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Health Matters: Choosing and using sunscreen

Summer is on the horizon and that means there are a lot of sunny days ahead! Great weather leads to more exposure to the sun which, when not done safely, can result in skin damage. Did you know that at least twenty five percent of our lifetime sun exposure happens during childhood and adolescence? Since children spend a lot of ...

Health Matters: Colon cancer screening recommendation is reduced to age 45

March is national colon cancer awareness month. Colon cancer is rising among young individuals and according to the National Cancer Institute, it’s the third leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. As a result, colon cancer guidelines have changed. Now, everyone should be screened for colon cancer beginning at the age of 45. Screening options There are ...

Health Matters: Colon cancer screening — understanding your options

As COVID-19 impacted the world, unfortunately, we watched colorectal cancer screening rates drastically decrease at the local and national levels. Reduced screening rates were caused, in part, by the reduced availability of services briefly in the spring of 2020. But sadly, even as care became available again, the rates have remained lower than usual. This Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we're ...

Health Matters: Colonoscopies help save lives

It seems like more than ever, news of celebrities dying from colon cancer is making headlines. Actor Chadwick Boseman, who starred in the Black Panther movie, and Kirstie Alley, who starred in the TV show Cheers, are just a few celebrities who have recently died of the disease. Fortunately, with adequate, regular screening and access to colonoscopies, we can help ...

Health Matters: Coping with chronic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic

"Are we really dealing with this still?” Honestly, this is what comes to mind when I think about COVID-19 these days. As a clinical psychologist, I often ask patients to identify their emotions. My COVID-related emotions vary from anxiety, grief, uncertainty, fear and frustration, to optimism, gratitude and hope. But my prevailing emotion several months into this pandemic can best ...

Health Matters: Depression Symptoms Should Not Go Untreated

By St. Peter's Health Psychiatrist Dr. Bridid Crowley in the Independent Record on September 25, 2019 Depression is the most common psychiatric condition. Knowing common symptoms and knowing what to do if you or a loved on experiences depression is important. It is estimated that 6.7 percent of the population experiences a depressive episode within a given year. Nearly 17 ...

Health Matters: Diabetes and wound prevention

Co-authored by St. Peter’s Nurse Practitioner Andeelyn Wardell and St. Peter’s Wound Care Center Program Director Jane O’Driscoll, PT, WCC, CLT-LANA, CSWS There are 34.2 million Americans who are diabetic and 64,000 of those are Montanans. We know that diabetes is associated with health issues such as neuropathy, causing sensation loss in hands and feet; and peripheral vascular disease, causing ...

Health Matters: Do I need my flu shot?

As the pandemic rolls on and the dangerous Delta variant continues to take the spotlight, many people are asking, “What about flu season?” Last year, the flu season was essentially nonexistent. Without universal infection prevention precautions like masking in place, we will likely experience flu season differently this fall and winter. In efforts to reduce our chances of a “twindemic,” ...

Health Matters: Do not hesitate to seek care

As a hospitalist, I work 12-hour shifts caring for critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit, more stable patients on medical and oncology floors, and assist surgeons in caring for patients recovering from procedures. The hospital is my second home. I know my partners and I are anomalies. The hospital is the last place most people want to be ...

Health Matters: Donating blood to help others 

As we face a new year, many of us are thinking of ways we can help those in need. Donating blood is one of the most selfless and impactful actions that we can take to help others in our community. Did you know that when you choose to give blood, you are giving a potentially lifesaving gift to up to ...