What does your blood pressure mean?

drkjacobson@cawooddev.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100

May is High Blood Pressure Education Month and May 17th is World Hypertension Day. The CDC reports that nearly 68 million people have high blood pressure. Aso called hypertension, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are two of the top three leading causes of death in the United States [...]

Do you have a food allergy or intolerance?

drbuck@cawooddev.com — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Shellfish are one of many foods that can cause food allergy symptoms.

An adverse reaction to a food can come from either a food allergy, which is immune mediated, or food intolerance, which is a digestive system response. Many people think these two terms mean the same thing, but they don’t.

What is food intolerance?
[...]

Ride your way to better health: commute to work!

drstout@cawooddev.com — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Spring is in the air and summer is right around the corner. If you do not ride your bike much, now is a great time to dust it off and ride to work. May is National Bike Month, which is sponsored by The League of American Bicyclists.

Get out and en [...]

My adventure serving in Haiti

drfriesen@cawooddev.com — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Over spring break, I had the opportunity to join nine people from my church on a trip to Carrefour, Haiti. I was accompanied by my 11-year-old son, Caden, who wanted [...]

Oak Street Medical believes in provider and employee wellness

drkjacobson@cawooddev.com — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Dr. Andrew Gilchrist mountain biking

At Oak Street Medical, we do our best to walk the talk when it comes to fitness and wellness. As a healthcare clinic, our providers and staff understand the importance of regular exercise, eating healthy and striving to meet personal goals, and we encourage one another to adopt these healthy habits.

What is BMI and why is it important?

drkjacobson@cawooddev.com — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Jumping onto the scale will tell you how much you weight, but nothing more. Knowing where you fall on the body mass index (BMI), however, can serve as an excellent reference point for determining a healthy weight for one's height.

How do I calculate my BMI?

You can determine your BMI by divide your total weight in pounds (lbs) by y [...]

Allergy-friendly parties for kids

drfriesen@cawooddev.com — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

If you have a child with food allergy, you're likely adept at controlling what he or she eats at home. So what do you do when your son or daughter gets invited to a party? At the request of one of our blog readers, I'll provide you with a few simple tips to help your food-allergic child join in the fun, safely.

Food allergies th [...]

Keep moving: low-impact exercise and its many health benefits

drgilchrist@cawooddev.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100

If you are a regular reader of the Oak Street Medical blog, you'll recall that I wrote a post few weeks ago about a research trial demonstrating that as little as 15 minutes of exercise daily is beneficial when it comes to physical well-being and longevity, and that the benefit increased the more one exercises. To continue with that "keep moving [...]

Eliminate asthma triggers, regain your life

drkjacobson@cawooddev.com — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Asthma symptoms can be dramatically reduced by making your bedroom a dog-and-cat-free zone.

Just because you have asthma doesn't mean you have to give up Fifi or Fido - but it wouldn't hurt. Simply shutting your bedroom door and creating a furry-friend-free zone can do wonders for those with asthma, lessening symptoms five fold.

Furry frie [...]

What is pertussis? Whooping cough, and it’s preventable

drjinnah@cawooddev.com — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Are you at risk for developing whooping cough, also known as pertussis? You may be unaware that the incidence of this illness has increased in both Oregon and the nation. However, you can prevent it with improved vaccinations and boosters.

Background
The name pertussis (intense cough) was first coined by Thomas Sydenham in 1670. [...]

Ease your arthritis pain, get moving

siteadmin@cawood.com — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Do you or a loved one have doctor-diagnosed arthritis? Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints, where two bones meet. Although arthritis may slow a person down, research has found that arthritis symptoms tend to improve with appropriate physical activity.

Many types of arthritis exist. Nationally, one in five, or an [...]

Is there a link between asthma and acetaminophen?

drkehl@cawooddev.com — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Recent studies have begun to look at a possible association between the use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and asthma symptoms. Acetaminophen depletes a protective antioxidant called glutathione, which scientists believe may lead to future asthma symptoms.

Most studies that show a link between acetaminophen use and asthma symptoms are [...]

Ovarian aging versus chronological aging in the menopause transition

merricrnp@cawooddev.com — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Most women know that menopause is marked by their last menstrual period and signifies the end of their fertility. What about fertility from the time the menstrual cycles begin to change to the time of menopause? This is called the menopause transition and fertility during this time is significantly reduced.

The menopause transition, sometimes called the peri-menopause, starts when menstrual cycles begin to change and ends with the final menstrual period (recognized only after 12 c [...]

Filbert pollen is in the air

drkjacobson@cawooddev.com — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100

While the first day of spring doesn’t arrive until March 20, by February we’re already beginning to see tree pollens floating through the air here, in Eugene. One of the most prevalent pollens this time of year comes from the hazelnut tree, also known as the filbert tree.

Oregon filbert tree

In most parts of the country, tree pollen season lasts from March until May, bu [...]

Patient manages autoimmune disease while helping families in need

siteadmin@cawood.com — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Ida Martin and her husband, Sid.

When Ida Martin began learning Spanish 20 years ago, she didn’t expect she’d eventually be calling Mexico her second home.

An Oregon native, she and her husband are now “vagabonds by choice” – they sold their home in 2001 and now find shelter by camping or housesitting for friends in Oregon during the summer, and spend winters re [...]

Put your heart into knowing the signs, lowering your risk

drkjacobson@cawooddev.com — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100

To raise awareness of heart disease in the United States, the American Heart Association has designated February as American Heart Month. Because heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, ladies are encouraged to wear red for the month, and especially on Friday, Feb. 3, which is National Wear Red Day. We, here at Oak Street Medical, encourage you to know the signs of a heart attack and learn how to lower your risk of heart disease.

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