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Communication is Vital for Wellbeing, Mental Health Communication is a vital part of wellbeing, mental health, and a quality life. Unfortunately, it can be complex, difficult, and overwhelming. Communicating is deeper than exchanging ideas. It’s a tool (and a skill) that fosters the connection that is vital for wellbeing and life satisfaction. What Does Communication Have to Do with Wellbeing? Talking is the act of verbally sharing information. Communication is the act of connecting. It means sharing aspects of being alive. We communicate hopes and dreams, successes and failures, triumphs and struggles, problems found and problems solved, and the gamut of human emotions. We also commun...

Being overweight, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9, can increase the risk of a number of health problems. Some of the potential consequences of being overweight include: Cardiovascular disease: Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Type 2 diabetes: Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body is unable to properly use and store glucose. Metabolic syndrome: A cluster of conditions, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels, that occur together and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Cancer: Overweight...

Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Differences A heart attack and cardiac arrest are two different medical emergencies that can occur when the heart is not functioning properly. While they are related, it's important to understand the differences between the two conditions. People often use these terms interchangeably, but they're not the same. A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked. Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem and sudden cardiac arrest is an “electrical” problem. WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK? A heart attack occurs when a blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching...

What is Tripledemic? The term “tripledemic” describes three different respiratory viruses. RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Influenza (Flu) COVID-19 Understanding the Three Viruses According to public health experts at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV, flu, and COVID-19 are caused by different types of viruses. However, there are many similarities between the three viruses. All three of these viruses: Have common symptoms Affect a person’s respiratory system Are contagious May cause mild to severe illness According to CDC, the common symptoms that COVID-19 and flu share include: Fever or feeling feverish/having chills Cough Shortness of breath or...

The holidays are full of family, friends, great food, and great memories. But they aren’t always compatible with a healthy lifestyle. When the holiday season rolls around, it’s easy to get a little lax on the healthy eating and exercise that we typically maintain. Coupled together, all those festive parties and the stress the holidays can bring, can mean a hit to our overall well-being from November to New Year’s. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Fortunately, with a few tricks, it’s possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle year-round. TIPS FOR EATING SMART AND STAYING HEALTHY DURING THE HOLIDAYS 1. FIND HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO YOUR FAVORITE DISHES Healthy eating doesn’t mean you have...

WHAT IS ACID REFLUX? Acid reflux is a condition that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) fails to close properly after you swallow food or liquid. Acid reflux occurs when the ring of muscle in your stomach doesn’t close properly. When this valve doesn’t shut correctly, acid from your stomach moves up your esophagus causing heartburn and a sour or bitter taste in your mouth. When the LES relaxes abnormally or becomes weak, stomach acid can move up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest. Chronic acid reflux is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Symptoms of acid reflux and GERD include: Burning sensation in the chest (sometimes accompanied b...

Addiction to social media is a real problem for many people. It can be hard to break free from the hold that social media has on us, and it can be even harder to prevent addiction in the first place. In this blog post, we will discuss seven medically-backed up ways to prevent addiction in social media users. If you use social media, these tips will help you stay healthy and avoid addiction! WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION? Social media addiction is defined as excessive use of social media that leads to negative consequences in a person’s life. These negative consequences can include problems with relationships, work, school, and mental health. HOW COMMON IS SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION? While t...

Neither smoking nor vaping is beneficial to human health. Based on the available evidence, smoking appears more harmful than vaping. However, this does not mean that vaping is safe. Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds of these chemicals are toxic, and around 70 cause cancer. The AHA notes that while vaping liquids contain fewer contaminants than cigarettes, they are not entirely safe. VAPING People who vape may be at risk of harm for the following reasons: E-cigarettes can contain a large dose of nicotine, a substance known to slow the development of brains in fetuses, children, and teens. The liquid that creates the vapor is dangerous to adults and children...

Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas — an organ in your abdomen that lies behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas releases enzymes that aid digestion and produces hormones that help manage your blood sugar. Several types of growths can occur in the pancreas, including cancerous and noncancerous tumors. The most common type of cancer that forms in the pancreas begins in the cells that line the ducts that carry digestive enzymes out of the pancreas (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma). Pancreatic cancer is seldom detected at its early stages when it's most curable. This is because it often doesn't cause symptoms until after it has spread to other organs. Pancr...

Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time It’s never too late to quit using tobacco. The sooner you quit, the more you can reduce your chances of getting cancer and other diseases. Within minutes of smoking your last cigarette, your body begins to recover: These are just a few of the health benefits of quitting smoking for good, but there are others, too. Quitting smoking lowers your risk of other cancers over time as well, including cancers of the stomach, pancreas, liver, cervix, and colon and rectum, as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Quitting also lowers your risk of diabetes, helps your blood vessels work better, and helps your heart and lungs. Quitting smoking can als...