The Press-Dispatch
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D-10 wednesday, August 6, 2014 The Press-Dispatch Our attractive, elegant care center features the most upscale of amenities directed towards our discerning "private pay" clientele. Our compassionate staff is made up of many local Petersburg area residents, who are proud of our premier reputation for providing quality care. And our commitment to superior customer service is apparent in everything we do. For more information or to schedule a private tour of our premier care center, please contact us today. Luxurious Living. Hometown Care. 812-354-3001 801 East Illinois Street Petersburg, IN 47567 ambermanorhc.com Subscribe to the Press-Dispatch BARGAIN PERIOD: Starting at just $27 for local subscribers. Call 812-354-8500 today! ysis. Home hemodialysis is a different way of doing hemodialysis. When pre- scribed by their doctor, trained patients and their care partners are able to perform their dialysis treatments on their own schedule in their home or while traveling. Additionally, home he- modialysis can be done more frequently, which is closer to how healthy kid- neys work. Many patients report – and various stud- ies have confirmed –that compared to three-times- weekly in-center hemodi- alysis, more frequent home hemodialysis may offer the following health and qual- ity of life benefits: lower risk of death, better blood pressure control with few- er medications, less stress on the heart, quicker re- cover, more energy, and improved appetite. Given the flexibility and health benefits of more fre- quent home hemodialysis, many patients are regain- ing their lifestyles. "Home dialysis has re- stored my freedom to trav- el, visit friends and expe- rience so many things I wasn't able to do during my years of in-center dialy- sis," says Henning Sonder- gaard, a NxStage System One user. After learning about home dialysis, Hen- ning began using NxStage System One which is cur- rently the only portable he- modialysis system cleared for home use by the US Food and Drug Adminis- tration. More information about the benefits and risks as- sociated with home hemo- dialysis can be found at www.nxstage.com. Prevention While some risk fac- tors are beyond one's con- trol, such as race, age and a family history of the dis- ease, reducing your risk is possible. Getting plenty of exer- cise, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smok- ing are a few ways to pro- mote healthy kidney func- tion. Being informed is al- so important. Talk to your relatives to learn if kidney disease runs in your fam- ily. Don't let kidney disease go untreated. Take steps to learn more about renal health. Is It possIble to prevent cataracts? Millions of people are affected by cataracts, which Prevent Blindness America says is the most common cause of vision loss for individ- uals over the age of 40. In the United States, there are more cases of cataracts than glauco- ma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degen- eration combined. The prevalence of cataracts makes some wonder if they can be prevented. According to The Mayo Clinic, studies have yet to de- termine a way to prevent cataracts or even slow their progression. However, eye doctors and other experts say that certain strategies can help keep the eyes and the body healthy, which may keep cataracts at bay. reguLar eye examinations Visiting the eye doctor on an annual basis, or as recommended by an optician or oph- thalmologist, can help detect cataracts and eye problems early on. This helps prevent vi- sion loss and enables patients to take proac- tive steps to treat their cataracts. Cataract sur- gery, which is now a common procedure and can usually be done with local anesthesia on an outpatient basis, is a common way to treat cataracts. During cataract surgery, the lens in- side the eye that has become cloudy from cat- aract formation is removed and replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL, to restore clear vision. Quit smoking Smoking affects eyesight and eye health. Research suggests that smoking increases a person's chances of developing cataracts. The lenses of the eyes are mostly made up of arranged proteins, and sometimes these proteins stick together, breaking their care- ful formation and affecting the transparency of the lens. Cigarette smoke can damage the proteins in the lenses, causing them to stick together more readily, increasing the chance that cataracts develop. Protect the eyes Always wear sunglasses with UV protec- tion, particularly glasses that block UVB rays, when spending time outdoors. Ultravi- olet light from the sun may contribute to the development of cataracts. Remember, ultravi- olet rays can be present even when it is cloudy outdoors, so make it a point to don your sun- glasses before stepping outside. manage diabetes Although the reasons why are still not ful- ly understood, individuals with diabetes melli- tus face a greater risk of developing cataracts. That risk may be elevated by as much as 60 percent. When increased blood sugar enters the lenses of the eyes, sorbitol forms, and both this and fructose can build up in the lenses. Increased sugar causes water to be absorbed inside the lens, resulting in swelling and in- creased cloudiness. By treating high blood- glucose levels, those with diabetes may be able to keep cataracts from forming. imProve the diet A healthy diet should be a priority for eve- ryone, including people at a greater risk for cataracts. Eating foods high in antioxidants like beta-carotene, selenium and vitamins C and E may help prevent cataracts. That's because antioxidants help the body to fight free radicals, which can contribute to cata- racts later in life. A 2000 article published in the Ameri- can Journal of Clinical Nutrition highlight- ed two Harvard University studies that not- ed the role of lutein and zeaxanthin in the development of cataracts. The studies not- ed that individuals whose diets were high in lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich foods had a 19 to 22 percent lesser chance of develop- ing age-related cataracts than those who do not incorporate these foods into their diets in high quantities. Foods that are high in lutein and zeaxanthin include green veg- etables, such as spinach, broccoli, collard greens, kale, mustard greens and peppers, winter squash and eggs. Cataracts tend to be most noticeable when vision begins to grow cloudy. However, cata- racts also can cause glares and halos; a my- opic shift, in which a person who was once nearsighted becomes farsighted, and vice versa; drop in color vision; lens discolora- tion; and poor night vision. Those experienc- ing these symptoms should have an eye ex- amination to confirm or rule out cataracts. Kidney Continued from page 9