Transforming Healthcare: A Blog By Gwinnett Medical Center

Here's welcome news for parents tired of forcing their kids to take a daily bath: Children may not need to bathe every day after all. While it varies from child to child, most children only need a bath a few times a week. Of course, this depends on their activity level, as well as their environment.

Not only is daily bathing not a necessity, it may actually be beneficial for their overall health. Here are the benefits to skipping your child’s daily bathing ritual:
They’re exposed to bacteria.  When kids are exposed to germs their bodies learn how to effectively fight off bad bacteria. Your child’s skin also has useful bacteria that protects their skin from toxins.
They’re skin and hair stays hydrated. While warm baths may be enjoyable for children of all ages, it’s actually stripping beneficial, natural oils from their skin and hair. This is especially important to remember if your child has sensitive skin or conditions like eczema.
They avoid irritants. While that soap and shampoo …

Exercising isn’t always easy. Whether it’s a full schedule, a lack of motivation or feeling tight on time, there’s no shortage of exercise barriers. With all of that said, though, there is no doubt that the benefits of exercise far outweigh any of the obstacles.
Making time for routine activity is only half the battle. To ensure that your body is reaping all the health benefits that exercise has to offer, make sure you aren’t making these common mistakes:
Mistake No. 1: Not keeping an exercise chart or journal. A record tells you how far you've come and when it's time to go to the next level. Noting improvements in your heart rate will also provide motivation. Check it 15 to 60 minutes after exercising -- you'll see a decrease in this number as your heart gets stronger.
Mistake No. 2: Not writing down goals. Studies show that people who chart short- and long-term goals accomplish more of them.
Mistake No. 3:Strength-training the same muscles on consecutive days. This prevents…

Blisters, also known as painful nuisances, seem to have a knack for showing up at the worst possible time. Whether it’s a painful blister between your toes, or a large blister on your heal, we’ve all experienced one at some point.  
Because blisters can be tricky to treat, experts recommend prevention as your best defense. However, there are many misconceptions when it comes to keeping blisters at bay. For instance, you may believe that cotton socks and powders are good deterrents or that you can only get blisters on your feet, but this isn’t the case.  
Remember, a happy body is a blister-free body. Try putting these simple tips to use—your body will thank you.
Wear socks. Try nylon and moisture-wicking socks, and throw on an extra pair of socks if one doesn't do the trick. Avoid shoes that are too tight or too loose to prevent friction.
Avoid cotton. When you're active, wear moisture-wicking, loose-fitting clothes. Beware of cotton clothes, they can cause friction as they soak …

Despite the staggering statistic that nearly 4,000 American women die from cervical cancer each year, little is known about this disease. Now that’s the bad news, but here’s the good news: if found early, cervical cancer is one of the most treatable types of cancer. Furthermore, there are several ways you can prevent cervical cancer all together.
To keep you and your cervix healthy, let’s take a closer look at these 7 need-to-know facts.
Q: Where is the cervix and what does it do?
A: The cervix connects the vagina and uterus. As a part of the female reproductive system, the cervix plays an important role in childbirth as well as menstruation.
Q: What makes cervical cancer so deadly?
A: Because cervical cancer may remain in the early stagesfor 2 or more years, it often causes no symptoms. And by the time symptoms develop, the cancer has likely already become advanced. Even then, symptoms can still be easy to miss. However, if you notice irregular menstrual bleeding, pain in the pelvis, pa…

It’s Monday morning and you’re already feeling exhausted, but it’s only the beginning of the week. It’s hard to know if your drowsiness is due to a long weekend, a bad night’s sleep or the typical Monday morning blues.
By now you’ve likely heard a lot about how much sleep you need—typically 7 to 8 hours for adults. It's not just the quantity, the quality of your sleep matters, too. 

So what exactly is a good night’s rest? What impacts how well you sleep? And how does a lack of sleep affect your body and mind? Here are answers to some of the most common sleep related questions:
1.What is considered solid shuteye? Well...
It takes you no more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
You don’t wake up more than once in a night.
If you do wake up, it takes you no more than 20 minutes to fall back asleep.
When you are in bed, you spend more than 85% of your time sleeping.
2.Does what you eat impact how well you sleep? Yes.
Eating too much saturated fat and too little fiber can affect how well you sleep…

Whether it’s a little extra creamer in your coffee, some mayo on your sandwich or a side of dipping sauce for your fries, little decisions like this can add up in a big way. In fact, it is estimated that eating an extra 50 calories a day can actually sneak on about five pounds a year.
But steering clear of extra calories may not be as tough as you’d think. It doesn’t require making any drastic changes; instead, focus on hidden sources of calories that are easily overlooked.
Changes to digest
Let’s start with breakfast. When you’re enjoying your morning coffee, skip the sugar and creamer and try flavoring your java with vanilla extract or cinnamon instead. This small change will save you at least 29 calories. You can also replace the butter on your morning toast with a teaspoon of jam or nutritious nut butter.
At lunch, make tuna or salmon salad with low-fat vinaigrette instead of full-fat mayo, which is nearly 100 calories per tablespoon. When ordering a salad, ask for a non-creamy dress…