Are you going somewhere this summer? If so, you’re not alone – millions of Americans will be hitting the road and taking to the skies for well-deserved vacations.  Whether you’re headed to the beach, the mountains or another country, you’re no doubt looking forward to the getaway.  The last thing anyone wants on a long-anticipated vacation is to get sick or injured.  So how can you reduce your chances of this happening – and be prepared to deal with it if it does?  Travel Checklist There are several easy things you can do to prepare for your trip that will help keep you hea ..read more

It’s summertime! The days are longer, school is out and it’s time to plan something fun for the family.  Whether your summer plans keep you close to home or take you out on the road, keep these important health and safety tips in mind.  This Heat is no Joke! It’s no secret that it’s really hot in Texas over the summer.  In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the weather can also be quite humid, which makes it feel even hotter.  Extremely high temperatures, coupled with high humidity, result in dangerous conditions.  Meteorologists factor in humidity levels with actual temperat ..read more

Hearing aids have been in the news a lot the last couple of years.  In late 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a class of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss for sale over the counter.  Then last year, a new groundbreaking study demonstrated a link between the use of hearing aids and the slowing of cognitive decline in some older adults.  That’s a lot to unpack.  Here’s a look at the basics of hearing aids, how to pick the right ones and how hearing loss is linked to dementia.  Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids Hearing loss is ..read more

We all need to take medicine at one time or another for our health – but when that medicine is expired or no longer needed, it can be dangerous.  That’s why it’s important to know the best ways to safely dispose of it.  If you have bottles of old medicine taking up space in your kitchen or bathroom, you’re not alone – many of us have unused medications laying around the house because we’re often unsure of the best way to get rid of them.   The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Take Back Day is coming up on Saturday, April 27, 2024.  This is a great time to ..read more

Pink eye is a form of inflammation that causes the whites of the eye to become red or pink.  When pink eye – also known as conjunctivitis – is caused by a viral or bacterial infection, it is highly contagious.  The condition may also be caused by allergies or irritants.  Our eyes have a thin membrane – the conjunctiva – that lines the white part of the eye, as well as the inside of the eyelid.  When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become irritated, they also become more visible.  This causes the eye to appear red or pink. In addition to the color change in the e ..read more

Fentanyl overdose.  Few words strike more fear in the hearts of parents.  That’s because fentanyl is all over the news and in our social media feeds for all the wrong reasons.  It seems like not a week goes by that we don’t hear of someone – often a teenager – accidentally overdosing on fentanyl.  Sometimes, if they are lucky, they survive.  Tragically, many who overdose lose their lives. Fentanyl is an incredibly potent opioid: it is 50 times as strong as heroin and more than 100 times stronger than morphine.  Opioids, including fentanyl, are responsible for more ..read more

March is National Kidney Month, the perfect time to focus on these powerful organs that help keep our bodies healthy.  The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in the midsection of the body, one on the left and one on the right.  They are about the size of your fist.  Our kidneys remove liquid waste and salt from the body.  The kidneys do this by filtering the blood and extracting the waste, which in turn produces urine.  Our kidneys are a remarkably efficient filtration system: they filter all the blood in our bodies every 30 minutes!  Each day, they filter up ..read more

Everyone, at some point, is touched by cancer.  We all know someone who has battled cancer – a friend, a family member, a coworker.  Maybe you have had cancer yourself.   Perhaps, sadly, we knew someone who lost their battle with cancer.  People get cancer – and die from it – all too often. In 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, there were more than 1.6 million new cancer cases reported, while more than 600,000 Americans died of cancer.  These sobering statistics speak to the need for diagnostic cancer screenings whenever possible.  Early ..read more

February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness of heart disease and the best ways we can all better take care of our hearts.     Heart disease – also known as cardiovascular disease – is the number one killer of women and men, responsible for one out of every five deaths in the United States.  In 2021, about 695,000 Americans died from heart disease – that’s one person every 33 seconds.  Heart disease is also a top cause of disability, leading to diminished quality of life and lost productivity.  It has a tremendously negative economic impact – heart ..read more

Statins – drugs that help lower cholesterol levels – are the most prescribed type of medication in the United States today.  In fact, more than 40 million Americans are taking statins.  That’s not surprising, given that high cholesterol levels are a significant contributor to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Despite millions of people seeing good results with statins, others are reluctant to take this medication, even when their health care provider has prescribed it.  Why is that? Let’s take a look at the benefits, side effects and myths associate ..read more