10 Little Healthy Things You Should Do for Yourself Every Day
Let’s be real. Being healthy all the time sounds kinda time-consuming. Your life is busy enough. On the other hand, we all deserve to feel good, right? 1. Find one small way to add more steps to your day. We sit too much, says Martha Gulati, MD, editor-in-chief of the American College of Cardiology’s CardioSmart. […]
How to Remove a Tick and Prevent Future Bites
As tick populations grow and spread across the country, their prevalence is increasing the public’s risk for some troubling diseases. Of these diseases, say dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Powassan virus and alpha-gal syndrome—a mysterious red meat allergy—are among the most serious. “Although most ticks do not […]
Bee Prepared: How to Treat a Bee Sting
It can happen fast. One minute the kids are all playing peacefully outside on a warm, spring day. The next minute a piercing scream reveals that one them has been stung by a bee. To help alleviate the panic, dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology say it’s a good idea to know what to […]
Germs with Unusual Antibiotic Resistance Widespread in U.S.
Health departments working with CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Lab Network found more than 220 instances of germs with “unusual” antibiotic resistance genes in the United States last year, according to a CDC Vital Signs report released today. Germs with unusual resistance include those that cannot be killed by all or most antibiotics, are uncommon in a geographic […]
Study Predicts 2018 Flu Vaccine Will Have 20 Percent Efficacy
A Rice University study predicts that this fall’s flu vaccine — a new H3N2 formulation for the first time since 2015 — will likely have the same reduced efficacy against the dominant circulating strain of influenza A as the vaccine given in 2016 and 2017 due to viral mutations related to vaccine production in eggs. […]
Food Allergy is Linked to Skin Exposure and Genetics
Infant and childhood food allergy, whose cause has long been a mystery, has now been linked to a mix of environmental and genetic factors that must coexist to trigger the allergy, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. The factors contributing to food allergy include the genetics that alter skin absorbency, use of infant cleansing wipes […]
Tennessee Department of Health Warns of Phone Scam Attempt
The Tennessee Department of Health has been notified by several people in Tennessee and other states of a potential scam in which people are contacted via telephone by a caller asking for health insurance information. The calls appear to come from the Tennessee Department of Health central office. The scam reportedly involves a person who […]
Asthma Attacks Declining Among U.S. Children
Children with asthma in the U.S. are having fewer asthma attacks, missed school days, and visits to the hospital, according to a new Vital Signs report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today’s report shows that the percentage of children with asthma who experienced one or more asthma attacks in the preceding 12 months […]
Public Advisory for Undeclared Allergens
The Consumer and Industry Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is issuing a public advisory for undeclared peanuts and almonds detected in five energy bar products sold in Tennessee. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts or almonds run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they […]
Get to the Heart of the Matter on Valentine’s Day
On Valentine’s Day people may feel compelled to make public and sometimes pricey displays of love, such as sending flowers to a sweetheart’s workplace, giving chocolates or sweets or taking that special someone out to a lavish dinner. The Tennessee Department of Health suggests giving yourself and your loved ones the gift of a healthier […]
ATVs Are Dangerous to Children: New Data Demonstrates Continued Risk of Injury and Death
According to preliminary data released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), at least 53 children lost their lives in 2016 due to all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and an estimated 26,800 children were injured seriously enough to require treatment in a hospital emergency department. Compared to 2015, the rate of serious injuries increased slightly, while deaths decreased […]
Ava Ascends to Tennessee’s Top Baby Girl Name in 2017; William Wins for Boys
Ava is the new number one name for baby girls born in Tennessee, rising to the top of the list of the most popular names for babies born in 2017. William maintains the number one spot as the most popular name chosen for baby boys in Tennessee for the 11th straight year. The top 10 […]
What Do High School Athletes, Their Parents and Coaches Know About Concussion?
Most high school athletes, their parents and coaches can identify the possible effects of concussion, but only about one-third know that it is a brain injury. Those findings are outlined in a new Mayo Clinic study. Athletes were more likely than parents and coaches to correctly identify a concussion as a brain injury. Identifying trends […]
TDH Reminds Tennesseans It’s Not Too Late to Get a Flu Shot
The holidays are about celebrating the season and spending time with family and friends. Because influenza and other viruses are easily spread where groups of people gather together, it is important to do your part to keep everyone around you healthy. “We want to protect our family, friends and community from illness during this special […]
Diabetes Prevention Begins With You
As the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, diabetes is the primary cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations and adult-onset blindness. The Tennessee Department of Health encourages individuals to take the necessary steps to prevent this disease. “More than one in ten people in Tennessee have diabetes and about 250,000 Tennesseans are […]
Youth Uniquely Vulnerable to Sleep Disruption From Screens
With their brains, sleep patterns, and eyes still developing, children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the sleep-disrupting effects of screen time, according to a sweeping review of the literature published in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics. “The vast majority of studies find that kids and teens who consume more screen-based media are more […]
