Health and Wellness Update

Don’t Throw Salt: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning us on the amount of salt in our diets. In addition to putting the salt shaker down, the FDA notes that 75 percent of our total salt intake is through processed foods. Too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder and can lead to heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease.  How much is enough? No more than 1500 milligrams a day for African Americans, people with high blood pressure, kidney disease, or diabetes, and people who are middle-age or older according to the Dietary Guidelines. Learn more about how to reduce your salt intake.

Breast Cancer the Second Time Around: It is well known that survivors of breast cancer have a much higher risk of developing a second breast cancer than women in the general population have of developing a first breast cancer. However, little is known about what lifestyle factors may make survivors more vulnerable to a second cancer. A new study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that obesity, alcohol use and smoking all significantly increase the risk of second breast cancer among breast cancer survivors.

Snacking 101 for Diabetics: BlackDoctor.org gives diabetics information on 10 quick snacks that can keep your sugar in check. “For diabetics, snacks are more than just a healthy way to curb an appetite and speed up metabolism. They can also keep a person’s blood sugar at bay or quickly boost blood sugar. Unfortunately, for today’s on-the-go person, making and eating healthy snacks can almost seem unfeasible. But the truth of the matter is making your own snacks can actually save you both time and money while boosting your energy and stabilizing your glucose levels.  Snacking ideas include:frozen juice bars, sugar free hot chocolate, popcorn, frozen yogurt, and chocolate-covered strawberries!

Colon Cancer Awareness Up, But Not Screenings: Health Day reports “[d]espite highly publicized education campaigns and widespread agreement about the importance of colorectal cancer screening, only 61 percent of Americans who should be screened do so, new research finds.”  More disturbing, “[r]ates for minorities, the uninsured and other vulnerable groups are lower still, with only 22 percent of lower-income people served by a ‘safety net’ health system in Texas being screened.” Colorectal cancer kills nearly 50,000 Americans a year and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States after lung cancer. Several types of screening tests available.

More Services