Five Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Cholesterol

"You may wonder why you should think about cholesterol. After all, high cholesterol doesn’t have any symptoms. But having high cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Learn why it’s important to know your cholesterol numbers and what questions to ask your doctor about cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body needs to make hormones and digest fats normally.¹ Your body makes all of the cholesterol it needs, so you do not need to obtain cholesterol through foods.

What are my numbers and what do they mean?

A blood test can tell you whether you have high blood cholesterol. The test, sometimes called a “lipid profile,” measures four things:²

• Your total cholesterol. A total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or above is considered high.
• HDL (high-density lipoprotein). HDL is sometimes called “good” cholesterol because it helps get rid of extra cholesterol. It’s best to have 60 mg/dL or more.
• LDL (low-density lipoprotein). LDL is sometimes called “bad” cholesterol because it can cause cholesterol to build up in the arteries. It’s best to have 100 mg/dL or less.
• Triglycerides.³ Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Normal levels are generally less than 150 mg/dL..."
  Cholesterol

Adults: Protect Yourself with Pneumococcal Vaccines

"Many adults are at risk for pneumococcal disease. Two vaccines provide protection against this serious and sometimes deadly disease. Talk to your healthcare professional to make sure you are up to date on these and other recommended vaccines.

Each year in the United States, pneumococcal disease kills thousands of adults, including 16,000 adults 65 years or older. Thousands more end up in the hospital because of pneumococcal disease with severe infections of the lungs (pneumonia), bloodstream (bacteremia), and lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Vaccines are the best way to prevent pneumococcal disease.

Two vaccines help prevent pneumococcal disease:

• PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
• PPSV23 (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine)..."

Adult vaccines

Living well with SCD

"College students with sickle cell disease (SCD) can have a fun and safe college experience by taking a few safety precautions to keep themselves healthy.

SCD is an inherited blood disorder that can cause severe pain. So for students with SCD, the transition of leaving home to go to college can be a fun and exciting experience, but also challenging. By making smart health decisions, students with SCD can live full lives and enjoy their college experience. Read below to learn nine tips on how students with SCD can stay safe and healthy while at school..."

Sickle Cell Disese

Disaster Debris Management: Requirements, Challenges, and Federal Agency Roles

"Every year, communities in the United States are affected by disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, floods, wildfires, and winter storms. After a disaster, when a region turns its attention to rebuilding, one of the greatest challenges often involves properly managing disaster-related debris.

Disaster debris typically includes soils and sediments, vegetation (trees, limbs, shrubs), municipal solid waste (common household garbage, personal belongings), construction and demolition debris (in some instances, entire residential structures and all their contents), vehicles, food waste, “white goods” (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners), and household hazardous waste(cleaning agents, pesticides, pool chemicals). Each type of waste may contain or be contaminated with toxic or hazardous constituents.

In the short term, debris removal is necessary to facilitate the recovery of a geographic area. In the long term, the methods by which these wastes are managed requires proper consideration to ensure that their management (e.g., by landfilling) will not pose future threats to human health or the environment..."
Disaster and debris management

Preparing for a Hurricane or Tropical Storm

"You can’t stop a tropical storm or hurricane, but you can take steps now to protect you and your family.

If you live in coastal areas at risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages you to begin preparing yourself for hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season is June 1 through November 30 each year.

Please follow these important hurricane preparedness tips from CDC:

• Preparing for a Hurricane: Take basic steps now to ensure your safety should a storm hit.
• Emergency Supplies You Will Need: Stock your home and your car with supplies.
• Make a Plan: Create a family disaster plan.
• Avoid Flooded Areas : Take precautions before, during, and after a flood.
• Prepare to Evacuate: Never ignore an evacuation order.
• Protecting Older Adults: Understand older adult health and medical concerns.
• Protecting Pets: Ensure your pet’s safety before, during, and after an emergency.
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning after the storm: Place generators outside at least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent.
• After a hurricane: Learn how to avoid injuries and make sure your food and water are safe..."

Hurricane preparedness

Flood Safety Tips

"Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than any other hazard related to thunderstorms. The most common flood deaths occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water. Fortunately, you can take steps to protect yourself, your family, and your home.

During a Flood Watch or Warning

• Gather emergency supplies.
• Listen to your local radio or television station for updates.
• Have immunization records handy (or know the year of your last tetanus shot).
  • Store immunization records in a waterproof container.
• Fill bathtubs, sinks, gallon jars, and plastic soda bottles so that you will have a supply of clean water.
  • Sanitize sinks/tubs first by cleaning them using a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water. Then rinse and fill with clean water.
• Bring in outdoor possessions (lawn furniture, grills, trash cans) or tie them down securely.
• If evacuation appears necessary: turn off all utilities at the main power switch and close the main gas valve.
• Leave areas subject to flooding: low spots, canyons, washes, etc. (Remember: avoid driving through flooded areas and standing water.)..."
  Food safety and flooding

Be Ready for Radiation Emergencies

"Protect yourself, your loved ones, and your pets during a radiation emergency by getting inside, staying inside, and staying tuned.

It’s Saturday night and you’re at home with your family watching TV. A news alert announces a radiation emergency in your city. It could be an overturned truck hauling radioactive material, a nuclear power plant accident, or a “dirty bomb,” but reports are that large amounts of radiation have been released. What should you do?

Radiation can affect the body in a number of ways, and the adverse health effects of exposure may not be apparent for many years. These can range from mild effects, such as skin reddening, to serious effects such as cancer and death. This depends on the amount of radiation absorbed by the body (the dose), the type of radiation, and for how long the person was exposed. In large doses, radiation can cause acute illness or skin burns, or jeopardize a developing fetus..."
Radiation emergencies

Prostate Cancer Awareness

"The prostate is a walnut-sized organ located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum in men. It produces fluid that makes up a part of semen. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine and semen through the penis and out of the body).

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among American men. Prostate cancers usually grow slowly. Most men with prostate cancer are older than 65 years and do not die from the disease. Finding and treating prostate cancer before symptoms occur may not improve your health or help you live longer. Learn more and talk to your doctor before you decide to get screened or treated for prostate cancer..."
Prostate cancer

Pregnant? Get Tdap in Your Third Trimester

"Only you can give your baby protection against whooping cough before your little one is even born. Talk to your doctor or midwife about getting the whooping cough vaccine (called Tdap) during your third trimester.

Whooping cough is a serious disease that can be deadly for babies. Unfortunately, babies can’t get vaccinated and start building protection against whooping cough until they are two months old. Avoid this gap in protection by getting the whooping cough vaccine during the third trimester of your pregnancy. By doing so, you pass antibodies to your baby before birth. These antibodies help protect your baby in the first few months of life..."
Pregnancy & Whooping cough

September is National Childhood Obesity Month

"About 1 in 6 (17%) children in the United States has obesity. Certain groups of children are more affected than others. National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month provides a chance for all of us to learn more about this serious health condition. While there is no simple solution, there are many ways communities can support children with their journey to good health.

Childhood Obesity Is a Major Public Health Problem

• Children with obesity are at higher risk for having other chronic health conditions and diseases, such as asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, and type 2 diabetes. They also have more risk factors for heart disease like high blood pressure and high cholesterol than their normal weight peers.
• Children with obesity can be bullied and teased more than their normal weight peers. They are also more likely to suffer from social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem.
• Children with obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults. This can lead to lifelong physical and mental health problems. Adult obesity is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and many types of cancers..."
  Childhood obesity

Rescission Of Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

" Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated the orderly wind down of the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

“This Administration’s decision to terminate DACA was not taken lightly. The Department of Justice has carefully evaluated the program’s Constitutionality and determined it conflicts with our existing immigration laws,” said Acting Secretary Elaine Duke. “As a result of recent litigation, we were faced with two options: wind the program down in an orderly fashion that protects beneficiaries in the near-term while working with Congress to pass legislation; or allow the judiciary to potentially shut the program down completely and immediately. We chose the least disruptive option.”

On June 29, the attorneys general of Texas and several other states sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asserting that the DACA program is unlawful for the same reasons stated in the Fifth Circuit and district court opinions regarding an expansion of the DACA program and the now-rescinded program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). The letter noted that if DHS did not rescind the June 2012 DACA memo by September 5, 2017, the states would seek to amend the DAPA lawsuit to include a challenge to DACA...."

DACA rescission

Prevent Food Poisoning

"Anybody can get food poisoning, but some people are more likely to get seriously ill.

Every year, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. However, certain groups of people are more likely to get a foodborne illness (also called food poisoning) or get seriously ill. Learn why certain groups have a higher chance for food poisoning and what steps they can take to protect themselves.

People more likely to get a foodborne illness are:

• Children younger than 5 years of age
• Adults aged 65 and older
• People with weakened immune systems from medical conditions or their treatment, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, or diabetes
• Pregnant women..."
  Food poisoning

Animals in Schools and Daycare Settings

"Animals can be entertaining and educational. However, people, especially children, can get sick from contact with animals. The good news: You can help prevent illnesses from animals.

Children can learn a lot from animals, and it’s important to make sure they stay safe and healthy while they’re learning. People can get sick when they forget to wash their hands[698 KB] right after touching an animal or its habitat. Young children are more likely to get sick because their immune systems are still developing. They also are more likely to put their fingers or other items into their mouths, which can cause them to become infected.

What types of diseases can animals spread?

Animals may carry germs like Salmonella and E. coli O157 on their bodies and in their droppings, even when they appear clean and healthy. The germs can spread to cages, bedding, and wherever animals roam. Disease outbreaks also have resulted from hatching eggs and chicks in the classroom, and from contaminated animal products used for hands-on learning, such as owl pellets for dissection..."
Animals in schools

Mumps

"Mumps vaccine is the best way to protect your child against mumps, a contagious disease that can cause serious complications. Talk to your healthcare professional or check your child’s immunization records to ensure mumps vaccine is up to date.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Anyone who has not had mumps or been vaccinated can get the disease. There is no treatment for mumps, and it can cause long-term health problems. Before there was a vaccine, mumps was the leading cause for viral encephalitis (infection of the brain) and sudden deafness in the U.S. You can protect yourself and your family against mumps with vaccination.

Protect Your Child with Mumps Vaccine

Mumps vaccine is the best way to protect your child against mumps. It is usually given as part of a combination vaccine that protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). The MMR vaccine is safe and effective. Most children don’t have any side effects from the vaccine. The side effects that do occur are usually very mild, such as a fever or rash..."

Mumps

Hurricane Harvey and Army Corps: Background for Flood Response and Recovery

"Hurricane Harvey produced high winds, storm surge, and heavy precipitation. Congressional responses to the storm's flooding may consider both coastal protection and the improvement of water management and drainage in inland areas. This Insight summarizes Hurricane Harvey-related flood-management activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE, or Corps).

Responsibilities for flood-risk-reduction infrastructure are shared. Local and state entities are responsible for preparing for and managing precipitation that falls onto their developed areas (e.g., drainage within neighborhoods and city streets). At Congress's direction, USACE plans, builds, and operates numerous riverine and coastal flood-control projects, including levees and dams. USACE has three primary flood-related roles relevant to Hurricane Harvey: operation of flood-risk-reduction infrastructure, assistance with certain nonfederal-operated flood-control infrastructure, and emergency response..."
Hurricane Harvey