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Entry bubble Save Your Vision Week

By: Joanne | March 03, 2009 | Category: Health

eye chart and eye glassesI know that good vision is something I take for granted, but it really is a precious gift. This week is Save Your Vision Week, a time to think about what you need to do to protect your vision.

I recently had my annual eye exam along with a glaucoma test. I always have a glaucoma test because my dad had glaucoma, so I’m thought to be at a higher risk. The bad thing about glaucoma is that it makes you blind – the good news is that there are medications that can stall its progression, so the sooner you catch it the better.

For the test, the doctor used drops to dilate my eyes, which made everything look blurry for the rest of the afternoon. The tricky thing was that I needed to get back to work and when I sat down, I realized that I couldn’t see the words on my computer screen. “Hmmmm,” I thought to myself, “now I’m in the shoes of our visitors with low vision.” At USA.gov we’ve got tools that allow our visitors to change the font size and once I made it bigger I was able to see the site. I was also able to use my browser tools to enlarge the text on other websites. I’m glad that these kinds of tricks and tools are available and that we design so that people with low or no vision can access the site. My temporary disability reinforced the importance of doing that.

So remember that conditions like macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and glaucoma can creep up on you and regular eye exams will help to protect your vision. Other advice is to eat a healthy diet, wear sunglasses with UV (ultraviolet) protection, and use protective eyewear when your eyes are at risk for injury.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: doctor   eye   joanne   vision  

 

Entry bubble An Unhealthy Need to be Skinny

By: Jess | February 26, 2009 | Category: Health

Scale in trash

(Writer's note: What follows is a short excerpt from an article I wrote for my college paper about a young woman who suffered from an eating disorder. I'm posting part of it here in honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. If you're interested in reading the entire story, you can find it here.)

As the petite young woman knelt on the bathroom floor for more than three hours, holding her shoulder-length blond hair away from the toilet bowl and retching up the remains of a night at Cornerstone Grill and Loft, she had only one thought in her mind: "At least I'm getting my dinner up."

For the sophomore business major, who shared her story on the condition of anonymity, this was as low as it got. Sitting there in a drunken haze, she reached for her cell phone and, without thinking, speed-dialed her boyfriend. She told him everything - how she lamented every calorie, how she could go for days on end without eating and how she hid it from everyone.

While that night may have been an all-time low, it proved to be a turning point by bringing her anorexia, a disease suffered in secret, out into the open.

The young woman I interviewed was brave enough to share some of the thoughts that swirled around in the mind of a person suffering from a terrible eating disorder. She felt comfortable telling me how there were days she ate nothing, but how on days when she ate only a single cracker and a diet soda, she felt fat and ugly. Unlike this young woman, many people who suffer from similar disordered eating patterns will never share their thoughts with anyone and may never reach out for help.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which runs February 22 to 28, exists to encourage people to embrace their body no matter what its shape or size. It exists to raise awareness of eating disorders and bring light to resources available both for those who suffer and for their friends and family.

It never hurts to familiarize yourself with the warning signs of an eating disorder. The National Eating Disorders Awareness organization provides additional information for teachers and coaches as well as information on counseling and other help options.

It's been a few years since I wrote that story, but in the time that's passed, I'm happy to say the young woman found a counselor, put on much of the weight she had lost and seems to be more comfortable in her own skin. She's also happily engaged. She was one of the lucky ones, who had supportive friends urging her to get help and was brave enough to admit she needed it.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: anorexia   bulemia   eating_disorders   food   health   jess   national_eating_disorders_awareness_week   risks  

 

Entry bubble Children's Dental Health Month

By: Joanne | February 24, 2009 | Category: Health

young boy brushing his teethAt my daughter’s first dentist visit, the hygienist remarked, “She doesn’t drink much soda, does she?” My first reaction was shock, and I wondered if the average 3 year old drinks so much soda that the dental hygienist can see it on their teeth? For the record: they can.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, a friendly reminder to help your kids learn the importance of taking care of their teeth. The American Dental Association sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month to promote the importance of good oral health beginning at a young age.

As a parent, it’s my job to make sure my kids are brushing, flossing, have regular checkups and are eating healthy snacks. Regular visits with the dentist can help you prevent problems in the future. Treatments like fluoride, sealants or even braces can help keep your kid’s teeth healthy and strong. Would you believe that my daughter got braces on when she was 7? I was so surprised I almost fell out of my chair when the dentist told me it was time.

My kids are comfortable at the dentist. A lot of credit goes to our dentist and his staff, who are always gentle and concerned about our comfort, but I do what I can to put them at ease too. The equipment and bright lights and strangers with face masks can be frightening. I schedule our appointments together and then I go first so they can see exactly what happens and how comfortable I am. I think it also helps that there’s a basket of little toys for the kids when we finish the appointment. What are your good ideas to help kids love taking care of their teeth?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: brush   child   children   dental   dentist   floss   joanne   kids   teeth  

 

Entry bubble Breaking down and calling the doc

By: Jess | February 19, 2009 | Category: Health

The human kneeI’m a runner, and I have a bum knee. Last summer when running hurt so much it brought me to tears, I decided it was time to see the doc. I was sent to physical therapy where I did a bunch of exercises to get things taken care of and off I went when I was fixed.

Except, it turns out I wasn’t so fixed.

So this time when the nagging pain came back, I did a little research. I punched the name of my issue into WebMD, into USA.gov, into every runner’s training resource I could find.

After reading about the symptoms and causes, and running a 5K that left me hobbling around for the rest of the weekend, I finally broke down and called a doctor.

I’m pretty sure he’ll send me for x-rays like last time to make sure nothing is structurally wrong, and then I can only hope for good news.

From what I’ve read it sounds like patellofemoral syndrome (or patellar tracking disorder) takes up to several months to heal. I’m still crossing my fingers that my doc will have some voo-doo magic that will heal me up right quick so I can run a race I’m registered for at the end of March.

I've been pretty lucky that this is the only real medical problem I've ever faced and could easily find information on it. Where do you look for advice and information when you have medical questions or need advice? I'm always interested in hearing about what resources are available.

As for my knee, cross your fingers for me and I’ll keep you posted on how the appointment goes.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: injuries   injury   jess   knee   knees   overuse   racing   runner's   running   sports  

 

Entry bubble Drug Facts Boxes

By: Colleen | February 18, 2009 | Category: Health

When it comes to dealing with medicine, things can get tricky. Can you take one type of med with another? Does name brand vs. generic medsmake a difference? What if you mix an over-the-counter drug with a prescription?

And to top it off, when you see an ad in a magazine or newspaper, it's accompanied by a full page of fine-print information about the medicine. Who has the time, or the vision, to read all that?

After a study conducted by Dartmouth was released this week, you might find it easier to get the information you need about the medicines you see advertised.

"User-friendly boxes" would replace the direct-to-consumer drug ads you currently see. These concise "drug facts boxes" are quite similar to the nutrition facts found on food items. These boxes will include facts not found in the current summaries like:

  • The year the drug got approval from the Food and Drug Administration
  • How common the side effects were in clinical trials
  • The advantages of the drug over older drugs

Would these new boxes be advantageous to you? Would it influence you to ask your doctor for a specific medicine?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   drug_facts_boxes   food_and_drug_administration   medicine   prescription  

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