Health

Kentucky recently ranked 48th in the United Health Foundation's 2018 Senior Health Report.The study looks at the overall health outcomes of residents 65 and older.According to the UHF report, the least healthy states in the U.S. are Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Expand that list to the bottom 10 and the results are worse in the southeast as a whole.The healthiest states for seniors are Utah, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Minnesota and Colorado.This year's score was an improvement for Kentucky, which ranked 49th last year in the study. During UHF's six years of scoring 34 measures of senior health nationwide, the state has consistently ranked in the bottom five."The No. 1 issue is the smoking rate," said Dr. Rhonda Randall, senior adviser to the UHF. "(More than 12 percent) over 65 are smoking."That's lower than the estimated 25 percent of Kentucky adults who smoke, she said, but it's still too many."Smoking has such a large impact on your health," Randall said.And … [Read more...] about Kentucky ranks low for senior health in nationwide study

Media coverage of the careers of a select group of child prodigy superstars such as Tiger Woods and the Williams' twins has led many parents and coaches to believe that the best method to develop a successful young athlete is to focus solely on one sport at an early age. Although it may seem that early specialization would be ideal for young athletes, the current research has demonstrated that longterm physical/mental athletic development and injury prevention is best achieved through participating in multiple sports throughout the calendar year. In fact, it has been demonstrated that early sports specialization results in negative outcomes such as higher attrition/burnout rates, less sports enjoyment, negative health outcomes, higher rates of injuries and lower levels of performance at older ages when compared to multiple sport participation.The Trouble with Early Sports SpecializationThe trend toward youth sport specialization can be traced to a variety of factors. As parents we want … [Read more...] about Kids shouldn’t specialize in one sport

It's the time of year when people start thinking about getting in shape for summer vacation, usually with swimwear in mind. But I've found a more useful variation on the theme: Get in walking shape. With the ability to walk for hours (and hours), you can cover miles of city blocks, take in a day of Disney attractions or explore your supersize cruise ship from stem to stern without conking out.I discovered the benefits of walking while training for a long-distance walk, never considering that it would enhance my travels. Now, hoofing it across a city, or even an island, seems not only doable but downright enjoyable. Along the way, I notice more, engage with locals and feel better overall.For decades (I'm 60), I've been an active cyclist, a fitness-class devotee, an occasional jogger and a social stroller. But I quickly learned that being in good shape overall doesn't equal good walking shape. My training started in January, after my wife (a cyclist and runner) and I decided to subject … [Read more...] about The thrill of victory and the agony of the feet

NEW YORK -- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has discussed his battle with depression. Mariah Carey recently revealed she has bipolar disorder. Prince Harry said he needed counseling to deal with years of grief and anger following the death of his mother, Princess Diana. And "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds has acknowledged dealing with anxiety disorder.As the stigma surrounding mental illness has declined in recent years, so has the reluctance many have had to discuss their own mental health issues, including celebrities. It's become the new norm for stars to divulge vulnerabilities once kept closely guarded."I think anybody talking about it will help de-stigmatize it over time, but I think in particular celebrities or sports celebrities, if they have a platform and they've gone through any kind of issue with mental health, it's good for them to share their stories, if they're comfortable with it," Johnson said in a recent interview."For me as a guy, you know, I struggled a long time with not … [Read more...] about Celebrities bring awareness to mental health

WASHINGTON -- Federal health officials warned parents Wednesday about the dangers of teething remedies that contain a popular numbing ingredient and asked manufacturers to stop selling their products intended for babies and toddlers.The Food and Drug Administration said that various gels and creams containing the drug benzocaine can cause rare but deadly side effects in children, especially those 2 years and younger.The agency has been warning about the products for a decade but said reports of illnesses and deaths have continued. Now, it wants teething products off the market, noting there is little evidence they actually work."We urge parents, caregivers and retailers who sell them to heed our warnings and not use over-the-counter products containing benzocaine for teething pain," said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, in a statement.One major manufacturer, Church and Dwight Co. Inc., said Wednesday it would discontinue its four Orajel teething brands, including Baby Orajel and Orajel … [Read more...] about FDA warns teething medicines unsafe

(ABC News) - Sleep. It's not just for babies.It's known to help lower blood pressure, slow down weight gain, and, a new study tells us, it will even decrease your risk of dying.Researchers in Sweden followed 38,000 people for 13 years, starting in 1997. They reported how long they slept on weeknights and on the weekend. Those who slept a consistent seven hours did the best.Those who got normal amounts of sleep all week long, but slept less than 5 hours on weekend nights, had a risk of dying that was 52 percent higher. But what if you're burning the candles at both ends of the week and sleeping less than five hours on the weekend? That was associated with a 65 percent increase in dying compared to those sleeping six or seven hours a night.Related Content: Can't get a good night sleep? It could be your surroundingsAnd believe it or not, long sleep (sleeping more than eight hours) wasn't too healthy either. Those consistently sleeping long hours had a 25% … [Read more...] about Study shows catching up on your sleep in the weekends could mean living longer

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials warned parents Wednesday about the dangers of teething remedies that contain a popular numbing ingredient and asked manufacturers to stop selling their products intended for babies and toddlers. The Food and Drug Administration said that various gels and creams containing the drug benzocaine can cause rare but deadly side effects in children, especially those 2 years and younger. The agency has been warning about the products for a decade but said reports of illnesses and deaths have continued. Now, it wants teething products off the market, noting there is little evidence they actually work. “We urge parents, caregivers and retailers who sell them to heed our warnings and not use over-the-counter products containing benzocaine for teething pain,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, in a statement. The FDA said it will take legal action against companies that don’t voluntarily remove their products for young children. … [Read more...] about FDA wants some teething medicines taken off shelves

0 View Gallery  View Comments The Rocky Mountain Health Care Services Chef Showcase had the happiest of problems, becoming so popular that it burst at the seams. The eighth annual festival of deliciousness, with 22 chefs, was moved to the Olympic Training Center's spacious Sports Center on May 3, where it filled with 720 happy foodies. Before the plates were dished up, VIPs and sponsors were guests at a reception in the Visitor Center. Featured chefs were from 503W, Alchemy, Ascent Catering, Bonny and Read, Cerberus, Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, Colorado Craft, Green Line Grill, Hotel Elegante, retired chef Joey Mestas, Ivywild School, Moxie, Oskar Blues, Picnic Basket Catering, ProStart, The Rabbit Hole, Sarges' Grill, Silver Key, Springs Orleans, Top Notch Catering, The Warehouse and Whole Foods. Pouring the java was Golden Pine Coffee Roasters. Patrick Robinson was the chef in charge, serving on the event committee. When tasting concluded, guests put their tokens in … [Read more...] about AROUND TOWN: Rocky Mountain Health Care Chef Showcase draws 700 foodies; Doherty wins gold

Sharista Giles, who gave birth while in a coma, died on Monday, three years after she regained consciousness.  (Facebook) A Tennessee mother who gave birth while she was in a coma died three years after she regained consciousness, her family said. Sharista Giles died after she was taken to the hospital on Monday, her mother, Anna Moser, told WATE. Her cause of death has not been released. “This saddens my heart to say but we all know she is no longer suffering. Sharista Giles gained her wings this morning. She has suffered for 3 1/2 years now she is rejoicing with Our Heavenly Father,” her family wrote in a Facebook page created to follow the 23-year-old's journey.  BABY DIAGNOSED WITH 'MERMAID SYNDROME' DIES MINUTES AFTER BIRTH Giles was four months pregnant when she got into a serious car crash while returning home from a concert in Nashville. She suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her in a coma. Her baby boy was born prematurely, weighing only … [Read more...] about Tennessee mom who gave birth while in a coma dies 3 years after waking

Gilbert Hoppe offered to sell his hearing aids in April so that he could buy a car and easily get his wife to the doctor.  (GoFundMe) A Minnesota veteran’s offer to sell or trade his hearing aids to help pay for a wheelchair-accessible van has gone viral, resulting in a communitywide spaghetti fundraiser and a GoFundMe page that’s gone viral. Gilbert Hoppe, who first made his request back in April, said he’s surprised by the attention that his post has received. The post showed a photo of the 75-year-old's hearing aids along with a handwritten note that read, “Pair of hearing aids. For sale or trade for a good vehicle.” Initially some users mocked his request, while others questioned whether it was for real. “The worst was probably the one that called him an idiot and said he couldn’t sell those hearing aids,” Kristi Bighley, who saw Hoppe’s post, told Kare 11. “Obviously that person … [Read more...] about Donations pour in for sick veteran who tried to sell hearing aids on Facebook to pay for car