Ways to Prevent Acid Reflux

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

How many times have you eaten something you wish you had not because you ended up with a burning sensation in your chest? This is a classic symptom of acid reflux, a condition also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Acid reflux is a common condition where the symptoms typically last for a few hours. Symptoms of acid reflux are a burning sensation in the abdomen and lower esophagus. There are several things you can do to reduce the occurrence of acid reflux:
• Don’t eat a big meal before going to bed.
• Stop smoking.
• Elevate the head of your bed so that your head is higher than your abdomen.
• Avoid tight clothing that press on your abdomen.
• Reduce your consumption of alcohol.
If you are experiencing symptoms of acid reflux on a regular basis you should consult with a physician who may want to perform tests to find out how serious the condition is. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-670-5486.

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.

Does My Breath Stink?

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Bad breath, medically known as halitosis can be caused by a number of factors including health problems, smoking, certain foods and poor dental health habits. If the cause of bad breath is not the result of chronic conditions such as diabetes, sinus infections or kidney disease, then chances are there is a build-up of bacteria in the mouth that gives off gases or odors.

The best recommendation is to practice good oral hygiene. There are also a few natural remedies that can help combat bad breath, such as:

Drinking plenty of water.
Chewing a piece of lemon or orange rind.
Taking probiotics or eating foods that are rich in probiotics, such as yogurt.
Eating raw fruits and vegetables such as apples or celery.
Gargling with salt water.
Consulting a physician about colon cleansing.
Chewing a tablespoon of fennel seeds or making fennel tea.
Drinking cinnamon tea.
Chewing on fresh parsley.
Mixing apple cider vinegar with water and gargling.

Trying these natural remedies can help in keeping breath fresh; however, the best remedy is to practice good oral health by brushing and flossing teeth daily.

Organ Donor Registry Day

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Joann Ariola

New York State currently holds the second lowest number of organ donors with 26% registered compared to 50% nationwide. That’s why the state has adopted October 4, as its additional Organ Donor Registry Day.

In an effort to bolster the number of organ donors in NYS, Flushing and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s hosted a registration in their main lobby.

On hand to give their personal account of the importance of organ donation was Mary Fischer, CNA at FHMC and her daughter, Lauren Fischer, a double lung transplant recipient.

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services nearly 124,000 men, women and children are awaiting organ transplants in the US. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, however 21 people still die each day waiting for an organ.

Here are a few popular myths and facts about organ donation:

Myth: Age, illness or physical defects can prevent me from becoming a donor.

Fact: A person’s medical condition is evaluated at the time of death to determine what organs and tissues are viable for donation. People living with chronic diseases or those who have a history of cancer or other serious diseases are still encouraged to join the donor registry.

Myth: If doctors know that I am registered to be an organ or tissue donor, they won’t work as hard to save my life.

Fact: The first priority of a medical professional is to save lives. Organ and tissue donation isn’t even considered or discussed until after death is declared.

Myth: My religion doesn’t support organ and tissue donation.

Fact: Most religions support organ and tissue donation. Discuss organ and tissue donation with your spiritual advisor if you have concerns on this issue.

Myth: My family will be charged for donating my organs.

Fact: Costs associated with recovering and processing organs and tissues for transplant are never passed on to the donor family.

To find out how you can register as organ, eye and/or tissue donor please visit

How Smoking Can Affect Digestion

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Smoking can affect the body’s ability to operate properly. One of the body’s functions that smoking greatly affects is digestion.

Many organs are associated with the digestive system and they produce chemicals that aid in the breakdown of the food into nutrients and other substances that the body needs to survive. All of these organs are susceptible to changes due to the effects of smoking.

Not only can smoking elevate the risk for cancer in any of these organs but because of the body’s response to the irritants it contains, smoking can also lead to:

Heartburn
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Liver disease
Peptic ulcers
Polyps
Gallstones
Pancreatitis

Smoking can increase the production of pepsin which can harm the lining of the stomach, and it can have an effect on blood flow to the lining of the digestive tract which will inhibit healing. There is also a decrease in the amount of mucous that is produced and this will cause irritation of the lining of these organs because the protective layer is diminished.

One of the ways to prevent the effects of smoking on the digestive system is to stop smoking. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital to find out which way may be best for you, please call .

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Joann Ariola

October is National Bullying Prevention Month is a nationwide campaign founded in 2006 and its mission is to reach out to communities in an effort to educate and raise awareness of bullying and the tools for prevention.

Bullying occurs when an individual or group possesses an imbalance of power, either from a physical or social status perspective, over another person or group. While bullying is prevalent among all age groups, it has become a serious cause for concern among children.

The National Bullying Prevention Center defines bullying as behavior that hurts or harms another person physically or emotionally. Those being bullied often have difficulty stopping the behavior directed at them and struggle to defend themselves.

Statistics have shown that at least 28 percent of students, ages 12-18, reported being bullied at school during the year. Additionally, 7.2 % of students admit to not going to school due to personal safety concerns. Many fear the physical and verbal aggression of their peers, and many more attend school in a state of anxiety and depression.

Many children will not tell parents they are being bullied until the situation escalates, but there a few changes in their behavior that can alert you. Signs that your child may be a victim of bullying include refusing to speak about their day at school,not wanting to go to school, unexplained marks and bruises, asking for more lunch money, complaining of frequent headaches and stomach aches,sudden loss of friends and frequent nightmares.

If you find that your child is being bullied, you will need to document the dates, times and places of the action. If the bullying is taking place on school grounds, call the school and schedule a face to face meeting with a teacher or principal. If not on school grounds, notify the police.

Most schools have adopted an anti-bullying policy. Obtain a copy to determine if the bully violated school law. Bullying is best handled when you work together, with the proper authorities.

After notification, be sure to follow up with your child, and the school, to make sure that the bullying has stopped.

Meet Dr. Hita Sharma, Director of Palliative Care

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Meet Hita Sharma, MD, ABPHM, and Director of Palliative Care at Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) as well as faculty supervisor and Director of the Internal Medicine Program.

Dr. Sharma joined the FHMC team in 2000 and became the Director of the Palliative Care Program in 2003. Palliative care is a specialized type of medical care that can be provided in conjunction medicinal treatment for people with terminal illness. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress to the patient and family members caused by a terminal illness.

When asked what the best part of her job is Dr. Sharma replies with a look of satisfaction, “It is a wonderful feeling to help a person who is nearing the end of their life. When you are a part of making that person and their family feel comfortable it gives you a personal sense of gratification. In palliative care, you are treating more than their disease or sense of loss with medication; you are treating their emotional strength during the hardest time in their lives.”

A typical day for Dr. Sharma begins with making rounds in the Emergency Department and then on the floors with residents. She refers to her students as her “children.” “I teach them as I taught my own children to treat people with compassion.” Dr. Sharma has two sons, one is a Resident in Urology and the other is an Economic Honors student at Northwestern University.

Some end of life (EOL) illnesses that may cause you to seek palliative care are:

Metastatic Cancer
(EOL) Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
(EOL) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Renal Disease
Advanced Alzheimer’s
Debilitating Parkinson’s
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

People who are receiving this type of care are treated for:

Depression
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Constipation
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Difficulty sleeping
Anxiety

All of which may cause distress to the patient.

“Being able to be there to empathize with my patients and help them come to terms with some of the difficult decisions they have to make is really why I chose this specialty. I get the chance to Enright their lives and they certainly enrich mine.”

National School Backpack Awareness Day

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Backpacks are essential back-to- school items for kids. They come in different colors, sizes and shapes and most importantly they help children to carry their belongings. Backpacks are preferred by many in comparison to shoulder bags because when worn correctly, they evenly distribute weight across the body. However, if worn incorrectly they can cause back pain or injuries and eventually lead to poor posture.

To prevent problems associated with improper backpack use, parents should first purchase a backpack that has the following features:

Lightweight
Wide and padded straps
Multiple compartments
Padded back
Waist belt
Correct size (A backpack should never be wider or longer than your child’s torso).

Practicing these safety tips will further reduce the chance of back pain or injuries caused by backpacks:

When packing, heavier items should be placed to the back and center of the backpack. Lighter items should be in front. Sharp objects such as scissors or pencils should be kept away from your child’s back. Utilizing different compartments can help in distributing weight.
Do not over pack. Doctors recommend that children should not carry backpacks that weigh more than 10-15% of their body weight.
Ensure that children use both straps. Using a single strap can cause muscle strain.
Adjust the straps so that the backpack fits closely to your child’s back and sits two inches above the waist. This ensures comfort and proper weight distribution.
Encourage children to use their lockers or desks throughout the day to drop off heavy books.

The Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America recommends that parents should always look for warning signs that indicate backpacks may be too heavy. If your child struggles to put on and take off the backpack, they are complaining of numbness or tingling or if there are red strap marks on their shoulders -It may be time for you to lighten their load.

September is National Yoga Month

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Joann Ariola

September is National Yoga Month. It is a national observance designed to help educate people about the benefits of yoga and to inspire them to live a healthy lifestyle.

Developed in India thousands of years ago, Yoga is a form of exercise that has gained popularity tremendously over the past 50 years.

Yoga teaches increased flexibility by learning how to stretch your muscles. This can help a person improve mobility, feel less tired and improve their posture.

• Some of the other benefits of yoga are:

• Improved immunity

• Ease migraines

• Improve sexual performance

• Better sleep

• Improve eating habits

Yoga can help you to feel calmer and more relaxed. This is because some forms of yoga teach techniques that focus on breathing.

It has also been shown to lower blood pressure and to lower the heart rate. This can greatly help people who have been diagnosed with heart disease and who either have had a stroke or at risk of having a stroke.

It usually takes a few weeks to start seeing the benefits of yoga. When looking for yoga classes, find an instructor who has proper training and who is certified to teach the class. It can be practiced by just about anyone, and it isn’t just for people who are in good physical condition.

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Flushing Hospital

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Childhood obesity affects approximately one in five children in the United States. Obesity is measured by taking a child’s body-mass index (BMI) and evaluating where this number falls on a BMI age-growth chart. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a table to make it possible to compare the BMI with those of other children of the same age and height. Other factors that need to be considered are the type of body frame, musculature, and the child’s development pattern.

There are many reasons why a child may become obese. Often obese children come from families where there are poor eating habits, and lack of physical activity. Other contributing factors can include stress, boredom, and depression as well as living in a community with limited accessibility to healthy food choices.

Obesity in children puts them at risk of developing chronic illnesses later in life such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, arthritis, and heart disease. It also makes children more prone to depression, low self-esteem and susceptible to bullying.

Ways to control a child’s weight include:

Limit fast food
Increase fruits and vegetables in the diet
Limit sweet drinks
Limit desserts and unhealthy snacks
Eat together as a family when possible
Regulate portion sizes
Increase physical activity, not just exercise
Decrease the amount of time spent watching TV or on the computer

Flushing Hospital strives to help prevent childhood obesity by participating in workshops throughout the year at schools and at community health fairs by providing educational materials and guidance on proper nutrition. To speak with a pediatrician about childhood obesity, please call 718-670-5440 to schedule an appointment.

Employee Spotlight – Tracy M. Norris, LCSW

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Meet Tracy M. Norris, LCSW. Tracy is a dedicated social worker, doctoral student and Clinical Manager at the Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s (FHMC) Mental Health Clinic.

As Clinical Manager, Tracy’s daily responsibilities are many. Whether overseeing patient care, staffing, medication trouble shooting, communicating with administrators or providing direct consults for patients Tracy’s days are eventful.

Tracy considers every day to be her best day. No matter the challenge or accomplishment she is focused on the patient by always striving to improve patient care and overall satisfaction.

“When you know that your patients are healthy, happy and safe, you have a sense of pride and personal fulfillment” is how Tracy describes what pleases her most about the work she does.

Tracy does not keep her dedication to mental health tethered to inside the hospital. She maintains a rigorous community outreach schedule bringing her knowledge to the surrounding community and schools in Flushing.

She hosts community workshops on various topics including, but not limited to:

Internet Safety
Satellite Babies
Mental Health 101
Anger and Rage Management in Adolescents
Parenting a pre-teen
Cyber-Bullying

“Outreach is a way of putting a human face on a mental health issue that may be culturally stigmatized causing people to not want to reach out for help.” “I feel that if I can influence a child or help a parent to connect with their child, I have made a difference,“ stated Tracy.

To Tracy M. Norris, life is about meaning. Her work and her patients as well as being part of the social work team at Flushing Hospital Medical Center are her greatest motivation. She states, “They are a good reason to jump out of bed every day!”