Flushing Hospital’s Nurse of The Month

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Flushing Hospital

Our nurses are the pillars of our community. In addition to meeting the demands of being a caregiver, they wear several hats including that of an educator, nurturer, and comforter.

Not only to do nurses care for patients; they provide support to families and loved ones during difficult times.

Our nurses pour their hearts into all aspects of their job, and this is one of the many reasons why we celebrate their accomplishments.

Join us in congratulating Johanna Pinzon RN for receiving Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Nurse of the Month,

Meet Johanna:

Q&A:

Q: How long have you been working for FHMC?

A: I have been working at Flushing Hospital for five years

Q: On which unit do you currently work?

A: 3 North 1

Q: Why did you want to become a nurse?

A: I truly wanted to help people. Working at a job that allows me to help others brings me great satisfaction. You need to be happy with your work and helping others makes me happy.

Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: I love working with the geriatric population at our hospital. Often times, the geriatric patient has survived their relatives or their children are elderly and unable to come to see them as often as they’d like. That’s when I become their family. I check in with the patient, not only to meet their medical needs but to be sure that they know there is someone close by to talk to or bring them something from outside the hospital that will make them more comfortable such as a magazine or book. I like to think of myself as an extended family to all the patients I care for.

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.

Keeping Children Active During the Winter Months

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Andrew Rubin

Anyone who lives in the colder regions of the country knows that children have fewer opportunities to play outdoors during the winter months. Every parent wants to keep their children from becoming bored, especially if they are being kept indoors on cold days. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that children between the ages of six to 17 get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Here are a few suggestions to help keep your child active during the winter:
• Playing outdoors is always an option as long as a child is dressed appropriately
• Find an indoor play space or gym
• Bowling
• Dance classes
• Visiting a museum
• Joining a sports league
• Ice skating
You can contact your local Community Center, YMCA or schools in your neighborhood to see if they have any after school programs that involve some sort of physical activity. The important thing to remember is that you want a child to be kept active and not sitting in front of a TV or computer screen for hours on end.

Benefits of an Annual Physical

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Joann Ariola

An annual exam is a good way of tracking your health progress. How would you categorize your commitment to getting an annual physical?

Yearly
Bi-Yearly
When I don’t feel good
I don’t do doctors

Some of the benefits are:

Primary prevention
To identify risk factors for common chronic diseases
To detect disease that has no apparent symptoms (secondary prevention)
A way for the doctor to counsel people to promote healthy behavior
To update clinical data since your last check-up
To enhance the relationship between you and your doctor
If you are interested in scheduling an exam, Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center is centrally located and has convenient hours. Call 718-670-5486 to schedule an appointment.

Make Your Mental Health a Priority This New Year

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Joann Ariola

Tis’ the season for New Year Resolutions! We are all talking about shedding some holiday pounds, keeping ourselves more organized or just living our best lives in 2019. While striving towards those goals, why not included your mental health in this years resolutions?

Did you know that mental illness affects millions of Americans, yet not surprisingly, many of those who need help do not receive it. There are many reasons why – it could be due to limited availability of services, or a strong distrust of others, or those who are mentally ill might have such a sense of hopelessness that they do not seek care.

While all of these are factors as to why someone doesn’t seek support, perhaps the biggest single reason is a sense of fear and shame associated with admitting help is needed. This sense of shame is very common and it is only reinforced by society, which has attached stigmas to mental illness. The beliefs the public has about mental illness leads those who need help to avoid it so they are not labeled as “crazy” and have their condition negatively affect their personal relationships and career goals.

Getting society to overcome the stigmas associated with mental illness is the key to having more individuals come forward, but unfortunately negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have a mental health condition are common. These stigmas can lead to obvious and direct discrimination, such as someone making a negative remark about mental illness or it may be unintentional or subtle, such as someone avoiding an individual because they assume they could be unstable, violent or dangerous due to mental illness.

Those with mental illness should never be ashamed of their condition and here are some reasons why:

According to the World Health Organization, one out of four people will experience mental health problems at some point in their lives.
Shame is pretty much guaranteed to make things worse. Feelings of shame are proven to have detrimental effects on our mental and physical health
Mental illness is no one’s fault. No one asks to have a mental illness and it is definitely not a choice we make.
We’re not ashamed when our bodies get sick, so why should we be ashamed when our minds aren’t in top form.
There is no normal – our minds are complex things and no single brain is the same
Our mental health doesn’t define us. Don’t let your mental illness become who you are, it is just one aspect of you.

It’s time to speak out against the stigmas associated with mental illness and reframe the way we see it. Getting help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength.

Flushing Hospital advises anyone who feels they need help to get it. Don’t let the fear of being labeled with a mental illness prevent you from seeking help. Treatment can provide relief and help you in life.

To make an appointment at Flushing Hospital’s Outpatient Mental Health Center, please call 718-670-5522.

When Eating Healthy, This Desert Takes the Cake!

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Joann Ariola

Rich Chocolate Pudding Pie

Ingredients

CRUST:

30 chocolate wafers (such as Nabisco’s Famous Chocolate Wafers)
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon canola oil

FILLING:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
2 large egg yolks
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon white rum
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
10 tablespoon fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

PREPARATION

To prepare crust, place wafers in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add 3 ounces melted chocolate and oil; process until blended. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes or until set.
To prepare the filling, combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in a large saucepan; stir with a whisk. Add half of milk and 2 yolks; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chocolate, and stir until smooth. Stir in rum. Pour filling into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 4 hours or until set. Serve with raspberries and whipped topping.

For this and more healthy deserts, check out –

Blood Pressure – Keeping it Under Control in the New Year

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

Soon it will be the beginning of the New Year and many of us will make resolutions to do things better than the previous year. For many people this means living healthy, losing weight, and keeping our blood pressure under control.

High blood pressure affects one in three Americans. If not controlled well it can lead to kidney problems, damaged blood vessels, stroke, and heart attacks. There are many factors that can cause blood pressure to be elevated including obesity, stress, smoking, high sodium diets and elevated cholesterol. Ideally, managing some of these factors can help to maintain a blood pressure that is as close to normal range (120/80mmHg) as possible.

There are many ways that doctors can help us to control our blood pressure, Your doctor can prescribe medication that will help. Additionally other methods include:

Quitting smoking
Lose weight
Stress reduction
Exercise regularly
Eat less salty food
Eliminate beverages that contain caffeine
Eat dark chocolate
Cut back on sugar
Drink less alcohol

Keeping your blood pressure under control is probably one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself healthy. Speak to your doctor about methods that would work best for you.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a doctor at Flushing Hospital to discuss how you can lower your blood pressure in 2018, please call 718-670-5486.

Department of Finance and Food Services Bring Holiday Cheer to Children!

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Joann Ariola

Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s (FHMC) Department Spotlight shines on two departments who brought holiday cheer to the children in our Pediatric Unit and children living in shelters.

The Department of Finance held their Annual Holiday Gathering and collected toys from each participant at the event. The donated toys will be distributed to the children are spending the holiday season in the hospital.

Maria Smilios, RN, Director of Nursing who oversees Pediatrics stated, “There were so many toys collected they will given to for the children long after the holidays are over.”

Another department who was committed to bringing cheer to the less fortunate was Food Services and Nutrition. They collected over 100 toys for Toys For Tots. The donation was made to the NYPD for distribution to family shelters in Queens.

Tracy Tompkins, Director of Food and Nutrition was elated by the participation of her department as well as the staff at FHMC.

The departments involved in the toy collection would like to thank the employees and administrators at FHMC , as well as Health First for their generous donation of toys.

Lactose Intolerance

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

Lactose intolerance is a fairly common disorder, estimated to affect 75% of the world’s population. It is caused by a lack of an enzyme produced in the small intestine called lactase. This enzyme helps the body to break down the sugar (lactose) found in milk and milk products so that it can be properly absorbed into the blood.

There are three types of lactose intolerance:

Primary lactose intolerance – this is the most common form of the condition. In this type of intolerance the body starts off life with the full ability to digest lactose found in milk but as the body ages, this capability diminishes.

Secondary lactose intolerance – this occurs when the body’s ability to digest lactose is altered either due to surgery or as a side effect of an illness (Celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth, and Crohn’s Disease).

Congenital lactose intolerance – is the condition where babies are born with a diminished capacity to digest lactose.

The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be very uncomfortable. They include:
• Gas
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea

Diagnosing lactose intolerance can be performed a few different ways. There is a Lactose intolerance test that involves drinking a liquid with a high level of lactose in it. After two hours blood samples are taken to see if there is an increase in the level of sugar in the blood. If there isn’t a significant change, this indicates that the body didn’t digest the lactose sufficiently. A hydrogen breath test can be performed ro monitor the level of hydrogen produced if lactose is digested properly. The more hydrogen produced indicates the less digestion that took place. The third test is a stool acidity test which is primarily used in patients who are unable to undergo the first two tests and it measures the amount of acid in the stool.

There are several types of foods that people who are lactose intolerant should avoid:
• Milk
• Ice Cream
• Yogurt
• Butter

Additionally, some other types of food that may contain dairy are: bread, cake, custard, chocolate, candy, instant soups and some sauces.

One of the ways to avoid the symptoms of lactose intolerance is to remove dairy and dairy containing products from the diet. There are lactase containing supplements that can be taken that may help with the digestion of lactose and also taking probiotics may be beneficial.

If you experience any of the symptoms of lactose intolerance and would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5486.

Easy and Delicious Frittata

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Joann Ariola

Tired of the same meals night after night? Try this easy and delicious Frittata receipe. We bet most of the ingredients are already in your fridge!

Ingredients:

Olive oil for drizzling
8 mushrooms, quartered
6 asparagus spears, chopped
Salt and ground pepper to taste
12 large eggs
½ cup grated Monterey Jack
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 dashes of hot sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
1 cold baked potato, diced
¼ cup chopped green olives with pimentos
2 jarred roasted peppers, sliced thin
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Drizzle olive oil over the mushrooms and asparagus on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until a nice color is achieved, about 12 minutes. Set aside.

Beat together the eggs with some salt and pepper in a bowl. (Do not over-beat; just mix until the eggs mostly come together.) Stir in the Monterey Jack, Parmesan and hot sauce and set aside.

In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden brown, several minutes. Add the diced potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the asparagus, mushrooms, olives and roasted red peppers and cook, stirring, until everything is hot.

Make sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed across the bottom of the skillet, then pour in the egg mixture so that it evenly coats everything. Let it sit on the burner for 30 to 45 seconds to set the edges, then put the skillet in the oven. Cook, watching it carefully, until the eggs are set but not very brown on top, 10 to 12 minutes.

Slide the frittata out of the skillet and onto a cutting board. Sprinkle on the basil and slice into wedges with a long serrated knife.

For this and more delicious recipes visit –

Holiday Safety Tips For the Home

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

Decorating your home for the holidays is always so much fun, but did you know that each year an estimated 250 house fires nationwide are caused by faulty holiday lights? Here are some tips for keeping your home safe this year:

• Before stringing holiday lights always check the sockets to ensure they are not broken or cracked.

• Never use indoor lights for outdoors use.

• Turn off the indoor tree lights before going to bed or whenever you leave the house.

• Do not connect more than three sets of lights to each extension cord.

• Make sure that your lights have safety labels and are made by reputable companies.

• Do not use candles on or near a tree.

• Place your tree and gift wrapped presents away from sources of heat such as fireplaces.

• Make sure that your tree is secured firmly to its base so that it can’t tip over.

• Artificial trees should be fire resistant.

• Always keep a fire extinguisher handy and accessible in case of emergency.

Benny Quiles, Director of Safety and Fire Safety at Flushing Hospital says “a small Christmas tree fire can spread and grow large very quickly. Use flame retardant decorations. make sure your smoke detectors have working batteries and never block fire exits.”

Don’t ruin your holiday by being careless. A little common sense and taking some precautions will ensure a joyous holiday for you and your family.