Hello everyone! We hope that you’ll join us for another terrific Pathfinder Produce fresh foods market at the Village Commons, this Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. Our friendly and courteous staff, all members of Pathfinder’s Adult Day Services team, are waiting to help you with your purchases.
And don’t forget our handy pre-ordering system …. Just go to our link and place and pay for your order of fresh fruits and veggies. Then on Thursday, go to the delivery site of your choice, in Morris or Edmeston, pick up your order, and you’re good to go!
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Top Health Stories for 2018
My, there were certainly many health-related news stories this past year. In doing a quick survey around the web, I found three stories from CNN, Berkeley Wellness, and Healthline that piqued my interest.
Some of the focus stories overlapped, like food-borne pathogens affecting our food supplies (1:6 people get food-borne illnesses each year, per Dr. Gupta) and how the ongoing opioid epidemic has statistically had such an impact that it’s brought down American’s life expectancy for the third year running.
As I recall, the year started off with many stories about the tough H3N2 flu season that represented a deadly mix of virulent pathogens, unchecked transmission and antiviral shortages. Who remembers the RN’s rant on hand-washing? By the end of the season, more than 900,000 were hospitalized with flu, and 80,000 died from it, making 2018 the worst flu season since the Bicentennial. (Washing hands remains a good tip to help avoid and prevent spreading flu, cold and stomach bug viruses).
Another “big story” was on how CBD-derived medications (non-psychotropic compounds derived from cannabis) are gaining acceptance and market share in treating seizures and other chronic conditions. This story was further amplified with the subsequent legalization of growing industrial hemp through the recently passed Farm Bill.
One story that I wasn’t aware of was the increasing numbers of high school students – about 40% -- who are now using e-cigarettes. Originally promoted to help cigarette smokers quit, the vaping fluids contain nicotine; students are now falling into the habit and are vaping using one brand of discreet, USB-sized devices to get their nicotine hits. I don’t believe these fluids are well-regulated, and news stories are showing that students are moving from vaping to cigarette smoking. Last month, the Surgeon General urged an “all hands on deck” approach to reduce vaping among teens.
Other big stories, which I’ll admittedly gloss over, include the effects of climate change and how it is affecting our life quality, and the increasing numbers of illnesses resulting from pest-borne viruses. Of course, a breaking story is how health services in the U.S. may be affected by the ongoing Federal Government shutdown.
All of these topics reveal how important health is to everyone, and encourages us to examine our own health through the public health lens. And even though most of these stories are discouraging, there is one key takeaway: Reporters may write “big picture” stories on trends, but we all are able to write our own health stories. With work, you can buck those trends by eating right, moving more, and working with your healthcare providers. And so, as a belated New Year’s greeting … I wish you opportunities to live well, to savor healthy and nutritious foods, and to enjoy what you do each day.
All the best for 2019!
Lori
