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Make 2022 the Year You Floss
What's that one thing you know you should do but generally... don't? If you're like about 70 percent of Americans, you skip this healthy habit that's been proven to not only improve your oral health, but heart health, too!
Flossing is simple and only takes an extra couple of minutes per day. Developing a healthy habit of flossing can prevent tooth decay and gum disease - and it may allow you to keep more of your natural teeth as you age. So what is the most effective means of flossing?
• Pull the floss taught and slide it between two teeth.
• Pull against the side of one tooth, creating a "C-shape" and sliding upwards to remove plaque build up.
• Pull against the opposite tooth edge using the same technique.
• Repeat this process for each tooth until all inner surfaces have been flossed.
• Don't forget to floss the backs of your molars.
The American Dental Association recommends using a strand of floss approximately 18 inches in length. It is important to only use clean floss as you move between the teeth. One of the easiest ways of doing this is by looping each end of the floss around your fingers and beginning to floss with the area closest to one end. If you have never flossed, be sure to ask your dentist for a quick in-person tutorial at your next checkup.
Skyline Smiles 244-4036

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February is Heart Health Month
5 Surprising Facts About High Blood Pressure
What you don't know about high blood pressure could hurt you. High blood pressure affects nearly half of the
adult population in the United States, yet many people who have the condition don't know they have it.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure raises the risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States. Fortunately, high blood pressure is treatable and preventable.
To lower your risk, get your blood pressure checked regularly and take action to control your blood pressure if it is high.
High blood pressure may be linked to dementia.
Recent studies show that high blood pressure is linked to a higher risk for dementia, a loss of cognitive function. Timing seems to matter. Evidence suggests that having uncontrolled high blood pressure during midlife - ages 44 to 66 - creates a higher risk for dementia later in life. The takeaway? It's never too early to start thinking about your blood pressure and taking steps to manage your high blood pressure.
Young people can have high blood pressure, too.
High blood pressure doesn't just happen to older adults. Nearly one in four adults aged 20 to 44 have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke, a condition that is on the rise among younger people. Experts think the increased risk for stroke in this age group is a direct result of the rising rates of obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes - conditions that are preventable and treatable.
Ask your health care team how often you should check your blood pressure. You can get your blood pressure checked at a doctor's office or pharmacy and you can check it at home if you have a home blood pressure monitor.
Many people with high blood pressure don't even know they have it. The only way to know is to check your blood pressure regularly.
High blood pressure usually doesn't have any symptoms.
High blood pressure is sometimes called the "silent killer." Most people with high blood pressure don't have any symptoms. Because many people feel fine, they don't think they need to get their blood pressure checked.
Even if you feel normal, your health may be at risk. Talk to your doctor about your risk for high blood pressure.
Many people who have high blood pressure don't know it.
About 1 in 3 US adults with high blood pressure aren't even aware they have it and are not being treated to control their blood pressure.
Even though most people with uncontrolled high blood pressure have health insurance and visit a health care team member at least twice a year, the condition is often not diagnosed. CDC is working with health care professionals to find patients with high blood pressure who are "hiding in plain sight."
Ask your health care team what your blood pressure numbers mean and if they are too high. Stick to your treatment plan and follow your provider's advice if you are diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Women and African Americans face unique risks when it comes to high blood pressure.
Women with high blood pressure who become pregnant are more likely to have complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure. High blood pressure during pregnancy can harm a mother's kidneys and other organs, and it can lead to premature delivery and low birth weight babies.
Some types of birth control can also raise a woman's risk for high blood pressure. Women with high blood pressure who want to become pregnant should work with their health care team to lower their blood pressure before becoming pregnant.
African American men and women have higher rates of high blood pressure than any other racial or ethnic group. These individuals are also more likely to be hospitalized for high blood pressure.
By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range and lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.
A healthy lifestyle includes:
• Eating a healthy diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Getting enough physical activity
• Not smoking
• Limiting alcohol use
Courtesy of the CDC.

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This Month, WHY DON'T YOU...
Take a health class?
Our local Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital offers a variety of classes and support groups to help you have a healthy, happy and productive 2022. There are classes and programs on Brain Health, Diabetes Prevention and Diabetes Management, Heart Health, Mental Health and many other topics. You can find all the offerings online.
henrymayo.com/classes

Try cryotherapy?
With all the talk lately about the advantages of freezing-water exposure, we're reminded that the same benefits can be gained - without the 50-pound bags of ice and the risk of hypothermia - during two to three minutes in a cryotherapy chamber. Reduce inflammation, symptoms of depression, pain and more at -200 degrees and below.
Mend Cryotherapy 294-7898

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Get your hearing checked?
If you find yourself turning the sound on the TV up more often, it may be time to tune in - about one in eight Americans suffer from hearing loss in both ears. At Santa Clarita Hearing Center, the team of pros run diagnostics and evaluations to best determine a course of action that'll best suit you. If you need hearing assistance, their inventory of hearing devices are set to fit every budget, style and lifestyle.
Santa Clarita Hearing Center 388-4135

Good News!
SCV Native Pioneers Anti-bullying Campaign & Music Video
Santa Clarita native Presley Aronson is a 21-year-old CEO of a production company - and a celebrated professional musician. He pioneered Presley Aronson Enterprises at age 14 and employs young people so that they can gain production experience prior to their higher education.
Aronson is a country singer who recently launched a nationwide anti-bullying campaign with a music video and song called "Background." The song recounts real-life experiences from childhood. He has partnered with the Stand4kind Foundation to speak with kids at public schools across the US about mental health, self esteem and kindness. To listen to Aronson's music, log on.
presleyaronson.com

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COVID Monoclonal Antibody Infusion Treatments in the Comfort of Home
Mind Body Infusion Med Spa offers monoclonal antibody infusions to treat individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19. This is a mobile service where their nurse will visit your home to administer the infusion. Their team is dedicated to your wellbeing and will make sure to review your medical history before any treatment.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved monoclonal antibody infusion for emergency use to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. This promising course of treatment helps to reduce the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus - which causes COVID-19 - in an individual's body. This decreases the risk of hospitalization and helps prevent severe symptoms.
The nurse will administer your monoclonal antibody infusion as a single intravenous infusion (IV), which may require up to one hour and will monitor you for side effects. Monoclonal antibody infusions can boost your immune system and support a quicker recovery.
This treatment is an efficient option for those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine or who do not develop a strong immune response to vaccines.
Seeking monoclonal antibody infusion can improve your health and help to protect your family and local community from the spread of the virus.
Mind Body Infusion 544-4036

If You haven't Already, get your Booster Vax
More than 205 million Americans - and more than 87 percent of adults 65 and older - have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with shots now available to everyone 5 and older. That's about two-thirds of the eligible US population, with nearly 100 million Americans without a full round of shots.
In much of the country, it's relatively easy to get a shot, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that everyone 16 and older (At time of print, the FDA has approved boosters for ages 12-15.)
get a booster shot two or six months after their first round of vaccines, depending on which shot they received.
The federal government's website vaccines.gov
lets you search for vaccine and booster providers by zip code, with links to appointments, and many sites permit walk-ins. If you need help finding a COVID-19 vaccine provider, text your zip code to 438829 or call the CDC's vaccine hotline at 800-232-0233
(TTY: 888-720-7489).
If you need help finding a booster vax site, call Home Instead - they want to help!
Home Instead Senior Care for Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys 254-8701

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Vein Treatment Options Explained
If you are struggling with the symptoms of varicose veins or unsightly spider veins, the LA Vein Center in Sherman Oaks offers a number of treatments to benefit patients in the Santa Clarita area. Below is an overview of some of the treatments this specialty office offers.
Microphlebectomy is a procedure using local anesthesia used to remove varicose veins from the body through small incisions made in the skin near the affected vein. Because the incisions are so small, stitches are not typically required.
Sclerotherapy is a procedure used to treat spider veins and smaller veins. During the procedure, a sclerosant solution is injected into the veins with a fine needle. In time, the vein will close off and disappear from view.
Radiofrequency ablation is used to treat larger incompetent veins that are located in the superficial part of the legs. This technique involves the use of a thin needle and catheter with local anesthesia. This catheter is threaded into the incompetent vein and used to deliver radiofrequency energy. This energy heats the walls of the vein, forcing them to collapse and seal.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call LA Vein Center. 818-325-0400