Surprising Things That Can Raise Your Blood Sugar

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

High blood sugar can lead to various health problems for people living with diabetes. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of triggers that may cause blood sugar levels to elevate.

Stress – causes release of certain hormones that raise blood sugar
Sunburn – because the pain raises stress
Lack of sleep – causes the body to not properly use insulin
Artificial sweeteners – may contain carbohydrates
Dehydration – causes blood sugar to become more concentrated
Medications – ingredients in some cough medications, diuretics, heart medication, oral steroids can raise blood sugar
Gum disease – an infection can cause higher blood sugar levels
Not eating breakfast – might lead to reduced production of insulin by the pancreas
Menstruation – due to hormonal changes
Physical inactivity – has the opposite affect of keeping active which reduces blood sugar
Caffeine – stimulates hormones that may increase levels
Sugar free foods – may contain carbohydrates that serve to raise blood sugar
High fat foods – digesting fatty foods causes the body to raise blood sugar
Sports drinks – they are usually high in sugar content
Birth control pills – the ones that contain estrogen can raise blood sugar

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center to discuss proper nutrition and physical activity, please call 718-206-7001.

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.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Posted on March 14, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

The Brain Injury Association of America ( BIAA) has designated the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness month. This designation was initiated over thirty years ago to bring attention to this very serious issue.

There are two basic types of brain injuries. They are:

Non Traumatic Brain Injury – caused by lack of oxygen, a tumor, a stroke or a birth defect
Traumatic Brain Injury – caused by a fall, penetrating wound, or by blunt force to the head

The BIAA estimates that there are over 5.3 million people in the United States that are living with a brain injury and it is estimated that 2.8 million new cases occur each year.

A brain injury can affect a person physically, behaviorally or emotionally. Almost half of brain injuries are due to a person falling and hitting their heads. Other leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are sports-related injuries and head trauma due to domestic violence.

Anyone who experiences a head trauma should immediately seek proper medical evaluation and care. If the person loses consciousness, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Employee Spotlight Shines on Jose Otero

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

This month, we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Jose Otero, Special Care Associate (SCA) in the Cardiovascular Interventional Unit at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

Jose began his employment at the hospital 27 years ago. He is a native of Brooklyn and still resides there. He attended PS 106 and completed his education at Bushwick High School. In his free time he enjoys building things in his home, different types of arts and crafts, painting and woodworking. He likes to improve his home with things that he has constructed on his own. Jose is fond of motorcycles and whenever he has the opportunity, he takes rides through scenic areas in and out of the city. He belongs to a group called the Latin American Motorcycle Association which has over 15,000 members worldwide. The group has members from all different professions who ride for the shear pleasure of being out on the roads, enjoying their time together. One day he hopes to travel to places that he has always wanted to visit.

Jose’s father was a professional musician who played many different types of instruments. This instilled in him a love of a wide variety of musical genres. He feels that through music people can communicate their feelings and music can also make people feel happy. His favorite sport are the martial arts. He has been practicing martial arts for over 30 years and it has become like a religion to him. It takes a great deal of concentration and gives him much inner peace.

Family and friends are very important to Jose. He likes to make people smile whenever possible. He feels that through his interactions with patients he can take away some of the anxiety and stress that they may be feeling. We are very fortunate to have Jose as a member of our team and look forward to having him continue with us for many more years.

Potty Training Tips

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

Everyone who has ever experienced potty training a child knows that it can be challenging. One of the challenges people encounter is deciding when to begin potty training. The average age for commencing potty training is between 18 months and two years of age. However, each child is different, and it may take more time. Girls typically start potty training earlier than boys.

Before beginning training, it is important that children are able to:

Follow easy instructions
Walk to where a potty is located
Know what a potty is
Know how to communicate the need to go potty
Keep a diaper dry for two hours
Get on and off the potty easily
Take off their diaper or their clothes on their own

When training a child to go potty, establish a word or phrase that indicates that it is time to go potty. You can introduce the concept of using a potty by doing some practice first. That means with their clothes on so that they get accustomed to sitting on the potty. Giving a child some positive reinforcement when they use the potty is also helpful, even if they make an attempt and nothing happens. This can include verbal compliments and perhaps a sticker they can put on a piece of paper. Do not use words that have negative connotations about going to the potty. The potty should be kept in the same location in the home. It is important to set a routine for using it. Examples of this would be upon waking up in the morning, after a nap, 15 to 30 minutes after a meal, or 45 minutes after drinking fluids.

Potty training isn’t always easy, and there will be times when a child may have an accident, but the process will get better with time. You can speak to your pediatrician for suggestions if you feel that there are issues with your child using the potty. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

Low Vision Awareness Month

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, nearly three million Americans suffer from low vision, a visual impairment that cannot be corrected through medical treatments such as surgery, medication, or specialized eyewear. Low vision is most common among people aged 40 years and older.

One of the most common causes of low vision (and the leading cause of vision loss in people aged 50 and older) is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which impairs a person’s central vision and interferes with tasks such as reading or driving. Your risk of developing this condition increases as you age, but this risk may be higher for people who have a family history of AMD, are Caucasian, or smoke.

This condition can occur as either “dry” (also known as “atrophic”) AMD or “wet” (also known as “advanced neovascular”) AMD. The majority of AMD cases involve dry AMD, which occurs in three stages: early, intermediate, and late.

Early dry AMD usually doesn’t involve any obvious symptoms, but during the intermediate stage, you may experience mild blurry vision or difficulties seeing in low lighting. Late AMD may cause symptoms such as straight lines appearing crooked, increased blurry vision, greater difficulty seeing in low lighting, colors appearing less bright, and visual blank spots.

There are no specific treatments available for the early stage of dry AMD, but during its intermediate and late stages, special dietary supplements may be able to slow or halt the progression of the disease. These supplements contain:

Vitamins C (500 milligrams)
Vitamin E (400 International Units)
Copper (2 milligrams)
Zinc (80 milligrams)
Beta-carotene
Lutein (10 milligrams)
Zeaxanthin (2 milligrams)

Wet AMD is a form of late-stage AMD that progresses quickly as abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye, damaging the macula. It always begins as dry AMD and can occur during any stage of the condition. Unlike late-stage dry AMD, however, it can be treated through anti–vascular endothelial growth factor drugs or through photodynamic therapy (PDT), which combines injectable medications with laser treatments.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of dry or wet AMD, schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ophthalmology Center now by calling (718) 206-5900.

Employee Spotlight Shines on Christa Deleon

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

This month, we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Christa Deleon, Executive Administrative Assistant in our Food and Nutrition Department.

Christa has been working at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for 10 years. She grew up in Island Trees on Long Island and currently resides in Levittown. Christa attended Island Trees Elementary School and Island Trees High School. She graduated from Berkley College where she received her bachelor’s degree.

She has two sons, Luca and Massimo who are seven and five years of age. Christa also has a one year old female American Bully who’s name is Raven. One of Christa’s favorite things to do is to spend time with her sons, her family and friends. She likes to try all types of new restaurants, but her favorite would be anything Italian.

Christa loves to travel. She has been to many different cities both domestically and internationally, including Paris, Washington D.C and her favorite place to go on vacation is to Aruba. One of the countries she would like to visit one day is Italy. Christa enjoys reading, especially psychological thrillers. She likes all different types of music. Her sons play football, soccer and lacrosse and she enjoys watching them when they are playing. Christa used to play softball and soccer and is an avid hockey fan. Her favorite hockey team is the New York Islanders.

Christa enjoys working at Jamaica Hospital because of the diversity of the staff and our patients. She feels as though she has learned a lot culturally and linguistically. Christa is proud to be part of a team that has a positive impact on people’s lives and their health. We look forward to her working with us for many more years into the future.

Tips To Help You Your New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

The beginning of every new year always seems to be a great time to make resolutions for changes to something in our lives. However, these New Year’s resolutions are often easier to make than to keep.

Here are some tips to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions:

Select one goal that you want to achieve instead of many
Plan in advance how you intend to achieve your goal
Don’t be too ambitious with your goal, it is best to keep it simple
Break up your goal into smaller, manageable parts
Pick a goal that involves a new activity
Try to learn from past challenges with achieving your goals
Don’t let yourself become discouraged if you have setbacks
Keep a daily log of your progress
Pick a goal where you can measure the results

Achieving a goal that you made as your New Year’s resolution is always easier when you have the support of friends and family. Let people know what you hope to achieve and enlist others who can be supportive. Additionally, give yourself some positive reinforcement when you are working towards a goal.

A Recipe for Healthy Chicken Soup

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

Not only does a bowl of chicken soup help keep us warm in the winter, its ingredients may also provide several benefits for our health. Here is a recipe from the National Foundation for Cancer Research for chicken soup that is both healthy and delicious. https://www.nfcr.org/blog/chicken-soup-helps-soothe-the-common-symptoms-of-cold-flu-and-mild-covid-19/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoKOfvpLEgwMV_mBHAR0u_wzQEAMYASAAEgKmf_D_BwE

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Posted on January 2, 2024 by Andrew Rubin

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that mainly affects people who are middle aged or older, but it can affect anyone at any age. There are more than three million people in the United States and 60 million people worldwide who suffer from glaucoma. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Typically the disease starts to develop suddenly, often without symptoms, and once vision is lost, it is permanent. As much as 40 percent of vision can be lost before some people even notice a problem. It usually starts with loss of peripheral vision. Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve so that the brain isn’t able to receive images from the eyes. There are two types of Glaucoma, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma where pressure inside the eye increases on its own and damages the optic nerve and Secondary Glaucoma where another disease causes the pressure in the eye to increase and that results in optic nerve damage. Both types will eventually lead to blindness. Early detection of Glaucoma can help to slow down the progression of the disease. Regular eye exams are very important. To schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718- 206-5900.

Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Enjoy the holiday season with this delicious recipe from the Food Network for Yorkshire Pudding. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/yorkshire-pudding-recipe-1943597