East County News Service

October 3, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Pregnant women seeking emergency care at Trinity Health hospitals, a chain of 80 Catholic hospitals nationwide, have become septic, experienced hemorrhaging, contracted life-threatening infections and suffered severe pain for days after being denied medical care during pregnancy complications including miscarriages, a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) contends.

In some cases, the water or membrane surrounding a fetus burst during early stages of pregnancy, meaning a baby could not survive, but the mother’s life was in danger without termination of pregnancy.  However the Catholic hospitals’ directives prohibit doctors from terminating a pregnancy for any reason, even when a miscarriage is in progress. Their doctors are also banned even from telling a woman than an abortion could save her life or health.

The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of women members including some who live in cities or counties where Trinity is the only hospital providing emergency care for obstetrical and gynecological conditions or is the only hospital that takes the member’s insurance.

East County News Service

September 30, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Seeking to overturn California’s new vaccination law, opponents have submitted petitions to the Secretary of State.  The measure needs 365,000 signatures from registered voters but it will take approximately a month to determine whether there are enough valid signatures to qualify for the November 2016 ballot.

East County News Service

September 27, 2015 (San Diego)--The CDC estimates that there are more than 300,000 cases of Lyme disease every year in the United States. However, many experts dispute that, saying the true number is likely well over a million. Ticks carrying Lyme disease are found in San Diego County,  the County’s Environmental Health Department reports.

A coalition of groups representing Lyme disease patients plan protests outside the Infectious Diseases Society of America ((IDSA) at its meeting in San Diego October 7-11.

“Because of rampant “Lyme denialism” by the CDC and the medical establishment, hundreds of thousands of additional cases of Lyme disease go undiagnosed and untreated—and people are left to suffer,” says Jen Williams, a spokesperson for the coalition of patients and their advocates. The Centers for Disease Control endorses Lyme disease guidelines for physicians determined by the IDSA—and insurance companies use those guidelines to deny payment or Lyme treatment, the groups contend.

September 23, 2015 (La Mesa)--The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present “Health Fair Saturday,” the East County region’s largest annual free community-wide health fair, from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, at Grossmont Center, 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa, near the movie theaters at the mall.

By Miriam Raftery

September 21, 2015 (Sacramento)—Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 53 into law. It requires drivers to secure children in rear-facing car seats until at least age 2, unless the child weighs over 40 pounds or is more than 40 inches tall.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supported the bill,  citing a study that found children younger than 2 are 75 percent less likely to be killed or injured in a car crash if they're in a rear-facing car seat.

Senator Joel Anderson urges Governor to veto spending for preschool and protecting Monarch butterflies, calls for money to be used on services for disabled,Medi-Cal providers and in-home support services

By Miriam Raftery

September 14, 2015 (Sacramento)—The state Legislature adjourned without approving a change required by the federal government to avoid losing $1.1 billion in Medi-Cal funding.  Democrats and Republicans are pointing fingers, with each blaming the other.

East County News Service

September 12, 2015 (Sacramento)—A trio of bills to regulate medical marijuana in California have passed the Legislature and now await Governor Jerry Brown’s signature. 

The measures cover the full gamut of the billion dollar cannabis industry, from farming to dispensaries, all to be licensed for transportation and distribution under a new Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation in the Department of Consumer Affairs. In addition to state licenses, local city or county licensing will also be required, so jurisdictions with bans or restrictions can keep them and voters can also weigh in on issues such as taxing the growing or sale of medical marijuana.

Free Seminar Sept. 17 at Alvarado Hospital

By Dr. Vadim Avulov

If you are considering gastric bypass surgery to lose weight, a therapeutic effect is often the reduction or elimination of type 2 diabetes. Gastric bypass reduces the amount of nutrients absorbed by the small intestine, which appears to result in metabolic changes that have a beneficial effect on diabetes.

If you are considering surgical weight loss, gastric bypass is a popular procedure because of its success rate. Even better, it can now be performed minimally invasively, which makes it much safer with quicker recovery.

By Miriam Raftery

September 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—California’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a notice of intent to label glyphosate, an herbicide that is the main ingredient on Monsanto’s Roundup, as a carcinogen“known to cause cancer.”  The public has until October 5^th to comment on the proposal.

Glyphosate has also been linked to a sharp drop in Monarch butterfly populations across the nation as well as to potential health impacts in humans.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

September 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--Did you know that one in three children in the united States is overweight? Childhood obesity puts kids at risk and is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height.

September 2, 2015 (San Diego's East County)-- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Blood test 'detects cancer relapse' (BBC)
• Turning cancer into healthy tissue (BBC)
• More than 1 in 6 children are obese: How parents and teachers can help (CS Monitor)
• Creative minds: New study challenges myth about people with autism (+video)
• Selecting Boys Over Girls Is A Trend In More And More Countries (NPR)
• Rethinking Breakfast: What We Eat May Trump When We Eat (NPR)
• After A Divorce, What Happens To A Couple's Frozen Embryos? (NPR)
• Scientists Discover New Disease Caused By Prion Protein (NPR)
• A metabolic master switch underlying human obesity (MIT news)
• Saudi records 15 MERS virus deaths in a week (AP)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Deep beneath Antarctica's ice, signs of bizarre particles from space (CS Monitor)
• Ashley Madison founder emails leaked in new data dump (Reuters)
• Weather Complaints Affirmed: NOAA Says July Was Hottest Month Globally On Record
• SolarCity takes on California utilities (San Diego Union-Tribiune)
• A Lot Of Heat Is Wasted, So Why Not Convert It Into Power? (NPR)
• Why Phone Fraud Starts With A Silent Call (NPR_
• South African prototype may solve solar power problem (AP)
• Rising seas even more dangerous than thought, says NASA (CS Monitor)
• A year in a bubble: NASA begins most ambitious Mars-analog mission yet (CS Monitor)
• General Mills sets ambitious goal for greenhouse gas cuts (CS Monitor)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

August 28, 2015 (Lakeside) -- The Heartland Foundation, publisher of East County Magazine, an award-winning community publication, has been named a media partner of the 2015 Kids Care Fest, a free, family-oriented event open to the public. Kids Care Fest, featuring free health care screenings, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds,12584 Mapleview St., Lakeside. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

August 25, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – Kraft Heinz Foods Company, a Newberry, S.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 2,068,467 pounds of turkey bacon products that may be adulterated because it may spoil before the “Best When Used By” date, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The company has received reports of illness related to the consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

East County News Service

Photos courtesy of Mary Moran: crowd downtown, Pastor Jim Garlow, and Rosemary Garlow

August 22, 2015 (San Diego)—Hundreds of people demonstrated outside multiple Planned Parenthood locations in San Diego as part of a nationwide  protest in over 310 cities.  Mary Moran, a local organizer, says the protests are over Planned Parenthood “harvesting and selling aborted baby parts—some organs were harvested while the baby’s heart was still beating.”

East County News Service

Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture

August 18, 2015 (La Mesa)-- State, federal and County of San Diego officials have announced that 93 square miles covering portions of San Diego City and East County communities have been put under quarantine after the discovery of four Mediterranean fruit flies — a dangerous pest that can infest more than 250 crops.