TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D., ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS #9

Today is our last post of preventable deaths per Dr. Alker. A few of the reasons have surprised me a little but most have not. It is probably the same for you. Today we will post about spiders. There are spiders all around us but fortunately only two types in the United States have venom potent enough to be seriously dangerous. You probably already guessed correctly, the two are the black widow and the brown recluse.

you can reduce the risk of being bitten by a dangerous spider by keeping sheds and garages tidy and avoiding wood piles. Brown recluse spiders love wood piles. You can also reduce your risk by wearing gloves and/or other protective clothing when areas where these spiders might be.

If you are bitten by a poisonous spider, call poison control immediately and go to emergency care if needed.

Dr Alker has said, "I will concede that we all must eventually die of something, but although this is not official medical advice, I recommend aiming for a cause of death NOT listed in this book." She is speaking of her book 99Ways to Die And How to Avoid Them. If this series of posts has interested you, consider checking out her book.

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TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D., ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS #7

Today's post is about mushrooms. Be cautious about foraging wild mushrooms. Many poisonous varieties look very much like edible ones. Thousands of accidental mushroom poisonings occur in the United States every year.

For instance, the deadly death cap mushroom contains amatoxin, a very potent poison. Mushrooms with white gills under the cap, a ring around the stem, red coloring, or an unpleasant smell may be toxic.

Dr Alker suggest you go "foraging for mushrooms in the aisle of your supermarket".  

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TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D., ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS #6

Lightening is our number 6 cause of preventable deaths to discuss. However, I posted about lightening on April 13, so I am not going into it again. If you missed that post, be sure to go back and read it. Deaths from lightening are very real.

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TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D., ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS #5

Today is about motorcycles. Did you know that motorcycles make up just 3% of the registered vehicles in the United States? Yet, they account for 14% of motor vehicle deaths. The sad thing is that many, not all, of those motorcycle accident deaths are preventable. In 2021. one in four motorcycle deaths involved intoxicated drivers. 

The top reasons for motorcycle deaths are alcohol, speeding, lack of helmets and unlicensed drivers. All four of those reasons are preventable and are not worth risking one's life.

Dr Alker emphasizes, "The one thing most proven to save lives in motorcycles accidents is wearing a helmet. It is important to have a good helmet. Choose one that properly fits you and has been approved by the Department of Transportation, which ensures it provides protection against impact. Make sure the chin strap is strong enough to keep the helmet on during a crash.

On a personal note, my late husband had one when my children were young. He was cautious but I was glad when he sold it. My daughter who was in Junior High at the time, loved riding on it with him. They both wore proper helmets. Today that daughter is a licensed medical professional. When she sees a rider weaving in and out of traffic without a helmet on, she shudders and says, "If they could see what I see", or "Go ahead. I may be bagging you one day." It really is that serious.

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TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D., ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS #3

Were you aware that broken heart syndrome can cause death? I've heard it said a few times, "She/he died of a broken heart." I always thought that was kind of silly. but it can be true. The medical term is stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy. This typically temporary heart condition can be triggered by intense emotional stress, such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a shock, according to Dr Alker. 

Here is how broken heart syndrome works on the heart. It causes part of the heart to temporarily enlarge and not pump properly. Unlike a typical heart attack, broken heart syndrome is not caused by blocked arteries, but the resulting chest pain, shortness of breath, and irregular heartbeat mimic a heart attack.

The good news is that most people will recover with medical care. However, this condition can be life-threatening so any chest pain should be evaluated by medical personnel.

TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D. ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS #1

Dr Ashely Alker notes that vaccination is one key way to prevent death. A study published in The Lancet estimates that since 1974, vaccines have averted 154 million deaths worldwide, including 146 million in children under age 5. There is controversy from time to time on vaccines and the benefits. I, personally, refused to take the covid vaccine because it was rushed out, not tested, and as time has passed, I am thankful I did not take it. But I agree that time-tested vaccines are necessary and do save lives. 

Dr Alker has said, "Many of the deaths I write about are preventable through public health education." We will touch on a few more of them this week. Tomorrow we will talk about a Brain-eating amoeba.

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TIPS FROM ASHLEY ALKER, M.D. ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS

Dr. Alker is an emergency medicine physician and healthcare advisor. She describes herself as a "death escapologist" because of her experiences in the emergency department watching people die of preventable causes. We will talk about some of her ideas on preventable deaths over the next few posts. She has written a book entitled "99 Ways to Die And How to Avoid Them". We will explore a few of them. This is what Dr. Alker has said about her book, "Many of the deaths I write about are preventable through public health education. If enough people read this book, I do believe lives will be saved."

Stay tuned friends. We will start discussing some of her theories next. 

WEIGHT RELATED DEATHS

Being overweight does matter. I'm not talking fifteen or twenty pounds but being seriously overweight. Check out these numbers below.

We Americans should pay more attention to our diets, eat healthier, exercise, and take care of our health. The latest numbers show that over 280,000 to 350,000 Americans die annually of weight related diseases.  A public health study found that 1 in 5 deaths in America were weight related. That is so sad because in most cases, yes, there are exceptions to everything, we can have control over our weight.  Is it time to take your health and your weight into your own hands? You can start by making small changes and work your way up to the bigger ones.  But do something.  There are many suggestions on this blog of how to improve one's diet; check them out.  The life you save just might be your own!

Note: This is a repost from 2022.

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