April 3, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights brings you cutting edge news each week that could impact your health and our future.

• As Arctic Ice Melts, It's A Free-For-All For Oil ... And Tusks (NPR)
• Weather: Key ingredient to never-ending fire season  (FEMA)
• World’s first successful uterus transplant patient is pregnant via in-vitro fertilization (Raw Story)
• Heart drug linked to cancer (Ivanhoe Newswire)
• A Mile-High Hack: An App That Could Remotely Hijack Planes (NPR)
• Businesses Seek Out 'Culture Of Health' Areas (NPR)
• High levels of lead found in US rice (BBC)
• How 'green' are electric cars? (BBC)
• Supreme Court Asks: Can Human Genes Be Patented? (NPR)
• Rural electric co-ops go green (Christian Science Monitor)

Click read more and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

March 7, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• San Diego-based air traffic control errors soar (U-T San Diego) 
• Rising permitting fees driving up housing prices in East County (EC Californian) 
• Manzanita health study (The Alpine Sun) 
• SD’s Share of Federal Homelessness Funding Doesn’t Add Up (Voice of San Diego) 
• San Diego City Council To Consider $600K Settlement Over 2011 Blackout ( KPBS) 
• Mayor recommends funding of homeless shelter, public restrooms (SD CityBeat) 
• Lakeside residents use Facebook for neighborhood watch (Fox)
• Ramona utility demands big money from ratepayers (10 News) 
• Blackbird foot malady poses mystery (U—T San Diego) 
• Cassandra Steppat Crowned Miss La Mesa, City’s First Title-Holder of Color (La Mesa Patch) 
• Call to action: Master plan threatens historic spring house at Collier Park: (La Mesa Today)

STATE

• Former parks employee fined by ethics commission (Sacramento Bee) 
• New bill would separate reform CPUC hierarchy (Sacramento Bee) 
• Republican leaders emphasize Latino candidates (Sacramento Bee)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

How do you keep firefighters and paramedics out of your home?

February 25, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- No joke here… You can start by taking care of yourself and eating right! That’s right says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna, your local firefighters and paramedics respond to thousands of medical related calls each year (approx 75% are medical related calls). This Friday is March 1st and March is National Nutrition Month!

February 9, 2013 (San Diego's East County)--In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the San Miguel District Fire Stations will be offering free blood pressure screenings, February 14th from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at any San Miguel District Fire Station. Come get your blood pressure checked. Take the first step towards heart health.  Read more for locations.

January 27, 2013 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Collaborative invites you to join the East Region Resident Leadership Academy starting in late January, continuing every Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  This free, 14-week course will give you the knowledge and skills you need to become a leader in the community.

January 16, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Obama to offer most comprehensive gun control in decades (Washington Post)
• Under Construction: The World's Largest Thermal Solar Plant (NPR)
• Can police use your silence against you? Supreme Court to decide. (CS Monitor)
• Computer Users Should Disable Java 7 Owing To Security Flaw, Experts Say (NPR)
• From Corn Belt To Main Street: The Drought's Far-Reaching Grasp (NPR)
• Widow sues psychiatrist in Colo. theater shootings (U-T San Diego)
• For energy solutions, 'think small' (+video)(Christian Science Monitor)
• 'Python Challenge' Asks Floridians To 'Harvest' Snakes (NPR)  

WORLD 

• Northern Irish youths pelt Catholic church in latest "flag riots" (Reuters)
• U.S. Provided 'Technical Assistance' In Botched French Raid, Obama Says (NPR)
• Bad Even For Beijing: Smog Hits Extreme Levels (NPR)
• Shi'ite protests spread across Pakistan after killings (Reuters)
• Palestinian premier urges Arabs to pay pledged aid (U-T San Diego)
• Storm heightens crisis for Syrian refugees (Jerusalem Post)
• Preacher alarms many in Egypt with calls for Islamist vice police (Reuters)

HEALTH

• Women With A Berry-Snacking Habit May Have Healthier Hearts (NPR)
• UCSD team invents brain cell breakthrough (U-T San Diego)
• Flu reaches epidemic level in U.S.: CDC says (Reuters)
• Pap Test May Detect More Than Just Cervical Cancer (NPR)
• FDA requires sleeping pill makers to lower dosage (KXII)
• Diet drinks 'linked' to depression (BBC)
• Does lead poisoning make you violent? (BBC)
• U.S. Ranks Below 16 Other Rich Countries In Health Report (NPR)
• UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center Listed among Nation’s Best Heart Hospitals (Scoop San Diego)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

Get kids to love their veggies for the new year

January 1, 2013 (San Diego)--Children eat with their eyes. Young eaters are drawn to items that are fun and colorful. When introducing kids to new veggies, select different vegetables with vibrant colors and cut them into fun, kid-friendly shapes.Dips are fun.

To get kids interested in trying new veggies, give them a healthy, low-calorie dip for their veggies. Use dips like low-fat ranch dressing, yogurt-based dips and tomato sauces.

Neighborhood National Bank committed to serving low-moderate income census tracts for more than a decade 

December 17, 2012 (San Diego)—Neighborhood National Bank has reached its 15^th anniversary as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The bank will celebrate its 15 year anniversary all-day open houses at each of its branch locations throughout the day on December 19, 2012. Guests are welcome to stop by any of the branches during business hours (9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.) for light refreshments and treats. 

November 12, 2012 (San Diego) --  In summer of 2010, the County launched Live Well, San Diego!, a long-term plan to improve the health and well-being of all San Diego County residents. Today, the County Board of Supervisors received a report on the impact of Live Well, San Diego! on the region during the initiative’s second year. 

“The County is committed to improving the health and well-being of the region,” said Chairman Ron Roberts, County Board of Supervisors. “Live Well, San Diego! has made considerable progress and together we are building momentum to bring about positive change for residents.”

June 21, 2012 (City Heights – Somali Family Service of San Diego, in partnership with the East African Collaborative, will host its fourth annual Health Fair in Honor of World Refugee Day on June 23 from 1- 6 p.m. at the City Heights Community Park, south of the City Heights Weingart Branch Library at 3795 Fairmount Ave., San Diego.

The event brings together East African communities in San Diego in a setting where residents can get health checkups and learn about health topics including mental health, how to access care, nutrition, exercise, preventive screening and care. Community groups will also provide educational information booths in the park.

Fun learning opportunities abound at Cuyamaca College

 
January 23, 2012 (San Diego)--The San Diego Department of Environmental Health has issued a General Advisory for the coastal waters of San Diego County due to recent rainfall.  Swimmers, surfers, and other ocean users are warned that the levels of bacteria can rise significantly in ocean and bay waters, especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers, and lagoon outlets that discharge urban runoff.   Urban runoff may contain large amounts of bacteria from a variety of sources such as animal waste, soil, and decomposing vegetation. 

September 30, 2011 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has been awarded a nationally competitive grant of nearly $900,000 to improve the processing time of CalFresh applications through increased use of technology. The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s effort to support programs like CalFresh (formerly known as food stamps.)

County urges vaccinations for children

June 2, 2011 (San Diego County) --Five new pertussis cases where others may have been exposed to the disease increased the local case total to 212 this year, the SAn Diego County Health and HUman Services said in Late May. The new confirmed cases occured in schools across the region, including Ramona, Poway, and San Diego schools. In 2010 , pertussis, also known as whooping cough, reached a record 1,144 cases for the county, including two infant deaths.

DON'T BELIEVE DECEPTIVE POLITICAL ADS, FACTCHECK.ORG WARNS CONSUMERS
By Sylvia Hampton

September 24, 2010 (San Diego) -- A friend in Wisconsin asked me if she would lose her doctor because of the new health-reform law. She said she saw it in a TV campaign ad. A group calling itself “60Plus” is spending $5 million on misleading TV ads, mostly in House races, against Democrats who voted for the bill. They don’t have to disclose the donor or donors’ identities. The ads say the lawmakers "betrayed" their constituents by voting for the health care overhaul bill.

But most of the ads, according to the nonpartisan www.FactCheck.org website, also make statements that can’t be backed up, lack important context or are wrong. FactCheck's summary report says:

July 6, 2010 (Washington D.C.) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on July 1st unveiled an innovative new on-line tool aimed at helping consumers take control of their health care by connecting them to new information and resources to access quality, affordable health care coverage.

Called for by the Affordable Care Act, www.HealthCare.gov is the first website to provide consumers with both public and private health coverage options tailored specifically for their needs in a single, easy-to-use tool.

Are you facing a health issue and want reliable, up-to-date medical information?

There is a free resource available for you, The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library is available to residents in the Grossmont Healthcare District. This is a state-of-the-art, hybrid library that offers information both through online computer databases and through books, medical journals, newsletters, DVDs, and more. The library's welll-trained, friendly staff will help you find the information you are seeking. In addition, they host a monthly Senior Discussion Group about a health topic and a monthly movie, and will begin computer classes in March.

By Penelope Andrade

June 2009 (San Diego)--Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? If you’ve got some chronic ‘itis’ like sinusitis, dermatitis, cystitis, gastritis, colitis, arthritis, thyroiditis or other ongoing physical aggravation, chances are something you are doing is making things worse. This could be something as simple as not taking medications/ herbs /remedies properly or as complex as poor self care – too much sugar, fat, alcohol, processed food, TV, Internet or too little sleep, sex, exercise and real leisure. No joy in love or work may also be a factor. While figuring out how you’re making yourself sicker is the first step, changing your life is the real challenge.