Category: Blog

Protect yourself, loved ones, coworkers, and innocent bystanders by getting the flu vaccine this year.

The benefits of the flu vaccine are many. Ideally, of course, the vaccine will prevent the virus altogether. If you do come down with the flu, however, the vaccine can help reduce symptoms. This latter detail may seem like a sad consolation prize, but it’s important, as easing symptoms will reduce your chances of hospitalization. One study showed a 71% reduction in flu-related hospitalizations among vaccinated adults and a 77% reduction for vaccinated individuals 55 years of age or older.

The flu vaccine is especially important for those already suffering from other conditions, including:

• Chronic health conditions
• Cardiac issues
• Diabetes
• Chronic lung disease

Pregnant women are also strongly encouraged to get the vaccine because they are at higher risk for complications from the virus.

The CDC suggests taking the following three major precautions to help control and prevent the spread of influenza this season:

1) Get the flu vaccine. Just do it! You will reduce your number of doctor visits, miss less work and school, and lower your risk of hospitalization.

2) Once the seasonal flu hits, avoid going being around people who are sick. If you get sick, stay away from others when possible. The CDC recommends staying home and away from others for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.

2) Practice good health habits to stop the spread of germs. What are good health habits? Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep communal surfaces and objects clean and disinfected.

In short: get the vaccine, avoid sick people (and quarantine yourself if you get sick), and keep your hands and home clean!

For more information about flu vaccines or schedule an appointment, contact Brea Urgent Care.

Do you find it hard to eat as many fruits and veggies as you should?

Welcome to the club. Many people struggle to incorporate the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables into their diet. It’s understandable – we’re all busy, and that Hot Pocket is just so easy to microwave – but it’s also really unhealthy. Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and fibers that your body needs to function properly. In the interest of upping your intake and lowering the stress associated with it, let’s look at these five easy tips for getting the most out of your diet.

1) Chop and prepare your veggies ahead of time, so they’re ready to use.

Preparation might sound like a lot of work, but chopping up a few fresh veggies will help you plan your meal choices all week. After you’ve chopped them up, put the veggies in a zip-lock bag, add two teaspoons of lemon juice, and shake it up! The ascorbic acid in lemon juice will keep it all fresher longer, so you can grab a handful of veggies all week without worrying about them wilting.

2) Add more fruits and veggies to your morning routine.

Cut up a banana, toss blueberries or apple slices into a carton of yogurt or oatmeal, and voila! You’ve got a healthy, fruit-packed way to start to your day. More of a veggie person? Throw some spinach, peppers, mushrooms, and onions into your eggs. Incorporate produce into your breakfast routine, and you can get two of your five daily servings of fruit and veggies within an hour of waking up!

3) Maximize your trip to the grocery store.

Do not buy prepackaged meals. Just don’t. Instead, opt for your favorite veggies, some meat, and plain potatoes. Need a little spice? Frying potatoes in coconut or olive oil with pepper and onion is still far better for you than French fries.

4) Go to your local farmer’s market this weekend and take some of your spoils to work every day next week.

If possible choose fresh, local veggies from your neighborhood farmer’s market. Not sure if your town or city has one? Try searching www.localharvest.org. Once you become accustomed to a higher intake of fruits and veggies, you may find yourself automatically reaching for bell pepper or carrots. Make it even easier on yourself by chopping up your favorite fruits and veggies and bringing them to work every day. At home, you can throw them in a bowl with a little lemon juice for a fresh, easy snack that will stay good all day.

5) Try your best to incorporate fruits and veggies into dinner every night.

Once you get started loading up on veggies, it will be increasingly easy to add veggies to various meals (especially if you do step 1!). Try cooking a fajita dish with peppers and onions, or add some peas to your rice. You could drizzle a light vinaigrette on spinach for a simple salad, or add mushrooms, bell peppers, snap peas, and chicken for a fancier dinner option!

The choices are endless when you learn to love veggies. Working them into your diet is easier than you think, and once you start, you’ll experience a range of benefits. Chief among them? Your skin will improve, you’ll feel fitter, your energy levels will rise, and your food bills will drop — a win for you and your wallet!

The first day of school may be weeks away, but it’s never too early to start thinking about getting your child in the right mental and physical condition for learning. And while your child may seem particularly healthy after a summer of running around and playing in the sun, a physical can be a great opportunity to identify any undetected problems and make sure that their development is on track.

Many parents assume that a “back to school” physical is only necessary for kids with chronic health problems, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. A doctor’s office is a safe place to discuss issues like bullying, drinking, smoking, drugs, sexual activity, and depression – any and all of which can greatly affect a child’s health. It’s important to have these more in-depth check-ins than the usual sports physical.

What does a routine physical involve?

The standard physical exam involves an assessment of hearing, eyesight, throat, lung, and abdomen health. For older children and teenagers, it will also usually include a personal discussion on social issues and any potential anxieties or stressors, particularly bullying and sexual activity.

You may be asked how long your child spends watching TV at home, what their diet consists of, and whether they partake in regular exercise. It is imperative that you answer these questions honestly. For kids 14 and up, the doctor will often ask the parents to leave the room so that the patient can feel comfortable giving candid answers to personal questions.

How should we prepare for the appointment?

There is no real preparation needed for a routine “back to school” physical besides making sure that your child is clean and dressed appropriately for an appointment with the doctor. For example, wearing a loose shirt and simple, easy-to-remove shoes is important because these garments will likely have to be taken off for physical measurements and checks.

In regards to older children and teenagers, please think about and get comfortable with the idea of the doctor asking you to step out of the room during a personal discussion. It can be difficult knowing that you are missing out on information about your child, but if it means that they are more likely to open up, you are advised to cooperate for the emotional health of your teenager.

Fourth of July celebrations will soon begin all across the country. The day – and the week surrounding it – is traditionally marked with food, fun, and plenty of fireworks. This last tradition can quickly turn dangerous. It is imperative that fireworks are handled with care and according to manufacturer instructions; otherwise, serious and even fatal accidents can occur. Much of the safety information about fireworks can sound like scaremongering, but the bottom line remains: fireworks are (imperfectly) controlled explosions, and they are dangerous.

If you want to stay safe during your Fourth of July celebrations, use the following safety guidelines to prevent eye injuries and other mishaps.

Keep Children at a Safe Distance

Keep children well away from lit fireworks at all times, no matter how much they want to closely watch the lighting process. The job should only be undertaken by an adult who has not been drinking, has a steady hand, and knows how to light a fuse quickly and safely. For safe lighting, fireworks need to be firmly planted in the ground or in a bucket of sand.

Deal With Dead Fireworks Properly

In any standard pack of fireworks, you might find that one or two malfunction and refuse to light. To prevent a serious fireworks injury, these “dead” fireworks should always be soaked in a bucket of water and moved out the reach of small hands. Until “dead” fireworks have been soaked in water, you should consider them active, as they can still ignite at any time.

Supervise the Use of Sparklers

The most common cause of eye injuries on July 4th is the unsafe use of handheld sparklers. Most people see them as relatively harmless, but the truth is that they burn at the extremely hot temperature of 2,000 degrees. Note that sparklers can be handled by young children, but they must be carefully supervised at all times. To handle a sparkler correctly, hold it away from the body, the eyes, and any potentially flammable materials.

With the summer months quickly approaching, people need to take extra, specific precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones from water hazards. Practicing water safety ensures that everyone can enjoy the fun of outdoor water activities with less risk. Learning about and enacting water-safe rules can prevent drownings and protect children and adults of all ages.

The first priority is making sure everyone in the family knows how to swim. The earlier a child learns to swim, the less likely it is that he or she will develop water phobias. The Red Cross offers swimming lessons and water safety instruction. Age-appropriate lessons can begin as soon as a child becomes a toddler.

Unfortunately, vacation is a prime time for water accidents like drowning. To prevent a water emergency, people should never swim alone or allow their children to swim in pools that do not have a lifeguard on duty.

Those who cannot swim should always wear a lifejacket — even in shallow water and no matter their age. Lifejackets save lives and are crucial for child safety. To ensure a lifejacket will be fully protective, people — especially small children — should be professionally fitted.

If a water emergency arises, it is crucial that people remain calm and follow these steps:

• Call 911 immediately if a person is found to be unresponsive.
• Remove the person from the water immediately and place them on their side.
• Lean close to the victim’s face and check to see if they are breathing.
• If the victim is not breathing, check for a pulse at the wrist or on the sides of the neck.
• If no pulse is found, begin CPR and continue until the victim gains consciousness or EMT help arrives.

Though people of all ages are at risk for drowning, small children are particularly vulnerable. Parents should monitor their children around any type of water, and never allow other activities to distract them from keeping a close eye on the situation. Following these tips can help prevent children from drowning:

• Young children can drown in as little as two inches of water. Drownings often happen where least expected, so children need to be closely monitored at all times.
• Never assume a child knows how to swim. In fact — assume they do not. An adult swimmer should be within touch distance of any child who is swimming.
• Coast Guard-approved life vests must be worn by children at all times, even if they are merely sitting or playing near a body of water.
• Keep children hydrated by providing plenty of water while swimming. Dehydration can make a child dizzy and heighten their risk of drowning.

Following these water safety tips will help keep everyone out of harm’s way and ensure a fun, safe summer.