tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71640218992689152072024-03-14T08:58:29.197-07:00Good MedicineHealth stories and updates written by Health Reporting students at Syracuse University's Newhouse SchoolI'm Sara:http://www.blogger.com/profile/10675350008575870799noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-64547226677256830182010-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:002010-04-26T08:21:50.221-07:00Three's (Fitness) Company<strong>By Michael Contino</strong><br /><br />Liverpool, N.Y. – How many times have you heard that going to the gym is one thing, <a href="http://www.myur.com/ashburn_personal_training_Ultimate_weight_loss_alexandria_va.jpg">but having a trainer</a> makes the experience all the more worthwhile?<br /><br />In the case of two 47-year old men from Central New York, they may be living proof. Healthier living proof, might I add.<br /><br />Longtime friends John Last and Kevin Bush had long been going to the gym before deciding they wanted to take their health and fitness regimen to another level.<br /><br />“We worked out consistently for the past ten years but we’d kind of hit a plateau,” Bush said. “And we thought we’d maybe push it above the limits.”<br /><br />Already members at <a href="http://www.baldwinsvillefamilyymca.org/northarea/">Liverpool's North Area YMCA</a>, they got a trainer, Maggie Triolo, and a new program that would push them harder than anything they’d done before.<br /><br /><strong>Something New<br /></strong><br />The program Maggie has created for her trainees goes against what most men consider to be a viable workout.<br /><br />In addition to placing a heavy emphasis <a href="http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/circuit-training.html">on circuit training</a>, Maggie’s workout only sparingly uses weights. When she does, they’re often on the lighter side.<br /><br />By the time the guys get to the weight portion of their session, they’re already pretty tired.<br /><br />“We’re having a blast here,” Last said. “Maggie’s kicking the crap out of us.”<br /><br />Of course, this is exactly the type of program John and Kevin signed up for, and it’s one that has given them tremendous results.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>Many Happy Returns<br /><br /></strong><strong></strong>For John and Kevin, training with Maggie started around five months ago, or at the beginning of the new-year. Both came in with different strengths and different areas they felt needed improvement.<br /><br />In Kevin’s case, the goal was to “maybe <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM00047">work on our core</a> and our stamina a little bit more.”<br /><br />“Kevin’s more the strength guy. John’s more the fast-twitch, like, go-go-go,” Trainer Maggie Triolo said. “So they’ve really complemented each other well with what we’re doing.”<br /><br />In addition to losing inches off their wastes and pounds off the scale, there have been other intriguing results.<br /><br />“A lot of employees of mine, because I’m an owner of a company, are seeing this, and now they’re joining the Y as well, and they’re getting on the bandwagon,” Last said.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294736841593757673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-72626863110936523112010-04-21T14:04:00.000-07:002010-04-21T14:32:06.869-07:00Meditation Helps Lower StressBy Michelle Bernard / Good Medicine<br /><br />Syracuse, N.Y. -- Dr. David Humphrey had back problems, an abnormal heart rate and a sleep disorder-- all symptoms of stress.<br /><br />To relieve his symptoms Humphrey, a retired doctor from Syracuse, started going to Dr. Bill Cross's <a href="http://www.zencenterofsyracuse.org/consciousstress.html">conscious stress reduction class</a> which teaches meditation and mindfulness, or a cultivated awareness of your own body and feelings.<br /><br />By combining mindfulness and western medicine, Humphrey's back pains have gone away and his heart rate has returned to normal.<br /><br /> “I reduced that stress and sleep better now. That's one of the things,” says Cross. “I've become more aware of the tension in my back and able to relax it.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What is Meditation?</span> <br /><a href="http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm">Meditation</a> comes in many forms, but all share the following elements: <br />•A quiet location<br />•A specific, comfortable posture<br />•A Focus of attention (usually on your breath)<br />• An Open Attitude<br /><br />Sanghyeon Chun has been practicing meditation for thirteen years and leads a meditation class at Syracuse University. <br /><br />“Basically I put my awareness on lower abdomen, and breath, sometimes I just observe myself, without specific focal points, if some thought arrives, I just notice it,” he says. “That is meditation practice.”<br /><br />Sanghyeon says that meditation helps you to be relaxed, and teaches skills to cope with daily stress.<br /><br />There are many kinds of exercises for relaxation and stress, listening to music, watching TV or movies, but a distinctive point of meditation is that it trains our attention he says.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Put it into Practice</span><br />It works for Humphrey and Sanghyeon, but how can others achieve the same results?<br /><br />Through practice says Sanghyeon, who is also a doctoral student in instructional design at Syracuse University. <br /><br />“When you go to the gym, you need regular practice to make a good shape of your muscles,” says Sanghyeon. “Meditation is the same thing.”<br /><br />Most students don't know what to expect when going to the sessions, but are often happy with its results. SU student Morgan Salvan recently attended his first meditation session and would recommend it to others looking for stress relief.<br /><br />“The experience I had was a relaxing one,” says Salvan. “It made me focus on things that were much more rudimentary than a lot of things that are going on in my everyday life.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A National Trend</span><br />An increasing number of Americans are starting to meditation sessions just like the one offered here at the university.<br /><br />A <a href="http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm#meditation">recent government survey</a> found that 9.4 percent of U.S. adults had used meditation to treat anxiety, depression and stress in the past 12 months. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tips for Meditating</span><br />If you're one of the many Americans interested in meditation make sure to follow these guidelines from the National Institutes of Health.<br /><br />•Do not use meditation as a replacement for conventional care or as a reason to postpone seeing a doctor about a medical problem.<br /><br />•Ask about the training and experience of the meditation instructor you are considering.<br /><br />•Look for published research studies on meditation for the health condition in which you are interested.<br /><br />•Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.V. Michelle Bernardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16615540734600974952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-77244399985856637592010-04-14T09:19:00.000-07:002010-04-14T09:20:46.764-07:00Health reporters: Keep it fresh, accurateExcerpts from WABC-TV New York medical news producer Graciela Rogerio and Health News Review's Gary Schwitzer on "The Potential Harm of Health News." The two spoke to a crowd of mostly young health journalists in electronic news (radio, TV, digital) settings at the 2010 RTDNA summit in Las Vegas.<br />
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The music bed beneath their voices is annoying and too loud, but what they say is valuable for all aspiring journalists, especially those who want to be health reporters.<i></i><br />
<object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VTE8VK6IAH0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VTE8VK6IAH0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-90913551744338730052010-04-12T17:16:00.001-07:002010-04-12T17:16:37.571-07:00Diagnosis: Lactose Intolerance -- or is it?<object width="400" height="265"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10882111&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10882111&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="265"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10882111">Diagnosis: Lactose Intolerance -- or is it?</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-61743574440439305222010-04-12T16:15:00.001-07:002010-04-12T16:15:56.256-07:00Meditation as MedicineMany of us are facing increasing pressure and stress these days...especially with our busy schedules and heavy workloads. However, as Good Medicine reporter Max Cole tells us, there might be something you can do to help take a load off.<br />
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<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10867971&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10867971&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10867971">Meditation as medicine</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-84356034616968408882010-04-11T11:35:00.000-07:002010-04-11T11:38:26.455-07:00Don’t Ditch the DairyBy Sarah DiGiulio<br />
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Doctors agree dairy is an essential part of a healthy diet – <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lactose-intolerance/DS00530">even for the lactose intolerant</a>. Concerns that dairy-free diets increase calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, two essential nutrients for healthy bones, led the the U.S. National Institutes of Health to publish <a href="http://consensus.nih.gov/2010/lactosemedia.htm">a consensus statement</a> in February recommending most lactose intolerant individuals do not need to eliminate dairy completely and the condition may be incorrectly over-diagnosed.<br />
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Lactose intolerant individuals can drink the equivalent of one cup of milk, along with a meal, without noticing symptoms, says Dr. Robert Dracker, Syracuse pediatrician. Taking lactaid pills with dairy and spreading dairy consumption throughout the course of the day also ease the cramping, gas and diarrhea associated with lactose intolerance. <br />
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The more dairy you ingest, the better your small intestine can break down the sugars found in dairy, Dracker says. But, dairy-light diets decrease the small intestine’s ability to digest dairy and cause the gastrointestinal discomfort. “If you slowly increase the amount of milk you’re ingesting, you can increase your ability to tolerate milk product,” Dracker says.<br />
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Cutting out milk, cheese and yogurt completely could lead to calcium and vitamin D deficiencies because these dairy products are the best food sources of the two nutrients. Some foods, like breads and orange juice, can be calcium-fortified. But, dairy still has the edge, Dracker says. Besides being nutrient-packed, it’s cheap and protein rich. <br />
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Erika Mahoney suffered from stomachaches for as long as she can remember, says the junior broadcast journalism major at Syracuse University. “When I was little, I called it the bubble, because I didn’t know what it was,” she says.<br />
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Her doctor put Mahoney on a dairy-free diet for two months during the second grade. But, cutting out dairy did not ease her symptoms. Mahoney was later diagnosed with <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319">Celiac Disease</a>, a gastrointestinal disorder that prevents the body from digesting gluten, the protein found in grain products.<br />
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Health experts worry lactose intolerance is being over-diagnosed because gastrointestinal diseases, like Celiacs and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, share the same symptoms, according to the NIH statement. Doctors often assume lactose intolerance before trying more extensive tests Celiacs and IBS tests, says Dr. Philip Holtzapple, Syracuse gastroenterologist. “It’s easy to tell people to get off dairy and see how you feel,” he says.<br />
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After being correctly diagnosed with Celiacs, Mahoney found many other individuals with her disorder who had first been told to go dairy-free. “I started going to support groups – classic story – every single person had been diagnosed with lactose intolerance,” she says.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/calcium.html">The body needs calcium</a> for bone development – both in kids as their bones grow, and in adults to maintain bone density, preventing fractures and osteoporosis. The body uses vitamin D to help absorb calcium. “Our bodies are constantly breaking down bone and rebuilding,” Dracker says. “In order to do that, you need an adequate supply of calcium.” And, <a href="http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20090428/high-doses-vitamin-d-cut-ms-relapses">newer research shows</a> vitamin D may also help protect the body against diseases like multiple sclerosis and immune disorders.<br />
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For healthy bones, Holtzapple recommends adults get 1200 to 1500 milligrams of calcium per day, about 4 or 5 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt. <br />
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<object height="265" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10786146&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10786146&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="265"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/10786146">Lactose intolerance - overdiagnosed?</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-33605849798258576182010-04-11T11:28:00.001-07:002010-04-12T16:12:42.725-07:00Health Concerns Over Splenda Not So SweetBy: Dontré Conerly<br />
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Syracuse, NY—Now the #1 artificial sweetener on the market, Splenda is advertised as a low-calorie sweetener, perfect for diabetics, dieters, and the health-conscious, but limited human clinical trials reject the claim and recent studies warn of several adverse side effects, including nausea, vomiting, headaches, and gastro-intestinal issues. <br />
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To make its claim that it is a no-calorie sweetener, Splenda’s marketing hinges on the fact that in animal trials the sweetener passes through the body undigested; therefore, it adds no calories or carbohydrates. However, in animal trials and the short-term human trials (none longer than six months), the sweetener was absorbed 15% of the time, causing the side effects listed above. This absorption loophole is also the crux upon which the sweetener was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. <br />
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First discovered by scientists looking to make a new pesticide, Splenda is a man-made artificial sweetener that starts from sugar, but is altered by the addition of chlorine molecules to its chemical make-up. Its properties are changed from sucrose (a natural sugar) to sucralose, a potentially dangerous substance. <br />
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Syracuse University junior, Malisa Gobuty, relies on Spenda to help maintain her weight. She uses the sweetener in her beverage, on many foods, and cooks with it. It’s this long-term, heavy usage that concerns many, who say that extended usage can cause harm. But, for Gobuty, it’s about maintaining her health and figure. <br />
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“They say cell phones will kill you,” she quips. “For me, it’s about monitoring my calorie intake<br />
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Registered nutritionist and dietitian at Natur-Tyme in East Syracuse, Laurel Sterling Prisco, warns against using Splenda as a weight-loss supplement in one’s diet.<br />
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“When something is rejected by the body, like Splenda,” she says, “it can get stored in the fat cells.” This ironic protection by the body can actually work against dieters. “It gunks up fat cells [where we store toxins] and can keep them from shrinking when you’re trying to lose weight,” she says. <br />
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There have been many calls for Splenda to be removed from the market. Chief amongst its opponents is Dr. Mercola, who not only believes Splenda should be pulled from the market, but believes the FDA does not take enough of a role in ensuring the safety of food it approves. In his book, Sweet Deception: Why Splenda®, Nutrasweet®, and the FDA May Be Hazardous to Your Health, Mercola claims to have done independent research to prove the dangerous side effects of Splenda and other sweeteners.<br />
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If his claims are true, his research would be amongst the longest human trials of the sweetener.<br />
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Splenda’s manufacturer, McNeil Nutritionals, denies the allegations that Splenda has any negative side effects and has put up a page on its site to quell the fears. They maintain that Splenda is 100% safe.<br />
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<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10867880&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10867880&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10867880">Not too sweet</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-25339364983203029652010-04-09T08:50:00.001-07:002010-04-11T15:23:44.475-07:00Little League injuries on the rise<div><div>By: Sara Sultanik / Good Medicine</div><div><br /></div><div>April 8, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Syracuse N.Y -- April showers may bring May flowers, but they have also brought the beginning of little league season here in Syracuse.</div><div><br /></div><div>But while kids and parents dust off those gloves and bats, coaches and medical professionals want them to know about the risks associated with playing baseball at a young age. </div><div><br /></div><div>In March, the <a href="http://www.tokushima-u.ac.jp/english/">University of Tokushima</a> in Japan released <a href="http://www6.aaos.org/news/pemr/releases/release.cfm?releasenum=870">a study</a> which concluded that youth baseball injuries were on the rise. Especially for kids between the ages of eight and twelve. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Overuse Injuries</b></div><div><br /></div><div>According to the study, twenty-five percent of youth baseball players between the ages of eight and twelve had elbow pain. </div><div><br /></div><div>And most of these injuries happen to throwers: “[I]t’s because they’re starting playing at a younger age,” said Dr. Marc Pietropaoli, a Skaneateles based sports medicine orthopedic surgeon, “They’re playing year round...and there are less and less athletes that are specializing in one sport they’re specializing a little too early.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Pietropaoli discussed that the more sports a child plays, the less likely they are to develop injuries because a child will be using more muscles when playing multiple sports.</div><div><br /></div><div>And since a child’s bones have not fully grown yet, they are more susceptible to soreness and pain.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>How to Prevent These Injuries</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Dr. Pietropaoli said good coaching was an effective way to reduce the chance of developing injuries.</div><div><br /></div><div>And at <a href="http://www.perfectpracticellc.com/">Perfect Practice</a> indoor baseball facility, they have tried to do just that: “We want to make sure whatever technique it is whether it’s running or throwing, hitting...that they learn properly,” claimed owner of Perfect Practice Mike DiPaulo, “We’re going to make sure that they understand that technique is very important in injury prevention.”</div><div><br /></div><div>At Perfect Practice many kids come out each day to learn the correct baseball technique and throwing mechanics to make sure they don’t end up on the bench this baseball season instead of out on the field.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Risk Won’t Keep Them Away</b></div><div><br /></div><div>At Perfect Practice, the kids learned to warm up and stretch out their muscles so they won’t get sore.</div><div><br /></div><div>And because of this training, some of the young boys did not seem to worry about the risk of injury: “You could get hurt walking down the street you could get hurt playing soccer you could get hurt doing pretty much anything but you cant live your life that way,” stated thirteen year old Jonah Badiab.</div><div><br /></div><div>And seventh grader John Teixiera believed he knew how to take of himself: “if you stretch properly and stay prepared and stay loose you’re not going to get hurt as easily. A loose body is much more durable than a tense body,” he said.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Dr. Pietropaoli stated that parents should not worry because overall, baseball is a very safe game. But everyone involved should just be educated about the risks.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10786002&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10786002&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10786002">Little League injuries</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-25657138830490950542010-04-08T08:10:00.001-07:002010-04-11T11:32:33.579-07:00Washing Out The Green<strong>By Michael Contino</strong><br />
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Syracuse, N.Y. - There are many ways one can go green, and that includes the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products.<br />
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These "green cleaning" items can benefit your health through the removal of certain harmful chemicals that can among other things, worsen chronic ailments.<br />
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"I have a pretty significant case of asthma going," said Michelle "Kiki" Brown, a Syracuse resident who uses green cleaning products. "I have to be very careful with the materials I use in my home."<br />
<p>"You can keep your body healthier, you can keep your lungs healthier," said Richard Kampos, owner of Syrause's <a href="http://greencleaningtechnologies.com/Home_Page.html">Green Cleaning Technologies</a> about the benefits of using Green Cleaning Products. "Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and if you're using products that are potentially toxic, you're taking in carcinogens."</p><p><strong>Not All Green</strong></p><p>Then again, a product you think of as green may be just as toxic as the cheaper, regular products. That's because many manufacturers put fake green logos on normal products and sell them as environmentally friendly.</p><p>"Most distributors, manufacturers, private label companies, will put a maple leaf on it [the product] or a nice green hue to it with a brook or a creek running through it," said Michael Gosson, owner of <a href="http://www.parish-supply.com/">Parish Maintenance Supply</a> in Syracuse, which sells green cleaning products to companies in the area.</p>Though not every company partakes in "<a href="http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/">Greenwashing</a>," it is something to be aware of if you're considering going green in the cleaning department.<br />
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<strong>Spotting a Fake</strong> <p>With so many companies putting green logos on their products, how does the average person determine if a given product is real or not? Gosson's answer is simple: outside approval.</p><p>"Unless it has some independent certification, the only person that can state with all empirical data that it's green is a third party. Otherwise, you can say whatever you want," Gosson said. </p>Among Gosson's certified products is the <a href="http://www.parish-supply.com/1300000.htm">Activeon Ionater Pro</a>, which can clear the H1N1 Virus off of surfaces while using only tap water. It's part of an entire line of Parish products under the heading of "Chemical Free Cleaning."<br />
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<strong>The Local Effort</strong><br />
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Ask anyone who knows about Greenwashing and they'll all have a similar answer as to why it happens: certification can be very expensive, going as high as thousands of dollars per year.<br />
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One local company doing it anyway is <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.brophyservices.com">Brophy Services Incorporated</a>, a Building Services Contracter in Syracuse.<br />
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Owner Eileen Brophy says her certified products will not only be healthier for clients but it will make her company unique.<br />
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"There are no companies in my line of work that are lead certified. You take a $25-30 million dollar a year company like <a href="http://www.janitronicsinc.com/">Janitronics</a> and <a href="http://www.cleanforhealth.com/">Matrix</a> that are my competitors. They aren't lead certified," Brophy said.<br />
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Among the harmful chemicals not in Brophy's new products are <a href="http://www.pqcorp.com/msds/A2047.pdf">Sodium Silicate</a>, which irritates the eyes and skin, and <a href="http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/AM/ammonium_hydroxide.html">Ammonium Hydroxide</a>, which effects the eyes and respiratory tract.<br />
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To Gosson's knowledge, she's the only supplier in "at least a 500-mile radius" to go green the legitimate way.<br />
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<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10805446&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10805446&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10805446">Washing out the green</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294736841593757673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-47767871320514339062010-04-07T19:14:00.000-07:002010-04-07T19:38:32.163-07:00Different Shades of Tan<strong>By Michael Contino</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Syracuse, N.Y. - If always having a tan is important to you, then living in Syracuse may prove challenging.<br /><br />With clouds frequenting the air to winters that <a href="http://www.city-data.com/top2/c464.html">usually surpass 100 inches </a>of snowfall a year, there simply aren't too many summer days between November and March.<br /><br />Many in the area go to local tanning beds to make up for their perceived Vitamin D deficiency. At the same time, not every tanning bed or tanning salon is alike, and there are a few things people should know about tanning before stepping into a booth.<br /><br /><strong>Fast Facts</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />It doesn't take much searching to find <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs287/en/index.html">long-standing medical arguments </a>against going tanning. Among the established health risks of tanning is overexposure to ultraviolet, or UV radiation, which can lead to Melanoma, the<a href="http://www.melanoma.com/"> most dangerous type </a>of skin cancer.<br /><br />Here's a fact on tanning you probably didn't know, it comes from Dermatologist Dr. Joyce B. Farah.<br /><br />"In cloudy cities such as Syracuse the clouds filter at best 15 to 20 percent of the UV radiation. So you're still getting 80 percent of radiation coming through."<br /><br /><br /><strong>On the Side of Caution</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Melanoma can appear after going tanning only a couple of times, as Kelly Covert of Baldwinsville, NY found out the hard way.<br /><br />At the age of 24, she had just started going tanning when she discovered "a large mole" on the back of her leg that ended up being "a malignant melanoma, the worst kind."<br /><br />Now Covert is in full remission, but the tanning incident sticks with her today.<br /><br />"I've been going to a dermatologist ever sicne, every six months, getting check-ups," Covert said.<br /><br /><strong>Different Viewpoints</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Something separating local tanning Salons from one another is how far they go to prevent people they know shouldn't be tanning from tanning anyway.<br /><br />Syracuse <a href="http://www.hmtan.com/">Tanning Salon Hakna Matata</a>, led by owner Joe Contini, takes a very active role in monitoring it's customers. This includes a "skin type" survey which determines how long one should tan, structured tanning plans and dertailed electronic records of each customer.<br /><br />It's important to note Hakuna Matata is a Tanning Salon only, unlike another local Salon like Garbo's, which also operates as a Hair Salon. Contini says there's a big difference between the two.<br /><br />"You know hair salons right now, you go into a hair salon, it's mainly a cash business," Contini said. "You go in the back room, and you tan in a bed that's not controleld by anything."<br /><br />At Garbo's, owner Dominick Barbano says his staff urges people with light skin or family histories of Melanoma not to tan, but in the end, it's up tot he idnividual to make the final choice at to whether or not to go tanning.<br /><br />"It's all about self responsibility, and being responsible for your own behavior," Barbano said.<br /><br /><strong>What's Next</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />In Congres right now is the <a href="http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2010&Itemid=61">Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act</a>. It would encrease tanning regulation, especially in terms of limiting UV radiation and increasing the size of warning size on tanning beds.<br /><strong></strong><br />Opinions on the risks of tanning go from it being an absolute danger to your health, to it being something that simply needs more regulation and even an industry that should simply be left alone.<br /><br />"There are no benefits to tanning and tanning booths, there are only risks." Dr. Farah said.<br /><br />"We need to put alittle restriction on tanning salons, and you know, a lot of people at tanning salons are going to go nuts on me but, we really should," Contini said.<br /><br />"The governmetn has no business in my decision maknig process," Barbano said. "It's really important that we as individuals decide what's right for us."Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294736841593757673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-62605596120626403832010-03-01T11:36:00.000-08:002010-04-08T15:42:41.431-07:00Tanning in CNY: Too Hot to Handle?<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #2d0515"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">February 2010</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">By Sara Sultanik / Good Medicine </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">SYRACUSE N.Y. -- With the cold weather and lack of sun light in the winter months here in Central New York, you may like heading to the tanning bed.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But a new bipartisan bill, the <a href="http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2010&Itemid=61">Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act</a> could, if passed, change the way many people tan. The bill would allow the government to set controls on the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted by the beds as well as set limits on the amount of time tanners can stay inside the machines. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All of this to reduce to risks of developing <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/melanoma">melanoma</a>, the deadliest form of skin cancer.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>A Triathlete’s Tale</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b></b></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Kelly Covert of Baldwinsville was only twenty-four when she was diagnosed with skin cancer and she stated she headed to the tanning beds a few times before she was diagnosed, “I dont think it was the only reason that i got skin cancer but it certainly did not help me at all and I would never do it again.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Kelly is now an advocate for preventing young people from using tanning beds. She does not want people to end up in the same position she was in. She said, “You know the risks and they still do it which is shocking to me but i just people are going to make their own decisions but as long as they know what they’re up against...then that’s the choice that they have to make.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b>Aren’t There Any Health Benefits to Tanning?</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">According to dermatologist Dr. Joyce Farah, this is not the case, “There are absolutely no health benefits to being in a tanning booth,” she said, “none that have been documented whatsoever.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Dr. Farah claimed that even in cloudy cities such as Syracuse, 80 percent of the sun’s radiation still shines through so Central New Yorkers should still be getting a good amount of Vitamin D, even in the winter months.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">But Isn’t Every Salon Different?</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">According to Joe Contini, owner of Hakuna Matata salon in Syracuse, his salon is different than most because his employees are certified under the <a href="https://smarttan.com/">International Smart Tan Network</a>.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Contini said, “We need to put a little restrictions on tanning salons...people should be certified”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Contini claimed his salon will not allow individuals who are too fair skinned to tan at his salon. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But Dominick Barbano of Garbo’s Salon in Syracuse said it is ultimately the tanner’s decision, “Act responsibly, do it in moderation, you’ll be fine.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is unknown at the time if the Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act will be put into place. But experts have said, even if less radiation is emitted by these machines, tanners may come into the tanning salons more often to get the same skin tone. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p><p></p><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sqnyMVHNe7Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sqnyMVHNe7Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>I'm Sara:http://www.blogger.com/profile/10675350008575870799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-22690077718202286522010-03-01T07:30:00.002-08:002010-04-06T19:31:22.711-07:00Eating Healthy in Hard TimesBy V. Michelle Bernard/Good Medicine<br /><br />High produce prices are making it hard, but not impossible for New Yorkers to eat healthfully. <br /><br /><strong>High Costs, Low Nutrition</strong><br />It’s no secret that the recent economy has impacted every aspect of American life, including nutrition. Feeding America, a national network of 203 food banks, including several in Central New York, has said that <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60C07520100113">one in eight Americans have needed help buying groceries this year</a>. To add to the problem, produce prices have recently increased while prices for snack food seem to have gone down according to a recent American Dietetic Association study. <br /><br />Although the high calorie snack options seem to offer a better deal, it is a better long-term deal to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, making the decision to eat healthfully even harder for low income Americans. <br /><br /><strong>Balanced Budget & Checkbook Possible</strong><br />Registered dietician Karen Ertel said there are many options for low income families to make sure they’re eating healthfully including using government subsidized programs and food banks for those who qualify. <br />Ertel, a dietician at the <a href="http://www.schcny.com/">Syracuse Community Health Center</a>, has noticed that a lot of people on strict budgets leave the vegetables out of their diet, but there are cheaper ways to get your servings of vegetables including canned and frozen vegetables.<br /><br />Cutting down on the amount of meat eaten is another way to stretch the food budget, said Ertel.<br /><br />“When you cut down on your meat portion sizes you actually do open a pretty good part of the budget to use for other things,” she said. <br />She also said eating staples such as rice and beans can add good nutrition, while keeping the budget low.<br /><br /><strong>Reaching Out For Help</strong><br />Jeanette Stanard is part of one of the many families from Central New York who are making their food dollars stretch by visiting the <a href="http://www.foodbankcny.org/">Food Bank of Central New York’s </a>fresh food giveaways, like the one at the 1st Ukrainian Pentecostal Church in Camillus. <br /><br />Stanard hasn’t been working since her daughter was born last summer. But going to giveaways, like the one in Camillus, has allowed her to provide more diverse and nutritious food to her family. <br /><br />“The cost of living and the cost of food is outrageous,” said Stanard. “And going to pantries and fresh food giveaways, such as this, forces you to eat healthy. There’s normally fresh foods as well as baked products, milk, cheese, a lot of real healthy ingredients,” she said.<br /><br />Last year alone, more than 2.1 million New Yorkers, such as Stanard, were served by food banks. <br /><strong> <br />Tips</strong><br />Not everyone can qualify to visit food banks, but that isn’t an excuse not to eat vegetables and fruit. <br /><br />Eat healthfully on a budget by following these tips from registered dietician Karen Ertel:<br /><br />• It’s OK to buy frozen vegetables and some canned vegetables. They provide almost as many nutrients as the fresh.<br />• Try to buy in-season and locally grown produce<br />• Buy and eat less meat<br />• Replace soda with water or sugar free drinks<br />• Buy cheap, yet healthy staples such as rice and beans<br /><br />For more tips on eating healthfully on a budget click <a href="http://frugalliving.about.com/od/foodsavings/tp/Eating_Healthy.htm">here</a>.V. Michelle Bernardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16615540734600974952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-31944747081347271262010-02-05T06:15:00.001-08:002010-02-05T06:15:05.733-08:00SU professor hopes to find cure for leukemia with research<a href=http://www.9wsyr.com/s/thDcM6djpUCqs4WVwWPl0w.cspx>SU professor hopes to find cure for leukemia with research</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com">ShareThis</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-73962915805540053632010-02-02T10:10:00.000-08:002010-02-02T10:10:15.287-08:002009's Best Health Journalism<a href="http://www.ire.org/irenews/2009-philip-meyer-journalism-award-winners-announced/">IRE » Blog Archive » 2009 Philip Meyer Journalism Award winners announced</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-19518765104710689002010-01-31T12:17:00.000-08:002010-01-31T12:17:35.020-08:00Joint pain and migraines: weather or not : Effect Measure<a href="http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2010/01/joint_pain_and_migraines_weath.php">Joint pain and migraines: weather or not : Effect Measure</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-9327596638776922872009-06-22T22:03:00.001-07:002009-10-06T18:16:12.508-07:00Good Medicine Webisode 2<object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5276604&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5276604&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/5276604">Good Medicine Webisode 2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
This webisode of <span style="font-style: italic;">Good Medicine</span> is hosted by Beth Croughan. Reporters are Torie Wells, Megan Rowls, Beth Croughan and Chris McGrath. Directed by Mike DeSumma.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-12499284781191724752009-06-04T05:04:00.000-07:002009-10-06T18:16:54.618-07:00Good Medicine Webisode 1<object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4990284&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4990284&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/4990284">Good Medicine Webisode 1</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user354933">CP2E</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Good Medicine </span>is a health news program produced by the Spring '09 broadcast journalism health reporting students at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications<span style="font-style: italic;">. </span>Cynthia Schweigert hosts and reports for Webisode 1<span style="font-style: italic;">.</span> Featured reporters are Chris Shepherd, Megan Rowls and Amy Aaronson.<span style="font-style: italic;"> Directed by Mike DeSumma.<br />
</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-71494894742335743972009-05-01T13:58:00.001-07:002009-05-01T14:14:47.276-07:00No Health InsuranceNo Health Insurance<br />Graduation season is approaching fast meaning many students who do not have jobs or going into higher education will have to get off their parents health insurance in a couple of months. Stephanie Berzenski is graduating with a master degree and is worried about not having a job once she graduates.<br />“It’s just scary because it's a lot of things that I have taken for granted I have medication now. My monthly birth control pill some skin medications for pimples for what I guess took for granted because I always had them covered under my parent’s health insurance policy. But come August you know that's gone so if I need to continue on more medication I need to come up with a plan,” said Stephanie Berzenski.<br />Erin Parks in a graduating senior, she is not only worried about finding a job but finding a job with good benefits.<br />“I have to really look for a job that has health benefits because I can't afford to not have health insurance with all the prescriptions I have to fill,” said Erin Parks<br />Parks was diagnosed with <a href="http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes.jsp">Type I diabetes </a>earlier this year. She as many supplies she uses every day.<br />“Yea my supplies are definitely expensive because it is stuff that I have to use daily many times throughout the day. So it really adds up,” said Erin Parks<br />Health Insurance Options<br />John Catanzarita, Jr. President of <a href="http://www.bcgcny.com/index.asp">Benefit Consulting Group </a>in Syracuse says students should sit down with their parents and look at what’s included in their health insurance coverage under their parents. Then compare the rates to other insurance plans. He also says the state of New York has many health insurance options, such as <a href="http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/fhplus/index.htm">Family Healthy Plus </a>and <a href="http://www.ins.state.ny.us/website2/hny/english/hny.htm">Healthy New York</a>. <br />“ These couple of stories I’m talking about now are income sensitive, so obviously if they don’t have a job they wouldn’t have income,” said John Catanzarita, Jr.<br />He also says don’t risk not having health insurance and it’s better to be insured than to not be.<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwva6dI2Wf-LCXkha2azfg_f-ZtOZ0yU5aDMYw-SB1UFGHfvVdjrUPFs6_wWYwk6GPaICsgZtZ73UbG4AElng' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-26648605714715402922009-04-25T17:37:00.000-07:002009-04-28T08:44:35.255-07:00Health Insurance For GraduatesBy Torie Wells<br /><br /><strong>No Job=No Insurance:</strong><br /><br />Erin Parks is a graduating senior. She’s a biology major, excited to get her first job. But at the beginning of this semester, she knew something was wrong.<br /><br />"I lost about twenty pounds in two weeks. I was very fatigued. I couldn't muster the strength to get up and go to class. I was very thirsty all the time couldn't get enough water," she said<br /><br />Erin was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. Now, her blood sugar is under control. But the cost of her medical supplies makes having health insurance a necessity.<br /><br />"It’s not just about finding a job now. It's about finding a job that has good health care," she said.<br /><br />It's the story of hundreds of graduates who are looking for a job, in a failing economy. No job means no health insurance. And come graduation they're off mom and dad's plan. Stephaine Berzenski is a healthy graduate student. But she's worried too.<br /><br />"Under my dad's prescription we only have to pay a co-pay of 5 dollars each for each prescription. But with the regular price, one would cost me $153.75 a month and the other would cost $322.62," she said.<br /><br />But, it's not just expensive. We spoke with a representative from Families USA who said people without coverage can even be turned away from health care.<br /><br /><strong>There is Help:</strong><br /><br />But, there are options. The first step is to jump online and see what your state offers. Often there are inexpensive options. In New York, there are a couple.<br /><br />“Healthy NY is one program. And there's another, family health plus, it's almost like a Medicaid type program," said John Catanzarita Jr. He’s the President of Benefit Consulting Group in Syracuse.<br /><br />Both programs are determined based on income, and cost about $250 a month. They're usually cheaper than the alternatives, like COBRA, or buying insurance on your own. COBRA’s a program where you to continue to pay into your parent's plan, but your costs double. So, if you pay $100 a month under the family plan, you'd pay about $200 as an individual. Take that route and you could be paying up to $400 a month. But that's cheaper than private insurance which can cost between $600 and $1200.<br /><br /><strong>Playing with Fate?</strong><br /><br />Another option is not having insurance.<br /><br />“As much as someone doesn't have income, it’s way better, I think, than rolling the dice," said Catanzarita.<br /><br />He said that one accident, sudden illness, or trip to the hospital without coverage, and you could lose everything. The best plan is to sit down with your parents and compare the options. That's exactly what Erin's doing. Her life depends on it.<br /><br />"I check my blood sugar 4-5 times a day to make sure it's ok. That's how I keep myself healthy and feeling good," she said.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxChx5tWcL3ZJ90cAPzQBBM2t2yODJn8YJupDVequvyTyL8K9c9l21D4DtZkGTxkpA4lrfHULIkzeZeHaEVgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-2746535316452141682009-04-22T05:24:00.000-07:002009-04-22T06:39:05.183-07:00One Star Care<p></p><p></p><p>Growing old is not always easy, and for Betty and William Dwight who are in their early eighties, it only got harder as their health got worse. </p><p>"I just pass out on the floor and don't even know it" says Betty.</p><p>Betty went to the hospital, but the insurance stopped paying. William couldn't take care of her anymore. He says "They brought me in because I was so exhausted from taking care of her."</p><p>She had to be moved to a nursing home. Rosewood Heights Health Center was their only option. </p><p>"There was no other place. This was the only bed open at the time she had to leave the hospital," says William Dwight.</p><p>The Dwights were not able to choose their nursing home. Many have the same experience. But for those who can choose, the Federal Government is looking to make that decision easier. </p><p>The Center for Medicare and Medicaid, Kerry Weems, says the rating system is used to "provide families a straightfoward assessment of nursing home quality, with meaningful distinctions between high and low performing homes."</p><p>Rosewood Heights Health Center is one of thirteen nursing homes in the Syracuse area that were rated.</p><p>"What you'll find is that maybe with the exception of one or two, everybody is one out of five stars," says Rosewood Heights Director, Paul Scarpinato.</p><p>In fact five were rated higher. But Rosewood Heights is among the eight that got the lowest rating. To determine the overall rating, surveyors look at three areas: Health Inspections, Staffing and Quality Measures. </p><p>Scarpinato says it's difficult to compare nursing homes. </p><p>"You're going to find that you're not comparing apples to apples. The size of the facility, the complexity of folks they take in, do play into the information that shows up in the Quality Measures as well as staffing."</p><p>Scarpinato says there's more to choosing a nursing home than just looking at a star system."Rely on your five senses, which means you gotta go visit. You need to go take a look a walk through, go see what's going on for yourself. Go look at the condition of the building, the rooms, see the interaction of the staff and the residents," says Scarpinato.</p><p>Even the best ranked five star facilities, like the Nottingham says families do have several things to consider when choosing. Tracy Engle is the director of the Nottingham, she says "I'd walk into the facility, what does it look like, what does it smell like? I would look at the activities calendar."</p><p>"Yes we are a five star facility, some of the other facilities, that didn't get five stars, I don't think it's an accurate representation of the care they provide," says Engle.</p><p>And the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Kerry Weems agreed with that in his news release, saying "this system is not intended to be the only tool families use in selecting the right nursing facility for a loved one."</p><p>But it <em>is</em> a tool that's <em>available, </em>not only to choose, but to know one measure of the facility you or your loved one has already been placed in.</p><p>William and Betty Dwight agree that no place is perfect.</p><p>"You got some good help, and you got some mediocre help," says William.</p><p>In their short time at Rosewood Heights, they say they have experienced both.</p><p>"We were all night without an aid or anybody. And we need to ring the bell usually to go to the John, because we need help," says Betty Dwight.</p><p>"From eleven o'clock to 8 o'clock this morning, nobody," says William.</p><p>"Yeah, we had to hold it or foget it," added Betty.</p><p>But they say overall they are treated well and taken care of. Still, the had no choice but to go to a place that has the lowest rating, one star.</p><p>Scarpinato says he wants to improve Rosewood Heights, but it's not the number of stars he's interested in. "I'm going to focus in on our day to day operations. The residents that we have, the systems that we have, the financial reimbursements that we have, and make the best shot at improving our health inspections and quality measures," says Scarpinato.</p><p>To compare nursing homes in your area, or to find out more information please visit <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Questions/SearchCriteriaNEW.asp?version=default&browser=IE%7C7%7CWinXP&language=English&defaultstatus=0&pagelist=Home&CookiesEnabledStatus=True">http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Questions/SearchCriteriaNEW.asp?version=default&browser=IE%7C7%7CWinXP&language=English&defaultstatus=0&pagelist=Home&CookiesEnabledStatus=True</a></p><p> </p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-43823540083962842712009-04-14T21:55:00.000-07:002009-04-14T22:13:54.239-07:00Stuck at Home<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Two-hundred and eighty-five people last year relied on the Homebound Transportation Program to help <span style=""> </span>get of their house during the day to go to places such as the grocery store, doctor’s appointments or the mall. On February 23, 2009, homebound patients received a letter in the mail saying the transportation program will no longer be in service because of budget cuts. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Lou Anne Hadley used Homebound Transportation because she is unable to drive. She has a condition called CPOD, which causes her to get sleepy unexpectedly. She is also, in a wheel chair because she has arthritis in her legs. <span style=""> </span>For only 20 dollars a month she was able to go to her doctor’s appointments, make trips to the MOST museum and the mall with her daughter. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">“We joined the MOST because wow it is a great way to spend weekends sometimes you can go down there she can go run around and I can run around in my wheel chair and its only twenty dollars round trip which I can afford. “ said Lou Anne Hadley.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Lou Anne Hadley and other homebound patients contacted ARISE an advocacy organization for the disabled to see if they can help get the program restored.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“We have asked the county legislators to put this issue on the agenda of the legislative committee and we are very fortunate to get a lot of support from legislators,” said Beata Karpinska Prehn Director of Advocacy</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Legislators and the health department plan to have more meetings to see what they can do to restore the program. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">“It was never our intention to say to people we are going to ignore you and you are going to have to figure this out on your own. But, looking at the current economic environment we need to look at the best way to look at our community,” said Amanda Nestor Public Health Administrator.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For Lou Anne and other homebound patients they will have to wait at home until next month for a decision to be made.
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<br /></p> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw6CWWGb8Akuw_3tsHD-byAXE4CL4GH-nvWJo9wD1QB7GA6Q4U4cCBEaOjMFbguwrpPG_FPDsUnJDdKFjtMgw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-73548541316182272862009-04-13T18:53:00.000-07:002009-04-14T09:22:54.976-07:00New York gets larger; follows national trend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXkFucQUxzGpI7fJc0aiS1WrrE-P6eEng-X_iKX-vbuitGNc8VIaF9-V-UIClY0vEJWYmZTLwZwKjzcuQ9G7vvxT9IADd9QOAUjwNBdSz40RJUkBKuohHzc56t3pkfrHwbtbCua1eaomu/s1600-h/NYOL96608112055.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXkFucQUxzGpI7fJc0aiS1WrrE-P6eEng-X_iKX-vbuitGNc8VIaF9-V-UIClY0vEJWYmZTLwZwKjzcuQ9G7vvxT9IADd9QOAUjwNBdSz40RJUkBKuohHzc56t3pkfrHwbtbCua1eaomu/s320/NYOL96608112055.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324373573911137778" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; white-space: normal; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"></span></span></span></span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; white-space: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To put it bluntly, people are getting fat.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />In New York, 56% of adults are considered either overweight or obese, with that number rising to 60% in Syracuse.<br /><br />“Whenever you have a community at large that’s overweight, the community at large has got a tendency to have too many calories in and not enough calories burned," says Rachael Murphy, registered dietician with the Onondaga County Health Department.<br /><br />Murphy says even worse is that fact that overweight and obesity is largely preventable.<br /><br />But New Yorkers aren't alone. Studies from the CDC show a troubling trend across the United States. From 1985-2007, obesity rates have skyrocketed across the country. In 2007, only Colorado had an obesity rate below 20%, while 30 states had an obesity rate between 20 and 25%t. Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee all had obesity rates over 30%.<br /><br />The news is especially troubling to Annette Marchbanks, SCSD Assistant Director of Food Services. She's well aware that one in four children are overweight or obese in New York State and says you have to get to them early.<br /><br />“If you get them in kindergarten, first, second, third grade...anything you say to them they truly listen and they take it to heart. Once you get into high school, they are not nearly as receptive as our younger children are,” she says.<br /><br />And you may want to take it to heart.<br /><br />Of the children who are currently overweight in New York, statistics say 70% of them will become overweight or obese adults. That number rises to 80% if at least one parent is overweight or obese as well.<br /><br />"Once you are obese as a child it is much, much, much harder to lose that weight as an adult," Marchbanks says.<br /></span></span><br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-8604525264601802992009-04-13T07:14:00.000-07:002009-04-20T08:24:07.711-07:00Tackling the Obesity Epidemic<p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw-EBGh6iIp-GsKZP4_lljvoSO_GW2eVTrNkWT-T3FQqJlWns2IoJZ56paPT9CL_vH7XVGdDcwzDY6cXjV8Gg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>You’ve heard the advice numerous times before; eat your fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and limit your daily intake of fats and sugars. Doctors say these are the keys to maintaining a healthy body weight. Yet individuals all across the country seem to be overweight and obese. It has become much more than just a problem and the outlook is worse for our children. </p><p><br />The Centers for Disease Control reports a <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/Obesity/">dramatic increase in obesity </a>rates across the country in the past 20 years. To be obese means your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30 percent. BMI measures the amount of fat in your body. </p><p>To calculate: <a href="http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/">http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/</a></p><p><br />In <a href="http://www.ongov.net/">Onondaga County</a>, 60 percent of adults are overweight or obese. And nearly 1 in 7 children are overweight. </p><p><br />Psychologist Tony McCormick says the first step to helping kids is to help their families by educating them on how to encourage healthier choices. But Annette Marchbanks of the <a href="http://www.syracusecityschools.com/">Syracuse City School District </a>says the obesity issue is one our entire community needs to be willing to fight; from the schools, to the government, parents and kids. </p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-68133128380582980962009-04-02T10:46:00.000-07:002009-04-02T11:13:37.137-07:00Tobacco 19: Taking Youth Smoking OnBy Torie Wells (Good Medicine)<br />April 2, 2009 1:45 pm<br /><br />Statistics show that 90% of adult smokers started before the age of 18. In an effort to fight youth smoking, and decrease tobacco use overall, Onondaga County is making it harder for teenagers to get a hold of it.<br /><br />Ryan DeOrdio will soon turn 18. He's looking forward to legal adulthood, including the right to vote.<br /><br />"I like writing and talking about my political views," he said.<br /><br />But there's one right he's willing to give up, buying tobacco.<br /><br />"When people smoke it's hurting more than themselves, obviously with secondhand smoke, but also the Medicare costs," he said.<br /><br />Ryan took this issue on. First, he wrote an essay for the "Voices" section of the "Post Standard" in October. Then, he spoke to the County Legislature shortly after. Now, here in Onondaga County-18-year-olds can't legally purchase tobacco products. And it's because of Tobacco 19, a new law enacted March 1st, raising the purchase age.<br /><br />"The thought behind Tobacco 19 is just to get tobacco out of the schools. There aren't a lot of 19, 20-year-olds in school still," said Jenny Dickinson from Tobacco Free Onondaga County.<br /><br />It was first introduced in 2006 but was vetoed twice, first by former County Executive Nicholas Pirro and then by current Executive Joanie Mahoney. The legislature over-rode that veto this past December, adding Onondaga County to two others in the state, taking action against youth smoking.<br /><br />"We do know that making cigarettes harder to obtain will affect youth smoking. In 2006, there was a study of 7th graders. Thirty percent got cigarettes through friends, so we know it's a problem with youth obtaining cigarettes in schools," Dickinson said.<br /><br />Because this law is so new in Onondaga County, Dickinson said there is no real data yet. Local retailers are the only ones who can really tell if it’s working.<br /><br />"The age thing happened when the cost increased about 75 cents every time that happens, we see a decrease in sales," said Jack Glisson, owner of Glisson’s Mobil.<br /><br />But that doesn't necessarily mean Tobacco 19 is working. Glisson says it might deter some teenagers, but even with his employees enforcing the law, there are loopholes.<br /><br />"They'll find a way to get it. I'm sure they have friends who are older, and it's happened for years, you always find someone older to buy you the drinks or cigarettes so it's still going to happen," he said.<br /><br />Dickinson says statistics from other states with similar laws show there is a positive effect. She said even a small impact is worth it in the long run.<br /><br />"The harder you can make it for older youth to obtain cigarettes in order to pass down to 11 to 12-year-olds, it's a good measure," she said.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzxDgCLMjuH-gqfOgSzyANwIZ1o1vBFt6mpORZhJstGfg_x9oc2LygY3Uuq-jdhoLyxOG3447Ylv-WG8JXMGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164021899268915207.post-56370914769088751742009-03-30T17:03:00.000-07:002009-03-30T17:32:18.397-07:00Life Without Homebound<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The hundreds literally left homebound with the recent closure of the Homebound Transportation program may be getting rides once again. Onondaga County legislators are looking into restoring this program because the cuts have been such a big deal for people in the community. <br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lou Ann Hadley is just one person who depended on Homebound to get out of her home. Hadley has been homebound for two years since she was diagnosed with severe COPD. She can no longer get behind the wheel with circulation problems in her legs, arthritis, and sleep apnea. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She used Homebound to get to places like the MOST, restaurants, and the mall, until February 28th when the county's contract with Homebound was cancelled. There were 283 people who depended on this service and it only cost 20 dollars. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But the county had to make budget cuts and Homebound was one of them. Public Health Administrator Amanda Nestor says, "Our mission is health, shelter, and safety. This didn't meet that criteria, there are other resources." </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of the other services in the county is Centro Call a Bus. It's the local transit authority with fixed routes and also a call-a-bus service. However, Most homebound people need more assistance. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The County Health Department sent out a list of alternative options, but for Lou Ann none of them met her needs. Right now, Lou Ann and others are waiting for the County Legislature to meet later this month. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyyC42FH-YvzWS8_qSJp4jadkOvcclX6dgEmnKQXkOVrhXI-AUFogJWGNWhZ9LYuBY5Y9LZOq3IwxjFqaSLNg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0