Health & Wellness - June 2014 Archives

Poison ivy grows as vines or low shrubs in most climates. Each leaf on a poison ivy plant has three smaller leaflets. Contact with ...

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Job burnout: How to spot it and take action Discover if you're at risk of job burnout — and what you can do when your job begins to affect your health and happiness. Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior You may blame illness for that nagging headache, but stress may be the culprit. Learn how stress symptoms can affect you and how to manage them. Myelofibrosis This bone marrow disorder disrupts your body's normal production of blood cells. Discover the signs, causes, treatments and how to cope. Heat and exercise: Keeping cool in hot weather Exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your body. Here are some precautions you can take to prevent heat-related illnesses. EXPERT ANSWERS Nail ridges: Cause for concern? Vertical nail ridges are common and often become more prominent with age. Carpal tunnel exercises: Can they relieve symptoms? Carpal tunnel exercises may be helpful, but not if used alone. Walking: Is it enough for weight loss? Walking may help with weight loss, depending how long and intensely you walk and what your diet is like. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am 32 and have had one healthy pregnancy and baby. But over the past 18 months, I have had two miscarriages, ...

Cancer survivors: Dealing with guilt when others don't live on Guilt is a normal feeling as you search for the meaning of survival when ...

There are so many suggestions for what makes a healthy diet that sometimes it can seem a little overwhelming!  On Saturday, June  28, at 9 a.m. CT, Mayo Clinic dietitian Kate Zeratsky will join us to cut through some of the confusion.  We'll discuss how to create healthy meals without being a gourmet cook, how to match your diet and your lifestyle, and why you should be thinking more about fruits and vegetables and less on protein.  Plus we'll get an expert's opinion on carbohydrates, fats, sugar and salt. Join us! Myth or Matter of Fact: Mini meals throughout the day are better for losing weight than three big meals a day. To hear the program LIVE on Saturday, click here. Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions. Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio. Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines: News Segment June 28, 2014 (right click MP3)  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UraLdB8VAQQ SAVING LIVES WITH GUS: Fireworks Safety With the 4th of July holiday week coming up, experts at Mayo Clinic are offering up some injury prevention tips on some of the most common reasons that send people to the emergency department this time of year. Consume alcohol in moderation. Imbibing too much alcohol can lead to questionable decision-making, slowed reflexes and false confidence – traits that are dangerous in nearly any outdoor activity during the summer months. Never assume a campfire or bonfire is completely out. On more than one occasion, fire-happy campers have been known to dump gasoline or other extremely flammable liquids on fires that look like they are out or smoldering and ended up with third-degree burns. Children and adults make trips to the emergency room every summer after stepping into fire pits they thought were cool. Always wear a helmet when biking, motorcycling, horseback riding or on an ATV. This is like wearing a seat belt in a car – an absolute must. Riders of all kinds can sustain serious injuries in an accident, but survival chances grow exponentially when a helmet is worn. Be extra alert when operating a boat or personal watercraft.  Watch out for other boaters, water-skiers and swimmers. Every year, patients are brought to the emergency department after getting tangled up in a boat propeller. And always wear a life jacket. Avoid fireworks. Even sparklers – thought to be relatively safe – can lead to blindness and serious burns. Other larger fireworks can leave users without fingers and even limbs. Hearing loss is common among fireworks users as well. Children must be closely supervised at all times around any kind of fireworks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7ASZgOBlG0 Journalists: The 'Saving Lives With Gus' video and sound bites with Dr. Jenkins are available in the downloads.

This little boy you’re about to meet was hit so hard with influenza it damaged his lungs to the point he was put on life ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What is the process for evaluating whether or not I am a good candidate to donate one of my kidneys? How long is recovery for the donor? ANSWER: The first step is to contact the transplant center where the donation would take place. They will perform a thorough medical evaluation to see if you can safely donate a kidney. Recovery from kidney donation surgery usually takes two to three weeks. But you will have some activity restrictions for up to six weeks. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, in the back of your abdomen on either side of your spine. Kidneys remove extra fluid and waste from your body and help control blood pressure. When a person’s kidneys no longer work — a condition called chronic kidney failure — a kidney transplant usually is the best treatment option. A transplant often allows people to return to a fully active life. A kidney for a transplant may come from a deceased donor or from a living donor. Kidneys from living donors usually last longer and work better than those from deceased donors. Living kidney donations are possible because although you have two kidneys, your body can work well with only one.

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. —  If you want to lose weight, you can’t expect it to happen quickly, and it will require work. Here are some tips that can help you become successful in a healthy way. 1. Make a commitment: This means a lifelong commitment. “You must be ready to make permanent changes to support your health.” says Martin Oates, M.D., family physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Prairie du Chien. Dr. Oates goes on to say, “This requires you to focus on placing your mental and physical energy into changing your habits.” Make a plan to address other stresses in your life as well (i.e. financial issues or relationship problems). 2. Find inner motivation: If you want to lose weight, nobody else can make it happen. You have to find a reason to lose the weight. What’s going to drive you to want to lose the weight? This could be an upcoming beach vacation, a special someone or overall better health. Posting encouraging notes to yourself can help as well. Try to log your weight loss in a journal as this will help you see how far you’ve come and motivate you to keep going. Also, create a support group consisting of people whom you trust to give you unwavering support and encourage you without shame or sabotage. 3. Set realistic goals: What is a realistic weight loss goal? It’s realistic to lose no more than two pounds per week. Initially you may lose weight more rapidly if you make drastic lifestyle changes. To lose one to two pounds per week, you have to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day. You can get SMART: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-limited An example of a SMART goal would be to walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for the next three months, and then logging your results.

Miss the show? Here is the podcast! Mayo Clinic Radio Full Show 6-28-2014 44min mp3 There are so many suggestions for what makes a healthy diet ...

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Germs: Understand and protect against bacteria, viruses and infection What's the best way to stay disease-free? Prevent infections. Learn simple tactics to help you stay healthy. Healthy eating: Jazz it up with these tips Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring. Here are 10 ways to add pizzazz to your meals and snacks. EXPERT ANSWERS Bladder outlet obstruction: Causes in men? Discover possible causes and treatments of this condition that can lead to trouble with urination. Kombucha tea: Does it have health benefits? Find out if kombucha tea lives up to its reputation as a health tonic and if it has any adverse effects. PLUS ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Essential thrombocythemia Cavities/tooth decay Fitness basics Insect bites and stings: First aid Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

Twitter boasts hundreds of millions of subscribers. So, why wouldn't doctors with important news to share about treatment see if they could get the word ...