by Debbie Linder It’s Christmastime again! For most of us, it’s a time of joy, tradition and celebration. Did you know that people used to pin or melt wax onto real indoor Christmas tree branches so they could place lighted candles on them? They also kept a bucket of water and sand nearby, so they could dowse the tree when […]

by Janet Trautwin National Asoc. of Health Underwriters This year’s Affordable Care Act open enrollment period started Nov. 1. Millions of Americans will soon visit HealthCare.gov or the online insurance exchange run by their state to shop for 2018 health plans. Many will be confused by what they find. Premiums have increased significantly. The most popular “silver” exchange plans cost […]

by Debbie Linder Special to The Free Press It is the season for “The Crud” to be upon us. Unfor­tunately, the flu and cold season has returned. Did you know that 100 years ago, the world was fighting the worst flu pandemic ever recorded in history? (The world also was fighting World War I— just a fact!) They called it […]

Flu season is upon us, and many healthcare facilities are urging you to start preparing now with vaccines. Ironically, one of the places where you need to be careful is at the doctor’s office or healthcare clinic. The number of people in and out of clinics this time of year increases the chance that someone will leave behind a harmful […]

Fall and winter don’t just bring cooler temperatures and the holidays—the final seasons of the year also mean open enrollment for Medicare. For most seniors in the United States, the period between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7 is the only time they can switch or make changes to their Medicare insurance plan. “As people age, their health-care needs evolve,” said […]

You can find them on the side of most every product at your local grocery store. They are plain and kind of boring but nutrition labels were designed to contain vitally important information for good health and wise food choices. These labels tell you the number of servings in a container, how many calories per serving, and what amounts of […]

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting West Nile virus positive mosquitoes in all four counties where mosquito surveillance is performed, including Sedg­­wick, Shawnee, Reno and Johnson counties. West Nile virus can be spread to people through bites from infected Culex species mosquitoes, but it is not contagious from person to person. Although West Nile virus has been […]

St. Luke Foundation has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Sunderland Foundation in Overland Park. The award will be used to replace the windows at St. Luke Living Center as part of the renovation and expansion project associated with the “Moving Forward Together” campaign. With these grant funds, the campaign has now raised over $832,000 toward its goal of […]

The risk of West Nile virus transmission is lower in the spring but rises during the summer months, peaking during July, <p>August and September. Marion County has transitioned from high risk of West Nile virus transmission in early June to low risk, according to the most recent Kansas Department of Health and Environment risk report. West Nile virus is the […]

St. Luke Hospital & Living Center in Marion is one of 53 Kansas hospitals that has adopted healthier food and beverage options throughout their facility, according to the Kansas Hospital Association. This enhanced access to healthy food aims to positively impact hospital employees, patients and visitors while also helping to establish norms for healthier living for the community they serve. […]