Dr. Dale Prokupek MD
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Dr. Dale Prokupek MD
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June 27 is National HIV Testing Day

“A great resource.”
— Dr. Dale

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day

http://www.cdc.gov/features/hivtesting/index.html

National HIV Testing Day is a reminder to get the facts, get tested, and get involved to take care of yourself and your partners.

An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and that number grows by almost 50,000 every year. One in eight people who have HIV don't know it. That means they aren't getting the medical care they need to stay healthy and avoid passing HIV to others.

CDC has found that more than 90 percent of new HIV infections in the United States could be prevented by testing and diagnosing people who have HIV and ensuring they receive prompt, ongoing care and treatment. Early linkage to and retention in HIV care is central to managing HIV and promoting health among all people living with HIV. HIV medicines can keep people with HIV healthy for many years, and greatly reduce the chance of transmitting HIV to their sex partners.

Get the Facts

Protecting yourself and others against HIV starts with knowledge. Knowing the facts about HIV will help you make informed decisions about sex, drug use, and other activities that may put you and your partners at risk for HIV.

  • Learn the basics about HIV, how to prevent HIV transmission, and the steps you can take to protect yourself and others.
  • Talk about what you learn with your friends and other people who are important to you.
  • Empower even more people via social media. Share your new knowledge with your friends online.

Find more information about HIV testing, and who should be tested, on CDC's HIV Testing Basics web page.

Get Tested

The only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to get tested.

CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care, and that people with certain risk factors get tested more often. People with more than one sex partner, people with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and people who inject drugs are likely to be at high risk and should get tested at least once a year. Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from even more frequent testing, depending on their risk. To protect your own health, you should also get tested if you have been sexually assaulted.

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, CDC recommends HIV testing with each pregnancy, both for your own benefit and to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to your baby.

See our Basic Testing Q&As for more information.

Knowing your HIV status gives you the power to control your health and your future. And getting tested has never been easier. You can ask your health care provider to test you for HIV. Many medical clinics, substance abuse programs, community health centers, and hospitals offer HIV testing. Testing is often free of charge. You can also

  • Visit GetTested and enter your ZIP code.
  • Text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948), and you will receive a text back with a testing site near you.
  • Call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) to ask for free testing sites in your area.
  • Contact your local health department.
  • Get a home testing kit (the Home Access HIV-1 Test System or the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test) from a drugstore.

See our Basic Testing Q&As for more information.

To learn more about Justin and others living with HIV, check out CDC's campaign Let's Stop HIV Together.

Get Involved

HIV testing is only one step. We can all do something to help stop HIV. Here are some ideas about how you and your friends can get involved.

  • Share your knowledge of HIV or your personal HIV story with others. One of the best ways to increase awareness is through a personal connection with others. Participants featured in CDC's HIV awareness campaign Let's Stop HIV Together, shared their voices and personal stories to raise HIV awareness, reduce stigma, and champion the power of relationships in the personal and public fight to stop HIV.
  • Use social media to increase HIV awareness. Follow @TalkHIV and tweet about National HIV Testing Day using ‪ #‎NHTD. You can also like Act Against AIDS on Facebook and create your own Let's Stop HIV Together meme. Share your ad and encourage others to do the same.
  • Support people living with HIV. Have an open, honest conversation about staying safe and healthy. Listen to the challenges that people living with HIV face and provide support for their special needs.
  • Volunteer in your community. The first step to getting involved in HIV prevention is to contact your local AIDS service organizations and/or community health departments. These groups can help identify opportunities or other organizations that may need the support of volunteers .

In addition, CDC's Act Against AIDS (en Español ) campaign materials promote HIV awareness and testing in high-risk populations.

New Year, New Goals, New You

 

 

Hi Friends,

Now that 2016 is in, most people have set goals and resolutions for the year. But none are more important than those related to health. With the cost of healthcare continually rising, it is vital to prevent disease in the first place. While one cannot prevent every disease, it is possible to take steps to prevent a significant number of the more common disorders which are chronic and prohibitively expensive to treat like diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cancer. The first thing to understand is that it is important not to make unrealistic resolutions because they are often difficult to keep. Large scale changes in life are usually made in small incremental steps and not one huge giant leap. Below are some very simple health resolutions that will hopefully make you healthier and keep you disease free.

Drink water and skip the soda: drinking water is far healthier than drinking all the sugary beverages. Water can hydrate your body, get rid of all the waste products and make your skin look fresh. More important, water has no calories. Soda on the other hand contains 250 calories a can.

Become physically active: This does not mean running a marathon every weekend or cycling from SF to LA. Simple walking is a great form of exercise. Walking 45 minutes every day of the week can lead to weight loss, boost self-esteem, lower your blood pressure, and reduce your blood sugars and lipids. In addition, exercise can also improve your mood and best of all it is free- unless you bump into a light pole while texting. No matter what exercise you select, go slow and enjoy it. If you rush exercise, you will hate it and stop doing it in a few weeks.

Eat healthy and read labels: 2016 should be the year of reading food labels and making smart food choices. Try and incorporate more veggies and fruits into your diet. Cut down on processed foods. Both fruits and veggies have been shown to possess all the beneficial minerals and vitamins you can possibly want. At the same time, eat breakfast every day. This will provide you with energy for most of the day and allow you to make healthy food choices because you will not be hungry in the middle of the day.

Get adequate sleep: Most people are not aware that the body needs at least 6-8 hours of sleep each night. This is necessary so that your body can perform all the repairs to the general wear and tear and re-energize the different organs. Sleep makes you feel better, improves concentration and prevents you from looking old.

Reduce stress: While some stress is beneficial in life, most people face too much stress in daily life. When stress is chronic it can lead to depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, heart disease and even obesity. Spending endless hours at the office, not getting inadequate sleep or eating a poor diet are things that can be altered to decrease stress. Other ways to relieve stress include taking a break from work, socializing, meditation or participating in some type of sporting activity.

Quit smoking: There is no habit worse than smoking. Besides increasing risk of lung cancer, this social habit is also associated with a foul body odor and bad breath. More important when you quit smoking, you will save money.

Reduce alcohol intake: Even though there is a lot written on the benefits of alcohol, most people over consume alcohol. Chronic intake of alcohol is associated with high blood pressure, liver damage, stroke and cancers of the mouth and throat. Worse, alcohol also affects mental function. So decrease the intake, or better still cut it all together and you can make up the benefits with exercise.

Do a good deed: Set the resolution to do good deeds in the upcoming year. After all you will not just be benefiting others but you will also be benefiting yourself.  When you freely give to others (i.e. time or money), you will realize that doing even small things can have a big impact on others. The greater joy comes when you know that you helped someone and this will bring immense joy to you; it is an immeasurable gift.  It is not often that we get a chance to make a difference in someone’s life. Do it when you have the opportunity - it is soothing, refreshing and brings contentment.  

-- Dr. Dale

Start The New Year Right

It’s a new year, and a time when many people make their resolutions. How about making one resolution for yourself: get a physical. Don’t let illness sneak up on you.

Paying attention to your health, even when you feel fine, can make staying well easier in the long term. And a little prevention goes a long way.

WHICH SCREENINGS ARE FOR YOU?

  • Cholesterol. Starting at age 20, all adults should have their cholesterol tested every five years. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease.

  • Blood pressure. Have this checked at least once every two years. High blood pressure increases risks of heart and kidney disease and stroke.

  • Diabetes. If your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or you take medicine for high blood pressure, you should get screened for diabetes.

  • Colorectal cancer. Most adults should have their first exam at age 50. Ask your doctor which of several available tests are right for you.

Women should also consider screening tests for breast cancer, cervical cancer and osteoporosis. Ask your doctor whether a mammogram is right for you based on age, family history, general health and personal concerns. Your age and health history determine how often you should have a Pap test. A bone density scan should be done at least once beginning at age 65.

Men should talk to their doctor about the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening. Also, men who are between ages 65 and 75 and who have ever been smokers should ask about screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

http://healthnetpulse.com/member/2014/01/02/start-the-new-year-right-check-up-on-your-health-2/