Celebrate your health in February | Life

February is National Wise Healthcare Consumer Month. There is no more time to manage your health by becoming an informed healthcare consumer. Use this month to understand your options, understand how to contact your care provider, and help you make informed decisions about your health.

Select a healthcare provider: Take the time to choose the right healthcare provider for you and your family. It is important to conduct surveys, ask questions, and establish a primary care provider. Be sure to keep a list of your family’s health care providers and medications.

Understand coverage plans: Make sure you understand your health care plan and who is in your network, whether or not you are covered by health insurance through Medicare / Medicaid, your employer, or other sources. This will save you time and money in the future.

Get annual screening and testing: The most common illnesses are preventable. Do not ignore the symptoms. Eat well, exercise and keep up with your annual health checkups, screenings and vaccinations.

Schedule preparation: Before making an appointment, write down a list of questions you have with your healthcare provider and bring them with you. If you have any questions, feel free to clarify or ask. Similarly, bring a list of medications and dosages you are taking.

Ask about generics: Generic drugs are just as effective at a more affordable price. Always consult your healthcare provider if the general options are appropriate.

The term heart disease refers to several types of heart disease. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which can cause a heart attack. Other types may include heart valves or conditions in which the heart cannot be pumped efficiently. Some people are born with heart disease.

Everyone, including children, is at risk of heart disease. A waxy substance called plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries, narrowing the walls of the arteries and reducing blood flow to the heart. This leads to a heart attack.

There are several factors that put you at risk for heart disease, such as genetics, but there are other factors that you can control. Smoking, an unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise all increase the risk of heart disease. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes also increase the risk. You need to work with your doctor to prevent or treat these conditions.

Symptoms of a heart attack depend on the type of heart disease, but chest discomfort is often the first sign. Other symptoms include:

• Chest pain that persists after a few minutes.

• Chin, neck and back pain and discomfort.

• Weakness, lightheadedness, nausea, or cold sweat.

• Arm and shoulder pain and discomfort.

If you or anyone you know seems to have a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Find a trusted medical group and a safe place to create a wellness file. Annual exams are a great way to prevent illness and illness. Ask your doctor to check your healthy weight range to see if those parameters apply. Find out if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, and if so, look for effective treatments. Screen for prediabetes, especially if you are overweight.

Follow your doctor’s prescription instructions to practice heart health care.

1 pound of white fish, cut for 4 servings

1 medium lemon, slice half and save the other half

2 tablespoons of Italian spices

Preheat the oven to 550 ° F. Cut 4 foils (12 x 20 inches).

Put Italian spices, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.Squeeze the lemon and rub it

Add a few drops of hot sauce to each fish fillet. Then rub the spice mixture onto the fish fillet.Place each

A piece of fish on one foil.

Sprinkle the remaining oil on the fish and put the lemon slices on it. Fold the foil over the fish and crimp the edges tightly to seal the packet.Don’t forget to leave enough space to send the packet

Place the wrap in a large baking sheet and bake in the oven for 9-11 minutes.The fish just have to be opaque

Center. You can test your performance by sticking a toothpick in the packet. It should slide easily in the fish. Carefully open the packet. Hot steam escapes.

Nutritional content per serving: 160 calories; 6 g total fat; 1.5 g saturated fat; 60 mg cholesterol; 320 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 26 g protein.

Editor’s Note: The information in this article was obtained from Natalie Jones of the UK MPH, Family Health Professionals of the UK Cooperative Extensions, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The recipe was downloaded from “Plan”. eat. Information website “Move” provided by the University of Kentucky’s Collaborative Dissemination Service Nutrition Education Program.

Contact Cecelia Hostilo, Trigg County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, at PO Box 271 (2657 Old Hopkinsville Road) in Cadiz, Kentucky, by phone 270-522-3269, fax 270-522-9192, or email. .. [email protected]..