December, 2016

Long-Time Staffer Recalls 47 Years of Clinic History

February of 1969 seems so long ago. The Beatles had begun recording Abbey Road. Vince Lombardi was named the head coach of the Washington Redskins. The Vietnam War was raging. Registered medical assistant Kathy Smoot recalls this period of time vividly; it was the month she was hired to work for Watson Clinic. The interview process was strenuous. There were three separate interviews, and a 500 question personality test, she recalls. Once hired, she started in the physical therapy department. Lit...

Put red and green on your Christmas dish list

Chances are, you plan to deck the halls for a very merry holiday season and what better way to evoke the spirit of Christmas past, present and future than with a traditional red and green color scheme? Bring those holiday hues into your festive feasts, and you're sure to keep good health on the menu—even as you sample the occasional treat. A number of fresh reds and greens are in the produce aisles now, waiting to star in your winter meals. Look for red foods, such as apples, beets, cranbe...

The Ears Have It

You probably think of it as gross gunk, but earwax—what doctors call cerumen—actually deserves your respect. That's because it protects your ears. It helps keep dust and bacteria and other germs from entering and damaging them. It also keeps the delicate skin in your ear canal from getting irritated if water gets into it—say, while you shower or swim. If the merits of earwax surprise you, so might these other facts: 1. The volume of earwax varies. Some people—mostly men a...

Zika and Pregnancy: What you should know

Zika is a virus that is spread to people mostly through the bite of an infected mosquito. An infected person also can pass the virus to someone during sex, but the most alarming aspect of Zika is that an infected pregnant woman can pass the virus to her unborn child with potentially tragic results. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects. These include a brain deformity called microcephaly, vision and hearing problems, and stunted growth. There is no vaccine to prevent ...

Five ways to cut back on added sugars

If you pay attention to dietary headlines, you've probably heard the fuss over foods with added sugars. And you might wonder: How could something so deliciously sweet be so potentially bad for your health? First, it's important to remember that sugars occur naturally in many foods, from milk to fruit. But that's not the issue here. Instead, we're talking sugars, syrups and caloric sweeteners that are added to foods when they're processed or prepared. If their calories make up too much of your di...