Women Are More Likely to Develop Eye Problems?
Did you know that women are more likely than men to develop eye and vision problems? Or that 66 percent of people who are blind are women? [1] That’s why we at Horizon Family Medical Group want you to help us spread the word in April about Women’s Eye Health and...
More People Drive Distracted Than Drunk
You may be surprised to learn that more than 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), “the three biggest causes of fatalities on the road are alcohol, speeding, and distracted driving.” [1] That’s...
It’s National Nutrition Month
Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? It’s a great time to take a closer look at your family’s eating habits and, if needed, make a few adjustments. Making just a few changes to your daily diet can have long-term health benefits by lowering your risk...
How Much Is Enough Sleep?
Almost a third of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [1] It is a startling statistic when you realize every third car on the road is being driven by someone who’s tired. Not only does lack of sleep...
Let’s Celebrate World Kidney Day
Behind the scenes, your kidneys are quietly filtering 200 liters of blood each and every day. Many of us don’t even think about the work the kidneys are doing, but for the nearly 600,000 people in the U.S. who have kidney failure, kidney function is a daily concern....
Get Screened During National Cervical Health Awareness Month
January is National Cervical Health Awareness Month. It’s a perfect time to remind your loved ones to get screened and, if they haven’t already, get vaccinated. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC), “…nearly 13,000 women in the United States are...
You May Have Glaucoma and Not Know It
January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month and a great time to discuss your eye health. It’s a sobering statistic: Nearly half of the people with glaucoma don’t know they have it. [1] Glaucoma is a disease that damages your optic nerve and can eventually lead to...
It’s National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
January 22-28 is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week. It’s the perfect time to talk with your teens about the facts and myths surrounding drug and alcohol use. In 2010, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) began an effort to help teens “learn what science has...
Christmas Tree Fire Safety
A Christmas tree is one of the enduring symbols of the holiday. But if you fail to keep your fresh tree watered, disaster can strike. A dry tree can quickly turn a happy holiday into a tragic moment. Though Christmas tree fires are relatively uncommon, they can become...
Planning for a Healthy 2018
2018 will be here before we know it. And although we still have a few holidays to get through before we ring in the New Year, it’s never too early to start thinking about your health in 2018. Below are a few tips and ideas to consider as you’re getting ready for a...
When To Get An Annual Checkup
If you haven’t had an annual checkup this year, hurry and make an appointment. And if you already had your checkup, schedule your January 2018 appointment now. Getting annual exams can often help us find problems, or potential problems, long before they start. Early...
Avoiding Turkey Fryer Disasters
Did you know that kitchen fires are 3 times more likely on Thanksgiving Day than on other days, or that turkey fryer accidents have resulted in more than $8 million in property damage since 2002? [1,2] Before you invite family and friends over to break bread and share...
Avoid the Gift of Food Poisoning This Holiday Season
For many of us, the holidays mean getting together with friends and family and sitting down to a great meal. But all that great food comes with food preparation, and then getting the food to grandma’s house. Poor food handling, preparation, and transfer can cause food...
How to Avoid Overeating This Holiday Season
Candied yams. Turkey gravy. Grandma’s famous pecan pie. You’ve been looking forward to it all year. And if you’re like many of us, it’s hard not to overindulge. It’s tough when the holidays are a time where such great food surrounds so many of our gatherings. And...
Winter Safety: Your Car
Winter is just around the corner. Soon, the leaves will be gone and the snow will be here. With plunging temperatures, we’re focusing this month on winter safety tips, starting with your car. Because we live in an area that gets a lot of snow and cold temperatures,...
Winter Safety: Your Home
Get your home ready for the winter months today. Taking a few precautions, and getting things checked and ready now, could save you and your family from a life-threatening situation. Get your furnace ready Don’t wait until the snow is falling to get your furnace...
Winter Safety: Outdoors
For many of us, getting outside and enjoying the winter weather is part of the seasonal fun. It’s a perfect time to build a snowman, hit the slopes, find a good sledding hill, or strap on the old ice skates. We just want to ensure you stay healthy and safe as you...
Is It a Concussion?
September is a month full of sports. Football, baseball, and soccer are in full swing. Playing sports is a great way for kids to learn the value of teamwork, but injuries can occur. This month, we’re focusing on concussions. While we can’t always prevent injuries, we...
Time for Flu Shots
Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory illness that affects your lungs, throat, and nose in a much more severe way than a common cold. In fact, the flu is responsible for thousands of hospital visits and admissions every year. The flu can even lead to death in some...
Prepare for Fire and Carbon Monoxide Safety
Did you know that September is National Preparedness Month? This month is a great time to plan and identify ways to stay safe from fire and carbon monoxide. Unfortunately, more than 150 people die each year from “accidental nonfire-related carbon monoxide poisoning.”...
Lawn Mowing Safety: No Flip-flops
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, nearly 80,000 people go to the emergency room each year due to lawn mower injuries. [1] Children make up about 16,000 of those visits. [2] Lawn mowing safety tips Here are some tips for ensuring you and your loved...
Back to School and Bullying
Like it or not, school is starting. Kids are meeting new teachers, navigating new classrooms, and meeting new friends. Although lots of kids have good experiences at school, those experiences can sour when bullying occurs. According to stopbullying.gov, almost 30% of...
Summer Food Safety: Was It the Potato Salad?
We know we only have a few more weeks left of summer BBQs, but with Labor Day just around the corner, we wanted to include an article this month on food safety tips to ensure those last evenings out with the grill are safe and fun. Here are a few tips from the Food...
Like An Oven Out There: Summer Heat Safety
Summer fun can turn dangerous, or even deadly, if you become overheated. Did you know that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 618 Americans are “killed by extreme heat every year”? [1] As temperatures rise, so too must our...
Water Safety and Drowning Prevention
For many of us, nothing sounds better than a dip in the water on a hot summer day. Here at Horizon Family Medical Group, we want to encourage you to have fun and be safe in the pool, at the beach, or by the lake. Knowing a few important water safety tips will make...
Bike Safety Tips and Routes
Have you ever noticed the smile on a child’s face who’s running out the door for a bike ride? Riding bikes, whether together with your friends or family or on your own, is a great way to stay in shape and have fun. But as we all know, bicycles can be dangerous if...
Please Don’t Text and Drive
Please stop texting and driving. We all know it’s dangerous to drive distracted, but did you know that 26% of all car crashes in 2014 involved someone using a cell phone? [1] According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car crashes from distracted...
What Do You Know About UV Safety?
In our May newsletter, we covered Skin Cancer Awareness month. In that article, we talked about sun safety and the importance of using a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen to prevent sun damage to your skin. But what exactly are UVA and UVB, and how does it damage my...
Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is Free
Did you know that as a Medicare beneficiary, you’re entitled to an annual wellness visit once a year at no charge? The wellness visit is a perfect time to sit down with your doctor here at Horizon Family Medical Group and discuss your plan for preventative health care...
What You Should Know About Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the force of the blood pumping through your body is too strong. When this happens, the pressure pushes against the walls of your arteries and causes damage. This damage can eventually lead to heart disease. Because...
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Did you know that May is mental health awareness month? Nearly 20% of Americans experience mental illness each year. [1] That’s more than 43 million people. If you’re not one of those who struggles with mental illness, chances are, you know and love someone who does....
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Did you know that May is also skin cancer awareness month? In the United States, 9500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. In fact, 20% of people (1 in 5) will develop skin cancer at some point in their lifetime. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin...
Why We Screen for Alcohol
Did you know that April is Alcohol Awareness Month? Throughout April, we’re building awareness and understanding to reduce the stigma of alcoholism and alcohol-related issues, and to talk about alcohol screenings. Alcohol Statistics Did you know that “an estimated...
It’s Autism Awareness Month
April is also Autism Awareness Month. It’s a perfect time to help spread awareness of one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the U.S. [1] Autism Facts Autism affects all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups, but occurs more often in boys than in...
Are You an Organ Donor?
April is National Donate Life Month and the perfect time to register for organ donation. If you’re already registered as an organ donor, it’s the perfect time to help us spread the word. Did you know, for example, that a single organ donor can save up to 8 lives? [1]...
What’s the Likelihood I’ll Develop Testicular Cancer?
Good news, men: Testicular cancer is rare. According to the data, about 0.4% of men will get testicular cancer during their lifetime. [1] The American Cancer Society estimates that fewer than 9,000 men in the U.S. will get testicular cancer in 2017, and about 400 will...
Make a Plan to Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but we all know by now that we should. Each year, more than 480,000 people die in the U.S. from tobacco use and exposure. [1] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following health benefits are directly...
What Causes Esophageal Cancer?
Nearly 17,000 people in the U.S. will develop esophageal cancer this year, according to estimates from The American Cancer Society. [1] Sadly, the 5-year survival rate for people with esophageal cancer is about 18.4%. [2] Because esophageal cancer doesn’t always...
Heart Attack: Warning Signs and Symptoms
Nearly 735,000 people experience a heart attack each year in the U.S. That’s about one heart attack every 43 seconds. (1) Some heart attacks can strike with seemingly little to no warning, but sometimes people may experience heart attack warning signs and symptoms....
Stroke: Warning Signs and Symptoms
Nearly 800,000 people experience a stroke each year in the U.S. That’s about one stroke every 40 seconds. (1) Not everyone dies from a stroke, but the physical damage caused by a stroke can be devastating. What are the signs and symptoms of stroke? Knowing the warning...
My Body Needs Cholesterol?
Did you know that your body actually needs cholesterol? Cholesterol is used to “make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods.” (1) The body is amazing. It makes all the cholesterol you actually need. But some of the foods we eat also contain...
Get Screened for Cervical Cancer & HPV
Did you know that January is national Cervical Health Awareness Month? This month, across the country, the National Cervical Cancer Coalition is raising awareness of cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine that can prevent it. About 13,000 women are diagnosed with...
Get Your Glaucoma Screening
January is also Glaucoma Awareness Month. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), about 3 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma, and half of those don’t know it. (1) Glaucoma is a type of eye disease that, over time, causes damage to your optic...
Schedule Your Annual Wellness Visit
January is the perfect time to get your annual wellness visit and be proactive with your healthcare. It’s also a great time to discuss your preventative care plan with your physician for the upcoming year, to ensure you’re both on the same page, and to get...
Holiday Food Safety
The holidays are here, and so are the gatherings with friends and family. Sitting around the dinner table is a wonderful tradition, but if food hasn’t been handled correctly, your party guests may develop food poisoning. Not what you want to share during the holidays....
Yoga Helps Fight Holiday Stress
The holidays are a wonderful time, but they can also be stressful. End-of-year work responsibilities, family gatherings, buying presents, fighting crowds…it can all add up, leaving you feeling tired and miserable. But did you know that yoga can help? And not just with...
Top 10 Risks Affecting Women’s Health
Last month, we focused on the Top 10 Risks Affecting Men’s Health. So this month, we’re focusing on the top 10 health risks women face. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the top 10 leading causes of death in women in the US are from...
Top 10 Risks Affecting Men’s Health
Several factors affect men’s health, especially as we age. But did you know you can take action to reduce or prevent many of the health risks men face? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the top 10 leading causes of death in men in the...
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a type of autoimmune disease where your body’s immune system causes your skin cells to produce too quickly. When this happens, the skin cells start to build up, producing an area of red, scaly, sometimes itchy, skin. Usually, psoriasis affects “the...
Overcoming Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity rates are rising at alarming rates. Today, nearly 33% of children and teenagers are overweight. According to the American Heart Association, that’s nearly triple the rate of obesity compared with rates from 1963. Kids are spending more and more time...