Health

Each year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates the month of March as National Nutrition Month. The focus of this campaign is to help you make informed food choices and encourage healthy lifestyle habits.  Ideally, you will be reducing your risk of chronic disease and enjoying optimal health.

Since there are so many different diets being talked about in the media, knowing which one is the best can be confusing. Should you avoid all carbohydrates?  Do you need to count calories?  Should you eat six small meals daily or eat only once per day?

Colorectal cancer can be easily detected, yet it remains the third leading cause of cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, one in 24 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime.  Unfortunately, only about one in three persons in the U.S. age 45 and over gets the recommended screening.

Colon cancer screening tests identify suspicious or pre-cancerous polyps, which can be removed before they develop into a serious health problem.  There are four main testing options for detecting colon cancer: Fecal Occult blood test, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, Barium Enema and Colonoscopy.

Colonoscopies, a very thorough colon cancer test, are performed routinely in the Veterans Memorial Hospital surgical suite with the equipment pictured at left, and typically take just three hours from start to finish.

by Angie Mettille RN, BSN, Certified Diabetes Educator

The American Diabetes Association recognizes the fourth Tuesday in March as “Diabetes Alert Day”. The purpose of this designated day is to make the public aware of the risk factors of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Unfortunately, there are millions of Americans that are undiagnosed with this disease.

When one has elevated blood sugars for a long duration of time, the likelihood of irreversible complications is increased.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) recently received another large donation of handmade baby blankets from Cindy Hertrampf of Waukon. Many of the blankets are pictured here with Cindy and will be given to young patients in ER, surgery and in-patient areas of the hospital. Many will also be offered for sale in the hospital gift case which is managed by the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital. The gift case offers many gift options for all ages as well as quality health supplements. The gift case is located at the main entrance to Veterans Memorial Hospital. Submitted photo.
 

Allamakee County Public Health shares the following Poison Prevention Tips compliments of the Iowa Poison Control Center, in observance of National Poison Prevention Week and Month.
1. If you think something has been poisoned, call 1-800-222-1222 right away.  Serious poisonings don’t always have early signs.
2. Save the number of your poison control center in your cell phone contacts.  Text the word POISON to 797979 to download the business card for poison control to your mobile phone.
3. Keep medicines and household products in their original containers in a different place than food.
4. Always read the product labels and follow any directions.
5. Keep household products and medicines locked up. Put them up high and out of sight and reach of young children.
6. Buy products with child-resistant packaging, but remember, nothing is child-proof.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will sponsor the next Babysitting Seminars Friday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to Noon. The class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Intended participants are individuals 10 years of age and older who are responsible for their own care after school until their parents come home from work, and individuals who care for other children in or outside of their own home. Girls and boys are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Topics to be covered include fire and personal safety, accident prevention and emergency actions, nutritious snacks and basic care of children.

From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Healthy eating is recommended throughout life, but as we age certain factors can affect our nutrient needs. Choosing a variety of foods from all the food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein foods) will help you build a healthy eating routine.

Free sports physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital-Postville Clinic for all junior high and high school students attending the Postville Community School District who need the physical for participating in school sporting events. These free sports physicals will be held at the VMH-Postville Clinic on the following dates and times:
• Wednesday, March 26 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 28 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Students are asked to sign up for these physicals at the Postville High School Secretary’s office and pick up a physical form. These forms must be signed by parents prior to the event and brought along to the physical.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering Grandparenting Classes again this spring. Corinne Cook, RN, Babysitting Class instructor, will teach the next Grandparenting Class Saturday, April 6 from 9:30 a.m. until Noon. The class will be held in the hospital’s Large Conference Room.

In these classes, new or soon-to-be grandparents will learn all the new protocols to use when caring for their new grandchild. Some topics covered will include basic baby care, car seat safety, Tylenol/Ibuprofen dosing charts, home safety, poison control information, infant/child CPR, choking and other emergency medical information, as well as tips to support parents such as handling the baby blues and postpartum depression.  Free-will donations will be accepted to cover the costs of the class.

Those planning to travel are reminded to make sure they are protected against measles prior to their trip. Measles cases continue to be identified around the United States, and large outbreaks are ongoing internationally. Before travel, check your destination for health recommendations and travel notices on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) travel health page.

Domestic and international travelers should plan to be fully vaccinated for measles at least two weeks before departing. Two doses of Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine provide 97% protection against measles. If you are traveling domestically, continue to follow the routinely recommended vaccine schedule.