Lung Cancer
PodcastDX
Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S. It’s caused by harmful cells in your lungs growing unchecked. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and targeted drugs. Screening is recommended if you’re at high risk. Advances in treatments have caused a significant decline in lung cancer deaths in recent years. Lung cancer is a disease caused by uncontrolled cell division in your . Your cells divide and make more copies of themselves as a part of their normal function. But sometimes, they get changes (mutations) that cause them to keep making...
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Home Eye Safety
PodcastDX
Did you know that about half of all eye injuries happen right at home? Home activities that can injure your eyes include: Cleaning. Chemicals like bleach in household cleaning products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year. Home Improvement. Screws, nails and hand tools can launch into the air—and into your eyes. Power tools can also send wood chips or other substances flying into the air. Yard Work. Lawn mowers, trimmers and even shovels can throw dirt and debris into the air. Branches, twigs and thorns can also be dangerous. Unfortunately, only about three out of 10 people wear...
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Change the Outcome with Nutrition & Exercise
PodcastDX
This week we discuss changing the outcome of your health with nutrition & exercise. Our guest today is Dr. James Thompson, the author of Fearless Wellness and a passionate advocate for transformational change. He completed medical training 35 years ago and has dedicated my career to empowering others to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. He experienced a life-changing event in 2012 and participated in a 2 with my church community. Though the three-week diet, equivalent to a whole food plant-based diet, was intended to emphasize prayer, the impact of the food intrigued...
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Dangers of Impaired Driving
PodcastDX
This week we discuss the dangers of impaired driving. Impaired driving poses significant dangers, leading to thousands of fatalities and injuries each year due to reduced coordination, judgment, and reaction times. Definition and Causes Statistics Effects of Impairment Preventive Measures Conclusion Impaired driving is a serious public safety issue that leads to numerous preventable deaths and injuries each year. By understanding the dangers and implementing effective preventive measures, we can work towards reducing the incidence of impaired driving and...
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Falls Prevention
PodcastDX
Falls are a threat to the health of older adults and can reduce their ability to remain independent. However, falls don't have to be inevitable as you age. You can reduce your chance of falling or help a loved one prevent falls. There are proven ways to reduce and prevent falls, even for older adults. We identify older adults as anyone 65 years and older. Physical changes and health conditions — and sometimes the medications used to treat those conditions — make falls more likely as you age. In fact, falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults. Still, fear of falling doesn't...
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BiPolar Revisited
PodcastDX
Due to a scheduling glitch we are doing a rerun today of an episode Paris Scobie did with us earlier this year. Paris is a Mental Health Speaker, Host of the top 1% globally ranked podcast, , & Best-Selling Author of her memoir, . Paris launched Live Well Bipolar to use her lived experience to help others overcome the shame, fear and isolation that can so often accompany living with bipolar. She shares how she went from being a patient struggling from inside the walls of a psychiatric hospital newly diagnosed with bipolar to returning to work at this same hospital years later....
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Working as an Autistic adult
PodcastDX
This week we discuss strategies autistic adults can use as employees. Temple Grandin PhD is our distinguished guest this week. Her website gives a great explanation of her theory on how best to prepare autistic children for a more independent life and active social integration through employment. She emphasizes that in earlier generations, (Temple grew up in the 1950s) activities such as newspaper delivery provided young people with formative work experiences. She suggests that, in the absence of such opportunities today, parents can help children build similar skills...
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Bartonella
PodcastDX
Bartonella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria. It is the only genus in the family Bartonellaceae. Facultative intracellular parasites, Bartonella species can infect healthy people, but are considered especially important as opportunistic pathogens. Bartonella species are transmitted by vectors such as fleas, sand flies, and mosquitoes. At least eight Bartonella species or subspecies are known to infect humans. Bartonella henselae is the organism responsible for cat scratch disease. History Bartonella species have been infecting humans for thousands of years, as...
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Haemophilus influenzae H-Flu
PodcastDX
This week we are not featuring a guest, but will be discussing Haemophilus influenzae, or H. influenzae, a kind of bacteria. It can cause bacterial infections ranging from mild (such as bronchitis) to severe (such as septic arthritis). Treatment includes antibiotics but you may also require hospitalization depending on the severity of your condition. Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is a type of bacteria that can cause several different kinds of infections. These bacterial infections can range from mild, such as , to severe, such as . The infections typically affect children...
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Haemophilus influenzae H-Flu
PodcastDX
This week we are not featuring a guest, but will be discussing Haemophilus influenzae, or H. influenzae, a kind of bacteria. It can cause bacterial infections ranging from mild (such as bronchitis) to severe (such as septic arthritis). Treatment includes antibiotics but you may also require hospitalization depending on the severity of your condition. Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is a type of bacteria that can cause several different kinds of infections. These bacterial infections can range from mild, such as , to severe, such as . The infections typically affect children...
info_outlineWastewater monitoring is a valuable, efficient, and robust tool that public health officials can use to guide public health decision making across the nation.
When we turn on the tap or flush the toilet, we often don’t think about where all that water goes. Wastewater, the used water from our homes, schools, and businesses, holds valuable information about the health of our community. Wastewater monitoring can help cities manage wastewater effectively and also creates a safer, healthier, and more responsive living environment for their communities. This blog takes a closer look at five important things to know about wastewater monitoring and how it can help city leaders ensure the health of their communities.
1. Wastewater is more than just water
Wastewater is a mix of bits and pieces that go down our drains – soap, food bits, medicines, toilet paper, and even poop. When this mix is let loose into the environment without proper cleaning, it can mess up our lakes, rivers, and oceans. And not only that, it can be bad for our health too.
2. Wastewater monitoring gives communities a health checkup
Just as doctors examine us to catch early signs of illness, experts examine wastewater to see what’s in it. They look for things like diseases that can affect our health. Wastewater monitoring data can help city leaders identify disease spread early and take steps to keep everyone safe.
3. Wastewater monitoring is an early warning system for disease spread
Wastewater holds clues about outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19, polio, flu, and more before they happen. When experts test wastewater, they can notice if diseases are starting to spread more. This helps them catch possible outbreaks early and take action to keep everyone safe. They don’t leave anyone out—every home, business, and neighborhood connected to the sewage system is included in the process.
4. Monitoring wastewater involves sampling, testing, and analysis
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Sampling: Small amounts of wastewater are collected from different points in the treatment process. Experts use these samples to see what’s in the water.
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Testing: Using various tools and equipment, they test the samples to find out the levels of chemicals, bacteria, and other substances.
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Analysis: Experts analyze the data to understand the changes in disease spread and whether new diseases are starting to appear. Analysis results enable city leaders to make proactive decisions to protect community health and well-being.
5. Wastewater monitoring is a special tool for city leaders that benefits everyone
City leaders can use information from monitoring wastewater to make important decisions that protect the health of everyone in their communities. Wastewater monitoring data can help city leaders:
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Talk to the public in better ways
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Promote actions to keep the community safe (like wearing masks and staying apart)
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Send medical tests, vaccines, and treatments to the people and places that need them the most
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Make sure hospitals and clinics have enough staff
Wastewater might not be dinner table conversations, but it impacts our lives more than we realize. Wastewater monitoring is an important tool that can help city leaders make good decisions and take early action to prevent disease spread to keep the people they serve healthy. So, next time you flush, remember that what you send down the drain has important information that can help create and maintain healthy communities where everyone thrives.
About the authors:
Sara Zeigler and Aliyah Ali are freelance writers at the National League of Cities.
This article is a product of NLC’s partnership with WastewsterSCAN. The National League of Cities (NLC) is partnering with WastewaterSCAN, a national initiative to monitor wastewater for a growing list of infectious diseases including COVID-19 and its variants, flu, and RSV gives communities reliable, sensitive, and actionable data to help them make public health decisions. As a national partner, NLC is raising awareness about the important role of wastewater monitoring in guiding public health responses, creating learning opportunities for NLC members interested in wastewater monitoring, and sharing information with communities across the country about WastewaterSCAN.