Posts Tagged ‘high blood pressure’

With the New Year on the horizon, have you considered what your New Year’s resolution is going to be? Many people decide to have a resolution to improve their health. I think this would be a great time to be a fitness club owner (ca-ching $$$!). Along with physical fitness, there are other areas of health to focus on too. Have you considered making a promise to schedule a Wellness visit to your healthcare provider? So many diseases can be prevented or effectively treated if they are caught early. I have heard miracle stories of physicians finding cancer at its earliest stages during routine office visits. Remember, early detection saves lives.

There are two areas of health that I feel are often neglected, oral health and ocular (eye)  health. So many diseases can get into the body through these venues. If detected early, optometrists and dentists can save your body from experiencing a full-blown attack of certain diseases and they may even save your life. Did you know that optometrists can detect high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and some cancers? Pretty amazing! See they are more than just the people that give you your prescription for glasses. Did you know that poor oral health, especially periodontal disease (chronic inflammation of the gums) may lead to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and much more. Pregnant women need to be taking good care of their oral health because periodontal disease can lead to preterm labor.

Eating healthy and brushing your teeth are important for good oral health. Regular professional cleanings are very important too. If you haven’t had a recent teeth cleaning, are an adult with natural teeth, and would like a free cleaning, call Bobbi at 315-788-9834. Make sure you mention that you are interested in a FREE CLEANING by a DENTAL HYGIENE STUDENT. You can also make an appointment at childrens-clinic.org. Again, you have to mention the above bolded statement.

Need low-cost or free health insurance to cover your eye exams? Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicaid cover eye health too. If you live in the tri-county area, contact us at 315-788-8533 to see if you qualify for one of these health insurance programs.

With all of this talk about preterm labor you’re probably wondering, “What can I do to reduce my risk?” Ok, maybe you wouldn’t have used those exact words, but you get the point.  Did you notice how I did not use the word prevent? I used the phrase “reduce the risk” because as I mentioned before, sometimes you can do everything right and still have preterm labor.

  The known risk factors are:

• Carrying more than one baby (twins, triplets, quadruplets or more).
• Having a previous preterm birth.
• Problems with the uterus or cervix.
• Chronic health problems in the mother, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and clotting disorders.
• Certain infections during pregnancy.
• Cigarette smoking, alcohol use, or illicit drug use during pregnancy.

There are things you can do to help your own health and lower your risk of having a premature baby such as:

• Quit smoking and avoid substances such as alcohol or drugs.
• See your health care provider for a medical checkup before pregnancy.
• Work with your health care provider to control diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
• Get prenatal care early, as soon as you think you may be pregnant, and throughout the pregnancy.
• Discuss concerns during pregnancy with your health care provider, and seek medical attention for any warning signs or symptoms of preterm labor.

More research still is needed to understand the risk factors for premature birth, such as how family history, genetics, lifestyle, and environment may interact to put some women at greater risk for a premature delivery.