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Prenatal

Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus (or “RSV”) is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States. Is RSV contagious? Yes, it’s considered highly contagious because it spreads similarly to the common cold. For example, RSV can spread when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes near you or your baby. It can also spread when you or your baby touch surfaces contaminated with RSV droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze, and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone can get RSV, but most people are infected for the first time as infants or toddlers. Protecting children from RSV involves exploring new immunization options for moms and babies. What Is RSV? RSV is a common and widespread virus. In most regions of the United States, RSV season starts during fall and peaks in the […]

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet can be a struggle for all of us. But it can be even more so for a woman who now has all the dietary restrictions that come along with pregnancy! Looking after your health and diet when you’re pregnant is extremely important because it’s not just your own body you’re providing for anymore. This is why so many women go to a Naturopath Kingston to help them learn more about how they can improve their diet and their pregnancy health because they’re so conscious about their baby’s development. So, now we know how important the diet is, let’s review the major “go’s” and “no’s” of eating during pregnancy. Protein GO Protein is an important building block for many body parts/organs in your body including bone, cartilage, blood, and muscles. In general, it is recommended we get 71 grams of protein daily. Good sources of protein […]

You probably know someone who’s had gestational diabetes mellitus, or may have been diagnosed yourself. By any measure, it’s not rare. It’s estimated that about 200,000 cases of gestational diabetes—a condition that’s marked by glucose intolerance in pregnancy—occur every year. In fact, gestational diabetes may be present in up to 9.2% of all pregnancies. But the fact that gestational diabetes is pretty common doesn’t make it any easier to live with—especially when you’re dealing with all the other challenges of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes occurs when hormones from the placenta block the action of the insulin that the mother’s body produces. Insulin’s job is to help the body transform glucose in the bloodstream into useable energy. When the body can’t make or use insulin properly, glucose builds up in the blood, causing higher blood glucose levels that can be dangerous for a mother with diabetes and her baby. Women with gestational diabetes mellitus […]

Around this time of year, there’s coughing practically around every corner. Kids are hacking away at the table next to you in restaurants. Fellow shoppers are barking down the grocery aisles. Most coughs are short-lived and more of a nuisance than anything. Others linger much longer and can be downright exhausting. One type of cough that can be especially concerning for parents is caused by pertussis (also called “whooping cough”). You probably already know that pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the airways. It spreads like other upper respiratory infections when an infected person coughs or sneezes. But here are 10 important pertussis tidbits you may not know that just might help you and your loved ones be better protected this season. 1. Whooping cough has been making a dangerous comeback in the past decade. In the United States, pertussis used to kill about 9,000 people each year, […]

It’s coming up on spring break time, when families, teens and young adults start planning travel to warmer climates. But with all of the buzz about Zika, you may have some questions. Here is what we know, for sure, right now. Q: What, exactly, is the Zika virus? A: Zika virus is a type of flavivirus, which is a family of viruses transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. Although it’s been in the news lately, Zika was discovered in 1947 and is named after a forest in Uganda. Q: What are the symptoms and treatment? A: Most people (4 out of 5) don’t know they’ve been infected with Zika virus because they don’t have any symptoms. The 20 percent of people who do experience symptoms usually have a mild illness for about a week to 10 days, with fever, rash, joint pain and pinkeye (without the pus). Other common symptoms include muscle […]