WARM UP:

One Joke: 

My doctor told me I am going deaf.

The news was hard to hear.

One Fact: 

Your heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood a day, making it the hardest working muscle in the body!

One Quote:

“You can be a masterpiece and a work in progress at the same time.”

–Sophia Bush

One Guess…Name That Disease: (Answer at bottom)

• Description:  Sometimes called the “stomach flu” or a “stomach bug,” this highly contagious virus is not related to the actual flu (which causes respiratory symptoms).   Spread through food/water that is contaminated by infected workers or comes into contact with contaminated surfaces.  

• Epidemiology:  Can happen any time of year, but most common November to April.  Causes 900 deaths per year, mostly in the elderly, and is the number one cause of foodborne illness in the United States.

• Signs and Symptoms:  Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain.  Symptoms typically begin 12-48 hours after exposure and last 1-3 days.

• Diagnosis:  Testing is usually not required.  Stool sample can be used to confirm the diagnosis.

• Treatment:  Supportive care.

• Prognosis:  Most recover completely without treatment.  Susceptible individuals may suffer from complications of severe dehydration.

HEALTHCARE HEADLINES:

** UnitedHealthcare is in hot water with a class action lawsuit alleging the mega insurer used algorithms with a 90% error rate to deny rehab services to the elderly and disabled. 

** The COVID-19 pandemic increased the life expectancy gap.  Women are now expected to live nearly six years longer than men (79.3 vs. 73.5 years). Opioid related deaths also played a significant role in the trend.

TOGETHER WITH VERB:

Caffeinated Energy Bars. Skip the overpriced lattes. Organic Green Tea in a plant-based bar that’s perfectly pocket-sized and ready to unwrap anytime, anywhere. Over 3000 5-star reviews.

WATER COOLER WONDERS…the stuff we found interesting this week:

** Economy: Amazon Prime delivery for your car?  Not quite yet.  But starting in 2024 with Hyundai, you can buy cars on the platform (through your local dealership).

** Watch: The season of giving is upon us.  But might as well educate yourself about the bad actors out there with this guide to pickpocketing, from easy to complex.

** Stat: Baseball interest has been waning, but this year’s World Series games were the shortest since 1996, averaging just three hours and one minute, with new measures including a pitch clock.

MOTIVATION MONDAY:

Need some help kicking that sugar habit?  A picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case 39g.  We may all have heard at some point that sugary drinks contain, well, a lot of sugar.  But seeing the amount of sugar in a can of Coke is alarming.

The average American drinks 39 gallons of soda in a year, leading to a variety of health problems including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay, etc.  

This helpful article reviews some simple steps to consider when trying to kick your sugar habit:

1. Wean rather than go cold turkey.

2. Start substituting in caffeine free alternatives to slowly decrease caffeine intake over time.

3. Count calories.  You’ll be unpleasantly surprised how many calories are in your favorite sugary drinks over the course of typical day.

4. Find a replacement.  Water is always best, but start with sparkling water if you need some flavor.

5. Identify triggers.  Do you drink sugary beverages at a certain time of day?  Do you do it out of boredom or in response to stress?  Once you identify a trigger you can learn to control your response over time.

THANKS FOR READING!

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Disease Answer: Norovirus