By SHERRY DIGMON
News Publisher
The old adage “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could have been the title of a session presented at Atmore Community Hospital Thursday, July 8. The session was aptly called Facts and Snacks, with healthy refreshments served during the meeting held from noon until 1 p.m.
The subject was An Ounce of Prevention: Guide to Healthy Living, presented by Dr. Layla Lundquist-Smith, Atmore Complete Care, and Loren Taylor, ACH physical therapy manager.
Dr. Lundquist started her remarks with a sobering fact – each year, nearly 900,000 Americans die prematurely from the five leading causes of death, yet 20 percent to 40 percent of the deaths from each cause could be prevented, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The five leading causes of death, according to the CDC, are diseases of the heart, cancer, unintentional injuries (risks include lack of seatbelt use; lack of motorcycle helmet use; unsafe consumer products; drug and alcohol use, including prescription drug misuse; exposure to occupational hazards; and unsafe home and community environments), stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.
Dr. Lundquist and Taylor discussed preventative guidelines in the way of lifestyle modifications:
- tobacco use
- alcohol use
- physical activity
- healthy diet
- cancer screenings
- vaccinations (including COVID-19, flu, pneumonia, tetanus, shingles)
- preventative exams
- aspirin use
Screenings were discussed at length. You might be surprised to learn how many cancer screenings you don’t need once you reach a certain age. Talk to your healthcare provider about screenings including diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, cholesterol, among others.
Dr. Lundquist closed with this secret to living well: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure.