23 minute read
Lifestyle
Do You Have Your Child’s Immunization Record?
Is it Updated?
Submitted by Amerigroup Marynad
Many families have recently gone through the process of preparing to send their children to school for the first time or enrolling their children in a new school. This has likely involved finding out which vaccines are required for children to attend school, and even having to present proof of immunization. Have you ever wondered what happens if a child’s immunization record is lost or if vaccines weren’t updated on an immunization card? How can families update records if a child was immunized by multiple doctors/clinics, in different states or in another country? What do they do if they are unsure if a child has all required vaccines? What are the required vaccines for each grade level? Many families are diligent about keeping updated copies of a child’s immunization record and consulting their doctors for guidance on vaccines, but there are many situations that can leave families scrambling to track down and update records. Fortunately, Maryland is one of a handful of states that has made immunization records available to residents online at no cost. Families can simply visit MD.MyIR.net to register for access to records. Users of this portal can view and print official copies of immunization records that have been digitally filed in Maryland, without having to request them from healthcare providers. However, there may be instances where the online records are not complete or updated. Vaccines may have been administered in states that do not offer online records, or in doctor’s offices/clinics that do no have digital filing capabilities. In these cases, families can get help from a child’s pediatrician to locate or update records. If a child doesn’t have a primary care provider, it might be best to immediately get established with one and ask the doctor’s office for help to track down immunization records. Doctor’s offices have experience finding immunization information from other doctor’s offices, from various databases and even from antibody tests if necessary, so their help can save a family a lot of time and frustration. Doctors can also advise which vaccines are needed and when. When immunization records cannot be found, doctors can advise if it is better to test for antibodies or revaccinate. Doctors can even answer questions about required vaccines and recommend vaccines for certain risk factors, so getting established with a primary care doctor/pediatrician – if families don’t already have one – should be a top priority. Amerigroup Maryland members who need help getting established with a doctor or pediatrician can always turn to Amerigroup for help by calling Member Services at 1-800-600-4441 (TTY 711) or visiting www.myamerigroup.com/md. Families who would like to learn more about required vaccines and immunization records can access several resources for information: • Required and recommended vaccines by age: https://www.cdc. gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/index. html • Vaccines required by the state of Maryland for the 2022 – 2023 school year: https://bit.ly/3yMMTdb • General information about finding and updating vaccine records: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/records/find-records. html • Online vaccination records: https://myirmobile.com/register/ • Finding a doctor or pediatrician in Amerigroup Maryland’s provider network: https://www. myamerigroup.com/md/care/finda-doctor.html • Help and resources offered by Amerigroup Maryland: https:// www.myamerigroup.com/md/ home.html WI
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Preserving Food Through Canning – A Lost Art
Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer
When my husband first started planning for an apocalypse, he asked if I could find someone from my home state of South Carolina who could show us how to can food. I looked at him perplexed and stated, “I know how to can food. My grandmother taught me.” Immediately, he asked why we were waiting for the bombs or zombies to arrive to get started when our historic foodways had benefits needed now. Though I believed the frozen or dried foods we had been consuming were both safe and tasty, I was not going to win that argument. I returned to canning that week.
I use both the boiling and pressure methods; however, I realized that most people stopped preserving foods unless they also planted their own gardens. We have ample green space surrounding the home and with the pandemic fostering rising produce costs or empty store shelves, we moved easily back into gardening.
Later, in a conversation with my grandmother, I asked why gardening and canning had all but gone the way of the wildebeests. Without flinching, my grandmother surmised that the culprit was freezer culture. Freezers offered shelf life to an abundant amount of fresh foods, while affording busy professionals an opportunity to simply warm up ready-meals that are already prepared.
“Why would I buy the jars and spend time over a stove when I could purchase it frozen for less,” she concluded. Convenience made Americans dependent upon the grocery store. Our survival as it relates to substance is totally dependent upon something other than ourselves. That reliance also places the overall nutritional value of those pre-packaged foods in the hands of those who use preservatives, fillers, and additives to give products longer shelf lives.
Americans saw the glaring frailty of dependency upon grocery stores during the 2020 lockdown when our food distribution system grinded to a slow crawl. We are still reliant to a great degree, but are also, now, more aware. One misstep within the flow of picking crops to delivery could crash the entire system or drive prices so high that it loses its affordability.
This realization has resulted in more home gardens according to research from Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, which surveyed mostly individuals who live in urban areas. The study reported that food-related challenges significantly predicted whether someone would take up gardening.
The fluctuating prices at the grocery stores combined with having to visit multiple stores to obtain everyday household goods continues to frustrate many Americans. This social challenge has revived old ways of self-sufficiency such as gardening and canning. And I am not alone. Recently a co-worker asked if I knew how much egg prices had fluctuated in recent weeks. I had not really paid attention. She told me that she stopped paying attention to it after the prices went to $3 a dozen and she decided to invest in chickens.
Self-sustaining measures are a necessity not only because of the costs, but because buying certain foods like fruit from the store can prove a gamble. Some containers are ripe, and others are not. Not every type of fruit has a trick to determine its ripeness. Once produce becomes ripe, it begins to spoil. The rate at which produce spoils varies. This is hardly a rally against supermarkets or grocers, be clear. It is a reminder that there are somethings you can manage the growth, quality, and sustainability of on your own. Canning allows you to lock in the ripeness and prevent the spoiling process. In turn, you can eat different, ripe produce in and outside of its growing season. WI
Nutrition, Movement, Wellness & Community – A Recipe for Success
Submitted by DC Hospital Association
The Healthy Hospital Initiative and District of Columbia hospitals are committed to promoting health and wellness through a balanced lifestyle that includes nutritious foods low in salt, sugar, and saturated fats, and wellness practices like exercise, adequate sleep, and proper stress management.
Join DC hospitals and health professionals this summer to decrease your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer. Follow our recipe for success to achieve overall health and wellness.
Learn more at dcha.org/advocacy-policy/healthy-hospital-initiative.
Canning/ Jarring 101
Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer
Canning or jarring is the process that prevents spoilage of food sealed in jars. Cookbooks and the internet brim with information and How-to instructions for canning and jarring. Even the best tend to overlook sage advice that can keep you safe from unhealthy bacteria. Below is a quick list of reminders when preserving food.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRESERVING METHOD
Boiling water bath only high-acid foods can be preserved by water bath canning. This includes most fruit preserves, including jams, jellies, and fruit canned in syrup, and many pickles. Boiling water bath is the most commonly used and needs no special equipment. You need a deep pot that will allow water to boil rapidly without boiling over, an inch or two of water to be above the jars, and a rack/device to allow water to boil under the jars.
Place a rack in the bottom of a tall pot. The rack keeps the bases of the jars off the bottom of the pan, allowing evaporating water to escape around the jars and preventing them from rattling against each other, which could cause breakage.
Add enough water to cover the jars you are going to process by at least one inch above the lids.
Turn on the heat. If raw-packing, bring the water to 140 F; if hot-packing, bring the water to 180 F. You can do this while you are preparing your foods to be canned.
Pressure is used to preserve vegetables, meats, and seafood. You can utilize a pressure cooker. A pressure canner uses pressure to create temperatures well above boiling to effectively heat process low acid foods.
Atmospheric steam is an alternative to boiling water bath but requires specific equipment. Utilize glass jars
Wash before using
Ensure no defects, like cracks, appear in jars
Sterilize in boiling water for about 10 minutes
Choose a thickening agent -- If using cornstarch or flour, use grandma’s recipe to avoid bacteria growth.
Use clearjel to thicken without worry about bacteria growth from the product.
FILLING JARS
Leave head space/ don’t fill to the brim
Raw vegetables will shrink when heated, so pack tightly. Exclusions are peas, lima beans, and corn.
REFILLING WATER BATH
Don’t pour water over the jars. Pour water between jars.
STORAGE
Don’t store in hot place or direct sunlight.For recipes, please go to t he National Center for Home Food Preservation (nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_home.html) WI
Recommended Books By & About Farm to Fork Living
By Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer
From Farm to Fork: Perspectives on Growing Sustainable Food Systems in the Twenty-first Century By Sarah Morath
Interest in the food we eat and how it is produced, distributed, and consumed has grown tremendously in the last few years. Consumers are exchanging highly processed, genetically engineered, chemical-laden, and pesticide-contaminated food often associated with big agribusinesses for fresh produce grown using organic methods. The growth of farmers markets from 1,755 in 1994 to over 7,500 today, in both urban and rural areas, is just one indication that consumers are interested in knowing who produced their food and how the food was produced. This book addresses the importance of creating food systems that are sustainable by bringing together a number of experts in the fields of law, economics, nutrition, and social sciences, as well as farmers and advocates.
Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh By Emeril Lagasse
In this extraordinary new book, Emeril Lagasse continues his lifelong commitment to using fresh, local ingredients in his restaurants and home kitchen. He has spent the past thirty years building close relationships with farmers, fishermen, and ranchers. Farm to Fork is his guide to help you explore the great local bounty through fifteen flavorful chapters—sweet summer in “The Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash,” juicy “Berries, Figs, and Melons,” sublime naturally raised meats in “Out on the Range,” fresh catch in “Fresh Off the Dock,” and home canning tips from “Home Economics: Preserving the Harvest.” Learn how to make your own cheese and pasta at home. Emeril shares his love for fresh from-the-fields foods—and the heritage of the artisans who bring them to the table.
The Color of Food: Stories of Race, Resilience and Farming By Natasha Bowens
The growing trend of organic farming and homesteading is changing the way the farmer is portrayed in mainstream media, and yet, farmers of color are still largely left out of the picture. The Color of Food seeks to rectify this. Natasha Bowens’ quest to explore her own roots in the soil leads her to unearth a larger story, weaving together the seemingly forgotten history of agriculture for people of color, the issues they face today, and the culture and resilience they bring to food and farming. The Color of Food teaches African Americans about preserving culture and community, digging deeply into the places we’ve overlooked, and honoring those who have come before us.
Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement
By Monica M. White
In May 1967, internationally renowned activist Fannie Lou Hamer purchased forty acres of land in the Mississippi Delta, launching the Freedom Farms Cooperative (FFC). FFC grew to over 600 acres, offering a means for local sharecroppers, tenant farmers, and domestic workers to pursue community wellness, self-reliance, and political resistance. Life on the cooperative farm presented an alternative to the second wave of northern migration by African Americans--an opportunity to stay in the South, live off the land, and create a healthy community based upon building an alternative food system as a cooperative and collective effort. Freedom Farmers expands the historical narrative of the Black freedom struggle to embrace the work, roles, and contributions of southern Black farmers and the organizations they formed.
Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land By Leah Penniman
In 1920, 14 percent of all land-owning US farmers were black. Today less than 2 percent of farms are controlled by black people--a loss of over 14 million acres and the result of discrimination and dispossession. At Soul Fire Farm, author Leah Penniman co-created the Black and Latinx Farmers Immersion (BLFI) program as a container for new farmers to share growing skills in a culturally relevant and supportive environment led by people of color. Farming While Black organizes and expands upon the curriculum of the BLFI to provide readers with a concise guide to all aspects of small-scale farming, from business planning to preserving the harvest. Woven throughout the book is the story of Soul Fire Farm, a national leader in the food justice movement.
WI
The Power is in the Pairing!
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, Safeway Corporate Dietitian
Food synergy is how components in food — like fatty acids, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals — work together in your body for maximum health benefit. Food synergy is like adding one plus one and getting four instead of two. In other words, it’s about getting the biggest bang for your food buck and achieving a higher level of health.
We can get so focused on the health benefits of a certain vitamin or nutrient that we miss a crucial link. Different components within a single food can work better together and certain components of different foods can produce amazing results when eaten in combination.
Over the past 15 years, research has discovered many examples of food components working together within a whole food (like apples with the peel, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains), as well as food components working together between foods. Here are a few examples of the latter.
The more you know about food synergy and how components within food work together in the body for maximum health benefits, the more it makes sense to eat more whole foods for the nutrients we need.
EXAMPLE #1
Broccoli + Tomato (the whole tomato, including skin)
One study found prostate tumors grew much less in rats fed tomato and broccoli powder than in rats that ate diets containing just one of those powders or cancer-fighting substances isolated from tomatoes or broccoli. Separately, tomatoes and broccoli appear to have cancer-fighting potential; together they seem to bring out the best in each other, maximizing this potential cancer-fighting effect. (J Nutr 2005 Dec)
EXAMPLE #2
Salad Veggies + Avocado (monounsaturated fat)
Eating a little “good fat” along with your salad vegetables can help your body absorb 4 to 13 times more protective phytochemicals like lycopene from tomatoes, carotenes from carrots and lutein from dark green vegetables, according to a study. Research tested this with spinach salads using good fats from avocado or salad dressings containing canola oil. (J Nutr 2005 Mar; 135(3): 4316) For many years, the science of nutrition has focused on specific pieces of the puzzle instead of the inherent power of the whole picture. Because there are synergies we haven’t yet discovered, the only way to insure we are including as many of them as possible is to eat whole foods. The power is in the pairing — whole foods working together.
EXAMPLE #3
Garlic + Onions
Organosulfur compounds are the primary active phytochemicals in garlic and onions. Several of them may protect the heart by helping to keep arteries flexible and clear of plaque damage. When you eat garlic and onions together, you are more likely to cover your bases and get plenty of the powerful plant compounds.
SYNERGIZE your HEALTH
Garlic + Onions = possible improvement in heart health.
Tomatoes + Broccoli = decreasing prostate tumor growth was shown in a study involving mice. Salad Veggies + Avocado = higher absorption of protective phytochemicals from dark green veggies, tomatoes, and carrots.
Fruit Salad = eating a mixture of fruits at the same time has a greater antioxidant response than eating one fruit alone High Omega-3 fish like.
Salmon + Extra Virgin Olive Oil = phytochemicals in olive oil may strengthen the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3s found in higher fat fish.
Tomatoes (cooked) + Extra Virgin Olive Oil = phytochemical absorption is greater when tomatoes are cooked and even greater when some monounsaturated fat is added as well.
Whole Soy/Tofu + Green/White Tea = decreased breast cancer tumor growth in mice was shown in a Harvard Medical School study; similar results were shown with human prostate cancer cells (J Nutr 2003 Feb; 133(2) 516-21). Dark green Veggies + Almonds = possible improved protection of LDL “bad” cholesterol oxidation from suggested synergy between the antioxidant’s vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene from the green veggies and the phytochemicals in almond skin. Oats + Citrus = phytochemicals in oats were shown to possibly interact synergistically with vitamin C and other phytochemicals in citrus to protect LDL cholesterol even more during oxidation (thought to lower heart disease risk), according to several studies (J Nutr 2004 June 134(6): 145966). WI
We put the pro in produce
shop now at Safeway.com shop now at Safeway.com
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Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia
The birth of a baby is a life-changing event, and there’s a lot to do to get ready. You might wonder if visiting the dentist should be one of your priorities. The answer is yes!
It is especially important to keep up with your oral health routine while you are pregnant, including going to regular dental checkups. Morning sickness and hormonal changes make you more prone to cavities and gum disease during pregnancy.1 A good oral health routine can help you have a healthy mouth, a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy baby.1
To maintain good oral health during pregnancy, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:2 • Visiting the dentist every six months, or as recommended • Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste at least two times per day • Drinking fluoridated tap water (Yes, DC’s water contains fluoride!) • Talking to your dentist about ways to prevent or manage dental problems
ORAL HEALTH AND YOUR BABY
Your mouth affects your baby, too. Keeping up with your oral care throughout your pregnancy helps protect your baby from cavity-causing bacteria. Cavity-causing bacteria can build up in your mouth and then be passed to your baby.1 This increases your risk of premature delivery, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia, which can threaten your baby’s health.3
TALK TO YOUR DENTIST ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY
You should tell your dentist as soon as you know you are pregnant. Most dental treatments are safe if your dentist knows you are pregnant. Make sure to also tell your dentist:1 • Your due date • Any medications you are taking • Any medical conditions you have or specific advice you have received from your prenatal care provider • If your pregnancy is high-risk
AFTER YOUR BABY IS BORN
It’s never too early to start caring for your infant’s oral health, even before they have teeth! Here are some tips for caring for your infant’s teeth.4 • Whether you are breastfeeding or feeding your baby formula, try to wipe their gums with a clean, soft cloth in the morning after their first feeding and before they go to sleep. This helps wipe away bacteria and sugars. • When your baby’s first tiny teeth come in, brush them with a soft, small-bristled toothbrush with water twice per day. • Start taking your child to the dentist after their first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday. Like you, your baby should go to the dentist every six months (two times per year) unless otherwise directed by their dentist.1
Ask your child’s dentist about fluoride varnish treatment. Fluoride varnish can help prevent tooth decay.5
Remember to keep up with your oral care routine, too! By doing this, you will also be modeling good oral care for your child, building on the strong foundation you have given them for lifelong health.
The information in this article is to help you learn more about this topic. It is not to take the place of your health care provider. If you have questions, talk with your health care provider. If you think you need to see your health care provider because of something you have read in this article, please contact your health care provider. Never stop or wait to get medical attention because of something you have read in this material.
Source: 1. “Questions Moms Are Asking About Oral Health,” American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/ campaigns-and-toolkits/oral-health/. 2. “Dental Care During Pregnancy Is Safe and Important,” American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.aap.org/en/ news-room/campaigns-and-toolkits/oralhealth/. 3. “Is It Safe to Go to the Dentist
Bright Start® is AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia’s (DC’s) maternity care program for pregnant enrollees. The program is designed to support you during your pregnancy and after you give birth by connecting you to health care services and community resources. When you join Bright Start, you are assigned a Care Manager who will call you and work with you throughout your pregnancy to help you access what you need. If your pregnancy is high risk, a team of nurses and Care Connectors will check in with you often. They can help you stay connected to care during your pregnancy.
Get help with: • Creating a birth plan • Choosing the right doctor or midwife for your family
• Making appointments • Finding breastfeeding support and childbirth classes • Learning about prenatal vitamins • Finding housing • Getting supplies to prepare for your baby • Getting rides to and from your appointments • Signing up for home-delivered meals and other nutrition programs
To join Bright Start as an AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollee, call 1-877-759-6883. Our trained staff is ready to help you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To learn more, visit https://www. amerihealthcaritasdc.com/preventive-care/member/postpartum/index.aspx.
During Pregnancy?” American Dental Association, https://www.mouthhealthy. org/en/pregnancy/concerns. 4. “Children’s Oral Health,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/ childrens-oral-health/index.html. “Fluoride Varnish: What Parents Need to Know,” American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.healthychildren.org/ English/healthy-living/oral-health/Pages/ Fluoride-Varnish-What-Parents-Needto-Know.aspx Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. / Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC. / Find us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/amerihealthcaritasdc.
Engaging Our Community: A Key to Health and Wellness
Submitted by Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE)
“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’ even illness becomes wellness”. Malcolm X
For the last 25 years SHIRE’s work in the East of the River community has given living testimony to the wisdom of Malcolm X. We have been guided by a deep understanding that together we are so much stronger than we are as individuals. That has been the experience of African Americans in this nation over 400 years, and it is as true today as it has ever been.
SHIRE has demonstrated this truth in many ways. A few years ago, for example, SHIRE partnered with residents of a tenant – owned housing cooperative to address the lack of safe space for physical activity for their children. Partnering with SHIRE, the residents decided to develop a KaBoom® playground which was identified as an urgent need. The tenants designed and helped to construct the playground with the help of 300 volunteers, most of whom came from wards 7&8. Another indicator of SHIRE’s respect for the wisdom, skills and capabilities of community members is the fact that 50% of SHIRE‘s current staff comprises DC residents who were formerly participants in SHIRE’s programs. These individuals are valuable members of SHIRE‘s leadership team helping to design new projects and implement projects on the books. They have become experts in reaching individuals and encouraging them to join SHIRE projects, including Wellness Circles. They help program participants maintain their commitment to make lifestyle changes that will improve their health. SHIRE is convinced that there are no more effective communicators than persons who have shared similar life experiences and are committed to reach out and help their neighbors.
This year with the help of SHIRE’s community outreach team of peer educators, we have engaged persons living with diabetes and high blood pressure in virtual Wellness Circles in partnership with AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia. Wellness Circles provide an opportunity for individuals seeking to improve their health to receive the support and encouragement of others dealing with the same challenges, while at the same time gaining information and other tools, they can use to take charge of their health. Again, SHIRE peer educators play a key role as a build relationship with the persons they have enrolled – answering their questions, listening to their concerns, and helping to motivate them and promote sustained participation. Wellness Circles illustrate dramatically the power of Malcolm X’s instruction: replacing “we” for “I” can help individuals to discover how “Illness becomes Wellness.”
The Wellness Circle model which SHIRE has now tested for nearly 2 decades provides a dramatic example of the power of community which can be transferred to many other situations. Engaging community members to help build communities of support for change can apply to persons with other chronic conditions such as cancer, heart disease, or asthma; individuals with hearing or vision impairment; community members dealing with behavioral health challenges; and even non-health related issues such as money management or wealth building strategies.
SHIRE welcomes inquiries about our work, and we can be reached at rperot@shireinc.org and our website can be access via www.shireinc.org
ABOUT SHIRE
VISION
SHIRE envisions health care as a human right, fully implemented in a nation where individuals, families and communities are empowered to achieve and sustain optimal health and well-being.
MISSION
SHIRE seeks to promote and implement effective and sustainable strategies to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities and to help communities galvanize to improve health care access, quality and outcomes
SHIRE works with communities, government agencies, corporations, foundations and other institutions to achieve its mission by: • Convening and engaging people of color and other individuals to take collective action • Informing public policy decision makers on strategies to eliminate health disparities • Raising awareness of policy implications for communities of color • Serving as a trusted source of information • Providing technical assistance and consulting services to allied organizations.
