November 2017 - Health Beat

Addiction

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Addiction is a very complex chronic condition that causes a person to be dependent on performing an activity or taking a chemical substance in order to get through the day. It is a chronic disorder with psychosocial, environmental, and biological influences that affect a person’s behavior. Very often an addiction can have detrimental effects on a person’s well-being and ability to function normally.
Some of the substances and activities frequently associated with addiction include:
• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP)
• Inhaled substances ( glue and paint thinner)
• Opioid pain killers
• Tobacco
• Sedatives
• Gambling
• Sex
People who are addicts may build up a level of tolerance to whatever it is they are addicted to and may need more and more to satisfy their cravings. If a person who has an addiction is not able to meet the demands of their addiction, their behavior can change dramatically and cause them to act irrationally until the cravings are satisfied.
Some of the reasons people become addicted to a substance or an activity include:
• Feeling of pleasure
• Relief from stress
• Performance improvement
• Peer pressure curiosity
Professional help for the different types of addiction disorders do exist. The first step is usually having the person with the addiction realize that they have a problem and be willing to try to treat it. It is helpful if the reasons that a person has become addicted to a drug or an activity can be identified when trying to determine the appropriate plan of action. Often treatment options may include prescribed medications along with individual or group counseling. Flushing Hospital offers a specialized unit for people who have addiction problems. To schedule an appointment with this department, please call 718-670-5078.

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.

Five Tips to Help Quit Smoking

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Joann Ariola

The Smoking Cessation Team at Flushing Hospital Medical Center suggest five common sense steps to provide the best chance for quitting smoking for good:

Get ready: set a quit date and throw out all cigarettes and ashtrays from your home.
Get support: tell your family, friends and doctor about quitting plans; search the internet for advice.
Learn new behaviors: distract yourself from the urge to smoke; exercise or go for a walk.
Get medication: combining medication like nicotine patches or Zyban with behavioral adaptation and family support quadruples your chances of success.
Be prepared for relapse and difficult situations– most people try to quit a few times before succeeding.

If you would like to learn more about quitting smoking call the Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Smoking Cessation Team at 718-670-3146.

Keeping Your Immune System Strong During Cold and Flu Season

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Our immune system protects our bodies from illness and infection. While having a strong immune system is important all year long, there are times of the year that its effectiveness is tested more than other.

With cold a flu season upon us, Flushing Hospital wants to offer some day-to-day lifestyle tips to avoid weakening your immune system and keep you healthy.

STRESS
Prolonged periods of intense stress can affect the immune system. Stress causes the brain to boost the production of hormones that weaken the function of the infection-fighting T cells. If you are experiencing high levels of stress, try to adopt stress-relieving activities to boost your immune system.

POOR SLEEP
Poor sleep is strongly associated with a weak immune system as it reduces the number of killer cells needed to fight germs. Recent research has suggested that the amount of flu-fighting antibodies produced was cut in half in those who were sleep deprived.

ALCOHOL
Excessive intake of alcohol may reduce the immune system’s response to invading pathogens because alcohol contains ingredients that impair lung functionality, making us more prone to viral or bacterial infections.

POOR DIET
Excessive consumption of refined sugars and highly processed food containing pesticides, chemical additives and preservatives can weaken the immune system. In addition, obesity can lead to a weakened immune system as it affects the ability of white blood cells to multiply, produce antibodies and prevent inflammation.

By adopting some healthy lifestyle practices and avoiding certain others, we can give our bodies the best chance of staving of illness this cold and flu season.

Can Breastfeeding Help Moms Lose Weight?

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Xavia Malcolm

According to La Leche League International, when combined with maintaining a healthy diet and exercise, breastfeeding can help most moms to lose weight after childbirth.

The body requires energy to create breast milk. On average, most women who choose to breastfeed burn an additional 300-500 calories each day than those who do not. When compared to certain physical activities such as thirty-minute aerobic workouts, breastfeeding can burn a comparable amount of calories.

Although breastfeeding can help mothers to shed pounds, eating well-balanced meals and including physical activities in your daily routine is also strongly encouraged for healthy weight loss.

Experts at La Leche League remind women to set realistic goals as losing weight will occur gradually over time. It may take most women six to nine months, in some instances longer, to shed pounds gained during pregnancy.

The organization further advises mothers to consult with their doctor before beginning a diet or weight loss regimen. Depending on the circumstance, most doctors would recommend that new moms wait six weeks after delivery to begin a diet or weight loss routine. This time is needed to help the body to establish a good supply of milk.

Your doctor can help you to create a healthy weight loss plan that is compatible with your lifestyle and current state of health.

To schedule an appointment with a doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5486.

Great American Smokeout

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Joann Ariola

On November 16, 2017, the Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Smoking Cessation Team joined with the American Cancer Society and participated in The Great American Smokeout. The Smoking Cessation Team hosted an informational table in the hospital’s lobby.

The Great American Smokeout is designed for you to have a chance for you to make a plan to quit smoking. Did you know that by quitting for even one day, you will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and can reduce your risk of getting Cancer? Well, you can!

Tobacco is the single greatest cause of multiple diseases and premature deaths in the USA today. It kills more Americans each year than alcohol, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, car accidents, fire and AIDS combined. There are an estimated 480,000 deaths in the United States annually that are due to tobacco use. It is the only legal consumer product that is lethal when used exactly as recommended by the manufacturer.

Smoking cigarettes affects many aspects of health. Tobacco smoke contains about 7000 chemicals, including low concentrations of such strong poisons as ammonia, cyanide, arsenic and formaldehyde. It also contains 69 carcinogens – substances that are known to cause cancers in humans. Direct association has been established between smoking and cancers of the lung, mouth, nose, throat, larynx, esophagus, colon and rectum, stomach, pancreas, cervix, bladder, kidney and blood.
In the United States, Illnesses caused by smoking cost more than 300 billion dollars per year in direct medical care and lost productivity. Smokers pay twice as much for life insurance and will die on average of 13-14 years earlier than non-smokers. It costs tobacco companies approximately 5 cents to produce a pack of cigarettes.

Many lung conditions are either caused or aggravated by cigarette smoke. It irritates bronchial airways and stimulates mucous production leading eventually to decreased elasticity and functional failure. Patients suffering from COPD, Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis or Emphysema have a much higher risk of dying when repeatedly exposed to smoke.
Smokers are also at greater risk for cardiovascular disease. Smoking damages blood vessels making them stiff and narrow, obstructing blood flow which results with elevated blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure or chronic skin changes.

Pregnant women exposed to tobacco smoke have increased risk of complications like miscarriage, premature birth, and brain and lung damage in developing baby. Sudden infant death syndrome is three times more likely if mother smoked during pregnancy.
Secondhand smoke is the smoke exhaled by smokers or given off by a burning cigarette or pipe. Inhaling secondhand smoke is as hazardous as smoking a cigarette. There is no safe level for secondhand smoke exposure established. People can inhale it at work, homes, cars or public spaces and have all the complications mentioned above.

Smoking tobacco is an addiction similar to heroin and cocaine. It can be successfully treated but the majority of cases require three or more attempts. Quitting smoking offers a chance of feeling better and living longer. Studies have shown that five, common sense steps, provide the best chance for quitting smoking for good:

Get ready: set a quit date and throw out all cigarettes and ashtrays from your home.
Get support: tell your family, friends and doctor about quitting plans; search the internet for advice.
Learn new behaviors: distract yourself from the urge to smoke; exercise or go for a walk.
Get medication: combining medication like nicotine patches or Zyban with behavioral adaptation and family support quadruples your chances of success.
Be prepared for relapse and difficult situations– most people try to quit a few times before succeeding.

If you would like to learn more about quitting smoking call the Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Smoking Cessation Team at 718-670-3146.

What is a Stye and How Can it be Treated?

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Michael Hinck

A stye is a red bump that develops either on the inside or the outside of your eyelid. Styes can be tender and cause minor irritation, but they are usually not serious.

Similar to how you get a pimple on your face is how you can get a stye on your eye; it is simply the result of the gland along your eyelid becoming clogged.

Signs that you have developed a stye include:

Redness and tender feeling near your eyelid
You develop a bump with a small pus spot in the center
You have a sensation that there’s something in your eye
Your eye feels sensitive to bright light
There is crust along your eyelid
You have a scratchy or itchy feeling around the eye
Your eye produces extra tears

Styes typically burst and go away on their own after a few days. But there are a few tips to treat your stye and minimize some of the symptoms.

Soak a clean washcloth in warm water and put it over the stye for approximately five to ten minutes and repeat several times per day.
Clean your eyelid with a cotton swab soaked in a mild baby shampoo. Avoid using harsh soaps as they can irritate and burn your eye.
Resist the urge to squeeze or pop your stye. This will only make the situation worse.
Keep your face and eyes very clean, and get rid of any crust you see around your eye.
If you are experiencing soreness around the eye, you can take a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen.
Avoid wearing eye make-up
If you wear contacts, try switching to glasses. After the stye has healed, make sure you clean and disinfect your contacts or replace them with a new pair.

You shouldn’t have to see your doctor for a stye. But it’s a good idea to make an appointment if your stye doesn’t get better after a few days, if you are in a great deal of pain, or if it affects your vision.

To see a doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center, please call 718-670-5486.

The Great American Smokeout

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, the American Cancer Society encourages everyone to take part in the Great American Smokeout. 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 Flushing Hospital to discuss smoking cessation, please call 718

-206-8494.

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Joann Ariola

1/2 cup canned pumpkin, (not pie filling)
1/3 cup fat-free, plain yogurt
1/3 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp. rolled oats
2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3-4 ice cubes

Directions

Into a blender, add pumpkin, yogurt, milk, oats, honey, pumpkin pie spice, and ice cubes.
Blend until smooth and frothy, about 1 minute. Pour into a glass and serve.

Additional Tips

Cooking Tip: Keeping the can of pumpkin in the fridge before using isn’t necessary, but helps make a colder smoothie.

Keep it Healthy: Make sure to buy 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling or mix, which looks similar but can have added sugar.

Tip: Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, which has more of a tangy taste as well as more protein, can be substituted for the light plain yogurt.

What Is The Right Way to Brush Your Teeth?

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Joann Ariola

What is the right way to brush your teeth?

A. From side to side

B. Up and down

C. In small circles

If you answered A, you’re right! According to the American Dental Association you should:

Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.
Gently move the brush from side to side in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.
Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh.

The ADA also recommends brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily. You should replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed.

To make an appointment with a dentist at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call our Dental Department at 718-670-5521.

Diabetes Awareness Month

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

The month of November has been designated American Diabetes Awareness Month by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Diabetes affects nearly 30 million people in the United States which is ten percent of the total population. There are 86 million more people who have pre-diabetes and are at risk of developing type II diabetes during their lifetime.
There is no cure for diabetes but there are many ways for people who have been diagnosed with the disease to live long, healthy lives if it is controlled properly. Learning to live with diabetes is one of the most important components for managing the disease. Proper nutrition, regular physical activity, monitoring blood sugar daily and taking medication to control diabetes are some of the ways complications can be prevented.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to many complications. It is the leading cause of blindness, non traumatic amputations, kidney disease and also increases the risk for heart attacks.
During the month of November, the ADA sponsors events around the country that serve to make people aware of the risk factors and the warning signs of diabetes. For more information on events taking place, please see the American Diabetes Association’s website at www.diabetes.org. It is important to have regular medical exams to manage diabetes successfully. To schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital please call 718-670-5486.