News & Health Tips
News & Health Tips
Welcome to our page dedicated to the latest news and health tips to help you maintain your well-being. Here, you’ll find articles and resources written by our team of healthcare professionals to keep you informed and motivated to live a healthy life. From preventative care to managing chronic conditions, our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your health.
Osteoporosis is a common condition characterized by weak and brittle bones, which makes individuals more prone to fractures. It is often referred …
Health West is pleased to announce the arrival of its newest provider, Spencer Esplin, PA-C, at its Montpelier location. Esplin brings a …
Cervical cancer is a preventable and treatable disease when detected early. Regular cervical cancer screenings are essential for identifying abnormalities that could …
Positive Psychology, a branch of psychology that focuses on studying and promoting the positive aspects of human life, such as strengths, well-being, …
I once met a man who had been playing along the train tracks as a young boy. A train passed. He suddenly …
Breast cancer affects millions of women worldwide. While the exact causes of breast cancer are not fully understood, early detection and screening …
The quest for effective and safe weight loss solutions has long been a focus of medical research. In recent years, a novel …
Video games are a popular pastime for children, providing entertainment and social engagement. However, they have sparked ongoing debates among parents, educators, …
Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the crisp mornings and warm afternoons, but many people feel “down” or have …
Children, just like adults, frequently find themselves feeling anxious, nervous or worried about many things. While much of the anxiety a child …
Screen time for kids is a big issue, and it is only going to get bigger. We are becoming more and more …
As we approach the start of a new school year, I am reminded of the many adolescents who are either starting or …
Mental Health Matters Often unseen and untreated, child and adolescent mental health struggles can greatly impact the ability to learn and develop. …
Many men, particularly those undergoing a “mid-life crisis” may feel difficulties, including stagnation, loss of direction, and occasionally purpose. Frustrations with work-life …
The warm summer weather is here, and a favorite activity of kids is to ride bicycles. Kids ages five to fourteen are …
Summer is usually associated with fun memories related to the warm weather and the increased opportunities for outdoor recreation. Some of the …
Warm weather is finally here! That means sun. With the sun comes the sunburns. Get enough sunburns and eventually you could get …
Summer is upon us! Kids are out of school, summer vacations are planned, the BBQ is fired up, and the pools are …
Delivering a child, called the postpartum state medically, brings many new things. A new person in your life, a new and different …
Summer is approaching, which means more activities in and around water. In the U.S., someone dies from drowning every ten minutes and …
Breastfeeding is a natural and beautiful aspect of motherhood, but it can also present its own challenges. Many new mothers encounter difficulties …
Trying to figure out when and what to feed your kids can be frustrating, especially when they are toddlers. Toddlers may reject …
To quote a well know song lyric – SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER (thank you Alice Cooper for this perennial ode to the …
As discussed in a previous article, baby rashes are quite common and often have simple solutions. This article is a continuation of …
Baby skin can be very sensitive and when rashes appear, it can make a parent unsure of what to do. A rash …
In a prior recent article by Matthew Edrington, we learned the basics of what to expect in a therapy session. That article …
In popular media there are two kinds of therapists. We’ve all seen the movies where the therapist sits back with his notebook, …
Springtime is once again upon us, and it seems there is always some illness going around. Because of this, we have become …
Have you heard of the 1% rule? It’s the rule Sir David Brialsford used to help the British cycling team win eight …
As women gracefully move through the different stages of life, menopause stands out as a significant and transformative phase. While it is …
I remember getting into a conflict in my early teen years that ended up with me having a dislocated jaw. I also …
Recently, I have seen an increase in patients diagnosed with something called laryngomalacia and tracheomalacia. There has most likely not been an …
There are few things more important to parents than the health, well-being, and development of their children. Choosing the right healthcare provider …
Do you ever feel frustrated after visiting your medical provider? There are a lot of reasons why this might happen: You may …
The importance of prenatal care in ensuring the health and well-being of expectant mothers and their unborn babies cannot be overstated. Regular …
As we wrap up Thanksgiving, we can feel the cold of winter really setting in, and snow has started to appear. Last …
Health West is pleased to announce the opening of its first pharmacy and the addition of seven clinics in Utah and Wyoming. …
It’s a great question. My patients ask me for the answer often. Usually because they are desperate to quit smoking and think …
The flu. We all know what it is and that it occurs every year between October and April. We hear that it …
In the past year, we have experienced several sad, large-scale events that have taken place and impacted our larger society: mass shootings, …
In my mid 20’s, my cousin ended his life. I remember when I first heard; I was shocked and deeply saddened. My …
We have all had or known babies who spit up, but at what point is it concerning? Gastroesophageal reflux (we’ll shorten that …
Fall is on the way! Days are getting shorter, leaves are changing colors, and school is starting. Here are a few safety …
More than fifty million people in the United States have an allergic reaction each year. You are more likely to have allergies …
THANK YOU To those who voted, our patients, and the amazing people we work with at Health West! We are proud to …
Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll …
It’s a scary time to be a kid or an adult who cares for children. Coming on the heels of three pandemic-filled …
Helping Kids with Trauma. One of the main goals of raising children is to help them grow and thrive so they can …
This year, Eating Disorder Awareness Week will be recognized from February 22-28. At least 9% of people in the US will experience …
Hypothermia occurs when our body loses heat faster than it can produce it. It can occur with exposure to cold weather and/or …
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses diagnosed in the world. Some research suggests that depression is on the rise …
The Power of Acceptance. all the things that happen in life, how much do we think we, as individuals, control? Many of …
Worst Year Ever? As the new year rolls in, it is easy to want to look back at 2020 as a horrible …
We all know getting chickenpox is not fun and that it is highly contagious. Chicken pox is caused by the varicella – …
Bad dreams happen to all of us. Bad dreams can be disturbing but we usually sleep through them. Sometimes we can remember …
Suicide risk factors and preventative measures. Suicide has become the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and the seventh …
Quick results, that is what everyone wants. Making positive, sustainable changes takes time. There are no short cuts to good health. Some …
Let’s talk about skin cancer from sun exposure. It happens to everyone. Male or female, dark skinned or light skinned, young and …
Telehealth is healthcare that is delivered over an audio-visual medium – like a computer screen or a smart phone. Even regular phone …
We have developed so many forms of communication as a species. We use spoken word, written languages, sign languages, and we even …
Sometimes just the mention of “what makes you anxious?” or “what stresses you out?” can be enough to cause immediate anxiety. We …
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common medical condition in which the force of blood against the walls of …
While it is fair to say that coping with the pandemic has been stressful on all of us in our community, children …
I have been hearing the words “divided,” “divisiveness,” and “discord” quite a bit lately. Additionally, I have observed it multiple times a day for months …
Although elementary school children in our area have returned to in person classes, some families have elected to continue with online learning and middle and …
For many families, back to school feels very different this fall after the abrupt transition to remote learning last spring. In addition …
Most of us have been bitten by an insect at some point. Mosquito, fly, wasp, bee, and similar insect bites or stings are common. They usually cause a mild …
Most spiders in the United States are not dangerous, but some can be deadly. It is hard to identify a spider bite unless you saw …
The world feels like it’s in turmoil, things are changing at a rapid pace, and uncertainty weighs on all of us. Yet, …
As a kid I played soccer in high school. I will admit I wasn’t very good at it, but I did have fun. …
We have all encountered snakes at some point in our lives. Most of the time nothing happens in these encounters other than us being scared. Most …
The CDC states that one in six Americans will contract some form of food poisoning each year. Food poisoning can happen at any point of production: growing, …
Prediabetes, sometimes called elevated blood glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, is a condition that is a warning sign that your body is not processing blood …
We have all heard about rabies, but what is it? Rabies is a viral disease that can be deadly if not prevented or treated. In …
Over seventy-nine million kids in the United States wear backpacks to school; but did you know that an estimated fifty-five percent of them are …
Mike Birbiglia is a stand-up comedian I have enjoyed for several years. One of the stories he tells is about a trip he and his sister took to …
It is starting to get hot outside, and with some of the restrictions from COVID-19 lifting, more of us will be outside. Being out in the sun is …
Long before the events of today, I lived in the world of “yeah, but. . .” or “but, dad. . .”, yes I am “but, dad. …
In 2018, Idaho voters approved a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid starting in January 2020. The program has been enormously successful, and …
In the last little while, I am sure we all have been feeling a lot of different emotions. I know I have and have been working on effectively expressing them and validating them; at times, it has …
Schools across the country and here in Eastern Idaho have recently shut their doors because of the novel coronavirus. Kids are now …
I thought right now with the chaos in the world and in our own personal worlds, it may be a good time …
Three quarters of children will get at least one ear infection by the age of three, but it is hard for parents …
Constipation is a common problem in children. Every child has different bowel movement patterns. Most children have one or two bowel movements a day, but some can go two or three days before …
As winter comes to an end it’s important to remain cautious of all the fall risks it can present. Children and young adults …
Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher stated, “The only thing that is constant is change”. No matter how you live your life you will experience some sort of …
Car accidents are the leading cause of death in children. And injure over 120,000 children annually. Properly used car seats reduce the chance of death by 70% in …
We have developed so many forms of communication as a species. We use spoken word, written languages, sign languages, and we even use nonverbal …
We have all seen kids fall and bump their heads. But what if the bump is more serious? Do you know when you need to …
Slips and falls on ice and snow are a common occurrence in the winter. Injuries from slips and falls are normally minor but can also be …
We’ve all had a common cold. A cold is a mild viral infection of the nose, throat, sinuses, and upper airways. Colds …
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C) is a simple blood test that measures the average blood sugar levels over the past 2- 3 months. Because it …
Many people experience an increase in distressing thoughts and emotions during the holiday season. For some it may be increased stress due to obligations and expectations; …
All people have a history and a story which help form who they are, the attitudes with which they approach the world, …
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways to your lungs. According to the CDC, about 25 million Americans have asthma. In …
Americans spend a lot of time in their vehicles. One study reported the average American spends eighteen days in our cars each …
Chompers, fangs, chiclets…no matter what you call them, teeth are underrated and often underappreciated. With the bountiful feasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas …
There’s a common belief that grief can only be experienced through the death or loss of a close loved one. That grief …
