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  • Warning signs of Alzheimer's caregiver stress

    Nov 2, 2023

    Denial. Anger. Depression. For the 11.5 million people in the U.S. who provide unpaid care for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease, there’s an excellent chance that you are experiencing at least one of these or other side effects related to your efforts. These volunteer caregivers, including 16,000 Wyomingites, who typically provide 30 hours per week of unpaid care, are subjected to physical and psychological impacts that can be severe, but there are proactive steps that people can take to help themselves, according to Debra Antis...

  • Living without anger

    Oct 19, 2023

    by Bryan Golden The “benefits” of anger are many. Stress, anxiety, diminished judgment, reduced productivity, poor digestion, sleeplessness, elevated blood pressure, negative impact on relationships, unhappiness, and attraction of negative situations can all be yours just by being angry. Anger repels people, destroys relationships, creates problems, intensifies problems, causes regret, burns bridges, and dissolves solutions. Anger doesn’t have to manifest itself via your behavior to be destructive. Anger that is internalized can be j...

  • The secret to losing weight

    Oct 19, 2023

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD People often think they need to lose weight. The hard part, of course, is following through on that desire in a sustained and successful manner. Here are a few of the ways people do lose weight, and the secrets of their success. Some people should not lose weight, so please talk to your doctor. First of all, consider the reasons to lose weight. Benefits can include having more energy, improved mobility, fewer aches and pains, sleeping better, improvement in mood, lower blood pressure, and lower risk of heart disease, dia...

  • Living without anger

    Oct 12, 2023

    by Bryan Golden The “benefits” of anger are many. Stress, anxiety, diminished judgment, reduced productivity, poor digestion, sleeplessness, elevated blood pressure, negative impact on relationships, unhappiness, and attraction of negative situations can all be yours just by being angry. Anger repels people, destroys relationships, creates problems, intensifies problems, causes regret, burns bridges, and dissolves solutions. Anger doesn’t have to manifest itself via your behavior to be destructive. Anger that is internalized can be just as da...

  • The secret to losing weight

    Oct 12, 2023

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD People often think they need to lose weight. The hard part, of course, is following through on that desire in a sustained and successful manner. Here are a few of the ways people do lose weight, and the secrets of their success.  Some people should not lose weight, so please talk to your doctor. First of all, consider the reasons to lose weight. Benefits can include having more energy, improved mobility, fewer aches and pains, sleeping better, improvement in mood, lower blood pressure, and lower risk of heart disease, d...

  • We all need oxygen

    Oct 5, 2023

    World Oxygen Day was Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. For the last 40 years, supplemental oxygen therapy has been a mainstay treatment for millions of people of all ages living with respiratory problems. These people rely upon oxygen therapy to relieve the symptoms like breathlessness and limited activity caused by chronic problems like COPD, as well as more acute conditions like pneumonia and sleep problems. Despite its ability to add years to people’s lives and life to their years, advancements in oxygen therapy technology have been very slow to h...

  • Wyoming's 988 Suicide and Crisis Line

    Sep 21, 2023

    As part of its commitment to help reduce suicide deaths across the state, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is sharing key information about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and its operations in Wyoming. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential and always available. The system involves a national network of local crisis centers that provide free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Two call centers within Wyoming are part of the lifeline network. “We believe it’s a benefi...

  • Breast cancer can effect anyone

    Sep 21, 2023

    by Debra Johnston, MD My mother had 6 siblings, 16 aunts and uncles, and innumerable cousins. She was the first of them all to be diagnosed with breast cancer. I think of my mom every time one of my patients tells me they aren’t concerned about breast cancer because it doesn’t run in their family. Unfortunately, that is true of most people who are diagnosed with the disease. I also think of my mother every time I do a breast exam, or teach someone else how to do a self exam. Her breast cancer was one not detectable by the mammogram tec...

  • ALS - Not just Lou Gehrig's Disease

    Sep 14, 2023

    by Jill Kruse, DO On July 4, 1939 Lou Gehrig said these famous words at Yankee Stadium, “For the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break that I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” The bad break he was referring to was the diagnosis of a condition that would become synonymous with him - a neuromuscular condition called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a disease which causes motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord to break down. This reduces the nerves ability to control muscl...

  • Learning with the littles

    Sep 7, 2023

    by Jill Pertler I just finished a visit with my littles, aka grands. They are five dollars, nearly three dollars and 25 cents, if we are counting in years. It was a giggly, playful, cuddly, I’m not hungry, I’m so hungry, I’m not tired, I just fell asleep sitting up, I don’t have to go, I have to go real bad, colorful. craft-filled, hug-filled, love-filled, sand-filled, sticky, spillful, wonderful set of days. We swam in the lake and rode in the boat. We splashed our toes at the beach. We visited the candy store and paid all by ourselv...

  • Back to school hackers brief

    Aug 17, 2023

    Scams are out there targeting children and teens. To help keep them safe, have a talk with your children and these and other possible dangers or scams. Artificial Intelligence (AI) – what are the kids learning? AI uses enormous data sets to determine patterns and provide answers to questions. You may be asking where those data sets come from and what is in them. The data sets are sold by companies that collect information from all over the internet as well as information that is sold to them by companies. Yep, that’s right – your perso...

  • Here we go, back to school

    Aug 17, 2023

    by Nikki Eining CSW-PIP, QMHP Here it is, August. Summer has flown by and already there is Halloween candy roaming the shelves of Walmart. For most of us, August also brings the normal adjustment of transitioning back to the school year. It is normal for this to look differently for everyone, especially depending upon the age of your child. You may find yourself stressing to find the school supplies list, supporting your youth through two a day practices for athletic season or looking forward to getting back to the routine of the school year....

  • Victor or victim?

    Aug 10, 2023

    by Bryan Golden Do you conquer problems or do they conquer you? It’s attitude that determines whether you are a victor or a victim. Your age, education, financial status, or social standing don’t matter. There are victors and victims from every background. Victors are not special. They are not better than others. Victors know “they can” whereas victims are convinced “they can’t.” Whether you are a victor or victim is up to you. However, victims argue this is not the case. They claim they have no control over their circumstances. They believe...

  • State leadership's devotion to Freedom Celebration great to see

    Jul 20, 2023

    by Zac Taylor That small town with long streets phrase? It resonated July 3 at the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Park in Cody, as everyone there was able to walk right up to their state’s top leadership, in Cheyenne and Washington, D.C., to shake a hand and chat. For most of the politicians, elections are not yet breathing down their necks. It was simply a chance for people to look their political leaders in the face and talk. No surprise, I’d say that’s still the best way to communicate, especially when it’s people you may disagree with. And, yes,...

  • Building walls

    Jul 13, 2023

    by Bryan Golden Building mental and emotional walls is a common occurrence. We are used to living with physical walls so this progression is an easy transition. Furthermore, it’s a conditioned response that we learn from others as well as a result of our own experiences. There are a variety of reasons people build these virtual walls. They want to keep undesirable things out. They have a desire to prevent loss. They don’t want someone to leave. Walls may create a feeling of security. They offer a sense of protection. Walls are constructed as a...

  • Wild birds

    Jul 6, 2023

    by Slim Randles Doc smiled and felt really good inside when he heard the familiar bird song. “Hey there, Wheezer,” he said, “happy nesting!” For some reason, this mourning dove with the speech impediment comes around to Doc’s back yard every spring, and Doc thinks that’s just all right. If ol’ Wheez didn’t have that distinctive voice, Doc would never know if this bird favored his yard or was just another bird looking for a home. Let’s face it, Wheezer looks just like every other dove in town. But he was back and flirting with a good-looking la...

  • Make the change for yourself, prevent high cholesterol

    Jun 29, 2023

    by Marissia Schaefer, CNP Many of us have likely been educated on how to be healthier, which includes the foods we should consume, and the exercise we should complete on a daily basis, so we can achieve being ‘healthy.’ This information is important to know, but have you ever been educated about the risks that your current diet and habits of daily living impose on your health? An ‘unhealthy’ diet that is filled with excessive amounts of sugars, fast foods, fatty and processed foods, as well as alcohol can increase your risk of acquiring high ch...

  • Coping with the 'out of our control' reality of agriculture

    Jun 22, 2023

    by Curstie Konold, MPH, CSW, QMHP Marrying a farm kid has shown me the immense amount of pride in being part of the Ag community. It is prevalent that the agricultural profession, while rewarding, is challenging. Running big dollar operations that are both physically and mentally demanding creates some serious strain on our mental health. Whether it’s a co-op employee spraying chemicals or spreading fertilizer for 70+ hours a week or a farmer during planting or harvest, the demand never truly stops. In my practice I talk a lot about focusing o...

  • Running away from problems

    Jun 8, 2023

    by Bryan Golden Do you have problems, adversity, and obstacles in your life? If you said yes, then you are like everyone else. Even the most successful people are faced with challenges. What varies is how each person responds to their problems. Running away from problems is not only futile, it leads to a false sense of security. The erroneous premise is that your problems can be left behind by utilizing one or more strategies. The reality is, problems follow you until they are resolved. People attempt to run away in numerous ways. Although the...

  • No zero days

    May 25, 2023

    by Mark D. List, MD Is there something about your health you’d like to change? For most Americans, this question usually triggers a wide range of responses. In my practice, most responses usually center on wanting to lose weight, being more consistent with their exercise routine, or finally stopping smoking, drinking or vaping. What do these 3 lifestyle changes have in common? They are really, really hard to do. Behavioral modification of daily habits and routines is a very difficult process: humans tend to get stuck in our daily ruts and s...

  • The gift of a kidney donation

    May 18, 2023

    by Jill Kruse, DO The first successful organ transplant was a kidney transplant in 1954. The donor was the identical twin of the recipient. The new kidney worked for 11 months. This was long before any anti-rejection medications were available. Cyclosporine, the first anti-rejection medication, was approved for use in 1983. The use of anti-rejection medications has significantly increased how long transplanted organs will function. A transplanted kidney from a living donor will last on average 12-20 years. A kidney from a decease donor lasts...

  • It's always construction season for the body

    May 11, 2023

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD Like a car racing along the interstate, exiting onto a highway, and finally reaching the family farm along a dusty gravel road, our blood circulates inside our bodies.  There are the major blood vessels, such as the aorta running out of the heart, and there are the tiny capillaries allowing blood cells one at a time to carry oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in our bodies. The network of capillaries is so complex it is estimated there are over 40 billion in one person, and if stretched out in a single line they w...

  • Shopping for your garden

    May 4, 2023

    Gardening season is finally here! You may be envisioning all the herbs, flowers, and vegetables you’ll harvest at the end of the season. But you’ll need to put in hard work – not to mention money – to make your dream garden a reality. To make a success of your garden and stay on budget, Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends the following tips: Make a Success of Your Garden Plan ahead. If you are starting a garden from scratch, think carefully about what kind of plants you want to cultivate and where they will thrive best in your yard. You may...

  • Hacker's Brief

    May 4, 2023

    Scams we all need to be aware of. Wedding Anniversary Gift: A Sheridan citizen who owns a small business has been receiving similar emails every couple of months, asking for information about purchasing products for a gift for an anniversary, a new home, and similar themes. The email asks for some pictures and details about prices, but it’s the same message each time but from different sender addresses. Donation & Support: A Wyoming non-profit received an email supposedly from Hy-Vee Construction, offering a donation but only through wire t...

  • American Indian healthcare

    Apr 20, 2023

    by Sophie Two Hawk, MD; Arna Mora, MD; Carol Whitman, MD American Indians face some unique challenges when it comes to caring for their health. Culturally, we view health in a Holistic manner as a balance of our bodies, mind and spirit that allows for good health. Historically, the women would have knowledge of herbs and men would be spiritual healers. Healthcare was one of the items guaranteed under the treaties. Initially, healthcare was overseen by the Army and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Then Indian Health Service was formed in 1955 to...

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