TakingCare 2008 June

8/12/2019 TakingCare 2008 June

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Have asafe, funsummer

3 Boost your memory 6 Do I need to have screening tests?

June 2008Celebrating30

Ye

arsofHelpingPeopleStayHealthy


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quick takes

Questions are answered by Phyllis D. Cross, M.D., M.P.H., in conjunction

with the Taking Caremedical advisory board and medical contributors.

This publication provides general information and isnt a substitutefor professional health care. Be sure to discuss with your doctorany health strategies or medical treatments.

babys first teethneed good careProtect your babys smile with these tips:

l Begin brushing your childs first teeth with water twice a day as

soon as the first tooth appears (sometimes present at birth).Use an infant brush with soft bristles.

l Check with your dentist before using toothpaste.

Unless advised otherwise, use toothpaste without

fluoride for children less than age 2 years.

l Take your baby to the dentist soon after the first tooth

appears or before his or her first birthday.

American Dental Association

pardon meIts cause for laughs in some

circles and embarrassment in

others. If you have trouble with

excessive burping, here are

some tips that may help ease

the problem:l Slow down.You may be

swallowing a lot of air if youre

eating or drinking too fast.

l Relax.Many people swallow

air when theyre nervous or

from habit.

l Spit it out. Avoid chewing gum

and sucking on hard candy.

l Can the soda.Limit the

amount of carbonated

beverages you drink.Burping usually is normal,

but doing so excessively could

be a symptom of a digestive

problem. Talk with your doctor

if youre concerned or if

burping persists.

American College of Gastroenterology

did you know?Wearing bright colors, floral

prints or strong perumes can

make you more desirable to bees

and other stinging insects.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

I never used sunscreen as a kid. Will it do any good tostart using it now?

IF YOU havent been using sunscreen, its not too late to start. Recent

research suggests we get only 25 percent o our total lietime sun exposure

by age 18.

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection actor (SPF) o at

least 15 to protect your skin against two types o ultraviolet (UV) radiation

rom the sunUVA and UVB. Tese rays can damage your skin and raise

your risk o skin cancer. Generously apply sunscreen any time you plan to be

outside or 20 minutes or moreeven on cloudy days.

In addition to sunscreen, its important to shield your skin in other ways, too:l Avoid the sun when its rays are strongest, rom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.l Seek shade whenever possible.l Dont tan, either in the sun or a tanning bed.l Wear sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and long sleeves and pants.l Ask your doctor about regular skin exams and sel-checks.

2 JUNE 2008 | TAKING CARE


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contest

ARE YOU one o those people who needs sticky notes to

remind yoursel to check your sticky notes? o help boost

recollection, try these strategies:lPay attention.I your mind wanders, memories cant be

made or retained.lRepeat names when you meet people.

Also, categorize new people by how you

know them, such as Jill rom the gym.lWrite down what you learn.Putting

it on paper helps stamp it into

lasting memory.lPut things in the same place every

time. Tis includes keys, glasses, wallets

and remotes.lUse memory aids.Tese may include

checklists and activity calendars.lGet a handle on stress.Research

suggests that stress affects your ability

to concentrate and may impair short-

term memory.

Total recall:How to boost your memorylTry something new.Active brains may stay sharper, so learn to

play the banjo, get into origami or do whatever interests you.lEnjoy a mental workout.Crosswords, games and

brainteasers also may help with memory maintenance.lGet enough sleep.It may help your brain store memories.

rev upyour body and your brain with exerciseHeres a new twist on the phrasejog your memory. Studies suggest

that aerobic activities, such as brisk walking, may boost memory skills.

How? Exercise can increase blood flow and nutrients that reach the

brain, helping to boost concentration and protect against the loss of

nerve cells. And, research suggests that exercise even might stimulate

the growth of nerve cells in a part of the brain affected by aging and

involved in memory. For safetys sake, talk with your doctor before

significantly increasing your exercise level.

Sources: AARP; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Contest rules Only one entry per child.

Poems should fit on one side of

an 8-by-11-inch piece of paper.

Poems should follow the theme,

My favorite way to exercise. Write your name, age, address

and phone number at the

top of your entry.

Entries must be postmarked

by July 31, 2008.

HIKING, BIKING, skating, playing soccer or just running around with your riends

all are great ways to be active. Write a poem about your avorite way

to exercise, and you could win a prize!

Your poem doesnt have to rhyme, but it should fit

on one side o an 8-by-11-inch piece o paper. Prizes

will be awarded in three age groups: 6 to 8 years, 9 to

10 years and 11 to 12 years. One grand-prize winner

rom each age group will receive a $100 Amazon.com

gif certificate. One runner-up rom each group will

receive a $50 Amazon.com gif certificate.

Poems will be judged on originality, expressionand how closely they ollow the theme. Grand-

prize-winning poems will be eatured in a uture

issue o aking Care. Good luck!

Send your poem to:

Kids Poetry Contest

Taking Care

1505 Business One Circle

Walla Walla, WA 99362

My favoriteway

to exercise

KIDS POETRY CONTEST

TAKING CARE | JUNE 2008 3


4/8

Safe summer

SONGS ABOU summertime un never

seem to mention that warm weather also

brings its air share o hazards.

Its un spending time outdoors and

enjoying the sun. But, you also need to

use caution. Here are some tips on how

to enjoy the season saely.

Whats for lunch?

Warm temperatures boost the risk oood illness. o avoid it:l Careully rinse resh ruits and

vegetables beore using.l When preparing or a picnic, place cold

oods in a chilled cooler. Te goal is to

keep the temperature o the ood at or

below 40 F.l Pack meat, poultry or seaood while its

still rozen. Keep raw meats separate

so their juices dont contaminate

other oods.l Use a meat thermometer to ensure that

meats are ully cooked.l Put cooked meat on a new plate

and serve it with new utensils

afer cooking.l Dont let perishable ood sit out or

more than two hoursone hour i

temperatures are above 90 F.

Here comes the suno lower the risk o skin cancer rom sun

exposure when spending time outdoors:l Put on sunscreen and lip balm with a

sun protection actor (SPF) o at least 15.

Reapply sunscreen every two hours, and

afer swimming or sweating.

l Wear clothing that protects exposedskin, including a wide-brimmed hat to

shade your ace, ears and neck.l Stay indoors or in the shade during

midday hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).l Keep inants younger than age

6 months out o direct sunlight.

Also, sunglasses can help protect your

eyes rom the suns harmul rays.

Bug offo avoid itchy, painul and potentially

dangerous insect bites and stings:l Wear long sleeves and pants and use

an insect repellent containing DEE.

However, dont apply DEE to inants

younger than age 2 months.l Place screens on doors and windows.l Eliminate areas o standing water near

your home.l Wear light-colored clothing and avoid

scented soaps and perumes.l Keep ood, drinks and garbage covered.

Feeling the heatSummer can bring extreme heat andhumidity. I your body gets too hot, you

can develop potentially serious health

problems, such as heatstroke. People who

work outdoors, seniors, children and

people with health conditions are among

those at greatest risk. o protect yoursel:l Drink more fluids, especially water.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can

dehydrate you.l I you dont have air conditioning at

home, visit places that do, such as ashopping mall or a library.

l Cool down with a cool shower or bath.l Stay hydrated when exercising or

playing sports.l Ask the coaches o childrens sports

teams what steps they take to help keep

the kids sae in warmer weather.

Watch or symptoms o lie-

threatening heatstroke, including:l Skin that eels extremely hot to the touchl Conusion and disorientationl Irrational, agitated or aggressive behaviorl Possible seizuresl Loss o consciousness

I you notice someone having any o

these symptoms, move the person to a

cooler place, such as a shady area, and

immediately call 9-1-1 to get emergency

medical help. While youre waiting or

help to arrive, lightly spray water on the

persons skin and an him or her.



5/8

fun

Rolling alongObserve proper saety when biking,

skateboarding or inline skating.

On bikes:

l Wear a well-fitting helmet with a

sticker showing it meets U.S. Consumer

Product Saety Commission, ASM,

ANSI or Snell saety standards.

l Use proper hand signals when turning:lef arm straight when turning lef

and lef orearm bent up at the elbow

when turning right.l Be sure your bike has the appropriate

reflectors on it.l Ride with traffi c, not against it, and

ride single file i youre in a group.l Wear bright clothing and use a light

when riding at night.

On inline skates and skateboards:

l Wear a helmet, knee and elbow pads,

gloves and other appropriate equipment.l Dont skate in traffi c. Use a skate park or

other designated area.l Dont try tricks or skate beyond your

skill level.l ry to roll when alling instead o

absorbing the orce with your arms.

Relax your body instead o going stiff.l I you can, take a course to learn the basics.

Big bang:Celebrate safelyOoh! Aah! Ouch! Fireworks sure

look nice. But, they can hurt, too.

According to the National

Safety Council, an estimated

10,800 people were treated in

emergency rooms for fireworksinjuries in 2005. Nearly half

were children younger than

age 15 years.

To stay safe:

lBuy fireworks from reputable

dealers and read warning labels.

lNever allow young children to

hold or light fireworks.

lSupervise older children.

lLight fireworks in a clear

area away from homes and

flammable materials.

lDont set off fireworks in glass

or metal containers.

lLight one item at a time.

lDont try to relight or handle

fireworks that dont go off.

Soak them in water and throw

them away.

lKeep a bucket of water handy.

Splish, splashDrowning claims the lives o nearly 3,000

people in the United States each year,

most o them children ages 4 years andyounger. o protect your amily:l Stay within arms reach o young

children when theyre in the bathtub,

wading pool, swimming pool or any other

type o water.l each older children to swim with a

buddy at all times.l Fence off private swimming pools so

children cant access them without an

adult. Consider installing a retractable

cover or added saety, and make sure to

keep excess water off the cover.l Dont drink alcohol when operating a

boat, beore or during swimming, or

when supervising children around water.l Use lie jackets.l Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation

(CPR). Check with your local Red

Cross or American Heart Association

offi ce or inormation about classes.

Also, keep an eye on the weather. Get

away rom the water and move indoors

i it looks like a bad storm or lightning is

headed your way.

Rash decisionsPrevent rashes by learning to identiy and

avoid poison ivy, poison oak and other

troublesome plants.

reat rashes rom plants with oatmeal

baths or by applying calamine lotion.

A doctor also may recommend

over-the-counter remedies or prescribe

medicines to help.



6/8

youre in charge

DISEASES OFEN are most treatable

when ound early. Sometimes, however,

symptoms dont appear until the

disease is more advanced. Tats whyscreening tests are important. Tey have

the potential to detect diseases when

treatment can do the most good.

But, its also important to keep everything in perspective.

Screening tests arent perect. o understand why, lets take a

look at some terms associated with testing:

Positive. Apositiveresult means the test has ound

something that appears to be abnormal.

False positive and specificity. Fortunately, a positive test

result doesnt necessarily mean something is wrong. Most

abnormal mammograms, or example, turn out notto be

cancer. Tats why doctors usually do additional testing i a

screening test comes back positive.

False positivesoccur more ofen when a test isnt highly

specific. Specificityreers to a screening tests accuracy in

showing absence o disease. A test with imperect specificity

ofen raises red flags even when no disease is present.

Negative. A negativeresult means the test didnt find

any abnormalities.

False negative and sensitivity. Unortunately, its possible

to have a test result that says you dont have a condition when

in act you do. Afalse negativeresult can lead to delays in a

true diagnosis and proper treatment. False negatives result

rom tests with imperect sensitivity. Sensitivityreers to a tests

accuracy in detecting the presence o disease. A test with poor

sensitivity may ail to find disease when its present.

Scheduling screening tests at regular intervals can help reduce

the risk o missing a disease due to occasional alse negatives.

Questions to askBeore you have a screening test, ask your doctor:lHow ofen does this test have alse positives or alse negatives?lWhat ollow-up do you recommend i the result is positive?

When the test result comes back, remember that a positive

finding doesnt necessarily mean anything is wrong. But, a

negative finding doesnt necessarily mean everything is OK,

either. alk with your doctor about what the results o your

tests mean or your specific situation.

Its still important to take good care o yoursel and

promptly report any health changes to your doctor. Also, ollow

your doctors advice or additional screening tests.

do I need to have screening tests?Just because theres a test to screen for a certain disease doesnt

necessarily mean you need to have it. Many factors can influence your

decision, such as recommendations from leading medical organizations,

your age, sex, personal and family health history, and lifestyle habits.Also consider:

Prognosis and treatment options.A test for prostate cancer,

for example, may find a cancer that will grow slowly and never cause

problems, while treatment could lead to erectile dysfunction.

Potential risks of the test versus the potential benefits of

treatment.For instance, a colonoscopy to check for colorectal cancer

can have some risks that should be weighed against the benefit of

finding and treating early cancer.

Your doctors advice.Because of issues like this, health experts

encourage people to talk with their doctors about screening tests. Your

doctor will help you create a screening plan thats best for you.

Sources: American Cancer Society; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In search ofhiddendisease

Scheduling screening

tests at regular intervals

can help reduce the riskof missing a disease.



7/8

mens health

LIF HEAVY objects with care, eat plenty o fiber and stop

smoking: Tese health tips have something in common. Eachcan help you reduce your risk o a hernia.

A hernia develops when an organ bulges through the wall

o muscle or tissue thats supposed to contain it. Ofen, its a

section o the intestine that bulges through a weak area in your

abdominal muscles. Sometimes, the bulge can be pushed back,

and other times it cant.

Te most common type o hernia happens in the groin and

is called an inguinal hernia. Men are more prone to hernias than

women, although hernias can happen to anyone, including kids.

Causes and symptomsI you notice a lump in your abdomen, pelvic area or scrotum,you may have a hernia and should see your doctor or a

diagnosis. Inguinal hernias also may cause a sensation o

pressure in your groin. Some hernias cause pain and

some dont.

Hernias can result when abdominal muscles become

strained. Te ollowing things may lead to strains:

Can youtrust atruss?You may have heard

of trusses. These

devices, worn

around the groin

somewhat like an

athletic supporter,

are supposed to help

push a hernia back

into place.

However, some

research suggests

that trusses may

not be as beneficial

as once thought.

Before trying to self-

treat a hernia with

a truss, talk with

your doctor.

lLifing heavy objectslObesitylOngoing constipation and straining during bowel movementslChronic sneezing or coughing, such as rom allergies or smoking

o help keep a hernia rom worsening, avoid moving heavy

objects, quit smoking i you smoke, and eat a high-fiber diet.

TreatmentSome untreated hernias can worsen. I the tissue twists or

is pinched too tighta condition called strangulation

blood flow may be cut off to the herniated area. Symptoms

ofen include severe pain, nausea and vomiting. Within hours,

this condition can lead to a lie-threatening situation, so itsimportant to seek emergency care right away i you have a

hernia with these symptoms.

I the hernia isnt strangulated, however, an outpatient

surgery can be scheduled at your convenience to repair the

hernia. Or, your doctor may suggest watchul waiting.

I you think you may have a hernia, talk with your doctor

about which treatment option is right or you.

INGUINAL HERNIA

Strengthening your weak walls



8/8

Michael W. Rosen, M.D.National Medical Executive,

Health Solutions Group

Joseph R. Carcione Jr., D.O.,M.B.A.Medical Director, Healthcare

Services, Oxford Health Plansa

UnitedHealthcare Company

Gail Borgatti Croall, M.D.National Medical Director, Health

Care Decision Support, Optum

Phyllis D. Cross, M.D., M.P.H.Medical Consultant, Optum

Tanise Edwards, M.D.Medical Consultant, Optum

Cheryl Lewis, R.N.Medical Consultant, Optum

Virginia Lund, M.A., L.P.,C.E.A.P.Mental Health Consultant, Optum

Richard A. Zabinski,Pharm.D.Vice President, Pharmaceutical

Solutions, Health Solutions Group

Taking Careadheres to stringent clinical standards andis reviewed by the following medical professionals:

Taking CareJune 2008 | Vol. 30, No. 6

E-mail:[email protected] you have an address change, send

it directly to the entity through which

you receive the newslettersuch as

your employer or health plan.

Taking Careis dedicated to helping

people have healthier lives. However,

this publication does not replace

the necessary and individualized

medical care offered by a health

care professional. Not all treatments

mentioned in Taking Careare covered

by your health plan. Please check

with your health plan regarding

covered services.

Unless otherwise noted, all models are

used for illustrative purposes only.

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Do you have questions?Optum NurseLine registered nurses are available toanswer your questions and provide health information.

This page of your Taking Carenewsletter features

examples of the kinds of questions people askas

well as the kinds of helpful answers they receive.

Can antibacterial soap keep my family healthier?

IF PLAIN soap is good at getting rid o germs, antibacterial

soap must be even better. It seems to make sense, but is it true?Not necessarily, according to a study in the medical journal

Te Lancet. Researchers measured the health impact o

handwashing among children in some Pakistani communities.

About 600 households were given soap. Hal received plain

soap, and hal were given antibacterial soap. For one year, field

workers visited the households every week to encourage regular

handwashing and keep track o any symptoms o sickness.

According to the study, washing with either soap was very

effective in helping to prevent illness. No significant advantage

was ound in using antibacterial soap.

For the most effective handwashing, the Centers or DiseaseControl and Prevention recommends that you:l Wet your hands with clean running water (an alcohol-based

hand sanitizer can be used i soap and water arent available).l Apply soap, and rub your hands together to make a lather.l Scrub all the suraces o your hands.

Handwashinghelps you avoid sicknessl Continue rubbing your hands or 20 secondsabout the time

that it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.l Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water.l Dry your hands with a paper towel or air dryer.

Remember to wash your hands:l Beore you prepare or eat oodl Afer going to the bathroom, changing a diaper or cleaning

up a child who has gone to the bathrooml Beore and afer taking care o a wound or someone whos sickl Afer blowing your nose, coughing or sneezingl Afer handling an animal or animal wastel Afer handling garbage

TakingCare 2008 June

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