Tips for Safe Holiday Driving

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Many people drive to visit loved ones during the holiday season, making it important for them to exercise caution on the road.

Several potential hazards, such as weather conditions and drunk, rushed, or inattentive drivers, can make travel during this part of the year more dangerous. Some ways that you can manage these hazards and make the roads safer for everyone include:

Having a designated driver: Alcohol consumption (sometimes in large amounts) is common at many holiday gatherings, so it’s essential that everyone who plans to return home by car have a designated driver. Ideally, this person should drink as little as possible during the gathering. If they choose to drink, some rough estimates for how long they should wait before driving include:

1 hour for each shot of liquor
2 hours for each pint of beer
3 hours for each glass of wine

Remember: if you or your designated driver are too drunk to drive and no one else is available to get you home, you can (and should) use a car service such as Uber to return safely.

Sticking to the speed limit: If you’re stressed about arriving at your destination on time, it can be easy to rush and start driving faster than you should be without realizing it. This increases your risk of getting into an accident and makes the road more dangerous for other drivers around you, as well as anyone traveling in the car with you. Pay attention to how fast you’re driving and stay close to the speed limit.

Check weather conditions before driving: The cold weather that occurs during the holiday season can cause a variety of problems with your car, including icy roads, poorer visibility (if it’s snowing), dying car batteries, and thicker oil that struggles to circulate throughout your car. While you can’t always avoid these issues, it’s still important to be aware of how likely they might be, allowing you to better prepare for (and more easily manage) them if they occur.

If you or any of your passengers are injured due to a car accident, make sure to call 911 right away. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Level 1 Trauma Center treats a high volume of motor vehicle collision injuries in New York City each day. To learn more, please call (718) 206-6000.

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.

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

Sjogren’s Syndrome

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Xavia Malcolm

Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack and damage the glands that produce and control moisture in the body.

Sjögren’s is classified into two types: primary and secondary. In primary Sjögren’s, there are no other autoimmune diseases present. Secondary Sjögren’s is diagnosed in someone who also has other rheumatic conditions.

Parts of the body that are most affected by the disease are the eyes and mouth. However, the skin, joints, kidneys, nerves, lungs, and thyroid can also be impacted over time.

Dry eyes and mouth are the most common symptoms of Sjögren’s. But people living with the disease may also experience:

Tooth decay
Vaginal dryness
Dry skin
Skin rashes
Joint pain
Swollen lymph nodes
Muscle pain
Heartburn
Acid reflux
Shortness of breath
Light sensitivity

Health complications that could potentially develop as a result of Sjögren’s include:

Lymphomas
Damage to the nervous system
Gastroparesis
Eye infections
Abnormal liver function
Irritable bowel
Yeast infections
Recurrent bronchitis

The cause of Sjögren’s syndrome is unknown. Research suggests that a combination of genetics, environment, and hormones may be linked. Certain factors can increase the risk of developing the disease. These are:

Age – Sjögren’s is typically diagnosed in people older than 40
Gender- women are more likely than men to develop the disease
Rheumatic disease- having rheumatic conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis
Genetics- having one or both parents living with Sjögren’s

There is no cure for Sjögren’s syndrome; however, there are several ways to treat and manage the disease. Treatment may include medication, the use of artificial saliva or tears, the use of special moisturizers or lubricants, hormone therapy, or tear duct surgery. Applying lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, increasing fluid intake, wearing protective glasses, increasing the humidity in your home, and reducing stress can help you manage symptoms.

If you are experiencing symptoms associated with Sjögren’s syndrome, please contact your doctor to schedule an examination. Your doctor may diagnose the disease by conducting blood tests, eye exams, x-rays, or biopsies.

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

Tips to Maintain Dental Health During the Holidays

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year. While it is easy to get caught up in the merriment, we need be to be mindful of the effects all of the holiday festivities can have on our dental health. With sweet treats all around us, one particular cause of concern is how our teeth can be impacted.

Here are a few tips to help make sure we maintain good oral health into the new year:

Don’t forget your dental routine – No matter how busy you get this holiday season, don’t forget to practice good oral hygiene.
Eat healthy – Cookies and sweets are nice holiday treats, but instead of reaching for another candy cane, take a cue from the reindeer and fill your plate with vegetables, such as carrots.
Drink healthy – Avoid drinking sodas, sports drinks and juices with lots of sugar. Instead, drink water with fluoride in it to keep your teeth strong and healthy. If you want something bubbly, try carbonated water. If you must drink soda, use a straw to keep most of the acid off your teeth.
Be responsible while drinking alcohol – Aside from all the obvious reasons to be responsible when consuming alcohol, also know that it can affect your teeth. Red wine can stain your teeth and the acid in most alcoholic beverages can also be damaging.
Don’t skip your dental visit – We all know how hectic the holidays are, but whether it is a regular check-up or a visit to deal with an existing issue, it is important to make the time to honor your regular dental visit and not out it off until after the holidays.
Don’t use your teeth as a tool – Avoid using your teeth to tear open packages, tear tape or ribbons, or cracking nuts. These types of cations can lead to chips or breaks.
Stuff your stocking wisely – Sugary treats such as candy canes are a holiday staple, but try to limit the number of sweets in Christmas stockings that can lead to cavities. Use the holidays as an opportunity to replace everyone in the family’s toothbrush by dropping one in each stocking.

By following these simple dental tips, you can avoid being placed on Santa’s naughty list this year.

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

For many people, the holiday season can be a stressful time. Whether you’re experiencing financial difficulties, relationship issues with loved ones, or health problems that interfere with your ability to enjoy the holidays, it’s important to have effective ways to manage these causes of stress to prevent them from disrupting your holiday season. Some steps you may consider taking include:

Setting reasonable expectations for yourself: Circumstances such as cost or availability may sometimes make it difficult to accomplish certain things during the holiday season, such as getting an expensive gift for someone or hosting a big family dinner. To avoid stress, don’t over-extend yourself; instead, recognize what you can reasonably accomplish with the time and resources you have. Set realistic expectations for any gift-giving, hosting, or other responsibilities you have for the holidays.

Learning to de-escalate (or avoid) conflicts: Some holiday gatherings may bring family members together who don’t get along well. Conflict at these gatherings can create negative experiences for everyone involved, so it’s helpful to consider ways in which you can de-escalate them. If you’re hosting, try to steer the conversation into a more friendly direction; if the conflict escalates, remove the involved members from the gathering. Alternatively, it can also help to remove yourself from the situation, particularly if you’re one of the people directly involved in the conflict.

Keeping up with therapy: If you regularly attend therapy sessions for your mental health, try to maintain this schedule during the holiday season. While this part of the year can become extremely busy for many people, therapy can be an important outlet for stress, as well as a tool to help you learn coping mechanisms throughout the holidays.

If you need a psychiatrist to help you manage mental health problems, such as severe stress, that worsen during the holiday season, you can schedule a therapy appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry by calling (718) 206-5575.

Choosing Safe Toys For Children This Holiday Season

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

The holiday season is the best time of the year to buy toys for children. However, parents are often overwhelmed by a larger selection, and choosing the best toy can become challenging. The most important thing to remember when choosing toys for toddlers is picking safe and appropriate toys for their age.

Each year hospital ERs are visited by over 200,000 young children, typically under the age of three, who have incurred toy-related injuries. These injuries can be avoided if parents keep these guidelines in mind when buying toys:

Carefully read warning labels
Do not buy toys with small and removable parts
Check to see if toys are on a recall list by visiting sites such as recalls.gov or cpsc.gov.
Avoid buying toys with parts that launch or projects
Do not purchase toys with sharp edges or points
Make certain that cords or strings are shorter than seven inches
Avoid buying toys that make extremely loud noises

Most toys come with warning labels that advise parents of potential choking hazards and compatibility by age group. Parents should pay close attention to these labels and do due diligence by researching toys and inspecting them for further dangers.

How Can Mold Impact Your Health?

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Mold growth is a common issue in many homes, and one that can cause a variety of medical problems. Many of the potential physical responses to mold exposure, such as a stuffy nose, sneezing, and red, itchy eyes, may occur more strongly in people who are allergic to mold or who have asthma. In some cases, severe reactions such as fever or shortness of breath can occur.

Mold is typically found in moist areas, such as parts of your home that have experienced flooding or leaks from your roof, windows, or pipes. It’s most likely to grow on wood-based products such as paper or cardboard, as well as some ceiling or floor tiles. Other materials that mold can grow on include:

Paint
Drywall
Carpet
Fabric
Insulation
Upholstery

You can often identify mold by its sight and smell. It often produces a musty odor and appears as one or more patches that are slimy, fuzzy, and/or discolored; these patches grow larger over time. Mold may also grow in places that are not easy to see, such as behind or under furniture, as well as inside pipes or walls. You can look for areas of your home where mold is most likely to grow by looking for signs of water stains or warping due to water damage.

If you notice signs of a mold problem in your home, make sure to identify the source of any water leakage and correct it, as well as discard any items with extensive mold growth or water damage that can’t be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Small areas of mold growth can be cleaned with soap and water, but for large-scale mold problems, it may be best to hire a licensed contractor to correct the issue.

If you are experiencing medical problems due to mold exposure, you can receive treatment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.

A Healthy Thanksgiving Recipe – Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Thanksgiving dinner can be accompanied by healthy side dishes this year. Here is a recipe from Good Housekeeping for sauteed spinach with garlic and lemon that is easy to prepare, delicious and most importantly, very healthy. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a34349776/glazed-green-beans-recipe/

The Great American Smokeout

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Today is the Great American Smokeout, an annual event when the American Cancer Society encourages everyone to quit smoking. This event helps to make people aware of the dangers of using tobacco products as well as the tools that are available to help them quit smoking.

The Great American Smokeout started in 1970 in a small town in Massachusetts. People were asked to give up smoking for one day and to take the money that they would have spent on cigarettes and donate it to a local high school scholarship fund. The event spread to other cities both large and small and eventually led to legislation that bans smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and other public spaces both indoors and outdoors.

Smoking is responsible for one in five deaths in the United States today. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in both men and women. Smoking is also the cause of cancer of the larynx, mouth, sinuses, throat, esophagus, and the bladder. The number of people who smoke has dramatically decreased in the United States since the anti-smoking campaigns began. In 1965 it was estimated that over 40 percent of the population were smokers and today that number is around 18 percent.

Smokers have the best chances of quitting if they use at least two of the following methods:

Smoking Cessation Groups
• Nicotine substitute products
• Support from family and friends
• Telephone quit lines
• Counseling
• Prescription medications that help to reduce the urge to smoke

If you would like more information about quitting smoking please call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital to discuss smoking cessation, please call 718-206-8494.

What are Venous Ulcers?

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

A venous ulcer is a wound that takes a longer time to heal than normal due to issues with blood flow to the heart from your extremities. This causes blood to pool in the legs and damages surrounding skin tissue; as a result, venous ulcers form, most often occurring on your legs near your ankles.

Venous ulcers may be identified based on their appearance, smell, and the sensations associated with them. Typically, these ulcers are shallow and irregularly shaped, and the skin around them may be hard and discolored. They also tend to ache and are typically itchy, foul-smelling, swollen, and oozing pus or other fluids.

The blood flow problems in your legs that cause venous ulcers to develop can occur due to a variety of factors, such as:

Age
Obesity
Paralysis
A sedentary lifestyle
Smoking
Surgery
Prior injuries

You may also be more likely to develop venous ulcers due to conditions that affect the flow of blood from your legs, such as deep vein thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, high blood pressure, venous obstruction, and venous reflux. Additionally, your risk may be higher if any of these conditions have affected members of your family.

Venous ulcers can cause permanent damage to surrounding tissues without treatment. Your doctor may recommend a variety of treatment approaches, depending on the underlying medical problems that may have caused the ulcer to develop. Treatment may also involve several elements focused on the ulcer itself to relieve pain and prevent further tissue damage. Some of these elements may include:

Antibiotics
Bandages or stockings to improve blood flow and/or cover the wound
Protective topical ointments
Pain relief medication
Debridement
Daily cleaning of the wound

If you have developed a venous ulcer, you can receive high-quality treatment from the vascular surgeons at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To receive more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.