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Though many people complain about the feeling of being “as stuffed as a turkey,” overeating isn’t likely to land you in the Emergency Department on Thanksgiving. It’s more likely you could end up needing medical care for a common accident such as slicing your finger while carving the turkey, or burning your hand while pouring gravy.

Gestational diabetes starts when your body is not able to make and use all the insulin it needs for pregnancy. Without enough insulin, glucose cannot leave the blood and be changed to energy. Glucose builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.

As the Thanksgiving table is filled up with dish after dish of delectable delights, why not consider eating something that’s low in fat, high in fiber, has a multitude of vitamins and can be used in everything from soups to salads?

Diabetes is a disease of altered insulin secretion and or peripheral resistance that results in hyperglycemia, or abnormally high blood glucose. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common health problem worldwide. In the United States, 8 percent of the population-- or 17.9 million -- people have been diagnosed with DM.  Despite such high numbers, the disease is under-diagnosed and it is estimated that 5.4 million people have undiagnosed diabetes. It is important to learn about diabetes, as it is estimated that 182,000 deaths annually are attributed to diabetes mellitus and its complications.

Lung cancer comes from many different sources that can trigger a mutation. Some sources come from the environment, such as exposure to Radon. Some sources are byproducts of fossil fuels. Some come from smoking cigars, cigarettes, and second-hand smoke. Knowing your surroundings and keeping your distance from potential carcinogens can help reduce the risk of contracting many different forms of cancer.

October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month.  This is a good time for us to review the definition of SIDS, what we know about the causes of SIDS and what we can do to implement best prevention strategies.  In addition, it is a time for us to witness and appreciate the success of public health campaigns around the world.

Respiratory Care practitioners, or Respiratory Therapists, are the firefighters of the healthcare team at Lompoc Valley Medical Center: Hospital. We work hand-in-hand with the nurses and doctors who are in charge of the overall health and care plan for the hospital stay of a patient.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so it is a good time to be reminded that breast cancer is the most common cancer women will face in their lifetimes (except for skin cancer).  Although it is the most common cancer in women, it can actually have an excellent prognosis, especially when detected early. In fact, early detection is the single most important variable in determining the outcome.

Flank steak is delicious. That wasn’t always thought to be the case in culinary circles. Some time ago, flank steak was considered the cut of meat that the butcher would take home at the end of the day because it didn’t sell. It wasn’t a commonly sought after cut of beef. 

Breast cancer has been found to affect an estimated 1 in 8 women in the United States. While this number seems high, breast cancer survival has also been on the rise. Survival rates are climbing not only due to innovative, high-quality treatment but also as a result of early detection. Early detection via routine screening has proven to be essential in preventing mortality from breast cancer.

Every October, the color pink seemingly takes over the nation, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month hits its stride. But behind the hue is a comprehensive databank of statistics and facts detailing the true impact of breast cancer in the U.S. and California – as well as Santa Barbara County.

Have you ever considered riding or walking to work? You may already know that physical activity is beneficial to health, however, you may be surprised to learn just how beneficial an active commute can be for you. A recent BMJ (formerly known as the British Medical Journal) study released last April analyzed potential links between how people commute to work and incidences of cardiovascular disease, cancer and all causes of mortality.

In the year 2000, the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association initiated and sponsored a Thyroid Cancer Awareness program during one week every September. This was expanded in 2003 to include the entire month of September as a worldwide program. That is notable because there has been an increased incidence in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer in the last 25 years, not only in the United States but worldwide.

When a baby is born at LVMC, there are several newborn screenings completed before discharge. Babies complete a hearing screen, a congenital cardiac disease screen and a newborn screen, all prior to discharge.

Are you feeling confused about what to eat these days? You’re not alone. Nutrition guidance seems to be constantly changing. Why? The short answer is nutrition is always evolving as new research helps improve our understanding of what to eat and why.