October 2015 - Page 2 of 2 - Health BeatHealth Beat

VEGAN CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUPN (GLUTEN FREE)

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Joann Ariola

For a creamy and vegan pumpkin soup recipe sprinkled with almonds and fresh rosemary, try the recipe below.

Serves: 3

Prep time – 5 minutes

Cook time – 25 minutes

Total time – 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, diced
½ pumpkin, peeled and cubed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, diced
4-5 cups vegetable broth
½-1 cup coconut milk

Instructions

Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add pumpkin and garlic and continue to cook for a few more minutes.
Add rosemary and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until pumpkin is soft and cooked through. Add salt to taste.
Puree soup in a blender (in batches) and return to the pot.
Add coconut milk and simmer for another minute or two.

Give this recipe a try. It is simply delicious and healthy too.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

How Stress Affects Your Digestive System

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Xavia Malcolm

Our brain and gut are mo stomach pain -178554755 re in sync than you may realize. For instance, the very thought of food can cause the stomach to produce digestive juices or the thought of giving a big presentation may cause constipation or uncontrollable bowels.The brain and gut are in constant communication. This direct relationship causes our gastrointestinal system to be sensitive to emotions and reactions such as stress.

When we are stressed, our brain sends signals for chemicals such as adrenaline, serotonin (a hormone that affects mood and is found in the digestive system) as well as the stress hormone cortisol to be released. These hormones can cause adverse reactions.

Stress negatively affects our digestive system in many ways. It can cause a decrease in blood and oxygen flow to the stomach, cramping, an imbalance in gut bacteria and inflammation. These symptoms can further develop into gastro intestinal (GI) disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), irritable bowel disease (IBD), peptic ulcers or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

There are several things you can do to reduce stress and improve gut health. Practicing stress-management techniques such as exercising regularly, avoiding stressors, socializing, getting sufficient sleep or relaxing can greatly minimize your levels of stress.

In addition to practicing stress reduction techniques, you can support your digestive health by drinking less alcoholic beverages or consuming less sugar- as too much sugar can cause an imbalance in the ratio of good and bad bacteria in the stomach. Increasing your intake of foods that promote digestive health such as those rich in probiotics or foods that aid the body in producing digestive enzymes is also helpful.

The gut is often referred to as “the second brain” of the body. If you are experiencing consistent complications of the digestive system, your body is probably trying to tell you that there may be a bigger problem. Make an appointment with a gastroenterologist who specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal, liver, and pancreatic disorders to examine your symptoms.

Jamaica Hospital’s Division of Gastroenterology consists of board-certified gastroenterologists who provide high quality and expert care to patients who suffer from such conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings. To schedule an appointment, please call 718 206 6742 or 718 206 7001.

Trampoline Safety Tips to Avoid Serious Injury

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Michael Hinck

Put a kid in front of a trampoline and dare them NOT to jump on it. They can’t resist! Trampolines provide hours of fun for children (and even some adults), but how safe are they?

The answer is not very safe at all. Trampoline jumping poses a high risk of injury for children. The activity can result in strains, sprains, fractures and other injuries — including potentially serious head and neck injuries. In fact, over a ten year period, trampoline injuries accounted for nearly one million visits to emergency departments. Due to these alarming statistics, the American Academy of Pediatrics now strongly discourages the trampolines for residential backyard use. In addition, most home owner insurance policies don’t cover trampoline-related injuries.

Despite these risks, parents are still buying and kids are still jumping on trampolines. If you choose to allow your child to jump on a trampoline, here are a few safety tips to greatly reduce the chances of injury:

Only allow children on trampolines with safety nets. Trampoline enclosures are special nets that surround the trampoline to ensure children don’t fall off.
Make sure they are padded. Trampolines padding should cover the frame, springs and surrounding landing surfaces with shock-absorbing pads.
Place the trampoline on level ground. Make sure it’s a safe distance from trees and other hazards.
Limit trampoline activity. Allow only one person to use the trampoline at a time. Don’t allow somersaults or other potentially risky moves on the trampoline.
Don’t allow unsupervised jumping. If you use a trampoline ladder, always remove it after use to prevent unsupervised access by children.

While following these rules won’t guarantee that your child won’t get injured on a trampoline, they can decrease the likelihood of having to take a trip to your local emergency department.

The Importance Of Early Detection

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Xavia Malcolm

breast cancer awareness -517467601 October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Did you know that breast cancer is one of the most common cancers found in women in the United States? Every year there are an estimated 230,000 new cases of breast cancer. About 40,000 women are expected to die annually from this disease. However, more women are surviving breast cancer due to improvements in treatment and early detection.

Cancer deaths can be decreased by as much as one-third with early detection and treatment.

Early detection can start from home. Doctors suggest that women perform monthly breast self-exams. In addition to yearly screenings and mammograms, self-exams can help women to monitor changes or abnormalities that may occur in her breasts. It is important to remember that breast self-exams are never a substitute for clinical breast exams or mammograms.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women should begin receiving clinical breast exams in their twenties. Women below the age of forty are advised to receive them every three years. Those over 40 should schedule yearly mammograms and clinical breast exams.

Mammograms are one of the most effective breast screening and diagnostic tools; however, other tools such as MRI’s or ultrasounds may also be used to further evaluate abnormalities or help diagnose breast cancer.

Early and immediate treatment is one of the benefits women will gain from early detection of cancer. If you are age forty and older schedule an appointment for a mammogram as soon as possible. The American College of Radiology is a great resource to find accredited facilities and breast imaging centers.

National Depression Screening Observation Day

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Andrew Rubin

National Depression Screening Day which is recognized as October 8th was started in 1990 as a way to make people aware of this disease and to provide them with mental health information and access to support services. Though many mental health conditions are treatable, many people go through life not seeking help because they haven’t been properly diagnosed. Medical professionals estimate that one in five Americans has a mental health condition in any given year and less than half will receive treatment.
Depression affects one in 10 adults and is more common in women than in men. Depression can be categorized either as Major Depression which interferes with the ability to sleep, eat, work and study or as Persistent Depressive Disorder which lasts for at least two years having varying levels of severity and which does include Major Depression during this time. Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.

Signs and symptoms of depression include:
• Waking up and feeling exhausted
• Sleeplessness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Short temper
• Always worrying or anxious
• Lack of energy
• Sadness
Take this quick and to see how you are doing.
(This screening tool © Copyright Mental Health America”
Depression is real and there are ways to treat it. Treatment options include therapy with a trained professional and in some situations medication may be prescribed. If you would like to make an appointment to speak to one of our mental health professionals, please call 718-206-7071

Is There Really A Way Even If You Have The Will?

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Joann Ariola

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the world. It can be a contributing factor in other diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and dementia. Overeating is often cited as the only reason people are obese. In discussions about weight gain and obesity, many people seem to think that it is purely a function of willpower.

Since what we weigh is, normally, attributed to what we eat we must ask the question:

Is over-eating the only reason a person becomes overweight?

Human behavior is driven by various biological factors like genetics, hormones, and neural circuits. Eating behavior, just like sleeping behavior, is driven by biological processes. Therefore, saying that behavior is a function of willpower is way too simplistic.

Here are some factors thought to be the leading causes of weight gain, obesity and metabolic disease that have nothing to do with willpower:

Genetics – Obesity has a strong genetic component. Offspring’s of obese parents are much more likely to become obese than offspring’s of lean parents.
Insulin – Insulin is a very important hormone that regulates energy storage, among other things. One of the functions of insulin is to tell fat cells to store fat and to hold on to the fat they already carry. When insulin levels elevate, energy is selectively stored in fat cells instead of being available for use.
Medications – Certain medications can cause weight gain as a side effect. Some examples include diabetes medication, antidepressants and antipsychotics. These medications don’t cause a “willpower deficiency,” they alter the function of the body and brain, making it selectively store fat instead of burning it.
Leptin –This hormone is produced by the fat cells and is supposed to send signals to the hypothalamus (the part of our brain that controls food intake) that we are full and need to stop eating. The problem for some is their leptin isn’t working as it should because the brain becomes resistant to it. This is called leptin resistance and is believed to be a leading factor in the pathogenesis of obesity.

Thyroid Disease – Thyroid hormone regulates our metabolism. Too little hormone slows the metabolism and often causes weight gain.
Cushing’s syndrome – This condition results when the adrenal glands (located at the top of each kidney) produces an excess amount of a steroid hormone called cortisol. This leads to a buildup of fat in characteristic sites such as the face, upper back and abdomen.

A doctor can determine if any of these conditions or treatments is responsible for your obesity. If you would like to see a physician, please contact the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center to schedule an appointment. 718-206-7001.

Can Some Bacteria be Good for You?

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Michael Hinck

Bacteria. The word alone makes us think of infection, disease and illness. We hate all bacteria, right?

Actually, there is such a thing as GOOD bacteria. They are called probiotics and they help you maintain a healthy digestive system. They do this by lowering “bad” bacteria that can cause infections and other problems. Sometimes we don’t have enough good bacteria in our systems (for instance, like when we are on antibiotics). A lack of good bacteria can cause a variety of digestive issues. By taking probiotics, we are replacing those good bacteria which are sometimes lost.

Probiotics are most commonly taken to help prevent or improve common digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. Others have suggested that they are also beneficial in treating skin conditions, such as eczema, improving urinary and vaginal health, and preventing colds and allergies.

Your body naturally generates probiotics, but if you want to increase your good bacteria levels, you can take probiotics in supplement form or get them by eating certain foods, most notably yogurt and other fermented products.

Probiotics are natural so they are generally considered safe to take, even in supplement form. It is recommended that you speak to your doctor about the best way of incorporating probiotics into your diet.

Shingles

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Andrew Rubin

Shingles is the term used for a skin rash that is caused by the herpes-zoster (varicella) virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person has had chickenpox, and the symptoms have resolved the virus can lie dormant dormant in their nerve roots for years. In some cases it can reactivate and cause shingles. Some of the factors that can cause the virus to become activated are stress, advanced age, exhaustion or a weakened immune system.

This rash is very painful and can last for many weeks. It is most frequently located on one side of the body, usually it shows up on the abdomen, the back or the buttocks as a band or stripe of fluid filled lesions that later are covered with scabs. They can also be found on the face and when they do, extra precautions must be taken so as to not affect the eye. Shingles isn’t contagious to people who have already had the chickenpox. There is the possibility of people contracting chickenpox if they come in contact with the open sores and if they have never had it before, however that risk is very low.

Signs and symptoms of shingles:

• Itching
• Red rash on one side of the body
• Pain
• Sensitive to the touch
• Headache
• Weakness
• Fluid filled blisters
• Tingling sensation
• Exhaustion
• Fever

Symptoms will last for several weeks, sometimes months. There isn’t a cure for shingles but a physician will usually prescribe medications to make the symptoms less intense. Antiviral medication will shorten the length of time that the symptoms will be present. Medication for pain will also help. People with shingles also get some relief by using certain skin creams, oatmeal baths, and cool compresses while the skin rash is active.
There is a vaccine for chickenpox which is given to children and to adults who have never had the disease. There is also a shingles vaccine that people who have had chickenpox can be given. It doesn’t guarantee that a person won’t develop shingles but can reduce the chances of developing complications. To learn more about vaccines for chickenpox or shingles please make an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital by calling 718-206-7001.