Summer is the perfect season to relax and enjoy outdoor activities.  Backyard barbecues, pool parties, and picnics at the park are family favorites.  The following health and safety tips will help ensure everyone has a good time.

Avoid Sunburn

Protecting your skin from sun damage is a key factor in preventing skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the U.S.  According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70.  A history of sunburns increases the risk for skin cancer.  To prevent sunburn, avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10am and 4pm when UVA and UVB rays are strongest.  Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.  Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors so the skin has time to absorb it.  Reapply every two hours.  If swimming or sweating heavily, sunscreen may need to be applied more often.  Wear a hat to shade the face, scalp, and neck.  Wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from the sun.

Prevent Insect Bites

Insect bites can be more than just a summer annoyance.  Insects can carry disease.  Mosquitos can cause

illnesses such as West Nile Virus, encephalitis, and dengue fever.  Avoid outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, which are peak mosquito times.  Wear an insect repellent on exposed skin or wear clothing that covers arms and legs.  Eliminate areas of standing water in your yard to prevent mosquitos from breeding.

Prevent tick bites by staying out of wooded areas and high grass.  Keep to the middle of the trail when hiking.  Use an insect repellent that is effective against ticks.  Shower soon after coming indoors and check your body for ticks.  Serious diseases including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease are transmitted to humans through tick bites.

Stay Hydrated

When outside in the heat, drink plenty of water to replace fluids that the body loses through sweating.  Carry a water bottle when working outside or exercising.  Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages as they are not effective in preventing dehydration.  Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, and little to no urination.

Minimize Risks of Food Poisoning

Don’t allow a family picnic to become a source of food poisoning.  Uncooked meat and foods containing mayonnaise, eggs, and dairy can spoil within a couple of hours if not refrigerated or kept on ice in an insulated cooler.  Make sure meats are grilled to a proper temperature on the inside to avoid E. Coli infections.  Steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees and ground meats should be cooked to 160 degrees.  Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and thoroughly clean utensils and platters that have touched raw meats.

RMD Primary Care provides a number of General Practice and Family Medicine services for your family’s health.  Contact us today for an appointment.

What is meningitis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meningitis is an inflammation or swelling of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.  Although meningitis can have several causes, the most common types are caused by bacteria and viruses.  Outbreaks of some types of meningococcal disease have been reported on college campuses in recent years.  Many states now require that incoming college students be  vaccinated against meningococcal disease, particularly those who will be living in campus housing.  The CDC highly recommends the vaccinations.  It is considered preventative health.

Viral Meningitis

The most common type of meningitis is caused by viruses.  While these infections are serious, they are usually less severe than bacterial meningitis.  Early symptoms may seem like flu.  There may be a high fever, stiff neck, severe headache, vomiting, seizures, confusion, sleepiness or difficulty waking from sleep.

Bacterial Meningitis

Symptoms are generally the same as the viral type. However, the onset of symptoms is very rapid.  Bacterial meningitis can be life threatening.  Swelling of the tissues around the brain can lead to paralysis, stroke, and death.

Meningitis diagnosis and treatment

Testing for meningitis is done through blood samples, nasal or throat swabs, and the drawing of spinal fluid for examination.  There is no specific treatment for viral meningitis.  Antibiotics are not used.  Some antiviral medications may be effective.  Most patients with mild cases will be able to recover on their own.

Patients with bacterial meningitis must receive immediate treatment with intravenous antibiotics.  Sometimes corticosteroids are given to reduce brain swelling.  If not treated quickly enough, a patient may develop sepsis and can die.  Bacterial meningitis can cause permanent disabilities including hearing loss and brain damage.

Meningitis Vaccines for meningococcal disease

The CDC recommends that preteens ages 11-12 years old receive the MenACWY vaccine.  This vaccine protects against four different strains of meningococcal bacteria.  A booster dose should be given at age 16.  Teens and young adults ages 16-23 may also get a MenB vaccine.  The preferred age is 16-18 years, and multiple doses give the best protection.  This vaccine protects against a less common strain of meningococcal disease.  If your teenager has not received these vaccines, talk to your healthcare provider at RMD Primary Care about getting vaccinated.

As the summer draws to a close, a new school year waits on the horizon. Parents of school-age children who face the task of helping their young learners readjust to the regularity of a school schedule and the challenges of academics. Gone will be the days of sleeping in and lounging around the house all morning. Gone will be the days of watching late movies on weeknights or staying up to play video games. For some, this shift in schedules may come as a shock that disrupts their academic performance and causes a difficult start to the school year. But this can be avoided with a few weeks of careful planning and discipline. Follow these tips two weeks before the start of the school year and you can help your children gracefully slide back into a regular school schedule once again.

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Influenza, or more commonly known as “the Flu”, is a respiratory infection that affects the throat, nose and lungs. It is caused by a virus that is highly contagious and is more common in the fall and winter. It is usually spread in close quarters, such as school classrooms, when droplets are inhaled from an infected host, usually through coughing or sneezing.

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Now that school has started again for the kids and our workload is likely to be picking up during the fall months, being alert, energetic and thinking clearly is more important than ever. Research is increasingly showing a correlation between a healthy diet and good mental health. The following information discusses how your diet affects overall mental health, possible foods that have a direct influence on mental functioning, and how to follow the healthiest diet possible for both physical and mental health.

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You hear about cancer nearly every day — on TV, in social media, maybe you even have a personal connection to this horrible disease. It has impacted everyone in one way or another. But, did you know there is another disease responsible for taking more lives each year than all types of cancer combined? Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America.

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This is the time of year when allergies are at their worst for many people. Our Lawrenceville doctors find that even people who haven’t been plagued by allergies in the past can suddenly find themselves developing problems due to environmental factors, lifestyle changes or simply changes to their bodies.

If you’re already taking allergy medicine, you may find that taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement can complement your medication. Choose one that contains B vitamins, as well as vitamins C and E and minerals including selenium and magnesium. Herbal supplements such as Echinacea.

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Pregnancy is an overwhelming and exciting. New moms want to ensure the best for their children, but may not know how to do so.

One way to ensure the health of a child is to maintain a balanced diet. Yet, some women have little idea of how to eat healthy, especially in this age of processed, fast foods. To help those with child, or planning to be pregnant some day, here are 7 tips on foods to eat, or not, while pregnant.

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As a reliable and modern family practice in Lawrenceville, Ga., we treat many influenza patients throughout the year, but especially during the flu season. Getting vaccinated against the flu makes sense for the following reasons: Click here to read more »

As a well-known and trusted family practice in Lawrenceville, Ga., we treat many patients suffering from bronchitis each year. An infection of the bronchial tubes, the lining of the mucus glands and the lungs, a bronchial infection sends adults and children alike to emergency rooms all over the country, especially during the flu season. Click here to read more »