Treat your sweetheart tomorrow including a friend, family member, or yourself if you want to a present that cultivates cardiovascular health; it still is heart month.

“5 heartfelt gift ideas for Valentine’s Day – Harvard Health

1-Making home-cooked meals is one of the best things you can do for your cardiovascular health. Research suggests that people who eat more meals made at home tend to weigh less and have healthier cholesterol and blood sugar values compared with people who eat out frequently. “You can control the amount of saturated fat, salt, and sugar in food you make yourself. You’ll also avoid the preservatives, additives, and dyes found in convenience foods like frozen dinners and other processed foods,” says Dr. Frates.

2-Both strawberries and dark chocolate contain beneficial plant compounds called flavonoids, which are thought to improve cardiovascular health by relaxing blood vessels, improving blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and discouraging blood clots. Studies have linked diets rich in flavonoids to a lower risk of heart attacks and related problems.

3-Custom fit sneakers-If people walk, jog, or hike in shoes that don’t fit properly, they can run into problems, says Dr. Frates. For example, ill-fitting shoes can cause blisters, put pressure on bunions, or leave you vulnerable to plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the fibrous band of tissue on the bottom of the foot) and Achilles tendinitis (inflammation of the tendon connecting the calf muscle to the heel). Some experts recommend replacing your walking shoes at least every 300 to 500 miles, which translates to a new pair every six to 12 months if you regularly walk about three miles per day.

4-Luxury Sleep Products-Getting at least seven hours of sleep each night is vital for cardiovascular health, says Dr. Frates. Insufficient sleep can raise your risk for weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Creating a sleep sanctuary that’s quiet, dark, and comfortable can make it easier to fall and stay asleep.

5-A subscription to a meditation app.-Meditation and mindfulness have been shown to lower blood pressure, decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and increase heart rate variability (microsecond time differences from one heartbeat to the next), all of which are linked to better heart health. “A regular meditation practice can help you to better manage stress, which is an unavoidable part of life,” says Dr. Frates.

By Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Have a healthy and happy Valentine’s day tomorrow!

The American Heart Association tips on healthy valentine ideas:

“Valentine’s Day is all about showing your sweetheart how much you care about them. With it being National Heart Month, it’s also important that you show your heart how much you care about it, too! If you and your loved one are looking to indulge in some heart-healthy Valentine’s Day activities, here are some of our favorite ideas taken from the American Heart Association.

1. Rather than tempting your loved one with chocolates, send a fruit basket that has natural sugar and healthy nutrients instead of sweets with added sugars.
2. Quality time is one of the most meaningful gifts. Bundle up and plan a heart-healthy activity like ice skating, a wintery walk, or if you’re feeling adventurous, visit an indoor rock-climbing wall!
3. If your children are having Valentine’s Day party at their school or daycare, consider sending pretzels, pencils, or stickers as tokens of their friendly affection, instead of candy.
4. Cooking at home is an excellent way to control the quality and amounts of what you eat. Spend time with your loved one learning a new heart-healthy recipe and preparing a romantic, candlelit dinner.
5. If you do go out for a romantic dinner date, consider ordering one entrée to share. Many restaurant servings are enough for two and splitting one can help keep you from overdoing it.
6. Know before you go – make it a point to look up the menu and nutrition information for the restaurant you’re going to ahead of time (most restaurants should have this available online) and take note of what might be good to order.
7. Take it slow! If you were gifted a luxurious box of chocolates from your sweetie, stick it in the fridge or freezer and enjoy in moderation over several weeks.
8. Don’t forget to share your love with your pets! Give your pet a Valentine and take them for a long walk today. Not only do you get to bond with your pet, but it’s also a great healthy activity.
9. Use this day as an opportunity to tell your loved one how you feel about him or her, and share ways that you can support each other’s health and wellness goals.
10. One of the best things you can do for your heart is to give up smoking or help a loved one quit. Make a commitment for your loved ones that will have a lasting impact.”

Reference:

10 Heart-Healthy Valentine’s Day Ideas from the American Heart Association | Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin

“February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM)
A national health observance to promote the benefits of good oral health, brought to you by the ADA.

National Children’s Dental Health Month observances began with a one-day event in Cleveland and a one-week celebration in Akron, Ohio, in February 1941.

Since then, the concept has snowballed into a nationwide program, bringing together thousands of dedicated professionals, health care providers and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and many others.

The theme this year is “Healthy Habits for Healthy Smiles!”

The ADA held the first national observance of Children’s Dental Health Day on Feb. 8, 1949. The one-day event became a weeklong event in 1955, and in 1981 the program was extended to a monthlong celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

“I am passionate about increasing access and advocating for improving the oral health of all Americans, and I believe there’s no better or easier place to start than with improving the oral health for our nation’s children,” said Elizabeth Simpson, D.M.D., chair of the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention. “When we can get all children to the dentist, create positive experiences at the dental office for them and start then early with prevention and oral health education, it’s fair to hope that those patterns started in childhood can last a lifetime. I hope that people will find a way in whatever practice modality they practice to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month.”

The NCDHM Program Planning Guide provides program coordinators, dental societies, teachers and parents with resources to promote the benefits of good oral health to children. The guide includes easy-to-do activities, program planning timetable tips, a sample NCDHM proclamation and more.

The planning guide is an accompaniment to the annual postcard and poster program run by the ADA. This year, the Association received orders for 151,010 posters and postcards, which exceeds last year’s total amount of 115,000.

“Whether you hold a Give Kids A Smile event or volunteer in an elementary school and teach children about the dental profession and oral health, no action is too small, and all actions are needed as pieces of the puzzle to improve oral health outcomes for our children,” Dr. Simpson said.

Give Kids A Smile, which traditionally kick offs each February, is the signature access-to-care program of the ADA Foundation. Each year, about 65,500 dentists and 20,000 dental team members volunteer at local Give Kids A Smile events across the country to provide free oral health education, screenings, preventive, and restorative treatment to about 300,000 children. More than 7 million underserved children have received free oral health services since its inception more than two decades ago.”

ADA News (National Children’s Dental Health Month kicks off across country in February | American Dental Association)

During the month of February, the American Dental Association celebrates National Children’s Dental Health Month.

National Children’s Dental Health Month, with the 2022 theme being “Sealants Make Sense.”

The month is a national health observance that brings together thousands of dedicated professionals, health care providers and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and many others.

Irene Hilton, D.D.S., chair of the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention’s advisory committee on dental sealants, said sealants are an equitable way to prevent caries.

“Sealants on permanent molars reduce the risk of caries by 80%,” Dr. Hilton said. “If your dentist recommends dental sealants, it is part of a comprehensive caries management approach. I am excited that this year” National Children” Dental Health Month theme is about dental sealants, so more families are aware of this cavity-preventing treatment.”

New parents often ask, “When should my child first see a dentist?” It’s never too early to start focusing on your child’s oral health! The American Association of Pediatric Dentists recommends that parents establish a dental home for their child by their first tooth or first birthday. During this time, parents/guardians will have the opportunity to ask questions and address any dental concerns at the primary visit and the dentist will gently swab the child’s mouth to check their gums and any erupted teeth. As the child starts teething, the dentist will be able to monitor their progress and implement preventative measures for any concerns with your baby’s teeth.

Protect Tiny Teeth

Baby teeth are so important because of their key role of saving space for a child’s permanent teeth. They stay in a child’s mouth for 8-10 years and also affect their speaking, chewing, and, of course, smiling. Baby teeth can also indicate a child’s overall quality of health. Untreated tooth decay can cause oral infections that enter the bloodstream and lead to other serious health problems, while also allowing bacteria to spread to new adult teeth.

While daily brushing is an important part of a child’s oral hygiene routine, bacteria that causes tooth decay can still linger between teeth where the toothbrush can’t reach. That’s why it’s so important to help your kids incorporate flossing in their daily routine.

One significant oral health risk for infants and young children under the age of 1 is from baby bottle tooth decay. This occurs when your child consumes sugary liquid and bacteria in their mouth consume the sugar and produce acid. This acid attacks the enamel on baby teeth can trigger tooth decay after continued exposure. Liquids that contribute to this condition include milk, formula, fruit juice, soda, and any other sweetened drinks. If your child needs to sleep with a bottle, water is the safest option without any risk.

Parents, Did You Know?

Early childhood tooth decay has become the most common chronic childhood disease, impacting more children than asthma. According to the ADA, more than 40% of children have tooth decay by the time they reach Kindergarten. Additionally, kids who suffer from poor oral health are three times more likely to miss school as a result of dental pain.

The State of Pennsylvania has tried to tackle this oral health epidemic by requiring each child to receive a dental examination before enrolling in school, as well as in the 3rd and 7th grades. However, without regular six-month check-ups and establishing healthy oral health habits at an early age, small cavities can lead to much larger problems in little mouths.

Tips for Maintaining Your Child’s Oral Health 

Our doctors take pride in serving patients in such vital years of early childhood. As pediatric dentists, they’ve had additional training beyond dental school to work specifically with babies and children in monitoring early oral development. We recommend the following oral health tips to start your little ones on their journey to a lifetime of healthy smiles.

• Schedule routine check-ups. If it’s been more than six months since your child has seen a dentist, schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
• Clean your baby’s gums daily. Until those teeth come in gently wipe a damp washcloth over the gums to clear away harmful bacteria after each feeding.
• Start brushing with the first tooth. Begin brushing your baby’s teeth when you see one coming in with an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice).
• Brush twice each day for two minutes. Children ages 2-6 should use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Always supervise kids younger than six years old while brushing, as they are more likely to swallow toothpaste.
• Begin flossing. Once your child’s teeth touch, you can start flossing in between them.
• Snack healthy! Fruit juice, sports drinks, fruit snacks, and sticky candies all pose serious threats to your child’s teeth. Give kids calcium-rich snacks like cheese or low-sugar yogurt. If you have to resort to candy – a chocolate bar is preferable to gummy or sticky sweets that can get lodged in between the teeth, even after brushing.
• Keep them hydrated! Avoid sugary drinks and stick to good old-fashioned water. Water helps to rinse away any sugar or particles that can lead to cavities. Many municipal water sources also contain fluoride, which is recommended by the American Dental Association and U.S. Surgeons General, among others, as an efficient way to prevent tooth decay. In fact, the theme of this year’s National Children’s Dental Health Month is celebrating 75 years of water fluoridation.
• Replace your child’s toothbrush every three to four months.

“February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM), and the 2025 theme, “Respect That,” focuses on the importance of respect in all relationships.

Dating violence is more common than many realize—about 1 in 3 teens in the U.S. experiences some form of abuse from a dating partner. It can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, and may take place in person or online.

Teen dating violence includes physical, emotional, verbal, or digital abuse. As a parent or caregiver, you play a key role in educating your teen about what a healthy relationship looks like and how to recognize unhealthy behaviors.

Teen dating violence is any action by a partner meant to harm, manipulate, or control the other person. It can include:

• Physical violence: Actions like hitting, pushing, or restraining.
• Emotional abuse: Manipulation, humiliation, or constant criticism.
• Sexual violence: Coercion or forcing unwanted physical acts.
• Verbal abuse: Name-calling, yelling, or making threats.
• Digital abuse: Monitoring social media accounts, excessive texting, or sharing private images without consent.”

Pillars Community Health (Talking to Your Teen About Safe Relationships | Pillars Community Health)

Unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime.  Teens often think some behaviors, like teasing and name calling, are a “normal” part of a relationship. However, these behaviors can become abusive and develop into more serious forms of violence.

Teen Dating Violence is defined as the physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence within a dating relationship, including stalking. It can occur in person or electronically and might occur between a current or former dating partner. Several different words are used to describe teen dating violence. Look below.

• Relationship abuse
• Intimate partner violence
• Relationship violence
• Dating abuse
• Domestic abuse
• Domestic violenceA 2013 Survey found approximately 10% of high school students reported physical victimization and 10% reported sexual victimization from a dating partner in the 12 months before they were surveyed.Read on to know the negative effects of teenage dating: Most teenagers lack the proper understanding of balancing friendship and dating causing even best friends to grow apart. This also implies increasing isolation with their new found boyfriends or girlfriends making them further unavailable and unexposed to potential friends in their immediate circle.The most visible negative impact of teenage dating is the school grades. Teenagers lose interest in studies and this is emblematic of their shifting priorities in life. This involves a double failure when teenagers lose their marks in class followed by problems in a relationship on the personal front.
• Teenage dating deals more with exploring their new-found youthfulness than exploring the extent of love. This makes them reduce a relationship to the concept of possessing a boyfriend or a girlfriend making them lose sight of what is important. This is why we have more cases of teenage dating than cases of everlasting friendship.
• The biggest threat about teenage dating is their inability to maintain a relationship. Teenagers mostly, do not understand the necessity of sustaining a relationship over a period of time. Therefore, frequent break ups and fights lead to attempts of suicide, teenage pregnancy or mental instability in extreme cases. This happens due to lack of experience and a broader understanding of what relationships are.
• Teenage dating has been possible in the modern times due to modernisation and free flowing communication. As a result, it also comes with a set of negative implications.
• Dating violence is widespread with serious long-term and short-term effects. Many teens do not report it because they are afraid to tell friends and family. A 2011 CDC nationwide survey found that 23% of females and 14% of males who ever experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, first experienced some form of partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age.

Consequences of Dating Violence

These harmful behaviors can have long-lasting effects on teens, including:

• Depression or anxiety
• Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
• Experimentation with drugs or alcohol
• Suicidal thoughts

Teens who experience violence in relationships during adolescence are also more likely to encounter violence as adults.

Dating violence can have serious consequences. While the immediate impact might be humiliation and/or physical pain, young people who experience abuse are more likely to be in physical fights or bring weapons to school. They might exhibit higher rates of drug and alcohol abuse as well as high-risk sexual behaviors. Targets of abuse are also more likely to contemplate or attempt suicide.

Here are some consequences the target may experience:

Lose confidence in oneself

Become afraid to express feelings of anger

Suffer serious injury, even death

Begin to doubt their own abilities, feelings, and decision-making ability

Feel isolation from family and friends

Feel shame and guilt

Feel lonely

Face inability to maintain long-lasting or fulfilling relationships

Get a sexually transmitted infection

Experience an unwanted pregnancy

Build up large doctor or lawyer expenses

Abandon dreams and goals

Become depressed, anxious, fearful, or suicidal

Begin having problems at work, school, and other activities

Experience damage to personal property

Here are some consequences the perpetrator may experience:

Get arrested

Unable to attend college due to criminal record

Spend time in jail

Experience feelings of shame and guilt

Feel isolation from family and friends

Face inability to maintain long-lasting or fulfilling relationships

Contract a sexually transmitted infection

Experience an unwanted pregnancy

Build up large doctor or lawyer expenses

Abandon dreams and goals

Become depressed, anxious, fearful, or suicidal

Begin having problems at work, school, and other activities

Lose dating partner’s love and respect

Have conflict with parents or other caregivers

Dating partner could end relationship

Dating has many positive benefits for teens, even if they easily get carried away with romantic feelings. Appropriate teen relationships lead to maturity in teenagers and a better understanding of adult relationships. Getting this practice in early allows teens to discover what they want and need out of romantic relationships. Through dating, teens gain essential tools in navigating the world and are better able to develop meaningful intimate relationships as adults.

The way to stop teen dating violence is through prevention.   For a good recommendation of suggestions go to the Compiled by the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence www.wcadv.org Adapted from Hope House of South Central Wisconsin. Remember you don’t want to have to treat it but instead take the action in preventing it.

“According to the infographic—which sources information from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, among others—there are a number of items that responsible pet parents need to be aware of, including:

• Finances: It is important that pet parents understand the financial cost of properly caring for a cat or dog—which when considering routine veterinary care, food, toys, training, grooming, and other expenses—can costs hundreds of dollars a year.
• Vaccines: In addition to regular care, pet parents should consult with their veterinarian about vaccinations, heartworm prevention, and other preventive measures that can protect cats and dogs from a range of potentially deadly diseases.
• Protection: According to the AVMA, more than 10 million cats and dogs are lost or stolen every year, and one-third of pets will become lost at some point in their life. Microchipping your pet greatly increases the chances that they will be recovered if lost or stolen.

“Now more than ever, we consider our pets to be members of the family, so it is essential that people understand all that goes into being a responsible pet parent,” said Fran Dirksmeier, President, Henry Schein Animal Health, North America. “We encourage veterinarians to download this infographic and share it with their clients so they can be the best pet parents possible. Through regular veterinary visits, a healthy diet, and lots of exercise, we can ensure our pets live long, healthy, and happy lives.”

Henry Schein/solutions for health care professionals (Henry Schein Recognizes Responsible Pet Owners Month By Reminding Pet Parents To Take Their Pets To The Vet – Henry Schein)

February is “Responsible Pet Owner” month, and that got us thinking: how do we view responsible pet ownership? While there isn’t an exact definition for it the America Kennel Club gives each of us a great starting point for how we view pet ownership: “Owning a dog is not just a privilege-it’s a responsibility.” Whether you own a dog or a cat one thing is for sure, owning that pet comes with great responsibility.

“Many of us assume that the indoor air quality in our homes is much safer than the air outdoors. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor air pollution is one of the most hazardous environmental threats to humans! If you’re like the average individual, you probably spend a good amount of time indoors, so it’s important to educate yourself regarding indoor air quality.

Your windows may be spotless and your floors may sparkle, but for millions of adults and children with allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions, a house is only as clean as its air.

Though it might be hard to believe, ­indoor air can be five times dirtier than what we breathe outside, exposing us to carcinogens, including radon and formaldehyde, as well as quotidian lung-gunking impurities, such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and a variety of particulate matter created when we burn candles or cook.

Judging from the skyward trend in sales figures, Americans are turning to portable air purifiers in increasing numbers, paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars to reduce indoor air pollutants and the sniffles, sneezes, coughs, and asthma attacks they can trigger.

The Environmental Protection Agency evaluates the energy consumption of air purifiers for its Energy Star program but is careful to issue a disclaimer about their health benefits: “While some home air cleaning devices may be useful in some circumstances, EPA makes no broad endorsement of their use.” According to the agency, the best way to avoid health problems caused by indoor air pollution is to control or eliminate the sources of pollutants (by banning smoking in the house, for instance) and to ventilate the home with clean outdoor air.

Though the benefits of portable air purifiers are still being debated by the scientific community, recent research suggests that they could protect against the ill effects of air pollution under certain conditions. A small, well-designed study, funded in part by China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission and conducted at a Shanghai university, found that the use of filter-based air purifiers was associated with reducing the adverse health effects caused by polluted air. Another study, conducted by Canada’s British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and other Canadian governmental and academic groups, concluded that the use of portable air purifiers can lower indoor levels of particulate matter caused by smoke pollution and, in doing so, benefit respiratory and cardiovascular health.

Energy Star. Models that carry this familiar blue logo are 40 percent more energy efficient than non-Energy Star models. That’s an important consideration for an appliance that CR suggests people run 24 hours a day.”

Consumer Reports (https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/indoor-air-quality/how-to-improve-indoor-air-quality-a7861970027/?EXTKEY=SM72CR0D&gclsrc=3p.ds&&gclid=ce189d340a06186a625cfaa)

February is National Care About Your Indoor Air Month, which makes this a great time to talk about the importance of indoor air quality testing. But you really should care about the indoor air quality of your home and workplace as well as your child’s school every day of the year.

“Over the last several decades concern over indoor air quality has grown and with good reason,” the folks at the National Air Duct Cleaners Association say. “On average, Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors where, according to the EPA, the air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.

Yes, you read that right – the air you breathe inside your home can be more hazardous to your health than the air you breathe in the great outdoors.

Most people think car fumes and the smoke billowing out of factory smokestacks are the biggest drivers of air pollution, but you probably have products inside your home that are releasing volatile organic compounds into the air.

“Things like burning candles, spraying hair spray, and using cleaning products can negatively impact your indoor air quality. Over time these contaminants, plus dust, dirt, and pet dander, can build up inside your air ducts where they can be recirculated through the air 5 – 7 times per day,” officials at the National Air Duct Cleaners Association say.

The Top 10 Indoor Air Quality Facts and Stats:

• 91% of the global population breathes heavily polluted air.
• About 7 million people die every year as a result of indoor and outdoor air pollution.
• Up to 3.8 million deaths occur annually due to smoke exposure from cooking fires.
• Pneumonia and ischaemic heart disease are the most common causes of premature death brought on by indoor pollution.
• Almost 3 billion people worldwide use stoves or open fires that pollute the air when cooking.
• The US’s air quality trends seem to have improved nationwide in the past four decades, according to air pollution statistics from the US.
• The yearly number of deaths caused by polluted indoor air has dropped by over a million over the last three decades.
• In 2016, 60% of the world had clean cooking fuels available.
• High-efficiency particulate air filters remove 99.97% of airborne bacteria, dust, mold, and pollen particles as small as 0.3 microns.
• The American indoor air quality market should hit $12.2 billion by the year 2023.

Importance of Indoor Air Quality

“Indoor air quality” refers to the quality of the air not just in a home, but includes also school, office, or other building environments. The potential impact of indoor air quality on human health nationally can be noteworthy for several reasons:

• Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors,¹ where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. ²
• People who are often most susceptible to the adverse effects of pollution (e.g., the very young, older adults, people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease) tend to spend even more time indoors. ³
• Indoor concentrations of some pollutants have increased in recent decades due to such factors as energy-efficient building construction (when it lacks sufficient mechanical ventilation to ensure adequate air exchange) and increased use of synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.

91% of the global population breathes air that’s heavily polluted. 

(WHO)

According to indoor air pollution facts, the World Health Organization says that air pollution represents a notable danger to the climate and people’s health. Based on areas where air pollution is monitored, over 80% of the urban population breathes poor-quality air, as per the WHO’s indoor air quality standards.

2. About 7 million people die every year as a result of indoor and outdoor air pollution.

(WHO)

According to the WHO’s indoor air quality statistics, low- and middle-income countries suffer the most from air pollution, including indoor and ambient air pollution. The combination of the two causes acute respiratory infections, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, and more.

3. Up to 3.8 million deaths occur annually due to smoke exposure from cooking fires.

(EC Europa, NCBI)

According to statistics on air pollution, the developing world suffers from premature death and disease due to poor home indoor air quality. Households in low- and middle-income countries rely more on burning fires, including coal, dung, and wood.

They also rely on hazardous stoves that can produce a lot of pollutants, such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon monoxide. Contaminants like these can cause respiratory illnesses and even cancer.

4. The most dangerous indoor air pollutants include benzene, carbon monoxide, environmental tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, lead, naphthalene, and radon.

The European Commission deems these pollutants as the most concerning. It notes that more air pollution statistics from throughout the world should be gathered on their combined effects, thus allowing space for better indoor air quality regulations and guidelines.

5. Pneumonia and ischaemic heart disease are the most common causes of premature death brought on by indoor pollution.

(WHO)

Some indoor air quality statistics are bleak, but they must be brought to light. The leading causes of the 3.8 million deaths mentioned above are ischaemic heart disease (27%), pneumonia (27%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (20%), stroke (18%), and lung cancer (8%).