News & Health Tips
News & Health Tips
Welcome to our page dedicated to the latest news and health tips to help you maintain your well-being. Here, you’ll find articles and resources written by our team of healthcare professionals to keep you informed and motivated to live a healthy life. From preventative care to managing chronic conditions, our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your health.
In a prior recent article by Matthew Edrington, we learned the basics of what to expect in a therapy session. That article …
In popular media there are two kinds of therapists. We’ve all seen the movies where the therapist sits back with his notebook, …
Springtime is once again upon us, and it seems there is always some illness going around. Because of this, we have become …
Have you heard of the 1% rule? It’s the rule Sir David Brialsford used to help the British cycling team win eight …
As women gracefully move through the different stages of life, menopause stands out as a significant and transformative phase. While it is …
I remember getting into a conflict in my early teen years that ended up with me having a dislocated jaw. I also …
Recently, I have seen an increase in patients diagnosed with something called laryngomalacia and tracheomalacia. There has most likely not been an …
There are few things more important to parents than the health, well-being, and development of their children. Choosing the right healthcare provider …
Do you ever feel frustrated after visiting your medical provider? There are a lot of reasons why this might happen: You may …
The importance of prenatal care in ensuring the health and well-being of expectant mothers and their unborn babies cannot be overstated. Regular …
As we wrap up Thanksgiving, we can feel the cold of winter really setting in, and snow has started to appear. Last …
Health West is pleased to announce the opening of its first pharmacy and the addition of seven clinics in Utah and Wyoming. …
It’s a great question. My patients ask me for the answer often. Usually because they are desperate to quit smoking and think …
The flu. We all know what it is and that it occurs every year between October and April. We hear that it …
In the past year, we have experienced several sad, large-scale events that have taken place and impacted our larger society: mass shootings, …
In my mid 20’s, my cousin ended his life. I remember when I first heard; I was shocked and deeply saddened. My …
We have all had or known babies who spit up, but at what point is it concerning? Gastroesophageal reflux (we’ll shorten that …
Fall is on the way! Days are getting shorter, leaves are changing colors, and school is starting. Here are a few safety …
More than fifty million people in the United States have an allergic reaction each year. You are more likely to have allergies …
THANK YOU To those who voted, our patients, and the amazing people we work with at Health West! We are proud to …
Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll …
It’s a scary time to be a kid or an adult who cares for children. Coming on the heels of three pandemic-filled …
Helping Kids with Trauma. One of the main goals of raising children is to help them grow and thrive so they can …
This year, Eating Disorder Awareness Week will be recognized from February 22-28. At least 9% of people in the US will experience …
Hypothermia occurs when our body loses heat faster than it can produce it. It can occur with exposure to cold weather and/or …
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses diagnosed in the world. Some research suggests that depression is on the rise …
The Power of Acceptance. all the things that happen in life, how much do we think we, as individuals, control? Many of …
Worst Year Ever? As the new year rolls in, it is easy to want to look back at 2020 as a horrible …
We all know getting chickenpox is not fun and that it is highly contagious. Chicken pox is caused by the varicella – …
Bad dreams happen to all of us. Bad dreams can be disturbing but we usually sleep through them. Sometimes we can remember …
Suicide risk factors and preventative measures. Suicide has become the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and the seventh …
Quick results, that is what everyone wants. Making positive, sustainable changes takes time. There are no short cuts to good health. Some …
Let’s talk about skin cancer from sun exposure. It happens to everyone. Male or female, dark skinned or light skinned, young and …
Telehealth is healthcare that is delivered over an audio-visual medium – like a computer screen or a smart phone. Even regular phone …
We have developed so many forms of communication as a species. We use spoken word, written languages, sign languages, and we even …
Sometimes just the mention of “what makes you anxious?” or “what stresses you out?” can be enough to cause immediate anxiety. We …
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common medical condition in which the force of blood against the walls of …
While it is fair to say that coping with the pandemic has been stressful on all of us in our community, children …
I have been hearing the words “divided,” “divisiveness,” and “discord” quite a bit lately. Additionally, I have observed it multiple times a day for months …
Although elementary school children in our area have returned to in person classes, some families have elected to continue with online learning and middle and …
For many families, back to school feels very different this fall after the abrupt transition to remote learning last spring. In addition …
Most of us have been bitten by an insect at some point. Mosquito, fly, wasp, bee, and similar insect bites or stings are common. They usually cause a mild …
Most spiders in the United States are not dangerous, but some can be deadly. It is hard to identify a spider bite unless you saw …
The world feels like it’s in turmoil, things are changing at a rapid pace, and uncertainty weighs on all of us. Yet, …
As a kid I played soccer in high school. I will admit I wasn’t very good at it, but I did have fun. …
We have all encountered snakes at some point in our lives. Most of the time nothing happens in these encounters other than us being scared. Most …
The CDC states that one in six Americans will contract some form of food poisoning each year. Food poisoning can happen at any point of production: growing, …
Prediabetes, sometimes called elevated blood glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, is a condition that is a warning sign that your body is not processing blood …
We have all heard about rabies, but what is it? Rabies is a viral disease that can be deadly if not prevented or treated. In …
Over seventy-nine million kids in the United States wear backpacks to school; but did you know that an estimated fifty-five percent of them are …
Mike Birbiglia is a stand-up comedian I have enjoyed for several years. One of the stories he tells is about a trip he and his sister took to …
It is starting to get hot outside, and with some of the restrictions from COVID-19 lifting, more of us will be outside. Being out in the sun is …
Long before the events of today, I lived in the world of “yeah, but. . .” or “but, dad. . .”, yes I am “but, dad. …
In 2018, Idaho voters approved a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid starting in January 2020. The program has been enormously successful, and …
In the last little while, I am sure we all have been feeling a lot of different emotions. I know I have and have been working on effectively expressing them and validating them; at times, it has …
Schools across the country and here in Eastern Idaho have recently shut their doors because of the novel coronavirus. Kids are now …
I thought right now with the chaos in the world and in our own personal worlds, it may be a good time …
Three quarters of children will get at least one ear infection by the age of three, but it is hard for parents …
Constipation is a common problem in children. Every child has different bowel movement patterns. Most children have one or two bowel movements a day, but some can go two or three days before …
As winter comes to an end it’s important to remain cautious of all the fall risks it can present. Children and young adults …
Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher stated, “The only thing that is constant is change”. No matter how you live your life you will experience some sort of …
Car accidents are the leading cause of death in children. And injure over 120,000 children annually. Properly used car seats reduce the chance of death by 70% in …
We have developed so many forms of communication as a species. We use spoken word, written languages, sign languages, and we even use nonverbal …
We have all seen kids fall and bump their heads. But what if the bump is more serious? Do you know when you need to …
Slips and falls on ice and snow are a common occurrence in the winter. Injuries from slips and falls are normally minor but can also be …
We’ve all had a common cold. A cold is a mild viral infection of the nose, throat, sinuses, and upper airways. Colds …
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C) is a simple blood test that measures the average blood sugar levels over the past 2- 3 months. Because it …
Many people experience an increase in distressing thoughts and emotions during the holiday season. For some it may be increased stress due to obligations and expectations; …
All people have a history and a story which help form who they are, the attitudes with which they approach the world, …
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways to your lungs. According to the CDC, about 25 million Americans have asthma. In …
Americans spend a lot of time in their vehicles. One study reported the average American spends eighteen days in our cars each …
Chompers, fangs, chiclets…no matter what you call them, teeth are underrated and often underappreciated. With the bountiful feasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas …
There’s a common belief that grief can only be experienced through the death or loss of a close loved one. That grief …
There has been a lot of discussion and debate lately regarding vaccines, and more specifically the use and safety of the Covid-19 …
When you hear the word boundary what do you think of? Maybe something to keep something/someone in or keep something/someone out? Maybe …
I don’t believe there are many of us out there who enjoy being criticized by others, especially if it is hurtful. But, …
Chompers, fangs, chiclets…no matter what you call them, teeth are underrated and often underappreciated. With the bountiful feasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas …
There are many recreational activities to do in the winter. Two of the most popular are skiing and snowboarding. Downhill skiing and …
Physical exercise can be extremely beneficial not only for your physical health but also for our mental health. Physical exercise is defined …
How often do you find yourself getting caught up in thoughts about someone else’s behaviors? One of our biggest sources of consistent, …
A rash is a swelling or irritation of the skin that makes it appear red, bumpy, scaly, lumpy, or itchy and sometimes …
This article is a continuation of the previous article about baby rashes. Cradle cap (seborrheic dermatitis) shows up as scaly patches on …
By Doty Collins, Health West LCSW Many times I have heard a very well-meaning parent tell a child not to be angry, …
By Cassandra Noyes, LCPC “I just want to be dead” is a statement heard more often now in conversations with adolescents. Hospital …
By Candice Hutchins, RN Salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and about 400 deaths every year in the United States. …
Suicide Prevention Emily Hauser, LMSW at Health West, Inc Suicide is something that still has a stigma attached to it. It’s something …
Until a few weeks ago, many of us likely had never heard of the term “social distancing.” Social distancing simply means keeping a safe distance, …
By Emily Hauser, LMSW at Health West There are often things in our lives that we want to get rid of. Not …
