How To Whip Whooping Cough: Preventing Pertussis

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
July 3, 2013 10:00 am

Many people think of whooping cough as a childhood disease. But it can strike people of any age. Whooping cough—also known as pertussis—causes uncontrollable coughing that makes it hard to catch your breath.

Catching a Cold When It’s Warm?

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
July 2, 2013 9:17 am

Most everyone looks forward to summer—time to get away, get outside and have some fun. So what could be more unfair than catching a cold when it’s warm? How can cold symptoms arise when it’s not cold and flu season? Is there any way to dodge the summertime sniffles? Cold symptoms can be caused by more than 200 different viruses.

Only half of U.S. youth meet physical activity standards, NIH study shows

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
July 1, 2013 9:11 am

Only about half of U.S. adolescents are physically active five or more days of the week, and fewer than 1 in 3 eat fruits and vegetables daily, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Is it Food Allergy or Food Intolerance?

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
June 28, 2013 7:38 am

Food allergy is sometimes confused with food intolerance. Lactose intolerance Lactose is a sugar found in milk and most milk products. Lactase is an enzyme in the lining of the gut that breaks down or digests lactose.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Food Allergy

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
June 26, 2013 7:13 pm

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a newly recognized chronic disease that can be associated with food allergies. It is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adults.

LifeServe Blood Drives set for July 19-20

VINTON TODAY
June 26, 2013 11:18 am

Help LifeServe Blood Center meet your community’s needs this summer and give blood!  Blood donations are especially important during the summer months as donations tend to decrease this time of year.

Realizing the dangers of underage drinking

CURT WHEELER, PREVENTION SPECIALIST
June 25, 2013 12:27 pm

Drunk driving and underage drinking tragedies have led many parents to question how to handle their kid’s drinking and ensure that they stay safe.

What is a Food Allergy?

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
June 24, 2013 11:00 am

What Is Food Allergy? Food allergy is an abnormal response to a food, triggered by the body’s immune system. There are several types of immune responses to food.

Study: Benefits of quitting smoking outpace risk of modest weight gain

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
June 21, 2013 8:16 am

NIH-funded study finds post-cessation weight gain does not elevate cardiovascular risks for former smokers The improvement in cardiovascular health that results from quitting smoking far outweighs the limited risks to cardiovascular health from the modest amount of weight gained after quitting, reports a National Institutes of Health-funded community study.

A Growing Problem: Childhood Obesity

VIRGINIA GAY HOSPITAL
June 19, 2013 7:42 am

What causes childhood obesity? Childhood obesity is the result of eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity. Why focus on food and physical activity environments? There are a variety of environmental factors that determine whether or not the healthy choice is the easy choice for children and their parents.