Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

Have you ever had a blood test?  Have you ever wondered where the test goes and who takes care of analyzing it?

You may or not be surprised to learn that the tests are received and analyzed by medical laboratory professionals.

A medical laboratory professional works out of a hospital or medical facility.  In order to be able to analyze blood, urine, and other body samples you need to be trained and certified by an accredited board.

Your job as a laboratory professional is very important.  You act as a health detective.  Through the test, you analyze data.  Based on this you assist doctors with patients’ diagnoses and treatments.  You also help to track progress of a treatment to determine if it is working.

A medical laboratory professional has a lot of responsibility.

If you chose to be a medical laboratory professional, a strong background in biology, chemistry and math is helpful.  You could be a technician with an associate’s degree or a medical laboratory scientist requiring a baccalaureate degree.

As a medical laboratory scientist you would collect and process specimens, assure lab procedures performances and maintain instruments.  In addition, you would relate lab findings to common diseases/conditions.  These match what a medical laboratory technician does.

Additionally, as a laboratory scientist your responsibilities include sophisticated analyses and evaluation and interpretation of results.  Likewise, you problem solve, consult, conduct research and even develop new test methods.

Your schooling as a medical lab scientist is much more involved than a technician.  You have in-depth courses in education and management, professional course work and a clinical experience of five to six months.

Whether you are a medical laboratory technician or scientist, both roles are important to the health field.  These are the people who receive samples and ultimately help to keep us able to manage disease or conditions that come our way.

Private Home Health Care salutes these medical professionals this week.

#MedicalLaboratoryProfessionalsWeek

Earth Day

Tomorrow is Earth Day. What does that mean for you?

Earth Day has been happening in April over many years.  It is a day for you and I to remember our contribution to this planet we live on.

Every Earth Day you’ll find opportunities in your community to volunteer in an activity that helps your community.  The events are posted on a town’s website, listed in newspapers and on flyers posted around towns and cities.

The goal of the activities is usually to raise awareness about all the goodness the earth has to offer us.  It gives each of us a chance to give back and help nurture the earth.

Usually, you can find parks or other areas that need to be cleaned up.  There are trails that need to be manicured.  Do you recycle?  That’s another way to help the earth.  

You might try taking a walk in a park or the woods and enjoy the scenery and listen to the birds that have come back now that spring has arrived.

Earth Day happens all over the world so you are sure to find information on ways you can contribute in your community. Check it out.

Private Home Health Care respects the earth and loves to do what we can to contribute to keeping it healthy.

#NationalEarthDay

Friendship

I was reminded recently of how important friendship is to all of us.  Friendship is a very special bond with another person.  Unique.  Caring.  Fun.  Compassionate.

Are you having a bad day?  Feeling on the blue side, but not sure why.  A phone call comes and your friend calls to say that you’ve been on her mind.  She asks, “How are you?”.  Your spirit lifts and the day starts to get brighter.

You unexpectedly get offered tickets to a play for that evening.  You reach out to friends and you all rally together and gather to see a wonderful performance.  A fun-filled night made special by your sharing the night with friends.

Need help with a project at home?  You reach out to your friend who is handy around the house.  He makes the time to come over and help you.  You serve lunch during the project.  What a nice way to spend an afternoon.

As you can see, we all need a friend in our lives.  Friends keep us from being lonely.  Friends help us manage life’s challenges and keep us centered. 

In our world today we hear of tragedy in the news on many occasions.  Oftentimes we learn that the person involved was a loner without friends.  These instances call out even more the importance of friendship.  

Private Home Health Care appreciates all of our friends.  Here’s a poem from anonymous.

A friend is someone we turn to

when our spirits need a lift. A friend is someone we treasure

for our friendship is a gift.

A friend is someone who fills our lives

with beauty, joy, and grace.

And makes the whole world we live in

a better and happier place.

Haiku Poetry

Haiku poetry.  “Submit to nature, return to nature.”  This was written by a seventeenth-century Japanese poet named Matsuo Basho to describe Haiku poetry.

If you read about the beginnings of Haiku poetry you will discover that it began back in the thirteenth century in Japan.  It was originally the beginning of a longer oral poem.  In the sixteenth century Haiku broke off and became its own form of poetry.

To write a Haiku poem, you would have three lines and use seventeen syllables in a 5/7/5 count.  Matsuo Basho is a famous Haiku poet.  He wrote the following:

An old pond!

 A frog jumps in—

 the sound of water.

The poetry usually focuses on nature.  It centers around simplicity, intensity and directness of expression.

Fast forward to the nineteenth century when Haiku started to influence poets outside of Japan.  The exact rules using the same number of syllables were not always followed, consequently the poems had a different cadence.  

You can see this in the poem by Ezra Pound. The interconnecting different images were however the same. 

In a Station of the Metro

The apparition of these faces in the crowd:

Petals on a wet, black bough.

You may find that Haiku poetry is not easy to write but it can be very rewarding. If you are interested, find a poetry class to join to learn more and practice this old, traditional Japanese art.

Private Home Health Care wishes you creativity and peace in your writing.

#NationalHaikuPoetryDay

National Pecan Day

Do you know what nut is native to North America?  If you guessed the pecan you’d be correct!

Georgia has the most pecans but other southern states grow them as well.

Pecans grow on trees and they need cross-pollination to achieve the most yield.  If you were to grow pecan trees you need a warm and humid climate and a lot of space.  

You can’t be disturbed by  a mess because pecan trees shed flowers, leaves and branches.  The trees need full sun for 6-8 hours and water, lots of water.  A young tree needs 10 to 15 gallons every week!

Did I mention that you also need patience?  Those pecan nuts in the shells with the proper sun and water will be available in about eight to ten years!  There is no wonder these delicious nuts tend to be on the more expensive side

The nice part about pecans is that you can eat them as a sweet or a savory.  For your best health benefit you should eat natural pecans without sugar or salt.

Pecans are high in calories so if you are watching your weight be careful but there are many health benefits to pecans so moderation is key.  You should stick to about one ounce or 20 pecan halves at a time.

You’ll get a decent amount of fiber from pecans along with copper, vitamin B, and zinc.  You can add a bit of magnesium and phosphorus to the list too.  All of these nutrients are good as part of a healthy diet.

Private Home Health Care does not grow pecan trees but we do enjoy them because of all the health benefits they provide.  We hope you will enjoy some too.

#NationalPecanDay

World Music Therapy Week

World music therapy week runs from April 10-15.

Music is enjoyed by so many people that it’s called a universal language.  Music therapy is dedicated to helping and healing people.  It is for people of all backgrounds, ages and cultures.

Music therapy can happen in all kinds of settings and be administered with all ages.  Your setting might be a hospital, school, nursing home, mental health facility or residence for individuals just to name a few.

A music therapist is not only a skilled musician but also a health care provider.

If you want to be a music therapist you will need to get a bachelor’s degree.  After that you’ll need to participate in 1,200 clinical hours and pass a national exam.  

Your goal as a music therapist is to help a person emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually, cognitively and socially.  

You can help your clients lower blood pressure, reduce stress, reduce muscle tension, and increase motivation.  People with Alzheimer’s disease can benefit greatly from music therapy.  

Here’s an interesting fact.  It was back in 1945 that formal music therapy began.  The United States War Department used it to help military service members recovering in Army hospitals.

As you can see music therapy has grown and it is now a significant part of our healthcare system.  You can spread awareness about the week on social media using #WorldMusicTherapyWeek.

Private Home Health Care wishes you a song in your heart this and every week.

National Month of Hope

It feels appropriate to talk about hope this month.  Hope is such a positive force in one’s life.In the spring season with the early bulbs blooming, buds coming on the bushes and longer days you can really feel hopeful.

Look in Merriam-Webster and you’ll find hope defined as “an expectation of fulfillment or success” and “to await some occurrence or outcome”.

Are you hopeful?  Do you help others to feel hopeful? Does helping to lift someone’s spirit make you feel hopeful?

Life can bring us much goodness and happiness but also curveballs and difficulties that we need to manage.  Having hope can help you deal with both the good and difficult times.

Sharing a ray of hope with others can make you feel better yourself. You might be able to share  kindness or spend time with someone.  Volunteering is another way to spread hope and often it can help your own feeling of self worth and hope.

During this month of April during #NationalMonthOfHope, try and offer hope to those around you.  You may find a friend to chat with or a school volunteer that might be offered.  

Writing letters to those in nursing homes or prisons is another outlet for you.  If you are active on social media you could find hopeful things to share.

Private Home Health Care understands that in our world hope is definitely something that should be spread.  Let’s each of us do what we can in our little place in this great world of ours.

#NationalMonthOfHope

Happy Easter

Private Home Health Care would like to wish a very Happy and Blessed Easter to all who celebrate. Easter is the holiest of days for Christians. 

If you are a Christian, you observe 40 days of Lent. These 40 days represent the time that Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness being tempted. The Lenten season begins with Ash Wednesday.  

You would then observe Palm Sunday the week before Easter.  Palm Sunday represents the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem.  This is followed by Holy Thursday, the day of the last supper and Good Friday, the day that Jesus was crucified.  

Easter day is the day that Jesus rose from the dead, saving believers from sin. Christians around the world celebrate and commemorate the sacrifice made by Jesus for his followers.

In addition, we would also like to wish our Jewish friends a very Happy Passover.  Passover celebrates the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt.  

Passover is currently being celebrated.  It began on Wed., April 5 and will end on Thurs., April 13.  Passover and The Last Supper have close ties.  The Last Supper celebrated by Jesus was a Passover meal the same as the Israelites.

Happy Easter and Happy Passover from Private Home Health Care.

Walking

Walking.  An easy way to improve your overall health.  It doesn’t cost any money and just about anyone can do it.

Every year the American Heart Association encourages all of us to get out and stretch our legs and walk.  Walking is the perfect low maintenance way to get your body in shape.

Your heart benefits, your muscles benefit, it increases your energy and helps with your mood. Walking can even help you manage some health problems.  If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic, walking can help lower symptoms..

You don’t have to plan on a 5-mile walk to get the benefits either.  It’s true that the faster, farther and more often you walk the greater the benefits but If you can only handle a 30 minute walk that’s great too.

You need to be sure to start at your own pace.  Try beginning with a 30 minute walk at a moderate pace.  If you feel ready, pick up the pace and add some distance.  It really is whatever works for you.

Additionally, when you walk it’s important to have a good pair of sneakers and comfortable clothing.  Carry a phone, wear sunscreen and stay hydrated.  Choose a neighborhood or a park .  Wherever you like to walk. 

Private Home Health Care believes that walking is good exercise and a relaxing and easy way to stay healthy.  Enjoy!

#NationalWalkingDay

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, helps your body to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in your bones.  It also helps to ward off illnesses.

This vitamin also has a low current daily value (90mg) so it’s easy to eat to add it to your body.

Your body does not produce vitamin C so you do need to get it from the foods you eat.  For most of us this is not a problem because it can be found in so many foods.

If you eat vegetables and fruits daily you will get plenty of vitamin C in your diet.  Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell peppers, guava, strawberries, cantaloupe, papaya, tomatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, spinach and mangos.

You could be at risk for a vitamin C deficiency if you are a smoker or if you have certain gastrointestinal conditions.  Limited fruits and vegetables in your diet can also cause problems.

Private Home Health Care knows that a deficiency of vitamin C can lead to diseases. Scurvy was a disease caused by a lack of the vitamin.  Back in the 18th and 19 centuries it was deadly for seafaring people.  Thankfully, we have many options of fruits and vegetables so we we can stay healthy.