When it comes time to buy a backpack and load it with school supplies, you might want to keep a few of these tips in mind.

How much do you really think about WHAT you're putting into your mouth? If you're like most people, not very much. Nutrition decisions matter when it comes to keeping us healthy and preventing chronic illnesses.

How much do you really think about WHAT you're putting into your mouth? If you're like most people, not very much.

Duane McFarland has experienced strokes, heart attacks, double pneumonia, sepsis and open-heart quadruple bypass surgery. No wonder he values quality healthcare.

Not all habits are made to be broken. Good habits, like making your bed every morning, using manners and not spending more than you earn should be kept. But habits like stress eating, excessive drinking and nail biting, like it or not, are bad for you. Changing your habits is doable. Here’s how: 

1. Identify Cues 
   Something has to trigger a habit, and a cue can be anything. Maybe stress makes you crave chocolate, or the sound of your alarm triggers you to hit the snooze button. Identifying cues helps you understand what puts your habits into motion. 

2. Disrupt 
   Once you know the cues, you can throw bad habits off track. If the alarm cues you to hit the snooze button, put the alarm clock on the other side of the room so you’re forced to get up.  

3. Replace 
   Research from 2011 in a Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that replacing a bad behavior with a good one is more effective than stopping the bad behavior alone. The new behavior “interferes” with the old habit and prevents your brain from going into autopilot. Deciding to eat fruit every time your mind thinks “cookie” substitutes a positive behavior for the negative habit. 

4. Keep it simple 
   It’s usually hard to change a habit because the behavior has become easy and automatic. The opposite is true, too: new behaviors can be hard because your brain’s basal ganglia, (the “autopilot” part), hasn’t taken over this behavior yet. Simplifying new behaviors helps you integrate them into your autopilot routines. 

5. Think long-term 
   Habits often form because they satisfy short-term impulses, the way chewing on your nails might immediately calm your nerves. But short-term desires often have long-term consequences, like chewed up fingers. Thinking about the long term while trying to change some habits will help you remember why you’re working to change the habit. 

6. Persist 
   Research published in Health Psychology Review has shown that what you’ve done before is a strong indicator of what you’ll do next. This means established habits are hard to break. But the good news is, if you keep at it, your new behaviors will turn into habits, too. Persistence works. 

With a bit of time and some effort, healthy behaviors can become second nature. 

Not all habits are made to be broken. Good habits, like making your bed every morning, using manners and not spending more than you earn should be kept. But habits like stress eating, excessive drinking and nail biting, like it or not, are bad for you. Changing your habits is doable.

You might tan easily and have a healthy glow, so does that mean you’re not at risk for skin cancer? Not at all. Always. Wear. Sunscreen. Why? Anyone can get skin cancer, but there are certain characteristics that make you a greater risk. Consider spending more time in the shade if you have: 

• A lighter, natural skin color. 

• Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun. 

• Blue or green eyes. 

• Blond or red hair. 

• Certain types and a large number of moles. 

• A family history of skin cancer. 

• A personal history of skin cancer. 

• Are older in age. 

Regardless of whether you have any of the risk factors listed above, reducing your exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays can help keep your skin healthy and lower your chances of getting skin cancer. Most people get at least some UV exposure from the sun when they spend time outdoors. Making sun protection an everyday habit will help you avoid getting a sunburn, and lower your skin cancer risk. 

There’s no such thing as a healthy tan 

A tan does not indicate good health. A tan is your skin’s response to injury, because skin cells signal that they have been hurt by UV rays by producing more pigment. Any change in skin color after UV exposure, whether it’s a tan or a burn, is a sign of injury. UV exposure can also change skin texture, cause the skin to age prematurely, cause cataracts and cancers of the eye (ocular melanoma).  

In addition to causing sunburn, too much exposure to UV rays can cause skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are highly curable but can be disfiguring and costly to treat. Melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous and causes the most deaths. Most of these three types of skin cancer are caused by overexposure to UV light. No matter how sensitive your skin is to the sun, it’s important to protect yourself from UV rays. 

Anyone can get skin cancer, but there are certain characteristics that make you a greater risk.

In the latest issue of LiveWell Kristy Ritchie, M.D. from the Genesis OB/GYN Group and Genesis Primary Care provider Kevin Frank, M.D. answer your questions about the COVID-19 vaccines:

Q: Should you get the vaccine if you are thinking about getting pregnant?

A: Definitely. Pregnant women who get COVID-19 are at a higher risk for hospitalization, breathing problems and more. Getting COVID-19 while pregnant also increases the risk for babies to be born early and other health problems.

Q: If you are pregnant, should you get the COVID-19 vaccine?

A: Ongoing data demonstrates the vaccine is safe for pregnant women and unborn children. However, pregnant women should discuss the vaccine with their obstetrician.

Q: Should breastfeeding mothers get the COVID-19 vaccine?

A: Generally, yes. The vaccine will help protect the mother and her infant if she is breastfeeding. This is also a conversation mothers should have with their healthcare provider.

Q: Does the COVID-19 vaccine impact your ability to conceive in the future?

A: The vaccine does not affect the ability to get pregnant or to have a healthy child. As with all pregnancies, it’s best to be as healthy as possible, including getting all appropriate vaccines.

Q: Should children 12 years and older get the COVID-19 vaccine?

A: Everyone who is eligible should get the vaccine. Wearing a mask, washing hands and social distancing has slowed the spread of COVID-19 but cannot stop it. The fastest way to return to normal is for everyone who is able and eligible to get the vaccine.

Q: How safe is the COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 and up?

A: The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Pfizer vaccine for individuals 16 and up. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children 12 and up for emergency use. The vaccine was also previously approved and used for children 12 years of age and up in Canada.

Dr. Ritchie and Dr. Frank answer your questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Health experts note the benefits of spa retreats by the positive impact of the following:  

• Spas can improve your physical and emotional well-being.  
• Healthy meals, yoga and meditation help the body and mind to refresh.  
• They reduce levels of anxiety and teach stress reduction methods.  
• Disengagement breaks from work, family and friends are helpful. 
• Spas can help the body to slow down and to regenerate. 
• Practicing yoga can improve blood circulation, sending more oxygen and nutrients through the body. 
• Body exfoliating treatments polish the skin, promote cells regeneration, refine pores and offer skin relief. 
• Water treatments — when body is submerged in water, it offers true balance. 
• Heat treatments — stimulate blood circulation and initiate a purifying process. 
• Body wraps can recharge the body with nutrients and elements, and boosts moisture in the skin.  
• Saunas can help to rejuvenate and relax the body and mind. 

Experts note that spa treatments can have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing.

Patient Rob Ogg recounts his battle with COVID-19 and the monoclonal antibody treatment he received at the Genesis Infusion Clinic.