Happy Holiday and Healthy Hearts!

Happy Holiday and Healthy Hearts!

Eating healthy during the holidays presents challenges to some! The holiday season is often celebrated in various ways among diverse cultures. As we begin this celebratory season and consume our culturally prepared vast array of food, let us not forget that diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are a reality for many.

Little Known Health and Heart Facts:

In 2016, Centers for Disease Control reported that 70 million people in the United States have high blood pressure, second leading cause of death of Americans and only half of these people have their high blood pressure under control. Hypertension also increases the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Some people that have high blood pressure may also have diabetes. According to 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report, 29.1 million in the United States have diabetes and 8.1 million of those have not been diagnosed. Other conditions may co-exist with hypertension and diabetes such as hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). Having multiple health conditions increases one’s morbidity and mortality risks, which could complicate treatment and result in poor health outcomes. Diabetes may lend to more serious complications, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation particularly of the lower limbs. The number of newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes was greater among people of age 10-19. These shocking statistics are real life data and these numbers can be reduced through prevention and health promotion.

Prevention is key! Let’s take control of our lives by modifying our diets and making good food choices, increase our physical activity, eliminate smoking and limit alcohol intake. Healthy Living is equivalent to longevity!

Let the conversations continue with Health Watch (www.wfskfm.org)! Where health prevention and promotion is “everyones'” responsibility!  Please join in on Thursdays 6:00-7:00pm, Central Time.

2017 Topics are forthcoming!

Please visit links regarding detailed information: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/statsreport14/national-diabetes-report-web.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/

http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/docs/fs_bloodpressure.pdf

http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_455757.pdf    

Thriving Beyond Cancer

“Cancer” it is a word we once were too afraid to talk about. Now more and more people are opening up about being cancer survivors. Whether it is cancer walks, participating in research to find cures, or attending survivorship events, if you haven’t been touched by cancer, no doubt you know someone who has. And while “cancer” still affects us, it’s no longer the death sentence it once was. More and more people are living and not dying with cancer. What medicine is doing in response to cancer has a lot to do with it.

That is why we turned our spotlight today on what is happening to help those affected by cancer. Health Watch (www.wfskfm.org)  (Thursdays 6:00-7:00pm, Central)  talked about “Thriving beyond Cancer: Cancer Survivorship Care” with Dr. Debra Friedman of the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center and Dr. Jay Groves of the Vanderbilt Dayani Center. They showed us how cancer survivorship care has changed.

Cancer is no longer an automatic death sentence. Instead, more and more people (13 million and counting in the U.S. alone!) are living and thriving beyond cancer. How are they doing it? They are doing it through an integrated wellness approach that focuses on the whole person, not just the cancer. This wellness approach, which is housed under the Vanderbilt Cancer Wellness Program, includes services and supports that focus on the mind, body and spirit of cancer survivors.

Some of the supports offered include: mindfulness, yoga, massage, nutrition consultations and movement. These are offered by trained practitioners who know how to integrate healing with cancer care. While wellness is no guarantee a person touched by cancer will never be touched again, it is assurance cancer survivors can live a quality of life that moves them from merely surviving to thriving beyond cancer. That’s why Health Watch wants YOU to know more about it. For more information about the Vanderbilt Cancer Wellness Program check out this link:   http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/cancer/33763

Cancer doesn’t have to be the end. With the right help and supports it can be a whole new beginning. Health Watch is committed to supporting cancer survivors and keeping our community in touch with what leads to health and life. That’s why Health Watch is the spot always making health happen!

Being ill shouldn’t hurt.

Ask any person what they fear most about illness and they will likely tell you they fear pain. No one wants to suffer. Although suffering is a reality for many who are ill, suffering and illness shouldn’t go together. Fortunately, there are those working to change this situation for the better.

How do we relieve pain for those who are ill? What can be done to make sure people live a good quality of life for however long they live? Those were some of the questions we explored last night on Health Watch as we considered the topic, “Why Suffering and Illness Shouldn’t Mix: Pain Relief for the Seriously Ill.” Joining us by phone was Dr. Diane Meier, director of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine palliative care institute and center in New York City. She holds the distinction of being a 2008 MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” recipient and recently edited a book, Palliative Care: Transforming the Care of Serious Illness, which comprehensively considers pain and pain management. Dr. Meier was an ideal guest to talk about pain relief.

Dr. Meier shared that how we deal with pain, whether as a patient or a provider, is related to culture. We discussed how cultural notions like “gritting our teeth and bearing it,” and “no pain, no gain” often create situations in which pain is not treated like a medical emergency (which it is), but instead as a statement of character. As a palliative care specialist and geriatric physician, Dr. Meier works to change the way healthcare deals with pain and suffering. She is succeeding one patient and family at a time.

During the program Dr. Meier explained what palliative care is. Palliative care is care provided to relieve pain, stress and other symptoms of serious illness. Palliative care is not the same as hospice, which provides care at the end of a person’s life. Although hospice is part of palliative care, palliative care is not just for those who are terminally ill or dying. Palliative care is for anyone experiencing pain or suffering related to illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve people’s quality of life for however long they live. Achieving this first requires walking in another’s shoes.

Dr. Meier talked about how good palliative care first starts with providers listening to patients about their pain. Good listening, which includes rating pain intensity and setting goals to reduce pain, leads to better identification and address of specific pain symptoms. But, palliative care is more than just good listening. It is also about providers’ foreknowledge of the side effects associated with pain-relief medications (things like constipation), as well as understanding that pain is more than physical. It is emotional and spiritual, as well. Treating chronic pain and suffering, therefore, requires a team approach, one that includes healthcare providers, social workers, chaplains, family members and others. Each has an important role to play in providing pain relief. Dr. Meier’s genuineness and concern for those in pain was apparent even over the phone. It was a Health Watch you would not have wanted to miss!

Before we closed the show, Dr. Meier talked about the unsung heroes/sheroes of the palliative care movement. These people are caregivers. Often overlooked, caregivers walk daily the pain management road with their loved ones. Busily caring for others, caregivers often neglect their own health, too often leading to their premature deaths and disability. Dr. Meier spoke candidly about how we need to help share the load with those who care for others. She also strongly encouraged caregivers to advocate for their loved one’s pain management, even to the point of sometimes irritating healthcare providers to do it. When it comes to effective pain management, assertiveness pays in better quality outcomes.

If you want to find out more about Dr. Meier and her palliative care approach, then check out these links:

http://www.npcrc.org/about/about_show.htm?doc_id=437101
http://www.mountsinai.org/profiles/diane-e-meier

People who are hurting shouldn’t have to. Relieving pain associated with illness requires time, empathy and compassion. Although it may not be easy, giving someone quality time to spend living is definitely worth it. Health Watch will continue shining its light on paths that lead to better health and pain-free living. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we do better. Then pass it on!”

Roots and Wings to Soar

The best families give you two things. They give you roots that connect you to something bigger than yourself. Families also give you wings, which help you soar to your fullest potential. Knowing who you are and where you come from affects many things, including physical, emotional and spiritual health.

For many, particularly African Americans, knowing the depths of our families’ roots is a challenge. With the institution of American slavery, many families of African descent were separated and displaced throughout the Americas. Compounding the issue is the lack of written records documenting enslaved African Americans’ history. Often these records are spotty, at best, or missing, at worst. Yet, where there is a will there is a way.

Within each of us is a key, unlocking the door to who we are, while also showing us the past and future, including our health. Health Watch wanted to find out more about this. So we dedicated yesterday’s show to exploring the topic, “Roots and genes: The link between DNA testing, history and health.”

Joining us was Dr. Rick Kittles, a scientist who well understands the connection between history, genes and health. Dr. Rick Kittles is a biologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the scientific director of African Ancestry, Inc. Dr. Kittles was the right guest to talk about how history and health are written in our genes.

As Dr. Kittles explained so much of who we are is encoded in DNA, which stands for Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid. We inherit DNA equally from our biological mothers and fathers. By studying the distinct patterns in the maternal or paternal lines scientists can determine lots of useful information about who we are, what health conditions we are predisposed to, and the ethnic groups our families originated from. Taking those applications to scale, Dr. Kittles and colleagues have developed African Ancestry, Inc., a genetics testing service which uses DNA to identify where in Africa people of African descent originated. Since starting the company, more than 20,000 people have used the relatively lost cost, fast and easy testing service.

Beyond genetic inheritance, Dr. Kittles also laid to rest the myth that race is a biological. Although there is tremendous physical variation between people, which we then use to put people into boxes or typologies called “races,” in actuality human beings no matter what their skin color or other physical features are almost identical biologically. Race is a cultural and social idea, not a biological one. That issue sparked some lively conversation with our Health Watch listeners.

While DNA helps unlock history’s past, including facts like all human beings originating from early humans located in Africa, it also has applications for health. DNA is answering questions about the excessively high incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer among African American men. It is also the driving force behind personalized medicine and genome mapping. The science of DNA is creating new and exciting paths of discovery. Yet, with any new technology there is an up side and a down side. DNA-related research is no exception. Dr. Kittles shed some light on this also.

DNA material once collected can be used for multiple research purposes. As healthcare consumers, when you provide human tissue, salvia, blood or other specimens, you should ask how is it going to be used and whether it will be saved for later use. Whether you decide to contribute your biological material or not, you should know this up front. However, as Dr. Kittles shared, the responsibility of conducting ethical research rests squarely on the shoulders of scientists themselves. Those who seek to know must first careful consider the implications of what they do and how they do their work. Dr. Kittles is obviously an advocate for researcher accountability. If you missed yesterday’s Health Watch, you definitely missed an important discussion. It was radio worth hearing!

To find out more about DNA testing and its applications, check out African Ancestry, Inc.’s website. They have a wealth of information, as well as a schedule for their 2010 national tour. Here’s the link to get your search started: http://africanancestry.com/

Health Watch believes when you know who you are, the rest is derivative. Here’s to finding your roots and developing wings to soar. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we do better. Then pass it on!”

You can learn some new tricks.

It seems like the older you get, the less you remember. You once could turn around on a dime and give 9 ½ cents back in change. Now you are lucky if you remember to get the change while you are actually paying for your purchase. Remembering is a valuable tool, no matter what walk of life you are from. If we could only remember as well as we used to or even better, now wouldn’t that be something. Well, Health Watch wanted to find out if it was possible. Can you can teach an old dog new tricks when it comes to memory?

Joining us by phone was two-time Guinness World Book Record holder for memory Dave Farrow. Dave not only perfected memory techniques to overcome his ADD and dyslexia, he is now on a mission to boost others’ memory to improve their lives and achieve their goals. It was a Health Watch you would not have wanted to miss.

During the program we discussed common memory challenges, including remembering peoples’ names. Picture this scenario. You are meeting several people for the first time and you want to remember their names. How do you do it? Dave advised that you first slow down and take the time to actually recognize each person, instead of meeting people in rapid-fire succession. Next, after meeting each person, ask yourself the question, “What is this person’s name?” When you do this, you will more easily recall the person’s name and store that information in your long-term memory.

Have you ever forgotten where you placed something? If so, do not fret. Just use this trick Dave shared with us. Imagine the item blowing up. (Please do not actually make the item blow up!) The visual will spark your memory, leading you directly to where you last placed the item.

Beyond specific memory tips, Dave shared with us several applications of his memory techniques. We covered topics like speed reading, focus and goal setting, improving memory as well as how to read for maximum comprehension. For this last one, Dave suggested reading intensely in short bursts (5-8 minutes) followed by 5 minute breaks. Reading and studying this way increases retention and lessens the need to cram. Dave definitely gave our Health Watch listeners food for thought and something to remember.

If you are looking for ways to improve your memory and achieve your life goals, then perhaps Dave Farrow has tools you can use. You can find out more about Dave and his techniques at this link: www.yourmemorysucks.com

Whoever said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” perhaps never met the right coach. Here’s to improving your memory to get the most out of life. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we should do better. Then pass it on!”

Quitting is closer than you think.

Kicking the tobacco habit is easier said than done. Just ask anyone who has either quit or is trying to quit. Quitting is a process, not a destination. Yet, kicking the tobacco habit is possible! That is the good news.

Quitting requires understanding smoking and what tools work best to quit. Just like planning for a battle, quitting takes strategy and support. Doing just that-- developing a strategy to help you or someone you love kick tobacco is our goal. Health Watch is so intent to succeed we dedicated an entire show to smoking cessation. It was a program you would not have wanted to miss.

Helping us understand tobacco addiction was Dr. Charles Bentz, an internist and medical director for the Legacy Health System Tobacco Cessation & Prevention Program in Portland, Oregon. We could not have asked for a better guest to talk about kicking the tobacco habit. Dr. Bentz not only understands the issue as a physician and advocate, but as a former smoker himself.

We talked about how breaking the smoking habit is really about two competing challenges. The first is nicotine addiction. The other is smoking behavior. Each comes with its on set of issues to tackle. Nicotine, when inhaled, alters the brain’s chemistry. Therefore to break the addiction requires stepping the body down from its nicotine dependency.

Smoking also is not just something people do. Smoking comes with its own set of meanings, feelings and behaviors. Some people smoke when they are with others or during breaks. As a result, smoking cigarettes is linked with other activities and people. Breaking the habit requires knowing what triggers the desire to smoke and altering that. The more a person interrupts these triggers, the more successful quitting becomes.

During our conversation Dr. Bentz also helped us understand the mystery of why African Americans are less likely to smoke, yet they are more likely to die from lung cancer. Much of is has to do with the types of cigarettes African Americans consume and how they smoke cigarettes. Mentholated cigarettes, preferred more often by African Americans, contain menthol, which sooths the throat. Consequently, people who smoke mentholated cigarettes draw harder while smoking and even smoke up to the filter to get the most of each cigarette. Who knew that cool sensation was numbing us to an early grave!

Although smoking is not an easy habit to break, quitting is possible. That was the message Dr. Bentz wanted our Health Watch listeners to know. Quitting requires having the right support and tools. Tools like quit lines. Each state has a local 1-800 number that providers callers counseling support right over the phone. They also have information about other resources that can help people quit. In Tennessee, the number is 1-800- QUIT-NOW. Help is just a phone call away.

So whether it is your first time or umpteenth time quitting, keep trying. Each attempt brings you one step closer to kicking the habit for good. Remember you are not in the fight alone. Health Watch is in your corner and on your side. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we should do better. Then pass it on!”

“Peace in the midst of a storm”

If you were anywhere near a television or radio in January 2010 the day the earthquake in Haiti happened or the days thereafter, what you saw and heard touched you. With so many people hurt, scared and unaccounted for, if you could do nothing else you prayed. It is hard to witness a traumatic event like that and not be affected. There were surely times you rejoiced when someone had been pulled from the rubble. Then there were times you wept when you saw people being buried in mass graves. For days on end we were on an emotional rollercoaster.

Now imagine being in Haiti only days after the earthquake. With so many people in need, where do you start? Who do you help and how do you help? What can you say or do to provide some comfort and reassurance that although things are turned up-side-down, hope still lives? When you are the caregiver in the midst of disaster, how do you keep your sanity to help others stay sane?

Last Thursday evening Health Watch considered the topic, “Staying Sane in the Midst of Disaster: The Haitian Earthquake Experience.” Providing a first-hand account of what he witnessed and the work that remains to be done was Dr. Rahn Bailey, a psychiatrist with Meharry Medical College. Days after the earthquake, he and colleagues from the National Medical Association arrived like “angles in the midst of rubble” to provide comfort and care to those devastated by disaster. What he shared with our Health Watch listeners was incredible.

Dr. Bailey saw extreme poverty and lack of infrastructure to quickly support rescue and recovery. Nevertheless, he also found a resilient people, who although devastated by the earthquake, were not leveled to their emotional core. History and faith had seen these people through hard times before. These assets were providing emotional anchor once again. Battered, bruised and shaken, Dr. Bailey and his team members dealt with the immediate emotional needs of orphans directly impacted by the disaster.

As to be expected, Dr. Bailey talked about issues of post-traumatic stress, fear, anxiety and depression amongst many of the girls in the orphanage and their caretakers. He also talked about how caregivers, including some of the older girls, provided emotional sanctuary for others. This sanctuary included individual and group counseling, along with opportunities to share what each girl experienced in her words. It was apparent as he recalled the experience that Dr. Bailey was touched deeply by what he saw. It was a Health Watch program you would not have wanted to miss!

Dr. Bailey also talked about parallels many children in Haiti dealt with before, during and after the earthquake and the issues many of our children face at home. The wounds of abandonment, limited access to healthcare, disease, sexual assaults and violence do not go away when the ground starts to move. Instead, they can be compounded by a natural disaster. That is why Dr. Bailey and his associates are dedicated to returning to Haiti in late spring 2010. Rebuilding lives after a disaster takes time and commitment.

If you want to find out more about Dr. Bailey’s experience in Haiti and the lessons it offers for providing support to those affected by natural and human-made disasters, then check out this link:

http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/4675/1/In-Haiti-to-help-psychiatrist-asked-How-could-things-get-better/Page1.html

Health Watch will keep you posted on what is happening with the Haitian recovery effort. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of those devastated by life’s storms. Until next time, remember, “When we know better, we should do better. So pass it on!”