NATIONAL THYROID MONTH

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It is one of your endocrine glands, which make hormones. Thyroid hormones control the rate of many activities in your body. These include how fast you burn calories and how fast your heart beats. All of these activities are your body’s metabolism. […]

National Impaired Driving Prevention Month

Your local Health Center pharmacies remind you to celebrate safely this holiday season. All too often families deal with the tragic consequences of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Impaired driving includes distracted driving, drugged driving, and drunk driving. In an average year, 30 million Americans drive drunk, and 10 million Americans […]

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

What is breast cancer? Cancer occurs when changes called mutations take place in genes that regulate cell growth. The mutations let the cells divide and multiply in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer is cancer that develops in breast cells. Typically, the cancer forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breast. Lobules are […]

National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America. In the United States, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. So what are the warning signs of prostate cancer? Unfortunately, there usually aren’t any early warning signs for prostate cancer. The growing tumor does not push against anything […]

National Psoriasis Action Month

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes red, itchy scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp. Psoriasis is thought to be an immune system problem that causes the skin to regenerate at faster than normal rates. In the most common type of psoriasis, known as plaque psoriasis, this rapid turnover of […]

CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS

Each year, more than 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States. Yet cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers today. In most cases cervical cancer can be prevented through early detection and treatment of abnormal cell changes that occur in the cervix years before cervical cancer develops. We now […]

SAFE TOYS AND GIFT MONTH

It’s the holiday season, and that means toy-sharing and gift-giving are in full swing. But before you give that special child a new toy, it’s important to stop and consider: Is this toy safe and age-appropriate? Unfortunately, thousands of children are hurt or even killed each year due to an interaction with an unsafe or […]

Diabetes Awareness

What is Diabetes? Diabetes can target anyone of any age. In the last decade the number of diabetes cases have increased to more than 50 percent. When you consume food, it turns into sugar or glucose and your pancreas (stomach) is supposed to release insulin. The insulin acts as a key to open your cells […]

JUVENILE ARTHRITIS MONTH

What is juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), previously known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, is the most common type of arthritis in children. Arthritis is a long-term condition characterized by stiffness, swelling, and pain in the joints. An estimated 300,000 children in the United States have a form of arthritis. Some children have arthritis for just […]

Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month

What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia. Dementia is a broader term for conditions caused by brain injuries or diseases that negatively affect memory, thinking, and behavior. These changes interfere with daily living.According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Most people with the […]