Health & Wellness

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just one counterfeit pill can kill, just as many parents and family members are finding out across the country. Zach Didier died of fentanyl poisoning just before his high school graduation in Rocklin, California, and his parents are presenting his story so no other family has to experience what they have.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Health staff members and physicians have voted Tamara McBride, MD, as Barton’s Physician of the Year. Dr. McBride received a landslide of nominations recognizing her for outstanding leadership and her caring, compassionate approach to health care. Dr. McBride is the Hospital Medicine Medical Director at Barton Memorial Hospital.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Barton Health Foundation hosted an AED/CPR training session on Wednesday, April 27, as part of their Heart Safe Community program. In partnership with Barton Education, 24 teachers
and administrators at South Lake Tahoe Middle School received training on the usage of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and learned how to administer CPR.

The Barton Health Foundation donated an AED to the school earlier this year. In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), quick access to an AED significantly increases survival rates.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The big day has been set by South Tahoe Refuse and Clean Tahoe: The annual return of $5 Dump Day! It's the one day a year the community can get rid of all the unwanted, unused stuff in the garage, the house, and the backyard, for just $5 a load.

On June 11 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., California residents can bring in a carload to South Tahoe Refuse. The cost is $10 for Nevada residents.

Like other animals, humans are not symmetrical beings. Our organs and respiratory diaphragm are different right to left. Because of this, we become unwound in classic human patterns. Aside from affecting muscle control, strength and performance, this patterning is often the origin of pain and dysfunction.

This topic is the next presentation by the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) that will be held on Thursday, May 26 at 5:30 p.m. This marks the first event to be held in person since the pandemic moved all TERC talks to Zoom.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are two events on Saturday, April 23 in South Lake Tahoe that will help local children in need: Bread & Broth 4 Kids Cram-A-Cruiser and Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra is staging a backpack and luggage drive.

Cram-A-Cruiser

St. Theresa's Bread and Broth 4 Kids is holding Cram-a-Cruiser on Saturday, April 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in front of Grocery Outlet.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The local nonprofit organization, Live Violence Free, presents its inaugural event, #OneConversation, to be held virtually on Friday, May 20, 2022, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The conference encourages social service professionals, victim advocates, educators, and students to attend.

April 17-23 is National Volunteer Week, and we celebrate the extraordinary volunteers who donate their time and talents throughout the year to improve our community. This is also a time to amplify the importance of volunteerism, which is not only a generous gesture of goodwill and selflessness but has been found to contribute in many ways to a better life.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There's a difference between working out and training. To work out is to exercise to maintain or build fitness. To train, on the other hand, is to incorporate a series of workouts that are progressive, building up to a specific performance goal. Whether your goal is to bike to the top of Jobs Peak or complete your first multi-pitch climbing route of the season, training programs are carefully formatted and sequenced to move you from point A, your current fitness level, to point B, prepared to achieve your goal.

April, Occupational Therapy Month, offers an opportunity to understand the unique, holistic approach that occupational therapists bring to healthcare. Occupational therapy (OT) started in the early 20th century with a focus on improving people’s lives by allowing them to complete meaningful occupations. Most people think of an occupation as “work,” however, an occupation encompasses everyday activities, jobs, sports, hobbies, and roles, like being a parent.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Memorial Hospital was chosen to participate in an ongoing clinical trial by UC Davis Health, aimed at improving trauma care for children in the region. The study is designed for pediatric trauma patients who require a transfer to a higher level of care.

March is National Nutrition Month and a great time to assess your eating habits. Do your meals match your health goals?

A healthy diet involves choosing foods from all the food groups throughout the day and eating a variety of foods from each food group. Variety ensures we are getting essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats. All are important for a healthy body.

What makes someone stop doing the things they love? Time commitment? Money? Better options? For many golfers, it's pain that limits or completely ruins the ability and desire to play golf.

The golf swing is a complex movement that utilizes the whole body in a coordinated fashion. Since the swing is repeated frequently throughout the game, an incorrect golf swing can result in injury.

Join the Barton Performance Golf Series on Thursday, Thursdays, March 17 - May 5, 5:15 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness

In this 8-week group fitness series, develop your golf-specific performance with flexibility, stability, balance, coordination, and muscular endurance training. The course is led by Kyler Crouse, Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Certified Barton Performance Coach.

Class fee included in Group Fitness Unlimited membership or $20 drop-in fee per class for non-members.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County is hosting three vaccine clinics in South Lake Tahoe this week. All of them will be held at the county's public health office located at 1360 Johnson Blvd. Both Pfizer and Moderna doses are available.

Wednesday, March 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday, March 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

To schedule an appointment or find additional clinics, visit myturn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255. Walk-in appointments may be available.

Sleep is a naturally recurring and essential function that allows your body and mind to rest and restore between periods of activity, stress, and other stimulative experiences. While it’s most often associated with mood and mental function, sleep also fights off diseases and can contribute to overall body and organ health.

Arthritis is a common condition most people will struggle with at some point in their life.
The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, that happens as we age or may occur earlier in areas of prior injury.

Other causes of osteoarthritis include obesity, a family history of osteoarthritis, and joint deformities, such as unequal leg length, bowlegs, or knocked knees. This type of arthritis will usually affect weight bearing joints such as the hips and knees, as well as hands and spine.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Health is welcoming Dr. Jennifer Norris to its network of care providers. Dr. Norris, formerly of Alpine Family Practice, is a board-certified family practice physician who has joined the care team at Barton’s Community Health Center, an outpatient facility providing primary and specialty healthcare services for the Lake Tahoe region.

With big competitions around the corner and a heavy representation from the region, it’s hard to ignore the talent that originates in Lake Tahoe. Athleticism, grit, and determination are met with challenges on the road to the world stage and require an experienced and knowledgeable care team to support athletes at every stage.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - A limited supply of COVID-19 home test kits is available to El Dorado County residents at local public libraries.

The iHealth COVID-19 Rapid Home Test kits are limited to one per person, and a maximum of two test kits per household. The kits will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

“We greatly appreciate our partnership with the El Dorado County Public Libraries to help make these home test kits available to residents,” said El Dorado County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams.

Winter has arrived in full force in Tahoe, and with it comes an influx of eager snow players. Sledding and snow tubing are sure to be among the winter activities that families pursue, and like many contact sports, the risk of injury is increased. Given the increase in COVID spread within the region and the impact it is having on healthcare systems, it’s more important than ever to remain injury-free!

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just as is the case in the rest of California, the South Lake Tahoe region has seen a significant increase in positive cases of COVID-19 over the last three weeks. Barton Health said they are experiencing high volumes of patients accessing the health system partially due to the increase in COVID cases. Currently, the majority of positive cases are among people able to recover at home, and hospitalization admissions are currently stable, although expected to increase as COVID continues to spread.

The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on our immune systems—a complex collection of cells and compounds that defend our bodies against infection.

While vaccines are a proven first line of defense, we can implement a one-two punch approach and reinforce our natural defense system with a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Including foods in your daily routine that are packed with the following nutrients may improve your overall health and resistance to illness.

The feet and ankles, supporting the weight of the rest of your body, are prime targets for painful injuries. From broken bones to frostbite, you're at extra risk for foot and ankle injuries during winter. With some management and exercises, many can be prevented.

Guarding against injury is best accomplished by increasing both flexibility and strength in the ankle and foot. Target the muscles that support your ankles to protect your joints by strength-training two or three times a week on alternating days and always after you've warmed up.