We often hear about how healthy diet reduces risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions. Yet eating right has far-reaching benefits for every system in the body, including the brain. A well-balanced diet not only improves mental functioning, but it can also protect against diseases like dementia.

A Range of Benefits from Vitamin B
Vitamins B6, B12, and folate all improve ability to complete spatial tasks. They also encourage memory, perception, judgement, and reasoning. In some cases, patients who appear to lose their memory due to Alzheimer’s disease may actually have a malfunction in the way their bodies absorb Vitamin B.

Excellent sources of Vitamin B12 and folate include legumes, grain-based foods and leafy green vegetables. Vegetables, fruit, poultry, seafood and beef are great sources of Vitamin B6. The best way to get these vitamins is through proper diet; multivitamins have shown mixed results, because they can be more difficult for the body to absorb.

Antioxidants Optimize Brain Health
Antioxidants, which include Vitamins C, E, and Beta-carotene, have repeatedly been shown to improve brain function and even reverse degenerative brain conditions:

• People with Alzheimer’s who took large doses of Vitamin E regained the ability to feed and groom themselves.
• Beta-carotene may protect against cognitive impairment like dementia.
• Vitamin C has been shown to protect cognitive function in older adults.

Researchers hypothesize that antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress placed on neurons, thereby protecting brain cells from damage. They may also cleanse the brain’s pathways, similar to the way they are thought to clear the arteries.

People can increase their Vitamin C and Beta-carotene levels with fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile nuts and oils contain sufficient Vitamin E for most individuals. Before taking any Vitamin E supplements, it is important to consult a doctor; elevated levels of Vitamin E can be dangerous for people with certain health conditions.

Blood Pressure Impacts Mental Faculties
Hypertension (high blood pressure) actually decreases mental acuity over time. Scientists speculate that the extra pressure increases stress on the blood vessels in the brain, breaking them down over time. Note that blood pressure won’t cause dementia or feeble-mindedness; rather it slows the rate of information processing in the brain.

Blood pressure is closely tied to diet, so it is possible to lower blood pressure through eating habits:

• Losing even ten pounds helps lower blood pressure, even for morbidly obese people who still have significant amounts of weight to lose.
• Limiting alcohol intake to two per day for men, and one per day for women, improves blood pressure.
• Reducing sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams per day contributes to lower blood pressure.
• Potassium-rich foods naturally lower blood pressure, as do fruits and vegetables, which also often contain other brain-friendly nutrients like Vitamin B, folate, and Vitamin C.

Maintaining proper nutrition enhances memory, improves mental acuity and protects the mind from degenerative conditions. Protect your mind the same way you protect the rest of your body, with a balanced diet that includes fruit, vegetables, and protein.

The benefits of exercise are well documented: weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, and reduced risk of diabetes all come with regular exercise. Many people get “stuck” or give up exercise because they don’t see their progress or get overwhelmed. Yet exercise is a critical aspect of maintaining heart health—and overall wellness. Those who start with goal setting and incorporate multiple kinds of exercise generally reap the most benefits from regular physical activity.

Set Reasonable Goals
One of the key reasons that people stop exercising is that they don’t set goals, or set overly ambitious goals. Yet setting goals and keeping a schedule can significantly improve fitness outcomes.

• Talk to the doctor about appropriate activity levels for your physical condition. Especially after cardiac trauma like a heart attack, easing into physical activity is important because it doesn’t overtax the heart.
• Objectively consider lifestyle. Not everyone has two hours a day to spend at the gym, so think about how exercise can really fit into your daily schedule.
• Feel free to start slowly. Even a daily 15-minute walk can contribute to weight loss.
• Track your progress. Mark the calendar each time you exercise, or create a chart that the whole family can share. This reminder of your past progress can be a great motivator on lazy days.

Incorporate All Four Types of Exercise
Although many people start with one kind of exercise and stick with it, a more comprehensive approach is actually recommended. Blending the different types yields holistic health for the muscles and joints.

• Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart, lungs and blood vessels, improving both endurance and stamina. Sometimes also called cardiovascular exercise, aerobic exercise includes running, walking, swimming, cycling and other sports.
• Strength exercise, also known as resistance training, improves the condition of muscles and bones. Strength training actually reduces many aches and pains, like lower back pain, that generally originate from weak muscles.
• Flexibility training enhances range of motion. Stretching is the most common flexibility training, but this category also includes activities like yoga and pilates. Flexibility training improves postures, allows deeper breathing, and enhances circulation.
• Balance exercise is often overlooked. Although most physical activity will improve balance, it is a good idea to specifically target balance as an area for improvement. Better balance means greater stability for the body.

The key to maintaining a healthy heart is deliberate, thoughtful physical activity. By taking the time to assess their lifestyle, set goals and choose a blend of training techniques, people can set themselves up for fitness success.

Cancer can strike anyone at any time and does not discriminate, no matter a person’s age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status, This year alone, cancer, the second leading cause of death in America, will be diagnosed in more than 1.2 million men and women.

“People are more aware of cancer risks and prevention tactics today than ever before, and they’re getting screened on a regular basis,” says Sumit Sawhney, MD, medical oncologist at Northwest Medical. “As a result, we’re often able to catch cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages.”

The good news is that there are an estimated 8.5 million cancer survivors currently living in America. Within the past three decades, researchers and physicians have made dramatic strides in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, all of which have helped contribute to better outcomes for patients. Advances in common cancers-such as breast, gynecological, and prostate cancer-have been particularly impressive.

Breast Cancer

Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are the most common methods of treating breast and other forms of cancer, and these therapies have improved dramatically over the years.

In the past, by the time a patient came to see the doctor because of a lump felt during a breast exam, the cancer was often in more advanced stages,” says David Porudominsky, MD, surgeon and surgical oncologist. “Thanks to increased awareness about the importance of mammograms over the years, physicians are detecting lesions before they progress into larger lumps, and we’re able to remove the cancers with smaller surgeries and help women become cancer free. With early detection through mammogram screenings, the chances of survival are amazing.”

Gynecological Cancers

Though each type of gynecological cancer is unique, they’re similar in the fact that they can usually be successfully treated if they’re diagnosed in their earliest stages, hence the importance of routine preventative exams. Advances in diagnostics such as the Pap smear have dramatically increased the survival of women with cervical cancer while endometrial cancer is easily treated with a hysterectomy. Even uterine cancer, which has a low survival rate overall, can be cured 80 percent of the time if it’s caught in its earliest stages.

Prostate Cancer

In the past, a diagnosis of prostate cancer meant that a man would typically need invasive surgery that carried risks of impotence or incontinence and could cause a potentially serious loss of blood. Today, however, minimally invasive surgical techniques help make these procedures safer while minimizing the recovery period and risks for men.

“Thanks to prostate cancer screenings with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests and digital rectal exams, prostate cancer is being caught in its earlier stages and provides patients with better treatment options,” says urologist Marvin Stein, MD, MMM, FACS. “We offer internal seed radiation as an alternative to external beam radiation, which allows us to concentrate the dose in a smaller area, making treatment easier for men.” With innovations such as prostate cancer vaccines and drug regimens on the horizon, patients with prostate cancer have a better prognosis than ever before.

How PET/CT Scanning Helps in Early Diagnosis and Treatment

This remarkable, advanced imaging technology allows physicians to make more accurate, earlier diagnoses and develop targeted treatment plans for cancer.

PET/CT scanning combines the advantages of molecular imaging with precise anatomic localization, enhancing the ability to pinpoint the presence, extent, and location of specific lesions. It has been found to be particularly useful in the region of the head and neck, mediastinum (area between the lungs, containing the heart and organs within the chest cavity), and pelvis.

Its advantages include:

• Increased sensitivity over CT alone. It evaluates functional changes that may be too small to be imaged by CT scanning.

• Improved accuracy for staging malignancies. It offers insight into the metabolism of cells using a small radioactive sugar tracer (FDG).

• Improved accuracy in determining response to therapy. This is irrespective of lesion size.

• Significantly shorter scan time than PET alone.

Many indications for PET/CT scans are covered by most major insurance plans.

For more information, please call 954.978.4056

For a free physician referral, please call 1-866-4HCA-DOCS (442-2362).

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The months leading up to childbirth are exciting for prospective new parents. From the earliest stages of pregnancy, Northwest Medical Center’s Maternity Services staff is dedicated to helping about-to-be moms and dads in every way possible.

Education and Tours

Prospective parents, especially first-time moms and dads, often have lots of questions about pregnancy, nutrition, exercise, childbirth and infant care. Parents who have other children at home find the sibling class helpful as well. Here are the topics offered:

• Childbirth Preparation

• Breastfeeding Support

• Baby Care

• Sibling Class

• Infant CPR/Safety Class

 For a current schedule of classes, or to schedule a tour of the OB unit and Nurseries, please call 1-866-4HCA-DOCS (442-2362).

Smoothing the Way for Your Admission

Pre-registration is offered as a convenience to enable expectant parents to experience the joy of their “big day” without having to fill out excessive paperwork. Parents are encouraged to pre-register prior to the fifth month of pregnancy. They are also encouraged to notify their insurance carrier of the pregnancy, to familiarize themselves with what their plan covers long before their baby is due.

Delivery Day

When the big day arrives, private Labor/Delivery/Recovery (LDR) rooms are available to bring babies into the world in a comfortable, home-like environment, where the family can relax and bond with the new arrival in comfort and safety. The LDR rooms are equipped with the most sophisticated medical technology, and staffed by a highly skilled medical team. Should a Cesarean Section become necessary, state-of-the-art C-section and recovery rooms are located adjacent to the birthing suites.

Baby’s First Lullaby

An 18-second unique lullaby is transmitted over the intercom system every time a new baby is born at Northwest, spreading the joy and happiness of the new birth to all corners of the hospital.

Neonatal Intensive Care

Babies who are born prematurely or are in need of specialized medical care receive state-of-the-art treatment in our Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  Neonatologists, physicians specializing in neonatal care, are available around the clock.

Rooming in

Unless your little one must be kept in the NICU, moms may have their babies with them in their rooms throughout their stay. Skilled maternity staff are always available to monitor and care for newborns when moms prefer to rest.  An advanced infant security system is in place for babies cared for in the Newborn Nursery.

Visitors are Welcome

Family and friends are welcome to visit between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. (Siblings are the only children who may visit.) One support person may even stay overnight. Anyone with a cold or other illness is strongly discouraged from visiting.

Car Seat in Place? It’s Time to Go Home!

When mom and baby are ready to go home, nursing staff will do all they can to smooth the transition from hospital to home. In the State of Florida, it is a law that you must provide an approved infant car seat for your baby’s ride home from the hospital and all subsequent car trips.

Questions about pre-registration? Feel free to call (954) 978-4040. For more information on Northwest’s Maternity Services, please call the Women’s Service department at 954-978-4380.

Many surgical procedures that used to be performed via open surgery are now able to be performed using laparoscopic devices and remote-control manipulation of instruments with indirect observation of the surgical field through an endoscope or similar device.

Because they can be carried out through a tiny opening in the skin in contrast to a large incision, hospital stays are shorter, there is less blood loss and trauma to the patient, and recovery is usually much more rapid, meaning a return to normal activities is often possible within days rather than weeks.

All of these procedures are termed “minimally invasive.” A large percentage of minimally invasive procedures involve the heart and arteries surrounding it, making it possible to perform advanced procedures that, in the past, would have required open heart surgery. Because some patients would have been considered too “high risk” for open heart surgery, these minimally invasive procedures are often life-saving.

Each year, additional procedures become FDA-approved. Carotid stenting is one such procedure now being performed at Northwest Medical Center for patients with severe carotid stenosis. This disease is characterized by a build-up of plaque in the carotid artery that supplies blood to the brain. When left untreated, a stroke often results.

Dr. William Julien, on staff at Northwest Medical Center, was one of the original researchers of Carotid Stenting and was the first South Florida physician to implant the newly approved filter device. Presently, Medicare coverage for this procedure is limited to patients who are considered too high-risk for traditional carotid endarterectomy surgery.

The procedure involves threading a catheter device under x-ray guidance from a small puncture in the groin through the femoral artery and into the carotid artery. An angioplasty balloon and stent are then inserted to hold the artery open. A filter device is inserted, which stays in place during the procedure, to catch particles often inadvertently dislodged during angioplasty. This minimizes possible complications that could occur during the surgery.

Another new minimally invasive treatment option available at Northwest is Uterine Fibroid Embolization, which offers relief for the approximately 13 million American women who suffer from uterine fibroids. It is an alternative to having a hysterectomy, performed with local anesthesia, again using interventional radiology catheter techniques rather than traditional surgery to destroy the blood supply to the fibroid tumors.

Within the past year, Northwest Medical Center also received the approval from the State of Florida to perform primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) services, which means our facility now has emergency coronary angioplasty available to our patients 24 hours per day, 7 day per week. (Learn more about coronary angioplasty by viewing this video.)

These are only a few of the newer minimally invasive procedures being performed within our Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Other laboratories included as part of the Cardiac Diagnostic Center include the Echocardiography Lab, the Nuclear Medicine Stress Lab, and the Peripheral Vascular Disease Lab. To view a complete list of special procedures performed at Northwest in these labs, visit the Cardiac Services page on our website.

February is Heart Month, the ideal time to focus on the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States – heart disease. Surprisingly, many women aren’t aware that heart disease is the #1 killer, thinking it is more of a “man’s disease.”

Heart Facts for Women:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women of most racial/ethnic groups in the United States, including African Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and whites. For Asian American women, heart disease is second only to cancer.

• Heart disease killed 26% of the women who died in 2006—more than one in every four.

• Almost two-thirds of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms. Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease.

Risk Factors:

Nine out of 10 heart disease patients have at least one risk factor. Several medical conditions and lifestyle choices can put women at a higher risk for heart disease, including:

•           High cholesterol

•           High blood pressure

•           Diabetes

•           Cigarette smoking

•           Overweight and obesity

•           Poor diet

•           Physical inactivity

•           Alcohol use

To view a video on risk factors, click here.

Heart Attack Symptoms (for men and women)

The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major signs of a heart attack:

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort, but it also can occur before chest discomfort.

Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

Women’s Symptoms are Different

A National Institutes of Health study, “Women’s Early Warning Symptoms of AMI,” investigated how women’s experience with heart attacks differs from men’s. In addition to those symptoms mentioned above, indigestion, sleep disturbances, unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, and weakness in the arms were recognized by many in the study as warning signals, sometimes experienced a month or more before a heart attack.

Other Key Points for Women to Remember

• Women’s symptoms are not as predictable.

• Many women never have chest pains.

• Women are less likely than men to believe they’re having a heart attack and more likely to delay in seeking emergency treatment.

• Women tend to be about 10 years older than men when they have a heart attack.

• Women are more likely to have other conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure, making it all the more vital that they get proper treatment fast.

• Women with diabetes are 1.8 to 3.3 times more likely to have heart attacks.

• Five times as many women die each year from heart attacks as breast cancer.

If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

For free physician referral, please call 1-866-442-2362.

Tick…tick…tick. Every 45 seconds, on average, someone suffers a stroke. Every 3.1 minutes. someone dies of this third leading cause of death, sometimes called a “brain attack.” It is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the U.S.

A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery (a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body) or a blood vessel (a tube through which the blood moves through the body) breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When either of these things happen, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs.

The death of these brain cells during a stroke causes abilities controlled by that area of the brain to be lost. These abilities can include speech, movement and memory. How a stroke patient is affected depends on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged.

Someone who has a small stroke may experience only minor problems such as weakness of an arm or leg. People who have larger strokes may be paralyzed on one side or lose their ability to speak. Some people recover completely from strokes, but more than two-thirds of survivors will have some type of disability.

About 700,000 people in the U.S. will experience a new or recurrent stroke this year.

Knowing what to do in case of a stroke can mean the difference between life and death. Getting immediate attention from a specialized stroke care team can dramatically increase your chances of survival and recovery.

As a designated Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, Northwest Medical Center has demonstrated that our stroke care program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients. Our Stroke Team, comprised of emergency medicine physicians, nurses, and neurologists, knows just what to do.

Knowing the warning signs! Stroke symptoms include:

* Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body.

* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

* Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Seek immediate treatment at Northwest’s Stroke Center should any of these symptoms occur.

The National Stroke Association also recommends using the F.A.S.T. method for recognizing and responding to stroke symptoms:

F = FACE                  Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A = ARMS                 Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S = SPEECH             Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?

T = TIME                  If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call 9-1-1 or get to the nearest stroke center or hospital.

Learning about strokes could help save a co-worker, friend, or relative’s life. Click here to learn more about risk factors and download a Stroke Risk Scorecard: National Stroke Association Stroke Risk Factors

If you suffer with chronic and/or acute pain and have not found a remedy managing it, let Northwest’s Pain Management Center staff help you lead a more pain-free life.

The Pain Management Center at Northwest Medical Services is one of the leading facilities for pain management medicine in South Florida. The center is respected for its comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to the management of pain. This approach is most effective because chronic and acute pain often require a combination of treatments. “We are dedicated to optimizing the quality of life for our patients,” notes Christine Fattizzi, Director.

She continues, “Northwest Medical Center’s Pain Management Center was established due to the enormous need for a specialized provider of medical services to individuals who suffer with pain conditions. Our center provides a comprehensive evaluation of each patient and offers innovative therapies to individuals suffering from chronic pain which includes but is not limited to: severe back pain, neck pain, neuropathy, shingles, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and extremity pain. Patients are seen on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.”

The Pain Management Center staff approaches each case individually, to identify the true causes of your pain so that a treatment program will be tailored especially for you. The treatment is geared toward restoring your lifestyle that has been devastated by pain. This includes increasing your functional capabilities in addition to reducing your overall pain severity.

The Center is under the direction of a medical physician, board certified in pain management and anesthesiology. The team also includes Registered Nurses experienced in pain management while other specialties such as neurology, orthopedics, neurosurgery and psychiatry may also be incorporated into the treatment program.

The first step in your care at our Pain Management Center is the physician’s thorough evaluation of your pain condition. Next, a program of treatment is established. The treatment is aimed at relieving your pain, as well as increasing your ability to work and carry out a normal lifestyle. Our Pain Management Center uses a variety of methods to accomplish these goals, including the following:

Physical Therapy – Exercise programs to relieve pain and increase physical strength and endurance.

Nerve Blocks –  Injections to stop the nerve impulses that cause you to feel pain.

Surgery –  Corrective procedure(s) to eliminate or improve the physical condition causing pain.

Medications –  Both narcotic and non-narcotic medications are used, as deemed appropriate, to relieve pain during the healing period or on a long-term basis.

Access to the Pain Care Center can be through physician referral or self-referral as your insurance allows.

For your first visit, please bring the following:

•  Any x-rays, MRI, CT or myelogram reports relating to your pain condition. Your primary or referring physician’s office should be able to assist you in obtaining these records.

•  A list of all medications you are currently taking, including the names, dosages (number of pills taken per day), milligrams and number of days or months the medication has been taken.

•  A list of medications you have taken in the past and the effectiveness of this medicine. If you have doubts concerning any of your medications, please bring the medication with you.

Pain management is an integral part of medical treatment. Effective pain relief impacts your recovery – not just your comfort. Please take a moment to read through this Pain Management Guide: Pain Management Guide

If you are not currently under the care of a physician, you may contact the center directly at (954) 978-4477. Most insurance plans including Medicare and Workers Compensation are accepted.

Cardiac Services at Northwest Medical Center bring together the collaborative efforts and experience of highly skilled physician specialists, nurses, technologists and other cardiovascular health professionals. Our cardiac services encompass a full range of diagnostic modalities and interventional procedures. Comprised of a team of experienced cardiologists, anesthesiologists, interventional radiologists, pulmonologists and internists, these specialists combine their expertise and knowledge to provide our patients the latest scientific advances in their respective fields.

Emergency Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) – In 2007, Northwest Medical Center received approval from the State of Florida to perform primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) services, which means our facility has emergency coronary angioplasty available to our patients 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. In 2009, approval was received to perform PCI on an elective basis.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab – Minimally invasive techniques with imaging guidance are used to perform heart catheterization, a special diagnostic x-ray imaging exam that allows your physician to see if any of the coronary arteries have blockages and to evaluate functionality of heart valves. The Lab is available 24-hours a day for emergency services. It is also used for special procedures such stenting, balloon angioplasty, coronary angiogram, temporary pacemaker insertion, intra-aortic balloon pump insertions, pericardiocentesis, and thrombolytic therapy.  To see a video on Cardiac Catheterization click here: Cardiac Catheterization

Echocardiography Lab – Equipped with the latest cardiac transthoracic and transesophageal ultrasound systems, specialized procedures performed here include diagnostic 2-dimensional echocardiography with or without M-Mode, Color Flow, Mapping and Doppler, transesophageal echocardiography with multiplane transducer.

Electrophysiology Lab – Cardiac electrophysiology studies of the heart’s electrical system require the insertion of an electrode catheter into the heart. Our electrophysiology lab boasts an array of state-of the art technology including the Prucka system to stimulate the heart, and a CARTO system for 3-D mapping.

Things You Can Do to Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

• Don’t use tobacco — It’s the No. 1 preventable cause of serious illness such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and emphysema.

• Be physically active — It can build endurance, control blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, aid in weight control and reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

• Eat healthy foods — Foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol contribute to atherosclerosis, a primary cause of heart attack and stroke. Consuming too much salt (sodium) can cause high blood pressure in some people.

• Watch your weight — Obesity is a major risk factor.

• Avoid excessive alcohol — One or two drinks a day may help increase “good” HDL cholesterol, but heavy drinking can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

What You Can Do With Your Doctor’s Help:

• Have regular checkups — A doctor can pinpoint major risk factors such as smoking, elevated cholesterol or blood pressure, excess weight and diabetes.

• Control your cholesterol — A simple blood test can show your blood cholesterol level. If it’s too high, dietary changes, exercise, weight loss, and/or drug therapy can bring it down to a safer level.

• Keep tabs on your blood pressure — Even if it’s less than 120/80 mm Hg, have it checked at least every two years. If it’s 120/80 or above, have it checked more often, according to your doctor’s recommendations.

• Keep diabetes in check — Your doctor can detect diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition and prescribe a program to minimize the risk.

Risks You Can’t Control:

• Age – The risk gradually increases as people age, but this doesn’t mean that younger people are immune. Advanced age significantly raises the risk of heart attacks or strokes.

• Sex – Before menopause, women have a much lower death rate from coronary attack than men. Women’s risk rises sharply after menopause, but it still remains lower than men’s in the same age group. Each year more women than men have a stroke.

• Heredity – Some families have a higher than normal genetic risk of heart attack and stroke. African Americans are more likely than Caucasians to have high blood pressure, and they tend to have strokes earlier in life and with more severe results.

Have you and your children been vaccinated for seasonal and H1N1 Flu? While that is the single best way to prevent the flu, good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent colds and the flu. There also are flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat and prevent the flu. (These drugs do not prevent the common cold.)

One of the most common ways people catch colds and flu is by rubbing their noses or eyes after touching someone or something that’s contaminated with the cold or flu viruses. Here are six tips to help keep you and your children in good health through the remainder of this year’s flu and cold season:

1. Avoid close contact… with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

2. Stay home when you are sick… from work, school, and errands. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.

3. Cover your mouth and nose… with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

4. Wash your hands…often to help protect you from germs.

5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth… to avoid the spread of germs.

6. Practice other good health habits: Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Of the six tips above, these two can’t be stressed too strongly:

• Cover your mouth and nose (when coughing or sneezing).

To help stop the spread of germs:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Put your used tissue in the wastebasket.
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Wash your hands.

Because children often don’t clean their hands often or well enough, it is important to teach hand cleaning and basic hygiene habits during early childhood. Share this information with your children regarding the best times for them to wash their hands:

    • Before eating or touching food (like if you’re helping cook or bake, for example)

    • After using the bathroom

    • After blowing your nose or coughing

    • After touching pets or other animals

    • After playing outside

    • Before and after visiting a sick relative or friend

If your children ask, “Why is it so important to wash my hands?” here is a good answer:

“Washing your hands is the best way to stop germs from spreading. Think about all of the things that you touched today – from the telephone to the toilet. Maybe you blew your nose in a tissue and then went outside to dig around the dirt. Whatever you did today, you came into contact with germs. It’s easy for a germ on your hand to end up in your mouth. Think about how many foods you eat with your hands. You can’t wear rubber gloves all day long, but you can wash your hands so those germs don’t get a chance to make you or someone else sick. When germs go down the drain, they can’t make anyone sick.”

Remember these handy hints for thorough handwashing:

1. Use warm water (not cold or hot) when you wash your hands.
2. Use whatever soap you like. Antibacterial soaps are OK to use, but regular soap works fine.
3. Lather both sides of your hands, your wrists, and between your fingers. Don’t forget to wash around your nails. This is one place germs like to hide. Wash for about 10 to 15 seconds – about how long it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song (two times quickly or once if you go nice and slow.)
4. Rinse and dry well with a clean towel.

Have your kids check out the Clean Hands, Cool Hands website for a message from Hannah Montana’s Mitchel Musso: http://www.cleanhandsarecoolhands.com/index.html