RSS Feedhttps:// RSS Feeden{DD8D8677-1E14-4A2A-B76E-7D361D2C77FD} Basics of Fecal Incontinence: You Are Not Alone<h2 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">Causes of Fecal Incontinence</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Good bowel control relies on the muscles and nerves in your rectum working together to hold in stool. They alert you when your rectum is full, and move the stool when appropriate.&nbsp; When your muscles and nerves are not working properly, fecal incontinence can happen. Things that can cause fecal incontinence include poor stool consistency (diarrhea or constipation), muscle damage or weakness, nerve damage, or loss of the stretch capacity of the rectum from chronic disorders.&nbsp; </p> <h2 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">Tests and Diagnoses</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">After a detailed history and physical examination, your doctor may order some additional tests to evaluate the cause of your incontinence.&nbsp; These tests can include: anal manometry, anal ultrasound, MRI, defecography, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy. However, anal manometry and anal ultrasound are the two most common tests used to understand the cause of fecal incontinence. Both tests take approximately 30 minutes to complete and neither test is painful; therefore, no sedation or anesthesia is required.&nbsp; </p> <h2 style="margin: 2pt 0in 0pt;">Anal Manometry</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Anal manometry uses pressure sensors and a balloon that can be inflated in your rectum to check the sensitivity and function of the rectum. Anal manometry also checks the tightness of the anal sphincter muscles around your anus. </p> <h2 style="margin: 2pt 0in 0pt;">Anal Ultrasound</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Ultrasound uses a device, called a transducer, that bounces safe, painless sound waves off from your organs to create an image of their structure. An anal ultrasound is specific to the anus and rectum.&nbsp; The images can show the structure of your anal sphincter muscles. To prepare for these tests, your doctor will usually suggest using an enema and fasting for two hours before the test. </p> <h2 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">Treatment Options</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Treatment for fecal incontinence depends on the cause of your problem and may include one or more of the following: dietary modifications, medications, bowel training, pelvic floor exercises or pelvic physical therapy, or surgery.</p> <h2 style="margin: 2pt 0in 0pt;">Dietary Modifications and Medications</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Changing your diet may significantly improve your bowel control. Fiber and fluid intake are the key to doing this.&nbsp; Adequate fiber intake will give your stool bulk and form. Larger and heavier stools are easier for your body to keep in place than smaller stools. Anti-diarrheal medications may also be recommended to slow down your bowels and help control them.&nbsp; </p> <h2 style="margin: 2pt 0in 0pt;">Bowel Training</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Another simple treatment option your doctor may recommend is developing a regular bowel movement pattern. This can improve your fecal incontinence, especially if your incontinence is due to constipation.&nbsp; Bowel training involves trying to have bowel movements at specific times of the day.&nbsp; Over time, your body will become used to a regular bowel movement pattern, thus reducing constipation and related fecal incontinence.</p> <h2 style="margin: 2pt 0in 0pt;">Pelvic Floor Exercises and Physical Therapy</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles can improve your bowel control. Pelvic floor exercises involve squeezing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles several times a day. Biofeedback therapy (physical therapy) can also help you perform these exercises properly. This therapy improves your awareness of the sensations in your rectum; teaching you how to coordinate squeezing your external sphincter muscle with the sensation of rectal filling. Success with pelvic floor exercises depends on the cause of your fecal incontinence, it&rsquo;s severity, and your ability to follow your health care provider&rsquo;s recommendations.</p> <h2 style="margin: 2pt 0in 0pt;">Surgery</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The most common fecal incontinence surgery is a sphincteroplasty.&nbsp; This procedure is generally recommended if you have a defect in the muscles that restrain a bowel movement.&nbsp; During this operation, the surgeon reconnects the separated ends of a sphincter muscle torn by childbirth or another injury.&nbsp; </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Another surgical option includes injecting non-absorbable bulking agents into your anus wall. This bulks up the anal tissues, and makes the anal opening narrower. Allowing your sphincter muscles to close more effectively. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Electrical stimulation by way of implant, also called sacral nerve stimulation or neuromodulation, involves placing electrodes in the nerves that control the muscles of your anus and rectum and continuously stimulating the nerves with electrical pulses. The sacral nerves connect to the part of your spine in the hip area. A battery-operated stimulator is placed beneath your skin. Based on your response to this treatment, your health care provider can adjust the amount of stimulation. You can turn the stimulator on or off at any time. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">No matter the cause, fecal incontinence impacts your daily life. It is an embarrassing and life altering problem. If you are experiencing bowel control issues, you can regain your life. Talk to your doctor about your non-surgical and surgical options for correcting your fecal incontinence. </p>Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{EC421CF3-1A98-46E0-B4D3-A81AE58C598B} Healthy Eating Environments at IntermountainBeginning March 1<sup>st</sup>, Intermountain Healthcare facilities will be replacing sugary beverages and candy with healthier choices. The move furthers Intermountain&rsquo;s mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible. <p>Ending the sales of sugar-added beverages, candy, and less-healthy snacks will take place at Intermountain&rsquo;s cafeterias, gift shops, vending machines and pharmacies. Intermountain will increase the availability of healthier options at those venues based on evidence in nutrition research and dietary guidelines. With this change, Intermountain joins more than 30 health systems nationwide such as Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente that have adopted similar policies.</p> <p>Intermountain respects individual choices for food and nutrition preferences. While the organization won&rsquo;t be selling sugary beverages, candy, or less-healthy snacks at its facilities, people can choose to bring their own. </p> <p style="margin: 12pt 0in 6pt;">For nearly a decade, Intermountain&rsquo;s LiVe Well message has been about eating healthier and being active.&nbsp; Following evidence-based research, Intermountain&rsquo;s Food and Nutrition Services teams will continue to systematically evaluate menu and snack options, increasing the healthy options available and offering fewer foods that contain added sugar, salt, and saturated fats. Intermountain began offering &ldquo;Healthy Plates&rdquo; at its cafeterias in 2014. In 2016 nearly 150,000 Healthy Plates were sold.&nbsp; </p> <p>Healthy eating environments with good nutrition play a vital role in health. Excessive sugar consumption can contribute to obesity and a host of adverse health conditions. Consider that an alarming number of people are living with prediabetes, whose blood glucose is elevated, with approximately 114,000 people in Utah and Southern Idaho affected. Around 90 percent don&rsquo;t know even they have prediabetes, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and increased heart attack and stroke risks.</p> <p>A lot of people do not realize that added sugar is used in numerous foods. Such as breakfast cereals, salad dressings, ketchup, pasta sauces, and crackers. </p> <p>&ldquo;We are trying to make people aware of where these added sugars are and how to best avoid them. The two biggest ways to reduce added sugars is with sodas and candy,&rdquo; said Robin Aufdenkampe, MS, RDN, CD, Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Intermountain. </p> <p><strong>RELATED</strong>: <a href="" target="_blank">A Non-Candy Coated Look at Added Sugar</a></p> <p>The American Heart Association says that men should have no more than 36 grams of sugar a day, women should have no more than 24 grams. A can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams. Then take into effect that in a single tablespoon of barbecue sauce holds six grams of sugar. So throughout the day, not only has this person reached their limit, they likely well-exceeded the limits when adding in the other foods. </p> <p>You can learn more by checking out Intermountain&rsquo;s <a href="" target="_blank">Healthy Eating Environments</a> website</p>Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{F76DAEE9-3E18-411E-B340-BA7F28E2D8AB} Pressure: Diagnosing and Managing Hypertension<p>Physicians and patients with high blood pressure must work together to prevent the &ldquo;dam from breaking,&rdquo; which is a tall order when hypertension can be a silent disease with few symptoms. While approximately one out of every three American adults struggle with hypertension, roughly one out of every 10 adults in the United States do not know they have chronic high blood pressure. </p> <p>When you consider that the long-term blood pressure elevations of hypertension can lead to remodeling of the heart leading to heart failure, heart attack, stroke&nbsp;and kidney failure, it&rsquo;s critical for patients to work with physicians to diagnose and manage abnormal blood pressure.&nbsp; </p> <h2>Hypertension by the numbers</h2> <p>To begin, physicians will screen for hypertension at regular physical exams. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is measured by looking at the systolic blood pressure (the top number in your blood pressure reading) and the diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number). Systolic blood pressure is a reflection of the amount of pressure placed on the heart muscle during contraction to pump blood out. Diastolic blood pressure reflects the amount of pressure the heart is experiencing during relaxation as it fills with blood.</p> <p><strong>Typically, healthy blood pressures are between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg</strong>. It is important to know what your normal blood pressure is so that you can help your doctors identify abnormalities from your normal baseline, especially in the event that you become sick and admitted to the hospital.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hypertension occurs when the systolic blood pressure reaches around 140mmHg or the diastolic blood pressure reaches 90mmHg. However, your doctor may start watching closely for high blood pressure if your numbers reach 130mmHg (systolic) and/or 80mmHg (diastolic). This is called prehypertension. However, one elevated reading does not mean you have chronic high blood pressure. True hypertension requires these numbers to remain elevated over a sustained period of time.</p> <h3>Hypertension Factors</h3> <p>There are many factors that can contribute to the development of hypertension. These include:</p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>genetics</li> <li>race (African Americans are at a higher risk)</li> <li>being overweight or obese</li> <li>a sedentary lifestyle</li> <li>drinking too much alcohol over a long period of time</li> <li>smoking</li> <li>having other chronic conditions such as diabetes or kidney problems</li> </ul> <p>However, <strong>there are also things you can do to help control your blood pressure</strong> and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, or kidney problems:</p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>exercise regularly</li> <li>focus on weight loss through diet (talk to your doctor about what may be the best way for you to lose weight)</li> <li>manage stress&nbsp;</li> <li>don&rsquo;t smoke</li> <li>limit alcohol</li> <li>take your medications daily if prescribed by your doctor</li> </ul> <p>Management of hypertension depends on proactive, aggressive treatment to avoid the negative outcomes associated with high blood pressure. It takes daily vigilance, persistence and patience to combat this disease that often remains a constant companion for life.</p> <p>Talk to your doctor about how you can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.&nbsp;</p> <div style="float:left; width:100%; border:3px solid #5f9d09; padding:10px; border-radius:10px;"> <div style="float:left; width:40%;"><img alt="heart-guide-promo" style="width:100%;" src="" /></div> <div style="float:right; width:60%;"><p style="padding-left:15px; padding-right:15px;">Taking care of your heart now can help prevent heart disease and high blood pressure. <strong>Download our FREE Heart Owner's Manual ebook</strong> to guide you through the things you can do to keep your heart healthy and prevent high blood pressure.</p> <p style="padding: 0 15px 0 15px;"><a class="button green-button" href="">Download the eBook</a></p></div> </div> <p><hr /> </p> <p><strong>Written by:</strong><br /> Katherine Larson, MD<br /> Internal Medicine, Intermountain Southridge Clinic<br /></p> <p>Eric Allen, DO<br /> Internal Medicine, Intermountain Southridge Clinic<br /></p>Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{76EDC0D1-BCA5-401A-B9D1-4671E19B3B44} The Silent but Common Journey<p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>What happens next? </b></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Dealing with the sadness and facing reality is difficult enough, but many women also have to make an informed decision with their provider on the next steps. Will my body miscarry on its own? Will I need medication to help the miscarriage continue? Will I need a D&amp;C (dilation and curation) procedure? All options can seem scary and there are pros and cons with each choice. Sometimes one option is necessary based on your individual circumstances &ndash; how far along you are, if you are already experiencing miscarriage symptoms, or how high your hCG (pregnancy hormone) levels are. Your OB/GYN or midwife can help you make the best decision for you and your body and support you through the healing process. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>After miscarriage.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">The sadness after miscarriage doesn&rsquo;t go away immediately. It comes and goes as you go through different life experiences. You will see frequent reminders of your loss &ndash; a friend announces a pregnancy, you see a newborn, you start your period again. The physical symptoms of pregnancy will pass after a few weeks. Lean on friends and family for support with the emotional symptoms and sadness. It&rsquo;s completely normal and healthy to grieve. Take time to grieve the loss of your baby and future plans. Your provider can help you determine when you can start trying to conceive again if that is your plan. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Although it doesn&rsquo;t take the pain away, remember that you are not alone in your suffering. Miscarriages are very common. It is okay to talk about it and stop the silence. </p>Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{F6F58E01-DEC8-45CB-B34D-82530FACF9A6} Steps to Protect Yourself and Family During InversionsThe link between increased air pollution exposure and increased risk of death, lung cancer, developing <a href="" target="_blank">COPD</a> and/or asthma is well-established.&nbsp; Additionally, short term exposure to air pollution has been associated with increased risk of hospitalization for COPD exacerbations, asthma exacerbations, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, and even strokes.&nbsp; <div>&nbsp; <p>The best way to prevent inversions is to avoid creating air pollution &ndash; avoid idling, limit driving as much as possible, and avoid all wood burning.&nbsp; But once the inversion is here, here are five steps you can take to protect yourself.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Stay indoors</strong>&nbsp;In general, the indoor air quality is better than outdoor air quality. The best way to protect yourself during inversions is to stay indoors.&nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Make sure your indoor furnace air filter is replaced regularly and your furnace is functioning properly</strong>.&nbsp; In order to make sure your indoor air quality is as healthy as possible, make sure your home is smoke-free and your furnace and its filter are serviced and changed regularly.</li> <li><strong>Exercise indoors</strong>. When we exercise, we breathe deeper and faster. We inhale more particulates from the air deeper into our lungs. So while exercise is good for us, it&rsquo;s important to exercise indoors during periods of inversion to limit air pollution exposure.</li> <li><strong>Take all your prescribed medications.&nbsp;</strong> Many diseases are exacerbated (or flared) by air pollution.&nbsp; Not only respiratory problems such as asthma and COPD, but others such as heart problems and strokes. If you have chronic health problems, it is important that they be optimally controlled during these high risk periods.&nbsp; So, make sure you are taking your asthma, COPD, heart, cholesterol, blood pressure and other medications as prescribed by your doctor. If you are having a flare of a chronic condition, be sure to let your doctor know for an individual management plan.&nbsp; If your condition flares predictably during these periods, talk to your doctor about an action plan for dealing with these flares at your visit before the inversion happens.</li> <li><strong>Avoid idling, and all wood burning; limit driving if possible.</strong> Do your part to try to limit the air pollution accumulating for all of us.</li> </ol> Masks or air filters? While simple surgical masks do not prevent particulate exposure, the more complex respirators &ldquo;N95&rdquo; masks and such can limit particulates.&nbsp; However, these masks increase the resistance to air flow and make it more difficult to breathe. Thus, they are not practical for anything other than very short term exposures.&nbsp;</div> <div><br /> <p>At <a href="" target="_blank">Intermountain Medical Center</a>, we are trying to find out whether a home stand-alone very high efficiency &ldquo;HEPA&rdquo; air filter can help reduce respiratory symptoms during inversions.&nbsp; We&rsquo;re conducting a randomized controlled clinical trial to determine whether use of a high-efficiency personal (HEPA) filter reduces respiratory symptoms in at-risk patients during inversions. &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>RELATED:</strong> <a href="" target="_blank">Say No to Inversions</a></p> <p>If you are interested in finding out more about the study, and helping us find out if this is a worthwhile intervention, please contact our research team at <a href=""></a> or at (801) 507-4606.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div>Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{704EDFFD-73B7-4AC7-875F-B6B7223B9358} the Rounds with Cancer – The Epic Fight of Larry Gabriel<p>As a kid growing up in Pennsylvania, Gabriel followed the boxing career of American boxer, Ray &ldquo;Boom Boom&rdquo; Mancini. The tragic fight Gabriel relates is the fourteen-round fight in which 21-year old Mancini went glove to glove with 27-year-old South Korean boxer, Duk Koo Kim. As Gabriel tells the story, he talks of Mancini and Kim, in their 14 round fight, and likens it to his 14-year battle with cancer. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know if cancer was going to beat me, or if I was going to beat cancer,&rdquo; Gabriel recounts. </p> <p>Gabriel underwent years of treatments - fourteen years. He explains, &ldquo;I have been treated with every modality imaginable. I have had multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and even treated with BCG, which is an inactive form of tuberculosis.&rdquo; Gabriel adds, &ldquo;The roughest would have to be the surgery, but being treated with the BCG made me violently sick. It was the toughest thing I could&rsquo;ve imagined.&rdquo; </p> <p>After being treated at top-notch, even world-class institutions, often having the chairman of the department as his attending physician, the prognosis for the particular type of cancer he had was so bad his doctors at the Cleveland Clinic feared there wasn&rsquo;t much more they could do. It was at this point that he was introduced to Intermountain Healthcare Oncologist, <a href="" target="_blank">Dr. Lincoln Nadauld</a>, at the <a href="" target="_blank">Southwest Cancer Clinic</a> in St. George, Utah. </p> <div style="float:left; margin-bottom:15px; background:#d5e3ee; width:100%; font-weight:bold; border-top:3px solid #31599e; border-bottom:2px solid #9bb9e3; display:block; padding-left:10px;"><p> RELATED: <a href="">The 3 C's of Cancer Care</a></p> </div> <p>Lincoln Nadauld, MD, PhD, is the Executive Director of <a href="" target="_blank">Intermountain Precision Genomics</a> with expertise in genomic research and development of the ICG100 &trade; Comprehensive Gene Panel. Nadauld ordered next-generation sequencing of Gabriel&rsquo;s tumor tissue. The test identified mutations that helped clarify what direction to go with regard to a different combination of treatments. As Gabriel reports, at this point, the treatment &ldquo;worked like a silver bullet.&rdquo; &nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">While genomic testing is not 100% for every patient, for some patients like Larry Gabriel, precision medicine has helped him remain cancer free. </p> <p><iframe height="315" src="" frameborder="0" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>For more information about Intermountain Precision Genomics, please visit: <a href=""></a>, join the dialog on<a href=""> Facebook</a> (Intermountain Precision Genomics) or follow <a href="">@precisioncancer</a> on Twitter.</p>Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{85F14ACE-BE5E-4763-A1E7-3D8FA8F36256} Implant a Diseased Liver to Save a Dying Man — Then Cure the Liver and Restore Him to Good Health<style> </style> <p>That&rsquo;s when doctors with the Intermountain Medical Center Transplant Program presented him with a revolutionary option: Accept a liver that had been damaged by hepatitis C to replace his dying liver, then take medication to cure his new liver of its disease.</p> <p>Lorenzo agreed &mdash; and became the first patient in the United States to receive a hepatitis C-positive liver. Following his surgery, Lorenzo took six pills a day for 12 weeks to cure of the hepatitis C virus &mdash; a cure that was developed by a research team lead by Intermountain Medical Center physician Michael Charlton, MD, in 2015 &mdash; and now he has a healthy liver, and a healthy life. </p> <p>&ldquo;If I hadn&rsquo;t received the hepatitis C-positive liver, I was weeks if not days away from dying,&rdquo; said Lorenzo, who was grounded from traveling abroad for work because of his dying liver. &ldquo;Now my doctors are telling me I can get back to my regularly scheduled life.&rdquo;</p> <p>Last year, more than 13,000 people in the United States were added to the liver transplant waiting list of around 17,000 people, but only 7,000 received a transplant. That creates an enormous supply-and-demand mismatch, and the result is, about 1,500 people die each year while they&rsquo;re waiting for a transplant, and another 1,700 are removed from the transplant list because they get too sick to handle transplant surgery. </p> <p>&ldquo;Giving a curable disease to a patient is a lot better than letting them die from an incurable disease,&rdquo; said Richard Gilroy, MD, medical director of the Liver Transplantation Program at Intermountain Medical Center. &ldquo;We feel this new method will save many more lives by increasing the number of available donor livers to those on the liver transplant wait list. This outcome means more people can be saved before they get too sick and allows them to move back to an active life sooner.&rdquo;</p> <p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s fantastic to be part of a process when you give people back what they lost,&rdquo; he said.</p> <p>One irony about the new procedure: Hepatitis C is the most common indication for a liver transplant nationally. </p> <p>One other patient at Intermountain Medical Center has received the same transplant procedure using a hepatitis C positive liver and is currently undergoing the treatment regimen to cure his hepatitis C.</p>Wed, 25 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{BFD48025-641E-4232-93C4-96797A10D5A5} Best Foods for Nursing Moms<p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Drink lots of water</b></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Despite what you should be eating, one of the best things you can do for your nursing body is drink lots of water. Your body will need as much water as it can get because your baby will be nursing all-of-the-the time.</p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Dairy products</b></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Dairy is a GREAT food to eat while breastfeeding. Not only is dairy addicting, but it is full of calcium and good fat you need. Occasionally you&rsquo;ll find out baby can&rsquo;t handle dairy. If this is the case, you and your doctor can create a nutrition plan that will work well for both mom and baby. Other good nondairy options could include rice milk, tofu, and dark veggies. </p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">RELATED: <a href="">Proper Nutrition While Breastfeeding</a> </p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Leafy greens</b></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">I know how much you mamas hate trying to get in those leafy greens, but they&rsquo;re so important. Leafy greens will help give you the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed while nursing.&nbsp; Leafy greens are also a great way to help get your body back to its normal shape, just because they&rsquo;re so good for you.</p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Lots of protein</b></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Some will say too much protein is not good for you. However, when nursing, you need lots of protein. You&rsquo;re literally feeding two people (but, don&rsquo;t eat a calorie count for two people). Plus, protein can help keep your iron levels balanced, so you can keep up energy wise. </p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Stick with healthy carbs</b></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">It is frustrating when people think they should give up carbs. Carbohydrates are an important part of the human diet, especially a nursing mom&rsquo;s diet. You can avoid the fattening empty carbs like white bread and flour. However, eating the good carbs from things like brown rice is a good thing! Getting some whole grains in there is also a good choice for the nursing mom.</p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">For the most part, sticking with whole foods is your best bet. When you are craving something, try to make a healthier version of it. There is no reason we should all go through life avoiding things we love. What do you think are the best foods for nursing moms?</p> <iframe height="315" src="" frameborder="0" width="560"></iframe>Tue, 24 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{62A885E0-0F8B-46DA-952F-D688FE989409} Hope for Avoiding Peanut Allergies<p>The <a href="" target="_blank">National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced the guidelines</a> after running a clinical trial that followed children who were at high risk for peanut allergies. The results showed an astounding 81 percent reduction in developing a peanut allergy by giving foods with peanuts in them during infancy until five years of age.</p> <p>&ldquo;Everyone knows someone with a peanut allergy and how scary and frightening it is,&rdquo; said Katrina Jensen, registered nurse and Intermountain Moms spokesperson said to KUTV Channel 2. &ldquo;I think (the new guidelines) changes the shape of family&rsquo;s futures if they can identify them with this and find out hey, my child can overcome this - even with their risk factors.&rdquo;</p> <p>The concept is that by giving peanut-based foods during infancy then it works much like a flu shot for their system. The immune system takes the chemical compound in peanuts and builds a resistance to them. By age five, the child&rsquo;s own body can now combat peanuts through their lives.&nbsp; </p> <p>The new guidelines that are based on the risk the children have to peanuts. The risk is based on if the child has eczema and/or egg allergies. The recommendations are as follows:</p> <ul> <li><strong>High Risk Children</strong>: This includes children if they have severe eczema, an egg allergy, or both. Introduce diluted peanut butter to kids between 4-6 months of age. Use peanut butter mixed with a puree of other foods three meals a week for a total of 6-7 teaspoons of peanut butter.</li> <li><strong>Moderate Risk Children</strong>: For children with mild to moderate eczema with no egg allergies &ndash; parents can introduce peanuts pureed in foods around six months. </li> <li><strong>No Risk Children</strong>: If the child has no eczema, egg allergies, and no family history of peanut allergies, then parents can safely use foods mixed with peanuts. Parents should wait until the infant is eating solid foods first, so typically after six months and be safe.</li> <li><strong>Family History of Peanut Allergies</strong>: Jensen said to first talk to a pediatrician if there is a familial history. There might need to be further testing needed first. </li> </ul> <div style="float:left; margin-bottom:15px; background:#d5e3ee; width:100%; font-weight:bold; border-top:3px solid #31599e; border-bottom:2px solid #9bb9e3; display:block; padding-left:10px;"><p> RELATED: <a href="">Going to School with Food Allergies Doesn't Have to be Scary</a></p> </div> <p><strong>Use Purees &ndash; Not Whole Peanuts</strong></p> <p>Peanut butter can be in some meals or can be pureed into a variety of foods such as with vegetables and fruits. </p> <p>&ldquo;Just dilute it with a little bit of water and its 6-7 teaspoons (peanut butter), so it&rsquo;s a very small amount. Then watch for reactions,&rdquo; Jensen said.</p> <p>It is important to not give whole peanuts to infants to avoid choking hazards. </p> <div style="float:left; margin-bottom:15px; background:#d5e3ee; width:100%; font-weight:bold; border-top:3px solid #31599e; border-bottom:2px solid #9bb9e3; display:block; padding-left:10px;"><p> LEARN MORE: <a href="">Explore more about allergies and testing</a></p> </div>Mon, 23 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700{EC2536A1-5535-4193-BB50-466FA6097183} Questions You’ve Always Had About Blood Pressure<h2>1) What is blood pressure?</h2> <p>Blood pressure is the driving force in our body that keeps blood flowing to every organ. It is first generated by the powerful heart muscle and then maintained and transmitted by our blood vessels. Blood pressure has become synonymous with high blood pressure. For decades now, high blood pressure has been a well-recognized risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and early death. High blood pressure is frequently referred to as the "silent killer" as no one knows what their blood pressure is, high or low, until they actually measure it. A majority of people will develop high blood pressure during their lifetime.</p> <h2>2. How do I know what my blood pressure is?</h2> <p>Figuring out what your blood pressure is, is easy. Any doctor appointment you go to will check your blood pressure. Health fairs, home blood pressure cuffs, even your neighbor who is a nurse can accurately measure your blood pressure.</p> <h2>3) What should my blood pressure be?</h2> <p>Over the years, goal blood pressure has been a moving target in terms of what your blood pressure should be, or more importantly what is should be under! Again every patient is different but as a general starting point, your <em>systolic</em> blood pressure (that&rsquo;s the top number) should be less than 140 mmHg, and the <em>diastolic</em> blood pressure (that&rsquo;s the bottom number) should be less than 90mmHg. If you are asking if one of those numbers is more important than the other, the answer is yes, it is the <em>systolic</em> (top) blood pressure that carries the most weight. </p> <h2>4) What can I do about it?</h2> <p>The first step to managing your blood pressure to change how you eat by greatly decreasing the amount of salt in your diet. In 2017, a vast majority of salt in a typical American diet comes from 2 places: 1) eating outside of the home. Whether it is a fast food meal or the finest 5-star restaurant, the food tastes good because it is loaded with salt and 2) you salt your food after it hits the plate before you eat it. By limiting eating outside of the home to two times a week or less and throwing away your salt shaker, you can help your blood pressure. Making dietary and lifestyle changes (exercise) you can on average lower your blood pressure by about 10 mmHg (i.e. 145mmHg -&gt; 135mmHg).</p> <div style="float:left; margin-bottom:15px; background:#d5e3ee; width:100%; font-weight:bold; border-top:3px solid #31599e; border-bottom:2px solid #9bb9e3; display:block; padding-left:10px;"><p> RELATED: <a href="">How to Control Your High Blood Pressure</a></p> </div> <h2>5) So what about medication?</h2> <p>As you can see from the paragraph above, if your blood pressure is significantly elevated (&gt;150/100 mmHg) it is very unlikely that diet and lifestyle changes alone will be enough to bring your blood pressure in a range that will reduce your risk or heart attacks, strokes, or early death. You need medications. The great thing about meds to treat your blood pressure is that there are A LOT of them. This means that you and your doctor should be able to find a regimen that works for you from a side effect standpoint. </p> <h2>6) What about cost?</h2> <p>A vast majority of blood pressure medications are generic and very affordable. In fact, if you are on an expensive brand medication for your blood pressure, ask your doctor about switching to a cheaper alternative that will be just as effective. You can also look at it in other ways, think of the cost to be admitted to the hospital with a heart attack with costly procedures or high risk surgeries. Spending pennies a day on your blood pressure pills may, in the future, save you tens of thousands of dollars.</p> <h2>7) When will I stop the medication?</h2> <p>More than likely you won&rsquo;t. Very rarely does high blood pressure have a &ldquo;cure.&rdquo; A vast majority of people will need lifelong therapy for their blood pressure. Remember that heart disease is a disease of aging, and so being vigilant about controlling our risk factors (like high blood pressure) is a lifelong task.</p> <div style="float: left; width: 100%; border: 3px solid #5f9d09; padding: 10px; border-radius: 10px;"> <div style="float: left; width: 40%;"><img alt="heart-guide-promo" style="width: 100%;" src="" /></div> <div style="float: right; width: 60%;"> <p style="padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;">Taking care of your heart now can help prevent heart disease and high blood pressure. <strong>Download our FREE Heart Owner's Manual ebook</strong> to guide you through the things you can do to keep your heart healthy and prevent high blood pressure.</p> <p style="padding: 0px 15px;"><a class="button green-button" href="">Download the eBook</a></p> </div> </div>Fri, 20 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0700