Health blog on Scoop The Dirt

Summertime tips for Bites and Stings!

It’s summertime and with that comes our flying friends that tend to cause us pain when contact is made with them. When bees, wasps, and other insects bite or sting you, they may release a poisonous venom that produces pain, swelling, redness, itching, or burning. Most people recover from a bee or wasp sting fairly quickly – usually within a couple of hours. However, about three percent of the population develops an allergic reaction called naphylaxis, in which painful hives erupt and swelling blocks airways, leading to circulatory collapse and even death. Conventional medicine alleviates symptoms of common stings and bites with drugs, ointments, and lotions. Listed below are a few “home remedies” to help:

Smother it with onion. A homegrown Amish remedy for bee stings is to apply a freshly cut onion. Hold the onion slice on the wound for at least ten minutes, then toss it.
Smear on some baking supplies. Who’d have thought that a couple of kitchen staples could take the bite out of a sting? Well, someone, at some time, came up with this traditional folk remedy. Mix one tablesppon each of vinegar and baking soda. Apply the paste and leave it on the sting as long as possible. Add more if necessary.
Try some tobacco. But don’t smoke or chew it, cause that stuff can kill you. Instead, apply it to bug bites and stings in a traditional poultice. Indians used wild tobacco moistened with saliva to treat bee stings.
Use charcoal to heal insect bites. Charcoal, they say, draws out the poison. Wet as much charcoal (BTW, not the kind that contains lighter fluid) as needed to cover your wound. Place the past directly over the wound and cover it with a clean cloth. Replace the poultice every ten to fifteen minutes until you obtain relief.
Try this Gypsy potion! Gypsies wash stings and bites with vinegar to stop itching and relieve pain. This favorite recipe can be prepared ahead of time: seal a handful of thyme in a bottle of vinegar and place it in the sun. Leave it for one cycle of the moon, shaking the bottle mornings and evenings. After an additional half cycle of the moon, crush seven garlic cloves, add them to the potion, and reseal. At the end of the second lunar cycle, strain the liquid and store it in a sealed bottle. When you get an insect bite or sting, wash the wound with the potion. I thought this one was pretty cool! I may just have to try this myself.
One more tip for you… don’t use tweezers to remove a stinger. The venom could be squeezed from the stinger and cause you more problems. Instead, use a credit card. Just swipe it like you would at the market!

Self Care, Yes you can actually take care of yourself!

Most minor injuries and illnesses can be treated in the home or in the workplace. To feel more confident with self care, remember a few basics.

TUMMY TROUBLES

Heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion usually signal bad eating habits.

SELF CARE REMEDIES:

SLOW down if you eat quickly.

LIMIT acidic and fatty foods.

DRINK more water to aid digestion.

AVOID lying down after eating.

ELEVATE your upper body if you must lie down.

CUTS & SCRAPES

Cuts that persistently bleed and are larger than 1 inch and deep puncture wounds, usually require professional treatment. Minor wounds can heal with self care.

1) Control the bleeding. Apply direct pressure for 10 minutes.

2) Cleanse the wound with clear water and the area surrounding the wound with soap and water.

3) Apply a thin layer of antibacterial ointment and cover with a sterile bandage.

HEADACHES

Headaches of all types cause fatigue. Over-the-counter pain relievers are your first line of defense. OTHER SELF CARE REMEDIES:

1) Lower the light. Bright light sometimes intensifies the pain.

2) Take a shower. The steam and water can alleviate tension.

3) Avoid your triggers. Caffeine withdrawal, alcohol, dehydration, cigarette smoke, perfumes and certain foods can all cause headaches.

4) Eat regularly. Skipping meals can bring on headaches.

COUGHS & CONGESTION

A cold, allergies or an infection often trigger a stuffy or runny nose and other symptoms. SELF CARE REMEDIES:

1) Consider an antihistamine for allergy symptoms, either over-the-counter or by prescription. *Some may make you drowsy.

2) Try a cough suppressant. *Tip: Avoid over-medicating with combination medicines.

3) Breathe in moist air from a humidifier or vaporizer.

4) Sip hot liquids such as soup or tea. *Note: Research shows that chicken soup really can help relieve symptoms.

Some Great Tips

Over the years I have been searching for tips and tricks to use around the house, Here are a few I compiled from the vast world of the wide web enjoy!

Deodorant on a dark shirt?
- Rub a USED dryer sheet over it.
Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish.
Cool Whip will condition your hair in 15 min.
Mayonnaise will KILL LICE. It will also condition your hair.
Shiny Hair – rinse in brewed Lipton Tea
Sunburn
- empty a large jar of instant Nestea into your bath water.
Minor burn
- Colgate or Crest toothpaste
Burn your tongue?
- Put sugar on it!
Chigger Bite
- Preparation H
Stinky Feet
- Jello!!
Athletes Feet
- Cornstarch
Fungus on toenails or fingernails
- Vicks Vapro-rub
Kool Aid
- Cleans dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle. It will also clean a toilet.
Peanut butter
- will get scratches out of CD’s! Wipe off with a coffee-filter paper.
Sticking bicycle chain
- Pam no-stick cooking spray.
Peanut butter
- will remove ink from the face of dolls.
Heavy dandruff
- rinse scalp with vinegar.
To keep goggles and glasses from fogging
- coat with Colgate toothpaste and wipe clean.
Wine stains
- pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.
To remove wax
- Iron a paper towel over the wax stain, the heat will cause the wax to absorb into the towel.
Preserving a newspaper clipping
- large bottle of club soda and ½ cup of milk of magnesia – soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
Remove labels off glassware
- rub with peanut butter
- WD 40 works good on this one too!
Baked-on food
- fill the container with water, put in a Bounce static remover and softener sheet. Soak overnight. The static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it.
Crayon on the wall
- Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
Dirty grout
- Listerine.

? WHO KNEW? When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest? Did you squeeze for softness to determine freshness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different colored twist tie. They are: M – Blue, Tu – Green, Th – Red, F- White, S- Yellow. So if today were Thursday, you would want a red twist tie, not white which is Friday’s (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color: blue, green, red, white, yellow, Monday through Saturday.

WHAT IS IT? WHAT CAUSES IT? WHAT TO DO?

Nearly everyone has experienced a time when they were down and out or just felt so overwhelmed they wanted to run away. These feelings and thoughts are helpful warning signs that something isn’t right. Could it be depression? Possibly. If so, can it be treated? Absolutely! You can’t just “toughen up” to get over it. It can lasts for days, weeks, or even years and can cause further serious health risks without treatment.

What is it? Depression is a true medical condition – not a sign of weakness. The definition as outlined in Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 20, Davis, F.A., page 563 , 4. One of several mood disorders marked by loss of interest or pleasure in living. Disorders linked to depression include dysthymia, major depressive disorder, schizoaffective disorders, bipolar disorders, seasonal affective disorders, and mood disorders caused by substance abuse or other medical conditions… One in five women may suffer major depression at some point during her lifetime; the prevalence of major depression in men is about 1 in 10. Worldwide, depression is considered to be the fourth most serious illness as far as the overall burden it imposes on people’s health…Characteristic symptoms of the depressive disorders include persistent sadness, hopelessness, or tearfulness; lost of energy (or persistent fatigue); persistent feelings of guilt or self-criticism; a sense of worthlessness; irritability; an inability to concentrate; decreased interest in daily activities; changes in appetite or body weight; insomnia or excessive sleep; and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. These symptoms cause pervasive deficits in social functioning.

OK, now you know what it is. What causes it? This gets a little more complicated so I’m going to try and break it down for you into two groups. There are two main categories of risks that can contribute to depression. What you can’t change and what you can change. We’ll start with,

The uncontrolled risks.

Family History – Studies have shown depression has genetic relations. In other words, if one parent has depression, it is likely their child will have depression. If both parents have depression, the chances are doubled.
Gender – Women are twice as likely to have depression than men. It is believed to be due to our every-changing hormonal system. (Thanks Eve!)
Age – Depression can occur at any age, even in children; however, it is most common in people ages 24-44.
Health History – Chronic health issues can lead to depression such as MS, diabetes, cancer, etc… A history of depression also increases your risk for future episodes.
Psychosocial Factors – Depression is more common in those who’ve been through some type of abuse, trauma, neglect, alcohol/drug addiction and those who have a lack of family structure.
Environmental Factors – Chronic depression is more prominent in those who live in war zone areas, areas hit with natural disasters, and poverty stricken areas. Seasonal depression (SAD) is most common in high latitudes with extreme seasonal changes. Lack of sunshine (usually from October to March) can cause you to feel depressed. Research has proven brain chemistry is affected by bright light and SAD is a real illness affecting approximately 6 out of 100 people in the US.
Life Changes – Loss of a loved one, changing or losing a job, moving, divorce, and conflicts with others are just a few things in a person’s life that can trigger depressive episodes.

Controlled risks include:

Diet – Food can affect your mood. Diets low in iron, carbohydrates, and calories can cause depression.
Activity – Inactivity causes mood swings, anxiety, and difficulty in sleeping. Exercise causes your body to release natural chemicals from your brain that are sometimes referred to as “feel good” chemicals. It also can enhance the benefits from antidepressant medicines.
Alcohol & Drug Abuse – Substance abuse can interact with medications, worsen symptoms of depression and prevent recovery. Seek help if you think you have a problem.
Sleeping Patterns – The quality of your sleep and/or changes in your sleeping routine can cause mood changes and symptoms similar to depression. Ever noticed a change in your children’s behavior on the weekends compared to the weekdays? If so, do they have different sleeping patterns on the weekends? Adults should have a minimum of 6 – 8 hours of sleep everyday. Children should have 8 – 10 hours of sleep per day. Everyone should go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including the weekends to keep their sleeping pattern in sync.
Medications – Several types of medication can actually cause depression. Talk to your physician if you believe your medication is affecting your mood.
Stress Levels – This one can be a killer! Uncontrolled, chronic stress can cause multiple negative effects, including depression. Relieve stress by exercising, meditating or other technique that tends to help you relax.

If lifestyle changes alone have not helped with your depression, talk to your physician. Even a small change can help improve your overall health and enhance medication effectiveness. Also, remember if your physician prescribes an antidepressant for you and you feel as if you can’t take it any longer – DO NOT STOP TAKING WITHOUT FIRST TALKING TO YOUR PHYSICIAN. Starting or stopping this type of medication can cause serious complications if not supervised by a physician. If the prescription is not working, don’t give up. It may simply be the wrong one for you. Medication is almost like a puzzle piece for your body. You have to find the right fit and only your doctor can assist you with this.

Want to eat all day? Then do it! New research shows it’s good for you.

Swapping three square meals for five or six mini-meals can provide you with surprising health benefits. So what’s a mini-meal? A healthy mini-meal contains 300 to 400 calories and a balance of 14 to 20 percent protein, 50 to 55 percent carbs and 30 percent fat. To keep portions under control, use a salad plate as a dinner plate and a coffee cup as a soup bowl. I have a friend that just changed to a salad plate and coffee cup and lost over 25 pounds. Just remember – no seconds! I asked a friend of mine who is a dietician about suggestions. She gave me the following easy choices:

Lowfat yogurt with granola and fruit slices
One scrambled egg with whole-grain toast
A mini-pita with hummus and carrots
Half a bagel with two turkey slices and light mayo
A cup of veggie soup; a small plate of pasta primavera.

Pump up your calorie-burning power. Eating and digesting food burns calories known as thermic effect of feeding. If you eat a small meal every three hours for a total of five to six mini-meals a day, you’ll burn 10 percent more calories per day than if you eat two or three big meals. This will help you to lose about 2 pounds per month.

New research suggests that eating a big meal can increase your risk for heart attack. How? After a heavy dinner, the heart beats 20 to 30 percent faster and harder – which stresses it. Also, eating a large dinner can increase pressure in the stomach, causing stomach acid to back up into the esophagus, which leads to heartburn.

Eat breakfast. Eating breakfast can raise metabolism by as much as 10%. It can help boost the energy you need to perform your best in an often demanding workday.

Take a multi-vitamin. Recent studies suggested vitamin C may help the body deal with stress more effectively. A multi-vitamin will help you to receive the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to keep your body running well.

Eat your fruit and veggies. Diseases associated with dietary imbalance rank among the leading causes of illness and death in the USA. FDA recommends 2 to 4 servings of fruit daily and 3 to 5 servings of vegetables; however, only 13% of adults eat the minimum amount.

Watch out for the empty calories in sodas. Drink water. Water has 0 calories. You should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. America has over 2 million soft drink vending machines and each consumer averages 54.5 gallons of soft drinks annually.

Do you have Questions about diet and or exercise? Ask me or head on over to GabeLee’s blog and learn some more great info.

PROPER HAND WASHING TECHNIQUES HELPS WARD AGAINST ILLNESS

With the entire world buzzing about the Swine Flu, I thought I would reiterate the importance of doing something as simple as washing your hands, it can actually protect you from being infected.

You might think you do a good job in washing your hands. Do you?

Follow these steps to ensure you rid your hands from all those nasty germs they harbor:

Prepare your drying towel, preferably a disposable paper towel.
Turn on the water faucet and adjust the temperature of the water to warm.
Put your hands in the water with your hands towards the drain to avoid water running back on your wrists and arms.
Apply soap and lather hands, fingers, between fingers, knuckles, around and behind nail beds.
Scrub all of the above thoroughly at least as long as it would take you to sing Happy Birthday or Yankee Doodle.
Rinse thoroughly.
Do NOT turn off the faucet yet.
Dry your hands with your paper towel.
Use the paper towel to turn off the water faucet.
Use the paper towel to open the restroom door, then dispose of the paper towel.

Remember to wash your hands after sneezing or coughing, after using the restroom, before eating meals or snacks, after contact with any exposure to animals, handling laundry or trash, using telephones, etc…

Tip:

Did you know that transferring/handling freshly washed laundry harbors millions of germs? Be sure to wash hands after handling both dirty and wet laundry.

Avoid facial contact with your hands, including rubbing eyes.

Cough into your sleeve or your shirt instead of your hands.

Remember germs are everywhere and are a part of life; however, you can keep down the probability of getting sick if you will wash your hands often, follow the above tips, and keep up-to-date on your immunizations such as the flu vaccine and the pneumonia vaccine.

You are way too HOT!

Summer is here and man is it hot! We assume that our thirst mechanism will protect us from dehydration and that if we become dehydrated, it will tell us by triggering intense thirst until we are properly hydrated. But this isn’t always the case. It is possible to lose fluid so quickly that the normal thirst mechanism is overwhelmed or overridden. We should drink water even when not thirsty!
Normally, our bodies sweat about one to two liters per day. With exertion in hot, dry weather, we can lose one to two liters of water per hour, which can easily amount to 8 – 10 liters of fluid over an afternoon of working.

The primary causes of heat exhaustion/heat stroke is the amount of sodium and chloride ions lost, rather than the amount of water.

COMBATING HEAT – RULES OF THUMB:

Stay well hydrated and eat salty snacks.
Rest as often as possible.
Wear clothing that allows evaporation, such as 100% cotton clothing.
Give heat exhaustion employees lots of water with a teaspoon of salt per liter. Let them rest. Salt tablets are too concentrated and should be avoided. Also, a tablespoon of sugar with the water will help to replenish energy. It is better if the water is COLD. Drinking an electrolyte solution like Gatorade, etc… is also good.
Cool heat stroke employees as rapidly as possible. Douse with water, fan them, and massage extremities. Evacuate as soon as possible. Heat stroke is very serious!

These are the symptoms to watch for:

HEAT EXHAUSTION – Not a life threatening illness. Symptoms include fatigue, exhaustion, nausea, light-headedness and possibly heat cramps.

HEAT CRAMPS – Sometimes associated with heat exhaustion, are painful but not damaging unless they are ignored. They can be stretched and massaged away. Drinking slightly salty water and resting should keep them from reappearing.

HEAT STROKE – IS A LIFE THREATENING ILLNESS!!!!!Death can occur in as little as 30 minutes. The primary goal is to COOL THE VICTIM AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. We have to sweat for the victim. The simplest and most effective method is to remove all non-cotton clothing and soak the victim with water, fanning to increase the rate of evaporation, and massaging the extremities to encourage the return of cool blood to the body’s core. Cooling the head and neck becomes the top priority. When the core temperature rises, the brain, which can only function in a very narrow temperature range, begins to fail. In an effort to cool the blood and lower the core temperature, the brain will dilate all the blood vessels in the skin. As a result, the skin becomes RED and HOT, but still may be WET. As the brain overheats, the individual may become disoriented, combative, argumentative, and may hallucinate wildly. Ice packs should be placed at the neck, armpits, and groin – in that order. Do not force fluids on a victim with heat stroke. All heat stroke victims must be transported to the hospital as quickly as possible, continuing the cooling process during evacuation.

*The effects of even mild dehydration are decreased coordination, fatigue, and impairment of judgment. Remember – drink water – not soda and eat salty foods!

One last thing – THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS TO STAY WELL HYDRATED! Under conditions of exertion, it is probably impossible to drink too much water.

It might be allergies!

Hey everybody! I don’t know about your neck of the woods but here in TN the weather is absolutely beautiful. I’m actually sitting outside with my laptop writing today, listening to the birds chirping and feeling the sun beam down on me while the soft wind blows. What a perfect day!

With the mood set today by mother-nature, I hope I can withstand the pollen in the air for a while. Yes, I am one of THOSE that suffer from allergies. In fact, my doctor told me that I am an allergy specialist’s dream because I tested positive for basically everything indoors and out. Does that prevent me from enjoying living? Sometimes it does, but there are preventive measures and treatments available.

Allergies – What in the world is an allergy?
An allergy is what happens when your body detects a foreign substance it doesn’t like. Your nose plugs up and starts dripping, your eyes itch and run, your lungs burn and wheeze and sometimes you develop hives as a result. Our bodies have a natural response mechanism that triggers to rid this foreign substance but depending on the amount of exposure your body can tolerate and/or susceptibility, one might develop hives, difficulty breathing, etc… and need emergency medical care.

Most allergies fit into three basic categories: food, inhalant, or contact. The most common are inhalant allergies which we experience in response to material in the air we breathe. The four biggest airborne troublemakers are mold, house dust, pollen and pet dander. Most every household has at least one or more of these and of course you want your home to be a place of sanctuary. So what to do?

Treat your symptoms. Exposure to whatever bothers you is unavoidable but you can arm yourself with preventive measures such as allergy shots from your doctor, over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines, and trying to maintain the least amount of exposure possible.
Air-condition your house. This is probably the single most important thing you can do inside your home, plus it will also help reduce molds and dust mites. Air conditioning keeps humidity down, which discourages dust mites and molds and they filter the air while cooling your house.
Install an air cleaner. You want to be sure you use an industrial-quality model that bolts into the air conditioning unit. The others can take particles out of the air but they also move the air around which could cause more exposure than prevention.
Buy a dehumidifier. The dry air will help stop dust mites and will keep the air clean in your home, reducing pollen, molds and pet dander.
Keep pets in one area. Ok, they really say to get rid of your pets if you have a pet dander allergy. Are they kidding?? My two dogs are a part of my family and I refuse to get rid of them. That would be like getting rid of my daughter! (And my dogs don’t talk back either! LOL!) Seriously though, be sure to make your bedroom an area that is sealed off from the rest of the house and don’t allow pets in there. You spend more time in the bedroom than anywhere else in the house (or you should be since it is recommended we sleep 6 to 8 hours/day).
Seal your bedding in plastic. This part is SO disgusting! Dust mites, which are microscopic, love our beds and carpets. Their fecal material is what gets us and the bodies of dead mites that cause reactions. They have to have air to live and multiply, so zip ‘em up with the plastic covers for your mattress and pillows and kill those little monsters. Also, wash your bed linens in HOT water to kill them.
Throw out carpets and buy throw rugs. Carpet is the grand hotel for house dust, pet dander, mold, pollen, and dust mites. Mites can’t survive on a dry-polished floor. Wash your rugs in hot water also.
Wipe down humid areas with fungicides. Clorox kills mold. Wipe down your bathroom as needed to control any problems per the directions on the container.

MEDICAL ALERT – SIGNS OF COMPLICATIONS

See your physician if you experience any of the following:

A whistling sound when you breathe (a.k.a. wheezing).

Congestion of the chest severe enough to make breathing difficult (accompanied by wheezing could be asthma).

An attack that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter medications within a week.

Welts that spring up in response to exposure to an allergen (a.k.a. hives). They may indicate the onset of anaphylactic shock (an allergic reaction severe enough to kill!).

My advice? If in doubt, get it checked out!

Have a great day!

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Moderate use of alcohol has been determined by several resources, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to be 1-2 drinks per day – one drink for women and two drinks for men. Why is that? Read below and I’ll BREAK IT Down!

When a person drinks alcohol, it absorbed by the stomach, enters the bloodstream and then is distributed to all the tissues in the body. Several factors contribute to the effects of alcohol, including the amount of alcohol and food consumed, whether male or female, and a person’s size, weight and age.

Food in the stomach slows absorption and reduces gastric emptying time in the upper part of the gut, which is where alcohol is absorbed most rapidly. So basically, the longer alcohol stays in the stomach the more likely it will be broken down by the enzymes in the stomach.

You may wonder why there is a difference between men and women when drinking alcoholic beverages. It is because women metabolize or break down alcohol more slowly than men since there is less alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol metabolizing enzyme) in a woman’s stomach. Because less of this enzyme is present, more alcohol passes through the stomach to the duodenum which is the main alcohol absorbing part of the gut. When this is combined with a different fat/lean body makeup than a typical man, this leads to higher alcohol levels for women as compared to men even when drinking the exact drink and the same amount.

Why limit alcohol consumption? You might be surprised to know that “getting drunk” or intoxicated can be detrimental to your health. According to the CDC, coma and death can occur if large amounts of alcohol is consumed rapidly because it causes depression of the central nervous system (slows everything down). The results of that could be any of the following:

Impaired brain function resulting in reduction in reaction time. This could cause unintentional injuries (such as falls, drowning, burns, traffic accidents, etc…).
Dilation of blood vessels causing a feeling of warmth but resulting in rapid loss of body heat. This could cause major organs to fail.
Liver diseases (cirrhosis of the liver or damage to the liver cells)
Certain cancers including liver, mouth, throat, larynx (the voice box), and esophagus.
Damage to a fetus if consumed by pregnant women.
High blood pressure and increased risk of stroke.
Psychological disorders which could lead to violence such as child maltreatment, homicide and suicide.
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
Alcohol abuse or dependence.

Why is age a factor? There are many reasons that the government has enforced the legal age limit on alcohol consumption. Research has shown that youth under the age of 15 are five times more likely to become alcohol dependent than adults who begin drinking at age 21. Other consequences include the risk for potential of poor school performance, suicide, homicide; risky sexual behaviors, increased traffic accidents and fatalities, and binge drinking that could result in death.

Another factor that children should be informed on is if there is a family history of alcoholism. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Children of alcoholics are about four times more likely to develop alcohol problems and have a higher risk for many other behavioral and emotional problems. The good news is that many children of alcoholics from even the most troubled families do not develop drinking problems. Just as a family history of alcoholism does not guarantee that you will become an alcoholic, neither does growing up in a very troubled household with alcoholic parents. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families does not mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. The risk is higher but it does not have to happen.”

Are you at risk? To take the alcohol assessment quiz, visit www.alcoholscreening.org.

If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol abuse or dependence or for more information, please contact your personal physician or one of the following:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) provides a toll-free, 24-hour treatment referral service to help you locate treatment options near you. For a referral to a treatment center or support group in your area, call (800) 662-HELP, (800) 662-9832 (Español), or (800)228-0427 (TDD).
The American Council on Alcoholism (ACA) is another referral service for individuals seeking alcoholism addiction treatment and recovery. To find local treatment programs and support groups, call (800) 527-5344.
The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service provides a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), offering various resource information.

Medical Information on the Internet

Grab that cup of coffee, have a seat and relax while we discover the latest on Health & Wellness. Now let’s break it down!

Hi there and welcome to Scoop the Dirt’s Health and Wellness blog! I’m Kim and I’m here to help you break down the alien terminology that is used by medical professionals into a language that a typical fifth grader can understand. How many times have you come out of a doctor’s office more confused than when you went in? Before becoming a nurse myself, I can tell you I did numerous times! Well, that’s why Gabe has brought me to you on this wonderful and informative site that he has created. Feel free to send me your questions and comments along with any suggested topics that you would like more information on. With that said, let’s begin this journey!

Medical Information on the Internet

So you have something ailing you today and you don’t want to be put out the expense of paying for a doctor’s visit if it’s something simple you can take care of yourself. You think to yourself, hey…I’ll just look up my symptoms on the internet and find out what to do. You key in your search for a symptom checker or an actual symptom to read all the latest info about it. Picking from the top selections or one that is indexed multiple times, that should be a good place to start or is it? WAIT!!!! Did you know that anyone can post a website, type in a bunch of information, put up a ton of pictures and use a lot of big medical words to talk about any medical subject and actually have no basis to support the information, have no medical education or even a medical background? YES, IT IS ALL OVER THE NET! If somebody told you that a cure for cancer had been found, wouldn’t you ask “Where did you hear that?” and want to know their source of information to determine reliability? Well, you should be as questionable when searching and reading medical information on the net. Below is a quote from Mr. Bill Rados, director of FDA’s Communication Staff.

“My advice to consumers about information on the Internet is the same as it is for other media: You can’t believe everything you see, whether it’s in a newspaper, on TV, or on a computer screen,” says Bill Rados, director of FDA’s Communications Staff. Since anyone–reputable scientist or quack–who has a computer, a modem (the device that permits a computer to dial and connect to the Internet or an on-line service), and the necessary software can publish a Web page, post information to a newsgroup, or proffer advice in an on-line chat room, “you must protect yourself by carefully checking out the source of any information you obtain.”

My PERSONAL advice: No health information you find on the internet should replace a doctor’s medical advice. You should only use the information as a tool to help you learn more about a medical condition.

Below are a few sites that I frequent for medical information. They provide peer-reviewed information, maintained by medical professionals, give references to obtained information and have up-to-date information (which is very important in the fast changing medical world today).

Web Sites:

American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/

American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org/

American Medical Association: http://www.ama-assn.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/

Consumer Gateway: http://www.consumer.gov/

Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/

Food and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov/

Healthfinder: http://www.healthfinder.gov/

National Cancer Institute: http://www.nci.nih.gov/

National Institutes of Health: http://www.nih.gov/

National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/

National Library of Medicine: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/

I hope you found this blog filled with useful information and I invite you to return for more Health & Wellness information where we break it down!

Kim Cole has been a nurse for over 14 years where she has contributed her expertise to the occupational setting, geriatric community and through additional agency work that incorporated hospital settings, physician offices and home health. She graduated from TN Tech Center – Covington, TN in 1995 where she tied for valedictorian of her class. She attended Dyersburg State Community College in Dyersburg, TN and has obtained multiple certifications from The University of Alabama – Huntsville, University of Alabama – Birmingham, and Tulane University in New Orleans, LA in Occupational Hearing Conservation, Behavioral Based Ergonomics, Spirometry and Nerve Conduction to mention a few. She resides in TN with her husband of 21 years, Donnie Cole. They have an 18 year old daughter, Ashleigh Cole, who is a college student and a rising country/pop singer in the music industry.

Read more about Kim and her amazing career on her about page

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