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Get Outside!
May Is
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Stroke Awareness
Each year 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke. Please check out this infographic from the American Stroke Association to learn more about strokes. |
Heart Healthy Living
When you choose healthy behaviors, you can lower your heart disease risk. Please click this link from the CDC to find ways on how to live a heart-healthy life! |
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June Is
Men's Health Awareness Month
You wouldn't skip an oil change, so why is your body any different? Health screenings are a vital part of living well, and allow your provider to detect conditions or diseases in early stages. Here are some system checks you might expect to encounter at your check up!
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9 Tips On How To Spring Clean Your Health
Anyone else get a little extra kick in their step with the arrival of spring? Spring is a great time to rethink your diet, physical activity, sleep routine, and much more.
Your healthful spring cleaning should also include giving your health and wellness routines a once over. You may even find that resolutions made in springtime are easier to follow than the ones you try to implement in the cold, bitter winter months.
Your healthful spring cleaning should also include giving your health and wellness routines a once over. You may even find that resolutions made in springtime are easier to follow than the ones you try to implement in the cold, bitter winter months.
If you want to pay your health and well-being a little extra attention this spring, but don’t know where to start, here are nine tips to get you started!
9 Tips to Spring Clean Your Health!
 | North Idaho’s lush water sources and rugged mountains often allure people to its region. Those of us who call Idaho’s panhandle home appreciate the natural beauty we are surrounded by, but the benefits of the landscape are more than just aesthetically pleasing. Researchers aim to understand how our natural environment affects our mental and physical health. Scientific studies are revealing how being outdoors can reduce depression and anxiety, improve cognitive functioning, and increase our overall well-being. Source |
Our easy accessibility to nature in North Idaho has a positive impact on us that we might not be aware of. Research has shown that adults who live in neighborhoods with more green space show better attention functioning than those who have less access to the natural environment. Studies have found that natural landscapes help improve working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control, while urban settings amid concrete and skyscrapers can have an opposing cognitive effect, leading to attention deficits. Source
“We are so fortunate to live in North Idaho because true beauty and nature are right outside our door,” says Gina Beck, Director of behavioral health at Kaniksu Community Health. “Getting outside has all sorts of health benefits, that can be healing to both the body and mind.”
Scientists have studied the neurological effects of being in nature and the ways it helps us feel more at ease and attuned to the present moment. In an episode on the Mindbodygreen Podcast, Neuroscientist Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D., explains that the earth has a frequency of about 7.8 Hertz caused by electromagnetic resonances in the earth’s atmosphere. This frequency has been shown to soothe the body. Standing barefoot on the earth can even decrease inflammation and reduce cardiovascular risk. The natural world provides a reprieve from anxiety caused by technology, daily routines, and current events. Source
“Based on the stressful social climate we find ourselves in, getting outdoors is important now more than ever,” Gina says. “If you have a break to step away from your electronic device or have some time to step outside. Do it! Taking advantage of these opportunities will give you a positive outcome for your personal wellbeing.”
Studies have shown that nature can have healing powers - such as improving mood, cognitive productivity, boosting immune system and increasing anti-cancer proteins. For example, an Australian study had two groups of students work on a dull, attention-draining task. Students who looked at a green roof full of flowers for 40 seconds midway through the task made significantly less mistakes than those students who looked at a concrete floor for 40 seconds. (Lee, K.E., et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol. 42, No. 1, 2015). source
3 ways that nature can improve your health and overall well-being:
| In this issue of Kaniksu Health Insider you will find:
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Tips on how to practice preventive care in 2022The last few years have shown us that preventive health is one of the biggest gifts we can give to ourselves to live a whole and healthy life. And at Kaniksu Community Health we are here to guide you in navigating all of your preventive care options! Preventive care is covered by most insurances even if you haven’t hit your deductible! It’s also a lot less expensive to practice preventive care than to only seek help when there's a problem. This makes it a much more attractive option than dishing out thousands of dollars for treatments. |  |
What is Preventive Care?
Preventive care is proactive health; annual check-ups, immunizations/healthy living and eating, tests and screenings. It means coming in for an annual tune up before something turns into a full blown emergency. We like to think about preventive care like you do car maintenance - you wouldn’t drive your car 60 years without getting it tuned up, so don’t do that to your body?
Annual Exams
 | Adult annual exams depend on the person’s age, health and family history. An annual exam will consist of a physical to review any changes from the last year and identify risk factors that could lead to future health problems, and cancer screenings if needed. Our providers also recommend a yearly dental exam and behavioral health screening as well! These yearly exams give your provider a good baseline to refer to in case anything moves out of your range. |
| A child’s annual exam is called a well child check! When children have regular well-child and dental visits it's easier to treat and track their development and find health problems earlier. For infants, this looks a bit different because a newborn body changes so frequently and checking in more regularly helps the doctor notice any signs of developmental delays or disease. |  |
Here is a well child appointment schedule for newborns; 3-7 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months.
Preventive Care Screenings
Cervical Cancer Screenings Cervical cancer is highly curable when found and treated early.
More ways to practice preventive care
- Fourth most common cancer in women.
- Most cases are found in women under 40.
- Women may need a different screening schedule because of their health history or family health history.
- By age 21 you should start getting cervical cancer screenings.
- Cervical cancer can be prevented when girls and boys around age 11 get the HPV vaccine.
- Second leading cause of cancer death in Idaho.
- 95% survival rate and is preventable with early and routine screening.
- 90% of new cases occur in people 50 or older (however if you have a first degree relative who has had colon cancer you should talk to you doctor about starting screening earlier).
- If you have a first degree relative who has had colon cancer, you have a 2 to 3 time higher chance of developing the cancer.
- 7 out of 10 women in their 40s who died from breast cancer did not have a mammogram.
- 75% of women do not experience symptoms.
- After 40 your risk of breast cancer increases
- Yearly mammograms decrease the death rate by 30%
More ways to practice preventive care
Our New Sandpoint Clinic is Now Open!
We are excited to announce our new Sandpoint location opened on January 4, 2022! Under one roof you will find pediatrics, dental, family medicine and behavioral health. As well as our patient assistance and care management teams.
If you have been seeing a provider at Sandpoint Pediatrics or the Ponderay clinic you will now be going to the new clinic.
If you have been seeing a provider at Sandpoint Pediatrics or the Ponderay clinic you will now be going to the new clinic.
 | What you need to know! It's the same quality of care and same caring people just a new location. The address 810 6th Ave Sandpoint, ID 83864 New Phone Numbers Dental: 208.265.1415 Pediatrics: 208.265.2242 Family Medicine: 208.265.6252 ***Bonners Ferry and Priest River will not be moving locations. |
Thank you to everyone who attended our Open House and to everyone who helped support the build of the new location.
Kaniksu Coat & Winter Gear Drive
 | Burrr it's getting cold out there! Kaniksu has coats for you! Do you need a coat A scarf? Mittens? Or other winter gear? If you or a loved one is in need of coats please go to our clinics and help yourself to a coat during regular business hours. They can be found in the front entrance of each clinic. Do you have a coat to donate? Also, if you have a coat to donate please drop it off at any of our locations during regular business hours. Thank you! |
We Are Hiring!
Are you looking for a rewarding career where you get to help people and also have a healthy work life balance? Then Kaniksu is the right place for you!
Click Here to View Current Openings
Click Here to View Current Openings
About Kaniksu
Kaniksu Community Health is committed to providing clinical care that is integrative, grounded in relationships, and aligned with personal health goals.
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