Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare | Health Scene Fall 2016

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HEALTH SCENE is
published as a community
service for the friends and
patrons of GOLDEN VALLEY
MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE,
1600 N. Second St.,
Clinton, MO 64735,
telephone 660-885-5511,
website .
Randy S. Wertz
CEO
Information in HEALTH
SCENE comes from a wide
range of medical experts.
If you have any concerns
or questions about
specific content that may
affect your health, please
contact your healthcare
provider.
Models may be used in
photos and illustrations.
2016 © Coffey Communications,
Inc. All rights reserved.
FALL
2016
healthscene
The health tools at
can help you
know if you’re on the right
track—and
offer resources
to keep you
going strong.
Check
your health
Take a virtual tour of our expanded outpatient
center at !
You can also visit to check
out the Cost of Smoking Calculator or try
our quiz about flu facts and myths. Under
“Health Resources,” click on “Health Tools.”
DO YOU
REALLY NEED
A FLU SHOT?
SOME PEOPLE THINK catching the flu is like coming
down with a bad cold—nothing a little rest and a warm
bowl of soup won’t help fix. So when it comes to flu pre-
vention, they might ask, “Why bother?”
But in reality, no one should ever underestimate
influenza—it’s no wimpy virus. In fact, just look at what
could happen this winter if the flu visits you. You could:
● ● Miss a lot of work—and if you have kids, they could
miss school.
THEY OFTEN LOOK and feel like the real thing. Only
they’re supposed to be safer. So what’s not to like about
electronic cigarettes?
E-cigarettes, as they are called, might seem like a great
alternative to regular cigarettes. But experts have serious
questions about these cigarette look-alikes.
E-cigarettes run on batteries. They have a cartridge that
holds nicotine, flavorings (such as chocolate) and other
substances. A smoker puffs on an e-cigarette and inhales
a nicotine vapor. There’s even a glowing tip.
WHAT’S BEHIND THE GLOW? Until 2016, e-cigarettes
weren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). And the new rules won’t be fully
in effect until 2019. That means that many e-cigarettes
available now haven’t been reviewed for safety. And that’s
important.
When the FDA analyzed a small sample of cartridges
from two leading brands of e-cigarettes, they discovered
one contained a toxic substance found in antifreeze. Sev-
eral other samples contained cancer-causing substances.
PROVEN WAYS TO KICK IT Some people think that
e-cigarettes can help smokers give up the habit. But the
jury’s still out on whether that’s true. Meanwhile, there
are FDA-approved products available to help people quit,
including nicotine-replacement gums and patches.
E-CIGARETTES
SAY NO TO
THE GLOW
The Great American Smokeout
is on Nov. 17. We join the American
Cancer Society in encouraging
smokers to become tobacco-free.
● ● Potentially develop serious complications, like pneu-
monia, and have to go to a hospital. Sometimes this even
happens to young and healthy people—not just those at
high risk.
● ● Spread the virus to a baby, grandparent or someone
with health problems—any of whom would be more
likely to become very ill if they catch the flu.
Which brings us back to preventing the flu—and the
smart thing to do: Get the flu vaccine, which has a safe
track record and can’t cause the flu.
According to experts at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, nearly everyone older than
6 months should get the vaccine every year before flu
season peaks.
Getting vaccinated takes just a moment. But it could
make a world of difference for your health—and the health
of those around you.
Get up-to-date information about the flu season
and the flu vaccine at www.flu.gov .
We l l n e s s
4 F A L L 2 0 1 6
H E A L T H
S C E N E