A long-time reader wrote in asking about “the forgotten organ: the spleen.” Maybe he was motivated by the common references found on social media about this elusive organ or the lack of telethons in its support. Forgotten by some, the spleen is in the forefront of a trauma surgeon’s mind when a patient arrives at
OK gentlemen…. By now you have switched out those winter tires on the cars and changed the oil in the lawn mower. But let’s not forget your personal tune up. June is National Men’s Health Month. It is a time to focus on your health, and to make that long overdue appointment to see the
Skin cancer is a prevalent and potentially life-threatening condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. However, through community-focused efforts, we can raise awareness, promote early detection, and implement preventive measures to combat skin cancer effectively. In many instances, if detected early, cure rates for skin cancer are often high. Understanding Skin Cancer Skin cancer occurs
Andrea Burch, MS, RN, NEA-BC, has been named president of Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge. She has been serving as Lutheran’s interim president since February when Scott Peek transitioned to the president at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. He is also Intermountain Health’s Front Range Market president. Burch will continue to support Lutheran’s integration
Stressful situations in life are often unavoidable. It is common to feel stressed at times. Three out of four adults experience stress-related health effects. Stress is a physical response to challenging circumstances in your world, and can result in physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms. Stress is different from anxiety, which is a psychological reaction characterized
An apple a day, well, you know the rest. March is National Nutrition Month and National Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Month. It seems like an opportune time to focus on the foods we eat that may protect us from CRC or may contribute to it. Cases of CRC have been steadily declining since the mid-1980s in
February is American Heart Month and leads with the first Friday as National Wear Red Day. Perhaps surprisingly, the shortest month in the calendar is devoted to heart disease, the leading cause of death in Americans. Regardless, it is a time to raise awareness and remind us that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is largely preventable. CVD
Happy 2024! January is that time of year to look back and take stock of our accomplishments in the prior year. A time to look forward and plan our upcoming goals. The most popular New Year’s resolutions are health related. With obesity rates near 42% in the U.S. and reaching 25% in Colorado, according to
If you are a person who maintains a healthy body weight, exercises aerobically for at least 150 minutes (about 2 and a half hours) a week, eats a healthy diet consisting of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, low in saturated fats and devoid of refined carbs and sugar, and if you are a
Although lung cancer is responsible for most cancer deaths within the U.S., early detection significantly improves the chances of survival. The likelihood of surviving lung cancer is based on the clinical stage at diagnosis. The stages are I-IV, with stage IV lung cancer having the lowest five-year survival rate. Fortunately, there are ways to detect
We all have feelings of sadness at some point in life. When those feelings last for more than two weeks and interfere with our daily lives, perhaps something more is going on. National Depression Screening Day is Oct. 12. Depression is common, affecting about 18 percent of Americans, and it is treatable. If you recognize yourself or someone you
As Christopher Walken said in a famous Saturday Night Live skit, “I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.” In medicine, of course we know better. We have all been sick at some point in our lives. But when will getting a good night’s rest help us feel better and when is a visit to
It has been over 50 years since there has been a case of smallpox anywhere in the world. It remains the only human disease to be eradicated worldwide thus far. Through surveillance, contact tracing, education and vaccination, a disease that has killed and maimed hundreds of millions of people for over 3,000 years is no more. Three out of
Most of us are aware of the poor air quality along the Front Range, which has continued to decline since 2015. Warnings that the air quality index (AQI) is elevated and unhealthy for sensitive groups are common. People with chronic lung disease are among this group of sensitive individuals. The recommendation is to minimize time spent
This month, in honor of Men’s Health Month, let’s talk about testosterone supplementation in the aging male. Testosterone (T) is the primary male sex hormone. It makes boys into men, and some believe it is the key to the fountain of youth. There are both benefits and risks to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as we age. You may
Most of us have experienced the apprehension of getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time, or the nervousness of a social engagement. What if you experienced heart palpitations, restlessness, fear or worry, with daily activities? Fear and anxiety are normal emotions in certain circumstances and can even be beneficial. But when
Is it me or is it hot in here? Hot flashes are the most common symptom that women experience during the menopausal transition. Slowing egg production in the ovaries and the subsequent decline and fluctuating levels of female hormones are responsible for menopause symptoms. If you are a woman in your 40s or 50s, your coworkers probably are not playing an April Fool’s joke on you by changing
As the new year continues and spring approaches, it is essential to keep our health in focus. Healthy lifestyle habits and screenings are two simple ways to ensure a healthy and happy year. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, and it is a good time to review facts, and understand the risk factors and screening guidelines. Colorectal
On 911 children attending school in lower Manhattan witnessed planes flying into the Twin Towers and the aftermath. Many were severely traumatized, experiencing nightmares and physical symptoms following the attack. Their whole world and sense of safety were shaken by what they saw. Psychologist Dr. Cathy Malchiodi used art therapy to help them express in
President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared February as National Heart Month back in 1964. Despite all awareness efforts, heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 80 percent of these deaths can be prevented through lifestyle changes and proper medical management. Which leads us to prevention, prevention, prevention. Perhaps the three most important
Whether the tradition of making a new year’s resolution was started by the Babylonians or by the Romans, who made promises to the god Janus, humans have been making and breaking resolutions for a long time. Many of us look to the new year as a time to make changes and improvements in our lives, so it
It seems that talk of sleep deprivation and its ill effects is rampant. As Mick Jagger sings, “Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind.” Not to mention your health. For some, the cause of interrupted, poor-quality sleep may be a treatable condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the soft tissue in the throat collapses into
Now what was I writing about? Short-term memory loss is one of the earliest signs of dementia. We all experience forgetting someone’s name or searching for a particular word, but when forgetfulness begins to interfere with common everyday tasks, it may be time to talk to your doctor. Dementia is a blanket term for
Ladies, here’s the good: We must be doing something right. We outlive men by over five years on average in the U.S., and 75 percent of centenarians are women (National Center for Health Statistics, 2021). But what accounts for this longevity? We are good about keeping our annual checkups, completing preventative screenings and getting age-recommended
