Cultivating Health

Donating blood saves lives: How you can help during the critical blood shortage

Blood banks are seeing the lowest number of people donating blood in the last 20 years. Blood products save the lives of people who have lost blood, are receiving treatments, or have other medical conditions.

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Mental Health

How to set boundaries and why it matters for your mental health

Setting boundaries at work and in your personal life can be a challenging, but meaningful, way to practice self-care. Our experts offer tips for setting boundaries and why it's important for your mental health.

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Cancer Care

Colonoscopy vs. at-home colon cancer screening: Which is best for you?

Colorectal cancer is on the rise in younger adults, leading to an increased awareness for screening. Our experts give the pros and cons of colonoscopies vs. at-home colon cancer screening kits.

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Mental Health

Feeling burned out? How hobbies, laughter and enjoying community can help

Burnout and stress can cause our mental health and relationships to suffer. But there are some things that can help relieve your feeling of burnout. See what our experts suggest.

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Cancer Care

7 lifestyle tips to reduce your cancer risk

Forty percent of cancer cases can be linked to preventable causes. This means that there are lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce your risk of cancer.

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Exercise and Fitness

Simple 8-week exercise plan for a healthy heart

Exercise is one of the keys to keeping your heart healthy. A UC Davis Health exercise physiologist offers an easy activity routine to get you on your way to good heart health.

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8 ways to reduce your risk of heart disease

Heart disease can take years to develop. Our experts encourage you to make lifestyle changes now to help prevent heart disease before it's too late.

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Children's Health

Strep throat: How long it's contagious, symptoms and recovery

The bacteria that causes strep throat is very contagious. Learn the symptoms, helpful recovery tips, and how to protect yourself and your family from strep throat.

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Mental Health

10 tips to reduce stress and take care of yourself during the holidays

Most Americans report feeling stressed or overwhelmed during the holiday season. If you're feeling this way, we have 10 tips to reduce stress and help you take care of yourself during the busy time of year.

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Mental Health

Seasonal affective disorder, winter blues and self-care tips to get ahead of symptoms

Colder, darker months can cause some of us to feel a little more withdrawn or sad. Our clinical psychologist explains seasonal affective disorder, winter blues and how you can get ahead of the seasonal symptoms.

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Cancer Care

How you can beat the odds by getting screened for lung cancer

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer. However, most people don't know they have it until it's too late. That's why early screening and low-dose CT scans are so important to prevent lung cancer deaths.

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Children's Health

Infant bonding and your baby’s development: Tips for parents to encourage bonding

Infant bonding is an important process in a baby's life and can help set the stage for healthy relationships going forward. Learn ways to encourage bonding and why the whole family should be involved.

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COVID and flu: Symptoms, vaccine side effects and more

Can you get a COVID and flu shot at the same time? What are the side effects of each vaccine? Our infectious disease expert answers your questions to help keep you and your family healthy this winter.

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Cancer Care

What does it mean to have dense breasts, and why is screening so critical?

About 50% of women have dense breasts, which could make it more difficult to detect breast cancer. That's why it's so critical to get routine mammograms to find out if you have dense breasts.

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What you should know about E. coli symptoms and food recalls

Food recalls because of E. coli contamination are fairly common in the U.S. Our experts detail how the bacteria can be spread and what E. coli symptoms you should watch for.

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Mental Health

Suicide prevention: Who’s most at risk and how to help yourself or a loved one

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S. For many people, it can be tough to know where to turn for help or how to help someone you know may be struggling with thoughts of suicide.

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Are weight loss medications, like Wegovy, right for you?

There's been more attention lately on weight loss medications, including Wegovy and others. Learn how weight loss medications work, when you should start taking them, and what options are available.

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New COVID variants and a rise in cases: The latest on symptoms and at-home tests

With new COVID-19 variants and the number of cases increasing, it's a good time for a reminder of the COVID symptoms to watch for and how to take an at-home test.

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Children's Health

4 tips for preventing food allergies at school

For parents of children with food allergies, there can be a constant worry that their child may eat a food they shouldn't. But there are things parents can do to help ease their fears while their child is at school.

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Children's Health

Back-to-school tips to protect your kid from COVID-19, fentanyl, injuries and more

As your child heads back to school, learn how you can help protect them from COVID-19, fentanyl, concussions, sports-related injuries, and more.

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Why you should carry naloxone (Narcan) to combat opioid overdoses

You never know when you may need to jump in to help save the life of someone suffering from an opioid overdose. Naloxone (also known as Narcan) is a medication that can reverse the effects of opioids, like fentanyl.

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Cord blood banking and the benefits for ethnic minorities

California is an ideal place for umbilical cord blood donations because of its diverse population. Cord blood can be life-saving for people with diseases like lymphoma, leukemia and sickle cell disease.

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Ozempic for weight loss: Does it work, and what do experts recommend?

A new trend has been getting a lot of attention: people using the diabetes drug Ozempic to lose weight. But is it safe and effective? Our health experts give their insights.

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West Nile virus is on the rise: 3 ways to protect yourself from mosquitoes

A wet winter in Northern California has led to an increase in mosquitoes, which can mean an uptick in West Nile virus. Find out how to protect against mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

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Should you go to the emergency room (ER), urgent care or doctor’s office?

Hospital emergency rooms across the U.S. are seeing record numbers of patients. However, many of those people could have gone to an urgent care or primary care clinic instead. We explain when you should go to the ER.

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What is primary care? Learn why you should partner with a provider for your health

You may have seen a primary care provider for a checkup or illness. But why is having a provider so important? We explain what primary care can do for you, who you might see, and how they can help you stay healthy.

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Children's Health

Preventing drownings: 7 tips to keep your children safe around water

Drownings are a leading cause of death for children, but most drownings are preventable. With the summer in full swing, learn how to keep your children safe around pools, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water.

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5 health screenings that men shouldn’t put off and why early detection is important

Many men admit to putting off seeing their health care provider. But there are certain health screenings men shouldn't delay because those check-ups can often lead to early prevention or treatment.

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Mental Health

Things you can do to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease

As Americans are living longer, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease is predicted to increase. Some good news is that the lifestyle choices you make can help reduce your risk for developing the disease.

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Lyme disease and tick bites: What you need to know if you’re heading outdoors

With the weather warming up, many of us are heading outside for a hike or camping trip. But if you're going outdoors, be aware of ticks that carry Lyme disease and know how to protect yourself and your family.

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About

Cultivating Health

At UC Davis Health, we aim to teach and lead people to live a healthy lifestyle. This blog is a user-friendly guide of tips for our community to cultivate health through all stages of life.

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