. Wear a hat when you’re out in the sun and put on a minimum SPF 15 sun screen every single day. If you’re going to be out in the sun, participating in your favorite activity, wear an SPF of 25 or more, and reapply your sunscreen often, especially after swimming or sweating.




Health Tip for 9/25/2008

It looks like acne, but how can that be? You’re an adult! Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says not everything that looks like acne actually is. The redness and bumps across your cheeks, nose and forehead could be caused by something else.
Rosacea is an adult skin problem that affects both men and women and can look like acne. Rosacea often presents as bumps or pustules on the face, and can cause redness and a burning sensation on the skin. Women tend to get adult acne more often than men do, because of the difference in how our hormones work. Men tend to get rosacea more often than women, but both problems can show up in either sex. Check with your primary care doctor or dermatologist, for diagnosis and treatment to make both conditions a thing of the past.




Health Tip for 9/23/2008

Whether we have a huge wind storm again this year or not, you can count on your power going out for at least a few minutes sometime this winter. In the Pacific Northwest, some emergency preparedness experts call this our number one hazard, so you need to be ready. Stock up now on extra flashlights and fresh batteries, so everyone in the house can find their way safely from one room to another. Remember, candles are a fire hazard, especially if kids are trying to carry them around. Also, figure out how to keep everyone warm if your electric heat goes out. Closing rooms off and letting everyone sleep in front of the fireplace works in an emergency. Don’t set up a barbecue or gas-powered generator anywhere indoors. Burning charcoal and gasoline motors give off deadly carbon monoxide, and they can change an emergency into a tragedy in a very short time.



Health Tip for 9/22/2008

More young women are being diagnosed with melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer,but greater awareness of skin cancer symptoms means women are being diagnosed earlier when treatment is more effective. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon at Northwest Hospital, says you can spot melanoma early by using your “A-B-C-Ds” while standing in front of a mirror,
you should check your skin once a month for new moles or changes in familiar ones. Look for A for Asymmetrical, or uneven in shape and B for Border: if the border is scalloped or rough, you should talk to your doctor. Look at C for Color of your moles, especially any that are black or have more than one color. The D is for Diameter of a mole: anything bigger around than the eraser on a pencil needs attention as soon as possible. Run through your A-B-C-Ds, and you could stop melanoma in its tracks.




Health Tip for 9/18/2008

Emergencies have a way of happening, whether you’re ready or not. Planning ahead is important, so emergencies have less of a chance to become real disasters for you and your family. As you put together emergency supply kits, make sure you remember to gather important phone numbers like your doctor, pharmacy, neighbors and friends. Just because you can remember those numbers right now doesn’t mean they’ll come to mind as easily in the aftermath of a disaster. Also, make sure that everyone who lives at your house has two numbers in particular: one for someone who lives nearby, and the other for a relative who lives outside the area. Then, even if everyone can’t get home, every member of the family will have someone to call who can keep track of where everyone is, and relay messages. Here’s hoping we don’t have any winter emergencies – and that you’re ready if we do!



Health Tip for 9/16/2008

If you’ve been doing a lot of tanning lately, listen up: recent research shows a rise in the rates of melanoma, a form of skin cancer, in young women. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon at Northwest Hospital, says increased ultraviolet, or U-V, ray exposure from tanning beds may be the culprit.
REICHEL: (Young women are spending more time outdoors and in tanning beds without protecting themselves from damaging UV rays. Tanning beds in particular are being associated with melanoma in some research. If you just can’t give up tanning, here’s how you can detect most kinds of skin cancer early. Ask your primary care doctor or dermatologist to do a baseline survey of any moles you may have on your skin. Then, every month, check your skin from top to toe, and report any changes in existing moles, new moles or any other unusual spots that have appeared on your skin.




Health Tip for 9/15/2008

Everyone who is a teenager – or who has ever been a teenager – knows that having a face full of pimples is no fun. Dr. Jennifer Reichel, a dermatologist at Northwest Hospital, says acne can be even worse for adults. When you’re in your twenties, thirties or even older, acne can be very difficult emotionally. Adult onset acne can be deeper in the skin, presenting as sore, tender, bumps. It can be even more severe than the kind of acne you may have had as a teenager and certainly can be emotionally difficult to deal with. There is some good news, though: your primary care doctor or dermatologist has several medication options for treating adult acne. If one kind of medicine doesn’t work for you, it is very possible that another one will, clearing up your skin and putting a smile back on your face, where it belongs!




Health Tip for 9/11/2008

Measles vaccine is ninety-nine percent effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The problem is that babies under one year old are too young to get the shots. When parents make sure that older kids are up to date on their measles vaccinations, they reduce the risk that kids will bring the potentially deadly illness home to the baby. Measles is easily spread by sneezing and coughing, especially if kids aren’t protected. If your children have a high fever, cough, runny nose, a rash that started on the face and red, watery eyes, keep them away from school, and call the doctor. While you’re at the doctor’s office with the sick child, ask for a mask to cover the child’s nose and mouth, to prevent passing measles on to others. Measles’ complications can kill, so protect your child, your family and your community by making sure your children are inoculated against measles.



Health Tip for 9/9/2008

It’s one of the most common medical problems. About 8 out of ten people have back pain, so chances are if your back hasn’t hurt you so far, it will someday. Back aches can be anything from a dull constant pain to a sudden, sharp one. Dr. Walter Trautman, pain specialist at Northwest Hospital, says the pain doesn’t necessarily come from an injury.
He says it can occur for a lot of different reasons, from a herniated disk to a muscle strain. That’s why treating back pain is so complex, and why each patient has to be individually evaluated, to find the cause and the right treatment. Most back pain will go away, but it may take a while. Chronic back pain that sticks around for three months, or keeps you from your regular activities, calls for a trip to the doctor’s office.




Health Tip for 9/8/2008

You may wonder why public health officials think measles is a big deal. Though it is much less common than 40 years ago, measles can be deadly. The Centers for Disease Control says there have already been a lot of cases of measles this year here in Washington. The symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, a rash that usually starts on the face and red, watery eyes. In about one out of five cases, patients develop ear infections, pneumonia or seizures. Children can, and do, die of these complications every year. The good news is that measles can be prevented with vaccinations – talk to your doctor about that. If you find out that your child has been exposed to measles, call your doctor right away, and keep your child away from others, to prevent the disease from spreading. Measles can be especially dangerous to babies under a year old, since they are too young for the vaccine.



Health Tip for 9/4/2008

People think of whooping cough as just another childhood disease, but it’s an illness that can lead to pneumonia, convulsions, developmental disability or even death in babies. Whooping cough may start out looking like a cold, but if your child has a runny nose and slight fever, and a repeated cough that ends in a “whooping” noise, talk to your doctor immediately. Babies under 18 months are especially at risk, because their breathing may stop during coughing spells. Experts say that cough medicines don’t help with whooping cough and actually should be avoided. And if you or your child has whooping cough, it’s important to cover your cough, wash your hands and stay away from other people as much as possible to keep from spreading the disease.



Health Tip for 9/2/2008

In just this past year, it’s become possible to protect young women from a viral infection associated with about 70 percent of the cervical cancers in the United States. Generally speaking, the vaccine is given to women 26 years of age and younger. Dr. Patricia Rodrigues says some older women may qualify for the vaccine as well. She says a woman who is a virgin or has had only one lover, but is facing a divorce or other change in her life may want to protect herself from the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Insurance coverage for the vaccine varies. Compared to the cost of analyzing even one abnormal pap smear, it’s cost-effective, and a lot cheaper than treating a cancer that kills almost four thousand women a year in the United States.




Health Tip for 9/1/2008

Unlike migraines, which mostly affect women, cluster headaches occur most frequently in men. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says they’re called cluster headaches because they can happen up to three times a day for about six weeks. He says most people who have migraines will want to stay motionless in a dark room, but someone with a cluster headache will be pacing or rocking back and forth. The pain is usually behind one eye, and that eye will be reddened. Lying down will actually make a cluster headache worse. Since this kind of pain can be a symptom of a serious problem, see a doctor. Treatment can include steroids and, believe it or not, oxygen. Talk to your doctor about any stubborn recurring headache, so you can work together on finding a diagnosis and a solution that works for you.




Health Tip for 8/28/2008

It starts out looking like a cold, but whooping cough can turn into a dangerous illness for babies and small children. The first symptoms are a runny nose and slight fever, followed by severe, repeated coughs that can cause choking spells and make it hard to breathe. Because whooping cough can cause permanent disabilities or even death, doctors urge parents to have their children immunized against this illness, before they enter school. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the bacteria that causes whooping cough travels on large droplets. Since adults and older children may not have severe symptoms, they may pass whooping cough on without knowing it. Remember to cover all your coughs and sneezes, and wash your hands frequently, just in case.



Health Tip for 8/26/2008

Romance is wonderful – unless it leads to a sexually transmitted disease. Unfortunately, S-T-Ds are really common in today’s society, in large part because they can have no symptoms. Dr. Patricia Rodrigues (ROD-rigs) at Meridian Women’s Health says it’s important to be tested for S-T-Ds, since most of them have no symptoms.
She says you need to be tested and then treated, because you could spread these things. Also, they can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, and that, left untreated, can kill you, despite 21st century medicine. Even if you don’t have that severe an infection, leaving an STD untreated can result in chronic pain and infertility. On the other hand, early detection and treatment can make you healthy again – and maybe just a little bit wiser. Go ahead – talk it over with your doctor.




Health Tip for 8/21/2008

You love your I-pod, and it’s a great tool for making your workouts more fun, instead of just another chore. But as exercise physiologist Liz Dickson says, you need to think about safety, too, particularly if you exercise outdoors.
She says it’s always important to be aware of your surroundings. Wear just one earphone, or keep the volume low enough that you can hear passing traffic or the voices of people around you. Getting run down by a bike or a car is not good exercise. There’s another safety hazard, too. Listening to loud music can cause permanent damage to your hearing. While your favorite tunes may help you get into your workout, that harm may be permanent if you keep the volume all the way up day after day. Back off on the volume, but keep moving, because you’re on the track to a healthier, happier body!




Health Tip for 8/19/2008

You wouldn’t send your kids out to play in traffic. That’s why you make sure they have bike helmets that fit, and that they wear them. Another way to make sure the kids wear their helmets is to make sure they see you wearing yours. Chances are, since you’re a safe cyclist, you and your kids won’t get into any accident. But if something does go wrong, a helmet will help reduce your injuries, and prevent life-long disability caused by brain damage. You want your bike helmet to comfortably touch the head all the way around. It should be level and stable enough to stay in place, even when you shake your head very hard. The strap should be slightly snug. You can use the pads that come with the helmet to adjust the fit so it’s both as comfortable and safe as possible.



Health Tip for 8/18/2008

We haven’t had a lot of hot days this summer, but there’s always the possibility of really hot weather. Since we usually have moderate temperatures in Seattle, most of us aren’t ready for the temps to go up into the 90s, so be prepared, with lots of water and cool beverages. Experts say we should avoid caffeine drinks in really hot weather, because caffeine causes dehydration – something you’re already in danger of if you’re hot and sweaty. And although a cold beer may sound like a good idea, grab that cold water instead. Alcohol can change your body’s temperature regulation center, making you think you’re feeling cooled off when you’re not. That could cause you to stay outside and active in extreme temperatures longer than you should. Next thing you know, you could be dehydrated, wiped out and on the way to the emergency room.



Health Tip for 8/14/2008

A lot of kids think bats are really cool, but the fact is that those flying animals can carry rabies. Rabies is almost always fatal if bites from bats and other rabid animals are not evaluated immediately and vaccine not administered in time, according to the Public Health department. Rabies is spread by the saliva of an infected animal. So far this year, 22 people in King County have been treated for exposure to potentially rabid bats. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep bats out of the house: close and lock pet doors when you’re not inside, and make sure window and door screens are in good condition. If you find a bat either in your house or on the ground outdoors, stay away from it. Be sure to vaccinate your pets against rabies, and make sure the kids know they should avoid touching or playing with bats. Just enjoy watching bats fly around at twilight, chasing mosquitoes.



Health Tip for 8/12/2008

A lot of people figure that if they get bitten by a rabid animal, they’ll just get some rabies vaccine from the doctor and be done with it. The problem this year is that there is a shortage of that important vaccine. This makes it really important for you and your kids to avoid contact with bats, the main carriers of rabies in Western Washington. Do what you can to prevent these animals from being attracted to your house. Check screened windows, doors and vents for holes that a bat might crawl through. A normal bat will fly around and try to avoid you, so if it is crawling on the ground or otherwise acting oddly, stay away from it. If you discover that a bat has been in your child’s bedroom over night, talk to your doctor immediately. He or she will tell you what to do next. Since bats can leave very tiny bite marks that can be hard to see, it’s important to get professional advice as soon as possible.



Health Tip for 8/4/2008

A lot of kids think bats are really cool, but the fact is that those flying animals can carry rabies. Rabies is almost always fatal if bites from bats and other rabid animals are not evaluated immediately and vaccine not administered in time, according to the Public Health department. Rabies is spread by the saliva of an infected animal. So far this year, 22 people in King County have been treated for exposure to potentially rabid bats. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep bats out of the house: close and lock pet doors when you’re not inside, and make sure window and door screens are in good condition. If you find a bat either in your house or on the ground outdoors, stay away from it. Be sure to vaccinate your pets against rabies, and make sure the kids know they should avoid touching or playing with bats.



Health Tip for 7/31/2008

Ok, so sports aren’t your thing, at least not the sports they made you play in high school. I can relate, yeah 5’11”, and NO, I still don’t like playing basketball. If you’re like me and don’t like certain kinds of sports, but you’d like to be a lot more active, maybe it’s time for you to find a new definition of sports. Dr. Justin Rothmier at The Sports Medicine Clinic says finding pleasure in whatever you decide is very important. “If we enjoy a sport, we’re more likely to do it. It’s not so much a chore, it’s a pleasure to do it, so finding different types of sports to participate in, allows us to maintain our exercise program with very little effort. The important thing is to look at your sport as something you can do for the rest of your life, whether it’s running, folk dancing, or cycling. Just get off the couch and do it.



Health Tip for 7/29/2008

Strong healthy bones don’t show from the outside, but it sure shows when you don’t have them. Exercise is one way to make your skeleton stronger. Basketball, tennis and other weight-bearing sports help make your bones denser. Dr. Julie Carkin, with The Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says exercises like tai chi and yoga can help prevent fractures by building strength and improving balance. Any exercise you do for bone strength should be something you like to do, and are likely to do regularly. Building balance and muscle strength helps prevent falls and resulting broken bones. Having a good set of bones calls for both healthy muscle and bones. If you don’t do some sort of weight-bearing exercise – even a little walking – your bones become weaker, so get out there and do something!




Health Tip for 7/28/2008

You remember Smokey Bear, don’t you? Bet you didn’t think his advice on preventing forest fires applied to West Nile virus, too. You can prevent it from attacking by doing some simple things around the house. Since the disease is spread by mosquito bites, the trick is to get rid of standing water around your yard that will provide a good environment for the bugs. Mosquitoes can breed in just a few inches of water in only a couple of days, so drain plant saucers and empty rainwater out of kids’ toys, and change the water in birdbaths every few days. Mosquitoes can breed in just a few inches of water in only a couple of days. West Nile virus doesn’t harm most people, but it can cause permanent damage to people with diabetes, immunity problems and those over 40 years old. Children and men tend to get it more often because they spend more time outdoors on summer evenings, so take steps to get mosquitoes off your property and keep West Nile virus out of your life!



Health Tip for 7/24/2008

You wouldn’t send your kids out to play in traffic. That’s why you make sure they have bike helmets that fit, and that they wear them. Another way to make sure the kids wear their helmets is to make sure they see you wearing yours. Chances are, since you’re a safe cyclist, you and your kids won’t get into any accident. But if something does go wrong, a helmet will help reduce your injuries, and prevent life-long disability caused by brain damage. You want your bike helmet to comfortably touch the head all the way around. It should be level and stable enough to stay in place, even when you shake your head very hard. The strap should be slightly snug. You can use the pads that come with the helmet to adjust the fit so it’s both as comfortable and safe as possible.



Health Tip for 7/22/2008

I’ve got to admit, I don’t like the idea of wearing long sleeves, pants and socks at the next evening barbecue. After all, we went all winter stuck inside, wearing warm clothes. Still, since mosquitoes spread West Nile virus, if I don’t have plenty of mosquito repellant on hand, I’ll follow the advice of Dr. William Ehni at Northwest Hospital. He says covering up is the best way to prevent catching West Nile virus. Since mosquitoes are at their hungriest around dusk and dawn, making sure everyone in the family is wearing mosquito repellant, if they want to be outside in the evening. After all, covering up and wearing mosquito repellant is a small price for avoiding the fever, aches and pains that can come with West Nile virus.



Health Tip for 7/21/2008

The formula for losing weight is less food, more activity. In other words, fewer calories in, plus more calories spent on physical activity equals fewer pounds. The problem is, if you over-do the exercise and cut back too far on the calories, your body is bound to rebel. If you don’t provide your body with the fuel it needs, including calcium for your bones and protein to rebuild muscles, bad things can happen. You could end up with anything from painful shin splints to stress fractures that will take you out of the game for a long time. Before you combine an extreme diet with extreme sports six days a week, go see a sports medicine physician or a certified sports nutritionist. The right food will start you off on the right foot, fueling you up to do your own personal best.



Health Tip for 7/17/2008

Driving a car is a lot safer than it used to be, thanks to seatbelts and airbags. Still, as Dr. Evan Cantini, a physical medicine and rehabilitation medicine specialist at Northwest Hospital, says, that doesn’t mean that everyone walks away from car crashes without any injuries. With head on collisions, there are a few milliseconds before the airbag deploys. That’s probably enough time for your head and neck to suffer strain injuries. These muscle injuries can be very painful. If your car is hit from behind, you can also suffer this kind of muscle strain, since it’s natural to tense up your shoulder muscles when you feel the impact. It’s suprising how long the pain from these injuries can last. That’s why, it’s important to establish a good relationship with your doctor to help manage your specific problems. And don’t get discouraged – eventually you’ll start feeling a lot better.




Health Tip for 7/15/2008

If a member of your family has had breast cancer, you already know how devastating it can be. If the person with breast cancer was your mother or sister, you are now in the high risk category. That’s pretty scary, but it means you can actively take part in preventing the illness. You should start having an annual mammogram when you are ten years younger than your family member was when she was diagnosed. For example, if your mother was 45 when her breast cancer was diagnosed, you should start having an annual mammogram at age 35.
The American Cancer Society recommends high risk women also have annual screening MRI exams. Whether you’re in a high risk group or not, the best breast cancer prevention is a monthly self-exam, and an annual mammogram.




Health Tip for 7/14/2008

I love to bike on the weekends in the summertime, but laltey my knees Have been aching more than I think they should. Dr. Chris Peterson of The Sports Medicine Clinic says if your knees hurt, there may be something wrong with the relationship between you and your bike.
The key is to make sure your bike fits your body, whether you ride a racing, road or mountain bike. Even if you stretch carefully and warm up before you get on your bike, riding with the wrong configuration can be very painful. A good fitting bike, combined with some solid advice on cycling techniques, can put you ahead of the pack!




Health Tip for 7/10/2008

Okay, so your back hurts and you’re not sure if you should go to work. Dr. Walter Trautman, pain specialist at Northwest Hospital, says if the pain is bothering you, but you can still go about your daily activities, most of the time the pain will go away on its own. If the pain is severe, it’s probably time to see your doctor, or possibly a specialist. They may try medications or physical therapy. Occasionally you may need more advanced treatments, which may include injections or surgery. The physical therapist will help you do some specialized exercises that will both ease the pain and make your back and core muscles stronger. Once you’ve learned the exercises, continue to do them at home. Making them a habit may help prevent future back pain and injuries.





Health Tip for 7/8/2008

You’re a good driver, but sometimes even the best can end up in a traffic accident. Dr. Evan Cantini, rehabilitation medicine specialist at Northwest Hospital, says the most common injury after a crash is to the neck, with pain across the shoulders or down the neck to between the shoulder blades. This would be nearly constant pain, at least half the day, and it gets worse with activity. While most of these muscle injuries improve over time, the goal is to speed up the healing process. If the pain is interfering with your work and sleep, talk to a doctor about physical therapy, advice on modifying your lifestyle to ease the pain and perhaps some medication. Prompt diagnosis and treatment, which can include medications, braces or therapies, can reduce your pain and help you return to your usual activities quicker.




Health Tip for 7/7/2008

You’re busy, busy, busy all day long…. Work, husband, kids, your parents, his parents, the house, the car, the dog, yada-yada-yada…. by the end of the day, you still haven’t had any time for yourself. I know how that feels. WE all have to take care of our responsibilities, of course, but heart health researchers say we all need to take a few minutes for yourself, too. Just take a deep breath and really think about how you feel, from top to toe. Listening to your body is an important tool in managing your health. Do you need to relax more? Would you feel better if you went for a short walk? Do you feel really wound up or even a little nervous? Or are you feeling serene and happy? Pay attention to what your body has to say. It will help you learn how to beat heart disease and live a happier, healthier life.



Health Tip for 6/5/2008

Worry, worry, worry. Sometimes it feels like that’s all we do all day long. Anxiety has been around forever, and it’s helped keep us alive for thousands of years. Worry becomes a real problem, though, when you start suffering from unrealistic fears. It’s one thing to be worried when you walk down a dark alley at 2 in the morning, but you shouldn’t be feeling that way in your neighborhood on an ordinary afternoon. If anxiety is causing you a lot of stress, talk to your doctor. In the meantime, try distracting yourself from your fears by thinking about a favorite hobby or activity; do some deep breathing; or exercise, to reduce muscle tension and use up some of that excess energy. Sometimes, drinking too many cups of coffee or sodas can make you feel stressed out, so cutting back on caffeine can be a big help, too.



Health Tip for 6/3/2008

You’ve already heard about the obesity epidemic in the United States. It’s being blamed on everything from too much fast food to not enough exercise. Dr. Julie Carkin, with the Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says with people carrying so much extra weight, another epidemic is striking women in particular. Extra weight can cause osteoarthritis in the hips and knees, even in young women. So many of us weigh a lot more than our skeletons were designed to support, leading to pain and joint damage.
If you’re finding that your knees or hips are stiff and sore when you get up from a chair, and the pain gets worse as you continue to walk around, you may have osteoarthritis. It may be time to take off some excess weight if you’re carrying too many pounds. Talk to your doctor, to find out what to do to keep osteoarthritis in its place, while you keep moving!




Health Tip for 6/2/2008

Some mornings, you can put up with all the crazy drivers with no problem. Other times, somebody cuts you off, and you want to explode! Road rage is pretty common these days, but Dr. William Solan, psychiatrist at Northwest Hospital, says it is not a part of normal life. He says if you’re losing it on the road, it’s not because other people are bad drivers. It’s because you have other things that are going on in your life that are making you unhappy or anxious. The key to beating road rage before it starts is building your stress management skills. Take time to unwind before you get in the car, so you can be a relaxed but alert driver. If you do find yourself boiling over, take time at the end of your drive to figure out what’s really bothering you – and then take steps to make things better for yourself and the people around you.



Health Tip for 5/29/2008

The weather is finally getting warmer, which means that a lot of us are getting ready to hit the hiking trail for the first time since last fall. Dr. Richard Bouché, podiatrist at The Sports Medicine Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says the key to enjoying the very first hike of the season is to get ready beforehand:It is important to prepare for any hiking or walking activity by actually going for short walks or hikes at first, then gradually increasing the distances. If problems occur, ask your doctor to check the foot and leg, and then make sure the hiking boots or walking shoes fit properly.Many times, hiking boots need a tune-up so your feet won’t get sore and blistered. Adding an arch support or some padding, and finding the right socks, may be what your feet need to enjoy a fun, pain-free hiking season.




Health Tip for 5/27/2008

You may have osteoporosis and not know it. Like high blood pressure, osteoporosis is a silent disease. Until you have a crisis, like a broken wrist or hip, you might think your bones are perfectly healthy. Dr. Julie Carkin, with The Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says if you have certain health events, you should ask your doctor for a bone density assessment. For example,if you are past menopause, taking steroids for asthma, multiple sclerosis or arthritis, or your periods have stopped due to underweight or high amounts of exercise, your bones are at risk for osteoporosis. You might not have any sign of osteoporosis until bone breaks, so do what you can now to build and maintain healthy bones. Take vitamin D and calcium every day and talk about bone health with your doctor.




Health Tip for 5/26/2008

If your husband snores from the minute he goes to sleep, it can keep you awake most of the night, and really mess up the following day. Before you banish him to the couch, or move into the rec room yourself, Dr. Gandis Mazeika says you need to get your husband checked for sleep apnea, since the disorder is a risk factor for heart and blood pressure problems, not just a minor nuisance. The interruption in the sleeper's oxygen supply can lead to major problems.
Whether your honey has sleep apnea or just snores a lot, there are effective treatments out there. They will help both of you sleep like a dream.




Health Tip for 5/22/2008

If you’re under 35 years old, you’re probably adding to your bone bank account, even if you don’t know it. Dr. Julie Carkin, with the Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says up to that age, if you eat well and take in enough calcium and vitamin D, you’re building up important reserves of high-quality bone. It’s important to build up bone density, to prevent crippling fractures later in life. The latest research says most women don’t have enough vitamin D, and that the recommended amount has gone way up – to between 800 and 1000 international units a day. Vitamin D is extremely important, since you can’t absorb calcium without it. Calcium and vitamin D are the building blocks of bone, so making sure you include them in your daily life is the way to insure that you’re making deposits in your own personal bone bank.




Health Tip for 5/20/2008

When you look in the full length mirror, do you see an apple or a pear? Nurse practitioner Pat Giurgevich at Summit Cardiology at Northwest Hospital, says where excess fat accumulates on your body can affect how healthy your heart is. Extra fat around the waist means more fat around the heart and other organs. That increases the risk of heart disease. The tendency to be either apple or pear-shaped is determined by our genes. That’s why it’s important for people who tend to be apple-shaped to try to maintain a healthy body weight for their height. It’s important for both apples and pears to get regular exercise. It promotes healthy blood cholesterol – and that’s good, no matter what shape you’re in.




Health Tip for 5/19/2008

You’ve got the perfect outfit, but you almost never wear it because the shoes that go with it hurt! Dr. Richard Bouché, podiatrist at The Sports Medicine Clinic, says that if the shoes fit your feet, the problem may be that you’re not wearing socks or stockings. The right hosiery can definitely prevent blisters and add to your comfort by keeping your feet dry and cushioned. You can even find socks that are anti-fungal, to help avoid athlete’s foot. Those are all good things, plus they help prevent blisters.
Dr. Bouché recommends synthetic socks, since cotton doesn’t wick moisture away from the foot, and cotton socks can get sticky. Socks that provide cushioning are even better. And if you have smelly feet, there are even socks that help prevent foot odor!




Health Tip for 5/14/2008

There’s more to having a spa pedicure than just plunking yourself into a chair and choosing a fashionable nail color. Before you make an appointment to have your feet groomed, Dr. Richard Bouché, a podiatrist at The Sports Medicine Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says you need to ask some questions, and take a look around the salon:
You need to see that the salon not only looks clean, but that the tools the technician will use on you have been sterilized since they were last used. Ask questions, since people can catch serious illnesses in nail salons. Those infections can be prevented by the nail technician.
Ask the shop owner for details on when and how tools and foot baths are disinfected. Find out if the same procedures are followed when the shop gets busy, because mistakes could seriously affect your health.




Health Tip for 5/13/2008

You love your I-pod, and it’s a great tool for making your workouts more fun, instead of just another chore. But as exercise physiologist Liz Dickson says, you need to think about safety, too, particularly if you exercise outdoors.
It's always important to be aware of your surroundings. Wear just one earphone, or keep the volume low enough that you can hear passing traffic or the voices of people around you. Getting run down by a bike or a car is not good exercise. There’s another safety hazard, too. Listening to loud music can cause permanent damage to your hearing. While your favorite tunes may help you get into your workout, that harm may be permanent if you keep the volume all the way up day after day. Back off on the volume, but keep moving, because you’re on the track to a healthier, happier body!




Health Tip for 5/12/2008

Breast pain is so common that it’s almost normal – but not quite. A lot of women have it for a few days during their monthly cycles. If you’re worried that it might be a sign of a serious problem, you should know that persistent breast pain very rarely is a sign of cancer. More often, it’s a sign you should be cutting back on caffeine, working on reducing stress by better time management, and making a little time for daily exercise. Talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about your breast pain, and follow their suggestions. Giving up coffee or stressful situations will be worth it. If, however, your breast pain is in one place and does not change with your cycle, talk to you doctor about a diagnostic mammogram, breast MRI or both.



Health Tip for 5/8/2008

If your husband snores from the minute he goes to sleep, it can keep you awake most of the night, and really mess up the following day. Before you banish him to the couch, or move into the rec room yourself, Dr. Gandis Mazeika says you need to get your husband checked for sleep apnea: loud snoring isn't just a nuisance. Sleep apnea can result in severe health complications, including high blood pressure. Whether your honey has sleep apnea or just snores a lot, there are effective treatments out there. They will help both of you sleep like a dream.



Health Tip for 5/6/2008

Okay, you’ve heard it a million times: smoking is bad for you. It not only increases your risk of heart disease, it’s bad for your lungs and it’s bad for the people around you. It can even lead to all kinds of cancers, from your mouth to deep in your lungs. You might also be surprised to hear that cigarettes and other tobacco products make it hard for your cells to use insulin. In other words, smoking triples your risk of developing full-blown diabetes. Talk to the folks at the American Lung Association about ways to quit smoking, and to your doctor and pharmacist, too. They can tell you about new treatments and tools for smoking cessation. If you don’t succeed the first time you try to quit smoking, get ready to try again. Eventually, you’ll find the way to quit that works for you and makes your life healthier, too.



Health Tip for 5/5/2008

Most of us get tension headaches, and most of us know what to do. We take some aspirin or ibuprofen, we go for a walk or we just try to relax for a few minutes. Getting rid of a migraine is much more difficult. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says that’s because the roots of the headache are deep in the brain. He explains that migraine headaches are a syndrome, caused by a disorder in the brain near the hypothalamus. Besides pain, migraine sufferers also tend to have nausea and increased sensitivity to noise, light, smells and movement. These symptoms can be overwhelming. If you want to prevent migraines, the first step is to regulate your sleep and meal schedule. A lot of migraines crop up on the weekend, because we stay up late and sleep in, and eat whenever we want. You can fight these tough headaches by sticking to a regular schedule, seven days a week.



Health Tip for 5/1/2008

You know a lot about stress. If you don’t suffer from it, you know someone who does. One of the results of continuing stress can be a migraine. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says while migraines usually start early in life, a cluster of migraines can be traced to what’s going on in your daily life. He adds that if you can deal with the stress, you’ll find that the migraines are easier to handle. Of course, it’s common for migraines to develop four or five days before the start of menstruation, because of hormonal changes. If you feel a migraine coming on and you don’t have specific medication for that type of headache, find someplace quiet and just rest for a while. Take some acetaminophen or ibuprofen as early as you can during the onset of the headache. Surprisingly, a good strong jolt of caffeine, in a soft drink or cup of coffee, can help you fight the migraine, too.



Health Tip for 4/29/2008

Unlike migraines, which mostly affect women, cluster headaches occur most frequently in men. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says they’re called cluster headaches because they can happen up to three times a day for about six weeks. He says most people who have migraines will want to stay motionless in a dark room, but someone with a cluster headache will be pacing or rocking back and forth. The pain is usually behind one eye, and that eye will be reddened. Lying down will actually make a cluster headache worse. Since this kind of pain can be a symptom of a serious problem, see a doctor.
Treatment can include steroids and, believe it or not, oxygen. Talk to your doctor about any stubborn recurring headache, so you can work together on finding a diagnosis and a solution that works for you.




Health Tip for 4/28/2008

It’s one of the most common medical problems. About 8 out of ten people have back pain, so chances are if your back hasn’t hurt you so far, it will someday. Back aches can be anything from a dull constant pain to a sudden, sharp one. Dr. Walter Trautman, pain specialist at Northwest Hospital, says the pain doesn’t necessarily come from an injury. He says it can occur for a lot of different reasons, from a herniated disk to a muscle strain. That’s why treating back pain is so complex, and why each patient has to be individually evaluated, to find the cause and the right treatment. Most back pain will go away, but it may take a while. Chronic back pain that sticks around for three months, or keeps you from your regular activities, calls for a trip to the doctor’s office.



Health Tip for 4/24/2008

Being the caregiver for your parents can be a tough job. You may have to make difficult decisions, like, when should you look for a nursing facility or adult family home? Dr. William Solan from Northwest Hospital’s Gero-Psychiatric Center says the choice often comes down to whether or not you are able to spend quality time with your parents. It’s important to focus on the well-being of the entire family and the caregiver – it’s hard to have quality time with your parents when you’re stressed out and depressed, due to all the demands on your time from parents, kids and your job. When the situation becomes unsafe, because an elderly parent is wandering away from home, or when caring for your folks becomes a huge burden, it may be time to make other arrangements…but nearby, so you can spend quality time with them.



Health Tip for 4/22/2008

You remember Smokey Bear, don’t you? Bet you didn’t think his advice on preventing forest fires applied to West Nile virus, too. You can prevent it from attacking by doing some simple things around the house. Since the disease is spread by mosquito bites, the trick is to get rid of standing water around your yard that will provide a good environment for the bugs. Mosquitoes can breed in just a few inches of water in only a couple of days, so drain plant saucers and empty rainwater out of kids’ toys, and change the water in birdbaths every few days. Mosquitoes can breed in just a few inches of water in only a couple of days. West Nile virus doesn’t harm most people, but it can cause permanent damage to people with diabetes, immunity problems and those over 40 years old. Children and men tend to get it more often because they spend more time outdoors on summer evenings, so take steps to get mosquitoes off your property and keep West Nile virus out of your life!



Health Tip for 4/21/2008

You’re busy, busy, busy all day long. Work, husband, kids, your parents, his parents, the house, the car, the dog, yada-yada-yada. By the end of the day, you still haven’t had any time for yourself. I know how that feels. We all have to take care of our responsibilities, of course, but heart health researchers say we all need to take a few minutes for ourselves, too. Just take a deep breath and really think about how you feel, from top to toe. Listening to your body is an important tool in managing your health. Do you need to relax more? Would you feel better if you went for a short walk? Do you feel really wound up or even a little nervous? Or are you feeling serene and happy? Pay attention to what your body has to say. It will help you learn how to beat heart disease and live a happier, healthier life.



Health Tip for 4/17/2008

You may have osteoporosis and not know it. Like high blood pressure, osteoporosis is a silent disease. Until you have a crisis, like a broken wrist or hip, you might think your bones are perfectly healthy. Dr. Julie Carkin, with The Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says if you have certain health events, you should ask your doctor for a bone density assessment. If you are past menopause, taking steroids for asthma, multiple sclerosis or arthritis, or your periods have stopped due to underweight or high amounts of exercise, your bones are at risk for osteoporosis. You might not have any sign of osteoporosis until bone breaks, so do what you can now to build and maintain healthy bones. Take vitamin D and calcium every day and talk about bone health with your doctor.



Health Tip for 4/15/2008

No matter how much you need it for healthy bones, your body will only absorb so much calcium at one time. Dr. Julie Carkin, with the Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says your body can use only about 500 milligrams of calcium at once. Since you need about 1200 milligrams of calcium a day, it’s important to spread out your servings through the day. Have a glass of milk at breakfast, a yogurt at lunch and a calcium pill in the evening, to help make sure you get the maximum benefit. If you can’t eat dairy products, there are lots of calcium fortified foods around, including fruit juices, cereal, sports bars and soy products. And watch out for adding loads of calcium to your diet all at once. You tummy may rebel, since for many people, too much calcium can cause constipation. Adding calcium to your diet gradually is the best way to do your body good.



Health Tip for 4/14/2008

You can have a healthier heart and enrich your life by learning how to manage stress. Eveyone gets stressed out! It’s funny: I’m a traffic reporter you’d think I could handle being stuck in traffic, but NOT so MUCH!!! I get soooo stressed out thinking about all the time I’m wasting stuck in back ups. Some studies show being depressed, worried about money, or stressed out in traffic, at home or on the job can increase your risk of having a heart attack (whether or not you have a history of heart disease. It’s important to recognize your symptoms of stress. Learn some ways to relax. Try progressive relaxation technique, yoga or some simple stretches. You could even take up an active hobby, since experts say activities like dancing, rollerblading, or softball, can boost your energy, work off stress and get your heart healthy, all at the same time!



Health Tip for 4/10/2008

The first step in fighting a serious case of insomnia is to start getting up at the same time every day, whether it’s a weekend or a work day. The next step is staying in bed only to sleep. If you don’t doze off in the first ten minutes, get up! The best thing to do is to not linger in bed too long. If about 10 minutes has gone by and you’re still awake, you should be getting up out of bed and out of the bedroom, going someplace else and waiting until you’re tired and sleepy again. Then it’s time to go back to bed and try to fall asleep again. Yes, you may be a little more tired the next day, but you’ll find that the following night you’ll have an easier time falling asleep.

In a week or two, you’ll find yourself dozing off when you first go to bed, and sleeping through most of the night!



Health Tip for 4/8/2008

Watch enough episodes of Celebrity Fit Club, Biggest Loser and any of the other reality weight loss shows and you start thinking there must be a perfect exercise or sport out there for me, right? All it takes is joining a gym, hiring a personal trainer and devoting several hours every day to developing the right technique! What real fitness takes is a sensible, flexible diet and finding an activity you enjoy doing for at least 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week. That’s it. While reality TV shows focus on massive weight loss and minimum calories, what works for you may be a lot of fresh fruits and veggies with an occasional treat. Yes, you’re allowed. And that will lead you to gradual weight loss. As for the perfect sport, whether you love weight lifting or running bases, talk to your doctor, get out there, and be your own reality show.



Health Tip for 4/7/2008

You’ve been hearing a lot about West Nile virus in the media, but most people don’t know what it is. West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes, and it mostly causes fever, a little rash and an achy feeling. If you catch it, you’ll need to rest and take an over-the-counter medication for the fever. Dr. William Ehni from Northwest Hospital says in some cases West Nile can cause serious complications in adults over age 40, or for people who have diabetes or immunity problems. These people can have problems ranging from headache, nausea and vomiting to seizures and permanent brain damage. That’s why we urge people to avoid mosquito bites as much as possible. Mosquitoes are at their most active at dawn and around sunset, so if you must be outdoors then, wear long sleeves and pants. And, make sure to use an insect repellent containing D-E-E-T or Picaridin on any exposed skin.



Health Tip for 4/3/2008

What do you call success? Is it getting a big raise at work, or learning how to steal third base? For some people, it’s losing weight and getting into shape. Then, along comes vacation, with all the fun of going on a cruise, or a road trip, and there go the food plans and exercise. Cruise ships offer loads of enticing food, but also many kinds of exercise and games. Take a moment each day to think about choosing healthy foods and plan for some active fun, too. During a long road trip, plan ahead for healthy food. Stop every two hours to stretch and walk. The fact is vacations may be the right time to re-define success. Try focusing on healthy eating and getting in some walks, or maybe even going dancing. You will be able to really relax and really have a good time – and come home refreshed without packing on the pounds!



Health Tip for 4/1/2008

You’ve already heard about the obesity epidemic in the United States. It’s being blamed on everything from too much fast food to not enough exercise. Dr. Julie Carkin, with the Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says with people carrying so much extra weight, another epidemic is striking women in particular. She points out that weight can cause osteoarthritis in the hips and knees, even in young women. So many of us weigh a lot more than our skeletons were designed to support, leading to pain and joint damage. If you’re finding that your knees or hips are stiff and sore when you get up from a chair, and the pain gets worse as you continue to walk around, you may have osteoarthritis. It may be time to take off some excess weight if you’re carrying too many pounds. Talk to your doctor, to find out what to do to keep osteoarthritis in its place, while you keep moving!



Health Tip for 3/31/2008

The discomfort of restless leg syndrome builds up for several minutes, until the person with RLS finally moves. That relieves the sensation of having soda pop or ants in the legs for a while, until the discomfort starts building up again. Dr. Gandis Mazeika, a sleep specialist at Northwest Hospital, says there are several things you can do to temporarily relieve the restlessness. He says he tells patients to go into the kitchen and use a rolling pin to massage their legs for about five minutes before bedtime. Taking a warm bath at bedtime also calms down the restlessness. That can give you enough relief that you can get to sleep.
Prescription medications can relieve the symptoms of RLS. The good news is that it tends to come in waves, so after a series of bad nights, RLS will go away for weeks, or even months.



Health Tip for 3/27/2008

If you get migraines, you’ve heard that some foods can trigger them. Aged cheese, foods containing MSG, processed meats, red wine and even chocolate are on the list. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says you’re lucky if you can find out that a particular food causes your headaches, but you shouldn’t drop a food from your diet just because it’s on the list. He advises that you approach this problem scientifically: eat some chocolate, for example, and then wait. If you’re going to get a migraine, it will happen in the following two to three hours. If you don’t get a headache, go ahead and enjoy chocolate. Dr. Krane says it’s actually rare for migraine headaches to be set off by foods. If you’ve been avoiding certain foods, choose a day to run a little test, one suspect food at a time. You could be surprised!<



Health Tip for 3/25/2008

Restless leg syndrome, or RLS, is more common then you think. It affects about ten percent of the population. People with RLS get an uncomfortable sensation, usually in the legs, and especially just when they’re starting to relax in the evening. The discomfort builds until the person absolutely has to move. Dr. Gandis Mazeika, a sleep specialist at Northwest Hospital, explains that RLS can sometimes be mis-diagnosed. He says restless leg syndrome tends to come on in adulthood, but some kids have it. It can mimic attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so some kids have been misidentified as hyperactive, when they actually have RLS. There are some things you can do to ease the symptoms without medication. Warmth can relieve the restlessness, so take a heating pad to bed, or put it on your legs while watching TV to get a break from the discomfort.



Health Tip for 3/24/2008

You promised you’d cut back on fatty foods, but you don’t want to give up bacon, or sausage. How about giving up fat somewhere else in your daily meals? Look for low-fat lunch meats when you’re making sandwiches to take to work, and choose a soft margarine instead of a stick. Instead of a smearof mayonnaise or cream cheese, try a dab of mustard – it’s fat-free and low calorie. Add a couple of slices of reduced fat or fat-free cheese between two slices of whole-wheat or eight-grain bread, and you’ll have a hearty lunch that is a little lower in saturated fats – the ones that are unhealthy. Instead of chips, try celery sticks, carrots or an apple for a satisfying crunch. Besides reducing calories, you’re taking steps toward preventing diabetes and heart disease. You won’t miss the extra calories!



Health Tip for 3/20/2008

You wouldn’t send your kids out to play in traffic. That’s why you make sure they have bike helmets that fit correctly, and even more importantly.... they put them on!!! Another way to make sure your kids wear their helmets.... is to make sure they see you wearing yours.... You know the saying "monkey SEE monkey DO"!!! Chances are... you and your kids won’t get into any accidents..... But if something does go wrong, a helmet will help reduce injuries, and prevent life-long disability caused by brain damage. The fit is just as important. You want your helmet to comfortably touch the head all the way around. It should be level and stable enough to stay in place, even when you shake your head really hard. The strap should be slightly snug. Use the pads that come with the helmet to adjust the fit so it’s both comfortable and safe...Alright kids, let’s go!!!



Health Tip for 3/18/2008

Breast pain is so common that it’s almost normal – but not quite. A lot of women have it for a few days during their monthly cycles. If you’re worried that it might be a sign of a serious problem, you should know that persistent breast pain very rarely is a sign of cancer. More often, it’s a sign you should be cutting back on caffeine, working on reducing stress by better time management, and making a little time for daily exercise. Talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about your breast pain, and follow their suggestions. Giving up coffee or stressful situations will be worth it. If, however, your breast pain is in one place and does not change with your cycle, talk to you doctor about a diagnostic mammogram, breast MRI or both.



Health Tip for 3/17/2008

Ever thought about balancing your muscles? It sounds funny, but if you ride a bicycle a lot, you could be developing some muscles while neglecting others. In other words, you could end up being really good at moving forward and backward, but have some trouble moving sideways. Dr. Chris Peterson from The Sports Medicine Clinic says this can be a sign that your body needs something more from you than frequent bike rides. He says a large majority of the people he sees in his clinic are tight in at least some muscle groups and poor in core strength, so they need a strengthening and stretching program to deal with chronic tendonitis. If you love to bike, it’s important for you to do some cross-training, like soccer, dance, lifting weights, or core strengthening programs like yoga or Pilates. A balanced, flexible cyclist means a better bike ride!



Health Tip for 3/13/2008

I love to bike on the weekends in the summertime, but lately my knees Have been aching more than I think they should. Dr. Chris Peterson of The Sports Medicine Clinic says if your knees hurt, there may be something wrong with the relationship between you and your bike.
The key is to make sure your bike fits your body, whether you ride a racing, road or mountain bike. Even if you stretch carefully and warm up before you get on your bike, riding with the wrong configuration can be very painful. A good fitting bike, combined with some solid advice on cycling techniques, can put you ahead of the pack!<



Health Tip for 3/11/2008

You’re sweet as can be, but you’d like to be twice as cute. Cutting down on some of the sugar in your diet just might be part of the answer. I love vanilla in my morning coffee, but often the flavoring in your coffee drink is full of sugar. And I think that is why I can’t get rid of my last set of love handles. What to do? Well, start by using less sugar in your latte, and then see if you can cut down on the sugar on your morning cereal. When you go grocery shopping, take a look at the nutrition labels, and be a little more choosy. Watch out for excess sugar in some desserts that are labeled low-fat… Instead of a chocolate treat.....go for fresh fruit or canned fruit packed in water or juice.



Health Tip for 3/10/2008

If you’re under 35 years old, you’re probably adding to your bone bank account, even if you don’t know it. Dr. Julie Carkin, with the Seattle Arthritis Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says up to that age, if you eat well and take in enough calcium and vitamin D, you’re building up important reserves of high-quality bone. She says it’s important to build up bone density, to prevent crippling fractures later in life.
The latest research says most women don’t have enough vitamin D, and that the recommended amount has gone way up – to between 800 and 1000 international units a day. Vitamin D is extremely important, since you can’t absorb calcium without it. Calcium and vitamin D are the building blocks of bone, so making sure you include them in your daily life is the way to insure that you’re making deposits in your own personal bone



Health Tip for 3/6/2008

Do you ever catch a glimpse of yourself in a store mirror, and immediately straighten up? You might not realize it, but that could be the first step toward keeping your back healthy and pain-free. Dr. Walter Trautman, pain specialist at Northwest Hospital, says being aware of your posture and how you do things like getting in and out of the car can help prevent back aches. He says staying active and exercising your core muscles will help your back stay strong. Walking and keeping your weight down will certainly help, too, in many cases.
If you have minor back pain, resist the urge to stay in bed for a couple of days – it doesn’t help in many cases, while ice and heat packs and gentle exercise will. Call your doctor, though, if you have numbness in the legs or if you have so much pain that you can’t go to work or take care of your family.<



Health Tip for 3/4/2008

You are so ready to get out there on your bike! The question is, is your bicycle ready for you? If you got your bike several years ago, if it was a gift or hand-me-down, or if you bought it without being measured to make sure it fits you, Todd Gallaher, current Washington State champion amateur racer and cycling fitting specialist at The Sports Medicine Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says you’re setting yourself up for a painful ride. Since most store clerks are not trained to fit bikes, you need to know it’s a lot more than seat height – adjustments have to be made to the handlebars, saddle, brake levers and fore and aft balance to suit the individual rider. Skipping these adjustments won’t hurt you if you just take the bike for a quick ride to the store. But if you ride more than that, a poorly fitting bike is like wearing shoes that are two sizes too small. A bad fit can make your life miserable and cause injuries.



Health Tip for 3/3/2008

Unlike migraines, which mostly affect women, cluster headaches occur most frequently in men. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says they’re called cluster headaches because they can happen up to three times a day for about six weeks. He says most people who have migraines will want to stay motionless in a dark room, but someone with a cluster headache will be pacing or rocking back and forth. The pain is usually behind one eye, and that eye will be reddened. Lying down will actually make a cluster headache worse. Since this kind of pain can be a symptom of a serious problem, see a doctor.
Treatment can include steroids and, believe it or not, oxygen. Talk to your doctor about any stubborn recurring headache, so you can work together on finding a diagnosis and a solution that works for you.




Health Tip for 2/28/2008

Okay, so you are not in love with the treadmill, the elliptical trainer, the rowing machine or the stationary bike at the gym. The step or spinning classes aren’t happening at the times you can attend. Liz Dickson, exercise specialist at Northwest Hospital, says you can make your aerobic workouts more interesting. She says you can create your own cardio medley: once a week use every kind of aerobic machine in the gym. You’ll still get a great workout, and you may find a new favorite machine.
If the problem is the gym itself, try some activity away from the gym, like running with the family dog, rollerblading with your kids or taking your sweetie dancing. Sometimes just changing the location of your workout can make it feel fresher, and keep you on the road to a healthy body.




Health Tip for 2/26/2008

People think of whooping cough as just another childhood disease, but it’s an illness that can lead to pneumonia, convulsions, developmental disability or even death in babies. Whooping cough may start out looking like a cold, but if your child has a runny nose and slight fever, and a repeated cough that ends in a “whooping” noise, talk to your doctor immediately. Babies under 18 months are especially at risk, because their breathing may stop during coughing spells. Experts say that cough medicines don’t help with whooping cough and actually should be avoided. And if you or your child has whooping cough, it’s important to cover your cough, wash your hands and stay away from other people as much as possible to keep from spreading the disease.



Health Tip for 2/25/2008

You’ve been trying to get to the gym a little more often, but, wow, does that aerobic routine get boring! After a few minutes on the treadmill, you can start feeling like a hamster on a wheel – going nowhere fast. Liz Dickson, exercise specialist at Northwest Hospital, says getting into shape doesn’t have to be dull. She suggests using your time on the treadmill or the elliptical trainer to get some basic aerobic fitness, and look for classes in activities like belly dancing, water aerobics, dodge ball, boxing or hip-hop dance! Include some weight training in your workouts, to tone your muscles, too. The point is to get clearance from your doctor, and then get out there and move. You’ll feel fit, you’ll look great and your heart and every other part of your body will appreciate the effort. Plus – no more boredom!




Health Tip for 2/21/2008

It starts out looking like a cold, but whooping cough can turn into a dangerous illness for babies and small children. The first symptoms are a runny nose and slight fever, followed by severe, repeated coughs that can cause choking spells and make it hard to breathe. Because whooping cough can cause permanent disabilities or even death, doctors urge parents to have their children immunized against this illness, before they enter school. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the bacteria that causes whooping cough travels on large droplets. Since adults and older children may not have severe symptoms, they may pass whooping cough on without knowing it. Remember to cover all your coughs and sneezes, and wash your hands frequently, just in case.



Health Tip for 2/19/2008

If you’ve been getting tensed up over things at work, you may have the cure right at your fingertips. Instead of taking some kind of pill for anxiety, some researchers say you can reduce the symptoms of stress by getting a little exercise instead. According to some studies, aerobic exercise like walking, running or playing tennis can be as effective as medication in treating depression. Keep it up for a few weeks, and exercise can help reduce anxiety, relieve depression and even help you sleep better. Add in enhanced self-esteem and improved muscle tone, and you’ve got results that don’t come in a pill bottle. The trick is to start low and slow, walking for a few minutes each day until you’re ready for longer, faster walks. Then you might try jogging, a fitness class, handball – whatever suits you. Before you start, though, make sure to let your doctor know about your exercise plans.



Health Tip for 2/18/2008

You may think you have stomach flu when you’re nauseous, vomiting or have diarrhea, but it may not actually be the flu. Flu causes chills, fever, runny nose and a cough, while vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by something called rotavirus or norovirus, that illness you’ve heard about ruining ocean cruises and closing schools. The virus can travel on contaminated hands and in moisture droplets, and it can survive on a variety of surfaces. That means if you start having symptoms like these, the best thing to do is to take yourself out of circulation until you feel better. The good news is that thorough hand washing with soap or cleaning of contaminated clothing or surfaces with detergent will send the virus down the drain. Also, drink plenty of fluids and stay away from the very young and the very old, because this illness is the most dangerous for them.



Health Tip for 2/14/2008

You know what’s hot coming up this spring? Colors with names like snorkel blue and pink mist, along with what the fashionistas call “stabilizing neutrals.” Plus, you’ll have your choice of looks – sporty-chic or an ethno-mix that shows off your fitness. Not so many bare tummies, but shiny fabrics that show every bulge. Now don’t freak out and starve yourself. Before you decide to stop eating for the next month so your thighs will look great, remember that it takes fuel to run your body. So instead of cutting out all kinds of calories talk about cutting back. Trade in the morning pastry for an apple or the orange juice for a real orange. Right there you’ve cut a bunch of calories. Next make sure you’ve got some lean protein in every meal. You can add sliced turkey or beef to that lunchtime salad. With a generous squeeze of lemon and a tiny splash of healthy olive oil, plus a little exercise, you’re good to go and lookin’ good too.



Health Tip for 2/12/2008

In just this past year, it’s become possible to protect young women from a viral infection associated with about 70 percent of the cervical cancers in the United States. Generally speaking, the vaccine is given to women 26 years of age and younger. Dr. Patricia Rodrigues says some older women may qualify for the vaccine as well. A woman who is a virgin or has had only one lover, but is facing a divorce or other change in her life may want to protect herself from the virus that causes cervical cancer. Insurance coverage for the vaccine varies. Compared to the cost of analyzing even one abnormal pap smear, it’s cost-effective, and a lot cheaper than treating a cancer that kills almost four thousand women a year in the United States.



Health Tip for 2/11/2008

It took more time to fit your ski boots than it does to alter a wedding dress. After all that, your feet still hurt after just a couple of hours on your skis. It could be that you need more than another new pair of boots. Dr. Richard Bouché, a podiatrist at The Sports Medicine Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says your sore feet deserve a second look. He says it’s important for all skiers to have boots that fit and are comfortable. Many times, the skier is already in the right boot – it just needs to be fine-tuned to their particular needs. If a boot is personalized so it fits properly – you shouldn’t have to loosen the buckles all day.If you’ve had your boots fitted in a store, and they still hurt, it’s time to see a doctor of podiatric medicine. He or she can help you achieve the fit you need in the boots you may already own.




Health Tip for 2/7/2008

We do love our winter sports here in the Pacific Northwest, but the winter weather, especially in the mountains, doesn’t love us back. That’s why Dr. Richard Bouché, a podiatrist at the Sports Medicine Clinic and a long-time skier, says you need to prepare before you head for the hills. He says hypothermia happens in stages, starting with heavy shivering. When that starts, do what you can to warm up, from putting on another layer of clothing to going inside to get out of the wind. As hypothermia progresses, you lose the ability to think clearly, and that can be fatal. Carrying an extra hat, pair of gloves and a cell phone can be life-savers in an emergency. Don’t under-estimate our winter weather. If you’re going boarding, hiking or snow-shoeing, take along what you may need to survive.




Health Tip for 2/5/2008

For the first time, it’s possible to get an inoculation against cancer. It helps prevent infections by HPV, the virus associated with cervical cancer later in life. Since the vaccine needs to be given to women BEFORE they have any chance of being exposed to the virus through sexual intercourse, it’s become controversial to some people. Dr. Patricia Rodrigues at Meridian Women’s Health says all women ages 9 to 26 should have the vaccine. To her, it’s a no-brainer: she says her daughter will get this vaccine when she turns 12 years old. The vaccine is not a live virus, so it can’t give you HPV, and it could protect her from cervical cancer – something that nothing else can do right now. The vaccine can be given to older women as well, depending on their personal histories. If you’re concerned about preventing cervical cancer, talk it over with your healthcare practitioner.




Health Tip for 1/31/2008

We do love our winter sports here in the Pacific Northwest, but the winter weather, especially in the mountains, doesn’t love us back. That’s why Dr. Richard Bouché, a podiatrist at the Sports Medicine Clinic and a long-time skier, says you need to prepare before you head for the hills. He says hypothermia happens in stages, starting with heavy shivering. When that starts, do what you can to warm up, from putting on another layer of clothing to going inside to get out of the wind. As hypothermia progresses, you lose the ability to think clearly, and that can be fatal. Carrying an extra hat, pair of gloves and a cell phone can be life-savers in an emergency. Don’t under-estimate our winter weather. If you’re going boarding, hiking or snow-shoeing, take along what you may need to survive.



Health Tip for 1/29/2008

Here’s a flash for a lot of us: ski boots are not supposed to hurt your feet! Dr. Richard Bouché, a podiatrist at The Sports Medicine Clinic, says some people may need more than just a fitting at the store to make sure their ski boots are comfortable to wear. He says the process should include not only a look at foot length and width, but also at foot volume – whether you have a long, thin foot or a wider, thick foot. The fitters need to consider whether you’re a beginner or advanced skier. Then they should check the balance of your foot inside the boot.
Once your boot has been adjusted to your feet, additional corrections can be made to enhance comfort as well. The goal is to be able to wear your ski boots all day without ever needing to take them off. What a great idea – skiing in comfort, so you can focus on having a great time!




Health Tip for 1/28/2008

Everyone keeps saying that washing your hands frequently is the best way to stop cold and flu germs right in their tracks. It really is, if you do it right. First of all, it takes a little more than a quick splash of warm water. Here’s what the hand hygiene experts at Northwest Hospital advise: First, get your hands wet, then add some soap. Now rub your hands together for a good fifteen seconds. Now rinse thoroughly. This sends the germs down the drain, and out of your life. Dry your hands completely, and you’re good to go. The important thing about hand washing is to do it often, especially before eating, after using the bathroom, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing and before AND after taking care of someone who is sick. When in doubt, wash often so cold and flu germs have a hard time traveling from hand to hand.



Health Tip for 1/24/2008

You know how important it is to get aerobic exercise at least three times a week. According to all the commercials on TV, if you work out, you should consume a special sports drink, or a gel or a bar, too. But do you really need the extra calories? The answer, according to independent researchers, is that it depends on how you exercise. If you exercise for more than 90 minutes and work up a good sweat, you may need the electrolytes in a sports drink. But for most exercisers the drinks, bars and gels just add extra calories for you to work off. To fuel your exercise, depend on real food, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein. If you hate exercising on an empty stomach, eat a small snack an hour before you hit the gym. If you’re ravenous afterward, eat something that will satisfy your tummy, without filling it with empty calories.



Health Tip for 1/22/2008

You know a lot about stress. If you don’t suffer from it, you know someone who does. One of the results of continuing stress can be a migraine. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says while migraines usually start early in life, a cluster of migraines can be traced to what’s going on in your daily life. He adds that if you can deal with the stress, you’ll find that the migraines are easier to handle. Of course, it’s common for migraines to develop four or five days before the start of menstruation, because of hormonal changes. If you feel a migraine coming on and you don’t have specific medication for that type of headache, find someplace quiet and just rest for a while. Take some acetaminophen or ibuprofen as early as you can during the onset of the headache. Surprisingly, a good strong jolt of caffeine, in a soft drink or cup of coffee, can help you fight the migraine, too.




Health Tip for 1/21/2008

Being the caregiver for your parents can be a tough job. You may have to make difficult decisions, like, “when should you look for a nursing facility or adult family home?” Dr. William Solan from Northwest Hospital’s Gero-Psychiatric Center says the choice often comes down to whether or not you are able to spend quality time with your parents. It’s important to focus on the well-being of the entire family and the caregiver – it’s hard to have quality time with your parents when you’re stressed out and depressed, due to all the demands on your time from parents, kids and your job. When the situation becomes unsafe, because an elderly parent is wandering away from home, or when caring for your folks becomes a huge burden, it may be time to make other arrangements…but nearby, so you can spend quality time with them.



Health Tip for 1/17/2008

You’re a good driver, but sometimes even the best can end up in a traffic accident. Dr. Evan Cantini, rehabilitation medicine specialist at Northwest Hospital, says the most common injury after a crash is to the neck, with pain across the shoulders or down the neck to between the shoulder blades. He describes this as nearly constant pain, at least half the day, and gets worse with activity. While most of these muscle injuries improve over time, our goal is to speed up the healing process. If the pain is interfering with your work and sleep, talk to a doctor about physical therapy, advice on modifying your lifestyle to ease the pain and perhaps some medication. Prompt diagnosis and treatment, which can include medications, braces or therapies, can reduce your pain and help you return to your usual activities quicker.



Health Tip for 1/15/2008

It would be great if we could all stay healthy and never have to be a patient in a hospital. But sometimes things happen. How can you make sure your wishes regarding your care and treatment are followed? Under Washington State law, hospitals that provide either emergency care or more routine surgical procedures must inform you about a “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.” If you are unable to make decisions for yourself, this “power of attorney” allows a person or people you choose to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. A separate document, called a Living Will, only applies if you’re terminally ill and want to document your wishes for medical personnel and caregivers. A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare form is available on-line, at an office supply store, or you can pick one up on your next hospital visit.



Health Tip for 1/15/2008

First the kids went back to school, or the boss left on vacation or the dog was really sick for weeks. Before you knew it, your plans to exercise and get into shape just disappeared. Don’t give up, though. You can start your new exercise plan today – here’s how: First, take five minutes for a brisk walk. After a few days, make it ten minutes, and work up to three times a day. Then, start parking a little farther away from your office, or start riding the bus to work and getting off a stop before your usual stop. By adding just a few minutes of exercise each day, you can start reaping the benefits: more energy and better sleep. As you get used to the exertion and your workouts get longer, remember to warm up and cool down by walking slowly for about five minutes at the beginning; then; walking briskly; doing a few stretches once your muscles are warm; then slowing down for the final ten minutes.



Health Tip for 1/14/2008

Do you ever catch a glimpse of yourself in a store mirror, and immediately straighten up? You might not realize it, but that could be the first step toward keeping your back healthy and pain-free. Dr. Walter Trautman, pain specialist at Northwest Hospital, says being aware of your posture and how you do things like getting in and out of the car can help prevent back aches. He says staying active and exercising your core muscles will help your back stay strong. Walking and keeping your weight down will certainly help, too, in many cases.
If you have minor back pain, resist the urge to stay in bed for a couple of days – it doesn’t help in many cases, while ice and heat packs and gentle exercise will. Call your doctor, though, if you have numbness in the legs or if you have so much pain that you can’t go to work or take care of your family.




Health Tip for 1/12/2008

I’ll bet you’ve never heard a skier complain that her feet were too hot. Many skiers suspect their toes are turning to ice cubes after being out on the hill for a few hours. Dr. Richard Bouché, a podiatrist at The Sports Medicine Clinic at Northwest Hospital, says there can be more than one reason for those frosty feet. The ski boot can be too tight and cutting off circulation, which can make your feet feel cold. Or, you might have a circulatory problem. Dr. Bouche says an expert needs to check to make sure that you don’t have an issue that could affect a lot more than your ability to ski. Once you’ve talked the problem over with a doctor, and made the needed adjustments on your boots, several things can improve the circulation your feet. These can include wearing the right socks, or using a battery-powered boot heater. The little heater doesn’t cost a lot, and it can make your toes a lot cozier!




Health Tip for 1/10/2008

First the kids went back to school, or the boss left on vacation or the dog was really sick for weeks. Before you knew it, your plans to exercise and get into shape just disappeared. Don’t give up, though. You can start your new exercise plan today – here’s how: First, take five minutes for a brisk walk. After a few days, make it ten minutes, and work up to three times a day. Then, start parking a little farther away from your office, or start riding the bus to work and getting off a stop before your usual stop. By adding just a few minutes of exercise each day, you can start reaping the benefits: more energy and better sleep. As you get used to the exertion and your workouts get longer, remember to warm up and cool down by walking slowly for about five minutes at the beginning; then; walking briskly; doing a few stretches once your muscles are warm; then slowing down for the final ten minutes.



Health Tip for 1/8/2008

If you get migraines, you’ve heard that some foods can trigger them. Aged cheese, foods containing MSG, processed meats, red wine and even chocolate are on the list. Dr. Bjorn Krane, a neurologist at Northwest Hospital, says you’re lucky if you can find out that a particular food causes your headaches, but you shouldn’t drop a food from your diet just because it’s on the list. He says to try approach this problem scientifically: eat some chocolate, for example, and then wait. If you’re going to get a migraine, it will happen in the following two to three hours. If you don’t get a headache, go ahead and enjoy chocolate.
Dr. Krane says it’s actually rare for migraine headaches to be set off by foods. If you’ve been avoiding certain foods, choose a day to run a little test, one suspect food at a time. You could be surprised!




Health Tip for 1/7/2008

Ok, so sports aren’t your thing, at least not the sports they made you play in high school. I can relate, yeah 5’11”, and NO, I still don’t like playing basketball. If you’re like me and don’t like certain kinds of sports, but you’d like to be a lot more active, maybe it’s time for you to find a new definition of sports. Dr. Justin Rothmier at The Sports Medicine Clinic says finding pleasure in whatever you decide is very important. If we enjoy a sport, we’re more likely to do it. It’s not so much a chore, it’s a pleasure to do it, so finding different types of sports to participate in, allows us to maintain our exercise program with very little effort. The important thing is to look at your sport as something you can do for the rest of your life, whether it’s running, folk dancing, or cycling. Just get off the couch and do it.



Health Tip for 1/3/2008

Okay, you’ve heard it a million times: smoking is bad for you. It not only increases your risk of heart disease, it’s bad for your lungs and it’s bad for the people around you. It can even lead to all kinds of cancers, from your mouth to deep in your lungs. You might also be surprised to hear that cigarettes and other tobacco products make it hard for your cells to use insulin. In other words, smoking triples your risk of developing full-blown diabetes. Talk to the folks at the American Lung Association about ways to quit smoking, and to your doctor and pharmacist, too. They can tell you about new treatments and tools for smoking cessation. If you don’t succeed the first time you try to quit smoking, get ready to try again. Eventually, you’ll find the way to quit that works for you and makes your life healthier, too.



Health Tip for 1/1/2008

You figure you should be losing weight. After all, you substitute a mid-morning latte for breakfast, never leave your desk at lunchtime and skip the afternoon coffee break. Of course, by the time you get home, you’re hungry as a bear, so you eat a hearty dinner. Then, you need a little something-something to nibble on while you watch TV, right? Well, if you were to write down when you eat, you might find some surprises. You may be cutting overall calories, but you’re cramming all of them into the evening hours, right before you go to bed. That gives your body nothing to do but convert calories to fat, rather than energy. It’s like your mother always said, winners eat breakfast, and so do people who succeed at losing weight. Go ahead, reduce your calories a reasonable amount, but also spread them throughout the day, so you can be both thinner and energetic.



Health Tip for 12/31/2007

You’ve already heard about the obesity epidemic in the United States. It’s being blam