Saturday, February 26, 2011

Health Tips for February 26

Health Tip: Take Control of Your Health

If you have a chronic illness -- such as diabetes, arthritis or heart disease -- you can take an active role in managing your health.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these self-management guidelines:

  • Examine your unhealthy behaviors, and choose which ones you'd like to change.
  • Create specific goals and an action plan for how you'll reach those goals.
  • Create backup plans -- for example, what you'll do for exercise when the weather is bad.
  • Feel confident in your ability to reach your goals; if they seem too tough, reconsider your goals.
  • Check in frequently with your doctor to discuss your progress and any problems.

Health Tip: Infections May Strike Bones

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection usually caused by bacteria or, less often, a fungus.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says these factors increase your risk of developing osteomyelitis:

  • Being diabetic.
  • Undergoing hemodialysis.
  • Injecting drugs.
  • Having a poor supply of blood.
  • Having had a recent trauma.

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