Kaniksu Health Insider: Spring Edition

It's the most Eggcellent time of the year!
Just in time for Easter, we have some healthy egg recipes just for you! Healthy Easter Egg Dishes

Although eggs have had a bad name in the past, they are, in fact, conducive to a healthy heart when consumed as part of a healthy balanced diet. This is due to the fact that they contain many vitamins and minerals known to promote a healthy heart. Examples of heart-healthy egg nutrients include betaine and choline.

These nutrients are not just beneficial to the heart, but also other organs in the body such as the liver. Choline is a member of the B complex vitamin family which is essential for a healthy nervous system and cell membrane production.

Why not be adventurous and taste some different types of eggs other than chicken ones to switch up your diet and get the health benefits that come from including eggs in your diet plan!

For more Eggciting facts on eggs click here

Enter for a chance to win one-month free gym membership from 7B and a personal training session.
Contest starts April 14th to April 21st.
Rules:
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2.Share our post about the contest
3.Kick start your health journey!

Hello and welcome to the first edition of our “Health Yeah!” an Interview segment with people from the community on trending topics and issues we are facing.

This quarter we're focused on spring cleaning!

So let's dust off those cobwebs, but be careful of those dust mites folks. Doreen Shababy, author of Wild and Weedy Apothecary joins us for tips and tricks on Spring cleaning your home and health.

Q: What are some of your favorite ways to spring clean without heavy-duty cleaners that could be harmful to your health?

A: I use vinegar and essential oils.
Very easy to make your own cleaner.

1 Spray bottle
Essential oil (CItrus is my favorite)
Plain white vinegar.

I favor citrus essential oil for the kitchen because a little goes a long way. The citrus essential oil is not going to overpower your kitchen with its aroma. I even sometimes put rosemary in there, it’s a personal preference for people though. In the bathroom, I use lavender. The word lavender itself means “To wash” in Latin. I also use baking soda for scrubbing the sinks and tubs.

Q: What are some tips to help reduce allergies in the spring and summertime naturally?

A: Lemon water is in my experience the first thing one should do. Lemon helps subdue the body’s defense mechanisms against allergic invasion ( Allergic Rhinitis). Inflammation in the nose.

Here are few teas that can help:

Ginger-Anti Inflammatory
Stinging Nettle- Anti Histamine
Lemon Balm- Soothing

Q: Outside of staying healthy and essential oils is there anything else you would recommend?

A: Air filters!

For both your house and your car.
Changing/washing your clothes after outdoor activities
Checking the pollen count for the day when possible.

Pollen counts for your area
Beginners guide to essential oils
More home remedies for seasonal allergies

Get Active, Take Action!

April is
Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Canker sore vs. oral cancer

How can you tell the difference?
“Canker sore” is not a medical term. It’s a term that some people use to describe many different unrelated conditions. We can continue to call them that here, for the sake of this article, but it’s important to note that the scientific name for what we’re discussing is actually “aphthous ulcers.”
Aphthous ulcers are painful little sores that develop inside the mouth. We don’t know exactly what causes them, but most resolve on their own pretty quickly.

Are there any other conditions that can cause ulcers inside the mouth?
Many things that aren’t cancer can cause ulcers inside the mouth. These include chickenpox, shingles, an inflammatory condition called lichen planus, and hand, foot and mouth disease, to name just a few.
How can someone tell if a mouth ulcer is an oral cancer instead of just a canker sore?
Here are the qualities to look for:

Appearance: The edges of a canker sore are often red and angry looking because the surrounding tissue is inflamed. That’s not usually the case with cancers. Canker sores also tend to be flat. Oral cancers often have a tiny lump or bump under the lesions that you can feel.
Behavior: Oral cancer in its earliest stages is not usually painful. But canker sores often are. They become less painful as they heal.
Changes: See a doctor if you have a small spot that grows larger, a white spot that turns red, or a lesion that bleeds when it didn’t use to.
Development: Does the lesion get worse or better over time? Most canker sores will heal on their own within two or three weeks. If yours doesn’t, it’s time to see a doctor.

Is there anything that cancer patients should know about canker sores?
Cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy often develop mouth ulcers. I do a fair number of consultations each month with patients who are worried that these might be cancer.
The good news is that this type of mouth sore is just the body’s reaction to chemotherapy. So, it’s nothing to be worried about; it’s a well-known side effect of that particular treatment.

Learn More

May is
Cervical Health Month

Late-stage cervical cancer on the rise: What to know

In 2023, 13,960 women in the US will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,310 will die from it, according to American Cancer Society estimates.
Pap test screening can detect this cancer early, when it’s easiest to treat. And testing for HPV has been approved as an additional screening test for cervical cancer. It can be used alone or with a Pap test.
"Most cervical cancer cases continue to be diagnosed early," Dr. Matulonis says. "These new findings suggest that cases involving a more aggressive cell type called adenocarcinoma are also increasing. Often found higher up in the cervical canal, this is harder to detect with a Pap smear."
Older women are especially vulnerable. Rates of late-stage cervical cancer are higher — and survival is worse — among women 65 and older than among younger women, according to a study in California. One possible reason? They may not have received the recommended number of screening tests with normal results before they stopped having Pap smears, says Dr. Sarah Feldman, a gynecologic oncologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Protective steps are important in view of a surprising increase in advanced cancers among women.

HPV vaccination. All children should be vaccinated against HPV between ages 9 and 12, well before sexual activity begins. "The most important thing for future generations in cervical cancer prevention is vaccinating that generation," Dr. Feldman says.
Routine screening. Regardless of vaccination status or whether they’re sexually active, women should begin having screening tests for cervical cancer in their 20s and continue through age 65. Discuss the right intervals with your doctor. Current screening guidelines take into account when you start screening and whether results of tests are normal:
- If you start at 21: Have a Pap test every three years until 30.
- If you start at 25: Seek an HPV test first.
- At age 30: If all screening tests so far have been normal, have HPV testing every five years. Continue this screening until age 65.
- Don’t stop screening at 65 unless all test results are normal, including at least two results in the last 10 years and one in the last five years.
- If any testing led to abnormal results, you may need to continue screening beyond age 65.

June is
Men's Health Month

How Will You Participate in Men’s Health Month?

Men:
It doesn’t matter if you believe you’re the pinnacle of health, a little check-up is always a good thing. No more toughing it out or ignoring glaring issues, this is our month to get heathier and stronger for ourselves and our families. See your doctor, get a physical, get some blood work done, and get checked out.
Women:
Encourage the men in your life to become more aware and help raise awareness. And if it’s your partner who’s participating, well, you might have to book those appointments and make him go (let’s be honest here).
Here are some quick talking points we can all refer to in order to help raise awareness this Men’s Health Month and beyond…

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States for men after lung cancer, and beating it requires early detection.
You have a 98 percent chance of surviving prostate cancer beyond five years if it’s detected early. Unfortunately, only a 26 percent chance if it’s detected late.
Doctors recommend your first prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening at 50 years old. If prostate cancer runs in your family, they recommend getting this screening between the ages of 40 and 45.
It may be a moment at the doctor’s office we all dread, but it’s very important men get their prostates checked early and annually (depending on your doctor’s recommendation).
While most cancers affect older adults, testicular cancer is more commonly diagnosed in young men.
The survival rate for testicular cancer is very high with 440 men passing away from the illness in 2021. However, that’s no reason to ignore the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer.
Early detection requires a visit with your doctor as well as self-examinations to check for signs of testicular cancer. Of course, if you do find something abnormal, you should see your doctor immediately.

While many people suffer with depression and sadly, commit suicide, men account for 75% of all suicides in the United States. Although many of us know the importance of reaching out and speaking up when we need help or we think a loved one needs help, many of us don’t know the best way to approach someone who’s hurting.
Learn more