Top 16 Health Stories of 2016
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This has been an eventful year, and we’re marking the end of 2016 with 16 of the biggest health stories for Oklahomans.
16. For the love of pets
No matter what’s happening in the world, at least our loving pets are always happy to see us when we get home at the end of the day. The Health Benefits of Owning a Pet include everything from physical health to social well-being.
15. The personal gym
Creating your own gym at home doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. In our post Five Pieces of Workout Equipment Everyone Should Own, we break it down to the basics. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t cost much and you don’t need an entire room for the equipment.
14. Fishing in Oklahoma
Oklahoma has great fishing holes no matter what the weather is, and fish can be a healthy addition to most diets. But not every fish caught in Oklahoma should be eaten. In our blog Fishing in Oklahoma, we look at what lakes can be trouble spots when it comes to fish consumption.
13. Hunters and brucellosis
Hunting is a tradition for many Oklahomans. Unfortunately, disease transmission can happen if animals like deer or wild hogs are infected with brucellosis. We covered prevention and the symptoms of illness in our post Oklahoma Deer Hunters: Protect Yourself!
12. Digestion Q&A
We answered dozens and dozens of reader questions through our Ask the Doctor series in 2016. The most popular topic was Your Stomach and Digestive System Issues, Answered by INTEGRIS gastroenterologist Dr. Abbas Raza.
11. Eating well before the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
After putting in all the training before a race, knowing how to fuel your body well for that final trek to the finish line can be challenging. We debunked myths and offered meal suggestions in the post Preparing for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon: Pre-Race Nutrition.
10. Breastfeeding help in Edmond
This year brought good news for moms in and around Edmond: New Baby Café in Edmond
Supports Breastfeeding Mothers. Oklahoma has fewer support systems, like lactation consultants, so the opening of the Edmond support group was welcome news in 2016.
9. Butter or margarine?
The timeless question Butter or Margarine? may always be up for debate, but INTEGRIS experts tackled the issue. Butter or margarine? In a stick or in a tub? What about olive oil? We took a look.
8. Milk technicians who help babies in need
In our blog The Unsung Heroes of the NICU Helping the Tiniest Babies Thrive, we go behind the scenes and learn about the professionals who are responsible for feeding the dozens of babies in the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. They’re responsible for up to 200 milk meals a day!
7. What is cupping?
Michael Phelps and his fellow athletes raised eyebrows this summer when they went out to compete on an international stage with circular bruises all of their bodies. We took a look at the Chinese practice of cupping in the blog Integrative Medicine: Curious About Cupping?
6. Oklahoma farmers markets
The popularity of farmers markets continues to grow, and we listed just a few of the reasons to give fresh markets a try in our post Discover Oklahoma’s Farmers Markets. Find a spot near you with our Oklahoma City Farmers Market Guide. More good news for fresh food this year: Oklahoma Farmers Markets Doubling SNAP Dollars.
5. Half marathon training
One of the most popular posts of 2016 was actually posted at the tail end of 2015: Steps to Your First Half Marathon. From what we can tell, there were several I On Your Health readers who were ready to achieve some big goals this year.
4. Understanding thyroid problems
The thyroid is a small but powerful organ, and any imbalance in its function can cause a laundry list of problems. In the blog How To Recognize The Signs of Thyroid Malfunction, we review the differences between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and when it’s time to seek help.
3. The Zika virus
The Zika virus was all over the news in the beginning of 2016, and we looked at What Oklahomans Need to Know about the Zika Virus. Dr. David E. Hogan, who practices emergency medicine for INTEGRIS, also answered more questions in a video titled Important Zika Update for All Oklahomans. Thankfully, the spread of the virus is on the decline.
2. Women’s pelvic health
A recent study calling into question the necessity for annual pelvic exams left many women confused about what was best for their health. Dr. Courtney Seacat responded to the study in her column Pelvic Exam Controversy and answered more questions in the post More Important Information about Pelvic Exams.
1. Shannon Miller’s health journey
With the exciting return of the Olympics this summer, Oklahomans celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Magnificent Seven and one of Oklahoma’s favorite daughters: Shannon Miller. Miller opened up about life after her historic medal run in 1996 and how she adjusted to her new Life After Gold.