HealthyStart July/August 2013 Edition

Nearly 14 million cancer survivors in US P9

HealthyStart August, 2013 Healthy Start is the publication of the Milwaukee Community Journal dedicated to Health and Wellness

BRITAIN WELCOME ROYAL BABY

Males’ Health Awareness

Periodic Health Check Ups:

Key to Longevity a STROKE Is No Joke

by Robert Thomas

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Study links women's height and cancer risk P2

In his Own Words P7

HealthyStart 2013

July-August 2013

‘Apple A Day’ Health Tips To Live By

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reventive health means visiting the doctor and the dentist regularly rather than waiting until you are sick. You may look and feel well but still have a health problem. Your doctor wants you to go to regular checkups, not just when you are sick. This goes for children, teens, and adults. For those that want to take charge of their own wellness, outlined below are several daily preventive health measures that can be easily implemented.

ies.

Tip #5: Playing sports is a great way to get exercise and improve your cardiovascular health, bone strength and fitness. You always want to make sure you warm up and loosen your muscles before beginning your work out. Remember to always drink lots and water and most importantly, listen to your body! Most injuries happen simply by ignoring pain.

Tip #6: This time of the year, tree and grass pollen may leave you feeling like you have a cold. But sneezing, runny nose and itching are all symptoms of seasonal allergies. If you like to work in the yard, wear a mask and shower afterward. Instead of a long hot shower, try a non-drowsy allergy medicine. If none of these tips help talk to your doctor.

Apple A Day Health Tips: Tip #1: In Washington, we are lucky to have access to lots of apples. Did you know that eating a whole, fresh apple takes more calories to digest than you are taking in? The apple also provides fiber, protein, and vitamins A & C, which are important to help keep your body well.

Tip #2: Many people under-estimate how important a good night’s sleep is for our health. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to stay healthy. Lack of adequate sleep can worsen anxiety, depression and diabetes. Not getting enough sleep

can also reduce our ability to fight off colds.

Tip #3: Do you know proper respiratory etiquette? The correct way to cough or sneeze is to use a tissue and then throw it away. If a tissue isn’t nearby, cough or sneeze into your sleeve as an alternative. Don’t forget to always wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, and, if you aren’t near soap and water,

an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used instead.

Tip #4: How healthy are sports drinks? If you are a person who exercises for long periods of time, drinks with some glucose and electrolytes are ok, but for most of us, sports drinks have sugar, calories and other ingredients that aren’t really necessary for our bod-

Tip #7: Have you gone online to look up your symptoms and freaked yourself out? If you do use the web to look up health information, be sure to visit reputable sources like the Academies of Pediatrics or Family Medicine.

However, there is no substitute for actually talking about your symptoms with your doctor.

--http://seattle.cbslocal.com

Study finds link between women's height and cancer risk A study of 145,000 women found height was more strongly a ssociated with cancer than other risk factors like obesity. Tall women may be at greater risk because of hormone activity, or because they have more cells and larger organs.

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omen's chances of developing cancer after menopause increase with their height, according to a new study.

Among nearly 145,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79, researchers found that height was more strongly associated with cancer than such established risk factors as obesity.

The association held true for everything from thyroid cancer to melanoma, researchers reported in the latest issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of

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the American Association for Cancer Research.

It's not height itself that's the risk factor, though. The authors of the new study say height "should be thought of as a marker for one or more exposures that influence cancer risk, rather than a risk factor itself."

"There's an intriguing indication that things going on in early life apTall women showed a higher risk of cancer even when researchers conpear to feed into a process that may trolled for factors like age, smoking and alcohol habits and education level. increase the risk for various cancers," said Geoffrey Kabat, lead auwomen. thor of the study and a senior epidemiologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New Altogether the researchers tracked 144,701 women for an avYork. erage of 12 years, during which 20,928 of them developed new cancers.

Those things might include diet as well as hormones in the body that contribute to normal growth, although researchers Even after adjusting for such factors as body mass index - a aren't sure yet. ratio of weight in relation to height - the women's risk of developing any cancer rose by 13 percent for every 10-centimeCancer involves the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells ter increase in height (about 4 inches), the researchers say. in processes having to do with growth, so it follows that hormones or other growth factors that influence height may With every extra 10 centimeters, researchers found, also influence cancer risk, Kabat said in a telephone interwomen's risk for cancers of the kidney, rectum, thyroid or view with Reuters. blood rose by 23 to 29 percent, and their risk of melanoma and cancers of the breast, ovary, endometrium or colon rose Dr. Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at by 13 to 17 percent. the Harvard School of Public Health, said the study should not raise alarm for the tall, though it does provide additional According to the American Cancer Society, the average evidence that greater height is associated with cancer. woman's lifetime risk of cancer is 38.2 percent.

"The increase in risk is modest and is balanced by a lower Other large studies have identified an association between risk of cardiovascular disease in taller people, so there is no height and certain cancers, but most of those studies didn't reason for those of us who are tall to panic," Willett, who rule out the influence of other factors. was not involved in the study, said in an email. "Most importantly, research to understand the reason for the extra risk in Kabat and his colleagues say they took more than a dozen taller people may lead us to new ways to prevent or treat potential risk factors into account - including age, use of oral cancer." contraceptives, smoking history, alcohol intake, age at their first menstrual period, and education - and they still found The postmenopausal women in the study were participants that women's height was linked to their cancer risk. in the Women's Health Initiative, a 15-year research program established in 1991 by the National Institutes of Health "At this point it seems to be a plausible mechanism whereby and other agencies to address the most common causes of early nutrition could affect growth and cancer," Kabat said. death, disability and poor quality of life in postmenopausal

Men’s Health Awareness Month

Even though it may seem awkward to talk with your doctor about erectile dysfunction, go in for an evaluation. Problems getting or keeping an erection can be a sign of a health condition that needs treatment, such as heart disease or poorly controlled diabetes. Treating an underlying problem may be enough to reverse your erectile dysfunction.

If treating an underlying condition doesn't help your erectile dysfunction, medications or other direct treatments may work.

Key to Long Life

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en don't go to their doctor and never recieve a thorough men's health checkup for several reasons – fear, denial, embarrassment, and the belief that it threatens their masculinity. Our culture perpetuates the myth of male invincibility. But do tough guys live longer? As most everybody knows, women live longer than men – seven years longer on average. In the United States life expectancy is 72 years for men and 79 years for women.

The reasons for this life-span discrepancy are not completely understood.

Men may have some genetic predisposition for lower life expectancy, seeing as women tend to outlive men in most areas throughout the world. But men also have lifestyle patterns that increase the wear and tear on their bodies. Men tend to drink and smoke more than women, men obtain medical care less frequently than women, and men generally have more occupational exposure to toxic chemicals.

However, it is clear that men can benefit from increased knowledge of male disease prevention issues and by understanding how lifestyle choices impact health.

"I Don't Want No Doctor Poking Me!" Top 5 Excuses

Symptoms Erectile dysfunction symptoms may include persistent:

4Trouble getting an erection 4Trouble keeping an erection 4Reduced sexual desire When to see a doctor A family doctor is a good place to start when you have erectile problems. See your doctor if:

4Erectile or other sexual problems are an issue for you or your partner

4You have diabetes, heart disease or another known

health problem that may be linked to erectile dysfunction

4You have other symptoms along with erectile dysfunction that may not seem related.

Causes Male sexual arousal is a complex process that involves the brain, hormones, emotions, nerves, muscles and blood vessels.

Erectile dysfunction can result from a problem with any of these. Likewise, stress and mental health problems can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction. Sometimes a combination of physical and psychological issues causes erectile dysfunction.

For instance, a minor physical problem that slows your sexual response may cause anxiety about maintaining an erection.

The resulting anxiety can lead to or worsen erectile dysfunction.

Physical causes of erectile dysfunction In most cases, erectile dysfunction is caused by something physical. Common causes include:

4Heart disease 4Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis) 4High cholesterol 4High blood pressure 4Diabetes 4 Obesity Metabolic syndrome, a condition involving increased blood pressure, high insulin levels, body fat around the waist and high cholesterol

4Parkinson's disease 4Multiple sclerosis 4Low testosterone 4 Peyronie's disease, development of scar tissue inside the (continued from page 10)

4I can handle it.

4What do doctors know?

4No pain, no gain.

4 I take care of my family first.

4Hey, when my time is up, it’s up.

So, most men are literally willing to die as long as they appear tough, stoic, and independent in the process.

When the Doctor Says: "Sorry, Too Late" If every serious physical condition or disease had visible symptoms and obvious pain, you might be more willing to see a doctor, but many diseases are relatively symptom-free until it may be too late. Early detection and treatment of cancer, heart disease and diabetes can keep your doctor from saying, "Sorry, Sam, if only we'd known sooner."

One of the most dangerous examples of preventable disease is prostate cancer. A few seconds of discomfort can

save one’s life. There are two types of prostate exams performed in a doctor’s office - the more common digital rectal exam (DRE) which is conducted exactly the way it sounds, and the prostate specific antigen test (PSA), which is a blood test used in conjunction with the DRE. Heart and blood vessel disease usually develops over many years. Without regular checkups Increasing blood pressure, inflammation and high cholesterol can easily go undetected. Even the simplest physical exam will pick up on cardiovascular problems and start you on the road to good heart health.

A routine blood test can diagnosis a

(continued from page 4)

Is early baldness in blacks a clue to prostate cancer?

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lack men with early hair loss may have a heightened risk of developing prostate cancer, researchers report.

This study of more than 500 black men found that those "who have baldness by age 30 are more likely to develop prostate cancer," said researcher Charnita Zeigler-Johnson, a research assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, in Philadelphia.

Researchers have looked at baldness as a potential risk factor for prostate cancer for years, but studies to date have produced conflicting findings.

The new research is believed to be the first to focus only on blacks, Zeigler-Johnson said. Blacks in the United States get prostate cancer more often than other men and are more than twice as likely to die of the disease.

For the study, published in the April issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, the researchers evaluated 318 men with prostate cancer and compared them to 219 men without the cancer. All were enrolled in the Study of Clinical Outcomes, Risk and Ethnicity between 1998 and 2010.

The men were asked about their hair loss, if any, at age 30. Options included: none, frontal (at the forehead or temples) and vertex (crown).

They also supplied information on their medical history.

If the men reported baldness by 30, "their likelihood of developing prostate cancer was increased by about 70 percent, compared to men with no baldness at age 30," ZeiglerJohnson said.

While baldness of any type boosted risk, frontal baldness in younger men was most significant. "If they had frontal baldness at 30, men were 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 60, compared to men at age 30 with no baldness," said ZeiglerJohnson.

For men diagnosed before age 60, frontal baldness was also strongly linked with more advanced and more aggressive cancers, she found.

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rectile dysfunction (impotence) occurs when a man can no longer get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. Having erection trouble from time to time isn't necessarily a cause for concern. But if erectile dysfunction is an ongoing problem, it may cause stress, cause relationship problems or affect your self-confidence.

Men's Health Checkup:

Overall, 20 percent of those with cancer had baldness by age 30, but 13 percent of the group without cancer had baldness as well.

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

Erectile Dysfunction Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

While the study found a link between early balding and prostate cancer, it didn't prove a cause-andeffect relationship. It does suggest a need for further study, however, experts noted.

This year, the American Cancer Society predicts about 238,000 new

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National News

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Incentives push doctors to electronic medical records

ore than half of doctors' offices and 80% of hospitals that provide Medicare or Medicaid will have electronic health records by the end of the year, the Department of Health and Human Services announced.

providers grants to buy technology as part of the Recovery Act in 2009 but also required that they show "meaningful use" to get incentive payments. They are now in the stage in which they must show they can store data and track it, report quality measures and begin to engage patients electronically, among other things.

"We have reached a tipping point in adoption of electronic health records," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and they "are critical to modernizing our health care system."

The announcement comes as a key part of the 2010 health care law: Doctors with have can better track errors and prevent future problems. The government can track organizations for quality, as the law requires. And electronic records allow each of a patient's doctors to see what tests have been performed and what medications have been administered, which could prevent duplicated prescriptions and procedures and bad drug interactions.

records in 2008, but now 50% "have demonstrated meaningful use and received an incentive payment," according to HHS. About 9% of hospitals had electronic records in 2008, but HHS found that 80% have now demonstrated use.

About 17% of physicians used electronic

The federal government gave health

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

Men's Health Checkup:

Key to Long Life (continued from page 3)

disease that is reaching epidemic proportions. Diabetes affects an estimated 150 million people worldwide. Many people go untreated, leading to a rapid increase in cardiovascular disease, stroke, nerve damage, blindness and premature death.

With a little more effort colon cancer can often be detected by colonoscopy, which is done be inserting a small flexible scope into the large intestine. This lifesaving procedure can be uncomfortable and embarrassing for men.

When Should You Have a Checkup?

If your health has been generally good, a physical exam every two or three years is probably enough when you are under 40.

Between ages 40 and 49 every two years, and yearly exams are recommended after 50. These exams should include the items listed below and other tests as indicated for your age, family history and health condition. If you're not sure what may be best for you, ask your doctor. Will regular exams guarantee a long and healthy life? Of course not. But they surely improve your chances, and add a healthy amount of peace of mind.

Annually:

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

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4Blood pressure check.

4Prostate exam and PSA blood test.

4CRP and fasting blood fat levels (triglyc erides) and glucose levels, checking for diabetes and increased coronary risk.

4Urine tests check for infections, kidney problems, and diabetes.

4Fecal occult blood test.

4Skin cancer exam - the entire skin is

checked closely for irregular or changing moles, lesions, or blemishes, usually red, white or blue in color.

Exams for other potential cancers such as: skin, testicular, oral cavity, lymph nodes, and thyroid.

4Flu vaccination, annually for certain adults age 65+.

4Hepatitis vaccination if traveling to

certain countries or medical and emergency workers exposed to hepatitis transmission.

4Health counseling about physical

activity, diet and nutrition, healthy

weight, safety, substance use, sun exposure, depression, sexual practices, potential occupational exposures and other healthy lifestyle issues.

Every 2 years:

4Consult an ophthalmologist (eye

specialist) every two years for vision and glaucoma testing.

Every 5 years:

4Cholesterol check including total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, at least every five years, more often if high.

4Sigmoidoscopy checks the health of the rectum and lower colon.

4Stress electrocardiograms (ECGs) check the status of the heart.

Every 10 years:

4Colonoscopy 4Tetanus booster.

4Pneumonia vaccination at age 65 or as directed by your doctor.

Generally, men are biologically and culturally programmed to appear strong and capable. We can easily ignore and deny anything that makes us look weak and vulnerable. We tell ourselves we can handle it and we believe we can. But, how many of us can handle recovering our health once it is gone. To avoid this scenario spend some time envisioning how you want to feel when you are 80. Then make a commitment to take the necessary actions to achieve that vision.

Scheduling regular exams can find potential problems early and keep you focused on your future health, but wellness checkups can't be of benefit if you never have them. See how much courage you have. Call my office today to schedule your check-up.

You may survive yet, tough guy.

room, no one knew his medical history.

"There were hundreds of thousands of medical errors," Mostashari said. "Electronic records cut errors by half."

Next year, providers will be expected to have their medical records systems talking to

"In four years, they've made more progress than in the previous 20 years," said Farzad Mostashari, national coordinator for health information technology at HHS. Some of those changes, he said, were "painfully obvious," but people have been afraid to take on what can seem like an enormous task.

Incentive money has encouraged use of the records, he said.

But providers also understood that to move away from fee-forservice payment programs and toward team-based healthcare, they needed to be able to share information easily. Medicare also began charging penalties for people readmitted to hospitals for certain conditions, such as heart attacks and pneumonia. Without electronic records, doctors didn't always know when their patients were released -- or even that they were in the hospital to begin with.

"I think a lot of what seems like resistance was uncertainty," Mostashari said. To help address that, HHS created 62 resource centers to help providers pick software based on their needs, or to plan a new program's implementation. About 140,000 doctors worked with those extension services, and they were 2.5 times more likely to be successful in reaching meaningful-use goals than providers who did not seek help, he said.

other systems so they can easily shoot a prescription to the pharmacy and share patient records with patients and other providers. In 2016, they'll be expected to use the data to determine what works best, what's the safest, and what is the most cost-effective when it comes to care. Some providers are already in those stages, Mostashari said.

Despite the gains in use, problems remain.

Systems don't always talk to each other, which requires more guidance from the government, he said.

"We want a single standard for lab results," Mostashari said. That way, providers can receive results from any lab without worrying about whether the software matches.

So far, more than 291,000 providers and 3,800 hospitals have received incentive payments.

They've also worked on standardizing language and making sure it can all be sent securely, he said.

Some of the changes are already paying off, Mostashari said. For example, in the past, doctors would write down medical recommendations in a person's medical record, then it would be transcribed to a prescription, but the person's last prescription might not be in the record, or it might be illegible, or it might be in a record at another doctor's office. If the person went to the emergency

There have been other difficulties. The sequestration has cut the incentive payments by 2%, he said, as well as cutting his office's budget.

"It definitely makes it harder," he said.

--Kelly Kennedy, USA TODAY

Lower-income African-Americans living close to a fast food restaurant may have higher BMI

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tudy shows potential impact of neighborhood environment on residents’ body fat.

African-American adults living closer to a fast food restaurant had a higher body mass index (BMI) than those who lived further away from fast food, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and this association was particularly strong among those with a lower income.

A new study published online in the American Journal of Public Health indicates higher BMI associates with residential proximity to a fast food restaurant, and among lower-income African-Americans, the density, or number, of fast food restaurants within two miles of the home.

The study was led by Lorraine Reitzel, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Disparities Research at MD Anderson. Data was collected from a large sample of more than 1,400 black adult participants from the Project CHURCH research study, a collaboration between MD Anderson and Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston – one of the largest Methodist churches in the United States.

"According to prior research, AfricanAmericans, particularly women, have higher rates of obesity than other ethnic groups, and the gap is growing,” said Reitzel. “The results of this study add to the literature indicating that a person’s neighborhood environment and the foods that they’re exposed to can contribute to a higher BMI.” Reitzel said that this is an important population group for researchers to examine because of the health consequences that are associated with obesity among

African-Americans including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. “We need to find the relationships and triggers that relate to this population’s BMI, as they’re at the greatest risk for becoming obese and developing associated health problems,” said Reitzel. “Such information can help inform policies and interventions to prevent health disparities.”

In this study, Reitzel and her team examined two different food environment variables and their associations with BMI: proximity and density of fast food restaurants, which were based on each participant’s geocoded residential address. The study participants were also broken into two income groups; those making less than $40,000 a year and those making $40,000 or more a year.

“We found no previous research literature that considered household income when investigating whether there were associations between fast food availability and BMI,” said Reitzel.

The study controlled for factors that may influence a person’s BMI including gender, age, physical activity, individual household income, median neighborhood income, education, partner status, employment status and residential tenure.

Sedentary behaviors, including the amount of time the participant spent watching television, were considered. Researchers also controlled for the presence of children in the home because of its known relation with physical activity rates.

mile participants’ lived from the closest fast food restaurant was associated with a 2.4 percent lower BMI.

Researchers examined the density of fast food restaurants within a half mile, one mile, two miles and five miles around each participant’s home.

On average there were 2.5 fast food restaurants within a half mile, 4.5 within a mile, 11.4 within 2 miles and 71.3 within 5 miles of participants’ homes. “We found a significant relationship between the number of fast food restaurants and BMI for within a half-mile, one-mile and two-miles of the home, but only among lower-income study participants,” said Reitzel. The data showed the greater the density, the higher the BMI. There was no significant association for the five-mile area.

When examining proximity – the distance in miles from each participant’s home to the closest restaurant – the study found that closer proximity was associated with a higher BMI. In fact, although results indicate that the relationship between a higher BMI and proximity was stronger for those of lower income, it was still significant in the group with the higher incomes. The data also showed that every additional

“There’s something about living close to a fast food restaurant that’s associated with a higher BMI,” said Reitzel. She said that there may be some behavioral economics involved in the decision to choose fast food over a healthier choice. “Fast food is specifically designed to be affordable, appealing and convenient. People are pressed for time, and they behave in such a way that will cost them the least amount of time to get things done, and this may extend to their food choices.”

Reitzel also said that people of lower income may have less access to transportation, so having a high density of fast food restaurants around the home makes eating fast food easier. “This may also be why there were significant associations for density and BMI within 2 miles of the home, which is an easily walkable distance, but not 5 miles of the home.” Reitzel said in some neighborhoods, there are fewer roads to travel and people pass by the same fast food restaurants on the way in and out of the neighborhood every day. “Those visual cues may prompt people to choose fast food even when it was not the original intent.”

Co-authors with Reitzel are Ellen K. Cromley, Ph.D., of The University of Connecticut School of Medicine; Larkin L. Strong, Ph.D., David W. Wetter, Ph.D., Lorna H. McNeill, Ph.D. and Seann D. Regan, all of MD Anderson’s Department of Health Disparities Research; and Nga Nguyen of MD Anderson’s Department of Biostatistics.

Is early baldness in blacks a clue to prostate cancer?

Zeigler-Johnson isn't sure how to explain the association between prostate cancer and baldness, but said male hormones might play a role. "Perhaps it is related to androgens, in particular to dihydrotestosterone [DHT], a metabolite of testosterone," she said.

"We know an increase in DHT increases prostate cancer occurrence and progression," she said. "But it is also related to thinning of the hair follicles." That thinning makes it difficult for hair to survive.

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said the study provides "more evidence of a link that has been talked about since the '70s."

The finding about balding in younger men is the newest information, he said.

Another expert, Dr. Lionel Banez, a research investigator at Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, N.C., said

However, it is "quite premature" to use the findings to make any clinical recommendations about screening for the cancer, he said.

If other research confirms the link, ZeiglerJohnson said doctors might decide to follow and screen balding men more closely for prostate cancer.

One screening test for prostate cancer is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test, which measures normal and cancerous cells in the prostate gland. When PSA levels are high, it sometimes indicates cancer.

"We still do not know if prostate cancer screening saves lives," said Brawley. Currently, the American Cancer Society recommends informing men of average risk, without symptoms, of the known pitfalls (such as false "positive" results) and potential benefits (early detection) of prostate cancer screening beginning at age 50. They then can make a decision about screening.

--Healthday

HeathyStart 414-265-5300

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cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and that more than 29,000 men will die of the cancer.

Besides race, known risk factors for prostate cancer include older age and a family history of the disease.

the new findings are important "because this is the largest cohort of purely AfricanAmerican men published which examines the link between baldness and prostate cancer."

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

(continued from page 3)

Health groups pressuring Wisconsin Legislature to pass law requiring newborn health tests MILWAUKEE - Health advocates in Wisconsin are pressuring the state Legislature to pass a bill requiring hospitals to screen all newborns for critical congenital heart disease.

"Once you have an abnormal screening, a baby could be referred immediately to a pediatric cardiologist," said Stuart Berger, medical director of the Herma Heart Center at Children's Hospital and chief of pediatric cardiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "That would allow you to intervene sooner rather than later."

The American Heart Association, March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other infant health advocates are pushing for the bill, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The proposal would require a pulse oximeter test for all babies born in Wisconsin to measure oxygen saturation in the newborn's blood.

When Melanie Moody gave birth to her third son, Aiden, 6 ½ years ago, five weeks passed before anyone even thought of checking his blood saturation. Aiden was rushed to the hospital, where the echocardiogram revealed he had one of the critical congenital heart defects that can be detected through pulse oximetry 24 hours after birth.

The proposal has been introduced in both the state Senate and Assembly but has not been advanced out of committee.

Advocates estimate the cost of screening at $4 per infant, and insurance usually covers the procedure. Because all hospitals already have pulse oximeters, advocates argue the mandate will not be a financial burden, and about 80 percent of Wisconsin hospitals already perform the test.

Wisconsin also has a $3 million federal grant to educate hospitals across the state and help implement pulse oximetry screening through a pilot project.

Still, "not every hospital is voluntarily doing it and some that are might not be following the protocols quite properly," said

Jay Matz, southeastern Wisconsin communications director for the American Heart Association.

Congenital heart defects account for nearly 30 percent of infant deaths due to birth defects, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, about 7,200 babies, or 18 per 10,000, are born every year with critical congenital heart defects.

Babies with congenital heart defects usually require surgery or catheter intervention in the first year of life.

Wisconsin Bill Would Require $50 Tobacco Use Fee for Health Insurance

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isconsin state workers who smoke would have to pay $50 more per month for health insurance under a Gov. Scott Walker proposal that has won approval by the Legislature’s budget committee.

The Joint Finance Committee on voted 13-3 to approve the fee.

Twelve other states currently impose similar fees but anti-smoking groups including the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association oppose them because they argue they are not effective in reducing tobacco use.

Walker’s administration says the fee is necessary because it estimates health care costs for tobacco users are about 35 percent higher than those who don’t.

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

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Workers could face a surcharge if they are caught lying about their tobacco use, but they could not lose their insurance coverage as originally proposed.

The Legislature’s budget committee has approved creating a high-deductible health insurance plan with health savings accounts for government workers in Wisconsin.

The provision included in Gov. Scott Walker’s budget was approved by the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee.

Before the new plan is created, an actuarial study must be completed to ensure creating the program does not increase overall health insurance costs.

The new health insurance option would be available for state and local government workers starting in 2015.

Contributions to health savings accounts are tax-free and the money can be tapped for healthrelated expenses by the employee.

They and high-deductible health insurance plans are viewed by some as ways to control the growth in health care costs by providing financial incentives for covered people to make cost-effective options.

--insurancejournal

Today, Aiden uses a feeding tube for 50 percent of his daily intake and is on seven daily medications. He has weekly therapy visits for physical, occupational and speech therapy.

"You always wonder if it would have been detected earlier on could things have changed," said Moody, 34, of Oconomowoc.

"Things could be very different for Aiden."

--startribune.com

Medical College of Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital Name Alice Archabal as Chief Development Officer, Vice President of Development Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) have jointly named Alice Archabal as Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Development for both organizations.

Archabal is currently Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer for Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation Archabal will assume her new position on July 29, 2013. She will report to both John R. Raymond, Sr., MD, President and CEO of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Catherine Jacobson, President and CEO of Froedtert Health. Archabal will provide leadership for the Froedtert Hospital Foundation and for MCW’s Development and Alumni Relations offices. At MCW, she is succeeding James Heald, who is retiring after 20 years as Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Nora Sale, Vice President and Executive Director of the Froedtert Hospital Foundation, will report to Archabal.

“Alice Archabal emerged as the top candidate for this newly created joint position after a thorough national search,” said Jacobson.

“Top development talent nationwide expressed interest in joining both Froedtert Hospital and MCW. Ms. Archabal’s experience and success in academic medicine philanthropy make her the ideal person for this position.”

“Greater effectiveness and efficiency can be achieved by centralizing the philanthropy programs at both MCW and Froedtert Hospital,” said Dr. Raymond.

“The donor community has generously supported our shared vision for advanced patient care, scientific research, biomedical educa-

Alice Archabal) tion, and community engagement. Moving forward together under Alice Archabal’s leadership, we will expand our opportunities to secure private support.”

Over the past five years at Lurie Children’s, Archabal participated in the strategic development and execution of a comprehensive $675 million campaign. The campaign was critical in raising the needed funding for programs and services and to create Lurie Children’s, which opened last June. She managed a staff of 75 and was involved in all aspects of leading and operating a complex and highly successful development enterprise.

Prior to joining Lurie Children’s, Archabal was Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Philanthropy for Feeding America, headquartered in Chicago. She also worked over a 13-year period for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis where she held a variety of positions, including Senior Director of Regional Field Management.

A graduate of Ripon College, Archabal began her career in philanthropy as Assistant Director of Special Events for the Chicago Lung Association.

--wauwatosanow

any residents in the city of the Milwaukee’s central city remember me from my years as Youth Director at the North Central YMCA. Others recall their visits to Robby’s Billiards on Teutonia Avenue, followed by Robby’s Drive In, also on Teutonia Avenue.

tently, it comes in eating light and healthy. Today vegetables are my friend, oatmeal is my classic in the morning; loads of water, fiber, no fat and reduced sweets.

I still love my sweets but the sweets do not love me, so I have had to learn moderation. While I still love food, moderation is my mantra. I never smoked, never drank, my only fault has been too much work, too much food, too little exercise and denial of a very serious malady that disproportionately affects our community.

Others probably visited the Fox Trap or one of the many service stations we owned. We employed thousands, over the years, at these places of business, including Robby’s Catering and Robby’s Corn Roast, at Summerfest for over 40 years.

A stroke is no joke! Respect the seriousness of high blood pressure and do as the doctors tell you. Cut out all of the things that contribute to increasing your pressure, the fats, the lack of exercise, too many sweets and most of all not taking your medications as you should. Just because you don’t feel it does not mean that it’s not happening!

by Robert Thomas

Associate Publisher Milwaukee Community Journal (MCJ) I have always been a hard worker and I also admit a hard partier in my younger years. As a seasoned athlete, from high school until graduation from college, I was a relay runner, with full scholarship at Marquette University and a high hurdlers champ who even prepared for the US Olympics, at my best times, so I never thought I would be a stroke victim.

And last but not least...always remember tomorrow is another day. What looks like doom and gloom and no way out today is either the same the next day or better. But you will not know the outcome unless you are alive to see it. Take care of your health...let stress wait until tomorrow!

Yes, I knew about high blood pressure, it has run in my family for many years. And I definitely understood that it was something I needed to watch. But life, business challenges, just everyday living can often make us forget about ourselves, and as long as you feel okay, you can ignore and deny the things that are most important. Your health!

People often ask me what did you feel. And I can tell you that I did not feel anything until I had my first stroke. Yes, I had severe headaches, several times before I had my stroke, but I thought it was the travel, the late nights, not eating as well as I should: Loving that fried chicken and tasty soul foods, loaded with oils and salt and everything I considered “good”.

But what I felt most was the feeling of being trapped. No one ever talks about stress, pressure, challenges and feeling helpless to change your circumstances or your financial condition.

And I believe that is a major contributor to strokes, especially in the Black community We are often challenged by monetary conditions and challenged to try to make do!

I made a bad mistake by investing in a gospel show during the Atlanta Olympics. I had already lost money when my food vending investment failed to get the traffic the promoters had indicated we should receive. So those two bad ventures left me with a feeling of being boxed in.

Mr. Robert Thomas The gospel show was designed to make-up for the losses at the food vending event...when both failed, I failed. That feeling of failure, what will I do, how did I make that mistake, were the things that tipped me over. My blood pressure was over 200. I have learned that the perfect pressure is 120 over 80 and a good norm is 130 over 80. So you can see I was a walking time-bomb! I truly was a quiet storm waiting to happen. What should have been avoided with medication and pulling away...letting go and letting God...became a occlusion of the brain and what is called a stroke. That was 1996! Yes, the money was gone, forever, but so was my mobility!

Rehabilitation was hard work but it was worth it because I learned to speak again. I learned to walk with assistance.

There is life after stroke if you get help right away. But the real help comes in monitoring your blood pressure consis-

If you don’t have an answer to your problems, you have to accept the failure! But don’t let the failure kill you. Walk away for a minute, or a day or an extended period of time.

Pray and believe that whatever the mind can conceive it can achieve! If you believe that you were born to be healthy and to enjoy a long life, you will live that life.

Today, I show all of the signs of stroke but I have been blessed to see long years, my grandchildren mature and to live a meaningful, productive life. Just imagine what it would have been like if I had also taken care of my blood pressure.

Live your best life...you only have one chance! A stroke is no joke! So take charge of your life today!....

Robert Thomas is the Associate Publisher of the Milwaukee Community Journal and directs its extensive circulation each week.

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STROKE Is No Joke

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

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Foods that Boost Men’s Health

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ood health is often taken for granted. Besides the breath of life, good health is the most important asset a person has. In order for us to enjoy life to its fullest, good health is essential. When you are sick, you don't enjoy life as much. When you are sick, you are not able to do your best at work or in your personal life. Serious health problems can bring your life to a standstill. Good health is valuable to everyone regardless of economic status, sexual orientation, or gender.

Larry Ferrell could be compared with consuming individual parts of them as a nutritional supplement.

Other rats in the study received either tomato or broccoli powder alone; or a supplemental dose of lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes thought to be the effective cancer-preventive agent in them; or finasteride, a drug prescribed for men with enlarged prostates. Another group of rats was castrated.red peppers The tomato/broccoli combo performed better than all other diets in shrinking prostate tumors. Biopsies of tumors were completed at Ohio State University. These confirmed that tumor cells in the tomato/broccoli-fed rats were not proliferating as rapidly.

The following article provides some information on how dietary choices can improve the quality of health for men.

Tomatoes There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene; and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and help eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. “Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste work best,” says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.

Flaxseeds Rich in protein and fiber, these little seeds offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines in the skin. The British Journal of Nutrition reported that participants in one study who downed about half a teaspoon of omega-3s daily in 6 weeks experienced significantly less irritation and redness, along with better-hydrated skin. A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.

Guava Guava has a higher concentration of lycopene than any other food, including watermelon and tomatoes. Lycopene is an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer. In addition, 1 cup of guava contains 688 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is more than twice what you'll find in a medium banana. And guava is an ultimate high-fiber food: There are more than 8 grams of fiber in 1 cup.

The entire fruit, from the rind to the seeds, is edible. The rind alone has more vitamin C than an orange. You can find guava in the produce section of many supermarkets and in Latin grocery stores.

Pumpkin Seeds

The only treatment that comes close to the tomato/broccoli diet's level of effectiveness was castration, according to Erdman.

Eating pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium. That's important because it has been determined that men with the highest levels of magnesium in their blood have a 40 percent lower risk of early death than those with the lowest levels. And on average, men consume 353 mg of the mineral daily, well under the 420 mg minimum recommended by the USDA. You can eat the whole seed, shells and all. Roasted pumpkin seeds contain 150 mg of magnesium per ounce; add them to your regular diet and you'll easily hit your daily target of 420 mg.

Broccoli - cruciferous vegetables Broccoli has been shown to retard the growth of prostate cancer. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (brussels sprouts, bok choy, broccoli sprouts, cabbage) contain sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is a compound with strong anti-cancer properties.

Recent research has shown that tomatoes and broccoli work better when combined than they do alone.

"When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways," said University of Illinois food science and human nutrition professor John Erdman.

In a study published in the January 2007 issue of Cancer Research, Erdman and doctoral candidate Kirstie CaneneAdams fed a diet containing 10 percent tomato powder and 10 percent broccoli powder to laboratory rats that had been implanted with prostate cancer cells. The powders were made from whole foods so the effects of eating the entire vegetable

Many low-income moms struggle to afford diapers ... and one in 12 admit to reusing them in times of need ...a trend that threatens moms' health as well as the child's, researchers said.

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

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or low-income moms, worrying about how to pay for diapers ranks right up there with paying for food and housing.

About 30% of mothers report not being able to afford diapers for their children, and one in 12 admit to stretching their diaper supply by leaving their child in a wet diaper or partially cleaning the diaper and reusing it.

The statistics come from a new Yale University study published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, in which researchers surveyed 877 pregnant or parenting women in the New Haven, Conn., area. The study sample included low-income women of African American and Hispanic background.

Hispanic mothers were more likely than African Americans to report diaper need, and women 45 years and older - including grandmothers raising young children - experienced more diaper hardship

than women 20-44. Mental health problems and receiving treatment for a mental illness were also "strongly associated" with diaper need.

On average, an adequate supply of diapers costs $18 per week, or $936 per year, per child, according to estimates cited by the study.

For a woman working full-time at a minimum-wage job, that amounts to more than 6% of her gross income.

What's more, federal aid programs such as WIC and SNAP that provide moms with food stamps don't cover diaper costs.

Leaving babies in dirty diapers can cause rashes and urinary tract infections, but the problem goes beyond those acute health issues, said lead study author Megan Smith, assistant professor of psychiatry, child study and public health at Yale School of Medicine.

"Obviously, then, children are going to show more signs of irritation, discomfort, crying and then this in turn would make the mother feel less adequate about her parenting abilities, [AND] impact her depressive

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Oysters Just two to three oysters deliver a full day's supply of zinc.

Zinc is critical for normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Some nutritional deficiencies do seem to be related to certain cases of low testosterone. Getting adequate zinc is sometimes the answer. The recommended amount is 11 mg per day for men; more than 40 mg can pose risks. In one trial, 22 men with low testosterone levels and sperm counts were given zinc every day for 45 to 50 days. Testosterone levels and sperm counts rose.

Omega 3-Rich Fish - red snapper It is true that the omega-3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer's. There is some indication that it reduces depression as well.

Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: wild salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. You should get two to three servings a week. There are other sources of omega3s, such as fortified eggs, flaxseed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can also lower cholesterol.

Larry is a native of Louisiana and was raised in Ohio. He now lives in the Atlanta area and is an analyst with one of the world's top-ranked technology providers to the banking industry. His technical background is more than 20 years of experience in computers and software. He describes himself as a news and information advocate, with a focus on technology and health. Larry values the beauty and rewards of people being connected. Also connect with Larry on Twitter @LFerrell1, on Facebook, at Pre-Paid Legal Services, and at NatraBurst Super Foods Blend http://10thousandcouples.com

Nearly 14 million Snoring is More Than cancer survivors in US Just an Annoying Habit People with lung cancer, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer, account for only 3 percent of survivors, according to the report.

"For patients with prostate cancer, we have a nearly 100 percent five-year survival rate, and breast cancer has made tremendous strides as well, with five-year survival rising from 75 percent in 1975 to almost 89 percent in 2012," Rowland said.

"However, we clearly need to have better diagnostic tools and better treatments for lung cancer."

She said the rising number of cancer survivors will present challenges for the health care system.

"How to ensure that these patients lead not only long lives, but healthy and productive lives, will be a vital challenge to all of us," Rowland said.

in the new report, which comes from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

As the American population gets older, more cancer survivors can be expected, added Julia Rowland, director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. "By 2020, we expect that two-thirds of cancer survivors are going to be aged 65 or older," she said in an AACR news release.

The report, based on an analysis of national data, also found that patients with certain types of cancers account for a large proportion

Oh agreed. "This important paper highlights an observation most oncologists have made over the past several years -- namely that with earlier diagnosis and better treatments, the numbers of cancer survivors is rapidly increasing," he said. "The urgent need though is for us to better understand how to care for cancer survivors.

As cancer becomes a 'chronic disease,' we need more research to optimally manage the patients who survive cancer."

The report appears in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention and will be presented at the AACR annual meeting, held from April 6 to 10 in Washington, D.C.

Heavy coffee intake may affect fertility treatments

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study contends.

rinking five or more cups of coffee a day may cut in half a woman's chance of successful in vitro fertilization treatment, a new

This level of caffeine consumption also reduces the livebirth rate following in vitro fertilization (IVF) by 40 percent, the study authors said.

The Danish researchers who conducted the study said the effects of a five-cup-a-day coffee habit are similar to the negative effects of smoking.

"Although we were not surprised that coffee consumption appears to affect pregnancy rates in IVF, we were surprised at the magnitude of the effect," Dr. Ulrik Schioler Kesmodel, of the Fertility Clinic at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, said in a news release from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

The new research found an apparent association between coffee consumption and the success of fertility treatments, but it didn't prove that a cause-and-effect relationship exists.

Previous research investigating the link between caffeine and fertility has yielded inconsistent results. The Danish researchers followed nearly 4,000 women undergoing IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment for infertility. Information on how much coffee the women drank was collected at the beginning of treatment and at the start of each addi-

tional round of treatment.

After taking into account other factors that could have an impact on the women's ability to get pregnant -such as age, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, cause of infertility and body-mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight) -the study showed the likelihood of pregnancy was reduced by 50 percent in women who reported drinking five or more cups of coffee daily at the start of treatment.

The researchers noted that no effect was found when the patients reported coffee consumption of less than five cups.

Why do People Snore?

Almost everyone snores occasionally. In fact, 40% of the world’s population snores regularly, and 90% of the world’s snorers snore because their airway is obstructed.

Snoring usually occurs when your tongue and the tissues around the back of your throat relax during sleep. This relaxation causes the tongue and the soft tissues to fall back and block (obstruct) your airway. Your body realizes this reduction in airflow panics and increases the velocity (speed) of air entering the body. The increase in air flow velocity causes the fine tissues in your throat to vibrate and cause the snoring noise.

Snoring is a serious matter and is often dangerous to your health!

Besides making life more unpleasant for significant others, snoring may be an indicator of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a seriously and sometimes even deadly health hazard!

Other problems related to snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea include: Hypertension Stroke Heart Problems Depression Impotenceeor Cardiac Arrest Death Snoring Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues, such as your tongue, soft palate and airway, as you breathe. The sagging tissues narrow your airway, causing these tissues to vi brate.

Enter the “No Snore Zone” Try this quick test: _yes _no _yes _no _yes _no _yes _no _yes _no _yes _no _yes _no _yes _no

I have been told that I snore.

I take catnaps during the day.

I have problems concentrating for a long period of time.

I am overweight.

I have jolted awake gasping for breath during sleep.

I feel tired and irritable even though I slept well.

I seem to be losing my sex drive.

I get morning headaches.

If you answered yes to two or more statements, TheraSnore can help!

Here, at The Centre for Exceptional Dentistry, Dr. Bruce P. Hamilton treats snoring by providing the TheraSnore family of oral appliances. The TheraSnore is small and comfortable to wear; it’s a lot like wearing a sports mouth guard! The TheraSnore has an 87%-93% effective rate for treating snoring and mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The TheraSnore is a painless way to keep your lower jaw from falling back, therefore keeping the airway open. With the airway open you get more air, thus elimi nating or greatly reducing the snoring noise.

For more information on how this device can help you rest easier, please call

The Centre for Exceptional Dentistry to schedule your consultation with Dr. Hamilton at 414.372.7374

Breathe Easier This Summer:

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Tips to Control Your Child’s Asthma

s the school year draws to a close and the temperature rises, children and families everywhere start to look forward to the simple pleasures of summer—

The joys of summer can be challenging if your child has asthma, a common but serious chronic disease. Summer’s long afternoons spent playing outside can expose children with asthma to triggers that can bring on attacks, such as increased pollen and allergens from blossoming plants and trees, and increased air pollution on some especially hot summer days.

"There is limited evidence about coffee in the literature, so we would not wish to worry IVF patients unnecessarily," Kesmodel said. "But it does seem reasonable, based on our results and the evidence we have about coffee consumption during pregnancy, that women should not drink more than five cups of coffee a day when having IVF."

“While controlling asthma requires daily attention, your child doesn’t have to be sidelined,” said James P. Kiley, Ph.D., director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Division of Lung Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. “With proper treatment, most children who have asthma can avoid attacks, experience fewer symptoms, be physically active, and enjoy summertime.”

The study's findings were expected to be presented Tuesday at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Istanbul, Turkey.

Research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary because it hasn't undergone the same level of scrutiny required of studies published in peer-reviewed journals.

However, for the 1 in every 10 children in the United States who has asthma—including one in every 6 African-American children, summer can also bring wheezing, coughing and trouble breathing.

jumprope, sunshine, playing ball, and cookouts.

To make sure your child doesn’t miss a thing this season, the NHLBI recommends that you work with your child's

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"Cancer is often not the immediately fatal diagnosis it often was in the past," said one expert, Dr. William Oh, chief of the division of hematology/oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He was not involved

of the survivors. For example, breast cancer patients account for 22 percent of survivors, while prostate cancer survivors account for 20 percent.

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

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here are currently 13.7 million cancer survivors in the United States and the number is expected to rise by 31 percent to 18 million by 2022, according to a new report.

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More African-American boomers taking better care of their health ive days a week, Carolyn Banks rises at 5 a.m., dresses and drives 22 miles to the Beulah Baptist Church Family Life Center to work out the kinks in her joints, to rev up her heart and health.

emotional and nutritional support they receive from classmates have helped them overcome one illness or another.

Wayne K. Jones, 60, a retired Delta Airlines employee from Decatur, Ga., was suffering from high blood pressure when he joined the class. And Nick Bowers, 58, a retired Atlanta firefighter from Lithonia, Ga., was overweight.

Exercise, she says, has been a part of her daily routine since 2009, when she was diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis, a chronic inflammatory disorder, and her physical health began to decline.

Not anymore.

Bowers said a friend invited him to the class in 2010, but he didn’t accept until one morning when “I was putting on my underwear and noticed I had to sit to put them on.” “I weighed 204 pounds when I walked into the gym,” he said.

“I had been completely incapacitated,” the 63-year-old retired DeKalb County, Ga., educator said after class recently. “Doctors predicted my death.”

But within a year of joining the aerobics class, she was feeling better, and the neurosarcoidosis went into full remission.

Banks became a firm believer in the benefits of exercise and good nutrition and the selfappointed spokeswoman for her church’s exercise program. She and fellow classmates work to attain optimum health.

“They are demonstrating that barriers to a healthy lifestyle can be overcome, and the benefits of regular physical activity and a healthy diet can be achieved at every stage of life,” said Leandris C. Liburd, associate director for minority health and health equity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

“We’re thrilled to know that they are effectively reducing their risk factors for certain diseases, managing chronic diseases and improving the overall quality of their life.”

Banks said she hopes her story motivates and inspires other African-Americans, who statistically lead reports on adverse health conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.

For instance, healthy officials say that 53.9 percent of black women ages 65 to 74 are considered obese compared to 38.9 percent of white women in the same age group, said Dr. Ashleigh May, a CDC epidemiologist.

“That’s a huge concern, especially since we know obesity can put people at risk for some of the leading causes of death in the United States,” said May. “Some of these include heart disease, certain cancers and stroke, as well as Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.”

Banks’ classmates are a mix of retired male and female baby boomers – former teachers and firefighters, city employees and media specialists who found their way to the church after becoming concerned about their health.

Some are members of Beulah, but most aren’t. All of them say the fitness classes,

A year later, Bowers, who also became a member of the all-male line-dancing class called the Beulah Boys, said he weighed in at 180. His goal now is to drop five more pounds and run in a local race.

When he joined the class two years ago, Jones said he had high blood pressure.

At a doctor’s appointment seven months later, he learned his blood pressure was normal.

“Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,” Jones said his doctor told him. “I was shocked.” Jones said he attends classes reli-

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Erectile Dysfunction Causes, Symptoms and Treatment (continued from page 3) penis

4Certain prescription medications 4Tobacco use 4 Alcoholism and other forms of sub stance abuse

4Treatments for prostate cancer or enlarged prostate

4Surgeries or injuries that affect the pelvic area or spinal cord

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

Page 10

Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction The brain plays a key role in triggering the series of physical events that cause an erection, starting with feelings of sexual excitement. A number of things can interfere with sexual feelings and cause or worsen erectile

dysfunction. These include:

4Depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions

4Stress 4Relationship problems due to stress,

poor communication or other concerns

Risk factors As you get older, erections may take longer to develop and may not be as firm. You may need more direct touch to your penis to get and keep an erection. This isn't a direct consequence of getting older. Usually it's a result of underlying health problems or taking medications, which is more common as men age.

A variety of risk factors can contribute to

erectile dysfunction. They include:

anxiety or depression.

4Medical conditions, particularly diabetes

4Drug and alcohol use, especially if you're a

4Using tobacco, which restricts blood flow to veins and arteries. Over time tobacco use can cause chronic health problems that lead to erectile dysfunction.

4Prolonged bicycling, which may compress

or heart problems.

4Being overweight, especially if you're very overweight (obese).

4Certain medical treatments, such as

prostate surgery or radiation treatment for cancer.

4Injuries, particularly if they damage the nerves that control erections.

4Medications, including antidepressants, antihistamines and medications to treat high blood pressure, pain or prostate cancer.

4Psychological conditions, such as stress,

long-term drug user or heavy drinker.

nerves and affect blood flow to the penis, can lead to temporary erectile dysfunction.

Complications resulting from erectile dysfunction can include:

4An unsatisfactory sex life 4Stress or anxiety 4Embarrassment or low self-esteem 4Marital or relationship problems 4The inability to get your partner pregnant

-- Mayo Clinic

UPCOMING

s t n e v E h t l a e H

Kohl’s Cares Donates $1.5 Million to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

PHEN to Host Ninth Annual African American PROSTATE CANCER DISPARITY Summit - September 19th and 20th -

"The release of multiple prostate cancer early detection screening guidelines during the past two years and the recent trend towards active surveillance has caused a tremendous amount of confusion within Black America.

However, clarity is paramount for Black men who are facing prostate cancer incidence and death rates that are unprecedented compared to other men," says PHEN president Thomas A. Farrington. "Our summit will strive to provide some clear answers and directions."

For more information about the Ninth Annual Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit, please email rapcancer@prostatehealthed.org or call 617-481-4020.

The 2013 summit sessions are: Evaluating Early Detection Screening Guidelines; New Developments and Evolving Trends in Prostate Cancer; PHEN Community Education and Awareness Outreach Initiatives; Active Surveillance -

The venues for the two-day summit are the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Building; the Washington Convention Center and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). More information about the summit sessions and the schedule for each venue is available on PHEN's website at: Summit Update .

The summit is open and free to the public. Registration is now available online at: http://www.prostatehealthed.org/register2013.php

About PHEN PHEN was founded in 2003 by Thomas A. Farrington, a prostate cancer survivor and author, with a mission to eliminate the African American prostate cancer disparity.

PHEN’s efforts are implemented through its national "Rally Against Prostate Cancer (RAP Cancer)" initiatives which include the annual African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit. For more details, visit www.prostatehealthed.org

UW Wins New Grant to Study Menthol (MADISON) –The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), in collaboration with the FDA, has warded the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) a $368,000 grant to study the use of menthol cigarettes. This project will add to the body of research the FDA is examining to determine whether or how to regulate menthol flavoring in tobacco products.

About 75% of adult African-American smokers and about 25% of adult Caucasian smokers in the US smoke menthol cigarettes. While common, little is known about the risks of smoking menthol versus non-menthol cigarettes with regard to tobacco dependence or quitting motivation and success.

The proposed research will use the unique resources of the Wisconsin Smokers’ Health Study 2 (WSHS 2) to determine the associations of menthol-smoking (versus smoking nonmenthol cigarettes) with tobacco dependence, attempts to quit smoking, and quitting success. The WSHS 2 is a longitudinal study that spans close to 10 years and comprises two clinical trials of 2,500 participants that evaluate the major types of quit-smoking medications. The WSHS 2 entails comprehensive assessments of tobacco dependence, participant characteristics, and quitting attempts and success over time.

This research will use these data to determine: a) The relation of menthol smoking with comprehensive

measures of smoking cessation, and whether such relations are stronger for some types of smokers than others (e.g., African Americans, women). b) The relation of menthol smoking with making quit attempts. c) Which types of smoking cessation medications are most effective for menthol smokers, and whether menthol and non-menthol smokers differ significantly in response to medications. d) The causal mechanisms that account for menthol smokers being at a different risk of smoking cessation failure (if they are found to be so) and whether medica tions work via the same mechanisms in menthol and non-menthol smokers. e) The relation of menthol smoking with important partic ipant characteristics such as severity and type of tobacco dependence.

“This research will compare menthol smoking versus non-

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More African-American boomers taking better care of their health (continued from page 10) giously and misses it when he’s away on vacation.

“I feel a whole lot better. I have much more energy, and my blood pressure is excellent,” Jones said. “I’m a firm believer now in exercise and diet. The combination has made a significant difference in my health.”

Health impact of obesity • More than 80 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.

• African-American adults are twice as likely as white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes.

• In 2010, African-Americans were 70

percent less likely to engage in active physical activity than whites.

• Deaths from heart disease and stroke are almost twice the rate for AfricanAmericans as whites.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Donation will fund new Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy program aimed at reducing childhood injuries MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. -- Kohl’s Department Stores today announced a $1.5 million donation to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin from Kohl’s Cares®, the company’s philanthropic platform, to fund the Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy program. The program is designed to make Wisconsin kids and families aware of safety risks in and out of their homes, and the necessary steps to help avoid injury. The $1.5 million gift represents the largest corporate donation to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin this year.

Injury is the leading cause of death for children ages one to 14 in the United States and in Wisconsin. As children’s injury prevention is a priority for both Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Kohl’s Cares, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is launching the Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy program, which features several fun, interactive kiosks along with mobile and digital extensions that aim to teach children and families about injury prevention. The program will focus on educating children and families about the leading causes of preventable childhood injuries in the home, including falls, poisoning, fire and burns, choking and suffocation and drowning. The Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy program will also address out-of-home issues, such as distracted driving and seat belt use.

“Kohl’s is proud to continue our partnership with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Together, we are working to educate Wisconsin children and families about injury prevention to create a safer, healthier community.”

The Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy program will present age-relevant information to remind Wisconsin families that injury prevention is important at all ages. The mobile tour, which will launch at ChocolateFest in Burlington, Wis. on May 24, will bring educational kiosks to family-friendly fairs and festivals throughout the year in southeastern Wisconsin. Additionally, USB’s will be handed out at event stops, allowing families to go online for additional information about injury prevention.

Kiosks will also be placed at seven locations in the greater Milwaukee area, and the interactive programming will be available as a free mobile phone application.

“With Kohl’s generous $1.5 million donation, we are honored to continue our long-standing partnership and joint commitment to the Milwaukee community,” said Bridget Clementi, director of community health, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. “Our work together allows us to develop fun and educational programs for the kids and families in our area.”

Tips to Control Your Child’s Asthma (continued from page 9) doctor and ask him or her to take the following key actions that can help your child—and you—breathe easier.

• Tell you what medication your child needs to control asthma symptoms. Inhaled corticosteroids, taken daily, are the most effective medication for reducing the inflammation that causes asthma symptoms in people who have persistent asthma.

• Give you a written asthma action plan that spells out what to do every day to control your child's asthma, and how to handle symptoms or asthma attacks.

• Check your child's asthma control at regular visits, and

adjust medication as needed to keep your child's asthma in control.

• Schedule regular follow-up visits (at least every six months).

• Work with you to identify your child's asthma triggers, such as allergens like pet dander and pollens and irritants like tobacco smoke, sprays and pollution, and talk about ways your child can avoid them.

• Ask before you leave the doctor's office or pharmacy for someone to show you and your child how to use each prescribed medication and device correctly.

--(BPRW) (BLACK PR WIRE)

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To Treat or Not to Treat Prostate Cancer; New Diagnostics Tests for Informed Treatment Decisions; Clinical Trials Equity.

HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

T

he Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN) will host its "Ninth Annual African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit" on September 19th and September 20th in Washington, D.C. The summit assembles leaders within government, medicine and research, along with survivors and advocates to share and collectively address strategies to eliminate the prostate cancer racial disparity. Black men in the United States have a 60 percent higher prostate cancer incidence rate and suffer a 140 per cent higher death rate than men of any other racial or ethnic group.

Page 12 HealthyStartt (MCJ) July - August, 2013

Many low-income moms struggle to afford diapers (continued from page 8) symptoms and her stress levels," Smith told HealthDay News.

The study adds to emerging research on how material hardships such as diaper need can impact children's and mothers' health, the researchers wrote.

Smith said that many people who hear about the study wonder why these mothers don't simply switch to reusable cloth diapers.

"The problem is that most of the families we're talking about don't have washing machines in their homes. And when they do go

to Laundromats, most facilities won't let you use their facilities for cloth diapers because their temperatures don't get high enough or they just don't want them," she told HealthDay. Additionally, most day care centers require moms to drop off a supply of diapers with their child. Not doing so could keep the child from daycare, and the mother from her job.

Smith called for pediatricians to take a more active role in asking mothers about their diaper need, and also pointed to non-profit diaper banks, an underutilized resource. For information about diaper banks, visit the National Diaper Bank Network website.

UW Wins New Grant to Study Menthol (continued from page 11) menthol smoking with regard to tobacco dependence and quitting success,� said UWCTRI Director Dr. Michael Fiore. “The results should be highly relevant to decisions regarding public health policy and the regulation of menthol cigarettes.� The grant begins this month and runs through June 2014, with Dr. Fiore, Dr. James Stein of UW Cardiology, and Dr. Timothy Baker serving as principal investigators.

In related news, the FDA will launch a campaign at the end of 2013 warning youth about the dangers of menthol cigarettes.

On a recent conference call with public health officials, FDA Center for Tobacco Products Director Mitch Zeller said that, if there are sufficient research data to warrant a ban on menthol use in tobacco products, the FDA is in a position to act on it.

UW-CTRI is a nationally recognized research center founded in 1992 and is committed to determining the nature of tobacco dependence and developing evidence-based treatments to assist smokers. The Center is a part of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.