Author Archives: Alison Palmer

Simple Health Lessons from Cub Scouts

I’m lucky enough (hah!) to have a son in the Cub Scout program. Cub scouting parents are handed a list of things to buy, and a nice requirement book. Sometimes we’re given no more direction than “have at it!” but that’s another subject entirely. This week, my husband and I decided to spend some time helping our son with some of his scouting requirements. We chose to look at the ones having to do with health. Sometimes we get a little overwhelmed trying to figure out how to be healthy and help our families be healthy. There are a million … Continue reading →

Dealing with Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that causes burning, itching, scaling, cracking, with sores and blisters on the affected foot. Fungus grows best in warm, moist areas, that’s why it is attracted to our feet. It is contagious, but it can also usually be treated at home. There are many over the counter remedies available, but they must be used exactly as directed. Here are a few other things to try as well. Let your feet breathe as much as possible. Wear white, cotton socks to help keep your feet dry and avoid exposure to fabric dyes. Some fabric dyes … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- Visit Someone in the Hospital

Its’ a sure-fire cure for whatever ails you. Spend some time with someone who needs you. Go visit a hospital, or a nursing home. It doesn’t matter if you know someone in the hospital or not. Call your friends, or your clergy, ask them if they know someone you could visit or help. If that fails, just pick up and go. If you feel a little awkward, take a small gift with you: some daisies, a balloon, or a stuffed animal your kids don’t use anymore. Even better, take a friend. When you get to where you’re going, stop at … Continue reading →

Fun Health Myths

My six year old son was doing a research project. He wanted to find out more about poisonous ladybugs. How he decided ladybugs were poisonous is beyond me. When we looked it up, it turns out that they are. The catch is you’d have to eat several hundred of them to even feel sick. While we were researching ladybugs I ran across a piece of folk lore from France: If you are ill and a ladybug lands on you, when it flies away it will take the illness with it. Where’s a ladybug when you need one? This little tidbit … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- It’s No Sugar Day!

If you had a hard time getting through “No Soda Day”, here’s a real treat for you! Today, just for today, try to go without sugar. Sugar has been named the bad guy in many a health problem. The most apparent is diabetes, but it also can be a major player in depression, yeast infections, headaches, and obesity, just to name a few. I wouldn’t dare suggest that you or I go without it for longer than a day. That would be extreme measures indeed. You’d be rebelling against me in masses. I’d probably have to escort myself to the … Continue reading →

Alternative Medicine and Your Doctor

Alternative medicine is gaining in popularity. It comes in all sizes, shapes and colors. As we learn about it’s diversity and benefits, more and more Americans are giving it a try. Let’s face it, as a whole we’re a very unhealthy bunch. We are beginning to recognize that, and some of us look for more “natural” ways to reclaim our bodies than others. Most people, I think, try to strike a balance between the medical world and our alternative worlds. The bad part is we don’t always tell our medical doctors what else we are doing and vise-versa. That can … Continue reading →

Adult Braces

Like many of you, I had braces as a teenager. It was ugly and painful and it seemed to last forever (both the braces and the teenage years). I have no desire to relive those years and though my teeth have shifted back out of that “perfect” smile, I’d need a darn good reason for getting braces as an adult. So, why are so many adults considering and ultimately getting braces? Braces and the science behind them have come a long way from when I had them as a teenager. Maybe you didn’t get to experience this rite of passage … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- Replace Your Toothbrush

I admit it. I’ve been using the same toothbrush for a very long time. I think it’s a comfort issue. I like to know that when I stumble through my morning routine that the same shampoo, soap, towel, and toothbrush will greet me. Realistically, toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months. Toothbrushes do wear out. When the bristles start to lose their shape or start to look “fuzzy”, it’s time to get a new brush. A new toothbrush cleans your teeth about 30% better than the one you have been using for more than three months. If you … Continue reading →

Understanding Good and Bad Cholesterol

Most of us have heard that cholesterol is bad. Some of us have heard rumors that it can actually be good. Good and bad are nice labels for a complicated problem. Like most things in life, it’s not a matter of black and white. It’s all shades of gray. I’ll give you the basics and make it as simple as I can. From there it turns into a tricky balancing act. Here it is: LDL=Bad HDL=Good LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the kind that sticks to the arteries in your heart and brain. It builds up and forms nasty … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- Register for a CPR Course

It only takes a few minutes to register, a couple hours out of your week and usually less than $50.00 out of your pocket. It’s definitely worth both the time and monetary costs. You can take the courses at your home with family and friends, with a group from your community or on your computer. It’s important to learn a little bit about how to save a life and what to do in an emergency. Statistics tell us that 80% of all heart attacks will happen in the person’s own home. So the number one reason for knowing CPR (cardiopulmonary … Continue reading →