Health Matters – Page 3

Get the Sleep You Need

Lack of quality sleep not only affects our mood and ability to function – it also affects our health. Worse still, it can be dangerous to the people around us.

Failure to get adequate sleep poses a danger to society by contributing to traffic and industrial accidents. Some sleep disorders can even be life threatening. Jose S. Loredo, MD, MS, MPH, FCCP, professor of clinical medicine and medical director of the UC San Diego Sleep Medicine Center and VA Pulmonary Sleep Disorders Laboratory, discusses how these disorders can be managed and treated.

Don’t miss this episode from the Stein Institute for Research on Aging:

Sleep and Sleep Disorders in the Older Adult

Health Matters with Dr. David Granet

With the holiday season upon us, health becomes an ever-increasing issue as we battle stress, diet, and our environment. Dr. David Granet of Health Matters welcomes a variety of professionals from the health and medical fields to discuss a broad array of health related topics. Each program in the series provides current and valuable information on how to improve health and well-being. Recent episodes have focused on the negative effects of insufficient sleep, and the importance of urgent and innovative care for stroke patients.

The CDC has declared insufficient sleep to be a national health epidemic. Why are we not getting enough and how can we change our behaviors? Sean P.A. Drummond, PhD, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program and Cognitive Behavioral Interventions Program in the VA San Diego Healthcare System, joins host Dr. Granet to discuss the ramifications of insufficient sleep and ways to improve your sleep health.

Every 45 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. What are the warning signs and how do you know if you are at risk? In the most recent episode of the series, Innovations in the Treatment of Stroke, Dr. Alexander Khalessi, Director of Endovascular Neurosurgery and Surgical Director of Neurocritical Care, gives insight on how to recognize a stroke, preventative measures, and innovative surgical treatment options.

For more programs regarding health, visit the Health Matters series page.

Join the conversation @UCTelevision, @UCSDTV, @dgranet, @DeptVetAffairs, #HealthMatters

It's National Immunization Awareness Month

Are you up to date on all your vaccines?

Shots are extremely important for infants in order to ensure the prevention of illness when their newborn immune systems are so vulnerable. Hear from Dr. Lisa Stellwagen, clinical professor of pediatrics and medical director of Newborn Services at UC San Diego, in this episode of Health Matters to learn about what vaccines a newborn needs.

It’s also important for children to be up to date on vaccines before starting school, as children with vaccine-preventable illnesses can be denied attendance. The Vaccines for Children program has been federally funded to provide free vaccines to children of low-income families. Learn about recommended and mandatory vaccines for children in “Safety of Childhood Vaccines.”

Remember that shots are not just for kids. People of all ages need to keep track of their immunization record to be sure that they are protecting themselves from deadly diseases. Dr. Lisa Winston of UCSF’s Division of Infectious Diseases explains the need for different vaccines at different stages of life in “Vaccines for Adults and Adolescents.”

If you are planning to go on an exotic vacation, watch “Travel Medicine-Health Matters” as you might need to get extra vaccines before you expose yourself to unfamiliar pathogens.

Check out other programs with information on immunization on UCSD-TV.

Learn more about National Immunization Awareness Month at the Center for Disease Control.

Combating Cardiac Arrest

What kills more people than AIDS, breast cancer, and lung cancer combined? Cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest is the heart’s inability to contract properly which causes the blood to stop circulating. When this occurs, the brain doesn’t receive oxygen which can lead to death in a matter of minutes. Cardiac arrest kills an average of 1,000 people every day.

In this episode of Health Matters, Dr. David Granet and his guest, Dr. Ulrika Birgersdotter-Green, introduce the newest device called an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator that could help save lives.

Watch “Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators and Sudden Cardiac Death” to discover how it works in conjunction with the heart’s electrical system and learn tips for lowering your risk of cardiac arrest.

Check out other programs about cardiology on UCSD-TV.

Fighting Food Allergies in Children

Every three minutes some one goes to the emergency room because of an allergy-related event.

When you have an allergic reaction to something you eat, your body recognizes a protein in the food and reacts against it. There are many different responses that can happen-rashes, hives, diarrhea-but, the most dangerous occurrence is when there is potential for anaphylaxis, which can cause death.

In this episode of Health Matters, Dr. David Granet talks with UC San Diego’s Dr. Stephanie Leonard who is the director of the Food Allergy Center at Rady Children’s Hospital here in San Diego.

More than 3 million people under the age of 18 have been diagnosed with food allergies, but Dr. Leonard says that number is on the rise. In a ten year period, she says, there has been an 18% increase in the diagnosis of food allergies in children.

Watch “Children’s Food Allergies- Health Matters” to hear the various theories behind why that number is increasing.

For more on food allergies, check out Food Allergies: Past, Present and Future.