Tuesday, January 7

Brrrrrr, good cold morning,
It is still very cold out! The weather folks are optimistic it will warm up - probably about April! Please take care if you must get out before it warms up. Only a few minutes of exposure in the extreme cold can be damaging, especially to those of us in the AARP membership category. It looks like it will warm up late today but be wet the next couple of days. It is January, be prepared for more cold and bad weather. You may want to add a few extra groceries to cabinet for the next few weeks.

If you live in Pulaski county, it is possible to get assistance for your utility bills. Call your provider for more information. Do not skimp on heat! If you know someone in our group who is struggling, please let me know.

Take care, stay warm and check on each other.
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Monday, January 6

A very chilly good morning to you,
The thermometer in my yard is on 14! That is cold for Saline County. I just saw on TV where the high in Little Rock may only be 18! Please stay in and stay warm. Remember, if you are using portable heaters, electric or kerosene heaters to supplement your normal heat be careful. Check your unit carefully. Disconnect if you notice any odor. If you are using kerosene you must have ventilation! Do not use those units in a small place-the risk is definite. The gas smell is very dangerous!

Protect your pipes by leaving cabinet doors open. That simple act will provide enough warmth the keep your interior pipes from freezing. Do not go out and turn on the exterior pipes! Water in those pipes is sure to freeze and can do a tremendous amount of damage. Hopefully, you heeded the advice to cover the outside faucets. Just leave them covered until spring.

Please continue to check on each other and let me know of anyone in need.

Remember iPad One at the center on January 18! Start calling Krystal if you will need transportation.
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Sunday morning - waiting on the weather change

Good morning everyone,
The weatherman was very convincing that a massive cold front and artic blast will be arriving. I decided to cut the baby hugging short and head for my nice warm house. Nothing is more miserable than driving in snow or ice!

It really won't  hurt my feelings if we get an extra snow day but then I will complain about going to school in June! I think I am just hard to please.

I spoke with Toni yesterday and she had an update on Donna who remains in Baptist. A very special thanks to all of you who check on each other and let us know how things are going!

Ms. Virginia reports her daughter from California visited her over the holidays! She was so happy.

It is always great fun to have a few days to devote to home visits and catch up on the personal lives of our clients.

I hope each of you has a great day! Please continue to check on each other, especially when the weather is bad!

Take care and stay warm. Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Cold weather chill? Stay warm!

Subject: Article from Fox News Health 2014 01 03

A drop in temperature may not just chill you to the bone this winter - for some people, it can actually trigger pain. We recently got this question from a viewer: Dear Dr. Manny, I get pain in my jaw when it's really cold out. Why does this happen? Thanks, Meghan The first thing you should do is get your teeth checked to rule out cavities as a cause for your pain. But the weather can have an effect on your body in ways you may not expect. Studies have shown that changes in barometric pressure that often accompany a drop in temperature can trigger pain by causing air pockets throughout your body to expand and/or shrink, putting pressure on the nerves. Temporomandibular joint disorders, or TMJ, are also common in adult women. Symptoms can include: Earaches Headaches Chewing pain Difficulty opening your mouth Clicking or grating sounds in the joint Shivering in cold weather can cause the muscles in your jaw to constrict or spasm, which can also result in pain. Always talk to your doctor to determine the best treatment based on your condition. 

Thanks Johnye for great articles!

Subject: Article from Fox News Health 2014 01 02

With the start of the New Year, many Americans will resolve, once again, to trim inches from their waistlines. If you are one of those people, you may get some help this year from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). How? By banning trans fats and requiring the U.S. food industry to slowly phase them out of use entirely as of early January. Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat, which is uncommon in nature but can be easily created artificially. Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation. By this process, liquid oil can be transformed into a solid fat. This process makes the oil less likely to spoil giving manufactured foods longer shelf lives. Not only does trans fat help foods stay fresh longer, but also gives them a less greasy feel. So why the impetus to phase out trans fats? Simply, they are a threat to our health. Trans fat is widely considered the worst kind for your heart, even worse than saturated fat. Research shows there are absolutely no health benefits to trans fats, unlike other types of fats. This man-made fat, raises your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your "good" (HDL) cholesterol. It is estimated that getting rid of trans fats could prevent 20,000 heart attacks per year and 7,000 deaths per year. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country, phasing out trans fats could prove to be a real life saver for many in the US. This ban will mean trans fat will no longer be in the "generally recognized as safe" category. This category includes additives manufacturers can add to foods without FDA review. Manufacturers will now have to petition to FDA to allow use of trans fat in specific products if they want to keep to their original recipes. The phase out has slowly been happening for years in supermarkets and restaurants. Within the last 10 years, the amount of trans fat has declined significantly in country's diet. A prime example of this is McDonald's. The fast food giant eliminated trans fat from its fried foods over a decade ago. In 2006, the FDA started requiring health labels on food. This further helped the decline of trans fat use. Still, trans fats remain a major national health concern. They have already been banned in New York City and by other local governments but can still be found in processed foods. Some examples are microwave popcorns, frozen pizzas, refrigerated dough and ready-to-use frostings. Furthermore, many restaurants are still using the partially hydrogenated oil for frying. There is no precise timeline for phase out as of yet, but it is estimated to take at least six months. The reason being that is each food may take a different amount of time, depending on trans-fat substitutes. Although they want to phase out trans fat use, the FDA does not want to affect markets. This makes their task even more difficult as some of our favorite foods may never taste the same again after their revamp. One thing is for sure, the ban will mean a healthier new year for Americans - whether we like it or not. Dr. David B. Samadi is the Chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He is a board-certified urologist, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of urological disease, with a focus on robotic prostate cancer treatments. Dr. Samadi joined Fox News Channel in 2009 as a medical contributor. To learn more please visit his websites RoboticOncology.com andSMART-surgery.com .

Thursday, January 2

Hello everyone,
I am in Nashville hugging the stuffing out of those adorable twins! It is very cold here with a little snow. Good time to stay in and rock babies!
Have a great weekend and I will be back to Work soon!
Dr. Janet

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone,
I posted a lengthy message early this morning only to find the server down and my eloquent dialogue floating somewhere in outer space. Since my old timer's kicks in about 9 I probably can't recite it word for word. I wanted to wish each of you many blessings, health and wealth in the coming months.

For our newcomers, the server is not accepting comments and I have requested the settings be adjusted. For some reason, our server at the center does not like the blog! Please continue to practice using your safari to surf the web and email your family and friends.

I am traveling for a couple of days but I will be checking in. Just call or email if you need me! I am off to hug those adorable grandbabies!

Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet