Category: 52 Weeks to Health

Birth Defects Approximately 150,000 children are born every year in the United States affected by one or more birth defects. Although the cause of over 60% of birth defects are not known, there are things that you can do to help ensure optimal health for your baby. Awareness and education are the first steps to preventing birth defects.  The immediate step following awareness and education is taking action. There are a number of things you can do to increase the probability of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Some are more challenging than other because they may require that […]

Test Your Home to Determine Risk of Radon Gas Exposure You can’t see it, smell it or touch it. The #1 cause of lung cancer outside of smoking is a radioactive gas that everyone breathes in every day, usually at low levels, according to the National Cancer Institute. Radon gas is produced from a natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. This radioactive gas can be detected in homes, offices and schools; it enters buildings through cracks in floors and walls, construction joints or gaps around service pipes, electrical wires and sump pits. When radon gas exceeds acceptable levels, the […]

Take Folic Acid to Improve Your Odds of Having a Healthy Baby The CDC urges women to take 400 mcg of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant, to help prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine. About Folic Acid Folic acid is a B vitamin. Our bodies use it to make new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. Why Folic Acid is so Important Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. How Much Folic Acid a Woman Needs 400 micrograms […]

Health Tips for the New Year Dedicate yourself to a healthier lifestyle for the New Year by using these tips to get started. Eat Breakfast. Start your morning with a healthy breakfast that includes lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Try making a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, low-fat cheese, salsa and a whole wheat tortilla or a parfait with low-fat plain yogurt, fruit and whole grain cereal. Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables. Fruits and veggies add color, flavor and texture plus vitamins, minerals and fiber to your plate. Make 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ […]

Winter Preparedness Prepare for extremely cold weather every winter—it’s always a possibility. There are steps you can take in advance for greater wintertime safety in your home. Listen to weather forecasts regularly and check your emergency supplies whenever a period of extreme cold is predicted. Although periods of extreme cold cannot always be predicted far in advance, weather forecasts can sometimes provide you with several days notice. If you plan to use a fireplace or wood stove for emergency heating, have your chimney or flue inspected each year. Ask your local fire department to recommend an inspector or find one […]

Wash Your Hands Did you know that handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness?  Clean hands can stop the spread of germs from person to person and throughout an entire community. Stop the spread of germs by washing your hands before, during, and after preparing food, before eating food; before and after caring for someone who is sick; before and after treating a cut or wound; after using the toilet; after changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet; after blowing your nose, coughing, […]

NATIONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION WEEK Every December we celebrate National Influenza Vaccination Week to remind everyone about preventing influenza, a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands die from flu-related causes every year. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. Flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May. An annual seasonal flu […]

World AIDS Day World AIDS Day is held on the 1st December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988. What is HIV/AIDS? HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, which is the virus that causes HIV infection. The abbreviation “HIV” can refer to the virus or to HIV infection. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced […]