Health and Wellness 38

5 Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones This Holiday Season

By d-mars.com News Provider

The holidays are right around the corner, and experts are already seeing a rise in respiratory illnesses like influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In addition, COVID-19 continues to be a serious health threat in the United States.

As you gather with family and friends this holiday season, remember that one of the most important gifts you can give your loved ones is the gift of health. For a healthier, happier season, the American Lung Association offers these five tips:

1. Get your COVID-19 and flu shots: The single best way to stay healthy and protect others is to be up to date on your recommended COVID-19 vaccinations and make sure all of your loved ones – from those aged 6 months to 100+ years – are also up to date on theirs. This includes the new COVID-19 booster shot, which is expected to provide protection against the most recent variants and subvariants. It’s also time for your annual flu shot. Staying current with all your vaccinations is key to protecting your health.

2. Keep your medications and mask with you: If you are traveling, make sure to keep your regular medications and a mask with you (not in your checked luggage). It is good to have a mask on hand if you are with

someone who is immunocompromised and prefers you to wear one.

3. Consider testing: Before large gatherings, consider doing an at-home COVID-19 test as an added layer of confidence that you are healthy. The average cost of a two-pack self-test at the drugstore is $25 and is covered by most insurance policies.

4. Wash your hands often: Scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you’re unable to wash your hands, using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol is a good alternative. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, as it allows the germs on your hands to reach moist, porous surface tissue where the germs can enter your body and cause infection.

5. Stay home if you’re sick: Stay home when you are feeling ill. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or flu, you should test immediately and contact your healthcare provider if you are at high risk for severe illness to discuss possible treatment options.

With COVID-19, the flu, and other seasonal illnesses spreading nationwide, take steps to protect yourself and those you love to make this a happy and healthy holiday season for all.

For more information, visit Lung.org/ Viruses

Source: StatePoint

CRNAs Are the Solution To Delayed Surgical Care for Veterans

By d-mars.com News Provider

As we honor veterans, it can be easy to forget about the challenges some continue to face at home: challenges that include undergoing critical medical procedures in a timely manner.

Long

wait times

Veterans have to wait too long for surgical care in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. According to a survey by Veterans Need Care Now, a grassroots coalition committed to reducing surgical wait times, 23% of veteran households report delays in securing VA health appointments and surgical procedures.

Access to high-quality, timely care

Veterans deserve access to high-quality care without long wait times. Reports have shown a lack of access to anesthesia services in the VA, which may be a contributing factor to lengthy wait times along with other factors such as staff shortages, limited space, and access to specialists. A national review of staffing shortages at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for the fiscal year 2021 found anesthesiology shortages at numerous VHA facilities, including in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Washington State, California, and Minnesota.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

The ability of CRNAs to provide high-quality care, even under the most difficult circumstances, has been recognized by every branch of the U.S. military. CRNAs have full practice authority in the Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and in combat support hospitals, where 90% of forward surgical teams are staffed by CRNAs. “The high quality of care that CRNAs can be trusted to provide is reflected in our military, where CRNAs are allowed to practice independent of physician referral and supervision,” said AANA President Angela R. Mund, DNP, CRNA.

While CRNAs care for wounded soldiers on battlefields and safely and cost-effectively provide quality anesthesia care to veterans here at home, many VA hospitals only allow CRNAs to provide anesthesia under the supervision of a physician anesthesiologist. Requiring an additional person for the procedure can create a backlog of access to critical procedures as well as added expenses. This federal mandate creates an unnecessary barrier to expanding care and exacerbates any provider shortages.

Finding a solution and shortening wait times

Results of a study by RTI International indicated that

allowing nurse anesthetists to provide anesthesia services without supervision from a physician does not put patients at increased risk. In fact, no significant difference was found in patient outcomes when comparing the three scenarios studied: CRNAs working alone in the operating room without anesthesiologist supervision, anesthesiologists working alone, and the CRNA and anesthesiologist working together on a case. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government suspended the supervision requirement for CRNAs so more patients could have access to the care they needed. And now, 22 states have opted out of the federal Medicare requirement that calls for physician supervision of CRNAs.

A study by the Lewin Group shows that a CRNA practicing without supervision is the most cost-effective method of anesthesia delivery and that increasing the number of CRNAs and permitting them to practice in the most efficient delivery models will be key to containing costs while maintaining quality care. Based on this evidence, CRNA full practice authority within the VA can increase veteran access to care, lower wait times, and decrease costs.

To learn more about the role and duties of CRNAs, visit VeteransNeedCareNow.org.

Source: BPT

Two types of medical professionals are able to deliver anesthesia to patients: physician anesthesiologists and

Sexy Diva World, Inc. is helping women all over the world understand that they can create their dream life. This movement helps women understand that self-love is sexy! Women have access to a whole new world when they love themselves, and our programs help them understand that self-love is a choice. Beneath all the layers of hurt, betrayal, disappointment, selfsabotage, and feelings of isolation is a Sexy Diva waiting to be unleashed. I welcome all women to join this movement!

HELPING WOMEN Release, Transform, Emerge & Transcend

By d-mars.com News Provider

We hear the term “women’s empowerment,” but do we really stand on it? Backbiting, catfights, and jealousy seem to be the norm depicted on reality TV and in the media when it comes to women and their circles. But Charlene Taylor, the founder, owner, and CEO of Sexy Diva World, Inc., successfully leads this global movement for women that is changing the negative narrative.

Charlene is a two-time NPC Bodybuilding champion and a top ten fitness competitor who has been featured on Channel 2 KPRC-TV. She is known as “The Liberian Lioness,” committed to spreading love, inspiring, and empowering women worldwide to discover their authentic selves. An entrepreneur for over 20 years, in addition to leading the Sexy Diva World brand, she is a success strategist and CEO of Ace Compliance Consulting and Social Gym Club, Inc.

Charlene, through Sexy Diva World, is helping women of all ages and single moms worldwide in a trusted space to unleash their feminine power with specifically designed programs for the needs of the whole woman. Her platform is strategic in helping women discover self-love and connecting them to a genuine circle of like-minded women for their health and well-being.

Under this effort, Charlene has not forgotten about the younger generation and has the Diva in Training Foundation to provide support, training, and a life-changing curriculum to inspire teenage girls to love

—Charlene Taylor, the founder, owner, and CEO of Sexy Diva World, Inc.

HELPING WOMEN Transform, Transcend

HEALTH

Q&A With Charlene Taylor:

DMARS: What was the event in your life that birthed Sexy Diva World, Inc.?

CT: In the mist of terminating a toxic relationship, I discovered I was pregnant. I felt alone and angry my picture perfect life I created was shatter in a thousand pieces without purpose. Being in such a dark place, I saw the light when I heard “Goddess of love” and “sexy diva” in a soft loving voice as I cried out to God seeking purpose. That experience 13 years ago birthed this movement to empower and inspire women to embrace self-love even in the space of feeling alone and isolated.

DMARS: Your initiative is about self-love. Was there ever a time you had issues with your own self-esteem and self-worth? How did you overcome that?

CT: I knew I was smart because I made the good grades my mother expected. I knew I was the best athlete in my school because I set records, earned trophies, medals, featured in the local news weekly, and was recruited by over 20 of the top colleges in the nation. Though I excelled at athletics and academics, I wasn’t told I was beautiful growing up as a young girl. As an adult, I learned to tell myself that I was beautiful. The more I spoke it, the more I believed it, embraced it, and lived it.

DMARS: The term “sexy” can sometimes be used to put women in a place where they are looked at as objects. What is your definition of the term as you empower women and as it relates to this platform?

CT: The term “sexy” is a mindset and a way of being. Our feminine energy is the spark that radiates us and the essence of being sexy. Our Sexy Divas are powerful women who are courageous, confident, and unstoppable as they create life with extraordinary love, laughter, and heartfelt joy.

DMARS: Can you provide us with a success story of a woman who has been empowered through participating in your program(s)?

CT: There was a woman I was connected to who was a victim of domestic violence. She was being beaten in the middle of the street by her boyfriend, and no one was helping her. I got out of my car and was able to get her away from him. I discovered we lived in the same community. Over a period of time, with tools, resources, and a safe plan of action, she was able to leave her abusive boyfriend. To see a woman’s transformation is powerful.

and honor themselves, build self-confidence, develop high self-esteem, and embrace sisterhood. The girls are introduced to new concepts that spark mindset shifts and participate in events and activities that expose them to a world of endless possibilities that empowers each girl to live a purposeful life. Being a mom herself, it was important for her to create an extension of this foundation to uplift single moms with training and development, education assistance, and life-changing on-the-job opportunities that enable them to improve their professional skills, mindset, and lives so they have the tools and resources to support their children and families.

Some of the Sexy Diva World programs include:

• Annual Self-Love & Sisterhood Summit

• Quarterly Two-Day Retreat

• Sexy Diva Squad

• Metamorphosis Retreat

• Intimacy, Love & Sex Crew

• Diva in Training Foundation

• Sexy Diva Speakers University

If you would like to join the Sexy Diva World Inc. movement and take the Sexy Diva Integrity Pledge,

DMARS: Through this program helping other women, how have you yourself evolved as a woman?

CT: I absolutely have evolved. I went from knowing myself as a powerful, confident, sexy, and fun woman to evolving more and more as an effective leader for women, now known as “The Liberian Lioness,” unstoppable in attracting all that I desire.

DMARS: What are the short-term and long-term goals for Sexy Diva World, Inc.?

CT: Short-term, I want this organization to continue to empower women worldwide, helping them embrace self-love and sisterhood and live by our Sexy Diva Integrity Pledge. Long-term, I want us to fulfill our mission, vision, and foundation statement that results in every female loving herself, loving her life and living life to the fullest with extraordinary love, laughter, and heartfelt joy.

Sexy Diva World welcomes women from all walks of life and is creating a world where women respect and love themselves, which in turn helps them honor and respect each other. Charlene understands that some women are still carrying the pain of being betrayed by so-called friends or have not healed from generational curses. This acclaimed and widely-recognized platform is proven effective in bringing women together to connect and collaborate, helping them live life to the fullest.

How Do You Know Blood Donations Are Safe?

By d-mars.com News Provider

Every two seconds, someone in the United States (U.S.) needs blood. A single donation can save lives. However, only 3% of eligible Americans give blood each year.

“When you give blood, you’re giving the gift of life,” said Simone Glynn, M.D., chief of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Blood Epidemiology and Clinical Therapeutics Branch. “You aren’t just helping patients in critical care, but also those dealing with blood disorders.”

For the person doing the giving, you can be assured that you are doing a great thing, Glynn said. But if you’re the person receiving, can you trust that the blood you’re getting is safe?

Glynn said it’s a very important question. For 30 years, NHLBI has funded programs and research aimed at keeping the nation’s blood supply safe. One of these programs is NHLBI’s Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study, or REDS program. The REDS program conducts research to evaluate and improve the safety of the nation’s blood supply and the safety and effectiveness of transfusion therapies in children and adults. REDS is the largest research program of its kind in the U.S. It addresses potential emerging threats to the blood supply and serves as a resource for ongoing transfusion research. Because of programs like REDS, patients can have confidence that the blood they are receiving is safe.

Another major reason the blood supply is safe and trustworthy, Dr. Kamille West-

Mitchell of the National Institute of Health Clinical Center Blood Bank noted, “are the donor screening requirements that blood donation sites have in place to ensure the safety of both donors and blood recipients.” On the day a person shows up to give blood, some of the requirements they must meet are to:

* Be in good health - meaning that you feel well and can perform normal activities

* Have a healthy pulse and blood pressure

* Register a normal temperature - not a fever

* Meet their state’s minimum age requirement

* Not have a low hemoglobin level

* Not have HIV, hepatitis, or risk factors for these infections and other bloodtransmissible infections

* Not have donated blood in the last 56 days

Once the person’s blood leaves the donation site, it is carefully tested and screened for major known transfusion-transmissible agents such as HIV and hepatitis B and C to ensure it is safe, then stored at the right temperature before it is shipped where needed.

“Blood is always in demand because it’s perishable. But the good news is most people can donate blood,” West-Mitchell said. Finding a place to donate is simple, as there are blood donation sites in nearly every community. For more information about blood donation and safety, visit the NHLBI’s Blood Diseases & Disorders Education Program at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/blood/donation.

January 2023 is National Blood Donor Month!

Source: BPT

Living With Diabetes? Why You Need to Pay Attention to Your Feet

By d-mars.com News Provider

Diabetes can impact the body in a number of ways, especially creating potentially serious complications for your feet.

“Foot care is a central component of overall diabetes care,” says Bryce Paschold, DPM, FACFAS, a boardcertified foot and ankle surgeon and a fellow member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. “Without precautions, even small foot problems can lead to amputation or be life-threatening.”

To help those living with diabetes understand potential complications and how to avoid them, ACFAS is sharing these important insights:

Potential Complications

Nerve damage that affects arms, hands, legs, and feet known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy not only makes you more likely to experience numbness, burning, and loss of your protective sensation, but losing sensation in your feet can also make it easier to miss common minor skin pathologies and other foot issues while they’re still relatively easy to treat.

With diabetes, the blood vessels below the knee often become narrow and restrict blood flow, causing infections that don’t heal. This common and serious complication can lead to the loss of your foot, leg, or your life.

Stress fractures and sprains are commonplace among all athletes, but those living with diabetes who experience neuropathy are more likely to be unaware of foot and ankle injuries and exacerbate them by continuing their activities.

While still relatively rare, Charcot foot seems to be growing in prevalence as more Americans develop diabetes. This sudden destruction and erosion of the foot’s bones, caused by severe nerve damage, can trigger an avalanche of problems, including joint loss, fractures, the collapse of the arch, massive deformity, ulcers, amputation, and even death. Symptoms appear suddenly and include warm and red skin and swelling, but commonly without pain.

Prevention

You can play a vital role in reducing your risk for complications. Here’s how:

• Inspect feet daily. Check for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling, and nail problems. Use a magnifying mirror to look at the bottom of your feet. If you need assistance, have someone else do it for you. Be proactive by knowing what is going on with your feet on a daily basis.

• Don’t ignore pain. Seek care immediately if you experience pain in your leg at night or with little activity. It could mean you have a blocked artery.

• Don’t perform “bathroom surgery.” Never trim calluses or corns yourself, and don’t use over-the-counter medicated pads. See a foot and ankle surgeon for

proper treatment.

• Keep floors clear. To prevent injury, make sure no needles, insulin syringes, or other sharp objects are on the floor. You should also always wear shoes, indoors and outdoors.

• Prevent Irritation. Shake shoes free of small objects you may not be able to feel and ensure your socks aren’t bunched up. Wear lighter-colored socks so you’ll notice blood or drainage if they occur.

• Be temperature aware. Never use heating pads, hot water bottles, ice or electric blankets, and never put your feet in hot water without testing the temperature; you can easily burn your feet without noticing.

• Stay active. Improve circulation by wiggling your toes and moving your ankles for five minutes, two to three times a day.

• Control blood sugar levels. Good diabetes management reduces your risk of developing complications.

• Book an appointment. Visit a foot and ankle surgeon to determine if you have lost any feeling or circulation. Periodic foot exams can also help prevent complications. “Advanced therapies for foot wounds, such as the use of bioengineered skin substitutes and negative pressure wound therapy, are saving limbs and restoring mobility for people who suffer from nonhealing foot ulcers,” says Dr. Paschold.

For more information and to find a foot and ankle surgeon near you, visit