?é?áSunday June 7th, 2009 will be the 22nd annual celebration of the National Cancer Survivors Day. It is held throughout hundreds of communities worldwide. The event demonstrates that life after being diagnosed with cancer has become a reality. Currently in America, there are an estimated 10.8 million men, women, & children living with a history of cancer.?é?á Hope, knowledge and inspiration can help beat cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.ncsdf.org/
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National Hurricane Preparedness Week started yesterday. Hurricane season begins next week on June 1st and runs through November. Luckily, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a “near normal” Atlantic storm season. |
Don’t forget to consult these LSUHSC sponsored sites:
Chancellor’s Memorandum (CM-51) – Policy on Weather Related Emergency Procedures
LSUHSC New Orleans: Emergerency Information – This site currently has no news, but you can sign up for the text alert system and the link to other LSUHSC supplied emergency information.
Other websites to consult:
Emergency.Louisiana.gov
Emergency Preparedness – City of New Orleans
Department of Emergency Management – Jefferson Parish
Homeland Security & Emergency Operation Center – St. Tammany Parish
Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness – St. Bernard Parish
Memorial Day is upon us again. And while it is the official start of summer in much of the US, it is most importantly a “day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.”
In honor of this day, here are a couple of interesting websites for the veterans or families of veterans:
MedlinePlus: Veterans & Military Health
Veterans History Project from the Library of Congress
National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provides Fact Sheets, Brochures, and Questions & Answers about HIV vaccine research and trials.
HIV Vaccine Researchers are working to develop a vaccine that is 100 percent effective and will protect everyone from HIV infections. HIV research is essential for Louisiana citizens. Look at the facts below.
HIV/AIDS in Louisiana FACTS
?óÔé¼?ó As of March 31, 2008 a cumulative total of 27,744 persons have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Louisiana, including 302 cases in children under the age of 13.
?óÔé¼?ó There are persons living with HIV in every parish in Louisiana, and this number continues to increase each year, largely due to more effective drug therapies.
?óÔé¼?ó A total of 15,795 persons were known to be living with HIV/AIDS in Louisiana, of which 8,281 (52%) had been diagnosed with AIDS as of March 31, 2008.
?óÔé¼?ó In 2007, 1,152 new HIV cases were diagnosed in Louisiana; 30% of the cases were in Region 1 (New Orleans area) and 28% were in Region 2 (Baton Rouge area).
?óÔé¼?ó In 2007, 803 new AIDS cases were diagnosed in Louisiana. Of these cases, 33% occurred in Region 1 (New Orleans) ad 27% occurred in Region 2 (Baton Rouge).
?óÔé¼?ó In 2006, Louisiana ranked 5th highest in state AIDS case rates and 12th in the number of AIDS cases diagnosed in 2006.
?óÔé¼?ó Baton Rouge ranked 4th for AIDS case rates among the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. in 2006; New Orleans ranked 8th.
?óÔé¼?ó In Louisiana, 30% of new HIV cases and 31% of new AIDS cases are among women.
?óÔé¼?ó HIV continues to disproportionately affect African Americans in Louisiana. In 2007, 72% of newly diagnosed HIV cases and 75% of newly diagnosed AIDS cases were among African Americans.
Do this simple test to detect stroke symptoms:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the 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
Stroke mortality rate has declined over the past few years both in Louisiana and the US.
For 2005:
?óÔé¼?ó Louisiana?óÔé¼Ôäós rate was 17% above the national median rate.
?óÔé¼?ó Age?óÔé¼?Éadjusted mortality rates were 56.7 per 100,000 population for Louisiana and 46.6 per 100,000 population for the US.
?óÔé¼?ó Black females showed the highest stroke death rate of 78.6 per 100,000 population
followed by black males with the rate of 78 per 100,000.
May is National High Blood Pressure Month and it’s a good time to get to know your numbers.
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the artery walls. It is stated as a set of two numbers, the top (systolic pressure) measures the force of your heart beating and the bottom (diastolic pressure) measures the relaxation between beats.
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a high blood pressure diagnosis results when you have repeated readings of 140 over 90. Pre-hypertension is the term given to readings from 120 to 139 over 80-89.
High blood pressure is considered a “silent killer” because often there are no symptoms at first. Through time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure, or kidney failure.
More than 72 million American adults, 1 in 3, have high blood pressure. Although certain risk factors, such as age or family history, can’t be controlled, we can make lifestyle changes to help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Get yourself checked. Learn your numbers now.
In a long list of health observances, May brings you “Better Sleep Month.”
This awareness comes at a perfect time; as the days get longer and hotter, and people make time for well-deserved rest and relaxation.
Getting the right amount of sleep is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise. However, factors like stress and sleep illnesses can interrupt a satisfactory night’s rest.
Visit The Better Sleep Council to learn interesting sleep statistics, common sleep problems and to discover the interesting history of our wonderful friend, The Bed.
This year the 10th annual National Women?óÔé¼Ôäós Health Week kicks off today!?é?á It is a weeklong health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services?óÔé¼Ôäó Office on Women?óÔé¼Ôäós Health (OWH). This year?óÔé¼Ôäós theme is ?óÔé¼?ôIt?óÔé¼Ôäós Your Time?óÔé¼?Ø.
Some tips to increase physical and mental health include:
Locally there are a few events that are taking place:
Taking it to the Streets ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ A City Walk and Lunch promoting women?óÔé¼Ôäós mental and physical health (http://www.tulane.edu/~tuxcoe/NewWebsite/com_womens_health/index.html)
Ask your Health Provider ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ Clinical screening & exam, HIV & STI treatment and/or prevention, Taking the Pledge! (http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/?ID=264)
So far, Louisiana only has 6 women who took the pledge and is trailing far behind Missouri which has 155 pledges, so take the pledge today!
One week, not enough?
If you?óÔé¼Ôäód like to continue the Woman Challenge there is an eight-week online activity program that allows you to track your progress, so sign up today!
For more information please visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/ .
Bikes in the Roman Street Parking Garage. Can you guess which one is mine?
In line with National Physical Fitness Month, May is also deemed National Bike Month by the League of American Bicyclists.
Bicycle commuting is a great way to squeeze regular exercise into a hectic schedule. Commuting time can be used to stay in shape instead of sitting frustrated in traffic. Bicycle commuters get to work on time more often and are happier and more productive. 80% of people who switch from sedentary commuting to cycling improve their heart, lungs and blood vessels greatly in 6-8 weeks, so they get sick much less often.
For a 180 pound man, a 10 mile round trip bike commute burns 400 calories. For a 130-pound woman this same commute burns 300 calories. In fact, children who walk or bicycle to school have higher daily levels of physical activity and better cardiovascular fitness than do children who do not actively commute to school, according to a 2008 article from Preventing Chronic Disease.
Local Bike Links:
New Orleans Metro Bicycle Coalition: http://www.mbcnola.org/
Includes official bike route maps
Bikely: New Orleans bicycle routes
http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/srchkey/new+orleans/country/254/region/140
Bikely lets you map your own bike paths or search paths others have created. Here’s one for biking Uptown to the Medical district.
New Orleans Bicycle Club: http://www.neworleansbicycleclub.org/
For the local bike racing enthusiast
Rubarb bikes: http://www.rubarbike.org/
Upper 9th ward community bike shop
Plan B: http://www.bikeproject.org/
Community-run bike project that functions as an open workspace for bicycle repair
Nolacycle: http://www.nolacycle.blogspot.com/
Ongoing project aimed to create a high quality cycling map of New Orleans
Bike Polo: http://www.nolabikerace.com/
Not for the faint of heart.
Who remembers the President’s Fitness Challenge from grade or high school? The pull-ups were my most hated event.
president fitness challenge
President Obama has reiterated that May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. There are guidelines for adults, seniors, teens, and children. I’m willing to try the Physical Activity Guidelines, just so long as no on makes me do pull-ups ever again.
National Nurses Week is celebrated every year beginning on 6 May, National Nurses Day, and ending on 12 May, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the foundress of modern nursing. Included in this week of celebration is National Student Nurses Day on 8 May.
The theme for the 2009 celebration is Nurses: Building a Healthy America
?óÔé¼?ôThis year?óÔé¼Ôäós theme reflects the commitment nurses make every day in building a healthy America for the public we serve,?óÔé¼?Ø said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. ?óÔé¼?ôANA has long advocated for meaningful health system reform and in 2008 re-released ANA?óÔé¼Ôäós Health System Reform Agenda, an ANA blueprint for reform that focuses on the basic ?óÔé¼?ôcore?óÔé¼?Ø of essential health care services, which is essential in building a healthy America for everyone.?óÔé¼?Ø
Today is Melanoma Monday so check those spots! See the Melanoma Monday website for more information: http://www.melanomamonday.org/. See also the National Library of Medicine’s Medline Plus web information on skin cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skincancer.html.
The American Academy of Dermatology has established May as Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, and Monday, May 4th is Melanoma Monday. Please visit the AAD website and the Melanoma Monday website for more valuable information regarding skin cancers. There you will find fact sheets, a self-check guide, and printable body maps to keep track of your moles. There are also search tools to locate a dermatologist in your area and find a free screening location. So as the AAD says, “See spot, check spot!”
Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) is celebrating 100 Years of the Mental Health Movement. The organization developed the Live Your Life Well website to help people deal with stress and promote well-being.
Here are the 10 Tools that can help you to live your life well:
1. Connect with others
2. Stay positive
3. Get physically active
4. Help others
5. Get enough sleep
6. Create joy and satisfaction
7. Eat well
8. Take care of your spirit
9. Deal better with hard times
10. Get professional help if you need it
As part of National Environmental Education Week and Earth Day, the National Library of Medicine is promoting its toxicology resources. These resources include: ToxMAP, ToxTown, ToxMystery, MedlinePlus, Household Products Database, and Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). Several of these resources are part of TOXNET which provides access a host of information related to toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and environmental health. For more information on Environmental Health and Toxicology, check out the Special Information Services page at NLM.
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