Health Notes:
If you want any past articles, please contact Karene Cargill.

This Month's Information

Healthy relationships are key to our health and happiness... Consider
preparing a "State of Your Union" report on your relationships!! Read more
about Healthy Relationships.

World Health Day 2011 introduces recommendations to prevent and control
resistance to antibiotics. Misuse of these valuable weapons in our medical
arsenal have increased the number of germs resistant to drugs, causing
death, suffering, disability and soaring healthcare costs. Read about
Combatting Drug Resistance to learn more.

Special Edition
Because of growing anxiety in the aftermath of the earthquakes, tsunami and radiation leaks in Japan, the following information was requested by HealthNotes readers. As well as praying for those in harm's way, please encourage people to respond by educating and preparing themselves for disasters! Please print the documents below and be sure to share them with others.

Radiation Exposure and Potassium Iodide Facts
Emergency Plan and Supply Kit Lists brochure
Latest Health News Links:

    Remember The 1st Three Letters...S.T.R.

    My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously.. Please read:

    STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
    During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
    It only takes a minute to read this...
    A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

    RECOGNIZING A STROKE
    Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn!
    Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
    Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking thre e simple questions:


    S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
    T * Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE
    (Coherently) (i.e. . It is sunny out today)
    R *     Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

    NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately !! and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

    A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.