Bahamas Local Health Fitness Page - Nassau - Nassau / Paradise Island, Bahamas

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April 17, 2019 albertbravo

Bahamas Local Health & Fitness Page

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January 22, 2018 Twyla

Bahamas Local Health & Fitness Page

January:
Cervical Health Awareness Month

What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cervix. The cervix is a hollow cylinder that connects the lower part of a woman’s uterus to her vagina. Most cervical cancers begin in cells on the surface of the cervix.
Cervical cancer was once a leading cause of death among American women. That has changed since screening tests became widely available.

Symptoms of cervical cancer
Many women with cervical cancer don’t realize they have the disease early on, because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms until the late stages. When symptoms do appear, they’re easily mistaken for common conditions like menstrual periods and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Typical cervical cancer symptoms are:
- unusual bleeding, such as in between periods, after sex, or after menopause
- vaginal discharge that looks or smells different than usual
- pain in the pelvis
- needing to urinate more often
- pain during urination
If you notice any of these symptoms, see your doctor for an exam.

Cervical cancer causes
Most cervical cancer cases are caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes genital warts.
There are about 100 different strains of HPV. Only certain types cause cervical cancer. The two types that most commonly cause cancer are HPV-16 and HPV-18.

Being infected with a cancer-causing strain of HPV doesn’t mean you’ll get cervical cancer. Your immune system eliminates the vast majority of HPV infections, often within two years.
HPV can also cause other cancers in women and men. These include:
- vulvar cancer
- vaginal cancer
- penile cancer
- anal cancer
- rectal cancer
- throat cancer
HPV is a very common infection.

Cervical cancer test
A Pap smear is a test doctors use to diagnose cervical cancer. To perform this test, your doctor collects a sample of cells from the surface of your cervix. These cells are then sent to a lab to be tested for precancerous or cancerous changes.
If these changes are found, your doctor may suggest a colposcopy, a procedure for examining your cervix. During this test, your doctor might take a biopsy, which is a sample of cervical cells.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)Trusted Source recommends the following screening schedule for women by age:
- Ages 21 to 29: Get a Pap smear once every three years.
- Ages 30 to 65: Get a Pap smear once every three years, get a high-risk HPV (hrHPV) test every five years, or get a Pap smear plus hrHPV test every five years.

Cervical cancer risk factors
HPV is the biggest risk for cervical cancer. Other factors that can also increase your risk include:
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- chlamydia
- smoking
- obesity
- a family history of cervical cancer
- a diet low in fruits and vegetables
- taking birth control pills
- having three full-term pregnancies
- being younger than 17 when you got pregnant for the first time
Even if you have one or more of these factors, you’re not destined to get cervical cancer

Cervical cancer prevention
One of the easiest ways to prevent cervical cancer is by getting screened regularly with a Pap smear and/or hrHPV test. Screening picks up precancerous cells, so they can be treated before they turn into cancer.

HPV infection causes most cervical cancer cases. The infection is preventable with the vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix. Vaccination is most effective before a person becomes sexually active. Both boys and girls can be vaccinated against HPV.

Here are a few other ways you can reduce your risk of HPV and cervical cancer:
- limit the number of sexual partners you have
- always use a condom or other barrier method when you have vaginal, oral, or anal sex
An abnormal Pap smear result indicates you have precancerous cells in your cervix.

NATIONAL HAND WASHING AWARENESS WEEK

The first week of December is National Hand Washing Awareness Week… You know what that means?! It’s time to get hygienic, people! Making a habit of good hand hygiene is an easy, effective way to prevent infections and sicknesses. If you’re someone that chooses to skip the hand washing once in a while, read these mind blowing statistics and you might think again next time!

- 80% of communicable diseases can be transferred by touch (person-to-person contact).
- Washing your hands a few times a day can reduce diarrhea rates by 40%.
- Touching your face with dirty hands spreads sicknesses pneumonia, a cold, and the flu.
- Pneumonia is the number one cause of childhood death, and is preventable by regular hand washing.
- The two most important times to wash your hands are before and after preparing food, and after going to the bathroom.
- Less than 75% of women and less than 50% of men wash their hands after using the bathroom
- When you flush a toilet with the seat up, a mist containing bacteria is spread over about 6 square meters. Even worse… Sinks in public bathrooms are 90% covered in this bacteria.
- The ideal amount of time to wash your hands is 30 seconds, but 15 is recommended at the very least.
- Most bacteria on our hands is under our fingernails, so when you’re washing, be sure to scrub underneath them.
- Damp hands are 1,000 times more likely to spread bacteria than dry hands, yet only 20% of people dry their hands after they wash them.
- Reusable cloth towels have millions of bacteria in their fibers. Using disposable paper towels is the cleanest way to dry your hands.
- Studies show that people who wash their hands have 24% less sick days because of respiratory illness, and 51% fewer sick days due to a sick stomach.
Are you grossed out yet!? Sorry, but we had to let you know.

HOW TO OBSERVE
Make it a point to wash your hands several times a day, and use #NationalHandWashingWeek to post on social media to spread the word (but not the germs)! This is a great one to post about on social media because the more your friends and family wash their hands, the safer from illnesses you’ll all be!

HISTORY
National Hand Washing Awareness Week is sponsored by Henry the Hand Foundation, and reminds us to be vigilant about hand-washing, especially this time of year because it’s cold and flu season!

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April 17, 2019 albertbravo

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January 22, 2018 Twyla