How often do I need to check my smoke alarm?Ask Hanna

This past weekend was the “fall back” from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. We like to recommend that everyone use this time as a reminder to check your smoke alarms. Fire safety is something that impacts your health status, …

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?Ask Hanna

I have a ghost story to tell you.  I actually heard this story on a recent Halloween-themed This American Life episode.  The story is from a real account from a patient, written to her doctor on November 15, 1921.  It …

How do I keep food safe during holiday’s cooking?Ask Hanna

Holiday meals can be challenging because there are so many different things to cook that require different times and different temperatures. If you only have one oven, this requires a lot of careful planning to make this work.  I am …

What is RSV?Ask Hanna

We have talked about influenza in the past couple of weeks, but this is also the time of year that we see another serious viral infection.  RSV can cause severe illness and even death in very young children.  Each year …

Should I exercise when I am sick?Ask Hanna

This is a question that comes up quite often, especially this time of year.  The answer depends on several factors, including what type of illness you have and what type of exercise you are doing.  Let’s talk today about the …

Does radon cause lung cancer?Ask Hanna

Is is true that sitting for too long is as bad as smoking?Ask Hanna

There has been quite a bit of talk recently about how bad sitting is for us.  Some people have even said that too much sitting is just as bad as smoking cigarettes.  I’m not sure if that is true, but …

Do You Know Your Heart Age?Ask Hanna

February is Heart Month, so I am trying to use this month to focus on topics that might help raise awareness about our heart health.  One way to understand your risk for a heart attack or stroke is to learn …

Is high blood pressure bad?Ask Hanna

High blood pressure is a common problem in our country.  Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).  Untreated high blood pressure significantly increases your risk for heart attack, …