HealthyLife Articles

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Tooth-Brushing Truth

WELL-BEING

Clean teeth are healthy teeth.

Change your toothbrush with the seasons.

Don’t wait until your 6-month dentist visit to get a new toothbrush. You should change your brush every 3 months, or sooner if it starts to fray.

You’re probably using too much toothpaste.

Adults and children over 3 years of age only need a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. For children younger than 3, the toothpaste should be the size of a grain of rice.

Don’t scrub so hard.

Choose a soft-bristled brush and don’t overdo it. Brush hard enough to clean the film off your teeth, but be gentle.

Power brushes can give you a hand.

Manual brushes clean well, but power brushes have their place, too. If you have trouble brushing on your own or tend to have a lot of plaque, try a power brush.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Budget Your Time

Stress Management

Time:

We can’t make it, borrow it, sell it, or stop it. All we can do is spend it. Time is egalitarian, too. We each receive exactly the same amount: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Yet some people use their time far more effectively than others. How do they accomplish this miracle?

Make a “to do” list.

Write down what you have to do, what you ought to do, and what you’d like to do. Then systematically check off items that you get done. This is gratifying, and gives you some idea of your progress.

Prioritize.

Categorize every activity as either A (top priority; must be done soon), B (less priority; should be done fairly soon), and C (least priority; can wait indefinitely). Forced to decide among various tasks, you’ll know what to spend your time on.

Avoid overcommitment.

Know your personal limitations, how much time you have available, and what you can realistically expect to accomplish.

Know the difference between activity and productivity.

Activity-making a lot of phone calls, reorganizing your paperwork may or may not lead to accomplishment. Productivity-taking steps toward a solution or goal-leads to results. Whenever possible, choose to be productive rather than active.

Analyze the time wasters in your day.

Make a list of activities that steal time away from productive work: people who drop in to chat and hang around too long, unsolicited phone calls or meetings you don’t really need to attend. Then devise ways to eliminate intrusions.

Create quiet time.

Let people know when you’re available and when you can’t be interrupted. Close your door and turn on your answering machine (or have someone take your calls), if necessary.

Plan for your personal prime time.

If you’re like most people, you probably feel more energetic and productive at some times than at others. Take advantage of your peak performance time, and plan to tackle your most demanding tasks then. Leave routine tasks for off-peak times.

Don’t be a perfectionist.

Do your best, but realize that not everything has to be perfect. Too much attention to detail may be a waste of time. Again, prioritize.

Avoid indecision.

When you’re unsure of what to do, ask yourself, “What is the best use of my time right now?”

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Keep Your Cool With This Tool

Stress Management

Communicating well is the key to keeping calm.

Trying to express your thoughts and needs to somebody who just doesn’t get it can be very frustrating. You may supress your feelings or blow a gasket, neither of which is good for your mental state or physical health. With some effective skills to handle your emotions, you can resolve differences, build trust and respect, and create a positive environment that breeds creativity, productivity and success.

Effective communication is a combination of skills that includes listening, recognizing nonverbal signals, managing stress in the moment, and staying connected to your emotions.

Are you listening?

Listening is vital to effective communication. It’s not just hearing the words, but understanding what the other person means and how he or she feels.

Listen carefully.

* Put away your cellphone, close your folders, and don’t doodle. Focus on hearing what is being said.

* Don’t interrupt or redirect the conversation to your concerns.

* Don’t appear judgmental, critical, or accusatory.

* Show your interest in what is being said. Nod, smile, and make sure your posture is inviting.

Watch your body language.

* Don’t roll your eyes, squirm in your seat, or contort your face to show that you are annoyed.

* Don’t say yes while shaking your head no.

* Keep your arms uncrossed and maintain eye contact.

Keep stress in check.

Stress in small doses may help you under pressure. But too much can cloud your ability to speak clearly, listen effectively, or read non-verbal skills properly. Reacting can cause you to say or do things you’ll regret.

Action Step

The next time you are in a stressful situation, take control. Think before you speak. Take a few deep breaths. Look for humor to break up the tension. Be willing to compromise or at least agree to disagree.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Stress Less For Success 2

Stress Management

Learn how to cope at work.

No matter where you work, stress happens. It can be good in small spurts because it triggers hormones that give you a boost of energy to help you meet a deadline. Too much stress, though, can cause headaches, upset stomach, back pain, and lots of excuses to call in sick. You can take control by becoming aware of your personal triggers and learning how to keep them from turning you into the moody, unproductive employee that coworkers avoid.

Common sources of workplace stressors:

* Little or no control over your work

* Conflict with fellow employees

* Repetition of duties

* Too much or too little work

* Time pressures or quotas

* Lack of job security

* Decrease in pay or benefits

* No opportunity for promotion

* Lack of recognition for a job well-done

Common signs of work stress:

* You question the quality of your work.

* You are easily agitated or angered.

* You feel anxious.

* You forget tasks.

* You keep making mistakes.

* You’re using drugs or alcohol to cope or escape.

* You don’t communicate well with other employees.

Coping mechanisms:

* Keep a running “to-do” list.

* Organize clutter.

* Manage your time.

* When you feel overwhelmed with your workload, discuss this with your boss.

* Focus on what you can control and let the rest go.

* Take breaks and don’t skip lunch.

* Walk around the building.

* Reward yourself for jobs well-done.

* Don’t turn a simple snafu into a major drama.

* Leave your work at the office.

* Recognize when it’s time to look for a new job.

Action Step

Poor communication is a major cause of stress at work. When something is bothering you, speak up, but do so tactfully, clearly, and respectfully.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Health Screenings Can Save Lives

Medical Exams

You take your children for regular health checkups to protect their health. You, too, need preventive health screenings to increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life. For example:

* A colonoscopy can find and remove polyps. These overgrowths of tissue on the lining of your colon may turn into cancer.

* Cervical cancer can be prevented nearly 100 percent of the time with regular screenings and early treatment, if needed.

* Schedule health screenings you need this year. Write when you will have these.

* Don’t use excuses, such as “I don’t have time” or “That illness doesn’t run in my family” to keep you from getting health screenings you need.

Approximately one half of all cancer deaths may be prevented by not smoking, staying at a healthy weight, eating nutritious foods, and being physically active.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
How To Steer Clear Of Drunken Drivers

Personal Safety

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a common cause of auto accidents. If you can spot a drunken driver and stay out of his or her way, you may be able to avoid an accident. Watch out for drivers who:

* Drive too fast or too slow.

* Make jerky starts or stop abruptly.

* Overshoot stop signs.

* Ignore traffic signals.

* Follow cars too closely.

* Pass other cars too quickly or too slowly.

* Change lanes frequently.

* Drive without their lights on after sundown.

* Drive with their windows rolled down in cold or wet weather.

* Are obviously partying and having a good time with their passengers when they should be paying attention to the road.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Eating Disorders 3

Mental Health

A person with an eating disorder is obsessed with food and/or body weight.

Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that affect people of all ages, genders, body weights, and racial/ethnic backgrounds.

It is estimated that millions of Americans have struggled with an eating disorder at some point over their lifetime. Eating disorders are caused by a range of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.

You may not be able to tell someone has an eating disorder by how they look. A person with anorexia nervosa may be very underweight, but persons with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder can be underweight, normal weight, or overweight.

Find out about eating disorders from the National Eating Disorders Association atnationaleatingdisorders.org.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Suicidal Thoughts 2

Mental Health

Signs & Symptoms

* Writing a suicide note.

* Suicidal threats, gestures, or attempts.

* Thoughts of suicide that don’t go away or occur often.

Causes

* Depression.

* Bipolar disorder.

* Schizophrenia.

* Grief. Loss of a loved one.

* A side effect of some medicines. One is isotretinoin. This is prescribed for severe acne. Some antidepressants have this effect, too. This is more of a risk in the first days to the first month they are taken.

* A family history of suicide or depression.

* Money and relationship problems.

* Increasing use of alcohol and/or drugs.

* Withdrawing from others.

* Showing rage or seeking revenge.

* Behaving recklessly.

* Talking about feeling trapped, hopeless, or in unbearable pain.

Treatment

* Emergency care.

* Treating the mental and/or physical problems that lead to thoughts and attempts of suicide. Examples are bipolar disorder and depression.

* Counseling.

* Talking with family and friends often.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

For Suicidal Thoughts

* Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255.

* Let someone know. Talk to your doctor, a trusted family member, friend, or teacher. If it is hard for you to talk to someone, write your thoughts down. Let someone else read them.

To Help Prevent a Suicide

* Keep firearms, drugs, etc., away from persons at risk.

* Take courses that teach problem solving, coping skills, and suicide awareness.

* If you think the person is serious about suicide, get help. Watch and protect him or her until you get help. Keep the person talking. Ask questions such as, “Are you thinking about hurting or killing yourself?”

* Urge the person to call for help (e.g., his or her health care provider, a suicide prevention hotline, EMS, etc.) Make the call yourself if the person can’t or won’t.

* Express concern. The person needs to know that someone cares. Most suicidal persons feel alone. Tell the person how much he or she means to you and others. Talk about reasons to stay alive. Don’t judge. The person needs someone to listen, not preach moral values.

* Tell the person that depression and thinking about suicide can be treated. Urge him or her to get professional care. Offer help in seeking care.

Resources

Mental Health America (MHA)

800.969.6642

mentalhealthamerica.net

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

800.273.TALK (273.8255)

suicidepreventionlifeline.org

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Alternative Medicine Systems

Alternative Medicine

These are complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these systems have been used in other countries for centuries. They can be very different from mainstream medicine that is used in the U.S.

1. Ayurveda (“ah-yur-VAY-dah”). This system of diagnosis and treatment has been used in India for more than 5,000 years. It includes yoga, meditation, herbs, massage, specific diets, and controlled breathing.

2. Homeopathy This method is based on the idea that “like cures like.” Things that cause certain symptoms in a healthy person can also cure those symptoms in someone who is sick. They must be given in small, highly diluted amounts.

3. Naturopathy. This uses methods to allow the body to heal itself rather than treat disease. It uses diet, herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, body manipulation, etc.

4. Reiki (“RAY-kee”). This Japanese word stands for Universal Life Energy. With Reiki, spiritual energy is channeled through a Reiki practitioner to heal a patient’s spirit. Healing the spirit heals the physical body.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
First Aid Kits: Stay Up To Date

SELF-CARE CORNER

A first aid kit is an essential self-care item that should always be handy. A well-stocked kit prepares you for any situation or emergency that may arise.

If you don’t have a first aid kit, you can purchase ready-made kits at most pharmacies. Ideally, you should have a kit for your home as well as your vehicle, so you’re covered anywhere you go.

First aid kits should be updated every six months to keep supplies stocked and replace expired items. Now is a good time to go through your kits to ensure they are up to date and stocked with everything you need.

What should be in your kit?

* 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)

* 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)

* 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)

* 5 antibiotic ointment packets

* 5 antiseptic wipe packets

* 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)

* 1 emergency blanket

* 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)

* 1 instant cold compress

* 2 pairs of nonlatex gloves (size: large)

* 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets

* 1 3-inch gauze roll (roller) bandage

* 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)

* 5 3 x 3-inch sterile gauze pads

* 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)

* A thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)

* 2 triangular bandages

* Tweezers

* A first aid guide or reference book

Personalize your kit

Depending on the needs of yourself and your family, you should add special items unique to your situation. For example:

* If someone in your family has diabetes, include glucose tabs/gels, quick glucose snacks, and a glucagon injection kit.

* If someone in your family has a severe allergy, include an epi-pen and some antihistamine medication.

* Include a list of medications that each family member takes, as well as contact information for their doctors.

* Include your address in a prominent place in your first aid kit. This will allow the person who is helping you in an emergency to give this information to first responders.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026