The 2019-20 flu season is underway, although it’s not widespread yet.
Do you want to know when the flu is active in your area? Use a flu map to track the flu week-to-week. Then you can take extra precautions to avoid getting sick.
The CDC’s FluView map shows flu trends based on reports to public health officials.
Two other interactive flu maps are … read on
Dish up your family health historyThursday is Thanksgiving Day.
Did you know it’s also National Family Health History Day?
“Over the holiday or at other times when families gather, the Surgeon General encourages Americans to talk about, and to write down, the health problems that seem to run in their family. Learning about their family’s health history may help ensure a longer, healthier future together.”
As a nurse, … read on
One big problem in our healthcare system is its lack of price transparency.
Different insurance companies negotiate different rates with different networks. Middlemen called pharmacy benefits managers (PBM) similarly control drug prices. Cash pricing is something else altogether.
So it made me laugh to listen to two physicians—who I think are stars in the conversation about REAL healthcare reform—banter about trying to order a meal at McDonald’s…
The CDC reached out and asked that I join other health professionals in sharing this Flu Prevention Resource Sheet. It’s full of flu facts, tips, and helpful links. Sláinte, FN
for Healthcare Workers, Teachers and Concerned Parents
The U.S. flu season is just beginning, and can last until May (with peak infections hitting between December and February). While it’s far too early to predict … read on
Soy products used to confuse me.
As a nurse, I worked with breast cancer patients. At the time there was confusion about whether women with breast cancer, or at a high risk of getting breast cancer, could safely eat soy.
That’s because soy contains an abundance of isoflavones. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens or plant compounds that mimic estrogen and bind to estrogen receptors in our bodies.
Because most breast cancers … read on
November 1 marked the beginning of the six-week open enrollment season.
From November 1 to December 15, those of us in the individual health insurance market can browse plans through healthcare.gov, a state-run health insurance marketplace, or any health insurance provider that sells individual plans.
As you shop for health insurance, it’s good to know a few of the basics.
Exchange plans are categorized or “metalized” into three … read on
Look both ways!What is the biggest risk to kids on Halloween night? It’s not an overdose of sugar, or the possibility of tainted treats. It’s the traffic.
The Mother’s Complete Guide to Halloween Safety says child pedestrian accidents increase 400% on Halloween, compared to an average day.
The greatest number of accidents occur between the hours of 5 pm and 9 pm.
The guide gives the following tips for … read on
I’m all about high-value, evidence-based healthcare.
And because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month (Think Pink? Think Twice!), I want to share this video by Andrew Lazris, MD, and Erik Rifkin, PhD. They use the visual of 1000 women sitting in a theater to illustrate why screening mammograms probably won’t save your life.
A picture (or video) is worth a thousand words, isn’t … read on
Yesterday I got my flu shot.
Here’s what I’d like you to know about the flu shot.
The flu shot takes about 2 weeks to reach it’s max protectiveness, so I like to get it around mid-October.
Flu seasons vary from year to year. Some years the flu comes early in November or December; other years, like last year, it peaks late in April or May.
Germs are everywhereToday is Global Handwashing Day!
One of the best ways to prevent nasty seasonal colds and flu (not to mention nasty intestinal ailments) is to wash your hands.
It doesn’t take much imagination to envision the gazillions of germs that are lurking on handles and door knobs and other surfaces that we—and others—touch multiple times a day.
Soap and water are the gold … read on