Healthcare Matters

By Dustin Hamlin Spring has sprung, and the red buds are blooming! Soon the April showers will bring forth the May flowers!  This is a beautiful time of year. Many look forward to it; yet, others truly are dreadful of the season.  These folks suffer from seasonal allergies and often stay sick and miserable during…

Over the past month, I have noticed an increase in injuries resulting from falls.  This past week, one of my eldest patients suffered a fall and has undergone surgeries as a result.  For this reason, I feel it is appropriate to discuss falls.  Falls in general have a higher tendency to be life altering in…

This week at the clinic, we have seen several complaints leading to a diagnosis of H Pylori. H Pylori is an infection of the stomach that will lead to stomach ulcers if left untreated. The exact cause is unknown. The infection can be spread from person to person by kissing or by using poorly cleansed…

The Voice mistakenly published the incorrect article under “What you should know to manage cholesterol” in last week’s “Healthcare Matters” column.  We apologize for any confusion.  “What you should know to manage cholesterol” can be read in its entirety in this week’s “Healthcare Matters.”    Cholesterol is an important part of normal functioning to the…

After receiving multiple compliments about the last article discussing dietary approaches to promote weight loss, I felt it would be appropriate to discuss other dietary approaches targeting health promotion and disease prevention.  One approach is the dietary approach to stop hypertension known as the (DASH) diet.  The American Heart Association once contributed up to 80%…

After receiving multiple compliments about the last article discussing dietary approaches to promote weight loss, I felt it would be appropriate to discuss other dietary approaches targeting health promotion and disease prevention.  One approach is the dietary approach to stop hypertension known as the (DASH) diet.  The American Heart Association once contributed up to 80%…

New Year’s resolutions and weight loss seem to go hand to hand.  It’s a common theme this time of year following the holiday festivities, and I’d like to share a weight loss strategy that seems to have helped many of my patients.  However, prior to making any dietary modifications, it’s my suggestion that you seek…

Our soil within the Ohio River Valley is considered some of the most fertile.  This soil is also known to grow a fungus that infects up to 80% of the Ohio River Valley inhabitants. With part of Appalachian lying within the Ohio River Valley, our population is often affected by this fungus, known as Histoplasmosis. …

This week in the clinic, we have seen a rise in the number of falls subsequently resulting in fractures.  It’s unfortunate that many people are not diagnosed with osteoporosis until they have already broken a bone.  Osteoporosis, or thin bones, is a very treatable condition and a simple non-invasive test can be used to screen…

Appalachian Americans love the culture of our ancestors.  We are proud of our heritage and especially proud of those family recipes.  Unfortunately, we love the ways of our ancestors when it comes to our dietary habits even though technology has dramatically changed our work habits.  Appalachian Americans are much less active now and our lives…