Daily food choices can have a profound impact on overall health and well-being. Not only do healthy dietary patterns help maintain good health, they also reduce the risk of chronic diseases throughout all stages of life. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, and nutrition experts agree it is vital to
When the cold weather hits, it’s common for many of us to spend more time indoors, and allow some of our exercise routines to lapse. However, once spring arrives, motivation levels rise as the days lengthen and grow warmer. As we approach warmer weather and spring, it can be tempting to jump right into an
The aortic valve is the exit door of the heart and all of the oxygen-rich blood that keeps us alive is pumped through it. Without fail, this door bends open every time the heart beats, roughly 80 times per minute since the day we were born, and closes again as the heart refills. Unfortunately, for
The task of searching for wandering or lost individuals with Alzheimer’s, autism, Down syndrome, dementia or other cognitive conditions is a growing and serious responsibility. Without effective procedures and equipment, searches can involve multiple agencies, hundreds of officers, countless man hours and thousands of dollars. More importantly, because time is of the essence, every minute
Many questions exist about COVID-19 vaccines and to get to the facts, it’s important to understand how the vaccines work and affect the body. The most common side effects are muscle aches, fatigue, soreness at the injection site, headache, and fever. These short-term side effects typically resolve within 24 to 48 hours and are a
Getting vaccinated for the flu is more important than ever. Not only will a flu shot help keep you and your family healthy, it can help reduce the strain on the healthcare system and keep hospital beds and other medical resources available for people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This is no ordinary flu season;
Making friends as a child or even as a parent to school-aged children is relatively easy. Classrooms and school functions facilitate the building of friendships. Even as one gets older and enters the workforce, it’s not uncommon for people to become friends with their coworkers. As people near retirement age, their situations may have changed
At some point in your life you may have prepared a Last Will & Testament or Powers of Attorney. Perhaps you signed them when your family was young and you needed some documents, “just in case.” Then they were put away in that drawer or filing cabinet and sat there for decades. Have you ever
Fertilizer is important, whether growing houseplants, container plants, or a garden. Before you get started, you can check your soil using a simple test kit. If you contact your local Cooperative Extension office, they will send you a test kit (approximately $10). Our local Cooperative is the Penn State Extension. Their web address is https://extension.psu.edu/lycoming-county.
When the pandemic started almost a year ago, many people weren’t sure how to manage their daily lives as lock-down orders essentially turned homes into offices, schools, and gyms. As the restrictions loosened up, some companies began to open offices again, however, others are still encouraging a minimal on-site office presence, and some may never
After months of unfamiliar restrictions and guidelines, pandemic fatigue is affecting how some Americans protect their health. However, experts warn that diligence is still extremely important because new mutations and variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are being discovered. The typical cold and flu season also brings added threats to people’s health and wellness.
