HEALTH NOTES
Ragweed pollen is high
The Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic urges people with ragweed allergies to take steps to avoid pollen:
• If your allergies are severe, stay inside.
• Wash your hands often, particularly after touching pets.
• Wear a dust mask for outdoor tasks like mowing the lawn.
• Don’t wear your outdoor work clothes in the house, and use a dryer instead of hanging clothes outside.
• Clean and replace your furnace and air conditioning filters frequently.
For more information, go to oklahomaallergy.com.
Know signs of addiction
GlobalHealth urges the public to be aware of the signs of addiction. An estimated 20 million people nationwide have a substance use disorder.
Physical signs include bloodshot or glazed eyes, dilated or constricted pupils that aren’t explained by the lighting, significant changes in weight and bruises or infections from needle use.
Other signs include increased aggression or irritability, personality changes, lethargy, depression, changes in habits, distancing oneself from some friends and moving toward others, financial problems and involvement in crime.
Wellness coalition to meet
The Wellness Now coalition will hold its quarterly meeting at noon Sept. 12 at the Oklahoma CityCounty Health Department’s northeast campus, 2600 NE 63.
The coalition’s working groups will discuss their efforts and network. Lunch is included. To sign up, email paulzetta_fields@occhd.org.
Integris Baptist is honored
U.S. News & World Report named Integris Baptist Medical Center its best regional hospital for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
The magazine compared 4,500 hospitals nationwide based on patient mortality rates, how often hospitals perform certain procedures, infection rates and staffing. More than 1,100 were listed as “high-performing” for at least one specialty.
Baptist tied with St. John Medical Center and Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa for best hospital in the state. It was listed as high-performing for aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure and colon cancer surgery.