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Tuesday: Health

Health matters

Did you know that “germs” are everywhere? A specific term is ubiquitous, meaning they are everywhere, a part of our environment. Certainly, germ is an antiquated term, referring to microscopic biological organisms. Most people automatically associate this with bacteria, but it can also refer to viral particles and fungal organisms. The variety of fungal species is tremendous, with estimates claiming there are over 5 million species. A “guesstimate” is an appropriate term since the vast majority of these have not been properly identified or classified by scientists. And only ...

Health Matters: Evidence on magnesium for muscle cramps unclear

As the science of medicine advances, and more research is performed, our understanding of the importance of nutrition deepens. As the cliche goes, we are what we eat. Our body fuels the minute-by-minute process of cellular growth and provides for tissue repair, via the consumption of solids ...

Are you in charge of a holiday feast? Follow these tips for food safety

Ready or not, the holidays are here. It’s a time when many Americans accustomed to preparing simple meals find themselves responsible for safely serving multi-dish feasts. It’s no easy task. Outbreaks of some types of food poisoning tend to rise in November and December, according to the ...

State offering free contraception – while supplies last

MARQUETTE — Michigan is offering free contraception at locations across the state starting in November. The Department of Health and Human Services is distributing certain kinds of free contraception as part of a new state education and awareness program. Supplies include condoms and over-the-counter medications like emergency contraception and contraceptive pills. Long-term contraception, like IUDs or implants, aren’t included. The program’s goal is to expand awareness of family planning services that are already available in Michigan, said Natasha Bagdasarian, the ...

Talk with the Doc

Next week, on Thursday, Nov. 28, we will be blessed to celebrate our annual Thanksgiving Day. This is a special time when many of us will have the opportunity to be thankful as we gather together with family and friends. Certainly, many of us also have much to be thankful for as we enjoy our great Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Let me again briefly review the long term history of our Founding Fathers as they continued to offer thanks for our wonderful country. Thanksgiving Day was first recognized as an official federal holiday by the United States government when President George ...

Health matters

Billions of dollars are spent in America in caring for illness and disease. Many tears have been shed from the lives lost to our biggest killers, the chronic diseases of lifestyle. Modern medicine has struggled to combat the rising tide of these conditions, like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. And the link to the epidemic of obesity over the last half century is hard to ignore. Obesity is a global epidemic; every analysis is showing increasing numbers around the globe. In general, this rise appears to be linked to the spread of the fast-food, ultra-processed dietary regimen. These ...