Good vision is an important part of your daily life. Your eyesight helps you to do well at work, at home and behind the wheel.  It's essential to keep your eye health in top shape.  The easiest way to protect your vision is to have regular eye exams with an optometrist.   

Here are some other ways to keep your eyes healthy at any age. 

Healthy foods are important to eye health 

Choose foods rich in antioxidants, like Vitamins A and C; and leafy, green vegetables and fish are helpful to healthy eyes. Fatty fish, such as salmon, contains essential omega-3 fatty acids that are important to the macula's health, the part of the eye responsible for central vision. Too many antioxidants, alcohol consumption, or saturated fats can create free-radical reactions that can harm macula. Also, foods high in fat can cause deposits that constrict blood flow in the arteries. The blood vessels that feed the eyes are especially sensitive to this blockage.  

Exercise helps your eyes too 

Exercise does the body good and the eyes too. Even mild exercise improves blood circulation in your body, and that includes the eyes. Improved circulation delivers oxygen to the eyes and helps to remove toxins. 

Get a good night's sleep 

Your eyes will feel better when you get the sleep you need. Enough rest will support your eye health; you'll look great and perform better at your daily tasks.  

Wash your hands 

Keeping your hands clean is so important when it comes to your eyes, especially if you're wearing contact lenses. Before you touch your eye or put in or remove a contact lens, wash your hands with mild soap and dry with a lint-free towel. Some germs and bacteria from your hands can cause serious eye infections, like bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye). Touching or rubbing your eyes is one way you can catch a cold because whatever is on your fingers goes right onto your eye's surface. 

Smoke is terrible for your body and your eyes. 

Smoking exposes your eyes to high levels of oxidative stress. While the connection has not been thoroughly studied, it’s known that smoking increases your risk for various health conditions that affect the eye.  

Wear your shades 

Sunglasses help to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. The best sunglasses have both UVA and UVB protection. Also, wearing a wide brim hat can reduce the amount of UV radiation to your eyes. Bonus: You’ll look super cool as well.  

Be careful of too much screen time 

You're probably using digital devices for hours each day at work and home. These devices are exposing your eyes to a high-energy blue light. Blue lights are wavelengths emitted near the bluer part of the spectrum. Lutein & Zeaxanthin are eye nutrients concentrated in the macula and help filter out the blue light. Lutein and Zeaxanthin can’t be produced by our bodies and must be obtained through supplements and vitamins-rich foods.  

If you spend time on a computer, here are some other ways to help reduce blue light:  

• Position your computer screen 20 to 24 inches from your eye. 

• Position the top of your computer screen slightly below your eye level. 

• Adjust lighting around your computer to minimize glare on the screen. 

• Use the 20/20/20 rule by taking a break every 20 minutes to focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 

• When your eyes become irritated or dry, use lubricating eye drops. 

Good vision is an important part of your daily life. Your eyesight helps you to do well at work, at home and behind the wheel.  It's essential to keep your eye health in top shape.

Experts agree a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight management can prevent Type 2 Diabetes. This sounds easy, yet more than 25 million Americans suffer from some form of Type 2 Diabetes, and nearly 80 million are considered prediabetic, according to John Muir Health.  

First, it’s important not to confuse Type 2 with Type 1 diabetes.

“Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and there is no prevention,” said M. Tufail Ijaz, M.D., FACE, FRCP, fellowship-trained and board-certified endocrinologist with Genesis Endocrinology. “Type 2 Diabetes is due to insulin resistance or decreased insulin production from the pancreas. Type 2 Diabetes is preventable through a healthy diet, regular exercise and maintaining the appropriate weight.” 

What is a healthy diet?

“Avoid simple starches such as ice cream, pop, desserts, juices and white bread,” Dr. Ijaz said. “Eat vegetables, salads, grilled chicken, grilled fish and brown bread.” The T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health encourages limiting red meat and avoiding processed meat. Instead, choose nuts, beans, whole grains, poultry or fish. In addition, smokers are roughly 50% more likely to develop diabetes than non-smokers, and heavy smokers have an even higher risk. 

How much exercise is enough?

“The best exercise for prevention is running and brisk walking. Thirty minutes of brisk walking at least five days a week is recommended,” Dr. Ijaz said. Similarly, the American Diabetes Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Beginners should consult their doctor before beginning any exercise program and then consider 10 to 15 minutes per day of moderate exercise and increase the duration as ability allows.  

So, what is a healthy body weight?

“People should aim for a body mass index of less than 25,” Dr. Ijaz said. “A body mass of 25-29.9 is overweight, and more than 30 is obese.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines body mass index, or BMI, as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. BMI is an inexpensive and easy screening method to determine if you are underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight or obese. 

“People concerned with Type 2 Diabetes should consult a doctor when he or she experiences increased thirst, frequent urination, increase in appetite, (unintentional) weight loss, blurry vision or fatigue,” Dr. Ijaz said. “If they have symptoms or if fasting sugar is greater than 125 or random blood sugar is more than 200, they should see a doctor.”

The doctor will likely recommend an A1C test or a simple blood test to measure a patient’s average blood sugar levels during the past three months. According to the CDC, it’s the main test to help patients manage diabetes. An A1C result of less than 5.7 percent is considered normal. A patient whose A1C result is 6.5 percent or greater is diabetic. Patients whose results are between 5.7 and 6.4 percent are prediabetic.  

“Prediabetes can progress to Type 2 Diabetes,” Dr. Ijaz said. “Again, exercise, diet and maintaining a healthy weight can prevent Type 2 Diabetes in prediabetic patients. Sometimes a medication called Metformin can be used in prediabetes to prevent Type 2.” The American Diabetes Association assures early treatment, and moderate lifestyle changes can return prediabetic blood sugar levels to a normal range. 

Even small changes in diet, exercise and weight can have a huge impact on preventing diabetes. Anyone concerned about Type 2 Diabetes should talk to their primary care doctor to create a plan to avoid becoming diabetic. 

Experts agree a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight management can prevent Type 2 Diabetes. This sounds easy, yet more than 25 million Americans suffer from some form of Type 2 Diabetes, and nearly 80 million are considered prediabetic.

Getting vaccinated is vital for your health. However, did you know that even if you are vaccinated, you can still get and spread the COVID-19 virus without knowing it? It remains vital to take precautions to keep everyone healthy, especially those at high risk for getting COVID-19.

“The most important thing you can do is get vaccinated. You should also talk to your doctor as more data is compiled and follow recommendations on booster shots. In addition, please continue to wear a mask when indoors or in close quarters, wash your hands frequently and social distance,”

said Nouman Farooq, M.D., Fellowship-trained and Board-certified Infectious Disease Specialist at the Genesis Infectious Disease Clinic.

Genesis HealthCare System offers scheduled vaccine appointments at several primary care provider offices and walk-in vaccinations at multiple Northside Pharmacies.

For the latest news about COVID-19 and a list of where you can receive the vaccine, visit genesishcs.org/vaccine.

Getting vaccinated is vital for your health. However, did you know that even if you are vaccinated, you can still get and spread the COVID-19 virus without knowing it?

You stub your toe. It turns purple, swells and hurts to wear a shoe. Should you limp to your doctor, or take care of the toe yourself?  

Medical treatment for a broken toe depends on which toe is broken, where in the toe the break is, and the severity of the break. Medical treatment is needed more often for a broken big toe than for the other toes. One way to know whether your toe is broken is if you can put weight on the foot. If you can walk on it without pain or limping, it probably is not broken.  

Home care for a broken toe includes ice and elevation. If you don’t have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease, your toe can be “buddy-taped” to your uninjured toe next to it. Protect your skin by putting padding between your toes before you tape them together. Your injured toe may need to be buddy-taped for two to four weeks to heal. If it hurts more after buddy-taping it, remove the tape.  

“There are cases when other treatment might be needed. If your toe is at a different angle than the toe on the other side, and it wasn’t before your injury, go to a doctor,” said Mark Scott, DPM, podiatric surgery, Genesis Foot & Ankle. “If you buddy-tape the injured toe and it isn’t healing, seek medical care.” 

You stub your toe. It turns purple, swells and hurts to wear a shoe. Should you limp to your doctor, or take care of the toe yourself?

Abdul Dada, M.D., practices at Genesis Primary Care in Zanesville Ohio. 

What’s so good about “good” cholesterol? The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) removes the “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) away from your arteries and back to your liver so it can be removed from your body.  

Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs and uses it to keep you healthy. The waxy substance helps make new cells, some hormones and substances that help digest foods. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can slowly build up in your arteries and create plaque. The foods you eat can impact your cholesterol.  

So, what eats away the cholesterol? A variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, lean meat (pork and red meat labeled “loin” and “round” have the least amount of fat), unsalted nuts, seeds and dried beans or peas are the healthier picks for reducing your LDL. 

“The good news is, high cholesterol can be lowered, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke,” said Selomie Kebede, M.D., fellowship-trained cardiologist, Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute. “From a dietary standpoint, the best way to lower your cholesterol is reduce saturated fat and trans fat. Reducing these fats means limiting your intake of red meat and dairy products made with whole milk.” 

Many no cholesterol or even low-fat foods are high in other types of bad fats, such as saturated and trans fats. Be sure to check the food label for saturated fat, trans fat and total calories.  

Saturated fat is solid at room temperature, which is why it is also known as “solid fat.” It’s mostly in animal foods, such as milk, cheese and meat. Opt for low-fat dairy options. 

Trans fat is a fat that has been processed to increase the shelf life of food. It makes crispier crackers and flakier pie crusts and can raise your cholesterol. Eat as little trans fat as possible.   

Read the food packaging label to monitor the amounts of cholesterol and fats you’re taking in. Eating a healthy diet can help you improve your cholesterol.  

Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs and uses it to keep you healthy. The waxy substance helps make new cells, some hormones and substances that help digest foods. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can slowly build up in your arteries and create plaque. The foods you eat can impact your cholesterol. So, what eats away the cholesterol? 

Checking if someone needs a COVID-19 test is mostly about asking questions, which lends itself well to a telehealth approach. If you have a mobile device, a telephone, a tablet or a computer with an internet connection, you can visit with a provider from the comfort of your own home through a virtual visit. If you don’t have that technology, you can still use the phone to conduct a telehealth visit. 

Telemedicine is a convenient way to handle minor, temporary, non-emergency medical conditions. A virtual visit is a smart way to reduce the potential for transmission of COVID-19.  

How to prepare for your virtual visit

• Find a quiet, well-lit area for your appointment 

Avoid positioning yourself in front of a bright window, as that darkens the view the provider will have of your face. If you sit outside, extra noise and potentially wind noise will interfere with the call. 

• Write down your list of questions 

• Be ready to share your most recent temperature reading 

• Prepare your device before your visit so that technical issues don’t delay your appointment 

• Focus on the session 

Just as you would during an office visit, eliminate distractions and interruptions during the virtual visit and give your provider your undivided attention. Shut off notifications on your cellphone and shut down apps that might create distractions or noise. 

Be prepared for an in-person follow-up. Depending on your circumstances, your provider may want to see you in person or send you for a test. 

Checking if someone needs a COVID-19 test is mostly about asking questions, which lends itself well to a telehealth approach. If you have a mobile device, a telephone, a tablet or a computer with an internet connection, you can visit with a provider from the comfort of your own home through a virtual visit.

Genesis HealthCare System’s Pulmonary and Critical Care team recently performed its 100th Monarch Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy. The Monarch system uses a flexible robotic tube, controlled by a doctor, to detect lung cancer earlier and more accurately, and in places that were previously unreachable without surgery. 

“The Monarch system is another example of Genesis’ commitment to bringing the best resources, whether it is technology, doctors or facilities to our community. We were the second health system in Ohio to start using the Monarch system in fall 2020, which is critical because Ohio has one of the highest lung cancer rates in the U.S. This system makes a difference and helps saves lives,” said Emily Brawner, D.O., F.C.C.P, Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine.

The Monarch Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy procedure is performed by either Dr. Brawner or James Adamo, M.D., F.C.C.P., Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine.

To learn more about the Monarch System and how Genesis is diagnosing lung cancer earlier, go to genesishcs.org/beatlungcancer 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Pulmonary and Critical Care team recently performed its 100th Monarch Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy.

Some people cringe at the word “hike” – it brings forth visions of steep hills and mountains, rocky landscapes and a lot of hard work. But hiking doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a way to move your body, enjoy fresh air and find inner peace. And physical activity is essential for good health – for your body and your mind.