The Living Healthy Podcast is taking a break. We're calling it a hiatus, because it's likely we'll being doing more podcasts as topics come up. In this abbreviated season finale, Dr. Domke reflects on the past fifty shows and talks about his hope that lots of future listeners will benefit from them. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on October 24, 2006.

When I was in high school, I enrolled in an art school but, at the last minute decided I wanted to go into medicine instead. Today, as a family practice physician and fine artist, I've been lucky enough to combine both of my life's passions into two careers. I like to say I divide my time two-thirds to medicine and two-thirds to art. I've always had an interest in art but didn't have time during my medical training to do much about it. In the 1980s, however, I saw a demonstration of Adobe Photoshop and began creating digital art on my Macintosh. I was getting a little frustrated with the computer techie stuff, though, and decided to pursue more formal training in the fundamentals of art. I worked with Annette Weintraub, art professor at the City College of New York, through a distance-learning independent study program, and with William Hawk, a painting professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He convinced me to enter a graduate art program at the university, which meant declining to take new patients in my practice and reducing my office hours. Although I painted a lot, I eventually went back to digital imaging, using a Canon 1Ds Mark II, a single lens reflex camera with lenses ranging from 16 to 600 mm. And I had the perfect subject for it- literally in my own backyard. Back in 1970-the year of the first Earth Day and growing interest in environmentalism-my parents bought a beat-up old 180-acre farm near Jefferson City, Missouri. My father had taken a strong interest in the destruction of the North American prairie that was going on all around him and wondered if he could create a patch of prairie that would be enlivened by swamps, glades, savannas, and all kinds of woodland flowers that you don't normally see on a prairie. He spent decades plowing, bulldozing, burning off grasses, and trying to attract unusual bird species to a living prairie habitat. It worked: Last year, for example, a visiting ornithologist heard six Henslow's sparrows-a rare species-singing on our prairie. More to the point, the Prairie Garden Trust, as it's called, gave me the subject for my photography. I had done a lot of digital printing, spending hours to get each print just right in framing and color, using an Epson 9600 printer and a fine-art mat paper combined with pigmented ink called archival ink. A healthcare designer named Carrie Heckstetter saw a print hanging in my sister's office four years ago and contacted me. I sent her a portfolio, and the interest in my work took off from there. The prints I create are blown up quite large-2' × 3', 4' × 6', 4' × 9'-and occupy waiting rooms, offices, and corridors in hospitals such as the Cancer Center at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois; the Northwest HealthCare Center in St. Louis; and the St. Louis Women's Surgery Center. These are fine prints of archival quality that won't fade, and now I offer large, archival canvas prints. Going to a healthcare facility can be a frightening and disorienting experience for many patients. My goal is to provide a visual escape to the natural world, where people can find comfort and healing. Now that my digital imaging is starting to gain attention, my patients are concerned that I might retire from medical practice. But I love medicine. I have patients and generations of patients' families I've taken care of for 20 years, and this is of real value to me. I've heard that these images tend to make people stop and look and sometimes show a real response. I've seen it firsthand. I've had patients look at an image of a prairie creek hanging on my wall and ask, Were you at my grandfather's farm when you took that? That looks just like it and brings back a lot of childhood memories. I like to hear that. Text based on an article in HealthCare Design Magazine May 2005. Henry Domke Fine Art HealthDesign.org Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on October 20, 2006.

Diabetes means that you have too much of the sugar called glucose in your blood. Diagnosing diabetes is remarkably easy and cheap. Simply have your fasting blood sugar level measured. If the fasting blood glucose level is between 100 and 125 you have pre-diabetes. If the fasting blood glucose level is 126 mg/dl or greater, then you have diabetes. The key problem with having this extra blood sugar is that over time it damages the arteries and leads to early heart attacks and strokes. Diabetes can be treated with wide range of pills and shots, but for most diabetics the best treatment is simply loosing weight, exercising more and avoiding foods and drinks made with sugar. You'll find the basics at FamilyDoctor.org with additional information at the American Diabetes Association website. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on April 21, 2006.

As an aspect of healthy living, toenails don't get much respesct. But ignore good toenail health at your own risk. This week Dr. Domke tells us how to trim our toenails to avoid the dreaded (and painful) ingrown toenail...and he discusses onychomycosis (say: on-ee-koh-my-ko-sis ), a fungus that causes toenail or fingernail infection. This infection can make your nails thick and discolored. Your nails may also be brittle or change their shape. You may even have pain in your toes or fingertips. More on Ingrown Toenails at FamilyDoctor.org. Drawing by Dr. Domke. Dr. Domke also answers a question from a patient: Should I consider getting a full-body scan for routine diagnostic purposes. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired April 14, 2006.

Poison Ivy Poison Ivy rash is caused by an allergy to the plants oil and routinely lasts 2-3 weeks. If you think you may have touched poison ivy, wash all exposed areas as soon as you can. It is critical to identify Poison Ivy. If you can identify it then you can avoid it. Identification tips for Poison Ivy: “Leaves of three, leave it be is good advice. It can be a woody shrub or a vine. As a shrub, it can grow about 6 feet high. As a vine, it can climb 40 feet up a tree. I tend to look for it in sunny areas, especially along fencerows or the edge of a garden. Image from Shrubs and Woody Vines of Missouri. Copyright 1997 by the Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri. Used with permission. [Larger image] Ticks Ticks are very common in Missouri once you get outside of the cities. As soon as Spring starts Ticks become active. Remove ticks immediately. This is important because it can take hours for an infected tick to transmit disease. Ticks can transmit a variety of illnesses: Lyme Disease, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. However, there were only 41 cases of Lyme Disease reported in Missouri in the year 2002. It's much less common than most people think. And be aware that the diagnosis for Lyme Disease is not just a simple blood test. Many people are given the diagnosis incorrectly based on inaccurate interpretations of blood tests. Accurate diagnosis often means seeing an Infectious Disease Specialist. Prevention is key with ticks. If you're going to spend much time in tick-infested areas, here are a few things you can do to keep the ticks at bay: Pre-treat your long pants, shirt and socks with Permethrin. One brand name is Permanone Clothing Insect Repellent Wear long pants. Best it tucked into boots or socks to form a mechanical barrier. Spray a DEET insect repellant onto the bottom of the pants, your socks and any exposed skin. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on April 7, 2006.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects one in four American adults. If not kept under control, high blood pressue increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Regular exercise and following the DASH Diet can help prevent high blood pressure. A blood pressure reading below 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) is considered normal. If your resting blood pressure is consistently 140/90 mm Hg or higher, you have high blood pressure. A reading of 115/75 is the level above which your risk of heart attack or stroke begins to increase. High blood pressue is often called the silent killer because you can have it for years without knowing it. In fact, about one-third of the 50 million Americans with high blood pressue don't know they have it. You may be able to lower your blood pressue with lifestyle changes. Start with the DASH Diet (a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat and saturated fat...while decreasing salt and sodium intake). Then, make sure you get a least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Lifestyle changes, however, are not always enough and medication is usually needed. Omron and ReliOn are two good brands of blood pressure cuffs for monitoring your blood pressure at home. Your best bet is one that is battery powered and has an upper-arm cuff. You'll find a good overview of high blood pressure at FamilyDoctor.org and more detailed information at the Mayo Clinic website. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on March 31, 2006.

Allergies of the nose and eyes are very common and annoying. Common symptoms include: runny nose, watery eyes, itchy nose, eyes and roof of mouth and often sneezing. Often you can determine what you are allergic to if you are a good detective. If your symptoms start in mid-August and last till the first killing frost, there is a good chance you are allergic to Ragweed. If your allergies are always early spring, it is probably one of the trees. If the allergies are mid-to late spring this might be true Hay Fever (which is an allergy to grass pollen). Allergies to plant pollen tend to occur during the same weeks every year. Occasionally allergies are chronic and occur most of the year. This is often due to molds, dust mites and indoor pets. There are four basic treatments for allergies: Antihistamines - these pills often help a lot. Use them only when you need them, not every day. Nasal Steroids - these are the most underutilized treatment and are remarkably safe. Avoidance of what you are allergic to is just common sense, but often people find it hard to do. If you are allergic to cats, get rid of the cat. Allergy shots - Very expensive and may take years of frequent shots for full benefit. Allergy shots should only be used by people who have failed medications. Other resources: Allergies: Things You Can Do to Control Your Symptoms Nasal Sprays: How to Use Them Correctly The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on March 25, 2006.

What is alcoholism? Should all people avoid drinking? Is it true that alcohol can prevent heart attacks? Is alcoholism a moral weakness, or is it a chemical imbalance that is caused by genetics? I just drink beer, so I can't really be an alcoholic right? I don't drink every day, so I can't be an alcoholic, right? Dr. Domke answers these and other questions in LHP #21. An alcoholic is someone who continues to drink when it is causing them problems. Not only health problems, but also legal, marital, job-related and financial problems. Drinking is a problem if it causes trouble in your relationships, in school, in social activities, or in how you think and feel. If you are an alcoholic, your key task is to learn to totally stop drinking. This is often very difficult and usually needs the help of some organization like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). Alcoholics Anonymous helps more alcoholics than all other treatments combined. If you are not an alcoholic, and if you are not morally opposed to drinking, there can be benefits to moderate and light drinking for adults. That means no more than 2-drinks per day if you are a male and no more than one drink if you are a female. A standard drink is one 12 ounce beer, one 5 ounce glass of wine, or one 1.5 ounce shot of distilled spirits. Each of these drinks contains about half an ounce of alcohol. Other resources: The Center for Disease Control has useful Alcohol Facts, and Brian F. Shaw's Addiction and Recovery for Dummies provides a simple yet accurate overview on alcoholism. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on March 18, 2006.

Sexually Transmitted Disease is too large a topic to cover in one half-hour podcast. You can, however, find most of what you need to know at the Center for Disease Control website. In today's podcast, Dr. Domke talks about three of the most common forms of STD: Herpes, HPV and Chlamydia. As for prevention, the best ways to prevent STDs are: abstinence or masturbation (best); reducing the number of sexual partners; and using condoms. Chlamydia - 800,000 infections are reported in the USA each year with this bacterium. Because it is a bacterium it can be cured with antibiotics. It normally causes no symptoms, but it can damage a woman's reproductive organs resulting in infertility. Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man. Genital Herpes (HSV-2) - One out of five adolescents and adults, have had genital HSV infection. HSV-2 is closely related to the virus that causes fever blisters near the mouth (HSV-1). This disease causes a lot of worry, but normally it is not dangerous. The key problem is occasional painful genital sores. However, if a woman is has sores of herpes when she gives birth, it can transmit the illness to her baby. There is no treatment that can cure herpes, but antiviral medications can shorten and prevent outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication. In addition, daily suppressive therapy for symptomatic herpes can reduce transmission to partners. Genital Warts (HPV) Human papillomavirus - Most people who become infected with HPV will not have any symptoms and will clear the infection on their own. The virus lives in the skin or mucous membranes and usually causes no symptoms. Some people get visible genital warts, or have pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, vulva, anus, or penis. Very rarely, HPV infection results in anal or genital cancers. This viral infection commonly causes abnormal pap smears which requires more frequent doctors visits and might require a test called colposcopy. This is like having a pap smear test done with a microscope. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percnet of woman will have acquired genital HPV infection. Gonorrhea - A kind of bacteria that can cause burning with urination or vaginal discharge. It can be cured with antibiotics. HIV and AIDS - A viral infection which remains incurable and is still deadly despite improvements in treatment. Pubic Lice (Crabs) - This is an infection of the skin caused by small parasites. They cause itching in the pubic region. Other resources: How to protect yourself. Common Symptoms and tips on prevention. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on March 10, 2006.

Sexually Transmitted Disease is too large a topic to cover in one half-hour podcast. You can, however, find most of what you need to know at the Center for Disease Control website. In today's podcast, Dr. Domke talks about three of the most common forms of STD: Herpes, HPV and Chlamydia. As for prevention, the best ways to prevent STDs are: abstinence or masturbation (best); reducing the number of sexual partners; and using condoms. Chlamydia - 800,000 infections are reported in the USA each year with this bacterium. Because it is a bacterium it can be cured with antibiotics. It normally causes no symptoms, but it can damage a woman's reproductive organs resulting in infertility. Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man. Genital Herpes (HSV-2) - One out of five adolescents and adults, have had genital HSV infection. HSV-2 is closely related to the virus that causes fever blisters near the mouth (HSV-1). This disease causes a lot of worry, but normally it is not dangerous. The key problem is occasional painful genital sores. However, if a woman is has sores of herpes when she gives birth, it can transmit the illness to her baby. There is no treatment that can cure herpes, but antiviral medications can shorten and prevent outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication. In addition, daily suppressive therapy for symptomatic herpes can reduce transmission to partners. Genital Warts (HPV) Human papillomavirus - Most people who become infected with HPV will not have any symptoms and will clear the infection on their own. The virus lives in the skin or mucous membranes and usually causes no symptoms. Some people get visible genital warts, or have pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, vulva, anus, or penis. Very rarely, HPV infection results in anal or genital cancers. This viral infection commonly causes abnormal pap smears which requires more frequent doctors visits and might require a test called colposcopy. This is like having a pap smear test done with a microscope. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percnet of woman will have acquired genital HPV infection. Gonorrhea - A kind of bacteria that can cause burning with urination or vaginal discharge. It can be cured with antibiotics. HIV and AIDS - A viral infection which remains incurable and is still deadly despite improvements in treatment. Pubic Lice (Crabs) - This is an infection of the skin caused by small parasites. They cause itching in the pubic region. Other resources: How to protect yourself. Common Symptoms and tips on prevention. Download MP3 file This podcast first aired on March 10, 2006.