Monday, November 25, 2013

Holiday Food: Nutrition and Safety

  • How can I limit calories and still enjoy the holidays?
  • How long do I need to cook a 20-pound turkey?
  • What should I know to safely cook for a large group?
  • How long will my leftovers still be good?
  • My mom is undergoing chemotherapy. Do I need to pay special attention to my food preparation habits?
  • What can I make for people on special diets? 
If you are asking questions like these, take a look at the following sites to help keep everyone safe, healthy and happy this holiday season:

-Enjoy Guilt-Free Holiday Celebrations
-Food Safety Tips for Holiday Road Trips
[Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics]

-Holiday Recipes
-Cooking for the Family… Gluten-free, Vegan and All
[Source: American Institute for Cancer Research]

-Food Safety Tips for Healthy Holidays
[Source: US Department of Agriculture]

-Are You Storing Food Safely?
[Source: US Food and Drug Administration]

-Food Safety During Cancer Therapy
[Source: UCSF Ida & Joseph Friend Cancer Resource Center]

Monday, November 18, 2013

Diabetes Resources


Get the basic facts on diabetes and learn about the different types of diabetes and their treatment:


[Source: Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California, San Francisco]

Eating right is essential for living with diabetes. Get tips on making smart food choices  
[Source: CDC] 

Explore food options with MyFoodAdvisor
[Source: American Diabetes Association] 

Learn what you can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes. 
[Source: Harvard School of Public Health]

[Source: Medline Plus]

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Health Newsletters at the Patient Health Library, November 2013

Here are highlights from recent health and wellness newsletters at the UCSF Patient Health Library.  To see the entire articles, visit the Patient Health Library.

Not all information is free and not all of it is online!


Consumer Reports on Health

November 2013
-Tap the power of protein, pp.1,4-5
-Skip new weight-loss pill Belvq, p.2   see: ConsumerReports.org/Belviq
-How to get the right diagnosis, pp.6-7
-Best ways to beast cold symptoms, p.10   "If you have more than one symptom,...our medical experts recommend taking one single-ingredient drug for each symptom rather than buying a multisymptom remedy."

Duke Medicine Health News

November 2013
-Safer heart-attack prevention with revised drug regimen, pp.1-2
-Revolution in cataract surgery, pp.3-4
-Increasing evidence that diet impacts cognitive function, pp.5-6

Harvard Health Letter

November 2013
-Mild cognitive impairment, pp.1,7
-Anti-falling checklist, p.4
-Aching feet, p.5

Harvard Heart Letter

November 2013
-8-step plan for heart-healthy holiday dinners, pp.6-7


Harvard Men's Health Watch

November 2013
-Relieve common urinary symptoms without medication, pp.1,7
-Heart failure prevention essentials, p.3
-How to build a better sandwich, p.6

Mayo Clinic Health Letter

November 2013
-Gettings antioxidants from food, pp.1-3
-Biofeedback: you brain vs. chronic pain, pp.4-5

October 2013 Supplement on mindfulness


Nutrition Action Newsletter

November 2013
-Multivitamins: sorting out the news reports and studies, pp.3-7
-Store-bought popcorn, pp.13-15

Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter

November 2013
-Staying independent, p.3

-Should you worry about GMOs? pp.4-5
-Does fish oil really raise prostate cancer risk? p.7

November 2013 Supplement: Secrets to healthy holiday eating

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

October 2013
-Dense breasts: a hidden risk factor, pp.1-2
-Age-Related Eye Disease Study-2: what it tells us about using supplements, p.4
-A new crop of "super" fruits? p.5
-Low testosterone, p.6   "Low testosterone is not a problem unless it is accompanied by undesirable symptoms....Most men with low testosterone levels suffer few, if any, related problems."

November 2013
-Lung cancer screening: a new standard for smokers and ex-smokers? p.3
-Vitamin A, p.5


Thursday, October 24, 2013

Health Newsletters at the Patient Health Library, October 2013

Here are highlights from recent health and wellness newsletters at the UCSF Patient Health Library.  To see the entire articles, visit the Patient Health Library!

Not all information is free and not all of it is online!

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

Special Fall Issue: The ABCs of sleep

September 2013
-Toenail fungus, p.4
-The carnivore's dilemma, p.5
-Cutting calories - as easy as 1,2,3  p.6

Mayo Clinic Health Letter

September 2013
-Macular degeneration, pp.1-3
-Laxatives, pp.4-5
-Flu vaccine, p.6

October 2013
-Sinus problems, pp.1-3
-Pain after shingles, pp.4-5
-Inguinal hernia, p.7

Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50

October 2013
-Osteoarthritis of the knee, pp.1-2
-Grapefruit & drugs often don't mix, p.3

Special Fall Issue: Stroke in women

Harvard Men's Health Watch

October 2013
-Before dementia begins, pp.1,7
-Arthritic knees, p.3
-Leg pain from walking, p.4
-How to prevent kidney stones, p.5

Harvard Heart Letter

October 2013
-Simple food substitutions yield big health dividends, pp.1,7
-Prevent kidney disease to prevent heart disease, p.3
-Tell you dentist about your heart problems, p.5

Duke Medicine Health News

October 2013
-Vitamin D, pp.1-2
-Aspirin protects some hearts better than others, p.3
-Control blood sugar to reduce risk of Alzheimer's, pp.5-6
-Breakthrough in ER+ breast cancer, p.7

Consumer Reports on Health

October 2013
-Good bacteria vs. C. diff: what to look for when choosing a probiotic, pp.1,4-5
-Women: be wary of new bladder drug, p.9


Friday, October 4, 2013

Mental Illness Resources

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Mental health problems are actually very common. In 2011, about:
  • One in five American adults experienced a mental health issue
  • One in 10 young people experienced a period of major depression
  • One in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression
Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.

[Source: mentalhealth.gov]



Warning Signs of Mental Illness
[Source: American Psychiatric Association]

Recovery is possible
[Source: mentalhealth.gov]

Finding a mental health provider
[Source: Mayo Clinic]

Brain Basics
[Source: National Institute of Mental Health]
Brain Basics provides information on how the brain works, how mental illnesses are disorders of the brain, and ongoing research that helps us better understand and treat disorders.

Additional mental illness resources
[Source: MedlinePlus]