Friday, April 29, 2016

Immigrant Health Resources For You!

1. The agencies/resources for immigrants in SF can be found here: www.sf-cairs.org



2. There are many “health” policies/guidelines that are city-wide that you can find on the DPH website and/or contacting Policy and Planning section  https://www.sfdph.org/dph/default.asp.



3. Here are City wide Community Health Improvement Plans, including Healthy Eating and Physical Activity: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/comupg/knowlcol/chip/default.asp. With these two last links you can find SF-wide info.



4. You can also see this Department annual report: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/files/reports/PolicyProcOfc/SFDPH-AnnualReport2013-2014-FINAL.pdf.





Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Your Monthly Planner: December

DECEMBER:
A spiritual and mental well being contributes to your holistic well-being.

Find a prayer place or garden. Begin with finding a corner in your room at your home. If not seek out a faith with which you feel galvanized to.


Prayer. Source Aljazeera

Prayer. Source: wikicommons

Prayer. Source; Wikicommons

Prayer. Source: Wikicommons

Prayer. source: Alamy

Prayer. Source: outdoors

Pray for USA. Source wiki commons

Your Monthly Planner: November

NOVEMBER:
Join a community activity group  a sports club, or any community group that is lawful in your neighborhood:

Engaging in social activities enable to learn or share experiences and skills. You get to meet people and that way you make friends.

Engage in clinical trials as well. Clinical trials are carefully controlled medical research studies to see whether new therapies are safe and effective. These studies help doctors learn how people respond to medicines or other new or improved treatments. You can participate because the research is not dangerous to your health. 



Community work. Source: fobcouk


Community work out. Source wikicommons

Enjoy exercises at home too. Source: homefitnessgurus

Source: Wikicommons




community work. Source bahaiblog

Who we are! Source: BayHeal
Clinical Trials. Source: Medicalnews
Clinical Trial. Source: exosome
Completed Clinical Trial/Study. Source: wikicommons

Community work. Source: wikicommons









Your Monthly Planner: October

OCTOBER:
Know your community grass-root organizations. We at BayHeal, strive to make your stay in USA a quality life experiences.




BayHeal or BAYHEAL in short!

At BayHeal, our mission ( briefly) is to empower immigrants in the Bay Area to access healthy living skills as well as providing resources on Support Services in the Bay Area.

Our areas of intervention since January 2015:
a. Mental Health Services; where we have managed to link 8 beneficiaries to mental health support services.
b. Medical Check-ups; we  have escorted beneficiaries to hospitals as a way of reassurance.
c. Diet and Nutrition Panning; we have provided talk sessions on dieting and nutrition planning.
d. Exercise and Play; we continue to provide information on nearest aerobics and sports facilities to encourage physical exercise among immigrants.
e. We make home visits or outreach services where necessary.

Bay Area Healthy Living Support and Communication Platform is an officially registered organization with the State of California.

The model of engagement is by working with existing African communities. It combines a snowball and peer-driven linkage contact mechanism.

We are here to serve!
The People of USA. Source: US census.gov


Your Month Planner: September

SEPTEMBER:
Watch out for injuries at work, home or during sports:

Your health can be affected by say, sprains or strains.


A sprain affects a ligament, which connects bones to each other. First there is a pain, then a swelling.

A strain affects a muscle or tendon, which joins a muscle to a bone. You experience pain, a muscle spasm or loss of strength in a given area.

So you may not enjoy outdoors, walking, dancing, lifting, climbing, sitting and all activities. Take steps to keep bones, muscles and ligaments healthy through good diet and active life. In case of injury, visit a clinic regularly.

There are specific things you need to do in order to avoid sprains and strains:
1. Warm up and stretch to reduce chances of muscle strain.

2. What you wear is important. Shoes should be comfortable. They provide shock absorption and stability. In case you are to walk on slippery ground wear shoes that have rubber soles to avoid sliding and falls.


Avoid injuries. Source toptensports


Your Monthly Planner: August

AUGUST:
The skin:

Your health can be affected if you do not care about your skin.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It plays important roles such as:

1. Protection
2. holds fluids
3. prevents dehydration


When you exercise it increases the flow of blood. Eat or drink a diet that includes protein, fruits, carbohydrates and fluids e.g., water.


When your skin itches, see a dermatologist (skin doctor). There are skin conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo, alopecia dermatitis and others.




Skin rash/Contact with jewelry


Know your vulnerabilities. Source edicine fit



Your Monthly Planner: July

JULY:
Know your health risks and vulnerabilities:

Your health  or that of your children can be threatened by health conditions such as: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, erythematosus, osteoporosis, lactose intolerance, allergies and other conditions.





Lupus. Source medicine.net

Courtesy of lupus info


Know your area well. Source San Francisco Public Library
Know about lupus. Source bet.com

Know about lupus. Courtesy of black doctor







Your Monthly Planner: June

JUNE:
Staying Fit:

You can improve on your ability to do every day activities.
There are four types of exercises and they are important for you: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.




Exercise. Source: ediformatics

Source: ideafit


exercise. Source: bodyfit.com







Your Monthly Planner: May

MAY:
INSURANCE:

Your health is your right hand.....and the left hand is coverage.

Exercise. Source: eblogfa



Visit a nearest Human Services Centre and inquire about eligibility if you do not have insurance/coverage.

Coverage. Source :chicago healthcare

Health Coverage. Source:Daly insurance

Your Monthly Planner: April

APRIL:
Know the resources around you: Remember this is the National Minority Health Month!
The theme: "Accelerating Health Equity for the Nation." 

For more see: http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/nmhm16/.

You need to know where your nearest health facilities; social services; and where you can go to engage in community activities. Are all your immunizations done? What about that flu shot ? I know, I know.........

 You need to know about initiatives such as:

1. Healthy People 2020 objectives and set goals around access to health services. Access to comprehensive, quality health care services is important for the achievement of health equity and for increasing the quality of a healthy life for everyone.

2. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) is under The US Department of Health and Human Services: This plays a vital role in keeping the Nation healthy. They set national health goals and objectives and supporting programs, services, and education activities that improve the health of all Americans.

The office has provided the following resources:
1. Dietary guidelines
2. Physical activity guidelines
3. Health literacy and communication
4. Healthy care quality and patient safety
5. Healthy People 2020
6. Healthfinder.gov


Other Federal Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
National Institutes of Health
Office of Minority health
Office on Women's Health
Health Resources and Services Administration
Indian Health Services
Substance Abuse and mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Dept. of Health & Human Services
National Minority Health Month 2016: A Presidential Message

Breaking News:
April 20, 2016
By: J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health; Director, HHS Office of Minority Health

Earlier this month, the HHS Office of Minority Health kicked off the nation’s observance of National Minority Health Month and the 30th anniversary of the HHS Office of Minority Health with a historic Health Equity Forum at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services headquarters in Washington, DC.  The Forum highlighted initiatives underway by the Obama Administration and HHS to reduce disparities and further efforts to accelerate health equity and expand opportunity for all.  We had a great turnout, with nearly 200 people attending the Forum and more than a thousand individuals watching online.

Every community deserves good health. This April we celebrate National Minority Health Month. HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH).

As an issue of national importance, attendees heard critical messages about the path forward to accelerate health equity from White House Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson, Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason, Health and Human Services Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Karen B. DeSalvo, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and myself.  They also heard an important message from President Barack Obama about working to close “health care gaps that leave communities behind.”  Read the full message.



As an immigrant, you too can join hands with others who are doing everything possible to provide quality health services. Infographic courtesy of HHS.gov

April is Minority Health Month. Source: HHS.gov/Office Of Minority Health
















APHA has named racism as an issue to address if we need to eradicate inequity. Source: APHA

Come on, you can get everyone immunized. Be a mobilizer. Source: WHO

Mobilized. Immunized. Source: WHO