Staying Healthy through the Holidays Part 1

Posted on: December 17th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Healthy HolidaysThis year is quickly coming to a close and the holidays are in full swing. Parties, food, gifts and more food are everywhere and sometimes all of that celebrating can have a bad effect on our health, especially if we have health issues already.

Medi-Rents & Sales loves the holidays as much as anybody, but we want all of you to stay healthy and wise this season and for a long time to come. Here are some tips from us to you!

If you’re visiting the homes of other people this year, be extra careful if you have mobility issues or balance problems. While you may be used to the floors, carpets and layout of your home, the home you are visiting may be very different.

Be careful of wet and snowy sidewalks and entryways. If you use a cane or walker at home, use it everywhere you go.

Be careful with long coats, dresses or even scarves that can get tangled or cause a tripping hazard. If there are a lot of people, children or pets at a gathering, the smarting thing you can do is to find a good place to sit in the middle of the action and stay put. Let the mingling come to you.

Beware of the buffet table. If you are on a special medical diet of any kind, it’s easy to be tempted to sneak a little bit of this or that. Know your limits. Eat at home before you go to the party. Whether you use enteral feeding, food with lower carbs, or a gluten-free diet, eating before will help you fight the urge to graze and prevent you from paying for it later.

Get your health related supplies from Medi-Rents & Sales now and be ready for whatever the holidays bring. From diabetic glucose monitors to the best in enteral nutrition supplies, see Medi-Rents & Sales today.

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November is National Diabetes Month- Part 2

Posted on: November 14th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

November is National Diabetes Month and Medi-Rents & Sales wants everyone to be aware of the dangers of this disease.

Diabetes Medirents

Last time we talked about the more than 26 million people in the U.S. with diabetes and the 79 million more people living with pre-diabetes. If too much fattening, sugar-filled, empty calorie foods and a sedentary lifestyle are the problem, what are the cures?

Like many things, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. In other words, it’s better to never get diabetes than it is to have to treat it or try to get rid of it after you have it.

How do you do that? Proper diet and exercise are key components to both avoiding and controlling diabetes.  Most of these ideas are simple and the way we used to eat and live.

Eat less and eat better. Soda used to be a treat for most people and it only came in small cans and bottles. As bottles and cups got bigger, so did our waistlines.

Eat less fat food and more real food (in moderation.) Eat more fruits and vegetables, more fish and lean meats. Drive-thru meals should be an occasional treat, not a way of life and certainly not for every meal.

Eat more lean meats, not just skinny burgers and small chicken wings. Limit portions of meat to about 3 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards. Try baking it, broiling it, or grilling it, not frying it.

Go easy on the carbs. We are a carb loving country. Our body takes those carbs and turns them into sugar. Moderate your carbs and even then try to replace the white bread and pasta you eat with the whole grain version with more fiber.

You hear it every day but we’ll say it again, you have to exercise! Try to get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise in at least 5 days a week. Try walking, it’s easy to do and requires no real skill. Take a friend or spouse with you and get healthy together. It’s good for weight control and diabetes control.

Medi-Rents & Sales wants to be your partner in good health, and we offer everything from diabetic supplies and blood glucose monitors, so see us today.

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November is National Diabetes Month- Part 1

Posted on: November 12th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Diabetic items- MedirentsDiabetes may not be a new disease, bit the incidence of diabetes, especially Type 2 diabetes, is growing at an alarming rate. There are more than 26 million people are living with diabetes right now in the United States alone. There are another 79 million more people in the U.S. that have pre-diabetes and many of those don’t even know that they are in danger.

As a full-service home medical provider, Medi-Rents & Sales carries a full line of products to keep you healthy including diabetic glucose monitors.

Type 1diabetes, formerly referred to as juvenile diabetes, and is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. It occurs when the body does not produce insulin. It is NOT lifestyle related. Only five percent of all cases of diabetes are Type 1. That means that 95 percent of people with this disease have Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2, or adult onset diabetes, means that the body does produce insulin, but it is not used properly in the body. This type of diabetes is the one that is growing more common in the United States and in many other countries.

Why is it on the rise? The American lifestyle. Experts say that if Americans continue to eat, drink and keep the same sedentary lifestyles they have now, the numbers of people with Type 2 diabetes will double and even triple in the next 40 years. Diabetes usually affects middle aged to older people, but is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people due most to lifestyle issues like poor diets and lack of physical activity.

Is having diabetes really such a big deal? Yes it is! Diabetes is a serious disease and should not be taken likely. Diabetes can have life-altering and even life-ending consequences, especially if left untreated or badly managed. Diabetes can damage almost every part of your body and cause kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, eye conditions and amputation of the toes, feet and legs.

Medi-Rents & Sales is your partner in good health and offers many products to promote good health including blood glucose monitors for testing your levels.

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Medi-Rents and Sales Drive Safely Work Week

Posted on: October 17th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Drive Safe with OxygenWelcome toDrive Safely Work Week (DSWW) 2013 is in October and this year’s theme is “Gear Up For Safe Driving: Mind • Body • Vehicle.” While much of the focus is on those who drive semis/trucks and other vehicles for their job, any of us who drive for our jobs or even to and from our jobs, including the employees and customers of Medi-Rents and Sales, should take the lessons from this week so we can drive safer and show up to work health and ready to go.

One of the biggest pushes with over-the-road truckers is the prevalence of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea I not new to the trucking world, but the focus on it is. Studies show that every year in this country, many accidents and deaths were caused by drowsy drivers. The reason they are drowsy is the poor quality of sleep that these drivers are getting out on the road due in large part to sleep apnea. Medi-Rents and Sales carry CPAP machines, BiPAP machines and many accessories to help with your sleep apnea, so see us today.

Another focus of the week is vision screenings. Age, disease and damage to our eyes can all cause troubled vision that can impair our safety on the road. Diabetes, especially untreated or poor managed diabetes can damage the eyes and lead to poor vision and even blindness. A simple blood test can detect diabetes. If you are diagnosed, you need to take it seriously. Managing your diet and your blood sugars with a reliable blood glucose monitor is very important.

How safe is your driving? How many accidents, near accidents and or traffic tickets have you had this year? Are the numbers increasing? Are you friends and family commenting on your driving?  Maybe it’s time for complete physical to determine if there are any medical issues that may be affecting your driving? If you need any home medical equipment, Medi-Rents and Sales is here for you.

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Medi-Rents and Sales Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week

Posted on: October 15th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

We probably don’t think about our bones and joints until we either injure them or they become sore. Medi-Rents and Sales sees and hears from people every day who are dealing with damaged bones or sore joints. We sell a lot of bathroom safety equipment to people who have either fallen or are trying to keep their bones safe. That’s why Medi-Rents and Sales thinks Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week is so important. This year the awareness event is held October 12-20 to support the things that support us; our bones and joints!

Bone and Joint

There are many disorders associated with the musculoskeletal system (bones and joints) including back pain, arthritis, traumatic injuries, osteoporosis and childhood conditions. The worldwide focus of this event is to raise awareness of the prevention, disease management and treatments of bones and joint disorders as well as advances in a number of areas.

How common are these types of disorders?

Almost 48% of the population over age 18, that’s nearly half the American populationare affected by musculoskeletal (bone and joint) conditions. That’s male and female.
Experts predict that the ever- increasing life expectancy will lead to a growth in musculoskeletal conditions.  That’s why thee I such a push for greater understand and treatment now. Bone and joint conditions affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. They are the most common cause of severe long-term pain and physical disability across the globe. Consider that many countries don’t have the health care and luxuries that we have here, so their conditions don’t receive the same care ours do.

Musculoskeletal conditions come with a huge price tag. Treatment and loss of wages associated these disorders are estimated at $950 billion (with a B) in the US alone! That’s equal to just over 7 percent of gross domestic product.

Medi-Rents and Sales wants you to celebrate Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week with a cold glass of calcium rich milk and a walk around the block. We are here for all of your home medical equipment needs that week and every week.

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Two Types of Gluten Disease: What’s the difference?

Posted on: September 12th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

gluten free textThe two types of gluten-related diseases are celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity disease. Over three million people across all races, ages and genders suffer from gluten related diseases.  Medi-Rents will compare the two diseases and explain what to do in case of you or someone you know having celiac disease.

 

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and the villi, or finger like strands, in your small intestine. This happens because your body isn’t getting enough nutrients from the food you take in. The gluten protein can be found in foods like wheat, barley or rye.  Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is less severe than celiac disease and it causes minimal intestine damage and isn’t genetically based.

 

Celiac disease affects one in 133 Americans and can affect any person at any age.  NCGS affects around eighteen million Americans and it only affects adults. Although symptoms may vary from person to person, celiac and NCGS do share similar symptoms and some people who may not realize they have one of these diseases may not feel any symptoms at all.  Symptoms may include:

 

  • Abdominal pain
  • Fatigue
  • Infertility
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Weight loss
  • Delayed growth
  • Depression
  • Anemia

 

Doctors or specialists may take a simple blood sample from you to test for celiac disease and sometimes may need to perform a small intestine biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, while NCGS doesn’t have any lab tests to diagnose it.

 

If either celiac disease or NCGS go untreated or undiagnosed, both can lead to further complications such as osteoporosis, infertility, thyroid disease or cancer. The end result and only treatment for either disease to eat a strict, 100% gluten-free diet for the rest of your life.

 

Medi-Rents promotes that you, or someone you know, who may have a gluten disease to get tested.  Medi-Rents can help with any enteral nutrition you may need. An added plus is that most of our enteral products are gluten free!

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Going Out to Eat with a Gluten Disorder

Posted on: September 10th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Celiac DiseaseIf you or someone you know has a gluten disorder, such as celiac disease, you know how complicating and frustrating it can seem getting food from a grocery store or local market. What do you do if you want to go out to eat instead of staying at home?  Today, Medi-Rents will discuss ways of looking for gluten-free restaurants and what you can order.

 

We have all been to great restaurants with great food. But, have you been to a GREAT restaurant before? The Gluten-Free Resource Education Awareness Training (GREAT) restaurants are a part of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. These two groups provide training to foodservice professionals to meet gluten-free needs of their customers and to serve gluten-free meals safely and confidently.

 

It will take time to research and try different foods to know what kind of tolerance you have towards certain foods, which will make it more challenging when eating out. Before you order, ask to see a gluten-free menu or tell the waiter about your condition.  Even though celiac disease isn’t an allergy, it may be easier to explain to the waiter that your gluten disorder is an allergy, so they can prepare your food accordingly. An example if you happen to order eggs at a larger, sit-down breakfast chain is they put pancake mix in with eggs to fluff them up.  Ask your waiter to make prepare your eggs with a fresh cracked egg only.

 

If you’re thinking about going out this weekend for something different try doing these things:

 

  • Call ahead to see if the restaurant offers a gluten-free menu.
  • When ordering, ask how the dish is prepared, if they’re any spices or mixes and if there any garnishes.
  • Is there a separate preparation area for gluten-free food, separate cookware or do they use a separate cooking or frying area?
  • Be proactive.  If you feel your meal isn’t what you ordered, ask to speak to the manager.

 

Medi-Rents can’t prepare your food, but we can provide you with enteral and nutritional supplements.  If you want to go to a Maryland restaurant that is GREAT Certified, check out Z Pizza in Rockville or Sweet Sin Café in Baltimore.

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Take Care of Your Eyes This Summer

Posted on: August 8th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Take Care of Your EyesAugust can be a hot, sunny month here in Maryland. There are summer festivals, county fairs, golf, watching kids at the pool…the list goes on. We hear a lot about sunscreen for our skin and the dangers of skin cancer, but what about your eyes? Medi-Rents and Sales is always looking out for our customers and trying to provide the best bathroom safety equipment, enteral nutritional supplies and power wheelchairs, but we care about your eyes too!

Did you know that your eyes can suffer sunburn?  Just the thought makes you squint doesn’t it? The medical term is photokeratitis and whatever you call it, sunburn of the eyes, and more specifically the corneas and retinas, is caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This can cause very painful eyes and temporary blindness.

You may be thinking that you were never that kid who stated at the sun or even an eclipse and that could neverhappen to you, but you may be surprised.  The level of ultraviolet radiation (UVA and UVB) is at least three times higher in the summer than during the winter. Add that to the increased hours of daylight and the greatly increased time we spend outside and the dangers start to add up.

Spending time at the beach or in the water this summer? Be careful. The reflective water makes the risk much higher and makes the rays come at you from more directions.

If you take certain medications, you may be more “photosensitive” or have greater sensitivity to light. Read the labels and ask your doctor or your pharmacist if you have questions.

What can you do to protect your eyes? Don’t use sunscreen in your eyes, but screen your eyes from the sun with a wide brimmed hat or sunglasses or better yet, both. Sunglasses are the simplest solution. The best sunglasses offer 100 percent UV absorption, look for that on the label. Darker lenses are not always the best indicator, so read carefully. Look for glasses that offer the best optical quality and are impact resistant. Make sure they fit your face and won’t slide off easily. Look for glasses that cover more area around the eye.

These simple tips should hopefully keep your eyes healthy and your last few weeks of summer great! Medi-Rents and Sales want to see you soon.

 

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Rhinitis and Allergies- It May Not be a Summer Cold

Posted on: August 7th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Summer AllergiesLush green lawns, flowers in bloom and gardens that producing their crops; what a great picture of August.  It’s great unless you have season allergies that is.   If it’s August and you are experiencing a stuffy nose or a runny nose, a tickling cough or post-nasal drip, it could be rhinitis.

Don’t panic, rhinitis is just the medical term for irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose and it’s very common. Between 10%-30% of adults in the U.S. are affected by rhinitis every year, especially this time of year.

You may have noticed that the sneezing and nasal itching, coughing, headache, watery eyes, fatigue and malaise has gotten worse and you have aged. You’re right. Rhinitis is very common in older people, but it can be hard to diagnose. As we age, our skin and cartilage relaxes and the structure of our nose, the septal cartilage and the nasal columella, becomes weaker. As the structure becomes weaker, the mucus in our sinuses thickens. It thickens worse when we become dehydrated. This all leads to a stuffy nose, post nasal drip and coughing and you feeling miserable on a summer’s day.

If you use a CPAP or oxygen, these symptoms can make it even harder to breathe and sleep.  If you are experiencing problems, talk to your doctor.  They will be better able to determine if it really is a summer cold or if it is allergies. Taking the correct medications can offer some relief once you know what you are up against.

Continue your CPAP or oxygen treatment program as directed. Limit your time outside and don’t sleep with windows open that allow more allergens into the house. If you find that you cannot get the relief you need, talk to one of Medi-Rents Respiratory Therapists.

Once allergies have subsided, we recommend getting new tubing and CPAP masks.  Talk to the experts at Medi-Rents and Sales about replacing the old tubing and parts on your equipment.

 

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National Therapeutic Week Part 2

Posted on: July 16th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

We have been talking about National Therapeutic Recreation Week and how it benefits people with all kinds of disabilities and promote more physical; activities and healthier lifestyles.

These disabilities can be related to accidents, age and a host of other conditions. Therapeutic recreation uses treatment, education, and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence, and quality of life. What lessons can you get from therapeutic recreation for your own life and health? Here are some ideas from Medi-Rents and Sales to get you thinking.

Stay healthy and be active! Keep your body moving!

Stay healthy and be active! Keep your body moving!

Do a baseline-

What is your current health status? What are your current risks to your health? Write these things down. Write down your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol and other health numbers. What would you like those numbers to be in one year? What about in five years? What types of illnesses and diseases run in your family?

Make a plan-

Make a plan, but make it realistic. Don’t say that you are going to exercise 2 hours every day seven days a week if you never have or probably never really want too. Don’t say that you will never have a sweet again if you like sweets. Start slow and start small. State your plan clearly like “by next year at this date I will have lost 20 pounds and have lowered my cholesterol by 10 points.” Then write the plan. “I will walk 30 minutes per day at least 3 times per week.” I will only eat sweets 1 time per day and never after 3pm.” Those things are manageable and realistic.

Get started-

If the only exercise you get from this is writing your list, you are not doing it right. Don’t wait from some big date on the calendar like New Years- start today!

Medi-Rent and Sales carries products that can help people who are at any stage of health. From canes and oxygen to enteral nutrition, see us today.

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