Too much bad cholesterol or too little good cholesterol coursing through your bloodstream increases the risk that the waxy substance can start lining the walls of arteries that supply blood to the heart and brain. That’s bad enough, but why exactly can high cholesterol cause heart disease? Why is high cholesterol bad? Whether the good…
If you are experiencing stress or not handling your stress with healthy tools, it may affect your heart health. When the body feels stress, the natural reaction is to release adrenaline and cortisol, hormones that can cause your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to rise. Many know this…
As consumers, we’ve become accustomed to really convenient service. We can preorder and pick up our groceries, get food delivered from our favorite restaurants, and shop for a product online and have it the next day (sometimes the same day!). Increasingly, health care providers are offering consumers equally convenient service for their health needs. With…
A high body mass index, or BMI, and a sedentary lifestyle increase your risk for heart disease. It’s important to understand how these two factors impact your heart and what you can do to decrease your risk for developing heart disease. What is BMI? BMI is a screening tool used to measure body fat. You…
Tobacco smoke does plenty of damage to the lungs, eyes, bones, bladder … every organ in your body. But why is smoking a risk factor for heart disease? It’s the chemicals in tobacco smoke that damage blood cells and can harm how your heart pumps and the structure of your blood vessels. “It’s the toxic…
Heart disease is the most common cause of death for adults with diabetes. Discover the link between diabetes and your heart, and learn what actions you can take to decrease your risk. What is Type 2 diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. When you have diabetes, your body has trouble…
Emergencies can happen at any hour. That’s why at Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital, OB hospitalists are standing by to help women who are pregnant or have just given birth. OB hospitalists are physicians whose primary role is to care for pregnant women while they’re in the hospital and their obstetrician isn’t…
Eating seasonally means consuming produce that is purchased around the time it is harvested. Why include seasonal produce in your weekly meal plan? Seasonal produce is fresher, tastier and more nutritious than food consumed out of season. Take strawberries for example: The best time to eat them is summer, when they are growing locally and…
Norton Healthcare announced today it will waive copays and deductibles for furloughed federal government employees in need of urgent or emergency care. This includes visits to 14 area Norton Immediate Care Centers, Norton eCare eVisits and video visits, and emergency departments at Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital, Norton Hospital, Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital,…
Norton Children’s Hospital has opened a new $12 million unit that will serve hundreds of sick and injured kids every year. Patients and staff opened the hospital’s 24-bed medical/surgical unit, which will provide care for patients with respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological diseases, and children recovering from a variety of surgical procedures. The 31,000-square-foot space, which encompasses the…
The flu can have extremely serious consequences during pregnancy. Getting the flu shot while you’re pregnant will help protect you and even help your baby fight off the flu after birth. Serious complications from the flu are more likely while you’re pregnant because of changes to your immune system, lungs and heart. “When you’re pregnant,…
An Instant Pot is one of the best ways to get dinner on the table — fast. This must-have kitchen gadget is simple and easy to clean, and it cooks up filling, flavorful meals. Try this quick quinoa recipe packed with protein, fiber and 85 percent of your daily vitamin C needs. Instant Pot Pesto…