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Hello from Boyett Health Services!
Greetings!
"Every leaf speaks bliss to me,
Fluttering from the autumn tree."
Emily Bronte As October brings us the fullness of the fall season, we'd like to extend warm Autumn wishes to you and yours! After a long, hot summer, it is our hope that you are enjoying the crisp, cool mornings and the emergence of color now spreading throughout our landscapes. October also brings us Breast Cancer Awareness, and Dental Hygiene Month. We have included articles relating to both topics to keep you informed and aware of issues pertaining to your health and well being. Awareness is a key ingredient in the recipe for optimum health. When one is educated, he is more apt to seek help early on before a matter is out of his control. At Boyett Health Services, it is our mission to provide you with the knowledge you need and the excellent care you deserve. Let us know how we are doing! We'd love to hear from you! Email: mwindon@boyetthealth.com Thank you for allowing us the privelege of serving you! Have a blessed October! |
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Breast Cancer Awareness
Cancer is a word no one wants to hear. Yet every year, over 200,000 women in the US will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Most everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer in some way or another. It can seem like a death sentence, yet there are currently more than two and a half million breast cancer survivors in the United States today.
While numerous organizations have been formed to raise funds and awareness in fighting breast cancer, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, and ensure quality care for all. Since 1982, Komen for the Cure has played a critical role in every major advance in the fight against breast cancer - transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul. Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the hospital, she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better for other women battling breast cancer instead of worrying about her own situation. That concern for others continued even as Susan neared the end of her fight. Moved by Susan's compassion for others and committed to making a difference, Nancy Brinker promised her sister that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. Nancy is one among countless others who have formed organizations in the fight against breast cancer. We must never underestimate the power we hold when we are determined to make a difference. Raising awareness is the first step toward helping millions of women make informed decisions regarding breast health.
EARLY DETECTION Getting regular screening tests is the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from breast cancer. Screening tests can find breast cancer early, when it's most treatable. These tests include a clinical breast exam, mammography, and an MRI. While these are helpful in diagnosing any abnormalities in the breast, all women should also incorporate regular breast self examinations into their daily routine. Knowing what is normal for you may help you see or feel changes in your breast.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The earliest sign of breast cancer is often an abnormality detected on a mammogram, before it can be felt by the woman or the healthcare professional. Larger tumors may become evident as a painless mass. Less common symptoms include persistent changes to the breast, including thickening, swelling, distortion, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, scaliness, persistent new pain in one spot, or nipple abnormalities, such as ulcerations, retraction or spontaneous discharge. While there are certainly exceptions, most breast pain results from benign conditions and is not usually a sign of breast cancer.
Now, let's look at some statistics.
NEW CASES
An estimated 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in 2010; about 1,970 new cases are expected to occur among men. Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. In addition to breast cancer, 54,010 new cases of in situ cases of breast cancer are expected to occur in the US among women in 2010.
DEATHS
Somewhere in the world, a woman dies of breast cancer every 69 seconds. An estimated 40,230 breast cancer deaths are expected in 2010 (an est. 39,480 among women, and an est.390 among men). Breast cancer ranks second as a cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). We must continue efforts to educate women about the importance of a regular breast care routine. Over the years, the heightened awareness of breast cancer risks has certainly made a difference. Death rates for breast cancer have steadily decreased among women since 1990 due to earlier detection, improved treatment, and more recently, decreased incidence.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Breast Cancer doesn't have to be a formidable foe. With the resources now available at your finger tips, one can make educated, well informed decisions in approaching breast care and examination. Please, take the time to educate yourself. It could save your life. Check out the following links for more information:
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Cold and Flu Prevention 
Does it seem as though every surface you touch is teeming with cold germs and other viruses? A few simple precautions may help you prevent a cold or the flu from taking you down. Late fall through winter, you're cooped up inside, with lots of sneezing and sniffling people sharing the same space and breathing the same air. You may not be able to completely prevent colds and flu this time of year, but by practicing good hygiene and being careful to avoid cold germs, you may escape cold and flu season unscathed.
Getting a seasonal flu vaccine is a great way to protect yourself against the flu viruses going around each year. Studies have found that in healthy adults, the flu vaccine can decrease the chances of coming down with the flu by as much as 70 percent to 90 percent. But unfortunately, the flu vaccine can't completely prevent flu in everyone. Though there's still a chance you could get sick, the flu vaccine can lessen the severity and duration of your symptoms. There are a variety of practical ways to stay healthy and fight off the cold and flu. Here are a few tried and true tactics to use in your defense against illness this season:
#1 Wash Your Hands
Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto their hand, and then touches the telephone, the keyboard, a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours -- in some cases weeks -- only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
#2 Don't Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands
Germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, so muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands results in passing along your germs to others. Use a tissue when you feel a sneeze or cough coming on, then throw it away immediately. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow. #3 Don't Touch Your Face
Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching your face is the most common way to catch a cold. #4 Drink Plenty of Fluids
Water flushes your system, washing out the poisons as it rehydrates you. Drinking the recommended eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day can be helpful. Urine color can help you determine if you are taking in enough fluid. If the color of your urine runs close to clear, you're getting enough. If it's deep yellow, you need to drink more.
#5 Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly
Aerobic exercise speeds your heart rate to pump larger quantities of blood. It makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood and makes you sweat once your body heats up. This, in turn, helps increase the body's natural virus-killing cells.
#6 Eat Yogurt and Foods Containing Phytochemicals
Researchers think the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease. Studies have shown that eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25%.
"Phyto" means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So put away the vitamin pill, and eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits. #7 Don't Smoke
Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones. Simply being around smoke will zap the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia. Cilia are the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs. Their wavy movements sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes. #8 Relax
If you can teach yourself to relax, you can activate your immune system on demand. There's evidence that when you put your relaxation skills into action, your interleukins -- leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses -- increase in the bloodstream. The standard flu season runs from fall to spring of the next year. Training yourself to follow these preventative measures can help you to form habits that will benefit you for a lifetime. Your healthy body will thank you for it! Flu shots are now available in our office at Boyett Health Services. No appointment and no copay required. Just call or
drop by our office during regular clinic hours to get yours! |
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Issue: 3
Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer~ |
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Dental Hygiene Month! 
The theme this year for 2010 National Dental Hygiene Month is:
1.Brush 2.Floss 3.Rinse 4.Chew 5.It's all about you
When we talk about an ever-growing industry of health & wellness, we tend to stick with exercise and nutrition. But, we also need to take good care of our mouth.
Your oral health is linked to your overall health. Studies have proven that oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontal disease and periodontitis, when left untreated, can become silent killers. These oral conditions often go undetected and cause little or no pain until they are in the advanced stages. Periodontal disease is not only the leading cause of tooth loss, but it is also linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and some respiratory illnesses.
Regular visits to the dentist and hygienist are just as important as visits to your doctor. Routine cleanings give your dental provider an opportunity assess and address your oral condition and help you stay on top of areas of concern.
Preventing periodontal (gum) disease and gingivitis is a matter of disturbing the bacterial pests that reside in your mouth by brushing and flossing daily. Nearly 75 percent of all adults in the US will be diagnosed with periodontal disease within their lifetime. Without treatment, many will run the risk of losing their teeth or developing other health complications. The number and types of treatment will vary, depending on the extent of the gum disease. A doctor may also suggest changing other behaviors, such as quitting smoking, as a way to improve treatment outcome.
Prevention:
* Brush regularly * Floss at least once a day * Rinse with a fluoride-containing rinse * Eat a well-balanced diet and drink adequate amounts of water to ensure healthy teeth and gums * Get regular check-ups with a qualified dentist * Discuss chronic and acute conditions (this includes pregnancy) with your dentist * If you do not have a dentist, we would love to be of service to you here in our clinic.
Please check out the links below to better understand the correlation between oral health and overall health:
Regular hygiene appointments should be a major part of your
routine healthcare regimen.
 | | Ashley Howell |
Our Registered Dental Hygienist, Ashley Howell, is well equipped to meet your hygiene needs.
Ashley chose Dental Hygiene as a profession because she loves to interact with people and she realized that hygiene was the perfect opportunity to do just that. She finds spending time with her patients and educating them on the importance of good oral health to be a very fulfilling part of her career. Ashley also doubles as a dental assistant when she is not working hygiene.
Ashley is a 2008 graduate of the Dental Hygiene Program at Wallace State Community College. She has also continued her education through courses offered at Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. She completed the following CORE Courses at LVI:
- CORE II: Orthotic Maintenance, Adjustment and Essential Aesthetic Reconstructive Techniques
- CORE III: Mastering Dynamic Adhesion in Complex Reconstructive Cases
Ashley is a lifelong resident of the city of Hamilton. She is a new bride, recently married to Steven Howell. She spends her free time reading, riding horses, and watching Alabama football. Ashley would love the opportunity to assist you in taking care of your hygiene needs. If you'd like to make an appointment, call us at (205) 921-0893. |
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REMEMBER TO GET YOUR FLU SHOT!
Flu shots are now available in our office with no copay and no appointment required !
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