Vitamin C

Top 10 Sources of Vitamin C

With cold and flu season upon us, it’s beneficial to do everything in our power to avoid succumbing to the aches, pains and uncomfortable symptoms of these dreaded bugs. Vitamin C  is considered a powerful ally if you're trying to avoid or kick a cold or other illness as it helps the body maintain healthy tissues and a strong immune system, and aids in the absorption of iron.  

Get your vitamin C naturally with these top 10 food sources, according to the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

1. Guava – eat this fruit raw or try it in a delicious Hawaiian smoothie.

2. Red Sweet Pepper – great for snacking on raw or chopped up in a salad.

3. Kiwi – simply peel this little fruit and eat – delicious!

4. Orange – eat it or squeeze it for vitamin C rich juice.

5. Green Sweet Pepper - this veggie offers 60 mg of vitamin C per half cup, with only 15 calories.

6. Grapefruit Juice- 3/4 cup has 50-70 mg vitamin C.

7. Vegetable Juice Cocktail: Drinking your vegetables provides plenty of nutrients, including a vitamin C punch.

8. Strawberries - Strawberries are full of fiber and antioxidants, including vitamin C.

9. Brussels Sprouts- this veggie  is a true superfood -- packed with both 48 mg of Vitamin C.

10. Cantaloupe- One quarter of a medium cantaloupe has 47 mg of vitamin C.

Source: Good Housekeeping

HealthPro offers day and evening classes to accommodate your busy schedule. Check out our courses at hpec.org or give us a call at 951-279-6110.

Get Your Flu Shot!

Situation Update: Summary of Weekly FluView

 

Key Flu Indicators

According to this week's FluView report, flu activity continues to increase in parts of the United States, particularly in the South Central and Southeast regions of the country. Additional increases in activity are likely in the coming weeks. People who have not already gotten a flu vaccine for the 2013-2014 season should do so now. Below is a summary of the key indicators for the week of November 24-30, 2013:

• For the week of November 24-30, the proportion of people seeing their health care provider for influenza-like illness (ILI) increased, but remains below the national baseline. The Southeast and South Central regions (Regions 4 and 6) reported ILI activity above their region-specific baseline level. The other eight regions reported activity levels below region-specific baselines.

Source: CDC

If you are looking for FREE flu vaccines and reside in Riverside County....you're in luck!
Beginning last Monday, all 10 Riverside County Family Care Centers are offering no-cost flu shots for residents, with no appointments required.
"The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is by getting this year’s flu shot," said county Health Officer Dr. Eric Frykman, who encouraged everyone to get vaccinated.
  
The shots combine the vaccines for seasonal influenza and the H1N1 virus, so there’s no need for two .   The county’s Family Care Centers are open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays at the following locations:
  
• 2499 E. Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore  
• 308 E. San Jacinto Ave., Perris 
• 880 N. State St., Hemet  
• 9415 Mission Blvd., Riverside  
• 3065 W. Ramsey St., Banning  
• 505 S. Buena Vista Ave., Suite 101, Corona  
• 47-923 Oasis St., Indio  
• 9415 Mission Blvd., Jurupa  
• 1515 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs 
• 5256 Mission Blvd., Rubidoux  

More information is available by calling the county’s 211 line or (888) 246-1215.

HealthPro has a calendar FULL of courses to fulfill your CEU's and Renewals this month - check out our schedule at hpec.org or give us a call at 951-279-6110.  Happy Friday!
 

Full of Hope

Chances are you know someone who has or is suffering from the debilitative effects of dementia.  This horrible disease takes its toll on not only the victim but, family and friends whom are “losing” their loved one.  A recent article in THE TELEGRAPH revealed there may be a treatment  with a preventative  drug called solanezumab which delays  the onset of disease, halting problems with brain function and behavior in those with mild dementia.

Scientists are hopeful of a breakthrough in dementia within five years - with drugs (solanezumab) that could be given preventively to delay the onset of disease.

Researchers say this new drug has shown some promise in patients with mild dementia, and might be yet more effective if given to those at risk of disease long before they show any symptoms.

Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said scientists we’re “full of hope” that a breakthrough in drug therapy to prevent dementia could come within five years.

If  further trials on the drug succeed, it could mean that those with a family history of dementia are given monthly injections of the drug a decade before any signs of disease show - in the same way that millions of people now take statins to ward off heart disease, he said.

Next week science and health ministers from G8 countries will meet in London for the first ever G8 dementia summit.

Source:   The Telegraph – December 12, 2013

Sign up for one or more classes at HealthPro today!  Reach us by phone 951-279-6110 or web at hpec.org.

Daily Drugs - To Med. or Not to Med.

Take action now to avoid our parents' overmedicated approach to health

Adults  who have watched overprescribed parents fill up pillboxes each week and make endless runs to the pharmacy are searching for ways to avoid that scenario for as long as possible. That means making lifestyle changes now and sticking to them for the rest of our healthy lives.                        

 "We are not willing to settle for the aging pictures our parents painted," says Beth Reardon, director of integrative nutrition at Duke University's Duke Integrative Medicine. "Our genetic blueprint is no longer our destiny. We are aging much differently, both mentally and physically, than our parents. We don't want pills to remind us that our bodies are tired, which we hear as 'failing us.'"

Choose the Right Doctor and Get to Work

  If your doctor believes pills are an automatic part of aging, consider making a change. Find one who is willing to create a reasonable plan to help you stay healthy on your own, through changes in lifestyle. It may take some effort, but when you find someone who shares your goals, the benefits can be significant. "People are looking for something different from their relationship with their physicians," Reardon says. "Some don't want 'a pill for an ill.' They want to address the cause, not the condition."

We can make huge strides toward boosting health and minimizing the need for pills at any age by choosing healthier foods, committing to a consistent exercise program with an appropriate intensity and engaging in stress-reduction techniques like yoga or tai chi.

"Many midlifers are more open-minded and willing to tap into the healing power of their own bodies as compared to generations past," Reardon says, citing increased interest among her patients in organic, whole foods and mind-body practices like acupuncture, Reiki and therapeutic massage. Wearable health monitors and fitness trackers like the Fitbit Force can also help more of us meet our goals.

Know the Real Risks and Rewards of Medication

 If we agree that we all want to avoid taking daily statins, insulin, diuretics, ACE inhibitors or beta blockers, we must also acknowledge that for some of us, medication may be the most appropriate treatment.

 "You have to pay attention to your family history," Coates says. "While diet and exercise programs are essential, you might need to be on some medications. The goal for most of us is trying to minimize them and find the middle ground."  You can make an informed decision working with a doctor you trust who doesn’t reflexively dispense prescriptions.  "In some cases, the chance of benefit is high and there's a downside to avoiding meds. But there are a lot of people taking meds for which the absolute chance of benefit is pretty low, so it's reasonable for them to avoid meds."

Source: Caring.com

Check out HealthPro’s December schedule – we have some great Holiday, New Grad and Nursing Student specials!  Call us at 951-279-6110 or sign up online at hpec.org.

December HealthPro Holiday Specials

 HealthPro is offering these Holiday Specials valid for courses offered during the month of December 2013. 

*ACLS Provider   $150
*PALS Provider   $150

*ACLS Renewal   $99.00
*PALS Renewal   $99.00

*Price does not include manual

To register for these courses, sign up online at hpec.org or give us a call at 951-279-6110. 

See A Video, Save A Life

SEE A VIDEO, SAVE A LIFE
 
You can prepare yourself to act in an emergency by simply viewing the Hands-Only® CPR instructional video.

• A study published in the March 8 issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes showed that people who view a CPR instructional video are significantly more likely to attempt life-saving resuscitation.
• Hands-Only CPR (CPR with just chest compressions) has been proven to be as effective as CPR with breaths in treating adult cardiac arrest victims.
• The American Heart Association has recommended Hands-Only CPR for adults since 2008.
   

HealthPro offers a BLS, PALS and ACLS renewal bundle -  a perfect money saving option if your renewal dates are within a year of each other. Check out the details at hpec.org.

TAKE ACTION

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TAKE ACTION WITH CPR?

• Failure to act in a cardiac emergency can lead to unnecessary deaths.
• Effective bystander CPR provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival, but only 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims get CPR from a bystander.
• Sadly, less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive.
• The American Heart Association trains more than 12 million people in CPR annually, to equip Americans with the skills they need to perform bystander CPR.

Some of our staff members are on the road this Saturday teaching life-saving skills to a large group in Orange County.  If you would like us to come to your place of business or home, give us a call to set up a course.
 Next week we have several PHTLS classes, come to HealthPro and earn your certification in Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support. Check out our December schedule at hpec.org for all upcoming classes.

Who Can You Save With CPR?

                                         WHO CAN YOU SAVE WITH CPR?

The life you save with CPR is mostly likely to be a loved one.

• Four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home.
• Statistically speaking, if called on to administer CPR in an emergency, the life you save is likely to be someone at home: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend.
• African-Americans are almost twice as likely to experience cardiac arrest at home, work or in another public location than Caucasians, and their survival rates are twice as poor as for Caucasians.

Searching for the perfect gift this Christmas?  How about giving the gift of life!
Let HealthPro teach you, your friends & family and co-workers & employees CPR this month.  Call today to schedule a custom course in your home or office.  Our phone # is:  951-279-6110, or you can view our classes at hpec.org.

Why You Should Learn CPR Today

                                                            WHY LEARN CPR?

Cardiac arrests are more common than you think, and they can happen to anyone at any time.

• Nearly 383,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur annually, and 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur at home.

• Many victims appear healthy with no known heart disease or other risk factors.

• Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack.
  • Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when electrical impulses in the heart become rapid or chaotic, which causes the heart to suddenly stop beating.
  • A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked. A heart attack may cause cardiac arrest.

HealthPro is the perfect place to learn CPR and other life-saving skills.   Sign up for a course today at hpec.org!  If you would like us to come teach at your office, home or place of business - call us at 951-279-6110 to set up a custom class. 

CPR Fact Sheet

CPR and Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
Fact Sheet
Anyone can learn CPR – and everyone should! Sadly, 70 percent of Americans may feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they either do not know how to administer CPR or their training has significantly lapsed. This alarming statistic could hit close to home, because home is exactly where 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur. Put very simply: The life you save with CPR is mostly likely to be someone you love.

This June, in honor of National CPR Week, the American Heart Association is calling on all Americans to learn how to give Hands-Only^® CPR by watching a simple one-minute video at heart.org/cpr. Once you have learned CPR, give 5 people you care about the power to save lives by equipping them to act quickly in a crisis.

Don’t be afraid; your actions can only help. If you see an unresponsive adult who is not breathing or not breathing normally, call 911 and push hard and fast on the center of the chest.

HealthPro teaches CPR - check out our schedule at hpec.org and sign up for a class today!