PowerLiving with Kimberlee Langford
PowerLiving with Kimberlee Langford
Prioritizing Health: Breast Cancer Awareness and Emergency Preparedness Insights
Hey there, beautiful people! What if you could prevent a life-threatening disease simply by being more in tune with your body? As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Stephanie returns from her leave to help us shed light on the life-saving power of early detection and the crucial role of regular mammograms. You're going to love her insights on enhancing your health during the frosty months ahead - from washing hands and staying hydrated, to taking care of your mental health and nurturing your community ties.
But that's not all! Imagine this - a sudden emergency hits your area, are you prepared? We're going to take you on a journey to the likes of South Florida and North Idaho, offering valuable insights on how to stock up on essential supplies, establish alternative heat and water sources, and tap into local resources you probably never knew existed. Plus, we'll reveal why it's vital to have a robust stock of medications, the potential strikes looming over Walgreens and CVS, and the secret to being proactive in your health. Trust us, you don't want to miss out on this episode full of precious wisdom. So, brace yourself, and let's jump right in to ensure we stay safe during this bustling season.
Hey, hey, hey, happy October, and we're so happy to have Stephanie back. Stephanie's been on on leave for a little while, so we're happy to have you here and back. How is everybody? Good, good, nice, nice. Well, october, we have a few things to talk about. We've been talking about all kinds of fun things while you were out there, stephanie, and this month we're talking a little bit about breast cancer awareness. October is breast cancer awareness month, right?
Speaker 2:Yep, that is correct and with that we have a couple of screenings that we would like to go over. I know with breast cancer screening we were so used to doing our own breast exams and teaching everyone to do so, but now it's better to go to your physician and it just depends on what you have in your medical history. So typically mammograms, if desired, can start at 40 to 44. 45 to 54 is yearly. 55 year olds are higher, would be every two years. But if you have any predisposition or any family history, that's usually recommended to speak to your physician and start it earlier. So with breast cancer month, awareness is a big thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's a highly preventable cancer, considered to be preventable, like so many cancers. If we catch them early, a lot of times we have a fantastic outcome and we can really nip things in the bud. Breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer these are all highly preventable cancers and really awareness and early detection is key, correct? Yeah, yeah, awesome. October's a great time to check the girls. Keep them healthy. What do you think about? You know, back in the day they used to talk about self exams and I know we're not. There's no guideline for self exams anymore. What are your tips for us on self exams?
Speaker 2:It's. It's hard to say because I know it's not something that is said that we should do, but regardless, I Think what it's meant to be is don't take a self-exam as a way of oh, I don't need to get checked, I don't. You know, I'm 55. I did a selfish exam, I'm fine. But by all means, do examine yourself and if you feel any regularity, then that would issue a need to go to a physician earlier, sooner than later. So any lumps, bumps, um, any Fights, you know, something like a mosquito bite, that you think you got fit but you haven't been outside, that's something that can you know mass as cancer, any redness, pain, just being self-aware of your body and being, you know, in control of what you're feeling and knowing that this isn't normal, poses a question to go to a doctor visit. So, yes, self-exams aren't the standard of care, but I think, regardless, anything that's abnormal to us, we should get it checked.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like your counsel. We should be familiar with our bodies, whether that's our skin or, forbidden, their testicles or, you know, your breasts or your stool. Things that aren't aren't normal and continuing. I think, yeah, you're right. That's really important to speak with your physician. So what about as we head into October? This is also a great time, I know, dale, we've talked a lot about some things that we can do to really optimize our health. I think fall is a great time. I love fall for a few reasons. As we head into the holidays, I'm always looking back at, you know, goals that I've set for myself and my clothes and my far and my on the right track. What do I need to adjust? And then, really looking at, how can we optimize our health? Some people go into the the fall, on the winter months, and they're thinking it's cold and flu season and blah, blah, blah and you know. But what kind of tips might you suggest to really help people be hearty and be their healthiest as we head into the fall and winter?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I mean, I like to approach things kind of from a holistic standpoint. So I think you started out great. Immunity is a big thing. I feel like every day here on somebody news got COVID or something's going on.
Speaker 3:But immunity isn't just taking your vitamin C and, you know, washing your hands, although washing your hands is the most important way to, you know, prevent spread of disease. So what hand washing if everyone, for you know, doesn't think about it as it being that important? It's that that important? But other things that boost immunity sleep, hydration, like we don't. You know, in the summer we're hot, it's easier to drink a lot of water and we think about it. When it's cold we're not thinking about it as much. I like how it would have her, very nice. So, yes, it's still being aware that even when we're cold and we're maybe not feeling as thirsty because we're not hot and sweaty, it is just as important to stay hydrated. I think and I know we just high think like World Mental Health Day.
Speaker 3:Another thing going into the holidays, community, community is really important and dealing with feelings that sometimes folks have. You know, whether you know the holidays is, it brings back good feelings or you've lost somebody or there's a time of heartache or loneliness, which is a huge thing that can impact our immunity and our total well-being. So I think you know Recognizing that and finding ways to to connect with other people, whatever that looks like you know In your community or whatever that looks like. So we're talking to someone knowing if you have these feelings like being able to find Whether it's getting you know, mental health, health, counseling, things like that or a good friend or someone in your church, community, faith, community yeah, so I think you know.
Speaker 3:And and continuing to eat I love the fall because it's soup season and you can get a lot of really good stuff in soup and so you can get your. You can get Bone broth is so good. That's good for immunity as well and gut health. Yes, it doesn't have to be hard, doesn't have to be time consuming, you can. I'm amazed sometimes when I throw in a pot and it comes out okay. So so, yeah, I think it's just important to find small things that you know to incorporate just to boost immunity, strengthen just your whole body, mind, soul, kind of thing. So those are my tips. I'd love to hear any others that you all have you.
Speaker 4:Well, I was gonna say, you know, I used to live in the northeast where in the winter time starting to fall, you know we didn't see a lot of the sun. So you know, I feel like vitamin D is very good to. You know, at least go outside and just you know, go outside and just you know, get that extra vitamin D. Working at home, working remote, you know where a lot of times stuck inside during the day. But also you know, either getting vitamin D naturally from the sun or taking a supplement, a daily or weekly supplement. You know, I think that's very important because that plays into our mental health as well.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. That's great. I think that's a great thing to be tested. You know, make sure vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so you can get too much. You can absolutely overdose on vitamin D. That being said, most Americans are low in vitamin D and, to your point, it does have a significant role in mental health and our immunity. So I think it's really important. If you haven't had it checked, I think that's a test that's worth its weight to make sure that you're optimizing those levels. And really it only takes like 10 minutes three times a week to get enough vitamin D from the sun.
Speaker 1:So walking outside, as a matter of fact, the sunlight hitting the back of the eye, the retina, can help with some of those feel-good hormones in the brain. So, especially for folks if you're dealing with depression or anxiety or those kinds of things, spending time outside or grounding I love spending time walking barefoot in the grass. I have two trees outside my office. I love these trees, I love spending time under them. Doing Qigong in the morning Feels great. It allows me to really center and focus and set a good intention for myself. That whole mind-body connection which you spoke to too, dale, I think that's also really important. We have a whole pharmacy in us if we knew how to tap into it. What about you, stephanie? What are your favorite tips?
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, guys, I live in Florida, so it remains kind of the same, I will say today it's cold, it's like 75 degrees for us, so I did go on an evening little stroll. But everything you guys are saying is something that I try to take in year-round and, like you said, most of the time, especially during this time, hand washing very important soups. Like you said, I drink soups even on hot days here, but for the most part, I think you guys have been better at pitching in on that. Unfortunately For you guys, it's luxury for me. I live somewhere where it's always just hot.
Speaker 1:Well, that brings up our next topic. We're going to talk about emergency preparedness and I don't know, when I think about Florida, I think about hurricanes, and I'm sure you know.
Speaker 2:It's hurricane season. So hurricane season starts around June, july up until November and, like you said that I can verse a little bit more about with us being prepared. And being prepared for hurricanes is having canned foods, water, lots of gallons of water. I usually try to stock up in the beginning of July Not everyone has shutters so having plywood available so that when the time comes, you have everything you need. Especially here in South Florida, things get very crazy If we know there's a hurricane coming within a week. If you heard the news and we have a week to prepare and you head out to get gas, head out to get canned foods and water, you're behind, you're done. There's nothing available. People just like COVID, as there was a shortage in toilet paper roll. It's just a whole hysteria.
Speaker 2:So, stock up in the beginning of hurricane season. Always have your tank full so you're not having to get these things last minute.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. What do you think, nancy? What are your best tips for folks to? I don't know if you think about an emergency. Emergencies are very stressful and traumatic when you're not ready, but they're really not so hard when you're ready for them, right. So what tips would you have for us?
Speaker 4:I mean in our area it's electricity. Now, sometimes electricity just goes off and you know, sometimes it's for a few seconds, sometimes it's for a few hours, you know, and if it's the wintertime and it's the night and you have kids, and so now you're left with like total darkness, like your whole neighborhood's dark. So I like to have, you know, candles in the house always, I like to have lighters, I like to have matches. You know, those are sort of things that you know apply to us here, where you know if the electricity goes off, you know we're okay, you know, for a few hours. Now if it's longer than that, then we start looking, you know, because he's not going to be on in the wintertime. If that electricity is off, so we start to look at, you know, other things, like okay, maybe we could get together at somebody else's house that does have electricity, you know. So, yeah, so those are the things that we endure here in the South Carolina.
Speaker 1:I know up in North Idaho. I mean, I don't know if you guys remember the, you guys are mostly Southern, but in 1989 we had ice storm. A lot of places around the country have had ice storm. Remember, was it last year? A year before in Texas they had hot tubs that were freezing right. So it was a real problem.
Speaker 1:In North Idaho we were without power for 30 days, and it's so funny. So where I lived at the time was on a lake. It's very rural and so of course we had a wood stove, so that wasn't such a big deal, and every summer I'd bring in a quart of wood. That was funny before I was married out there with my chainsaw work and my tail off. But anyway, you know things like you mentioned alternate heat in the cities. A lot of people don't have a wood stove. Here Now we live in Southern Idaho. We don't have a wood stove and we've got propane and we also have emergency heaters as well. That's important Up in the North. I mean it'll be really cold and that's hard, like to your point. But 30 days, that was kind of fun.
Speaker 1:I would bring in, I would pack. That was before I had a generator. Now we have three generators but I would pack ice or snow and tip-a-war containers, pack them real tight and put them in the fridge. So I didn't lose any food. But you know, you don't think about that kind of stuff when you lose electricity. And we were on a well so the water didn't pump so we had emergency water storage. I still have three huge water storage containers and you can find some of these containers. We got huge, they're 80 gallon drums, and we got them from a it's a container supplier. They supply containers for food companies, so it's food grade, and we got them like eight bucks. They're normally like if you go on an emergency site. They're like $90 a barrel. We got them for like eight bucks.
Speaker 1:So there are a lot of sources that you know. You don't have to go broke To prepare for an emergency, but you do have to kind of look around out and find some resources. We had the operation in our neighborhood where I helped our neighbors Get a bulk supply of emergency water storage and and food supplies and things like that in North Idaho where you know if there was an avalanche or a road closure. We had two roads that came into our little town, so if they were blocked off, well, good luck. And of course, when we lived out at the lake, you know that was very, very rural. You don't have anything and you're an hour from town. So, and for a lot of our folks, if you're on dialysis, if you're doing hemo dialysis or peritoneal dialysis in the home and you lose power, what's the plan?
Speaker 1:One of my favorite stories was a guy, sam Trevino. He's worth following his Web page, I think is you're an inspiration, you are, I NE, inspiration, you're an inspiration. And this gentleman he's a spokesman now, I think, for for David or something like that, but he's a. He was diagnosed with Kidney disease end-stage kidney disease when he was in high school and so he's been on dialysis for a long time and he talked about how, in the early days, he got to where you know he would be all hands on his dialysis machine and they would tell him don't touch that. And he was saying, no, no, that's going into me, that's mine. And he and he learned how to do hemo dialysis at home.
Speaker 1:And he talked about how, when he got his home dialysis unit, there was a big hurricane that that hit in Texas, and so we talked about how he was ahead of the of the storm With his home dialysis machine and driving up and actually saved his and his brother's life. His dialysis facility was taken out. So you know, when folks have dialysis and they lose power, or if there's a disaster that hits their facility, then you know it really puts them at a bind and what do they do? Of course, one of the things that we do at specialty care management is we're talking to our, our patients, especially those folks on dialysis at this time of year, you know, to get supplies ready, make sure that they have an emergency plan which includes communication and things like that, so that they can be safe if there were an emergency. What about you, dale? Do you have any favorite tips or stories?
Speaker 3:The best place to start, honestly, is, like, like anything else, a good assessment of the situation. Hearing, you know, everyone here lives in different areas. It's like, what is, what are the things? Like Electricity losing electricity, we that's something we all need to, you know, be prepared for. I think it's really great to Nancy, like you're saying, communication with like who is your support system? Like, who has that? Like my husband, he's always prepared for everything. Who has the farm in case we can't get food, who has you know this kind of thing. So you know, having your network and communication. So, I just think, a good assessment of the realities of where you live, what the risks are and kind of starting there, so that you can be prepared and have a good plan in place.
Speaker 1:You know, I was always surprised when I was in home health. You know, sometimes I'd go and I'd visit people and I'd ask them well, who do you call on when your chips are down? They have nobody. I says, what about your neighbor? Do you have somebody who would run? And they don't even know their neighbors.
Speaker 1:And I think one of the key things that sometimes we overlook is when we have an emergency, it doesn't just impact us, it impacts our neighborhood. And when our neighborhoods are not safe, well we're not safe. So it behooves us to look out for each other. It behooves us to make alliances and friends with our neighbors so that we can count on each other when things happen. I think that's really important.
Speaker 1:Also, one thing that I found that most people forget when they're making emergency preparedness plans is their medications. If you're an insulin you know I'm always talking to people if your insurance allows you to fill your prescriptions for three months at a time, that's always smart to do that One, because I don't know about you, I get tired, I don't wanna run to the pharmacy every week and it's a waste of my time. But also, if something bad happened and you fill for three months and you're less likely to be out of a medication, right? If you fill for a month at a time, well, it doesn't give you very much, you know to have on hand if you needed it. So I think those are great tips.
Speaker 3:Well, actually I think I heard yeah, I don't know if I was kidding, but like talks of strikes with Walgreens and CVS things. I was thinking about that yesterday. It's like it's always good to be prepared and with the medications, so just piggybacking out that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, if you think about it too, one of the best strategies is to be healthy so you don't need medications. Right? You look at especially diabetes, you guys. Type two diabetes is so avoidable and it's worth the work to not have it or to put it in remission, and then you don't have to worry about that. So just a thought, just preaching to the choir. Well, thank you so much for participating in our round table. I love the wealth of wisdom that you share with our members and folks every month and just appreciate you taking time out to talk about how people can be their healthiest and be safe, especially as we head into, you know, a very busy holiday. It's not holidays yet, but Halloween is coming, right.
Speaker 1:Halloween and then, you're being at Christmas. It's a busy season, so yeah, stay well. Thanks everybody, ausge Kisses.