About 795,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year, yet most people in the U.S. cannot identify stroke warning signs or risk factors. Many strokes - some studies indicate that up to 80 percent - can be prevented through risk factor management. Read More
Spring has sprung which means we'll all be spending more time outdoors. Picnics, camping, and family bike rides are all wonderful ways to spend time in the fresh air. Unfortunately, we aren't the only ones who think so. Pesky mosquitoes are also outside this time of year, especially at dusk and dawn. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance but they can also pose health threats to both animals and humans. Read More
You want to do what is best for your children. You know about the importance of car seats, baby gates, and other ways to keep them safe. But, did you know that one of the best ways to protect your children is to make sure they have all of their vaccinations? Each year, thousands of children become ill from diseases that could have been prevented by basic childhood immunizations. National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 21 - 28 and Coastal Health District officials urge citizens in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties to protect infants from vaccine-preventable diseases by vaccinating their children. Read More
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, cost the U.S. health care system $17 billion - and cost individuals even more in immediate and long-term health consequences. Read More
Each year, chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are responsible for millions of premature deaths and cause Americans to miss 2.5 billion days of work, resulting in lost productivity totaling more than $1 trillion. With nearly 1 million Americans dying every year from diseases that could be prevented, even small preventive changes and initiatives can make a big difference in living healthier lives. Read More
It's not unusual to see soft and cute baby poultry put on display in agricultural feed stores, especially during the spring. But most people do not realize that live poultry (chicks, chickens, ducks, ducklings, geese, turkeys) can be a source of human Salmonella infections, especially for children. Since 1990, more than 35 outbreaks of human Salmonella infections associated with live poultry have beenreported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Many of these illnesses are in young children. "It is important to know that human Salmonella infections from live poultry can occur at any time of the year, not just during the spring" said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, a veterinary epidemiologist at CDC. In one recent outbreak, Salmonella Altona and Johannesburg infections were linked to chicks and ducklings in 15 states. Read More
Fifty years ago, in 1962, 3-year-old Philip was rushed to the nearest hospital, 30 minutes away. Tragically, he had found and drunk a bottle of rat poison. Though all attempts were made to save his life, he lived only a few more hours. Fifty years later, his sister, Cathy Seifried of Kingwood, Texas, is still grieving. According to Cathy, her brother's death, a tragedy in itself, had long-lasting effects on her entire family as grief, sadness and remorse took its toll. "I had good parents," says Seifried. "They managed to function and go through the daily motions ... but as a family, we were broken." Read More
Almost 50 years after the landmark 1964 Surgeon General's Report on tobacco, Dr. Regina Benjamin, United States Surgeon General, released a new report and called on the nation to make the next generation tobacco-free. According to the report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, far too many youth and young adults are using tobacco. Today more than 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students smoke cigarettes. Read More
During National Nutrition Month® and beyond, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) encourages everyone to include healthy foods from all food groups through this year's theme: "Get Your Plate in Shape." Read More
Women account for nearly half of all heart attack deaths and heart disease is the number one killer of women. In fact, a woman suffers a heart attack every 90 seconds in the United States. But a lot of women aren't aware of the seven most common heart attack symptoms. Would you know if you were having a heart attack? Read More
