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Latinas with Lactose Intolerance Go The Natural Way

A recent study by the LACTAID® Brand found that 77 percent of Latinas with lactose intolerance reduce or limit the amount of dairy in their diet. This is concerning given that the calcium and vitamin D found in milk and dairy products play an important role in living a healthy lifestyle. With the holiday season fast approaching, it is likely that many favorite dishes will include dairy. Luckily, there is a way to manage your lactose intolerance and make milk and dairy products a daily, dietary habit – particularly during the holiday season.

Here are some tips for creating a healthy, calcium-rich diet:

  • Include dark leafy greens such as kale and mustard, collard, broccoli and turnip greens or beans into your favorite, traditional dishes. These foods are not only good sources of calcium, but also low in fat.
  • To boost your calcium intake, use canned fish such as salmon, in festive salads or pastas.
  • The same nutrients found in “regular” dairy products are also found in lactose-free products. Try lactose-free LACTAID® Milk, which is real milk, and rich in calcium and vitamin D when preparing favorite holiday desserts such as Christmas Custard or Flan de Leche.

Visit www.lactaidenespanol.com to learn more about lactose intolerance, access recipes for traditional, holiday dishes and get more information about LACTAID® Milk and Dairy Products. Also, to access a recent webinar presentation about the topic featuring comedian and actress Angelica Vale as well as Sylvia, visit http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=61635.

About Sylvia:

Sylvia Melendez-Klinger is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer as well as founder of Hispanic Food Communications, a culinary consulting company. Mrs. Klinger has an extensive public health nutrition background having conducted research at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and the University of California Irvine Medical Center and serving as supervising nutritionist for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental feeding program. Mrs. Klinger is a member of the American Dietetic Association, Illinois Dietetic Association and Latino Hispanic Dietetic Association network group (LAHIDAN).

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

Individualized Decision Between Woman and Her Provider is the Best Choice for Screening

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

“The controversy around mammography emphasizes that the best decision on screening is made by a woman and her health care provider. Balancing a woman’s individual medical history, risks, and concern level about breast cancer is a decision at the individual level using guidelines as a guide and not as something fixed in concrete,” said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group. “As a woman I want to make the decision about screening with my health care provider. Secretary Sebelius has offered assurance to the American people that she would work to ensure that such choice would not be limited by health insurance coverage policy.”
Dr. Delgado encouraged women to, “Talk to your health care provider about the risks of false positives that result from regular screening and radiation risks associated with screening and how to balance that with the benefits that mammography offers, particularly for women with higher risks for breast cancer.” According to Dr. Delgado, “The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has provided us with the best in available science, but the best decision will always be made by you and your health care provider. The Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that you will always have that choice.”

For women without access to a regular health care provider, the Alliance’s toll-free and bilingual Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline (1-866-SU-FAMILIA or 1-866-783-2645) is available to offer referral to low-cost and no-cost health services in a caller’s area. The service is available 9am to 6pm eastern standard time, Monday through Friday.

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States. The Alliance represents thousands of Hispanic health providers across the nation providing services to more than 15 million each year, making a daily difference in the lives of Hispanic communities and families. For more information, call the Alliance’s Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline at 1-866-783-2645 or visit www.hispanichealth.org.

SOURCE National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy

Researchers commissioned by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies released a report Thursday, calculating the combined costs of health inequalities and premature death in the nation to be $1.24 trillion between 2003 and 2006. During that time, minorities spent nearly $230 billion in excess medical care costs. The Joint Center is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that focuses on the concerns of African-Americans and communities of color.

“There is no question that reducing the health disparities can save incredible amounts of money — more importantly it can save lives,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, adding that reducing health disparities is high on her administration’s agenda. “There’s no single explanation for the disparities outlined in today’s report. And there’s no single solution either. But we know that the two biggest contributors to these disparities are a lack of access to insurance and a lack of access to care.”

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University and the University of Maryland conducted the report.

“We divided the (study) sample into groups and then we asked which ethnic group has the best health status, sometimes it was Whites or some other group,” said Dr. Thomas LaVeist of Johns Hopkins University, one of three report authors, “We consider it to be a disparity if other groups weren’t doing as well in a category.”

Citizens of color are disproportionately burdened by disease yet have limited access to health services, resulting in excessive medical expenditures and lost potential productivity, said Dr. Brian Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center.

Of the total excess direct medical cost of health disparities, African-American expenditures accounted for more than 59 percent, while 35.7 percent and 5 percent are attributable to Hispanics and Asian-Americans respectively. Overall, minorities require more care to maintain their health and since more than half of the uninsured are people of color, the costs are higher for everything from emergency room visits to prescription drugs, according to the study.

Using government vitality and conservative medical cost statistics from the World Health Organization, researchers measured worker productivity, absenteeism and in case of death, forgone wages and lost tax revenue among other things to estimate how much the economy lost due to disparities. They then adjusted the results to the 2008 inflation rates.

Without primary care or other adequate health resources, minorities often defer treatment or forgo preventive care until it’s too late, experts say.

“We are using emergency rooms and services to try and access health care inefficiently and expensively—and often dangerously because people are sicker when they access those services,” Sebelius said.

African-Americans are more likely to die from conditions like heart disease, breast cancer, and strokes as compared with non-Hispanic White men. Hispanics are less likely to develop some diseases — like prostate cancer — but they die more often from them, according to statistics from the government’s Office of Minority Health.

LaVeist said chronic conditions are more prevalent in minority communities because of their location. Fewer supermarkets and healthy food options, as well as environmental hazards, are barriers to wellness.

“If I could suggest one thing that would have the greatest impact, it would be to offer high quality education to every child,” LaVeist said. “That would do more than anything we can do in the healthcare system.”

Drexel University’s Dr. Dennis Andrulis outlined areas where health reform proposals succeed and fail to address disparities. The expansion of Medicare eligibility standards will provide more affordable access while bills that eliminate bi-lingual and other language service programs will limit it.

“Accessibility, affordability and accountability, those are the three A’s of this discussion,” Clyburn said.

10.05% of Hispanic Americans consider themselves lactose intolerant
Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy
Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say
Kids with Cancer
Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups

Source: Arelis Hernandez

Latinas with Lactose Intolerance Go The Natural Way

A recent study by the LACTAID® Brand found that 77 percent of Latinas with lactose intolerance reduce or limit the amount of dairy in their diet. This is concerning given that the calcium and vitamin D found in milk and dairy products play an important role in living a healthy lifestyle. With the holiday season fast approaching, it is likely that many favorite dishes will include dairy. Luckily, there is a way to manage your lactose intolerance and make milk and dairy products a daily, dietary habit – particularly during the holiday season.

Here are some tips for creating a healthy, calcium-rich diet:

  • Include dark leafy greens such as kale and mustard, collard, broccoli and turnip greens or beans into your favorite, traditional dishes. These foods are not only good sources of calcium, but also low in fat.
  • To boost your calcium intake, use canned fish such as salmon, in festive salads or pastas.
  • The same nutrients found in “regular” dairy products are also found in lactose-free products. Try lactose-free LACTAID® Milk, which is real milk, and rich in calcium and vitamin D when preparing favorite holiday desserts such as Christmas Custard or Flan de Leche.

Visit www.lactaidenespanol.com to learn more about lactose intolerance, access recipes for traditional, holiday dishes and get more information about LACTAID® Milk and Dairy Products. Also, to access a recent webinar presentation about the topic featuring comedian and actress Angelica Vale as well as Sylvia, visit http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=61635.

About Sylvia:

Sylvia Melendez-Klinger is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer as well as founder of Hispanic Food Communications, a culinary consulting company. Mrs. Klinger has an extensive public health nutrition background having conducted research at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and the University of California Irvine Medical Center and serving as supervising nutritionist for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental feeding program. Mrs. Klinger is a member of the American Dietetic Association, Illinois Dietetic Association and Latino Hispanic Dietetic Association network group (LAHIDAN).

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

Individualized Decision Between Woman and Her Provider is the Best Choice for Screening

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy

“The controversy around mammography emphasizes that the best decision on screening is made by a woman and her health care provider. Balancing a woman’s individual medical history, risks, and concern level about breast cancer is a decision at the individual level using guidelines as a guide and not as something fixed in concrete,” said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group. “As a woman I want to make the decision about screening with my health care provider. Secretary Sebelius has offered assurance to the American people that she would work to ensure that such choice would not be limited by health insurance coverage policy.”
Dr. Delgado encouraged women to, “Talk to your health care provider about the risks of false positives that result from regular screening and radiation risks associated with screening and how to balance that with the benefits that mammography offers, particularly for women with higher risks for breast cancer.” According to Dr. Delgado, “The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has provided us with the best in available science, but the best decision will always be made by you and your health care provider. The Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that you will always have that choice.”

For women without access to a regular health care provider, the Alliance’s toll-free and bilingual Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline (1-866-SU-FAMILIA or 1-866-783-2645) is available to offer referral to low-cost and no-cost health services in a caller’s area. The service is available 9am to 6pm eastern standard time, Monday through Friday.

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States. The Alliance represents thousands of Hispanic health providers across the nation providing services to more than 15 million each year, making a daily difference in the lives of Hispanic communities and families. For more information, call the Alliance’s Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline at 1-866-783-2645 or visit www.hispanichealth.org.

SOURCE National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy

Researchers commissioned by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies released a report Thursday, calculating the combined costs of health inequalities and premature death in the nation to be $1.24 trillion between 2003 and 2006. During that time, minorities spent nearly $230 billion in excess medical care costs. The Joint Center is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that focuses on the concerns of African-Americans and communities of color.

“There is no question that reducing the health disparities can save incredible amounts of money — more importantly it can save lives,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, adding that reducing health disparities is high on her administration’s agenda. “There’s no single explanation for the disparities outlined in today’s report. And there’s no single solution either. But we know that the two biggest contributors to these disparities are a lack of access to insurance and a lack of access to care.”

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say

Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University and the University of Maryland conducted the report.

“We divided the (study) sample into groups and then we asked which ethnic group has the best health status, sometimes it was Whites or some other group,” said Dr. Thomas LaVeist of Johns Hopkins University, one of three report authors, “We consider it to be a disparity if other groups weren’t doing as well in a category.”

Citizens of color are disproportionately burdened by disease yet have limited access to health services, resulting in excessive medical expenditures and lost potential productivity, said Dr. Brian Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center.

Of the total excess direct medical cost of health disparities, African-American expenditures accounted for more than 59 percent, while 35.7 percent and 5 percent are attributable to Hispanics and Asian-Americans respectively. Overall, minorities require more care to maintain their health and since more than half of the uninsured are people of color, the costs are higher for everything from emergency room visits to prescription drugs, according to the study.

Using government vitality and conservative medical cost statistics from the World Health Organization, researchers measured worker productivity, absenteeism and in case of death, forgone wages and lost tax revenue among other things to estimate how much the economy lost due to disparities. They then adjusted the results to the 2008 inflation rates.

Without primary care or other adequate health resources, minorities often defer treatment or forgo preventive care until it’s too late, experts say.

“We are using emergency rooms and services to try and access health care inefficiently and expensively—and often dangerously because people are sicker when they access those services,” Sebelius said.

African-Americans are more likely to die from conditions like heart disease, breast cancer, and strokes as compared with non-Hispanic White men. Hispanics are less likely to develop some diseases — like prostate cancer — but they die more often from them, according to statistics from the government’s Office of Minority Health.

LaVeist said chronic conditions are more prevalent in minority communities because of their location. Fewer supermarkets and healthy food options, as well as environmental hazards, are barriers to wellness.

“If I could suggest one thing that would have the greatest impact, it would be to offer high quality education to every child,” LaVeist said. “That would do more than anything we can do in the healthcare system.”

Drexel University’s Dr. Dennis Andrulis outlined areas where health reform proposals succeed and fail to address disparities. The expansion of Medicare eligibility standards will provide more affordable access while bills that eliminate bi-lingual and other language service programs will limit it.

“Accessibility, affordability and accountability, those are the three A’s of this discussion,” Clyburn said.

10.05% of Hispanic Americans consider themselves lactose intolerant
Breaking Through the Mammography Controversy
Health Disparities Pose High Cost for American Economy, Researchers Say
Kids with Cancer
Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups

Source: Arelis Hernandez

Hispanics Tune in and Help Raise More Than $633,000 for Kids With Cancer During 2nd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon Benefiting St. Jude

Hispanic radio listeners in more than a dozen cities tuned in to help fight against childhood cancer, raising more than $633,000 in cash and pledges during the 2nd annual ‘Promesa y Esperanza’ (Promise and Hope) radiothon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital(R). The two-day radiothon took place October 8 – 9 in Philadelphia, Charlotte, New Orleans, Providence, Norfolk, Durham, Nashville, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Richmond and Springfield, Mass. Thousands of callers pledged their support for kids with cancer and other catastrophic diseases at St. Jude, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers.

Hispanics Tune in and Help Raise More Than $633,000 for Kids With Cancer During 2nd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon Benefiting St. Jude

Hispanics Tune in and Help Raise More Than $633,000 for Kids With Cancer During 2nd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon Benefiting St. Jude

Stations owned by Golden Door and Davidson Media Group (DMG) and its partner radio stations dedicated more than 30 hours of programming to further the mission of St. Jude by encouraging their listeners to pledge just $20 a month as anAngel de Esperanza (Angel of Hope). These donations help St. Jude maintain its promise that no child is ever denied treatment because of a family’s inability to pay. Since opening in 1962, St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and around the world.

The hospital’s International Outreach Program (IOP) freely shares medical advancements achieved in the treatment of childhood cancer in developed countries to those with limited resources. As of June 2009, the St. Jude IOP program has partner clinics in 15 countries in Latin America and around the world, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile and Brazil.

“This year’s radiothon was truly a great success and we are so proud to partner with St. Jude to help ensure that these sick children will have a fighting chance to live healthy and happy lives,” said Felix L. Perez, President and CEO of Davidson Media Group. Davidson Media Group owns 37 Radio stations in 19 different markets throughout the U.S.

Listeners had the opportunity to hear stories of survival from Hispanic children who are currently undergoing treatment, such as 3 year-old St. Jude patient Victor who was diagnosed with leukemia. At St. Jude, Victor received medical treatment at no costs to his family thanks to the generous donations from the community.

“Everyone at St. Jude is grateful for the generosity shown by the Hispanic community for our patients and their families,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “It is heartwarming to see such an enthusiastic response during the Promesa y Esperanza radiothon, and we are inspired by the radio partners and donors who have embraced our lifesaving mission of finding cures and saving children.”

About St. Jude:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

Source: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Main image: The Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation

Hispanic Children and Obesity Risk

Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups

The prevalence of overweight in the US population is among the highest in Mexican-American children and adolescents. In a study of 1,030 Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 19, published in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine found less than optimal diets in both overweight and non-overweight participants.

Hispanic Children and Obesity Risk

Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups

Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), in 2005-2006 the prevalence of overweight among children (2-19 years) from all ethnic/racial groups was 15.5%. For Mexican-American males and females (2-19 years) the prevalence was 23.2% and 18.5%, respectively. Although the US environment encourages a sedentary lifestyle and excess food intake, the Hispanic population is burdened with additional risk factors for childhood obesity including parental obesity, low socioeconomic status (SES), recent immigration, acculturation to US diet and lifestyle, and limited health insurance coverage.

The VIVA LA FAMILIA Study was designed to identify genetic and environmental factors contributing to childhood obesity in the Hispanic population. It provided the novel opportunity to assess the diet of a large cohort of Hispanic children from low-SES families at high risk for obesity (1,030 children from 319 families in Houston, Texas). On average, 91% of parents were overweight or obese and parental income and education levels were low. Food insecurity was reported by 49% of households.

Writing in the article, Nancy F. Butte, PhD, Professor, USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, states, “The diets of these low-SES Hispanic children were adequate in most essential nutrients, but suboptimal for the promotion of long-term health. Diet quality did not satisfy US dietary guidelines for fat, cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, fiber, added sugar, and sodium. Although energy intake was higher in overweight children, food sources, diet quality, and macro- and micronutrient composition were similar between non-overweight and overweight siblings…Knowledge of the dietary intake of children from low-SES Hispanic families at high risk for obesity will provide a basis on which to build nutritional interventions and policy that are appropriately tailored to population sub-groups.”

In a commentary published in the same issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, PhD, Professor of Nutritional Sciences & Public Health, Director, NIH EXPORT Center for Eliminating, Health Disparities among Latinos (CEHDL), University of Connecticut, Storrs, asks whether the process of acculturation into “mainstream” US society is having negative effects on Hispanics. Citing numerous studies, he explores many of the factors that both support and contradict the assimilation argument, and concludes that while acculturation is likely a negative influence, further study is warranted. He writes, “However, we still need to elucidate the mechanisms and the extent to which acculturation to the USA ‘mainstream’ culture per se explain deterioration in dietary quality, and increased risks for obesity and associated chronic diseases among Latinos. Filling in this gap in knowledge is essential for developing culturally appropriate and behavioral change based interventions targeting Latinos with different levels of acculturation.”

The article is “Nutrient adequacy and diet quality in non-overweight and overweight Hispanic children of low socioeconomic status – the VIVA LA FAMILIA Study” by Theresa A. Wilson, MS, RD, Anne L. Adolph, BS, and Nancy F. Butte, PhD. The commentary is “Dietary quality among Latinos: Is acculturation making us sick?” by Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, PhD. Both appear in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 109, Issue 6 (June 2009) published by Elsevier.

Source: APA – Elsevier (2009, June 4). Hispanic Children In U.S. At Greater Risk For Obesity Than Other Ethnic/Racial Groups. ScienceDaily. Retrieved