Tag: health news florida

More States Drop Sales Tax on Disposable Diapers to Boost Affordability

Shirley Bloxom can’t forget the pride-swallowing shame she felt asking friends and church members for financial help.

After the surgery left her husband partially paralyzed, he needed to use disposable underwear at least three times a day, said Bloxom, 72. Living on a fixed income, the couple couldn’t afford them.

Bloxom’s husband is among the estimated 2.5 million older Floridians who use incontinence products, such as pads and adult diapers, daily. But with over a tenth of the Sunshine State’s seniors living in poverty, many struggle to pay for the supplies they need.

Last month, Florida joined a growing number of states that are banning sales taxes on diapers to make them more affordable for older adults and families with young children. Florida is one of the United States’ top three destination states for retirees, with about 21% of its residents age 65 or older.

“So it affects more people

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Ensuring a safe and healthy Fourth of July celebration with food safety precautions

As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day with their loved ones, friends, and outdoor cookouts, ensuring food safety is paramount in safeguarding everyone against food-borne illnesses. This Fourth of July, it is important to remember proper food handling practices.

Traditionally, the Fourth of July involves outdoor gatherings with classic dishes like hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled meats, and fresh fruits. To guarantee the safety of these delectable treats, special attention needs to be paid to the significance of cleanliness and adherence to recommended guidelines.

First and foremost, washing hands before and after handling raw meat, poultry or seafood is crucial in preventing the transfer of bacteria. Additionally, preheating the grill and scrubbing the grate thoroughly prior to cooking eliminates remnants from previous sessions, ensuring a clean cooking surface.

Click on image to enlarge.

Grilling enthusiasts are advised to discard any marinade used for raw meat, poultry or seafood, placing these items

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Making healthy eating fun and easy

Are you tired of the same old boring lunch options? Soggy sandwiches and wilted salads just not cutting it anymore? It’s time to shake things up and transform your lunch routine with the incredible convenience and versatility of bento box containers. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the world of bento boxes, their features, and how they can revolutionize your meal prep game.

Bento boxes are gaining popularity for a reason. These innovative lunch containers are not only stylish but also incredibly practical. Made with food-grade safety in mind, these boxes are perfect for packing your meals without worrying about any toxic substances leaching into your food. Plus, their multiple compartments allow for easy portion control, making it simple to include a balanced meal in one compact container.

When it comes to choosing the perfect bento box, there are several features to consider. The 3 section lunch box and 4

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The Dangers of the EHR

Electronic Health Records can be an incredibly helpful tool. However, they are not without fault. A recent warning highlights that electronic health records (EHRs) are a top target of cybercriminals. They can also lead to inappropriate billing if they are not set up correctly.

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The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) issued a warning to healthcare entities regarding EHR vulnerabilities and protections.

Protected health information (PHI) continues to hold its value on the dark web and is a constant target of cybercriminals.

With the recent growth of telehealth and healthcare technology, we have seen a large increase in cybercrime and breaches attempting to benefit from security lapses.

How can you protect your patients’ PHI and your practice?

It is essential …

Cholesterol drug reduces heart attack and death risk: research

An alternative to statins may help reduce deaths from heart disease among people with high levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, new research finds.

When taken as a daily pill, bempedoic acid lowered LDL cholesterol and showed a significant 39% reduction in heart disease deaths and heart attacks, researchers reported Saturday at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting. The findings were simultaneously published in JAMA.

“What we saw really surprised me,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Steven Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. “I hope this will be a wake-up call for patients and physicians.”

Right now, fewer than half the people who should be prescribed a cholesterol-lowering medication because of the risk of heart disease are getting it, according to Nissen. That needs to change, he said.

“Treating people who have risk factors before their first cardiovascular event will

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Can a healthy lifestyle ward off memory decline?

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An increasing amount of evidence suggests that a healthy lifestyle is linked to better thinking skills later in life. But few studies have looked at healthy lifestyle effects on memory in particular, and none have considered the effects on memory in people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Now a study from China offers insight. The study, published online Jan. 25, 2023, by BMJ, involved more than 29,000 people without dementia (average age 72). Participants initially underwent cognitive testing as well as genetic testing for genes known to raise risk for Alzheimer’s, and reported how well they stuck to six healthy lifestyle habits (eating a healthy diet, exercising, not smoking, not drinking alcohol, being socially active, and engaging in brain-challenging activities). Participants were followed for 10 years, periodically reporting their lifestyle habits and undergoing cognitive testing. At the end of the study, people who stuck to at least

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Top 5 Reasons Not to Have an Estate Plan

We often hear many reasons why people do not have an estate plan or why they are putting off creating their estate plan.

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Here are the top five reasons why people don’t have an estate plan (and why these reasons shouldn’t prevent you from doing your estate plan today):

  1. I don’t have enough money, property, etc. Estate planning is not just about assets. Estate planning is a way to protect your wishes, in the event of incapacity. If you have young children, estate planning allows you to choose their guardian, something should happen to you. Estate planning also allows you to direct medical and financial care, should you become incapacitated. Further, most people have more assets than they realize. Estate
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Healthy school lunches, the greatest gift we can give our children

We should ensure that every kid in Canada has a healthy organic meal at school and learns more about nutrition

Published June 06, 2023 • Last updated 3 days ago • 3 minute read

School cafeteria
Photo by Jana Birchum/Getty Images

It’s hard to believe that some children in Canada go to school hungry and return home with an empty stomach. That should never happen in a country like ours. But it’s just as perplexing to me that we don’t provide organic food to all children and make learning about nutrition as important as reading, writing and arithmetic.

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Toxic smoke from Canadian wildfires could impact the health of millions in the US

Wildfires across the United States and Canada — fueled by record heat and dry conditions — could severely impact the health of millions of people.

Smoke from wildfires in several Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, led to air quality alerts throughout several states in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Plus, fires in Michigan and New Jersey have created dense fog and heavy smoke.

Inhaling toxic smoke and ash from wildfires can cause damage to the body — including the lungs and heart — and even weaken our immune systems, experts say.

“Wildfire smoke itself is quite a complex mixture and it’s made up of fine particles … and a number of other gases, which are toxic, mainly due to the fact that wildfires burn everything so much more toxic than household fires because everything has been burned,” Dr. Kimberly Humphrey, a climate change and human health fellow

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Mediterranean diet shown to be good for health and also the weekly budget

We’ve heard it time and time again – the Mediterranean diet is great for our health. But despite the significant health benefits of this eating plan, a common deterrent is often the expected costs, especially when budgets are tight.

Mediterranean diet shown to be good for health and also the weekly budget

Image Credit: University of South Australia

Now, new research from the University of South Australia shows that the Mediterranean diet is not only good for your health but also for your weekly budget, saving a family of four $28 per week (or $1456 per year) compared to the typical Western diet.

The study compared the nutrition profile and weekly costs of three food baskets based on: the typical Australian western diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE).

It found that the Mediterranean diet and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating met recommendations for food groups, macronutrient distribution and key micronutrients associated with good health, but the

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