Diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there are high levels of sugar in the blood.

Treatment

There is no cure for diabetes. Treatment involves medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms and problems.

For more information on how to take care of your diabetes, see also:

• Diabetes diet
• Diabetes foot care
• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes

Source: American Heart Association

Changing your eating habits can be tough. Start with these eight strategies to kick-start your way toward a heart-healthy diet.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Although you might know eating certain foods can increase your heart disease risk, it’s often tough to change your eating habits. Whether you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt or you simply want to fine-tune your diet, here are eight heart-healthy diet tips. Once you know which foods to eat more of and which foods to limit, you’ll be on your way toward a heart-healthy diet.

1. Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol

Of the possible changes, limiting how much saturated and trans fats you eat is the most important step you can take to reduce your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of coronary artery disease. A high blood cholesterol level can lead to a buildup of plaques in your arteries, called atherosclerosis, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

The American Heart Association offers these guidelines for how much fat and cholesterol to include in a heart-healthy diet:

2. Choose low-fat protein sources

Lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and egg whites or egg substitutes are some of your best sources of protein. But be careful to choose lower fat options, such as skim milk rather than whole milk and skinless chicken breasts rather than fried chicken patties.

3. Eat more vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals; they are low in calories and rich in dietary fiber. Vegetables and fruits also contain substances found in plants that may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Eating more fruits and vegetables may help you eat less high-fat foods, such as meat, cheese and snack foods.

4. Select whole grains

Whole grains are good sources of fiber and other nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health. You can increase the amount of whole grains in a heart-healthy diet by making simple substitutions for refined grain products.

5. Reduce the sodium in your food

Eating a lot of sodium can contribute to high blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Reducing sodium is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends:

• Healthy adults have no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day (about a teaspoon)
• People age 51 or older, African-Americans, and people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease have no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day

6. Control your portion size

In addition to knowing which foods to eat, you’ll also need to know how much you should eat. Overloading your plate, taking seconds and eating until you feel stuffed can lead to eating more calories, fat and cholesterol than you should. Portions served in restaurants are often more than anyone needs. Keep track of the number of servings you eat — and use proper serving sizes — to help control your portions.

A serving size is a specific amount of food, defined by common measurements such as cups, ounces or pieces. For example, one serving of pasta is 1/2 cup, or about the size of a hockey puck. A serving of meat, fish or chicken is 2 to 3 ounces, or about the size and thickness of a deck of cards. Judging serving size is a learned skill. You may need to use measuring cups and spoons or a scale until you’re comfortable with your judgment.

7. Plan ahead: Create daily menus

You know what foods to feature in your heart-healthy diet and which ones to limit. Now it’s time to put your plans into action.

Create daily menus using the six strategies listed above. When selecting foods for each meal and snack, emphasize vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Choose lean protein sources and limit high-fat and salty foods. Watch your portion sizes and add variety to your menu choices. For example, if you have grilled salmon one evening, try a black bean burger the next night. This helps ensure that you’ll get all of the nutrients your body needs. Variety also makes your meals and snacks more interesting.

8. Allow yourself an occasional treat

Allow yourself an indulgence every now and then. A candy bar or handful of potato chips won’t derail your heart-healthy diet. But don’t let it turn into an excuse for giving up on your healthy-eating plan. If overindulgence is the exception, rather than the rule, you’ll balance things out over the long term. What’s important is that you eat healthy foods most of the time.

Incorporate these eight tips into your life, and you’ll continue to find that heart-healthy eating is both doable and enjoyable. With planning and a few simple substitutions, you can eat with your heart in mind.

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States (CDC, 2011) and it is caused mainly by the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, tanning beds and  sun lamps. UV rays penetrate into the skin and cause skin cell damages, leading to premature skin aging and skin cancer.

To protect your skin and eyes from harmful sun rays, follow these tips from CDC (Center for Disease Control and Protection):

• Seek shade, especially during midday hours

• Wear clothing to protect exposed skin

• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck

• Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible

• Use sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection

Shade

You can reduce your risk of skin damage and skin cancer by seeking shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter before you need relief from the sun. Your best bet to protect your skin is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside—even when you’re in the shade.

Clothing

Loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and long pants made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection from the sun’s UV rays. A wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one. Darker colors may offer more protection than lighter colors.

If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, at least try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up. Keep in mind that a typical T-shirt has an SPF rating lower than 15, so use other types of protection as well.

Hats

For the most protection, wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck. A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV rays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. A darker hat may offer more UV protection.

If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or by staying in the shade.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure.

Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because they block UV rays from sneaking in from the side.

Sunscreen

The sun’s UV rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. Put on sunscreen before you go outside, even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all parts of exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back.

For more information, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/prevention.htm

Choose Your Cover Campaign (PDF)

(Source: AHA, 2011)

You can save a life with ‘Hands only CPR’!!!

CPR. A lifesaving action.

When an adult has a sudden cardiac arrest, his or her survival depends greatly on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby. Unfortunately, less than 1/3 of those people who experience a cardiac arrest at home, work or in a public location get that help. Most bystanders are worried that they might do something wrong or make things worse. That’s why the AHA has simplified things.

Hands-Only CPR works

Hands-OnlyTM CPR, performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as “conventional” CPR in emergencies that occur at home, work or in public. There are only two steps to remember:

• 1) Call 911
• 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest.

Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuJkRpJ7Fxg&feature=related

Ken Jeong gets the message out! View here:http://youtu.be/n5hP4DIBCEE

Don’t be afraid. Your actions can only help.

It’s not normal to see an adult suddenly collapse, but if you do, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest. Don’t be afraid. Your actions can only help. Take a minute and look around this site and invite your friends! Increasing the number of people who know about Hands-OnlyTM CPR will increase the chance that someone can help when an adult suddenly collapses, and more lives can be saved.

Check out this video to see Hands-Only CPR in action.

You can be a lifesaver

If you ARE CONFIDENT in your ability to provide CPR that includes breaths with high-quality chest compressions with minimal interruptions, then provide either the conventional CPR that you learned OR Hands-OnlyTM CPR.

If you ARE NOT CONFIDENT in your ability to provide CPR that includes breaths with high-quality chest compressions with minimal interruptions, then provide Hands-OnlyTM CPR.

In both cases, continue Hands-OnlyTM CPR until an AED arrives and is ready for use or EMS providers take over care of the victim.

Learning conventional CPR is still recommended

The American Heart Association recommends conventional CPR with breaths and compressions for infants and children; victims of drowning, drug overdose or other respiratory problems; and adult victims who are found already unconscious and not breathing normally.

A CPR course teaches you the skills needed to help those other victims. You’ll also practice performing the same two steps you’ll need for Hands-OnlyTM CPR. Typically people who have had CPR training are more confident about their skills and more likely to assist someone in a real emergency.

Even a very short CPR training program that you can do at home, like the American Heart Association’s 22-minute CPR Anytime, provides skills training and practice that can prepare you to perform high-quality chest compressions.

—

Frequently Asked Questions:

http://handsonlycpr.org/faqs?qid=11

1) Get a kit, 2) Make a plan, and 3) Be informed

Be Red Cross Ready Checklist

__ I know what emergencies or disasters are most likely to occur in my community.
__ I have a family disaster plan and have practiced it.
__ I have an emergency preparedness kit.
__ At least one member of my household is trained in first aid and CPR/AED.

__ I have taken action to help my community prepare.

Click on the image below for details:

More info: www.redcross.org, www.fema.org, www.ready.gov

Stroke is a brain attack!
Stroke is a “brain attack” cutting off vital blood and oxygen to the brain cells that control everything we do from speaking, to walking, to breathing. Most strokes occur when arteries are blocked by blood clots or by the gradual build-up of plaque and other fatty deposits. Some strokes can be caused by arteries rupturing when weak spots on the blood vessel wall break.

Every year, stroke strikes approximately 795,000 Americans – killing 144,000 and forever changing the lives of many who survive. The good news is that many strokes can be prevented. New emergency treatments can help stop the brain damage and disability, if you know the symptoms and get immediate attention.

Stroke symptoms include:

• SUDDEN numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body.
• SUDDEN confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• SUDDEN trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• SUDDEN trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• SUDDEN severe headache with no known cause.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you have any of these symptoms

Note the time you experienced your first symptom.
This information is important to your healthcare provider and can affect treatment decisions.

Reducing Risk

Everyone has some stroke risk. A few stroke risk factors are beyond your control, such as being over age 55, being a male, being African-American, Pacific/Islander or Hispanic, having diabetes, and having a family history of stroke. If you have one of these risk factors, it is even more important that you learn about the lifestyle and medical changes you can make to prevent a stroke.

Medical stroke risk factors include:
Previous stroke, previous episode of transient ischemic attack or “TIA,” high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, atrial fibrillation and carotid artery disease. These medical risk factors can be controlled. Talk with your doctor about what will work best for you.

Lifestyle stroke risk factors include:
Smoking, being overweight and drinking too much alcohol.You can control these lifestyle risk factors by quitting smoking, exercising regularly, watching what and how much you eat and limiting alcohol consumption.

NOTE THE TIME WHEN ANY SYMPTOMS FIRST APPEAR. If given within three hours of the first symptom, there is an FDA-approved clot-buster medication that may reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. There are also two other types of stroke treatment available that might help reduce the effects of stroke. Read more about stroke treatment.

Stay Informed:

National Stroke Association: www.stroke.org

Foot & Nail Care clinic for diabetes & any individuals with foot &/or nail problems. We will also have regular blood pressure & blood sugar screenings, if there are any interested individuals. Nisha Thapa (NP) will be there to further evaluate any health issues that you might have. SAVE THE DATE & JOIN US!!!

When: May 22nd, 2011 (10 am to 2pm)

Where: TANC Community Center, 5200 Huntington Ave. Richmond, CA 94804

“Podiatrists, also known as doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs), diagnose and treat disorders, diseases, and injuries of the foot and lower leg.Podiatrists treat corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, bunions, heel spurs, and arch problems; ankle and foot injuries, deformities, and infections; and foot complaints associated with diabetes and other diseases. To treat these problems, podiatrists prescribe drugs and physical therapy, set fractures, and perform surgery. They also fit corrective shoe inserts called orthotics, design plaster casts and strappings to correct deformities, and design custom-made shoes” (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

STDs are a major public health issue. Learn more about STDs and protect yourself and others. Get yourself tested!!!

Diseases & Related Conditions

The diseases, conditions, and infections below are listed in alphabetical order.