Staying Healthy Archive

Certain strategies can help people avoid trips to the emergency room during the winter. For example, to avoid slipping and breaking a bone, spread salt on sidewalks and driveways; to avoid hypothermia, wear a coat and layers of athletic clothing that wicks away moisture; to avoid a heart attack from overexertion, use caution when starting a new exercise routine or shoveling snow. It's also important to build an emergency kit that includes several days' worth of food and drinking water, and two weeks of medication.

A 2024 study of more than 200,000 adults, combined with findings from 19 other studies (for a total of 1.25 million people), tied eating ultra-processed foods—particularly sugary drinks and processed meats—to an increased risk for heart disease.

A 2024 study of 10,000 people (average age 67) who answered questions about resilience every other year for 12 years found that people with more resilience were much less likely to die in the next decade, compared with people with less resilience.

A small randomized trial in 2024 found that both self-adjustment and in-situ audiometry were effective strategies to match self-fitting hearing aids to personal hearing needs. However, self-adjustment devices had the best satisfaction rates and consistent use.

Sometimes asking certain questions at the doctor's office can be embarrassing, especially if the question involves gut problems or sexual dysfunction. To cope, it might help to speak with a doctor privately in person; to communicate with the doctor on the phone or via a patient portal; to see a specialist; to write down questions and hand them to the doctor; or to describe a problem in a professional, matter-of-fact way, using medical terms (such as "stool" or "bowel movement" instead of "poop").

Keeping hands clean is a simple way to protect against from colds and flu. Proper handwashing involves using plenty of soap, lukewarm water and taking at least 20 seconds to clean the back of hands, between the fingers, and around the nails.

Belching is a natural bodily reaction that serves as a protective mechanism against the stomach getting overinflated from swallowing too much air. Eating and drinking too fast and consuming carbonated beverages can cause excess air intake, so addressing these issues can help reduce excessive belching. Seek medical care if belching becomes frequent and causes discomfort, as it could be a sign of a digestive disorder.

Cold weather can not only lead to dry skin, but also cause or worsen other skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and seborrheic dermatitis. Frosty temperatures and dry air can break down the skin barrier, which contains substances that help seal in moisture. People can ward off or ease winter skin problems by applying creams and ointments, coating cracked skin areas with petroleum jelly, using a humidifier, taking lukewarm showers no more than once a day, and using moisturizing soaps and liquid body cleansers.

A sleep study is performed to detect sleep apnea or other sleep disorders. It often takes place in a special lab. The person is hooked up to equipment that records the brain's activity and monitors snoring, blood oxygen levels, and other variables.

Ice baths typically happen in water that's between 50° and 60° F. Studies about their health benefits are inconclusive, but ice baths can be risky. People should never take an ice bath without someone nearby, and stay in for a maximum of 15 minutes.