Year: 2015

Spicy Foods May Lower Your Risk of Death

Good news for lovers of hot food: Several recent studies suggest that turning up the heat in your diet might trigger all kinds of health benefits including a fired-up metabolism, protection from stomach damage and even reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Now, new findings, published in the journal BMJ, proposes spicy foods may also lower a person’s overall risk of death, the Washington Post reports. For the study, researchers reviewed the dietary habits of more than 500,000 people from China, where spicy dishes are standard in many regional cuisines. (Think hot pepper-infused stir fries or dumplings bathed in chile oil.) Scientists gave participants questionnaires about what they ate every day and followed them for about seven years, from 2004 through 2008.

After controlling factors such as age, gender, education level, marital status, alcohol consumption, smoking, underlying illnesses and more, researchers found that participants who ate spicy foods once or twice each week showed a 10 percent lower risk of death than those who never ate them. What’s more, those who dined on spicy fare three to seven times each week enjoyed a 14 percent lower risk of death. Why exactly does this happen? Well, researchers suggested that capsaicin, the molecule responsible for the “hot” sensation in your mouth when eating a spicy meal, could be the key. “The beneficial roles of capsaicin have been extensively reported in relation to anti-obesity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-hypertensive effects,” researchers wrote in the BMJ report. But as interest in this topic heats up, scientists said that to determine the exact connection between longevity and spicy foods, more research must be done.

Summer fun is almost over for millions American students. It’s time to put away the swimsuits, dust off the book bags and head back to school soon. To ensure that students of all ages go to class in the best possible health, the nation’s emergency physicians advise parents and guardians to do a little homework of their own and go through a back-to-school health check list.

Checklist:

• Organize your child’s medical history records and emergency medical contact information. Provide copies of this information to your child’s school and any day care providers with instructions to take it with them to the emergency department if your child is sick or injured. The form should include information related to prescription medications, medical problems, or previous surgeries as well as pertinent family history and emergency contacts. Free forms can be downloaded on the EmergencyCareForYou website. An emergency information form is also available for children with special needs.
• Coordinate with the school nurse and your child’s physician to develop action plans for any health issues, such as asthma or food allergies. Communicate these plans to all appropriate care givers.
• Schedule medical and dental check-ups before school starts. Some children will need immunizations. Consider vision and hearing tests, since impairment can adversely affect learning. Consider a sports check-up if your child will be playing in sports.



• If your child takes the bus, establish a safe, visible pick up/drop off spot, preferably with a group of children and in an area where they can be clearly seen by adults. If your child drives to school, make sure he or she obeys all laws and wear seatbelts.
• Make sure your children know how to telephone for help. Post emergency contact numbers by every telephone in your home. Have them practice how to call 911or the local emergency number and give their names address and a brief description of the problem.
• Develop a family emergency plan in case something happens on the way to (or from) and while at school. Be aware of the emergency and evacuation plans for your children’s schools.

Were you born at Loretto Hospital? If so, you could win a free 37 inch flat screen TV or a round-trip airline ticket. This is your invite to a very special birthday party on August 29th at Loretto Hospital. Call 773-854-5063 now!

Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) selected Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) as a new grant earning Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Secured through a nationally competitive application process, this award to HBHC includes an annual operating grant of approximately $650,000 and other benefits designed to increase access to high-quality primary care, behavioral health, and ancillary services to thousands of low-income LGBTQ people and allies.

“With this award and federal designation, Howard Brown will expand its reach, assuring thousands more people – especially the most vulnerable in the Chicago area—will have greater access to comprehensive and culturally competent health care,” said David Ernesto Munar, HBHC President and CEO. In 2001, HBHC achieved FQHC Look-Alike status. This new designation elevates HBHC into a new category of federally recognized and funded health care providers in the U.S.

“This is a monumental accomplishment for Howard Brown Health Center. Through our tenacious efforts we have earned the federal government’s stamp of approval and are seen as an integral part of the nation’s community health center safety net,” said Duke Alden, HBHC Board President. The grant is part of a wider HHS initiative that made grant awards totaling $169 million for health care services reaching more than 1.2 million patients at 266 health center sites across the country.

Erie Family Health Center encourages parents to beat the back-to-school rush. With the choice of convenient back-to-back medical and dental appointments, parents can schedule a complete medical or dental exam early this year to avoid long wait times. “At Erie, we understand how busy life can get especially as it gets closer to the first day of school. If your child has not had a complete well-child visit or a complete dental exam now is the time to schedule one,” said Dr. Sara Naureckas, Erie’s Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Medicine. “By scheduling these important school check-ups today parents can get in and out quickly, avoid the rush and continue enjoying the summer.”

Medical exam requirement

Completed medical exam forms are required for children entering pre-kindergarten and kindergarten as well as the 6th and 9th grades.

Dental exam requirement

Completed dental exam forms are required for children entering kindergarten, 2nd and 6th grades.

Vaccination requirements

Beginning this school year some children will now require the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) in addition to the other required vaccinations. In order to enter school, all sixth graders are now required to show proof of one dose of the MCV and all 12th graders will need to show proof of receiving two doses, unless their first dose was administered after they were 16 years old. Erie will work with parents to ensure that children receive the vaccines they need to enter school.

To make a medical or dental appointment, call Erie Family Health Center at 312-666-3494; suburbs, 847-666-3494.