Health Archives - Page 30 of 92

National Healthy Weight Week

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Joann Ariola

The third week in January is designated as National Healthy Weight Week. In an effort to promote a healthy nutritional lifestyle, Flushing Hospital Medical Center would like to offer the following tips to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Set a Goal – You can’t set out on a mission to lose weight without knowing how you are going to do it. Create a detailed weight-loss plan and set a goal that is specific, measurable and realistic.
Be Patient – In most cases if you make modest adjustments in your lifestyle, you can lose the weight gradually, but steadily. Dietary changes are typically easier to follow when you take slow, small steps.
Drink Plenty of Water – Water is free of calories, inexpensive and provides your body with a quenching boost. Recommendations are to drink eights cups of water every day, but if that is unrealistic, try slowly increasing your intake by drinking a few ounces more than you did the previous day.
Avoid temptations to snack– It is very easy to lose track of how much we eat when we are constantly nibbling on snacks. To avoid constant grazing, try chewing gum or drinking water. If you must snack, try choosing healthy alternatives.
Make a Deal to Indulge – Definitely remove your dietary weakness from your home, but totally banning your favorite foods is bound to backfire. Instead of totally eliminating temptations from your life, allow yourself to modestly indulge once a week.
Begin a Manageable Workout Program – Forking over money on an annual gym membership can be helpful, but simply signing up isn’t enough. Instead of setting unrealistic workout goals, create a convenient and realistic workout routine at home.
Have a Friend Help You – Starting healthy nutritional lifestyle can be more effective if you have someone to hold you accountable. Teaming up with a weight-loss companion can assist you reach your goal by helping you stick to your diet and accompany you with your workout routine.
Weigh yourself – Regular weight check-ins can help you maintain your desired weight. Keep track of your progress and, if you see a trend toward gaining weight, you can revert back to the steps you took to begin your weight loss.

Hopefully, these tips will help you reach and maintain your weight loss goals in 2021. If however, you need professional assistance, Flushing Hospital’s Bariatric Center can help. They offer a variety of non-invasive, medically managed surgical weight loss options for those who qualify.

To make an appointment, please call 718-670-8908.

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.

Cold Weather and Asthma

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

People who suffer from asthma definitely know the effects that cold air can have on their ability to breathe. When very cold and dry air enters the body, and subsequently the lungs it can cause a tightening of the airways. Cold air can cause wheezing, tightness of the chest muscles, shortness of breath, coughing, a sense of dizziness and sometimes difficulty speaking.

Taking some precautions before going outside in very cold weather can help ease the symptoms. It is important to keep asthma under control at all times. It can be helpful to take a dose of an asthma inhalant ten minutes before going outdoors. This will aid in keeping the airways open. People with asthma should carry their medication with them if they know they are going to be outdoors for any period of time. Another good idea is to keep your mouth and nose covered with a scarf when you are outside in cold weather. This will help to warm the air you are breathing. Anyone who has asthma should avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Sometimes the act of just walking on a windy day can bring on symptoms of an asthma attack. Try breathing through your nose more and through your mouth less. This will help to warm the air that enters your lungs.

People with asthma know the effects it can have during the cold days of winter. Taking a few precautions can help minimize the effects of the cold air on the body.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-670-5486.

National Birth Defects Prevention Month

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Joann Ariola

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. It is a time for raising awareness of how frequently birth defects can occur and what can be done to help prevent them.

Birth defects are defined as conditions that are present when a baby is born and can affect nearly every part of the body. Conditions such as cleft lip can be easily diagnosed. Other conditions such as deafness or heart defects may only be discovered after diagnostic testing.

The largest number of birth defects occurs during the first three months of gestation. In the U.S. approximately 120,000 babies are born with birth defects each year.

The 10 most common birth defects in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are:

Down syndrome
Cleft lip (with or without cleft palate)
Atrioventricular septal defect (hole in the heart)
Absence of malformation of the rectum and/or large intestine
Gastroschisis (hole in the abdominal wall)
Tetralogy of Fallot (a combination of heart defects)
Spina bifida without anencephaly
Reduction deformity, upper limbs
Reversal of the heart’s two main arteries

Although birth defects can’t always be prevented, there are plenty of steps pregnant women can take to help reduce the risk.

The womenshealth.gov website offers these suggestions:

Make regular visits to your doctor throughout pregnancy
Get 400mcg of folic acid each day through diet or supplements
Don’t smoke, use illegal drugs or drink alcohol while you are pregnant
Always check with your doctor before taking any medication
Get all vaccinations recommended by your doctor
If you have diabetes, keep it under control
Stick to a healthy weight

You may also request a pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy screening test in order to spot potential or real birth defects. The types of tests include a carrier test to see if you or your partner carries potentially harmful genes, as well as screening and diagnostic tests that can determine risks for and detect genetic disorders.

If you are pregnant, or planning to be, and want to discuss your options with one of our doctors, the Women’s Health Center at Flushing Hospital Medical Center is centrally located and has convenient hours; to make an appointment call 718-670-8992.

Cervical Health Awareness Month- The Importance of Regular Cervical Screenings

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Flushing Hospital

MD001276 January has been designated as Cervical Health Awareness Month by the National Cervical Cancer Coalition and the American Social Health Association. This initiative helps raise awareness and encourages women to receive regular screenings for cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV).

HPV is a major cause of cervical cancer which is one of the most common cancers found in women. However early detection can lessen the severity of both diseases and prevent the development of abnormal or cancerous cells.

It is recommended that women receive regular screenings to check the health of their cervixes. The frequency of screenings varies by age. The following guideline is as recommended by The American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/health-care-professionals/american-cancer-society-prevention-early-detection-guidelines/cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines.html

In addition to receiving screenings, it is strongly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that women and men receive HPV vaccinations to stop the spread of the virus.

Please speak with your doctor as soon as possible about steps you can take to maintain your cervical health and remember, prevention is better than cure.

Make Your Smile A Priority In 2021

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Joann Ariola

We have all made New Year’s resolutions at some point in our lives. Many of these annual vows revolve around improving our health. Typical resolutions may include losing weight, quitting smoking, or beginning an exercise routine, but what about our oral health? The New Year is also a good time to commit ourselves to better dental care.

Make 2021 the year you look to improve your smile. Some ways to help you meet this goal include:

Practice Good Oral Hygiene – Daily brushing and flossing is a simple way to improve your oral health. For successful bacterial plaque removal, it is important to brush at least twice a day and floss at least once per day to remove bacterial plaque and food that has accumulated throughout the day. Daily brushing and flossing help to prevent gingivitis (gum disease), tooth decay and halitosis (bad breath). The daily use of antimicrobial and fluoride mouth rinses also helps to improve your oral health.
Watch What You Eat and Drink – An important part of achieving your dental health resolutions is making healthier food and beverage choices, especially for snacks. Frequent consumption of food and beverages containing carbohydrates and acids contributes to tooth decay.
Quit Smoking – Quitting cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use is important for improving your oral and overall health. There is no better time than the present to make a resolution to stop tobacco use. Consider free online tools, smoking cessation groups, progress-tracking apps and support from friends and family to assist you with tobacco cessation.
Use Whitening Products – There are several over-the-counter smile-improving products that you
can use to whiten your teeth when you brush and floss. In recent years, tooth whitening has acquired enormous popularity because they can enhance the appearance of teeth by removing deep (intrinsic) or surface (extrinsic) stains.
Receive Regular Check-Ups – A resolution to make routine visits to the dentist may help prevent oral disease or reveal an existing disease in its early stage. Dental visits should take place every six months to allow your dentist and dental hygienists to monitor the condition of your oral cavity and develop an appropriate treatment plan to meet your wants and needs.

Some however might need to make more than a few lifestyle changes to address their dental needs. For those, a dentist or orthodontist can help. Make this the year you stop putting off having dental work done. An orthodontist can correct an overbite or straighten crooked teeth and a dentist can address your need for crowns, implants or fillings to preserve your tooth structure.

To make an appointment at Flushing Hospital’s Dental Center, please call 718-670-5521.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Posted on January 4, 2021 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 Flushing Hospital, please call 718- 670-5486.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve 2021

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Andrew Rubin

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued guidelines for Americans to safely celebrate New Year’s Eve.

The CDC recommends postponing travel and celebrating at home with people you live with. You can always ring in the New Year virtually with friends and family. These are the best and safest ways to protect those living in your household and others.

If you are intending to travel or go out for New Year’s Eve events, the CDC cautions you to:

If traveling – Research your chosen destination for cases of COVID- 19. You can utilize the CDC’s COVID Data Trackerto identify the latest number of cases in each area.
Always wear a mask in public settings (restaurants, public transportation, when around people who don’t live with you)
Wear your mask correctly – Over your nose and mouth, secured under your chin while snugly hugging your cheeks.
Get your flu shot
Stay at least 6 feet from people who do not live with you.
Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing and before eating
Stay home if you are sick
Isolate yourself from other members of your family and wear a mask if you are sick.

If you are hosting a celebration, the CDC recommends:

Talk with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
Limit the number of guests.
Keep celebrations outdoors, if possible.
If indoors, open windows and doors. Use a window fan to blow air out, which will pull fresh are in through the open windows.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use
Have guests bring their own food, drinks, plates, cups and utensils
Have extra unused masks available for your guests and encourage everyone to wear them inside and outside.
Keep background music volume low so guests don’t need to shout.

You also need to be mindful that, along with the new CDC guidelines, New Year’s Eve revelers are also urged to keep the traditional safety tips such as not drinking excessively or driving while intoxicated.

There is no doubt that 2020 has been an unusual year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has all but re-imagined how we celebrate our holidays. With the New Year approaching, we are all awaiting better days to come. Let’s celebrate, but let’s do it safely.

For more tips and guidelines visit – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/new-years-eve.html#:~:text=Stay%20at%20least%206%20feet,as%20masks%20and%20hand%20sanitizer.

Chilean Lentil Stew with Salsa Verde

Posted on December 30, 2020 by Joann Ariola

Start the New Year off right with this delicious and healthy Chilean Lentil Stew!

This delicious hearty meal is only 322 calories per serving.

Click the link below for the step-by-step recipe-

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/274835/chilean-lentil-stew-with-salsa-verde/

Holiday Safety Tips

Posted on December 23, 2020 by Andrew Rubin

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are typically holidays where we gather with our family and friends to celebrate but this year is unlike any other. In an effort to keep you safe, Flushing Hospital Medical Center offers the following tips to modify your holiday celebration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year many health experts are recommending that we spend the holiday with only the people we live with year round and who are consistently taking precautions and are at the lowest risk. Once we open our home to people who don’t live with us, such as people traveling from other cities or states such as college students, we are increase the risk of spreading the virus. In addition, it is strongly recommended that gatherings be limited to ten people or less.

The Centers for Disease Control issued the following criteria for people who should not attend holiday gatherings. They include:

Anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 recently
Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19
Anyone waiting for test results
Anyone who was exposed to someone else with COVID-19
Anyone who is immunocompromised

All guests should be asked to wear a mask and to maintain social distancing and avoid loud talking and singing. The number of people preparing and serving the meal should be limited to just a few. They should all be wearing masks and they should be washing their hands frequently. Other guests should also be encouraged to wash their hands as soon as they enter the home and limit contact with surfaces of furniture. It is also recommended that there be only one source of food preparation. This means food from other households should be avoided as best as possible.

This year the holiday will definitely have a different vibe than what we have been accustomed to in the past but if we all practice safety precautions, we can still enjoy festivities.

Holiday Cheer at Flushing Hospital Medical Center

Posted on December 21, 2020 by Joann Ariola

This has been an unprecedent year, however one thing remains the same, the generosity of the employees at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

The Food and Nutrition Department teamed up with the local precinct to collect toys for children currently living in shelters throughout the borough of Queens. In just a few weeks, almost 150 toys were received from employees of the hospital.

As an added bonus, employees of the Food and Nutrition Department were able to hand out some of the toys to patients receiving care in the pediatric unit. Thank you to all of the employees who contributed, may you and your families have a wonderful holiday season!