
Wellness Stations allow for quick check on health
February is Heart Month, which raises awareness about cardiovascular disease prevention. Heart disease can take on many forms and often has subtle symptoms – chest pressure or discomfort, sluggishness and fatigue.
It’s important not to ignore these subtle signs and symptoms. If you are experiencing pressure, heaviness or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone or in combination with sweating, nausea, extreme shortness of breath or irregular heartbeats, you may be having a heart attack. Call 911 immediately.
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz recommends that you regularly monitor your blood pressure. With support from your health care team, you can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. You can check your blood pressure at the doctor’s office, other medical locations, at home with a blood pressure monitoring device or for free at one of the BayCare Wellness Stations located in Publix Super Markets in Hillsborough County.
The Wellness Stations conveniently provide you with free, interactive screenings giving you personal health statistics, including blood pressure, pulse, body weight and body mass index.
Learn more about St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s heart services at StJosephsNorthHeart.org
Hospital offers newborn support groups
LUTZ – St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, 4211 Van Dyke Road, offers free in-person support groups and classes during February about breastfeeding and newborn care.
The events are open to all no matter which hospital you delivered or plan to deliver your babies. All events are held in St. Joseph’s Hospital-North classrooms.
- Breastfeeding Support Group – For breastfeeding mothers and their babies. The group provides a place where breastfeeding mothers receive support from other breastfeeding mothers and certified breastfeeding consultants. Offered Thursdays, Feb. 13 and 27, 9 to 11 a.m.
- Understanding Breastfeeding – Provides information to the expectant mother and her support person about breastfeeding basics, skin-to-skin contact, tips for returning to work and when to call a health care provider or lactation consultant. Offered Thursday, Feb. 27, 1 to 5 p.m.
- Understanding Your Newborn: Provides information to the expectant mother and one support person about many aspects of safe infant care, including feeding, diapering, bathing, signs of illness and cues and communication. Offered Thursday, Feb. 13, 1 to 5 p.m.
The events are free but St. Joseph’s Hospital-North asks you to register at BayCareEvents.org and choose “St. Joseph’s Hospital-North” in the “Facility/Location” filter. Or, you can also register by phone by calling 855-314-8352 and pressing the number “2” at the prompt.
Report: Florida could do more to prevent tobacco use
TAMPA – Florida continues to lag behind the rest of the country in policy efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use, according to the American Lung Association’s “State of Tobacco Control” report.
The state received three failing grades, out of five, in this year’s report, including:
- Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs.
- Level of State Tobacco Taxes.
- Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products.
The state earned a D in Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco and a C in Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Florida and across the country, claiming the lives of 32,300 state residents each year. 10.5% of adults in Florida currently use cigarettes, and 17% of adults use tobacco products, which includes e-cigarettes. Additionally, 14.8% of high school students use tobacco products.