McLaren Port Huron

Spring weather is on its way. After a long season of being cooped up, we may find we need to spend some time outdoors cleaning up. Whether you or a loved one is suffering a seasonal illness or has sustained an injury from spring cleanup, when is it time to seek medical treatment? For conditions such as trauma, heart attack or stroke, it goes without saying that it is always important to act quickly when someone is experiencing symptoms and to call 911 so emergency responders can initiate medical treatme...

March is National Nutrition Month, a time to increase awareness about the importance of good nutrition in maintaining your health. Making healthy food and drink choices, improving eating habits and incorporating more physical activity into your lifestyle can help prevent many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Here are 7 tips to help you make better, healthier nutrition choices: Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. These foods add color, flavor, fiber, vitamins and m...

Sleep is such a vital part of our lives. As a regularly recurring rest for the body during which there is little or no conscious thought, sleep restores energy to both the body and the mind while refreshing the spirit. The average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep each night, but more than 50 million Americans have from some type of sleep disorder, and for them, falling asleep – and staying asleep – can be a nightmare.  If you’re having trouble sleeping, try these healthy habits to get a be...

Social media and sleep don’t mix well. According to the Sleep Foundation, most Americans check their social media at least once a day and many continue to use social media close to bedtime. It seems like a harmless habit – scrolling through Facebook or Instagram just before bedtime -- but it can disrupt your sleep schedule, lower your quality of sleep and open the door to other sleep issues.  Why does using social media keep you from getting a good night’s sleep? Exposure to blue light Use of elect...

Relaxation is essential to getting a good night’s sleep. When counting sheep or drinking a glass of warm milk doesn’t seem to help, try these five helpful tips to relax prior to initiating sleep. Warm bath Dim the lights and draw a warm bath. Allow time to soak in the bath without distractions. Avoid hot baths, as hot water tends to stimulate. Meditation Relax with soothing music and imagine you’re at a favorite, relaxing place. Choose a place that instills calm and peace, therefore promoting sleep. Exa...

Where were you born and raised? I was born in Chicago and raised in the Cabrini-Green housing projects by a single mom. I was born during the time when all hospitals and many parts of Chicago were segregated. My mom worked as a domestic, bringing home $9 a day and my dad worked as a laborer in a produce market. They were separated but my brothers and I would spend time with him. My mom taught me at a very young age that if I didn’t like the way we were treated, the only way to escape it was to get an ed...

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be almost 107,000 new cases of colon cancer and over 46,000 new cases of rectal cancer diagnosed. The symptoms of colorectal cancer may not be experienced right away and many of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions such as infection, hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome. If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, make...

As part of Black History Month, we spoke with general and bariatric surgeon, Karen McFarlane, MD, to learn more about her experience as a Black physician and to gain insight on inequalities and disparities that still exist in medicine. Where were you born and raised? I was born in Jamaica and raised in New York City in Brooklyn, a multicultural melting pot, if you will. What inspired you to become a physician? My mother is a nurse, and as a child, I would get ear infections and was often sick. I was a c...

How health care is provided in the community has changed a lot over the years – from where you seek emergency care to who may provide that care. As a result, hospitals across the country are redefining what it looks like to get care in an emergency room. Myth 1: You are seen in the order you arrive or at an appointment time “Care in an emergency room is prioritized to our patients who are the sickest and in need of treatment immediately,” said Christopher Hunt, MD, an emergency physician at McLaren Port...

Snow shoveling is considered one of the highest intensity exercises you can do. If you load a shovel that weighs about 2 pounds with 10 pounds of snow every 5 seconds, you move a load of over 140 pounds per minute. After 15 minutes, you will have moved more than 2,000 pounds of snow. Nationwide, snow shoveling is responsible for thousands of injuries and as many as 100 deaths each year. Shoveling can be very strenuous on your body - whether you’re in good health or not. Shoveling snow can cause a s...