Valley Winter Health Care 2020

Winter Health January 2020 | Le Sueur County News | St. Peter Herald

Inside:

How to reduce skin cancer risk in winter Make the dentist a fun experience for kids How handwashing helps fight infection The rise of telehealth services And more!

PAGE 2

WINTER HEALTH CARE

ORTHOPEDIC CARE THAT MOVES YOU.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Looking to eat healthier? Be wary of foods that contain added sugars (Metro) Sugar is a naturally occurring component in many healthy foods, including fruit.

But people looking to eat healthy should be wary of foods that contain added sugars, which can pose a significant threat to longterm health. According to the Harvard Medical School, added sugars are not currently listed on Nutrition Facts labels (though the Mayo Clinic expects that to change in the future). That can

make it hard to spot foods that contain substantial amounts of added sugars. However, the HMS recommends looking at the ingredients listings on food labels and keeping an eye out for words ending in “ose.” The Mayo Clinic notes that fructose, dextrose, glucose, and maltose are the chemical names for various types of sugar. These ingredients can serve as a red flag that a product contains added sugars

that can be detrimental to your overall health. In addition to words ending in “ose” shoppers can scan ingredients listings for other common types of added sugars, including cane juice, cane syrup, corn sweeteners, highfructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate and nectars, honey, malt or maple syrup, and molasses.

Winter Health

A special publication of the Le Sueur County News and St. Peter Herald Publisher Chad Hjellming Media Consultants Kathleen Davies Missy Daschner Gayle Stelten

Look for this section on

LE SUEUR COUNTY NEWS com

Winter Health 2020 is distributed to subscribers and readers of the Le Sueur County News and St. Peter Herald at no additional charge. All rights reserved. ©2020 All advertising contained herein is the responsibility of the advertiser.

Get back to your active life with personalized solutions from our orthopedic team. Services include: • • • •

Elbow and shoulder care Foot and ankle care Fracture and trauma care Hand and wrist care

• • • •

Joint replacement Minimally invasive procedures Pediatric orthopedics Sports medicine

Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato. Call 507-246-1988 to schedule an appointment.

mayoclinichealthsystem.org

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

WINTER HEALTH CARE

PAGE 3

How to reduce skin cancer risk in winter

(Metro) Sunscreen and the great outdoors go hand-in-hand during the warmer months of the year. For instance, few people can imagine spending a day at the beach without first covering their skin in sunscreen. But skin also must be protected when spending time outdoors in winter.

The World Health Organization notes that one in every three cancers diagnosed across the globe is skin cancer. While that’s a scary notion, it’s important to note that many skin cancer cases are preventable.

Protecting skin in winter, a time when many people mistakenly believe their skin is not vulnerable to damage caused by the sun, is one way for people to reduce their risk of developing skin cancer.

• Don’t put sunscreen in storage. Even if you won’t be beachfront and basking in the sun’s rays, it’s still important to apply sunscreen in winter. The

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which specializes in cancer treatment and actively seeks tomorrow’s cures through cutting-edge research, recommends applying a sunscreen with a minimum sun-protection factor, or SPF, of 30. Make sure to apply sunscreen to all areas that may be exposed to the sun, including the face, neck, ears, and hands.

• Frequently reapply sunscreen. The “set it and forget it” approach does not apply to protecting the skin with sunscreen.

Reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes that you are outdoors to ensure your skin is fully protected at all times. Skiers should recognize that they are much closer to the sun as they traverse the slopes, and that means the UV radiation is more intense on the mountain than it might be in the foothills or lower elevation areas.

That heightened intensity only underscores the importance of reapplying sunscreen.

• Don’t forget to protect

your lips. The DFCI notes that the lower lip is especially vulnerable to the sun’s rays. A lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher should be applied before going outside and then frequently reapplied while outdoors. In addition, women can use makeup with SPF to further protect their lips and their skin.

• Avoid tanning booths.

Indoor tanning booths increase users’ risk for skin cancer and premature skin aging. In fact, the DFCI notes that cancer researchers have found that the risk of developing melanoma is 60 percent greater among people who have been exposed to UV radiation from indoor tanning. And that risk only increases with each visit to a tanning booth.

• Don’t forget to protect the skin while on vacation. People who vacation in warm climates during the winter may be the envy of coworkers and neighbors upon returning home with a tan, but it’s imperative that

travelers prioritize protecting their skin while on vacation. Embrace the same principles of skin protection, including applying sunscreen and wearing wide-

brimmed hats and sunglasses, that you would when lounging by the pool or visiting the beach in the summer.

Unprotected skin is vulner-

able to sun damage and skin cancer year-round, including when the temperatures dip below freezing.

do you want a shovel-free winter? snow not your favorite thing?

Ecumen Prairie Hill and Sand Prairie Senior living communities offer winter and short-term stays.

Experience a maintenance-free winter with us, or anytime. As our resident, you’ll enjoy a private apartment home, life-enriching activities, delicious home-cooked meals, anytime dining, concierge service for rides to appointments and peace-of-mind with 24 hour care.

Memory Care Apartments Available Now!

Call Kristi at 507-484-2216 for a tour or additional information.

ecumenprairiehill.org and ecumensandprairie.org

PAGE 4

WINTER HEALTH CARE

What is body mass index?

(Metro) People who are attempting to improve their physical fitness may hear a lot about body mass index, or BMI, and wonder just how important a good BMI is to their overall health. That can be hard to determine, especially for people who are unsure just what BMI measures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his or her height in meters.

For those unfamiliar with the metric system, that explanation of BMI might not be too helpful. So how is BMI used and what purpose does it serve? BMI might be most useful in a screening capacity, as the CDC notes it is an inexpensive and easily performed method of screening for weight category. For example, by calculating a patient’s BMI, doctors can quickly determine

if the patient is underweight, has a normal or healthy weight, or is overweight or obese. Conditions associated with being overweight include heart disease and diabetes, so an easily calculated index determining if a person is overweight (or underweight or obese) can be an effective tool in combatting some potentially dangerous conditions. But physicians won’t base their opinions on patients’ overall health based on BMI alone. In fact, if physicians determine a BMIs is a health risk, they will likely perform further assessments, including skinfold thickness measurements and evaluations of things like eating habits, physical activity and family history. So while BMI might be somewhat confusing, it can still be a valuable tool for people looking to determine just how healthy or unhealthy they are.

MEDICARE PLANS THAT FIT YOUR LIFE Get help to to make suresure you you havehave the coverage Get helpfrom fromananexpert expert make the you need. you need. coverage

Make the dentist a fun experience for kids (Metro) Visits to the dentist for periodic cleanings and checkups are an important component of oral hygiene. Dentists also may be the first people to identify potential issues that can affect health elsewhere in the body.

Many people are unaware that children should visit the dentist early in their lives. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child should visit the dentist by age one or within six months of the eruption of his or her first tooth. However, many parents wait until much later - age two or three - to take kids to the dentist, offers Delta Dental Plans.

Hesitance to visit the dentist may stem from personal fears or perceived reactions by children.

Primary teeth may eventually fall out, but they shouldn’t be ignored. They save space for permanent teeth and serve other functions. Therefore, parents

should begin to acclimate children to the dentist at a young age to make the experience fun and even enjoyable.

tist or being apprehensive about visiting the dentist may develop their own fears. Always paint the dentist in a positive light and keep appointments.

a special tour of the office with explanations of all the tools and equipment. Understanding what to expect the next time around in a no-pressure situation can Lead by example make the process much easier Children who witness their par- Focus on the for everyone involved. The denents putting off going to the dentist may be able to also give a test good aspects ride on the exam chair, moving Talk up all the benefits of going it up and down, as well as showto the dentist, such as having a ing off the water fountain and squeaky clean and fresh mouth. oral irrigator.

Many hygienists will hand out small toys after a successful visit, or at the least a great new tooth- Avoid giving brush and other fun products to false hope try.

Do not tell a child that “everything will be OK” at the dentist’s office. If a child needs treatment Get a tour of that may be uncomfortable, he the office or she may not trust you the Ask the staff if your child can get next time a dental visit is sched217 Nassau Street • St. Peter • (507) 931-5646 uled, according to Joel H. Berg, D.D.S., M.S., Director of the From Only Department of Dentistry at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Avoid words like “shots,” “pain,” “hurt,” or even “cavities.” Dentists, particularly pediatric dentists, may New Ulm Furniture has more than 20 lift chairs in stock and ready for free have their own vocabulary that delivery! Available in a variety of sizes and colors, recline in style with a can assuage fears and seem less new lift chair from Flexsteel, Pride, La-z-boy and UltraComfort. Stop in alarming to kids. today to choose the lift chair that’s right for you or someone you love.

Michelle Lund, D.D.S. Bethany Whittier, D.D.S. Kyle J. Rasmussen D.D.S.

Carolyn Mager & Casey Carolyn Mager & Casey WestWest (507) 934-6050 l TTY (507) 934-6050 | TTY 711 711 westmager.com westmager.com

Blue Partner

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

SM

Blue Cross offers PPO, HMO-POS, Cost and PDP plans with Medicare contracts.

Enrollment in these Blue Cross plans depends on contract renewal. Plans are available to residents of the service area. You can also contact Blue Cross for plan information or to enroll: 1-877-662-2583, TTY 711, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, daily.

Y0138_070219MM02_M S5743_070119KK04_M Authorized independent agent/agency for Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus®, nonprofit independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

YOU DESERVE TO BE

COMFORTABLE!

NEW ULM

FURNITURE Since 1945

549

$

16 N. German Downtown New Ulm www.newulmfurniture.com (507) 354-2716 or 1-800-9NU-FURN

Over time, dental visits can become an easy routine with children, setting them up for a lifetime of healthy mouths and teeth

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

WINTER HEALTH CARE

PAGE 5

We’ll Help You Move!

No hassle, no fuss, no muscle Move in by February 1 and we’ll pay your moving expenses!*

Why you might be better off exercising at a gym than at home (Metro) Routine exercise benefits minds and bodies in various ways. Studies have shown that physical activity can improve mood and lower people’s risk for various diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.

As beneficial as exercise can be, many people simply don’t make physical activity part of their regular routines. Recent studies and reports from the United States’ National Center for Health Statistics and Statistics Canada, conducted separately from each other, found that roughly 80 percent of adults in both the U.S. and Canada are not meeting the minimum physical activity requirements recommended by their respective governments. While a host of factors can influence a person’s decisions on physical activity, where to exercise is one factor that could go a long way toward determining just how much adults exercise.

Basements, attics, spare bedrooms, or two-car garages may seem like the perfect places to create home gyms. However, the benefits of working out at a gym may outweigh the convenience of working out at home.

• orkout partners and or other gym members may improve your chances of losing weight. People who exercise at home tend to work out alone. In so doing, they may be removing a potentially strong motivator that could keep them exercising.

A 2016 study published in the research journal Obesity found that increasing contacts and interactions with thinner individuals, and declining contacts and interactions with heavier individuals, were linked to actual weight loss.

In other words, working out with a fit friend or simply interacting with fellow gym members who maintain healthy weights can benefit people who are trying to lose weight through exercise.

• ym memberships have a way of paying for themselves.

The cost of a gym membership is one factor many people cite as a reason for not exercising more.

However, many health insurance plans now offer sweat equity rebates that reward policy holders for working out. Such rebates can greatly reduce the cost of a gym membership, if not remove it entirely. For example, a sweat equity program that offers a $200

rebate every six months for policy holders who exercise 50 times during that period can make a $30 monthly gym membership free. In that example, gym members would pay $180 for six months but get all of that money back if they work out 50 times in a six-month period.

• yms can make it easier to diversify your workouts. Exercise boredom is something even the most ardent fitness enthusiast can relate to. Exercise boredom refers to the disinterest that can develop over time as people do the same workouts for weeks, months or years at a time. A home gym may not be spacious enough to include too many machines, whereas gyms typically include enough machines and classes to allow people to diversify their workouts as often as they’d like.

Working out at home may be convenient, but people looking to make exercise part of their daily routines may get better results by exercising at a nearby gym.

*Up to $500

• Beautifully remodeled and spacious apartments • Only $1,600 per month • All expenses and meals included Call for a tour and reserve your new home today.

(507) 931-8545

We’re excited to welcome you to our Heritage Meadows community!

Find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/blcstpetermn Or online: www.blcstpeter.org

PAGE 6

WINTER HEALTH CARE

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Preventive care involves safeguarding mental health as well (Metro) Preventive care is often looked at through the needs people need to do to protect their physical well-being. For example, a healthy diet and routine exercise, while beneficial to mental health, are often viewed as lifestyle choices that can make people feel better physically. But taking steps to protect one’s mental health also is vital to a long, productive life.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that positive mental health and mental wellness can have a profoundly positive impact on a person’s life. Positive mental health can help people realize

their full potential, cope with the stresses of life and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

What can I do to protect my mental health?

Learning to recognize the early warning signs of mental health problems can help prevent such problems from escalating and compel people to seek help. The DHHS advises anyone feeling these signs or recognizing these signs in others to seek help for themselves or their loved ones:

• ating or sleeping too much or too little

• ulling away from people and usual activities

• aving low or no energy

• Feeling numb or as if nothing matters

• ne plained aches and pains

• Feeling helpless or hope-

less

• moking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual

• Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared

• elling or ghting with family and friends

• evere mood swings that cause problems in relationships

• ersistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head

• earing voices or believing things that are not true

• Thinking of harming yourself or others

• An inability to perform daily tasks, such as taking care of your children or getting to work or school

Taking steps to protect one’s mental wellness is a vital component of preventive care. More information about mental health is available at www.mentalhealth. gov.

How handwashing helps fight infection (Metro) There are many ways to avoid infection, but few might be as simultaneously simple and effective as handwashing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps a person can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. While skeptics might question just how big an impact handwashing can have, the science behind washing hands paints a pretty strong picture of just how beneficial this particular component of personal hygiene can be.

ible amounts of animal feces on them. The amount of germs contained in small amounts of feces may come as a shock. Research published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that a single gram of human feces weighing about as much as a paper clip can contain one trillion germs.

How germs get you sick

What does handwashing do?

The CDC notes that feces from people and animals are considerable sources of germs, including salmonella and E. coli. These germs can get onto peopleÕs hands after they use the toilet or change a diaper.

People who handle raw meats also be exposed to such germs, as these foods can contain invis-

With so many germs floating around, it may seem as though something as simple as handwashing couldn’t be nearly as effective as it’s said to be. But the CDC notes that handwashing removes germs from hands, thereby removing an easy way for germs to enter the body and be passed on to others. For in-

stance, many people habitually touch their eyes, nose and mouth without thinking twice, and doing so provides an easy way for germs to enter the body via the hands. By washing their hands, people can cut off this easy entryway for germs.

Handwashing also presents germs from entering the body while eating. Germs from unwashed hands can get into people’s food and drinks, and can even multiply in some foods and beverages, potentially contributing to illness.

Washing hands also prevents the spread of germs by preventing them from being transferred from hands to handrails, table tops or toys, where they can then spread to other people’s hands.

Handwashing is a simple yet effective way to stop the spread of germs. And it just might be the simplest way to avoid illnesses.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

WINTER HEALTH CARE

PAGE 7

-

,

h

t

Oak Terrace

d f

-

Senior Housing of LeSueur LeSueur

g

m Sick? Telehealth services enable patients to connect with providers to get the care they need fwithout leaving home. k

s e h .

The rise of telehealth services

(Metro) Getting sick once meant traveling to a physician’s office only to sit in a waiting room with fellow under-theweather individuals. Few if any people like leaving home when they’re feeling ill, and thanks to technology, many no longer need to do so.

Telehealth services, which the Massachusetts Medical Society defines as the delivery and facilitation of health and health-related services including medical care, provider and patient education, health information services, and self-care via telecommunications and digital communication technologies, are revolutionizing the healthcare industry. In many instances, patients need not leave the comfort of their beds or sofas to be diagnosed and treated. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology says telehealth, which is a broader scope of remote healthcare services than telemedicine, can utilize everything from videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless phone communications.

Many providers and insurance companies now offer some method of telehealth services.

Consider some of these statistics.

• The American elemedicine Association says more than one-half of all hospitals in the United States have a telehealth program.

• Forty-eight states require payers to cover telehealth, says the Center for Connected Health Policy.

• C esearch indicates that telehealth makes up roughly one-quarter of the healthcarerelated technology market.

• The American edical Association says nearly percent of all doctor, urgent care and emergency room visits could be handled safely and effectively over the phone or via video.

• eckers ospital eview says 82 percent of millennial patients surveyed would rather have a telemedicine visit than an in-person consultation.

• Around seven million people use telehealth services across the globe, according to eVisit.

Telehealth can connect rural providers and their pa-

tients to services at other sites and promote patient-centered health care. With a shortage of some medical specialities in rural areas, telehealth can play an important role in ensuring all patients get access to care they need. ut the bene ts do not only extend to rural patients. Individuals who are elderly and/or those who have mobility issues and cannot travel easily can benefit from telehealth services. Furthermore, any patient with a rare condition may no longer have to travel long distances to consult with specialists in that field.

Telehealth applications and programs on smartphones, tablets or laptops can make it easy for people to monitor their health.

These apps can enable patients to do things like track health measurements, share information with clinicians, manage chronic illnesses, and set medication or appointment reminders. Patients also can communicate with providers to get health information through patient portals or to refill prescriptions effortlessly.

Telehealth is changing the face of medicine and utilizing technology in unique ways.

Oak Terrace Senior Living of Le Sueur has immediate openings in our secure Memory Care, Assisted Living and Independent Living Communities.

Warm up with us with a

$1,000 move-in discount Offer expires 2/28/2020.

Some exceptions apply.

Call 507-593-8500 Oak Terrace Communities is the right choice to live and work.

Campuses LeSueur, Mankato, Campuses in Le Sueur, North Mankato, Gaylord and Jordan.

PAGE 8

WINTER HEALTH CARE

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Le Sueur

15

22

Dermatology

MANKATO CLINIC DANIELS HEALTH CENTER

LOCATED AT RIVER’S EDGE CAMPUS

N. Washington Ave.

Sunrise Dr.

Bro

adw

Mankato

ay

Av e.

169

99