Why do we observe Home Safety Month?

• 55 people die in their homes each day and another 58,000 are injured and seek medical care
• These casualties can be avoided by taking simple home safety precautions

What are some common injuries you can prevent in your home?

• The Home Safety Council lists 5 home safety issues you can prevent in their Home Safety Brochure

1. Prevent Falls
2. Prevent Fires
3. Prevent Fires and Burns
4. Prevent Choking and Suffocation
5. Be Smart around Water

• To see how to prevent these issues, view the brochure here.

Important to Know

• Call 911 for emergencies. Calling from a cell phone may not give dispatch enough information to pinpoint your location. Be ready to describe where you are located.
• Poison Control Number is 1-800-222-1222
• Check and make sure your smoke alarms are working. Replace batteries if need be.

If you have any other home safety tips this month, please feel free to share!

Test your High Blood Pressure IQ here! 

What is High Blood Pressure?

“High Blood Pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems.” -NHBI

HBP is considered to occur when blood pressure levels are above 140/90.

1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have HBP, usually without showing any signs or symptoms. It is important to know your blood pressure, even when feeling healthy.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Oxygen is carried through the body by blood. The heart pumps this blood through the system of blood vessels within your body. Pressure on the arteries is created when blood is pumped through them, causing the tissues of the artery walls to stretch. HBP occurs when too much force is applied, and the artery walls get stretched beyond a healthy limit.

Common causes can include:

• Hypertension
• Chronic kidney disease
• Thyroid disease
• Birth control pills, hormone therapy, or pregnancy in women
• Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices

Who is at risk for High Blood Pressure?

HBP risk varies with age, gender, and race. Risk increases with age and is more common in males than in females. It is also found more among African American adults than Caucasian or Hispanic American adults.

Typical high-risk ages for HBP are males 45 and older, and females 55 and older.

Heredity is also a major factor in determining risk for HBP. Family history of HBP increases risk for you and/or your children to develop HBP.

Other contributing factors include:

• Lack of Physical activity
• Poor Diet
• Obesity
• Excessive alcohol consumption

For more detailed information on understanding your risk for HBP, visit the American Heart Association’s Website

Preventing High Blood Pressure

• Follow a healthy diet (reduce sodium intake)
• Participate in regular physical activity
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Manage your stress
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Avoid tobacco consumption

“Eat Right with Color.”

In honor of the ADA’s theme, we’ve made up a little slogan of our own: “March forth, and eat apples…and bananas and yams and blueberries and broccoli!” Though it may seem simple, following a diet that is rich in color and texture can actually be quite difficult for many people—especially those with a busy lifestyle. When you’re constantly on the go it can be hard to break out of that quick, easy to consume processed food cycle. Many people opt for a packaged breakfast bar instead of a morning grapefruit, and while some of those breakfast bars do have a lot of essential proteins and grains, swapping fresh produce for processed carbohydrates too often can quickly pack on the pounds.

So what’s a regular Joe or Jane with a hankering for some diet improvement to do? Well, we have a few tips:

-Pick a different color food to focus on each day of the week, the brighter the better. If you choose orange for Monday, get your daily dose of fruits and veggies with some carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and more. If Tuesday is purple, opt for grapes, plums, eggplant, and so on. Try eating an entire rainbow and by the end of the week we promise you’ll be feeling great.

-Use fruit to cure a sweet tooth. Soda, candy, and chewy treats loaded with refined sugar are just begging to become cavities. And while we’d be glad to fix up your pearlies for you at our new dental clinic, both your teeth and your body will thank you if you simply practice good oral and nutritional hygiene from the get-go.

-Check out the ADA’s Tip of the Day on the eatright.org website! Their helpful daily hints are loaded with great information and easy ways to make March your healthiest month yet.

Not enough fun for you? Check out these awesome interactive games instead.

But don’t think that the only key to a healthy lifestyle is healthy eating. Exercise and regular physical activity are just as important. Our registered Nutrition Educator and Clinical Dietitian Kathryn Hang has these tips to share:

-Exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.

-Aim for 20,000 steps a day.

-Pay attention to your BMI (Body Mass Index). BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. The higher the BMI, the greater risk for diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, etc.

And finally…

-Start attending our Shape-Up program! It’s an excellent and fun way to get your body movin’, groovin’, and improvin’ in no time. Visit our website for more details or speak with Kathryn directly at 612-305-1311

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.

Know Your Signs and Symptoms

• Chest discomfort.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body..
• Shortness of breath.
• Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness

Diseases and Conditions That Put Your Heart at Risk

• High cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• obesity
• diabetes
• tobacco use, and secondhand smoke

Healthy Lifestyle: Diet and Nutrition, Exercise and Fitness

• Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and Trans fat.
• Select fat-free, 1% fat and low-fat dairy products.
• Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce Tran’s fat in your diet.
• Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol.
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
• If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation.
• Keep an eye on your portion sizes.

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage therapy is a relaxing treatment that has been around for thousands of years. Massage therapists use a variety of techniques to work the muscle tissue, releasing tension and improving circulation.

Benefits of Massage
Massage therapy isn’t just about pampering, but it has important health benefits. In fact, you get the greatest benefit when massage therapy is part of your regular wellness routine.

Health benefits include:
• Pain relief
• Reduced anxiety and depression
• Temporarily reduced blood pressure and heart rate

What to Expect During Your People’s Center Massage:
A trained massage therapist, Surafel, a student from Minnesota School of Business, will greet you and discuss your health history. Dress normal and once ready to begin, you will take a seat in a relaxing massage chair.

Sessions are between 10 and 50 minutes depending on your needs. You can have just one session or sign up for multiple appointments. After your massage, we recommend that everyone increase their water intake for the next 24 hours.

When:
Tuesdays 9:00am-6:00pm
Thursdays 9:00am-4:00pm
Where:
Second floor, room 208

Massage Techniques:
SWEDISH MASSAGE
DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
SPORTS MASSAGE
And more!

Call 612.332.4973 to schedule
an appointment or get more information.
The massage sessions are completely free. Walk-ins welcome or you may call to make an appointment!

1)      Good oral hygiene:

Poor oral hygiene is a major cause of periodontal disease, which is when the tissues around your teeth become infected. This is usually associated with higher cardiovascular risk.

2)      Yearly physical:

High cholesterol and high blood pressure can increase your risk for heart disease. People’s Center wants to make sure you are in good health and that your medications are up to date.  We have a wonderful team of providers, as well as a diabetes team, to help you manage your health issues.

3)      Mental health:

Depression, stress, anger can also increase your risk for heart disease. Our kind providers are here to help you through difficult times and to empower you to deal with the issues and problems in your life. Free immigration and social services are also available.

4)      Healthy weight:

When weight gain is excessive, your BMI (body mass index) can get too high. A high BMI is a leading cause in increased heart disease. Our registered dietitian can help you decrease your weight and BMI. She can help you learn about easy exercises and health eating. You have the choice to do one-on-one counseling or a group class. She can also provide resources in the community for weight loss help such as a gyms, exercise programs, anonymous programs, and access to healthy foods at a free or very affordable price.

If you are ready like the rest of us, take one of these action steps!

• Schedule a dental appointment: 612-728-8888
• Schedule a yearly physical: 612-332-4973
• Schedule a behavioral health visit: 612-332-4973
• Schedule a diet and nutrition visit: 612-238-3520

We wish you good health for 2011 and many years to come!

It is our hope to spread awareness for the topic of each trivia question.

This week the question was:

“Guess what the top primary diagnosis was for visits at our clinic in 2009?”

Prize: $10 Seward Co-op Gift Card

Guesses from Tweeps:

• Hypertension from @coien
• Pneumonia/Pleurisy from @pinswithfury
• Strep from @smelltheglover
• Asthma from @therealpommel
• Diabetes from @coien
• Diabetes from @Neighbster

We had a tie between @coien and @Neighbster with the correct answer Diabetes. @coien generously passed to @Neighbster! The winner @Neighbster, Neighborhood House, is dedicated to helping people, families, and organizations develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive in diverse communities. They will be using the gift card for their food shelf—we couldn’t have asked for a better winner!

Diabetes was the most diagnosed illness at People’s Center in 2009.

In response to this, People’s Center put together a Diabetes Team whose goal is to address the needs of our diabetic and pre-diabetic patients.

Meet the team:

Dr. Samira Zoberi, Board Certified Family Physician
Chief Medical Officer
Asli Ashkir, Registered Nurse
Kathryn Hang, Clinical Dietitian, Nutrition Educator
Nimco Abas, Outreach Director
Shalo Somo, Outreach

This team works hard to provide coordinated care to our diabetic patients. Meaning, they help the patient understand what it means to have diabetes and give them the necessary tools and knowledge they need to feel more empowered. The team is even working on a Diabetes Education Video, which will be available digitally by the end of the year.

Diabetes is a prevalent condition and we hope you will take time to learn more about it and what you can do for prevention.

http://www.diabetes.org

Are you interested in finding out more about diabetes team? Or scheduling an appointment with one of our diabetes team members? Please call, 612-332-4973

The People’s Center Theater is showing a new production called “Proof.” This play, produced by The Phoenix Theater Project, is about an aging father with mental illness and the toll it takes on his two daughters who must care for him. Cheryl Champion, a LICSW for the People’s Center Health Services Behavioral Health Department, has been consulting with the director and actors about mental illness and aging and the effects on individuals in a family. There are plans to have audience discussion after each performance to be led by Cheryl Champion and/or other mental health professionals.

September 10th through the 25th
Ticket Prices:
$16.00 w/credit card (advance sales online)
$15.00 w/cash or check (at the door)

email matt@thephoenixtheaterproject.org for group discounts

For more information visit our website.

Common barriers like boredom, hassle, and expense keep us from consuming the amount of fruits and veggies that we really should. September is National Fruits and Veggies Month and let’s get started with knowing exactly how many fruits and vegetables we should be eating. Use this easy calculator to find out the recommended daily servings for your age, sex, and level of physical activity!

Now that you know your recommended daily servings… time to start eating!

Here are some tips to fight fruit and veggie boredom, while also saving money!

• Buy fruits and veggies in season at your farmers’ market or local grocery store.  (Buying in season produce not only shakes up the variety, but is also more affordable than buying out-of-season.)
• Grow your own vegetables and fruits. (Seeds are a small investment and you’ll feel so much pride in your harvest that you’ll be sure to eat it all!)
• Be creative. Use fruits for dessert or veggies for breakfast. Mix it up a bit and surprise yourself. (Here are some recipes to get your creative juices flowing.)
• Get resourceful with your leftovers! Instead of throwing that last tomato away, make salsa! Use the last bits of your fruits to make a smoothie. Challenge yourself to use all the produce you buy and you might even discover a new snack.

Need a simple, no math or measuring proof way to make sure you’re getting a good amount of veggies and fruits? Eat a Rainbow. Try and eat a fruit or vegetable for each color of the rainbow every day.

Examples:

Red: Strawberries, Tomatoes
Orange: Sweet Potatoes
Yellow: Corn, Pineapple
Green: Spinach, Broccoli
Blue: Blueberries
Purple: Plums, Eggplant
White: Onions

Make a commitment this September to eat more fruits and vegetables and let us know how you’re doing. People’s Center Health Services is dedicated to helping you improve your health and that means eating healthy too. Contact us today about scheduling an appointment with our registered dietitian, Kathryn Hang. We are proud to be partnered with the Seward Co-op and even offer dietitian visits AT the Co-op–you’ll not only learn how to seek better health, but you’ll actually be given hands-on shopping skills at a local, organic grocery.

Call 612-332-4973 to schedule your Nutrition Visit now. Or visit our website and find out more.

As one of the bright spots in America’s health care system, Community Health Centers are the family doctor to over 20 million people at 8,000 sites nationwide. Their critical role in providing quality primary care has been widely praised by bipartisan Congressional leaders and the last two Presidential Administrations. Health centers have also been in the public spotlight because now more than ever the uninsured and casualties of the economic recession are seeking their services. That is why funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have made it possible for health centers to serve over two million patients, and over one million uninsured patients. And with health reform, the U.S. health care system will save up to $122 billion in total health care costs between 2011 and 2015 with the expansion of health centers, according to an analysis by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

Here at People’s Center Health Services, we will be celebrating National Health Center Week by hosting information tables in the clinic lobby with:

• Back to school information for children
• Healthy snacks
• Nutrition assessments
• Yoga instruction
• Resource information

This is also a great time to schedule your child’s back to school visit with our Pediatric Certified Nurse Practitioner, Deborah Olson, for well-child check ups and immunizations.

Our tables will be setup Tuesday, August 10th and Thursday, August 12th from 4-6 pm, so come stop by and learn more about the great work of Community Health Centers, like People’s Center Health Services.