#lemars

We all know the feeling — the moment when we walk too fast on an icy street and lose our balance. Gravity takes over and we know that we are going down.

But if you are going to fall, you might as well commit to it and make it safe.

According to a professional stunt performer, you may not always look graceful, but there are a few actions that can help prevent injury.

Bend your knees

If you know you are going to fall, the best thing you can do is get closer to the ground. Think about it — falling from six feet off the ground will be more painful than falling from two feet off the ground.

So bend your knees. It'll instantly reduce the distance of your fall.

Keep your arms away

If you are about to fall, your natural reaction may be to use your arms to catch yourself.

Don't.

Using your arms to help break your fall may work some of the time, but it also may have disastrous consequences, like breaking your arm. Instead, cross your arms over your chest or simply keep them away from your body, so that they won't be crushed by the weight of the fall.

Fall on your side

If you can, try to fall on the side of your body.

Tuck your head

It’s that time of year. In addition to the school supplies list and maybe even getting a last-minute getaway before the start of classes, it’s time to schedule your child’s sports physical. 

Sports physicals, also known as pre-participation physical examinations (PPEs) or sports exams, are important for many reasons:

Health Assessment: Sports physicals provide a comprehensive assessment of a student’s overall health, including their medical history, current health status and any existing medical conditions. This evaluation helps identify any health concerns that might affect the individual's ability to participate safely in sports or physical activities.

Injury Prevention: During a sports physical, your Floyd Valley Healthcare provider can identify any physical conditions or limitations that could increase the risk of injuries during sports participation. By addressing these issues beforehand, athletes can take necessary precautions to prevent injuries.

Early Detection of Medical Issues: Sports physicals can uncover underlying medical conditions that might not have been apparent before. Detecting these conditions early allows for timely intervention and appropriate management, which can ultimately lead to better health outcomes.

Safe Participation: Athletes with certain medical conditions or risk factors might need modified training or activity plans to ensure their safety while participating in sports. A sports physical helps your provider make recommendations for adjustments that can enable students to participate in their favorite activities  while minimizing any health risks.

Participation Requirement: Most  schools require student athletes to undergo a sports physical before participating. This requirement ensures that athletes are physically capable of engaging in the specific sport.

Personalized Advice: Your healthcare provider can provide personalized advice to athletes during sports physicals. This advice might include information on nutrition, hydration, injury prevention strategies, proper warm-up and cool-down routines, and other health-related recommendations.

Optimal Performance: Identifying and addressing any underlying health issues can contribute to an athlete's overall well-being, which in turn can positively impact their performance on the field. When an athlete is in good health, they are more likely to reach their full potential.

Medical History Update: Sports physicals also involve reviewing an individual's medical history, which helps healthcare providers stay updated on any changes in health status, medications, allergies, or chronic conditions. This information is crucial for providing the best possible care.

Clearance for Participation: After a thorough assessment, healthcare providers can give athletes the clearance to participate in sports or physical activities. This ensures that individuals are physically prepared to engage in these activities without jeopardizing their health.

The New Year is the perfect time to make some healthy lifestyle changes! You don’t have to move mountains, either. Even small changes can have a big impact on your health. We’ve got some suggestions for the upcoming months. 

Move, Move, Move – Daily gym workouts may be hard to work into your busy life, but making a commitment to more physical activity can be something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further away from your office or the store. If the weather’s too cold, there are plenty of local opportunities for a walk indoors. 

Quit Smoking – When it comes to your health, smoking is one of the most damaging things you can do. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, high blood pressure and can even increase your risk for a stroke or heart attack. Quitting is tough, but your Floyd Valley Healthcare provider can help. 

Eat Well – We are what we eat! By eating a balanced diet, we can lose weight, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and decrease our risk of diabetes. The nutritionist at Floyd Valley Healthcare can answer your questions and help you develop a menu and plan. 

Drink More – Without realizing it, many Americans are almost always dehydrated. Depending on your activity level, a good rule of thumb is that men should drink at least 3.7 liters of water daily, and women should have at least 2.7 liters every day. 

Schedule an Annual Exam – Making an appointment with your healthcare provider and taking advantage of your preventative care benefits can help you stay healthy. Regular, preventative screenings mean your doctor can identify and treat health issues early, and treatment is frequently more effective when an illness is diagnosed and treated early. 

Summer means it’s time to hit the lake, lounge by the pool or just spend time outside. Your body loses more fluids in the summer, meaning it easier to become parched and even more crucial to sip on that H2O and stay hydrated to enjoy the summer sun. 

But just how much water should you be consuming? 

Your water needs vary depending on your weight and body type. The exact amounts of water vary person to person, but 2 to 4 liters for active adults is a general target range to stay adequately hydrated, and your needs may vary with higher temps or intense outdoor activities. 

Staying hydrated is just as important for kids. Youngsters frequently would rather keep going than taking a much-needed break for water. If you notice your child has a dry mouth, few or no tears when crying, sunken eyes, crankiness, drowsiness or dizziness are indicators of dehydration. 

If you notice any of those symptoms, it might be time for a water break. Sit them down and give them small sips of water as soon as possible. 

Fatigue, dry skin, muscle cramping, constipation and dizziness are also indicators of dehydration in kids and adults.  

The number of candles on your birthday cake can also impact your hydration levels and how easily you become H2O deprived. And as we get older, our thirst mechanism gets weaker and notice our thirst less. Older individuals can become dehydrated quicker, and heat-related illnesses can be more serious.  

Do sports drinks replace water? The short answer is no. If you’re very active or doing something like biking or running, sports drinks can replace valuable minerals and electrolytes, but they won’t replace water. Also, sports drinks can be very high in sugar, and, sometimes, even sodium. People who need to watch their sodium intake should get in the habit of checking out the label.

There’s probably nothing in our hands more most days than our phones. We MapQuest directions and Google numbers. Our phones and tablets are our chosen method of communication as well as our cameras, daily planners, address books and even entertainment. 

Are we spending too much time on devices? That answer ranges from very possibly to very likely. We should all set a screen time budget for ourselves and our kids. 

Have you ever looked at your daily activity log and been surprised at how much time you spent staring at your screen? Kids ages six to eighteen spend an average of seven hours a day looking at screens – adults, upwards of ten! The recommended amount of time for adults is two hours; children should get one hour. Surprised?

What counts as screen time? Basically, screen time is the amount of time spent using a device with a screen, like a smartphone, computer, television or video game. 

Honestly, many kids prefer to camp out in front of a device. The same can be said for adults. If we are scrolling through social media feeds to unwind, our kids will see and repeat. 

The key to managed screen time is to keep yourself and your kids in check. Ask questions like, “Am I ignoring my family in favor of my phone? Are my kids learning anything educational, or are they wasting time that could be spent playing outdoors? Have we connected today as a family? Or have we talked more than we have scrolled through our devices?” 

Ultimately the time you and your family spend watching screens is up to you. Paying attention to what everyone is viewing and how it’s affecting the mood, family dynamic and time spent together might be the more important question.

Look for signs of screen time burnout: Feeling lethargic, having emotional outbursts, dry or red eyes, forming more sedentary habits, poor sleep and lack of concentration are all signs that you’re taking in too much screen time in. 

The past few years have brought with it an uptick in hand washing to say the least. All the extra lathering and drying ingredients in sanitizers have made for many a sore mitt. But keeping hands clean is important; frequent hand washing can help protect you from not only COVID-19, but influenza and colds that often plague us this time of year.

Winter weather wreaks havoc on just about everything - including skin. Wind and exposure to cold can take their toll quickly, leaving cracked, parched skin and even frostbite behind. Here are some tips for how to stay up on your clean-hand game and still give them some much-desired relief. 

Use gentle cleansers. Switching to basic, natural cleansers made with fewer ingredients, dyes and perfumes will make a real difference to dry skin. 

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Consider upgrading to a thicker and more emollient-rich hand cream this winter. Apply generously as needed, and an extra jar in your purse, gym bag or vehicle. 

Resist turning up the heat. Keep your water temps lower than scalding. Your skin will thank you and retain more moisture at a lower water temperature. 

Drink water. Healthy skin starts from the inside out. If you are dehydrated, so is your skin. Drink extra water to help replace lost moisture from exposure to harsher elements and frequent hand washing.  

Wear gloves. This may seem like a no-brainer but going out in freezing temps without gloves is a recipe for misery, only adding to dehydrated and chapped skin. Keep those hands covered up.

Have you met your 2020 healthcare deductible? With the end of the year fast approaching, it’s good to take inventory of both your health and insurance plan.

The deductible is the amount you are responsible for paying before your insurance company will start paying your healthcare bills. Most deductibles start over on January 1st of each new year – so your plan effectively restarts, and you will once again be paying more out of pocket until you meet your deductible’s set monetary limit.

If you have met your deductible – well done! This means you likely got the most bang for your healthcare buck this year. Chances are good that you had your annual physical, saw a few specialty docs (think eye care, skin care, etc.) and maybe even worked in some necessary procedures you had been putting off (like a knee replacement or bunion surgery).

If you did not meet your deductible, you still have a small window to see if you can schedule a couple last-minute appointments such as a vision screening, dental cleaning or age-appropriate preventative procedure such as a colonoscopy or mammogram. But don’t wait – call your healthcare provider today to see if they have any openings.