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“Cough, cough!” “Achooooo!” “Wheeeeeeze!” The sounds of spring are all around us and the woes of allergy season are plaguing many of us. With the weather warming, you and your loved ones are likely spending a lot of time outside. Though the stuffy nose, dry throat and scratchy eyes may seem like a seasonal nuisance you and your family just have to get through, there are solutions. Here are some tips to keep you from suffering through this beautiful but allergy-ridden time of year (to watch the video click here).

Seasonal allergies, often called hay fever or allergic rhinitis (swelling of the nasal passages) vary season to season but can be brought on by pollens, grasses, molds and dust. Right now, in Western Washington the culprit is likely pollen from the trees that have exploded with fresh foliage. Of course, there are many other allergens and the only true way to know what is causing your, your partner’s or your children’s sniffles and sneezes is to talk to a health-care provider. However, if hay fever is getting the best of you this spring, you may find some relief from the following:

Novelist Anthony Burgess once said, “Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone”.

It’s a saying that hits home for many. Chronic snoring is an embarrassing problem for sufferers and a source of aggravation for their loved ones. From loving and maybe not so loving nudges to ear plugs, the weary-eyed partners of snorers often finally move on to seek shelter from the nightly onslaught in a far away quiet room in the house.

(Single folks are not immune as any overnight trips with friends, business partners, potential mates becomes a source of anxiety and embarrassment.)

Snoring occurs because during sleep, the muscles that helps to keep the airway open relaxes and the resulting narrowing and turbulence can cause vibrations that lead to snoring.

After a more serious condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been sufficiently ruled out, try these steps to help with snoring:

You are in charge of your health.

From scheduling your yearly doctor visit to carving out time in your day for 30 to 60 minutes of exercise, you have the power to keep your body and mind in top form. The key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to turn this “scheduling” into an enjoyable routine. One of the best ways to do this is to start with the routine that none of us could live without: eating. Here are a few tips to make healthy eating a fun habit:

1. Add color! Colorful fruits and veggies are full of nutrients. Think of meals as art projects and play with color!

2. Mix and match. Choosemyplate.gov shows you how to divide up your plate between fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. Using that framework, mix and match foods and find the combinations that make your palate sing. Mix it up and make mealtime fun.

3. Get creative with herbs and spices. Herbs and spices are a great way to add depth of flavor to food while limiting salt. Experiment with different flavors!
4. Involve your family and friends. Healthy cooking can be fun and entertaining. Give yourself a reason to look forward to making this a routine!

Healthy habits take time to build so give yourself time to explore and get comfortable with cooking your way to health.

This is especially the case for ...

March is Colorectal Awareness Month and I would like to invite anyone over the age of 50 who has not had their first screening colonoscopy to come in and get screened.

If Colorectal Awareness Month isn’t motivation enough to get you through our door, let me convince you by sharing a few facts and by debunking some of the myths surrounding colorectal cancer, colonoscopy, and the preparation:

• Fact: In 2013, American Cancer Society reports that colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer-related cause of death in the United States.
• Fact: Approximately 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed this year. 55,000 will
  die from colorectal cancer.
• Myth: Colorectal Cancer is more common in men.
  (Fact: Colorectal cancer is diagnosed in as many women as men.)
• Myth: No signs or symptoms mean I do not need to be screened.
  (Fact: Even if you are asymptomatic you should get screened. When a colorectal cancer is found and treated in its early stages, the 5 year survival rate is approximately 90%.)

Colonoscopy is still recognized as the best, and most accurate test used to diagnose colorectal cancer...

On March 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the newest treatment in the increasing number of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) available to treat multiple sclerosis. Tecfidera (BG-12) is an oral capsule to treat adults with relapsing forms of MS. Research participants at the MS Center at Swedish participated in clinical trials for Tecfidera.

The trials reported that people taking Tecfidera had fewer relapses and less frequent worsening of disability compared to people taking a placebo. There were also fewer and less-severe side effects with Tecfidera than other treatments.

The studies found that ...

March is the month to celebrate healthy eating habits and Registered Dietitians everywhere making an impact on our nation’s nutritional health. Each year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics promotes National Nutrition Month by selecting a theme to support Americans in making informed and sound decisions with their dietary intake. In 2013 the theme is Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day.

What does that this mean?

We are each unique individuals with different ethnicities, cultural practices and traditions, food preferences, and health concerns. These factors guide and influence our food choices on a daily basis. There is a common misconception that “eating healthy” means cutting out certain foods or feeling deprived. RD’s recognize that all foods can be healthfully incorporated into a well balanced, daily eating plan within a person’s energy needs.

National Nutrition Month at Swedish

In honor of National Nutrition Month, the Nutrition Services department at First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, and Issaquah has been featuring a nutrition booth in the cafeteria celebrating the health benefits of different country’s cultural cuisines. Swedish Registered Dietitians and Diet Technicians have been present each Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., providing healthful eating tips, handouts, and food samples from the featured country of the week!

The first week of National Nutrition Month highlighted foods from the Philippines. The native dishes displayed were Pompano and pinakbet:

Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy is a new term that has been coined to describe the delivery of very high doses of radiation delivered over a handful of treatment sessions. This precise method targets small tumors located in the lung. This new treatment has been pioneered and studied extensively in patients who are not suitable candidates for an operation but have been diagnosed with early stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

The advantages of this approach are that the treatment can be completed in 1-2 weeks (including the planning time), and only requires 3-5 treatments. The treatment requires highly specialized planning and preparation and is delivered using state of the art linear accelerators like the CyberKnife®. Our team has been offering stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for over 4 years.

The results are outstanding for this population of patients. A number of studies have demonstrated that the local tumor control rates exceed ...