Don't Let Stroke Strike Twice

(Family Features) Not all strokes can be prevented, but making healthy lifestyle choices, like exercising, eating right, maintaining a healthy weight and treating conditions such as high blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure can help reduce your risk of another one.

While there are about 7.2 million stroke survivors in the United States, people who have had a stroke are at high risk of having another one. In fact, about one in every four stroke survivors will have a second one.

Efforts like Together to End Stroke, an American Stroke Association initiative, nationally sponsored by Bayer Aspirin, work to educate stroke survivors and caregivers about how they can avoid a second occurrence.

Because the consequences of a second stroke can be more detrimental than the first, it’s important to recognize the signs, which come on suddenly, and act quickly. An easy way to remember the most common warning signs is the acronym F.A.S.T., (F – face drooping, A – arm weakness, S – speech difficulty, T – time to call 911).

Talk to your doctor about medications that may help you with your stroke prevention efforts. For example, taking aspirin regularly or other blood clot prevention medications can help reduce the risk of another ischemic stroke.

Consider following the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s “Life's Simple 7” to achieve ideal health:

Don't smoke. Smoking puts you at higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Quitting is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and add years to your life. You’re more likely to quit for good if you prepare for your last cigarette and the cravings, urges and feelings that come with quitting.

Be physically active. A good starting goal is at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, but if you don’t want to sweat the numbers, just move more. Find forms of physical activity you like and will stick with and build more opportunities to be active into your routine.

Eat a healthy diet. Healthy eating starts with simple, healthy food choices. You don’t need to stop eating your favorite meals, just use substitutions to make them healthier. Learn what to look for at the grocery store, restaurants, your workplace and other eating occasions so you can confidently make healthy, delicious choices whenever and wherever you eat.

Maintain a healthy weight. The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you can also reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. There’s no trick to losing weight and keeping it off, but the majority of successful people modify their eating habits and increase physical activity.

Control cholesterol. Having large amounts of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, in the blood can cause build up and blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Reducing your fat intake, especially trans fats, often found in fried foods and baked goods, can help reduce your cholesterol. Adding more foods with omega-3 fatty acids like fish and nuts, as well as soluble fiber and whey protein, helps in managing cholesterol.

Manage blood pressure. Nothing causes more strokes than uncontrolled high blood pressure. Of the 116.4 million people in the United States who have high blood pressure, fewer than half have it under control, putting them at increased risk of stroke. Lowering your blood pressure by 20 points could cut your risk of dying from stroke by half.

Control blood sugar. By managing your diabetes and working with your health care team, you may reduce your risk of stroke. Every two minutes, an adult with diabetes in the United States is hospitalized for stroke. At age 60, someone with type 2 diabetes and a history of stroke may have a life expectancy that is 12 years shorter than someone without both conditions.

For more information on how to prevent stroke, and a complete list of warning signs, visit strokeassociation.org/americanstrokemonth.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

How to Safely Dispose Needles and Medical Sharps

(Family Features) If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffers from a chronic illness that requires using needles or sharps outside of the doctor’s office, you may question how to dispose of them safely. There is plenty of information available, but the proper disposal method may be different depending on where you live, work or travel.

To help ensure people who use needles and sharps at home or on-the-go know how to dispose of them easily and safely, NeedyMeds, a national non-profit organization that provides health care information to consumers, developed tools at SafeNeedleDisposal.org.

“Most people want to do the right thing, but they need specific, succinct information on safe sharps disposal,” said Richard J. Sagall, MD, president of NeedyMeds. “For local guidance presented in a way that is easy to follow, our website is a one-stop-shop.”

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, sharps that are not disposed of properly may cause injury. In order to increase awareness and minimize risk, people who use sharps are encouraged to learn more about local regulations and disposal options.

In many states and communities, people who use sharps may dispose of them by following these three simple steps:

1. Place used sharps in a strong, plastic container like a laundry detergent or bleach bottle.
2. Seal the container with duct tape and label “do not recycle.”
3. Place the sealed container in the trash, never the recycling.

“Some locations have different disposal regulations, which may require people in those areas to take used sharps to special collection points,” Sagall said. “SafeNeedleDisposal.org helps people learn how to get rid of used sharps safely, wherever they happen to be.”

To learn more about disposing used needles and sharps safely, visit SafeNeedleDisposal.org.

Chronic Conditions More Common in Hispanics

(Family Features) Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke are among the most common causes of illness, disability and death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These chronic conditions and the factors that lead to them can be more common or severe in minorities, including Hispanics.

For example, 4 out of 10 Hispanics die due to heart disease or cancer, and they are 50 percent more likely to die due to diabetes than Caucasians, according to the CDC.

Services like Chronic Care Management (CCM) can help people living with chronic conditions coordinate care services and lead to better outcomes and higher satisfaction.

If you are a Medicare beneficiary with two or more chronic conditions, ask your doctor about CCM and see if you’re eligible for connected care, including services such as:

• At least 20 minutes a month of CCM services.
• Personalized assistance from a dedicated health care professional who will work with you to create a care plan.
• Coordination of care between your pharmacy, specialists, testing centers, hospitals and more.
• Phone check-ins between visits to keep you on track.
• Emergency access to a health care professional 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Expert assistance with setting and meeting your health goals.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Health Resources and Service Administration introduced the “Connected Care” campaign to help raise awareness about the benefits of CCM. The campaign has free resources, including an animated video in English and Spanish that can help you learn more.

Talk to your doctor to see if CCM is available to you and visit Medicare.gov to learn more about the benefits of the program. 

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

5 Tips for Managing Diabetes

(Family Features) Living with diabetes is no laughing matter, but as many would say, laughter is often the best medicine.

This is certainly true for comedic actress Yvette Nicole Brown, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2013.  In partnership with the American Diabetes Association and Colgate Total through the “Laugh Out Loud” campaign, Brown offers the following tips for a healthy smile and managing diabetes with a touch of humor.

Get Moving
When it comes to diabetes, small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Taking the first step toward exercising can be difficult for many, but a little bit goes a long way. Try parking further away from the door, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking the longer route when you walk the dog. Whatever it may be, choose an activity that you enjoy doing and keep it consistent.

Give Your Smile Some Extra TLC
You’re twice as likely to develop gum disease if you have diabetes. When Brown learned that, she immediately started taking better care of her teeth. She recommends brushing morning and night with a specially formulated toothpaste like Colgate Total, which reduces 83 percent more germs that cause gingivitis, the most common form of gum disease, as compared to an ordinary non-antibacterial toothpaste.

Befriend Your Dentist
Don’t be afraid to become friends with your dentist. Brown has her dentist on speed-dial, even calling or texting him in the middle of the night sometimes. You don’t have to be best friends with your dentist, but it’s crucial to establish a good relationship. They’re the expert who you can turn to for all your oral health care needs, and oral health care is important for those living with diabetes.

Find Your Tribe
When you’re living with diabetes, you need a strong support system. Be it friends, family or an online community, things are easier when you’ve got your tribe. A good place to get your questions answered and find people who are going through the same journey as you is OralHealthandDiabetes.com.

Live Confidently
“Every time I think about my type 2 diabetes, I say to myself ‘So what? You are a strong, confident woman. Don’t let your diabetes run your life,’” Brown said. Diabetes isn’t a hindrance, it’s just a slight hiccup in life that you learn to live with. Get your mindset right, don’t let it dictate what you can or cannot do.

When Brown was a kid her mom would say, “Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.” That’s sometimes what people do when they get any kind of health diagnosis. The first response is, “Oh no,” and then you find a way around it.

For more information about the connection between oral health and diabetes, visit OralHealthandDiabetes.com or search #OralHealthDiabetes on social media.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (women walking)