(662) 282-4226 Open hours: Mon 7:30am - 7:00pm, T/W/Th 7:30am – 5:30pm, Fri 7:30am – 4:00pm
Request Appointment 
Your BMI’s Role in a Healthy Future

Your BMI’s Role in a Healthy Future

September 10, 2019 By Leave a Comment
calculating your BMI

If you need to lose weight to manage your diabetes or simply get healthier and reduce your risks of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high bad cholesterol, start by calculating your body mass index (BMI).

What is the BMI scale and How Do I Use It?

The body mass index uses weight x’s height to calculate your BMI number. The number, measured on a scale, indicates if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. 

BMI Scale

  • Underweight = <18.5
  • Normal Weight = 18.5 – 24.9
  • Overweight = 25 – 29.9
  • Obese = 30 or greater

You can calculate your BMI at home. Luckily, you don’t have to be great at math to do it, thanks to handy online calculators. Try this one from the National Blood Heart and Lung Institute. You’ll find other links here including the BMI table, which shows you where your weight lies on the scale and the ideal weight number for your height. You’ll also find information on how to get started controlling your weight and recipes to help you eat healthier. 

The keys to weight loss are support and an organized plan to not only lose weight but keep it off for good. Our Witcher’s Weightloss Warriors meet every Monday to support one another and learn healthy habits. The best news? The program is free! Contact Mantachie Rural Healthcare today to schedule an appointment to discuss your results and learn how to sign up for our Witcher’s Weightloss Warriors!

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: , ,

How To Handle Raw Chicken

September 3, 2019 By Leave a Comment

It’s safe to say that chicken is America’s favorite meat. However, each year around 1.2 million people in America contract a foodborne illness like salmonella from cross-contamination with items including raw chicken and eggs. 

As tailgating season heats up and the holidays continue to creep around the corner, knowing how to properly handle uncooked chicken protects your dinner guests safe from foodborne illnesses. Check out our quick guide to handling raw chicken.

  • If you plan to pick up a pack of chicken at the grocery store, place it in a disposable bag to prevent it from cross-contaminating other items in your cart.
  • Wash your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw chicken. Want an easy tip for making sure you’ve washed your hands for the proper amount of time? Sing the happy birthday song to yourself as you wash! 
  • Never, ever wash uncooked chicken. The juices can spread across the kitchen and contaminate countertops, the sink and other items present.
  • Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken.
  • Never, ever place foods or anything else on a surface that contained raw chicken. 
  • Wash countertops, cutting boards, dishes, utensils and any other item touched by raw chicken in warm, soapy water.
  • Always use a food thermometer to ensure you cook chicken at a safe temperature of at least 165℉.
  • Never eat undercooked chicken.
  • Store leftover cooked chicken within two hours of serving, or one hour if the temperature outdoors is over 90 degrees. 
  • Don’t forget to clean your grill after cooking chicken. This piece of cooking equipment often gets looked over during cleanup which often leads to heavy consequences later.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: ,

Thinking of self-medicating with leftover antibiotics? Don’t.

August 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment
antibiotics

With back-to-school, we see an increase in strep throat, stomach virus, lice, and colds. Soon we’ll be talking about flu season as well. When you or a family member starts coughing or sneezing, it’s tempting to search the medicine cabinet for leftover antibiotics. After all, it worked last time. Before you self-medicate, let’s talk about how antibiotics work and when you really need them.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics kill bacteria or keep them from reproducing. This helps you feel better and prevents you from spreading your illness to others. Antibiotics save lives. Before their invention, many people died from strep throat and surgery was riskier. But they only work on bacterial infections such as:

  • Some ear and sinus infections
  • Strep throat
  • Whooping cough
  • Skin infections
  • Bladder and kidney infections
  • Bacterial Pneumonias

Notice cold, flu, and stomach bugs aren’t on the list.

Dangers of Self-Medicating

The more a bacteria comes in contact with an antibiotic, the more likely it is to become resistant to it. This means we have to use stronger antibiotics to kill the same bacteria.

Antibiotic resistance is only one of the dangers of self-medicating. Some people are allergic to antibiotics and their risk of a reaction increases each time they take antibiotics. Just because you or your child did not have an allergic reaction the last time you took the antibiotics doesn’t mean you won’t have a reaction this time. 

Ever notice your stomach seems more upset after taking certain medications? Antibiotics also damage or kill the good bacteria in our gut. By taking antibiotics you don’t need you could create more problems.

Finally, antibiotics don’t work on colds. And who wants to take unnecessary medications? 

How do you know if your medications are an antibiotic?

Not every prescription your doctor gives is an antibiotic. You may have left-over cough medicine or decongestants that will treat your cold symptoms. Typically liquid antibiotics are much thicker than cough medicine or decongestants. If you aren’t sure, you can look up the medication on rxlist.com or better yet call the pharmacy where you had the medicine filled  or your medical provider.

When do you need antibiotics?

Colds last 10-14 days. Treat the symptoms with Tylenol or ibuprofen and decongestants if needed. Home remedies like hot tea, chicken soup, rest, and warm showers may also make you feel better. Antibiotics will not. If you’re not feeling better or feel worse after two-weeks, make an appointment with your medical provider.

If you have the symptoms of strep throat, kidney or bladder infections, or skin infections, it’s time to see your doctor immediately. Same is true if you’re coughing and unable to catch your breath. While you might not need antibiotics, your provider can help you treat the symptoms and find the underlying cause.

Feeling under the weather? Our providers are happy to treat your illness whether you need antibiotics or not. Call 662-282-4226 to request an appointment.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News

Lessons Learned from One Mom’s Battle with Cellulitis

August 13, 2019 By Leave a Comment
feet on beach; cellulitis

Earlier this year an Indiana mom returned home with cellulitis when her family visited a resort in Tennessee. After a long day of sightseeing, she headed for the hotel hot tub. That’s when the trouble began. (Read her full story in People magazine.)

Hot tubs aren’t the only place cellulitis starts. It begins when a bacteria enters a crack or break in the skin. It happens more often on the lower leg but can start anywhere on the body.

Skin problems and the lower leg or foot area point to a common topic we discuss: diabetes. Because diabetic patients have a lowered immune system and are more likely to not notice cuts, burns or scrapes on their feet or legs they are at a higher risk for developing cellulitis. Another reason to keep checking your feet and legs every day.

Diabetic patients aren’t the only ones at an increased risk for cellulitis. Anyone with a skin injury, lowered immune system, history of cellulitis, skin conditions, chronic swelling or obesity are at an increased risk. 

Symptoms of Cellulitis 

Cellulitis usually starts out as red, swollen skin that’s warm to the touch. As the illness progresses, and as the Indiana mom found out it progresses quickly, the redness, swelling, and tenderness spreads. You may also experience fever, chills, and blisters.

Treatment

If you have any symptoms of cellulitis see your medical provider immediately. The earlier your provider begins treatment the less likely you are to develop long term complications. The mom in Indiana tried two different antibiotics and was treated in the hospital before her condition improved. She faced amputation of her leg if the antibiotics did not work.

Preventing Cellulitis

Diabetic patients should inspect their feet every day and treat any redness or sores immediately. Others who have a skin tear or condition should cover the affected areas and treat them to prevent infection. Follow your doctor’s instructions for treating surgical wounds. Good hygiene goes a long way toward protecting your skin from any type of infection.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Are Hand Sanitizers Safe?

August 6, 2019 By Leave a Comment
are hand sanitizers safe?
SONY DSC

During the last twenty years, hand sanitizers have emerged as a staple in schools, clinics, hospitals, and many businesses. Hand sanitizer manufacturers advertise it as a safe alternative to hand-washing, but the Food and Drug Administration still recommends washing with plain soap and warm water for the safest and most effective cleaning. They suggest using sanitizer only when soap and water are unavailable.

Like other chemical-based products, critics accuse hand sanitizers of being harmful to our health. In 2016, triclosan, an ingredient in hand sanitizer, was banned from further use in the product. Additional claims charge that regular use of the product lowers the body’s natural defense against germs and bacteria. But are any of these allegations true? In a recent interview with WebMD, an FDA expert weighed in on current thoughts about hand sanitizers and the steps the FDA is taking to further investigate this product’s safety. Check out the interview here. 

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With:

Disaster Preparedness for Diabetes and Chronic Illness

July 23, 2019 By Leave a Comment

In Mississippi, we typically identify natural disasters in the spring and fall when flash floods, high winds, and tornados. In July, we more commonly face high temperatures and high electric bills from running our air conditioner 24/7. We designate July as the perfect month to put together your disaster preparedness for diabetes and chronic illness plan. You’re not under the gun to gather supplies before bad weather hits tomorrow and can reserve some time to consider your options.

What exactly do you need in your disaster preparedness kit?

disaster preparedness for diabetes

The list in this image covers our diabetic patients, but what about those with other chronic conditions? 

Food, water, and medical supplies to last for 72 hours. Store a small box of non-perishable items in a pantry or closet for easy access. These include bottled water and canned goods Medical supplies could include over-the-counter medications in addition to prescription. Some ideas include pain relievers, antibiotic ointment, bandaids, hand sanitizer, gloves, and other first-aid kit needs.

Prepare 7-10 days of prescription medication. Should a natural disaster force you from your home, this kit allows you to access all your medications until you can reach a pharmacy for refills or return home. Store all prescription medications in a waterproof container.

Copies of important documents and medical records. Asthma patients need their asthma action plans. Cancer patients will need information about their doctors and treatment plans. All patients with a chronic illness will need lists of current medications, contact information for providers, copies of insurance cards and IDs. 

Updating your disaster preparedness kit

Once you’ve assembled your kit and stored it in a place where you can easily access it, you need to check the contents once a year. Even non-perishable foods have an expiration date as do over-the-counter medications and prescription medications. If your insurance cards, provider contact information or IDs have been updated, add those new documents to your disaster kit.

We never want to think about disaster striking our home or community, but we’ve witnessed the devastation left in the wake of tornadoes, flash floods, and hurricanes many times over the last twenty years. If disaster strikes your body will endure under enough stress coping with the sudden changes and decisions. Being prepared allows you a better chance at staying healthy while managing the chaos disaster brings with it.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With:

Ariana Grande Develops Sudden Food Allergy to Tomatoes

July 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Ariana Grande food allergy

In May Ariana Grande announced on Instagram that a sudden illness caused her to cancel scheduled performances in Orlando and Tampa. A day later she revealed a sudden allergy to tomatoes had caused her throat to close and that she still felt as though she were “swallowing a cactus”.

Most of us associate food allergies with children and babies, not twenty-five-year-olds who have been eating tomatoes all their lives. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s (JAMA) Open Network revealed 10% of adult Americans reported having developed a food allergy in adulthood. Less than 25% of those, however, did not have any allergies as a child.

Interestingly, only half of those adults who reported a food allergy had mentioned it to their medical provider. Most simply avoided the offending food.

What’s your risk?

It’s hard to pinpoint the risk of a specific person to develop a food allergy in adulthood. Allergies often develop after repeated exposure to a substance, which means you might have eaten that shrimp pasta without any problems a week ago but you could experience a reaction to it today. As mentioned above, only 10% of adults report a food allergy so don’t let this fear keep you up at night.

What are the symptoms?

Food allergies almost always include some type of skin reaction which could include swelling, itching, and hives. Other reactions may include one or more of these symptoms:

  • Vomiting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing
  • Repetitive cough
  • Shock
  • A weak pulse
  • Dizziness

Most reactions to food happen within 30-60 minutes of having ingested the substance.

How do we treat it?

Obviously avoiding the offending food is first on the list, but you should also contact your doctor. You may need to carry an Epi-pen.

Another reason to contact your provider and see an allergist is your allergy may not be to the food you suspect. Medications can lower the immune system allowing your body to overreact to normal substances or your allergy could be to the medication and not the food at all. It’s also possible you have an “oral allergy syndrome” where your body mistakes the proteins in the food you’ve eaten to pollen like grass to which you are allergic.

What are the most common food allergies?

Never heard of a tomato allergy? That’s probably because it’s not on the list of the top 9 most common food allergies, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a real allergy. Most food allergies in adults, however, are related to one of these:

  • Shellfish
  • Milk
  • Soy
  • Peanuts
  • Wheat
  • Tree Nuts
  • Sesame
  • Finfish
  • Eggs

Ariana Grande is back on her concert tour now, which is a reminder that food allergies may alter some of what you can eat, but it doesn’t have to limit your activity.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: ,

Beyond Skin Cancer: Dangers of Excess Sun Exposure

July 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment
heat stroke; heat exhaustion; sun poisoning

It’s July in Mississippi. The month where no one wants to touch their steering wheel until the air conditioner has blown on it for several minutes and swimming pools begin to feel like warm baths. The heat also brings heat and sun-related illnesses such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and sun poisoning. 

Heat Stroke

We’ll jump right in with the worst of the worst. Heat stroke, or sunstroke, is the most dangerous form of heat-related illness. Classic heat stroke tends to affect the very young, senior adults or those with chronic illness while exertional heat stroke occurs when a person is extremely active when it’s really hot. Without treatment either can lead to permanent organ damage and even death.

If you believe you or someone around you is having a heat stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Symptoms of a heat stroke include:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • High body temperature (104 degrees F)
  • Lack of sweating
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Confusion, disorientation, staggering
  • Seizures
  • Unconsciousness

Treatment:

While calling 9-1-1 and waiting for emergency personnel, cool the person by whatever means you have available: ice pack, water hose, cool bath or shower, wet towels, etc. Remove excess clothing and move the person inside or into the shade.

For more details on treating heat stroke, check out this article by Mayo Clinic.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke if not treated promptly. It generally begins with muscle cramps. It’s important to treat heat exhaustion as soon as the sign appears to prevent a heat stroke and permanent damage.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

  • Excessive thirst
  • Sweating with goosebumps even in the heat
  • Faintness
  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Headache
  • Loss of Consciousness
  • Nausea and vomiting

Treatment:

If you or someone near you is showing signs of heat exhaustion, stop all activity and move out of the heat indoors or into the shade. Drink cool water or sports drinks, but not sodas, alcohol or anything with caffeine. Remove unnecessary clothing. Apply cooling measures such as cool cloths, fans or ice packs.

If symptoms do not improve in fifteen minutes, seek emergency care.

For more details on treating heat exhaustion, and how to care for yourself after you’ve become overheated, check out this article from Webmd.

Sun Poisoning

Although not actually poisoning, sun poisoning can increase your body temperature and contribute to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Sun poisoning is an extreme form of sunburn. Skin can burn in the sun after just 15 minutes of exposure without sunscreen or sunblock. Fair skinned and fair-haired people are more likely to experience sunburn and sun poisoning although it can happen to anyone.

Symptoms of sun poisoning include:

  • Redness and blistering of the skin
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Swelling
  • Pain and tingling
  • Dizziness
  • Dehydration

Treatment:

First, get out of the sun. A cool, but not cold, shower or bath may provide some relief as will over the counter pain medications. An aloe gel or moisturizer generally provides relief as well. And make sure to completely cover the sunburned area when going outside again.

If your blisters cover a large area, you have facial swelling, signs of dehydration, fever, chills or faintness, it’s time to call your medical provider.

Prevention

All these heat and sun-related illnesses can be prevented with some of the same general steps.

  • Drink lots of water (unless you have a chronic illness which limits your liquid consumption, then consult with your provider).
  • Avoid caffeine, sodas, and alcohol.
  • Wear light-colored clothing
  • Use a sunscreen with SPF 30+.
  • Avoid exercise and outdoor activities in the direct sun during the heat of the day.
  • Know if your medications put you at higher risk of heat stroke or sunburn.
  • Never leave anyone in a parked car.
  • If you are unaccustomed to hot weather, allow your body to acclimate during heatwaves or when traveling to warmer climates.

Enjoy your summer, but take it easy out there, especially during the hottest parts of the day.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With:

GOT’s Sophie Turner Talks Mental Health, Depression

July 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Sophie Turner depression
Image credits Gage Skidmore

On HBO’s recently completed series Game of Thrones, Sophie Turner played Sansa Stark, Lady of Winterfell and eventual Queen of the North. In real life, she’s a young adult who suffers from depression for which she’s sought counseling and takes prescribed medications.

In an interview on Dr. Phil McGraw’s podcast Phil in the Blanks, Turner opened up about her depression and mental health struggles. Her depression materialized when she was 17, about four years into her work with Game of Thrones. Although she doesn’t blame social media entirely for her depression, she did say comments on social media about her character’s weight gain or “spotty” complexion added to her depression. 

Let’s Talk Numbers

Turner isn’t alone as a teen suffering from depression. Statistics say 20% of teens will be affected by depression before they reach adulthood. The average Mississippi school has 450 students. This statistic means 90 of them will likely deal with depression before they reach the age of twenty.

Only 30% of teens with depression will seek treatment. So out of those 90 students, only 30 will receive the help they need.

Which leads us to the statistic none of us want to talk about, suicide is the third leading cause of death of teenagers.

Removing the Stigma

Hollywood stars aren’t always great at promoting healthy lifestyles. Luckily, many actors, actresses and other performers are openly discussing their mental health challenges. Many of those challenges, like Demi Lovato’s, include substance abuse.

The more we talk about mental health the same way we discuss heart health and diabetes, the easier it becomes for teens and adults to seek out the help they need. We can all contribute to efforts to remove the stigma of seeking counseling or other mental health support.

  • Talk openly about mental health.
  • Show compassion for those with mental illness.
  • Be supportive of those who are struggling with mental illness.
  • Choose your words carefully. (i.e. don’t use mental illness diagnosis like OCD or bipolar as adjectives and don’t label people with mental illness as “crazy” or “insane”.)
  • Education yourself.
  • Encourage equality between mental and physical illnesses.

As children and teens see the adults in their lives responding differently to mental illness, they’ll respond differently as well. Which means they’ll be more likely to speak up and receive the treatment they need.

Recognize the Symptoms

The first step to ensuring your child receives the help they need is recognizing the symptoms. 

  • Has your child’s behavior changed?
  • Is their school work suffering?
  • Are they having difficulties at school, home or work?
  • Have their sleep patterns changed?
  • Do they have a sensitivity to light or sound that has lasted longer than two weeks?
  • Are they feeling sad, hopeless or worthless?
  • Have their eating habits changed (either eating too much or not enough)?
  • Do they have problems with concentration or memory?

Seek Help

If you’ve recognized the signs of depression or other mental illness in your teen or your teen has asked you for help, you don’t have to manage this alone. Our behavioral health specialists can guide you and your family as you seek the help you need. Your willingness to help your teen find help continues to remove the stigma attached to mental illness. Make an appointment with one of our counselors by calling 662-282-4359. 

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: ,

Diabetes and Gastroparesis

June 25, 2019 By Leave a Comment
salad; diabetes and gastroparesis

We’ve written and talked a lot about nerve damage due to diabetes. Most of the time we discuss nerve damage to the feet, but nerves all over the body are subject to damage from diabetes. The vagus nerve, which controls the functions of the stomach, is another nerve that can be damaged if blood glucose levels stay too high for too long.

The vagus nerve controls stomach muscles, prompting them to move and digest your food after you eat. When the nerve is damaged, food doesn’t digest as quickly as it should or sometimes at all. This further complicates diabetes because the stomach may digest food at unpredictable rates, which means blood sugar becomes harder to control. This damage causes gastroparesis and it affects both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.

Symptoms

When food lingers in the stomach longer than it should, patients often experience

  • Heartburn
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting of undigested food
  • Early feeling of fullness when eating
  • Weight loss
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Erratic blood glucose (sugar) levels
  • Lack of appetite
  • Gastroesophageal reflux
  • Spasms of the stomach wall

These symptoms may be present every time a patient eats, only when they eat certain foods or at random times. When nausea and vomiting persist for too long, patients may need IV fluids or hospitalization.

Treatment

The bad news is gastroparesis has no cure. The goal of treatment is to manage the disease. Each case of gastroparesis is unique and patients who think they may have gastroparesis should talk to their providers.

Medical providers may prescribe medications which can aid in digestion. They may also suggest diet changes. Eating smaller meals and consuming foods low in fiber and fat can also speed digestion. Some patients benefit from sitting up or walking after meals instead of lying down.

In severe cases, a feeding tube may become necessary.

Prevention

Now that we’ve given you the worst-case scenario, let’s talk about how to prevent Type 2 diabetes and gastroparesis if you already have diabetes.

Since gastroparesis is caused by damage to the vagus nerve from high blood glucose levels, one way to prevent gastroparesis is to keep blood glucose levels under control. If you’re struggling to manage your diabetes talk to your medical provider or a nutritionist to create a routine that helps you manage your blood sugar levels.

If you do not have diabetes find out how to create a lifestyle that reduces your risk of diabetes. Not only will you possibly save your stomach but all the nerves in your body. Eat a balanced diet low in sugar and processed foods. Stay active. Don’t smoke. Lose weight if you need to. All these activities give your body one more layer of protection against many chronic illnesses.

Diabetes isn’t the only risk factor for gastroparesis. People who have had abdominal surgery, who take certain medications such as narcotic pain medications, have an underlying nervous system disease or hypothyroidism maybe also experience a slow emptying of the stomach.

If you have any of these symptoms see your provider and discuss what might be the cause and how to treat your stomach problems so you feel better faster.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Our Providers Are Ready to Help You

Request Your Appointment Now


Schedule Appointment

 

MENU