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I know the winter sports enthusiasts will not be agreeing with me, but I am glad we have had a short winter and an early spring and (knock wood!) my roof is still intact. March 23 was the sixth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as the Obama Care Act, or ultimately as “Obama Cares,” and we know he does. For those in Congress who have tried to eradicate this bill (law) over 62 times, I would again like to inform you of the benefits it has brought to you: • since the bill...
Services from geriatric care managers should be something that every family takes advantage of, but in reality very few families use them. Care managers could go a long ways towards helping the family with cost containment and finding better and more efficient ways of providing care for a loved one. The concept is simple. The family hires a professional adviser (care manager) to act as a guide through the maze of long-term care services and providers. By providing consumer education and advocacy, reducing costs by avoiding inappropriate...
This year’s “Mission of Mercy” free dental care event, takes place April 29 and 30 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Dentists and other health workers provide free dental care for up to 2,000 patients in two days. Both children and adults are accepted on a first come, first served basis. There is no application process and no income limitations. For more information, including a list of procedures that are provided and not provided, visit www.akmom.org or call 563-3003....
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body is unable to control the amount of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, and left uncontrolled, it can result in dangerous health conditions. One in five Alaskans age 65 and older has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and one in 10 has pre-diabetes, which puts them at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Many other Alaska seniors have not been tested and are unaware that they have either of these conditio...
Combating prostate cancer in a new way Investigators in Belfast, Northern Ireland at Queen’s University are now testing a whole new approach to treating aggressive prostate cancer. They are conducting the world’s first ever trial of a new combination of cancer therapies for men with advanced prostate cancer with the hope of prolonging their lives. If the trial goes well, this two-pronged approach may be adopted for men in Alaska. The researchers are conducting a trial with 30 patients and it...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in April. This month’s focus: Proper body mechanics and back safety. April 5, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. April 12, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. April 19, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. April 21, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, 3 p.m. April 26, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Support meetings allow you to s...
Registration is open for a series of online trainings on geriatric health care topics that will be available through May, sponsored by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the Alaska Training Cooperative and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. The series is a partnership with the Northwest Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Center, and will offer trainings March 29 through May 31, to Alaska via virtual classroom on the Internet. The series is designed to give community-based providers working in the field of aging – physicians, nurses, p...
“I just can’t sleep,” grumbles 77-year-old Charlie. “No matter when I go to bed, I’m awake at 3 a. m.” Charlie isn’t alone. Our National Institutes of Health estimate 50 to 70 million Americans chronically suffer from one of some 90 different sorts of sleep disorder. Their symptoms include inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, resulting in daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep has a greater cost than many people realize. For instance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates at least 100,000 annual police-reported crashes are t...
I wanted to share some of my Frequently Asked Questions from people that come in to see me for the first time. Am I too old to start an exercise program? Absolutely not! No one is too old to start a regular, consistent, and progressive exercise program. Everyone begins where they are and builds from there. The older you get the faster you lose your fitness. It takes only two weeks of not doing anything to lose all that you’ve built up, especially if you are over 60. You cannot store fitness: you need to lead an active lifestyle to prevent d...
We are not afraid of the ides of March anymore, since the IRS beckons us now to the ides of April. For the many questions I have been asked about the differences between Medicare and Medicaid, I will explain. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs like nursing home care and personal care services, for some people with limited income and resources. You may be eligible for extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D), even if your income...
Calcium carbonate nanoparticles may help combat cancer Researchers have now found a way to keep a cancerous tumor from growing by using nanoparticles of the main ingredient in common antacid tablets (calcium carbonate). Investigators at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, have created nanoparticles from calcium carbonate and injected them intravenously into an animal model to treat solid tumors. The compound changed the pH of the tumor environment from acidic to more alkaline. It also...
Alaska Health Fairs’ spring series of health fairs are underway, featuring free health screenings and education, low cost blood tests and more. The tests can help you learn about your health and detect potential problems early, when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. The test results give you and your health care provider important information about your physical condition and vital organ functions. A complete and comprehensive chemistry/hematology test is available for only $45 and panels 27 different tests for c...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in March. This month’s focus: National Nutrition Month. March 1, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. March 8, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. March 15, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. March 15, Caregiver support meeting at Anchor Point Senior Center, 3 p.m. March 29, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Support meetings allow you to share your e...
You've heard of omnivores, vegetarians and vegans and you probably have an idea of what these terms mean. But, a newer term "locavore" may be unfamiliar. Actually, the word locavore has been around for 10 years and current momentum promoting sustainable communities by "eating local" has pushed the locavore movement. The locavore chooses to eat only locally grown and produced food or as much locally produced food as possible. "Local' is often defined as grown or produced within a 50 mile radius...
Pill Splitting: A Two-fer Deal Whatever your opinion about health care reform and Obamacare, you’ve probably noticed that health care is getting more expensive and harder to find. And chances are, it’s only going to get worse. The fact is, the number one cause of bankruptcy in America is medical bills. For most of us, the older we get the longer the line of pill bottles on the shelf grows. Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC “Today Show” and the author of “Savvy Living,” has information that could help you reduce the money you spend f...
People with Medicare can get off to a healthy start in the new year. Medicare covers a full range of preventive services to help keep you healthy and find problems early, when treatment is most effective. If you have Original Medicare, you’ll be able to get a yearly “Wellness” visit and many preventive services at no cost to you. Talk with your doctor or health care provider to find out what tests or other services you may need. Medical assistance and your taxes If you are one of the milli...
Benefits from eating chocolate Historically, chocolate has been recognized as a vasodilator, meaning that it widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure in the long run. However, chocolate also contains some powerful stimulants. Now, researchers are reporting that adults who eat chocolate receive immediate brain benefits. They have found that the brain is more alert and attentive after consumption of chocolate and blood pressure also increased for a short time. “Chocolate is indeed a s...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in February. This month’s focus: National American Heart Month. Feb. 2, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Feb. 9, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Feb. 16, Caregiver support meeting at Kenai Senior Center, 1 p.m. Feb. 23, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m. Support meetings allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If y...
I used to think multivitamins filled a nutritional gap, but today I think differently. There’s no way that 1.7 mg of any B vitamin will boost energy, or 20 mg of magnesium could improve mood. I’m beginning to realize that multivitamins are an absolute joke. It’d be funny except the joke’s on us, and you spend good money on them. Here’s my rationale: Negligible amounts There are so many nutrients in a multivitamin that the amounts of each become negligible. For example, 1 mg of pyridoxine (B6) doesn’t impact you, metabolically speaking. I...
A series of online trainings on geriatric health care topics will be available beginning in January, sponsored by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the Alaska Training Cooperative and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. The series is a partnership with the Northwest Geriatric Education Center, and will offer 10 weeks of trainings from Jan. 5 through March 8, to Alaska via virtual classroom on the Internet. The series is designed to give community-based providers working in the field of aging – physicians, nurses, physical and o...
Diabetes drug may help combat fatty liver disease New research published in The Lancet is showing that a drug currently used in the treatment of type-2 diabetes can be effective in clearing fatty liver disease from some patients. The researchers from the University of Birmingham in the UK believe that the findings present the possibility of new therapies for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Currently, there are no licensed treatments. The trial was the first of its type t...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program will hold the following peer support meetings in January. This month’s focus: “What topics would you like discussed in 2016 support meetings?” All caregivers should attend and help direct the support program by sharing your training needs and areas of interest to your situation. If you are unable to attend, please call and give your input. Jan. 5, Caregiver support meeting at Sterling Senior Center, 1 p.m. Jan. 12, Caregiver support meeting at Soldotna Senior Center, 1 p.m.. Jan. 19, Careg...
What are the physical effects of religious faith? A study tracking 20,000 Americans found that white people who attended church regularly lived an average of seven years longer than their counterparts who didn’t go to church. And churchgoing black people lived an average of 14 years longer. The relationship between religious faith and health has been analyzed in thousands of studies in recent years, according to Harold G. Koenig, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University. “People who feel their life is part of a l...
The numbers associated with food waste are nothing short of staggering. Americans waste 35 million tons of food per year. This isn't just a loss of food that might otherwise feed us. Growing, harvesting, transporting and storing of that 35 million tons also consumes fuel and degrades our air and water. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and the National Resources Defense Council estimate that "as much as 40 percent of the U. S. food supply ends up in a dumpster." This is a 50...
Many of you are convinced that prescription medicine is the best way to heal. As a pharmacist, I would agree with that at times, but not every time. Don't forget that before man pulled the plant from the ground, took it to a lab and attached a synthetic chemical by force to the plant (just to get it patented), we all used Mother Earth. Last week, I did a health segment with television evangelist Pat Robertson on "The 700 Club," and I showed viewers how ancient herbs were used to improve health....
