Health Tips

Last week we started our review of kidney disease with some basic information about the function of the kidneys.  Today we will talk more about chronic kidney disease, including causes, symptoms, and how it is diagnosed. What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)? CKD is defined as having some type of…

March is National Kidney Month.  This is an opportunity for us to raise awareness about kidney disease.  I thought we could start this week with an overview of how your kidneys work and why they are so important.  Then we can talk about the different kidney diseases and what we…

Many of us are under a lot of stress.  Stress can lead to over-eating, especially over-eating foods that are high in fat and sugar.  Stress also can lead to drinking more alcohol, exercising less, and having a hard time sleeping. If you are experiencing stress, there are some ways to…

Is the skin on your hands dry and scaly?  Do you have cracks on your hands that are painful and sometimes bleed?  You may have thought this was just dry skin, but hand eczema might be the culprit.  About 10% of the US population has hand eczema.  This is often…

Did you skip making a New Year’s resolution for 2021? Did you make a resolution and have trouble sticking with it? Read on… New Year’s resolutions may have started with the ancient Babylonians about 4,000 years ago. One has to wonder if they were any more successful than we are…

Performance-Enhancing Substances (PES) are used by children, teens, and adults to improve their athletic performance and for appearance changes. These can be dietary supplements, legal and illegal drugs, such as anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, creatinine, and stimulants. Which are common PES? What do they do and how do they…

Today we will finish up the discussion about the COVID-19 vaccines.  Britain has now approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was a collaborative effort between the University of Oxford and the AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company.  This vaccine is cheaper and easy to store, and is the vaccine that much of the world…

Since I wrote last week’s Health Tip, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been approved and is already being given to people across the country.  This is great news.  This vaccine does not require the ultra-cold storage that is required for the Pfizer vaccine, so this will make it easier to…

As I am sure most of you are aware, the first vaccine for COVID-19 has been authorized and recommended for use by the FDA, and healthcare workers have already started receiving the vaccine.  A second vaccine is expected to be authorized and recommended for use in the coming days, and…

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it sure can be hard to focus on staying healthy!  Here are some tips to enjoy the holidays without bringing unwanted pounds into the New Year. Make sure you include plenty of veggies and fruits daily.  Do a little…