Gut Health

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Digestive problems such as heartburn, gas, bloating, and constipation reflect what is happening throughout your body. They can also be indicative of problems that may be affecting your gut health.

The main drivers of gut health change are shifts in stomach acid, gut immunity, and gastrointestinal flora, or the “gut microbiome.” The gut microbiome refers to the microorganisms living in your intestines.

Each person has about 200 different species of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in their digestive tract. Some microorganisms can be harmful to our health; however, many are incredibly beneficial and even necessary for a healthy body.

Research indicates that having a large variety of bacteria in the gut may help reduce the risk of conditions that include:

Diabetes
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Psoriatic arthritis

Over the past few decades, research has found a connection between gut health and mental health disorders, autoimmune diseases, endocrine conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

A higher level of diversity in gut bacteria may be associated with improved gut health, as well as your general mental and physical health.

You may be able to improve and possibly reset your gut health through lifestyle and diet changes. Some ways you can improve your gut health naturally include:

Managing and lowering your stress levels
Eating the right foods
Getting enough sleep
Eating slowly
Staying hydrated
Taking a prebiotic or probiotic
Checking for food intolerances
Changing your diet
Being more physically active
Getting help for issues such as anxiety and depression

Diet and gut health are very closely linked. Avoiding processed foods, high-fat foods, and foods high in refined sugars is important for maintaining a healthy microbiome, as these foods may promote the growth of damaging bacteria.

Eating certain foods that actively promote the growth of beneficial bacteria contributes to your overall health. These foods include:

Foods high in fiber
Garlic
Fermented foods
Collagen-boosting foods

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

National Donate Life Month

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

April is observed as National Donate Life Month, a month that focuses national attention on the need and importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Established in 2003, by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations, National Donate Life Month is a time to educate about organ, eye, and tissue donation, and honor and remember donors and the lives they have saved and healed.

You can help promote National Donate Life Month by:

Registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor
Learning more about living donation
Supporting the Donate Life cause

By spreading the word and educating others about donation, small steps can be taken each day towards saving more lives by encouraging Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and honor those who have saved lives through the gift of donation.

To register to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor, please visit https://donatelife.net/.

Hop into the Kitchen to Make this Delicious Recipe for Spring Vegetable Fettucine Alfredo

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Spring is here! As the temperatures warm up, how and what we eat changes. Here is a light and delicious recipe for spring vegetable fettuccine alfredo. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/spring-vegetable-fettuccine-alfredo-3577686

Dementia

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Dementia is a general term that represents a group of diseases and illnesses that cause the loss of cognitive functioning to the point that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.

Cognitive changes they may experience include:

Memory loss, usually noticed by someone else
Problems communicating or finding words
Trouble with visual and spatial abilities, such as getting lost while driving
Problems with reasoning or problem-solving
Trouble performing complex tasks
Trouble with planning and organizing
Poor coordination and control of movements
Confusion and disorientation

Some people with dementia can’t control their emotions, and they may also have psychological changes, such as:

Personality changes
Depression
Anxiety
Agitation
Inappropriate behavior
Hallucinations

Dementia is caused by damage to your brain, affecting its nerve cells and destroying the brain’s ability to communicate with its various areas. Dementia can also result from blocked blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients. Without oxygen and nutrients, brain tissue dies.

Progressive dementias get worse over time. Types of dementias that worsen and aren’t reversible include:

Alzheimer’s disease (the most common cause of dementia)
Vascular dementia
Lewy body dementia
Frontotemporal dementia
Mixed dementia

Other disorders linked to dementia include:

Huntington’s disease
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Parkinson’s disease

Some causes of dementia-like symptoms can be reversed with treatment, including:

Infections and immune disorders
Metabolic or endocrine problems
Low levels of certain nutrients
Medication side effects
Subdural bleeding
Brain tumors
Normal-pressure hydrocephalus

Many risk factors can contribute to dementia, including:

Age
Family history

A healthcare provider must recognize the pattern of loss of skills and function to be able to diagnose the cause of dementia. No single test can diagnose dementia, therefore, a series of tests may be conducted to determine a diagnosis. These tests include:

Cognitive and neuropsychological tests
Neurological evaluation
Brain scans
- CT or MRI
- PET scans
Laboratory tests
Psychiatric evaluation

Most types of dementia can’t be cured, but there are ways to manage your symptoms, including:

Medications
Therapies

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 206-7001. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.

Common Spring Allergy Triggers

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Xavia Malcolm

Spring allergy season typically begins around March or April and lasts until June or July.

During this time of year, we become more susceptible to allergy triggers, or allergens, which are substances that can cause allergic reactions. The most common spring allergens are:

Tree pollen
Grass pollen
Mold spores
Insect venom

Exposure to these allergens can trigger a response from your immune system, causing it to release chemicals such as histamine and prostaglandins, which can lead to the following symptoms:

Runny nose
Sneezing
Itching
Red, watery or itchy eyes
Hives
Dark circles under the eyes
Sore or scratchy throat
Headache
Cough
Fatigue
Postnasal drip

Minimizing your exposure to allergy triggers can help you avoid or limit symptoms. Here are a few tips to help you do that:

Check the pollen count by watching the weather forecast or using an app
Change your clothes when you arrive home after being outdoors
Consider wearing a mask outdoors
Avoid driving with the windows open
Keep the windows closed at home
Vacuum regularly
Consider using a HEPA filter at home

Allergy symptoms may also be alleviated by using home remedies, such as a saline rinse, or by taking over-the-counter medications. If your symptoms do not improve, consult your doctor; they may recommend prescription medications or additional therapies to help you find relief.

To schedule an appointment with an allergist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

Robot-assisted Hysterectomy

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the uterus.

Depending on the reason for the surgery, a hysterectomy can involve removing surrounding organs and tissues, such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Your healthcare provider will discuss the type of hysterectomy you need depending on your condition. This will determine if your fallopian tubes and/or ovaries will be removed.

The different types of hysterectomy surgeries include:

A total hysterectomy removes the uterus and cervix but leaves the ovaries. Since you still have ovaries, you won’t enter menopause immediately after surgery.
A supracervical hysterectomy removes just the upper part of the uterus while leaving the cervix. You can also have your fallopian tubes and ovaries removed at the same time. Since you still have a cervix, you will still need pap smears.
A total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy removes the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Since your ovaries are removed, menopause will start immediately if you haven’t already completed it.
A radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy removes the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, the upper portion of the vagina, and some surrounding tissue, and lymph nodes. Healthcare providers use this procedure when cancer is involved. Since your ovaries are removed, you will enter menopause.

A healthcare provider may suggest alternative treatments before recommending a hysterectomy, depending on the reason for needing one. Sometimes, those treatments don’t help, or surgery is the only option to treat the condition.

Surgeons perform hysterectomies to treat the following:

Abnormal or heavy vaginal bleeding
Severe pelvic pain
Uterine fibroids and other noncancerous tumors
Severe endometriosis
Uterine prolapse that can lead to urinary incontinence or fecal incontinence
Cervical, ovarian, or uterine cancer
Conditions with the lining of your uterus, such as hyperplasia or adenomyosis
Serious complications of childbirth such as uterine rupture

Many people have a hysterectomy to prevent cancer. For people at high risk for certain types of cancer, removing the uterus and/or surrounding reproductive organs can reduce the chances of developing cancer.

Healthcare providers can use several different surgical approaches to perform a hysterectomy. A surgical procedure that is performed is a robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy.

A robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy is similar to an abdominal laparoscopy, however, a surgeon performs the procedure with the help of a robotic machine.

A surgeon inserts a laparoscope through the abdomen incisions. They insert small, thin surgical tools through three to five other small incisions around your belly button. The surgeon controls robotic arms and instruments.

The recovery is similar to a laparoscopic hysterectomy.

There are many potential advantages of robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy including:

Robot-assisted surgery provides the surgeon with 3D images of inside your abdomen and pelvis that create a clearer picture for them to reference as they operate.
Under the surgeon’s direction, the robot can move more freely and with more versatility than a human hand
Minimal scarring
Less pain
Faster recovery times
Less risk of wound infection,
Shorter hospital stays
Less blood loss

For more information about robotic surgery at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center or to learn more about other surgical options, please call (718) 206-7001 to make an appointment.

MS Awareness Month

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

March is observed as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, a month that raises awareness about the disease.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that causes the breakdown of the protective covering of nerves called myelin. Multiple sclerosis can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes, and other symptoms. This interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. MS eventually causes permanent damage to the nerve fibers.

Launched in 2003, National MS Education and Awareness Month is a nationwide effort by MS Focus: The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and affiliated groups to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis. The vital goals of this campaign are to promote an understanding of the scope of the disease and to assist those with MS in making educated decisions about their healthcare.

MS Awareness Month benefits those with MS, their families, and communities. It is also an opportunity for family and friends of people with MS to learn more about the disease.

There are several ways to get involved in MS Awareness Month, including:

Sign up for an MS walk
Attend educational events
Share your story
Make a donation
Wear orange
Spread the word on social media

MS affects everyone differently. MS Awareness Month brings awareness to the condition’s many forms.

Getting involved during MS Awareness Month can help raise awareness for this condition and lead to a cure.

The Difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it produces effectively.

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes have similar names, however, they are different diseases with distinctive causes.

A key difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is type 1 is caused by an autoimmune reaction and develops early in life. Type 2 diabetes develops over several years and is related to lifestyle factors such as being inactive and carrying excess weight, and is usually diagnosed in adults.

Type 1 diabetes is believed to be caused by an autoimmune reaction where the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, mistaking them for foreign invaders. After the beta cells are destroyed, the body can no longer produce insulin.

Researchers are unsure why the immune system attacks the body’s cells. They believe it may be due to genetic and environmental factors, such as being exposed to viruses.

People who have type 2 diabetes have an insulin resistance. The body can still produce insulin but is unable to use it effectively.

Researchers aren’t sure why some people become insulin-resistant and others don’t, but several lifestyle factors may contribute to it, such as being inactive and carrying excess weight.

Other genetic and environmental factors may also play a role. When a person develops type 2 diabetes, the pancreas will overcompensate by producing more insulin. Because the body can’t effectively use the insulin, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream.

Risk factors for type 1 diabetes are less clear than risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

The known risk factors for type 1 diabetes include:

Family history
Age

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:

Having prediabetes or slightly elevated blood sugar levels
Carrying excess weight or having obesity
Having a lot of belly fat
Being physically active less than three times a week
Being over the age of 45
Having had gestational diabetes
Giving birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds
Being Black, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, or Alaska Native due to structural inequities contributing to health disparities
Having an immediate family member with type 2 diabetes
Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

If not managed properly, type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to symptoms that can include:

Urinating frequently
Feeling very thirsty and drinking a lot of fluids
Feeling very hungry
Feeling very fatigued
Having blurry vision
Having cuts or sores that don’t heal properly
Having very dry skin
Having more infections than usual

People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes can also experience irritability, mood changes, and unintentional weight loss.

Unfortunately, type 1 diabetes can’t be prevented. However, it is possible to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes that include:

Maintaining a moderate weight
Working with a healthcare provider to develop a healthy weight-loss plan, if you are overweight
Increasing activity levels
Eating a balanced diet and reducing the intake of sugary foods and overly processed foods

If you are experiencing diabetes symptoms, you can call to schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center at (718) 206-7001.

Jamaica Hospital Opens New Pediatric Unit

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

On Wednesday, March 19^th, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center proudly opened its newly renovated inpatient pediatric unit.

When creating the new space, emphasis was placed on comfort, safety, and privacy. The unit, located on the 5^th floor of the hospital, is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring equipment and features 13 beds, including two isolation rooms complete with a HEPA filtration system.

Additionally, the pediatric unit is beautifully decorated with child-friendly murals to create a soothing environment and offers a family lounge, an open refreshment area for families, and a pediatric playroom, which will be staffed by a dedicated Child Life Specialist.

The pediatric unit is staffed by board-certified pediatricians, as well as experienced pediatric registered nurses and respiratory therapists. Jamaica Hospital also offers a wide variety of pediatric subspecialty services, including pediatric endocrinology, urology, pulmonology, cardiology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, surgery, and neonatology, to provide comprehensive care for the children in the community.

Construction on the pediatric unit began in April of 2024 and was almost entirely completed by Jamaica Hospital’s in-house Engineering Department. During construction, pediatric patients requiring admission were transferred to Flushing Hospital Medical Center, also part of the MediSys Health Network, where they received expert and compassionate care.

“This is an exciting day for the community and Jamaica Hospital,” stated Marge Lilienthal, Director of Nursing for Women & Children’s Services. The opening of this new unit reaffirms the hospital’s commitment to the care of children in our communities. We now have a world-class facility for our doctors, nurses, and the rest of our health care team to deliver care.”

Meet Our Doctors: Dr. Michael Chang and Dr. Fausto Cabezas Bolanos

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

We are pleased to introduce Dr. Michael Chang and Dr. Fausto Cabezas Bolanos, the newest members of the nephrology team.

Dr. Michael Chang is an attending nephrologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago and completed his internal medicine residency at Montefiore Moses-Weiler Campus in the Bronx, New York. He later completed a fellowship in nephrology at the Mount Sinai Hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Dr. Fausto Cabezas Bolanos, also known as Dr. Fausto by his patients, is a board-certified Nephrologist and Internist. He is incredibly passionate about helping people live healthier lives and believes that adopting a plant-based diet and lifestyle changes can significantly improve kidney health and overall well-being. After earning his medical degree from Universidad del Valle in Colombia, Dr. Bolanos completed a research fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, focusing on artificial organ support and transplants. During this time, he realized that while medical technology is powerful, simple lifestyle interventions like healthy eating and exercise can lead to positive heart and kidney disease outcomes.

Dr. Chang is especially interested in providing high-quality, compassionate care to his patients. Many of his patients suffer from diabetic kidney disease and hypertension. Dr. Chang particularly enjoys bridging the knowledge gap for patients about their conditions, He spends considerable time counseling patients, so they understand their treatment plans. One of his favorite aspects of his work is getting to know patients personally. When prescribing medications for kidney disease, he is mindful of a patient’s values and lifestyle. He is also passionate about working with medical trainees and teaching them to become more curious and independent doctors.

Since making New York City his home, Dr. Bolanos is proud to have served several communities throughout Brooklyn and Queens. He completed his Internal Medicine residency training at Woodhull Medical Center/New York University Hospital and later completed a Nephrology Fellowship at SUNY Downstate/ Kings County Hospital Medical Center. He has an unwavering commitment to caring for vulnerable communities and forging long-standing relationships with patients afflicted with kidney disease. In his free time, Dr. Bolanos enjoys running and swimming to stay active and healthy.

We are proud to welcome Dr. Chang and Dr. Bolanos to our team and look forward to the work they and the rest of the Nephrology Department will do to provide high-quality care to our community.