Category Archives: Preventative Medicine

RENSSELAER For the second year, the Jasper and Newton County Extension offices have joined to bring information and wellness testing to the Jasper County Fairgrounds for the elderly population of both counties. The senior expo, on Oct. 9, brought a variety of senior living residences, medicine and other agencies together for seniors to browse, gather some freebies and learn about the choices they have as they grow into their golden years, and all of it was free.

Franciscan Health Rensselaer brought nurses offering free screenings in bone density, cholesterol and glucose testing as well as Medicare information. Tim Ventrello, an RN who runs the Heartland Vascular Screening program for Franciscan Health was there to tell seniors about the new testing program and to discuss the hospitals new 3D mammography machine, making it easier for radiologists to see more clearly what is inside a breast and the ability to find something unusual that may not have been seen by regular mammography.

The machine gauges the persons body type and adjusts itself to each individuals body, making it more comfortable for the patient.

The new screening programs offer different heart, lung and vascular screenings for a flat fee without going through insurance or the need to have a doctors referral. A heart risk assessment is included in each screening. The screenings are by appointment and the office is open Monday and Thursday, 7 a.m. to noon, but appointments can be made outside of those hours for patients convenience.

Ventrello said the screenings are meant for young healthy people to find where they are in their health and to follow up each year as a wellness check rather than waiting for something to happen as they age. It is preventative medicine, he said.

Sherri Van Buren discusses information and Medicare options for seniors on Medicare health insurance in Rensselaer, Lafayette and Crawfordsville. She was on-hand Wednesday morning to help any seniors who stopped to talk about their healthcare coverage.

Josephine Mikuly, of DeMotte, said she came to the expo last year and enjoyed the information she received and was happy to return again this year. Ive gotten good information, she said.

The new senior living facility in Rensselaer, Autumn Trace, had representatives available to talk about their facility. It is three/quarters full and they receive inquiries daily regarding availability, Kristi Ritter said.

There was also a table for Parkview Haven in Francesville, the Rensselaer Care Center, Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village in DeMotte and George Ade Memorial Health Care in Brook. Ashland Place Senior Apartments in Goodland was also there to discuss its independent living apartments with the visitors.

Birthright of Rensselaer was there looking for senior volunteers to help answer the phone and do other volunteer work. Brook Library and the Jasper County Library had large print books to give away as well as information on services the libraries have to offer. Both community services from the two counties gave seniors information on the services they offer seniors as well.

Walgreens was offering free flu shots and pneumonia shots to the seniors as well.

Although attendance was down from last year, the expo went well, and those who went were glad they did.

Northwest Indiana Community Action promoted a free Living Healthy workshop that began on Thursday, Oct. 10 and continues each Thursday through Nov. 14, at 3:30 p.m. at the Community Church in Roselawn. The address is 10498 N 450 E, DeMotte/Roselawn. Seniors will need to register for the program by calling 800-826-7871, ext. 2203.

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Senior Expo provides information and wellness testing for Newton and Jasper - Newsbug.info

A large crowd came out to see the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the re-opening of Earth Animal on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Westport, Conn.

A large crowd came out to see the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the re-opening of Earth Animal on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Westport, Conn.

Photo: Jarret Liotta / Jarret Liotta

A large crowd came out to see the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the re-opening of Earth Animal on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Westport, Conn.

A large crowd came out to see the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the re-opening of Earth Animal on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, in Westport, Conn.

Earth Animal gets a new home on Post Road

WESTPORT Less a business than a familial institution for local pet lovers, Earth Animal celebrated the opening of its new store on Sunday afternoon.

Hundreds of people many with dogs in tow paid a visit to the new location at 925 Post Road East that formerly housed Starbucks. The store had previously been a half-mile west near Dunkin Donuts.

Festivities, including food, live music, lectures and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local officials, drew a multitude of longtime customers who eagerly shared their deep affection for a 40-year-old family-run business they say has had a profound impact on their lives.

Theyre not just selling products, said Susan Altschuler, of Weston. Theyre on the next level.

She shared how, after learning her dog had cancer, she discovered the store and its focus on chemical-free food and products. In the process, they taught her lessons about animal health care and preventative medicine, which she now exercises with her current dog.

I found out after the fact about all the things that we should have been doing, she said.

Earth Animal grew out of the experience of Dr. Bob Goldstein, a veterinarian, and his wife Susan, a nutritionist.

They were seeing a lot of cancer patients, explained Stephanie Bolo, vice president of marketing and sustainability, in his practice in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

They started realizing it was the use of pesticides and chemicals on pets, she said, including flea and tick medicines. They, in turn, opened the first iteration of the product business Lick Your Chops which was attached their veterinary hospital.

Weve been residing as a business in Westport for 35 years, said Susan Goldstein, noting this new store was 25 years in vision.

Its a go-to for pet parents and families who are seeking a kinder, better way for dealing with health and wellness issues, she said, and we just feel so honored to be here with such good friends.

Five years ago we started Earth Animal Ventures, said COO Chris Moore, noting their products are now available in 6,500 retail stores throughout North America. And weve just started our international expansion.

This is my parents dream come true, said Merritt Goldstein, who has overseen the retail store for close to two decades. Its been a beautiful experience. The loyalty for the last 40 years has been very special.

The new store includes a memorial brick walkway at the entrance dedicated to Merritts former co-manager John Mancinelli, who worked with her for 18 years and died two years ago.

This outpouring is incredible, said state Sen. Tony Hwang, who aided in the ribbon cutting. Your love and affection for this town is demonstrated in everything you do in your store.

Weve been coming here for a long, long time, said Jan Colabella, of Westport.

Everything is organic and safe, she said. They give us good advice. ...Weve had four dogs since weve been coming here and theyve helped us through everything.

This is a long-standing local business thats loved by, and supported by, Westporters, said Selectman Jennifer Tooker, who took part in the ceremony, and theyre so grateful for their contribution to the community.

Its about love, Merritt said. Its about trust and its about friendship. Thats what Earth Animal is and were very, very blessed.

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Earth Animal gets a new home on Post Road - Westport News

California's largest inland lake, the Salton Sea, lies in the Imperial and Coachella valleys. The lake, which is more than 50 percent saltier than the Pacific Ocean, is becoming more salt than water because it's essentially evaporating. The lake and the area that surrounds it once hotspots for tourism and wildlife have essentially become ghost towns.

But while people no longer visit, the lake's evaporation still has consequences for both humans and animals. Rates of asthma there are disproportionately high and are thought to be caused by dust blown up from the dry lakebed. Meanwhile fish populations are plummeting as are populations of migratory birds. So, what is happening at the Salton Sea and is anything being done about it?

First, a little backstory. The Salton Sea has existed in many forms over millennia, depending on changing flows of water from the nearby Colorado River. It's located in the Salton Basin near the Mexican border, and geologic evidence shows it has alternated between mostly freshwater, mostly saltwater and nearly dry.

The sea was in a dry phase when in 1905, the Colorado River overflowed, and, due to human error, breached its levees, flooding the desert valley for two years. This created the 400-square-mile (1,036-square-kilometer) inland lake, which was larger than Lake Tahoe.

In the 1920s, locals decided to divert agricultural irrigation runoff to the lake, which kept it alive longer than it probably would have on its own, given it's located in a desert where temperatures frequently soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius).

This accidental lake turned out to be a boon for wildlife, though. Birds flocked to the area and fish seemed to thrive there, as well. In 1930, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service created the Salton Sea Wildlife Refuge to protect the ducks, geese and shore birds attracted to the lake. Since its establishment, millions of birds, including 400 different species, have been spotted along the shores.

The area continued to thrive in the 1940s and '50s. Tourism grew, and developers branded it the "Salton Riviera," building hotels, homes and yacht clubs. Salton Sea State Park opened in 1955, then the second largest state park in California. The California Department of Fish and Game bred saltwater fish in the lake and they flourished and fed large populations of migratory birds.

But this desert paradise's days were numbered and by the 1970s, the "Salton Riviera" was headed for trouble.

Because of the lake's desert location, it has never gotten much precipitation. Plus, most of the surrounding activity was agricultural, so the lake experienced high levels of pesticide and fertilizer runoff. And because the lake has no outlet, the poisoned water had nowhere to go.

This caused a process called eutrophication, which results in increased algae and bacteria known as dead zones. This perfect storm of conditions caused the lake to become saltier. The high salinity, along with the eutrophication, caused massive fish die-offs.

By the 1990s, the shores of lake were littered with dead fish. And 150,000 eared grebes (small waterbirds) died on the Salton Sea between December 1991 and April 1992. Another 20,000 died in 1994. By 1996, type C avian botulism killed more than 10,000 white and brown pelicans and nearly 10,000 other fish-eating birds. More than 1,000 endangered brown pelicans died in the largest reported die-off of an endangered species. Eight million tilapia died in one day in the summer of 1999.

But back at the Salton Sea, tourism dropped off. The lake level dropped, too, due in part to evaporation and in part, ironically, to a reduction in the same agricultural runoff that had caused so many problems in the first place.

Then in 2003, things became even more dire. Southern California's water districts finally sign off on the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) that had been in negotiation for years. It called for a large portion of the Colorado River water that had gone to the Imperial Valley for farming irrigation to be redirected to urban areas in the Coachella Valley and San Diego for residential use.

To make up for that water loss, the agreement designated a water restoration plan for the Salton Sea for 15 years. It also paid farmers in the Imperial Valley to leave some of their land fallow and so the water they would have used for agriculture would go the Salton Sea instead. But that deal ran out in Dec. 31, 2017, so the lake continued to dry up.

But even before the QSA deal expired, the Salton Sea ran into problems. In 2012, a sulfurous smell wafted across hundreds of miles of Southern California. The odor turned out to be from the lake's rotting fish carcasses. In addition, the dried-up lake bed left large swaths of dirt that was once covered by water exposed like a massive beach.

"That [exposed dirt] has the potential to be moved by wind and increase the amount of dust that's in the air," says Jill Johnston, Ph.D., an assistant professor of preventative medicine at the University of Southern California. "This dust can get in your lungs and adversely affect respiratory health, cardiovascular health and cause learning issues."

Johnston is currently working on a long-term research project, "The Salton Sea and Children's Health: Assessing Imperial Valley Respiratory Health and the Environment," with partner Shohreh Farzan, Ph.D. The project follows elementary school children near the Salton Sea to look at changes in their respiratory health because of exposure to particulate matter.

There has already been evidence of high rates of asthma is the area. Still, correlation is not causation, which is why Johnston's study is so important. "The aim is trying to answer the question if Salton Sea dust is impacting the health of the community," she says.

Over the years, there have been several remediation proposals that promised to deal with the problems at the Salton Sea. An editorial in the Los Angeles Times from March 2019 blames the government's lack of urgency, at least in part, on the lake's location: It's far away from the urban centers that policymakers in the state tend to focus on. In addition, it is close to the Mexican border and smack dab on the southern tip of the San Andreas Fault.

But there have been even more promises made and promises broken. Congress passed the Salton Sea Reclamation Act directing the Secretary of Interior to prepare a feasibility study and submit it to Congress by Jan. 1, 2000. It never did. In 2003, then-governor Gray Davis signed the Salton Sea Restoration Act and Salton Sea Restoration Fund. But neither was funded.

Later in 2007, Sen. Barbara Boxer authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to spend up to $30 million on Salton Sea projects. But money was never appropriated until 2015, when the Obama administration included a measly $200,000 for yet another study.

By 2008, California's Legislative Analyst's Office refused to endorse the $8.9-billion Salton Sea plan prepared and released by the state in 2007. Later in 2008, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill meant to accelerate the distribution of money for Salton Sea restoration. But ultimately the $8.9-billion plan failed, too.

It wasn't until January 2016 that the California legislature approved $80 million for the Salton Sea the state's largest-ever allocation. And in February the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said it would increase its annual spending from $300,000 to $3 million. These announcements both came on the heels of California's Little Hoover Commission report, which urged state officials to "take immediate action on the Salton Sea" because of it was a "public health catastrophe."

But this money is just a drop in the bucket. California has since released another 10-year Salton Sea plan, which it expects will cost at least $383 million. The state is no longer focused on restoring the Salton Sea. It's too late for that. The plan now is to mitigate damage to the habitat and the people, birds and other animals living near and around it. But that will only happen if the plan is fully funded. And if the past is any indicator of the future, what's to become of the Salton Sea doesn't look so bright.

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How the Salton Sea Became an Eco Wasteland - HowStuffWorks

On Friday afternoon, multiple Rowan clubs, departments, sports teams and others in the Rowan community convened at the Intramural Field to hold the inaugural Fitness Festival in support of ALS awareness, as well as to promote fitness as part of a healthy life.

The event was also held to commemorate the life of Dr. Theresa Cone, a former Rowan Health and Exercise Science professor, who was battling ALS.

Cone passed away Sept. 27 but had planned on attending the event. Her family, including her husband (Dr. Stephen Cone, who is also a former Rowan professor), her mother and a few more of her relatives attended the event.

The Fitness Festival consisted of stations for participants to do various exercises, such as throwing medicine balls, pushing sleds and doing push-ups.

All equipment was provided by Appenzeller Training Systems, a gym located in West Berlin and owned by Rowan alumnus CJ Appenzeller. Appenzeller facilitated the opening warm-up for participants.

The festival had a high turnout of Rowan sports teams, faculty, alumni and others in the Rowan community.

The goal of the fitness part of the event was to show people that exercising is essential to being healthy, as well as something that can be fun instead of doing boring timeworn exercises like going on a treadmill or lifting weights.

William Samalonis, a sophomore human performance in clinical settings major and the president of Exercise is Medicine, spearheaded the planning of the event and emphasized the role of exercise in our lives.

The overall goal of this event, for Exercise is Medicine, is to get people excited to get active and healthy, Samalonis said. Exercise is the best preventative medicine out there; it prevents pretty much everything you can think of on the chronic spectrum of disease.

On the other hand, the event sought to raise awareness for ALS.

Also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, ALS is a disease that attacks motor neurons. Neurons control muscle movement, and as the disease progresses, those who suffer from it are unable to move their bodies.

As of now, there isnt a cure for ALS. However, the event helped to fund research to find a cure by donating 50% of the proceeds to the ALS Association, as well as helped raise awareness for the disease.

One of the participants, Claire McKissick, attended as part of a bonding activity for the swimming and diving team. Though she had become aware of the disease originally through the Ice Bucket Challenge that overtook the internet five years ago, McKissick heightened her awareness by attending the festival.

I think this definitely helps [bring awareness] because I think a lot of the attention has kind of died down a little bit with the challenge, but I think this is a really great way of reminding people that its still an issue, its still out there and its still something that we can come together and help fix, said McKissick, a senior Radio, Television and Film major.

Dr. Theresa Cone dedicated most of her life to teaching health and physical education, both in public schools and at Rowan. She focused much of her attention on promoting funding for those with disabilities.

Cone had an immense impact on those with whom she came into contact.

Dr. Gregory Biren, a health and exercise science professor and coordinator of exercise science at Rowan, was one of those people.

[She was] energetic beyond belief, compassionate beyond beliefshes the greatest teacher Ive ever met in my life, Biren said. She looks at you, she talks to you, shes patient with you, and she just has nothing but goodness to give to people to help them overcome their issues.

In light of his wifes passing, Dr. Stephen Cone had a few words to say as a reminder to everyone at the event.

Its a little sappy, he said, but Im going to say it: Love those who are close to you, bring those who are further away from you close to you. Dont waste a day; dont waste a moment.

For comments/questions about this story, emailfeatures@thewhitonline.com or tweet @TheWhitOnline.

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Rowan community hosts first annual Fitness Festival to promote fitness and ALS awareness - The Whit Online

This has been a big week for Social Security beneficiaries. Yesterday, nearly 64 million monthly benefit recipients found out exactly how much of a "raise" they'll be getting in 2020. And while it's nowhere near as robust as the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that was passed along this year, it's far and away better than the 0% COLA passed along in 2010, 2011, and 2016, or the minuscule 0.3% COLA in 2017.

However, Social Security's COLA reveal also means it's time to look forward to a host of changes in the program for the following year. For example, the rich will have to hand over a bit more in payroll tax in 2020 than they did in 2019, and the long-term disabled (along with the blind) will be able to earn more each month before their disability checks would be stopped.

Image source: Getty Images.

But the most notable change of all might just be the increase in the full retirement age by another two months to 66 years and eight months for those born in 1958. The full retirement age (also known as "normal retirement age" by the Social Security Administration) is the age at which you become eligible to receive 100% of your monthly benefit, as determined by your birth year.

When Social Security was signed into law back in August 1935, the full retirement age was set at 65. It would remain at this level through the year 1999. Mind you, the system didn't work back then as it does today. This is to say that beneficiaries didn't have the option of choosing to claim earlier than age 65. The early claiming option that allowed workers to begin taking a reduced payout as early as age 62 was signed into law in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. Thus, up until 1961, workers had no choice but to wait until age 65 to receive their payout.

Since 2000, the full retirement age has increased nine times, as part of the Reagan administration overhaul passed in 1983. Each of these increases to the full retirement age has been in two-month increments. Between 2000 and 2005, the full retirement age for persons between 1938 and 1943 increased by two months annually, ultimately rising from 65 to 66. Then, after a more-than-one-decade lull when the full retirement age stood at 66, it began increasing again in 2017. It'll peak at age 67 in 2022 for those born in 1960 and later.

Next year, when the program's full retirement age climbs to 66 years and eight months, it'll mark just the 10th time in 85 years that it's increased.

Image source: Getty Images.

This may not seem like a big deal, but the full retirement age is arguably one of the biggest problems with the Social Security program.

Back in 1940, when the very first benefit checks were doled out to eligible workers, the average life expectancy for a baby born in the U.S. was 60.8 years for men and 65.2 years for women. As of 2017, it had risen to 78.6 years for the average baby. Put another way, in the time it's taken for Social Security's full retirement age to rise by less than two years, the average life expectancy has increased by approximately 15 years. There are some pretty major implications for this disparity.

When the program was signed into law, it was designed with the idea that it would provide a financial foundation for those workers who could no longer provide for themselves. But the expectation is that these payouts would continue for years, not decades. Today, the Social Security Administration finds that the average 65-year-old will live another 20 years. That's potentially two or more decades of payouts, and it's clearly becoming a burden on the program.

Rising income inequality has also led to the exploitation of this disparity between the full retirement age and longevity. Since the well-to-do have little or no financial constraints when it comes to receiving preventative care, medical care, or prescription medicine, they're living substantially longer than the low-income workers that Social Security was truly designed to protect. Not only does this mean that wealthier individuals are, on average, receiving a Social Security payout for decades at a time, but this payout is considerably higher than the average monthly benefit paid to retired workers.

Image source: Getty Images.

So, why hasn't the full retirement age been increased to reflect rising longevity and ease some of the burden on the Social Security program? The issue is that increasing the full retirement age is akin to cutting benefits, and that's a big no-no for a lot of politicians on Capitol Hill.

Since your full retirement age represents the point at which you become eligible to receive 100% of your monthly payout, gradually raising it over a period of years or decades means reducing the lifetime earning potential of future generations of workers.

For example, one of the core solutions to Social Security's imminent cash shortfall offered by Republicans is the idea of gradually increasing the full retirement age from 67 to as high as 70. While sparing current and near-term retirees, such a move would likely require millennials and generation Z to either wait longer to collect their full payout or to accept an even steeper reduction by taking their benefit early. Thus, future generations of retired workers would have fewer years to collect if they wait, or would receive even less each month if claiming early. No matter their choice, the amount paid out by the program would be less than under the current model. It's a cut to long-term benefits.

Democrats in Washington, D.C. simply won't support any legislation that reduces benefits, either on an up-front or long-term basis. This is why legislation that increases the full retirement age, or even offers to index it to longevity, is unlikely to be addressed anytime soon.

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This Social Security Change in 2020 Will Happen for Only the 10th Time in 85 Years - The Motley Fool

If your doctor told you she was going to give you a pill camera to swallow so she could see inside your intestines, would you be afraid? Already by 2008 pill cameras had been used in more than two million procedures since they were approved by the FDA in 2001, and they are becoming more common every day. When faced with the choice between a scope and swallowing a tiny pill, which sounds like a more pleasant experience? Nanotechnology in medicine is making procedures that once required anesthesia and hospital stays as simple as swallowing a pill. So whats next for nanotechnology in medicine?

Wound care is probably one of the most interesting advancements in the world of nanotechnology. There are bandages that can detect infection and dispense antibiotics right to the point of infection, both preventing the overuse of antibiotics as a preventative measure and also ensuring patients dont need constant monitoring during the healing process.

Nanotechnology can also be used to track the dosing and compliance of medications, ensuring patients who are already feeling poorly can get their medications at the right doses at the right times without forgetting whether they took it or not. Treatment non-adherence costs $290 billion in the United States from subsequent medical issues, and smart pills can help to curb those costs.

There are a wide variety of smart pills that solve a multitude of problems in a minimally invasive way, from clearing blockages to testing the gut microbiome. The question now is when will these technologies become affordable enough to be used en masse? There are also ethical concerns with certain types of technology being able to track patients or leading to vulnerabilities from hackers. Whats more, some tracking devices can enhance and confirm feelings of persecution from patients with certain types of mental health disorders.

Are you ready for the world of minimally invasive nanotechnology in medicine? Learn more about the future of nanotechnology in medicine below!

Last Updated on October 11, 2019

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Infographic: Is nanotechnology the future of medicine? - Techaeris

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center (MMMC) announces an expansion of innovative, specialized care with the opening of its new Outpatient Oncology Center and Breast Health and Imaging Center. The two new Centers will house several specialties on one campus in order to provide patients with comprehensive care, offering the most advanced treatment combined with compassion and convenience.

As MedStar Montgomery marks its 100th anniversary this year, the Centers' openings represent the hospital's combined commitment to forward-looking, patient-focused care. The Centers will provide value-based healthcare with the highest quality safety and service alongside state-of-the-art equipment, delivered by world class physicians. MedStar Montgomery is uniquely positioned for this strategic growth, as it continues to offer patients local access to care, and additional resources and expertise as part of MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute.

New Imaging Center Prioritizes Breast Health and Preventative Care

From prevention to treatment, the new Breast Health and Imaging Center at MMMC serves patients with both cancerous and non-cancerous breast conditions. The advance treatments and preventative care are matched with compassion and sensitivity delivered by a highly skilled, specialized interdisciplinary team.

"A breast cancer diagnosis is unexpected and is impacted by so many variablesso our priority is treating the whole patient, well beyond the cancer," said Dawn Leonard, MD, Breast Health Program site director. "We're proud of what this means for our ability to continue providing comprehensive and integrated care that is critical to our community."

The new center will enhance the overall experience of patients with state-of-the-art technology delivered in a comfortable environment. This includes the addition of the new SmartCurve Breast Stabilization System, a new technology that is shaped like a woman's breast and clinically proven to deliver a more comfortable and accurate mammogram. A more comfortable experience helps to eliminate the pain barrier that prevents many women from receiving regular breast exams. Patients also have access to Intelligent2D, an imaging technology that produces as a clear, comprehensive image which improves clinical performance for early, accurate diagnosis.

The Breast Health and Imaging Center offers a variety of preventative care and treatment options, including:

Outpatient Oncology Brings New Depth, Breadth of Cancer Care to Olney

The expansion of MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute brings a comprehensive, patient-focused Outpatient Oncology Center to MedStar Montgomery. Patients with a variety of cancers will be treated by an integrated team of specialists with the latest, research-based treatment approaches and advanced technology. A network of expert, compassionate care providers will work together to develop a personalized, seamless and supportive care plan, bringing world-class cancer care to Olney.

"With an increasing amount of cancer care provided in the outpatient setting, which is expected to grow over the next decade, the opening of this new cancer center is imperative," Luther Ampey, MD, director of MedStar Montgomery's Cancer Center. "We believe everyone should have access to top doctors and treatment options where they live, without the need to travel far from home."

The Outpatient Oncology Center at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center provides high-quality cancer care treatments, including:

As part of the MedStar Health System, MMMC patients have access to a large network of nationally recognized providers and innovative care. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 45 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation to be a designated comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute.

"We are eager to use the Centers' resources to reach more patients in the region," said Thomas J. Senker, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center president. "Bringing the expertise of MedStar Health cancer care into our community-based hospital allows us to develop tailored, world-class treatment that provides our patients with the best possible care right here in Montgomery County."

MMMC began seeing patients in the Outpatient Oncology Center in July 2019 and will welcome patients to the Breast Health and Imaging Center in late October 2019. The hospital is also honoring breast cancer survivors, their families, caregivers and those who have lost their battle through its "Pink with a Purpose" ribbon project. Supporters are invited to honor their loved ones by adding a pink ribbon to a 10-foot ribbon-shaped display at various community events.

For more information on the new Oncology Center or to request a consultation, visit: http://www.medstarhealth.org/ads/mmmc-outpatient-oncology-center. To schedule a breast health screen visit: https://www.medstarhealth.org/ads/mmmc-breast-health-program-preventative/. And to learn more about Breast Cancer Care in MMMC's Breast Health and Imaging Center, visit: https://www.medstarhealth.org/ads/mmmc-breast-health-program-cancer-care.

ABOUT MEDSTAR MONTGOMERY MEDICAL CENTER AND MEDSTAR HEALTH

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is a not-for-profit, acute care community hospital serving Montgomery County, Maryland. For 100 years, MedStar Montgomery has served as a medical care provider and community health resource offering high-quality, personalized care. MedStar Montgomery provides a broad range of healthcare specialties, advanced technologies, and treatments not traditionally found at community hospitalsincluding cutting-edge care in obstetrics, orthopedics, breast health, and oncology.

MedStar Health is the region's largest non-profit and most trusted integrated healthcare delivery system, giving patients access to the latest in modern medicine and medical technology within a community hospital setting.

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MedStar Montgomery Opens New Oncology and Breast Health Centers - Patch.com

While trauma, divorce and bereavement can send anyone into a downward spiral of depression, there are some surprising, everyday, factors that also heighten our risk for mental illness.

A leading pharmaceutical firm concerned about SAs high use of antidepressant medication has launched an education campaign to shed light on the ordinary, often unsuspecting things that could have an impact on the publics mental well-being.

Abdurahman Kenny, Central Nervous System Portfolio Manager at Pharma Dynamics says the growing incidence of depression and anxiety worldwide implies that there are other factors too that make modern-day society more vulnerable to mental illness.

Research shows that spending too much time indoors, being stuck in traffic, heavy social media use, lack of movement and even slouching could all be triggers, he says.

According to research done by Harvards Medical School, staying cooped up indoors is not only bad for our physical health, but mental health too. These days most of us spend the majority of our days inside denying our bodies of much-needed vitamin D, which may provide some protection against depression.

Kenny says exposure to sunlight increases the brains production of serotonin a hormone associated with an elevated mood. By just spending 10 to 15 minutes outside with our arms and legs exposed to the sun (without sunscreen), is enough for our bodies to produce the required amount of vitamin D.

READ:SADAG urges men to seek mental health treatment

Our indoor lifestyle has led to more than a billion people across the glove being Vitamin D deficient even in the sunnier parts of the world, such as Australia, more than a third are deficient. Evidence shows that a lack of vitamin D increases the likelihood of depression by up to 14% and suicide by 50%, so be sure to make safe sun exposure either in the morning or late afternoons a habit, he remarks.

Life satisfaction and happiness also takes a dip among those who have to suffer through long commutes to work and back. A report by the UKs National Office of Statistics showed that people who commute for longer than half an hour to work each way (regardless of the mode of transport) have greater levels of stress and anxiety.

Kenny says the average South African spends almost three hours a day in traffic, which doesnt do our mood any good. He suggests speaking to employers about working flexi-hours or from home if the type of job you do allows for this arrangement. Alternatively, put on your favourite tunes or listen to motivational or interesting podcasts to keep you positive.

Heavy social media use equal to two or more hours a day has also been associated with poor mental health. Researchers from Ottawa Public Health found that those who spend more than two hours a day on social networking sites are more likely to suffer from psychological distress and suicidal thoughts than those who spend less time online.

READ:4 ways walking can boost your mental health

Based on the latest Global Digital Yearbook published by 'We Are Social' and 'Hootsuite', South Africans already spend almost three hours a day trawling Twitter, Facebook and other social platforms about half an hour more than the average global user which can take a toll on our mental well-being.

While social media isnt all bad, its important to set boundaries, as too much time on networking sites can have damaging consequences. Commit to not checking social media at meal times and when spending time with family and friends. Also, schedule regular breaks from social media. Studies have shown that week-long breaks from Facebook can lower your stress levels and lead to higher life satisfaction. Review your social media habits and instead of spending an exhaustive 30 to 45 minutes at a time on social media, rather limit it to five minutes in the morning, afternoon and early evening.

Sitting too long also makes us anxious! According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine which tracked almost 9 000 women over a ten-year period. Researchers grouped them based on how much time they spent sitting each day (four or less hours a day or four to seven hours a day, or more than seven hours a day). Researchers found that those who were sedentary for more than seven hours a day were 47% more at risk of developing depression than those who sat for four or fewer hours a day. Women who didnt exercise at all, were 99% at risk of depressive symptoms, compared with those who exercised regularly.

Kenny says its no wonder that depression rates are on the increase when one considers that almost 40% of SA adults (men and women) are inactive based on the latest WHO statistics. Make a point of including exercise into your daily routine. Find something that you enjoy and stick to it. Exercise has shown to improve mood and forms part of a holistic treatment regime to help prevent the onset of depression.

Surprisingly, a bad posture and slouching in ones chair have also been linked to an increase in depressive symptoms.

San Francisco State University found that those who slouched felt more negative about themselves and had lower energy levels. Kenny points out that the way we sit or stand not only has an emotional effect on ourselves, but also on the way others view and treat us. So next time, pay special attention to how you sit and take notice of how you feel and how others treat you.

He also encourages the public to follow a healthy, balanced diet, getting enough sleep, limiting alcohol intake, spending quality time with friends and family, and making time for hobbies and interests, which all contribute to a healthy mental outlook.

In the past decade, depression rates have risen by nearly 20%, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. More than 300 million people are affected and at its worst, could lead to suicide. In South Africa, an estimated 20% will experience a depressive disorder at least once in their lifetime.

This message comes in the wake of Mental Health Awareness Month this October and aims to curb climbing depression rates in the country.

If you have felt unusually down and depressed for a prolonged period and dont know who to turn to, contact Pharma Dynamics toll-free helpline on 0800 205 026, which is manned by trained counsellors who are on call from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. For additional support, visit http://www.letstalkmh.co.za.

READ:Dont ignore mental health problem warning signs

Article source:Meropa Communications on behalf of Pharma Dynamics

Image courtesy of iStock/Srdjanns74

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Shocking every day factors that can cause mental illness - East Coast Radio

Photo by Alec Douglas on Unsplash.

While trauma, divorce and bereavement can send anyone into a downward spiral of depression, there are some surprising everyday factors that also heighten the risk for mental illness.

A pharmaceutical firm, concerned about SAs high use of antidepressant medication, has launched an education campaign to shed light on the ordinary, often unsuspecting things that could have an impact on the publics mental well-being.

Abdurahman Kenny, central nervous system portfolio manager at Pharma Dynamics, stated that the growing incidence of depression and anxiety worldwide implies that there are other factors too that make modern-day society more vulnerable to mental illness.

Research shows that spending too much time indoors, being stuck in traffic, heavy social media use, lack of movement and even slouching could all be triggers, he explained.

According to research done by Harvards Medical School, staying cooped up indoors is not only bad for our physical health, but mental health too.

These days most of us spend the majority of our days inside denying our bodies of much-needed vitamin D, which may provide some protection against depression. Exposure to sunlight increases the brains production of serotonin- a hormone associated with an elevated mood. By just spending 10 to 15 minutes outside with our arms and legs exposed to the sun (without sunscreen), is enough for our bodies to produce the required amount of vitamin D, he shared.

An indoor lifestyle has led to more than a billion people across the glove being vitamin D deficient- even in the sunnier parts of the world, such as Australia, more than a third are deficient.

Evidence shows that a lack of vitamin D increases the likelihood of depression by up to 14 percent and suicide by 50 percent, so be sure to make safe sun exposure either in the morning or late afternoons a habit.

Life satisfaction and happiness also takes a dip among those who have to suffer through long commutes to work and back.

A report by the UKs National Office of Statistics showed that people, who commute for longer than half an hour to work each day(regardless of the mode of transport), have greater levels of stress and anxiety.

Kenny said the average South African spends almost three hours a day in traffic, which doesnt do moods any good.

He suggested speaking to employers about working flexi-hours or from home if the type of job you do allows for this arrangement.

Alternatively, put on your favourite tunes or listen to motivational or interesting podcasts to keep you positive, he advised.

Heavy social media use, equal to two or more hours a day, has also been associated with poor mental health.

While social media isnt all bad, its important to set boundaries, as too much time on networking sites can have damaging consequences. Commit to not checking social media at meal times and when spending time with family and friends. Also schedule regular breaks from social media, he added.

Sitting too long also makes you anxious! According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine which tracked almost 9, 000 women over a 10-year period.

Researchers grouped them based on how much time they spent sitting each day (four or less hours a day or four to seven hours a day, or more than seven hours a day). Researchers found that those, who were sedentary for more than seven hours a day, were 47 percent more at risk of developing depression than those who sat for four or fewer hours a day.

Women, who didnt exercise at all, were 99 percent at risk of depressive symptoms, compared with those, who exercised regularly.

Kenny explained that its no wonder that depression rates are on the increase when one considers that almost 40 percent of SA adults (men and women) are inactive based on the latest WHO statistics.

Make a point of including exercise into your daily routine. Find something that you enjoy and stick to it. Exercise has shown to improve mood and forms part of a holistic treatment regime to help prevent the onset of depression, he suggested.

Surprisingly, a bad posture and slouching in ones chair have also been linked to an increase in depressive symptoms.

So next time, pay special attention to how you sit and take notice of how you feel and how others treat you, he stated.

He also encouraged the public to follow a healthy, balanced diet, getting enough sleep, limiting alcohol intake, spending quality time with friends and family, and making time for hobbies and interests, which all contribute to a healthy mental outlook.

In the past decade, depression rates have risen by nearly 20 percent, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. More than 300 million people are affected and at its worst, could lead to suicide. In South Africa, an estimated 20 percent will experience a depressive disorder at least once in their lifetime.

This message comes in the wake of Mental Health Awareness Month this October and aims to curb climbing depression rates in the country.

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Surprising 'everyday' factors that affect mental health - Rising Sun Chatsworth

Mindfulness comes to us in many forms and having the opportunity to combine it with Shinrin-Yoku is one of the most luxurious things you can do for yourself. Shinrin-Yoku is the ancient art of forest bathing. Its not just a walk in the park, its a sensory perception experience focused on seeing, hearing and smelling. The participant deliberately immerses himself or herself with nature. In Japanese medicine, Shinrin-Yoku plays an integral part in preventative medicine and healing.

When participating in Shinrin-Yoku and mindfulness, its important to power down and disconnect from our cell phones and computers. As you walk quietly in the forest, focus on your breath and the inhale and exhale; tune in to what inspires your senses. Focus on the scent of the birch or evergreen trees, the flowers with their light floral scents or perhaps even the moss. Listen for the soft relaxing bird songs of the many birds that sing and inhabit the forest. If a light rain comes, you may even pick up the overpowering scent of fresh rain and feel the winds on your skin as they pick up and roll in with the rain. There may also be an earthy smell coming from the ground as the rain falls on the dry soil. As you walk touch, listen, and heal.

By combining mindfulness and Shinrin-Yoku, one can enhance therapeutic properties and have significant health advantages. Studies indicate that when people practice Shinrin-Yoku and immerse themselves in the forest; the stress hormone cortisol decreases significantly. Compared to people who walk in an urban environment, their cortisol levels dropped almost more than 16 percent. Participants blood pressure also shows improvement in only 15 minutes of practice. Trees and plants emit a chemical called Phytoncides, and there are many benefits to breathing forest air. Women in the study, who reported spending two to four hours in the forest on two successive days, had a 40 percent surge in the activity of cancer-fighting white blood cells. Also, exposure to Phytoncide reduces stress hormones and aids the immune system to fight and kill cancer cells.

With regular practice on can expect a more profound clearer intuition, increased flow of energy and life force, enhanced friendships, and an overall increase in happiness levels. Health benefits also include reduced stress levels, calming, rejuvenating, and therapeutic benefits. Even if you dont live near a forest just looking out your window at green spaces with trees can help reduce muscle tension and stress. See you in the forest!

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Shinrin Yoku and Mindfulness Its Not Just a Walk in the Park - Thrive Global