Ohlone Indians join rally to save Santa Clara nature preserve

SANTA CLARA -- The effort to preserve the city of Santa Clara's last remaining open space intensified Sunday as a group of Ohlone Indians bearing drums, snapping clapper sticks and chanting prayer songs rallied in support of the campaign.

The gathering came as the city is eying part of Ulistac Natural Preserve off Lick Mill Boulevard as a possible place to relocate a soccer complex. The current soccer site would be converted into a parking lot for the new 49ers stadium.

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Outreach programs

Outreach programs are targeted at communities to build up community bonding, wellness and identity. Outreach programs usually encompass a wide range of different programs geared towards the need of a certain community. Some of the common areas that outreach programs work at improving are:

•  Health services
• Nutrition services
• Educative services

These are the most important areas in which communities need help. Apart from that, depending on the community, other programs may be offered. For example, if the outreach program is geared towards the Spanish communities, the program may include services to help the children of the community understand their culture. If it is a farming community, the outreach program may include tips on self sufficient farming and helping the farmers work out how best to get returns for their products. Outreach programs are diverse and only restricted by what the community needs.

A look at how outreach programs help 

Outreach programs are geared to empower communities into making lifestyle changes that will help make their lives better. Let us take a look at some of their services.

Health services 

The health services of these community programs educate communities on hygiene, pregnancy, contraception, diseases etc. They ensure that families in the community are observing basic hygiene, and that teenagers are educated on the harms of substance abuse and on sex. They check if children are being given their immunizations and are taken for regular medical checkups, and that older people are looked after. They have free health screenings for blood sugar, diabetes, pre-diabetes, Body Mass Index, and blood pressure at clinic events, and home visits. They may also provide health education to the community regarding chronic disease prevention and wellness promotion.

Nutrition Services 

Communities are educated on what a balanced diet is and helped to plan a healthy diet with the resources they have. They are also taught how important a fitness program is to ensure a healthy life. When checking them medically, if any deficiencies or anomalies are detected, then individuals are counseled on what kind of food they need to eat to supplement or overcome the deficiency or reduce their risk for other ailments. Outreach programs usually have a registered dietician / certified diabetes educator who provides nutrition education and cooking classes. Individual nutrition services are available as well as monthly nutrition classes.

Education services 

The educative programs do not just address education for children. They have adult education classes too. Volunteers make sure that children of various communities are attending school and receiving education. If not, many outreach programs actually have educators and facilitators going to communities, to take classes for children.

Aim of community outreach programs 

Community programs do not just restrict themselves to building awareness of the community, towards education and health. They also try to help a feeling of oneness to develop in the community. They have family days, parent’s days, children’s day, senior’s days etc. They also celebrate national holidays and holidays that are of relevance to that community. They make it interesting by having art programs or other activities which help the children understand their heritage better.

These programs aim to better the life of communities by making them aware of many resources that they can get, which will help them make their life better. They also help bring the members of a community together, get to know one another, understand each other and help themselves and their neighborhood. This kind of bonding brings a self of pride to the community and very often the lifestyles of the members of the community improve by leaps and bounds.

Outreach programs are usually run by volunteers who want to better the lives of their community!

Reference: 

http://www.indianhealthcenter.org/cwo.html

http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/community-outreach-programs

INDIAN HEALTH CENTER OF SANTA CLARA VALLEY

    Medical • Dental • WIC/Nutrition • Counseling  Community Wellness & Outreach

     Phone (408) 445-3400 |  Fax (408) 448-1041

   www.indianhealthcenter.org

Mailing Address: 1333 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125-5212

Contact Information:                                           For Immediate Release

Vernon Medicine Cloud

Phone: (408) 445-3400, ext. 208                                  September 21, 2013

Email: vmcloud@ihcscv.org

INDIAN HEALTH CENTER’S 7TH ANNUAL COMEDY JAM

Laughter is Good Medicine

The Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley will be holding their 7th Annual Comedy Jam

fundraiser on Saturday, October 19, 2013, at the Campbell Community Center’s Heritage Theate in Campbell, CA. Tickets for the Comedy Show are $20 and all seats are general admission. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the show will start at 7.

There will also be a Reception from 5 – 6:30 pm; for ticket information please contact Liz Hunt at (408) 666-2105 or Lhunt@ihcscv.org.

The comedy line up for this event will include comedians Jason Love, Jeff Applebaum, and Dean Haglund. The Master of Ceremonies is Bob Sarlatte, the Field Annoucer for the San Francisco 49ers football team.

Arrive early to review the Silent Auction item; there will also be a Live Auction during the show.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Indian Health Center’s Native American Youth

Empowerment Program. This program provides American Indian youth with cultural, educational and traditional activities that help them reconnect with their heritage. According to a recent survey, Native American youth had the highest rates of alcohol use (32.8%), and 24.5% of Native high school students had made a suicide plan. Reconnecting Native youth with their Indian cultural heritage helps them build self-esteem and prevents high-risk behavior like gang involvement and substance abuse.

For tickets, auction items, sponsorship or donation information, please:

 1.Contact Mr. Medicine Cloud at (408) 445-3400 ext.208 or    
    vmcloud@ihcscv.org; 
2. Email us at tickets@ihcscv.org; or

3.Visit www.ihccomedyjam.com or the Center’s website at www.IndianHealthCenter.org

BACKGROUND: The Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley is a 501(c)3, nonprofit, community health clinic located in San Jose, California. IHC serves people from all walks of life regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability, and takes pride in  erving our diverse patients and clients. IHC’s services include Medical, Dental, Nutrition/WIC, Counseling and Wellness. IHC hosts a Comedy Jam because it supports health with laughter and celebration, which is a core belief of the American Indian/Alaska Native community.

Coping with post partum depression

Having a baby is a small miracle in the cycle of life. There are poems and beautiful quotes on how a baby fulfils you and makes your life better. But some people go into a deep depression after having a baby. This is called postpartum depression. It can occur in the first few months after having a baby. New mother feel a sense of hopelessness and despair and most often have difficulty in motivating themselves to care for the baby or even carry out normal activities.

Different kinds of depressions that affect a new mother Baby blues 

Sometimes, a mother, just after having a baby, can feel a bit sad. These are called ‘baby blues’. The new mother may feel teary eyed and despondent. They may have trouble sleeping and feel overwhelmed. This is usually because of the sudden feeling of being responsible for another being. The changes that have to be made because of a new baby are difficult to adjust to. And however many books you have read or classes you have attended, it never prepares you for the reality.

But once you get the hang of it, and set a routine, the blues usually disappear and you start enjoying your baby. ‘Baby blues’ are not postpartum depression. They are never as severe and disappear fairly quickly.

Postpartum depression 

This is a much more severe form of depression that could last for months. Postpartum depression is usually brought by changes in the body and erratic imbalance of hormone levels that affect a woman soon after birth. There are quite a few reasons why new mothers have postpartum depression.

1. When there is little or no support from family members and friends.
2.  If your baby is colicky and difficult to manage
3.  If you are prone to depression already
4. If you are not able to balance work and a new baby
5. If you have a stressful lifestyle
6. If you are genetically prone to bipolar disorder

In rare cases, a woman may have a severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis. She may act strangely, see or hear things that aren't there, and be a danger to herself and her baby. This is an emergency, because it can quickly get worse and put her or her baby in danger.

The symptoms for postpartum depression are: 

• A feeling of hopelessness
• Anxiety levels are high
•  Severe mood swings
• Fits of crying for no apparent reason
• Sudden temper tantrums
•  Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
•  Difficulty in concentration
•  Weight gain
• Feeling of unhappiness
• A feeling of being misunderstood
•  Lethargy

If you feel at least three or more of these symptoms and it lasts for more than two or three weeks, you probably are going through postpartum depression. Some of the serious consequences of post partum depression are:

• A feeling of hatred towards the baby
• A feeling of inadequacy
• Hatred towards the spouse and other family members
•  Feeling of apathy towards the baby
•  Neglect of the baby
•  Neglect of self
•  Seeing and hearing things that didn’t happen
• Thoughts of suicide
• Thoughts of harming the baby

How to help someone who is going through posts partum depression? 

It is very important to identify and take action if you feel that you are going through postpartum depression. Most new mothers are unaware that they are going though this ailment, so it is up to the people around them to make sure that the new mother gets the right kind of help as soon as possible. It may take time for a mother to overcome postpartum depression, but she can be helped and in time learn to love and enjoy her child.

Reference

http://www.babycenter.com/0_postpartum-depression-and-anxiety_227.bc

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-depression/DS00546

INDIAN HEALTH CENTER OF SANTA CLARA VALLEY

Medical • Dental • WIC/Nutrition • Counseling  Community Wellness & Outreach

Phone (408) 445-3400 Fax (408) 448-1041

www.indianhealthcenter.org

Mailing Address: 1333 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125-5212

Contact Information:                                        For Immediate Release

Vernon Medicine Cloud

Phone: (408) 445-3400, ext. 208                        September 21, 2013

Email: vmcloud@ihcscv.org

INDIAN HEALTH CENTER’S 7TH ANNUAL COMEDY JAM 

Laughter is Good Medicine

The Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley will be holding their 7th Annual Comedy Jam

fundraiser on Saturday, October 19, 2013, at the Campbell Community Center’s Heritage Theate in Campbell, CA. Tickets for the Comedy Show are $20 and all seats are general admission. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the show will start at 7.

There will also be a Reception from 5 – 6:30 pm; for ticket information please contact Liz Hunt at (408) 666-2105 or Lhunt@ihcscv.org.

The comedy line up for this event will include comedians Jason Love, Jeff Applebaum, and Dean Haglund. The Master of Ceremonies is Bob Sarlatte, the Field Annoucer for the San Francisco 49ers football team.

Arrive early to review the Silent Auction item; there will also be a Live Auction during the show.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Indian Health Center’s Native American Youth

Empowerment Program. This program provides American Indian youth with cultural, educational and traditional activities that help them reconnect with their heritage. According to a recent survey, Native American youth had the highest rates of alcohol use (32.8%), and 24.5% of Native high school students had made a suicide plan. Reconnecting Native youth with their Indian cultural heritage helps them build self-esteem and prevents high-risk behavior like gang involvement and substance abuse.

For tickets, auction items, sponsorship or donation information, please:

1.     Contact Mr. Medicine Cloud at (408) 445-3400 ext. 208 or      vmcloud@ihcscv.org 
2.    Email us at tickets@ihcscv.org; or
3.    Visit www.ihccomedyjam.com or the Center’s website at www.IndianHealthCenter.org

BACKGROUND: The Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley is a 501(c)3, nonprofit, community health clinic located in San Jose, California. IHC serves people from all walks of life regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability, and takes pride in serving our diverse patients and clients. IHC’s services include Medical, Dental, Nutrition/WIC, Counseling and Wellness. IHC hosts a Comedy Jam because it supports health with laughter and celebration, which is a core belief of the American Indian/Alaska Native community.

Follow doctor’s orders during your pregnancy

Having a baby is a magical time in a woman’s life. It is an exciting wait for a tiny miracle. It is important for a pregnant woman to take care of herself. One of the most important decisions you have to make, if you are expecting, is who your doctor will be and which hospital you would like to have your baby in. Once this decision is made, you need to make sure that you see your doctor on a regular basis throughout your pregnancy, maintain your records, do all the tests that the doctor has advised and follow the doctor’s directions correctly.

Tests that your doctor may advice you to do 

There are three trimesters in a pregnancy of three months each. Every trimester could be quite different from the other. The way your body feels, your emotional and physical needs may be different for each, as your body goes through a myriad changes during pregnancy. Your doctor will give you some routine tests for all three trimesters and some special ones, specifically during a certain trimester. Let’s take a look at the three trimesters and the tests that you may be required to do.

First trimester tests

Prenatal screening 

During the first trimester, it is important to do a prenatal screening which would include fetal ultrasound and maternal blood testing. This is to check if the fetus is healthy and has no birth defects. You may also have to do a plasma protein screening and/or a human chorionic gonadotropin test. These are again tests for any fetal abnormality. Apart from this, you will have to do routine blood and urine tests to check your vital parameters. These include a hemoglobin test to check your RBC, WBC and platelet count, fasting and random blood sugar test to determine your sugar levels. Some people get gestational diabetes which causes their sugar levels to go up, during pregnancy. It usually settles down after the baby is born.

Tests during your second trimester 

During the second trimester, the number of tests done may increase. You will have your routine blood, urine and stool tests, but you may also have to do blood tests to check for genetic markers. These are also tests that check if the baby has any birth defects. An ultrasound will also be advised to check the position of the baby and the placenta. If the genetic markers show any kind of abnormality, then a test called amniocentesis may be done. For this test, amniotic fluids will be drawn from the amniotic sac and this will be analyzed.

Tests during the third trimester 

You will be in the home stretch by now. If you have done all the tests recommended by your doctor during the first two trimesters, you can be sure now that you are carrying a healthy baby to term. In this trimester, the doctor may recommend an ultrasound to see the position of the baby. In the later stages, if you are having a difficult pregnancy, fetal monitoring may be advised. This keeps a check on the baby’s status 24/7. This is done to ensure that the baby does not go into distress unnoticed. If the baby does show signs of distress, the doctor may make a decision to bring the baby out early, as it may be safer outside than inside your womb.

Apart from these tests, the doctor will give you shots for a variety of illnesses to immunize you and your child. If you follow your doctor’s advice and take care of your health, you will be holding a tiny miracle at the end of it!

Reference:

http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/tests-you-need-during-pregnancy

http://www.babycenter.com/0_common-first-trimester-blood-tests_9273.bc

http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/second-trimester-tests

Why is Chronic Disease Prevention Important?

What is Chronic Disease? 

Chronic Disease is a condition that is long lasting and cannot be cured. It affects millions of people all over the world. The Center for Disease Control reports that chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Chronic diseases are costly health problems but very often they can be prevented and in many cases controlled. The best way to control chronic disease is to put the patient and the family as the focal point of the situation and help them control it. When the patient and family are working in tandem with hospitals and doctors and taking charge of their illness, the effective management of the disease becomes easier and healthcare costs go down, making it an affordable situation for everyone involved.

Different kinds of chronic diseases 

The definition of a chronic disease is a disease that is almost permanent with no effective cure. The patient will have to live with the disease all their lives. Some well known chronic diseases are

• Allergy
• Alzheimer's Disease Caregivers
• Asthma
• Breast Cancer
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Heart Disease
• Obesity and Overweight
• The Food and Fitness Environment

How to prevent Chronic Diseases 

Chronic diseases are on the rise today due to many causes. Pollution, bad nutrition, substance abuse, stress factors are just some of the contributors to diseases. The good news is that people are living longer these days but the bad news is that they are not living it healthily. We are a nation filled with people who have healthcare problems and we are unable to cope with it. The effects of the lifestyles of the previous generations are manifesting now. There is nothing much that we can do about existing problems, but we can learn from it, and ensure that we, nor our future generations end up in the same state. It is an unfortunate fact that most of these diseases could have been prevented if people had taken care of themselves.

Let us take a look at some preventable chronic diseases:

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis etc could be hereditary, in which case it is plain bad luck for you. But here are a few things you can do, to ensure that you are not at a high risk for some of these chronic illnesses.

• Stop any kind of substance abuse. If you are unable to do it on your own, join a support group.
•  Have well balanced meals and eat at the right time. It is advisable to see a dietician and get a proper meal plan.
•   Do some form of exercise. Try to exercise in the open air at least a few times a week. A slow jog or swimming are great outdoor exercises.
•  Have routine checkups. Don’t keep putting this off. If there is something amiss, the earlier it is detected, the faster action can be taken.
•  Keep your stress levels down. Doing yoga and meditation will help.
•  If you are a woman and over 40, have regular checkups with your gynecologist
•  See a specialist if you feel unwell for a long period of time. A general practitioner is okay for a cold or fever, but if you find no relief, it is best to go to a specialist.
• Make sure that you have a health insurance plan. You never know when you may fall sick, so make sure that your premiums are up to date and you and your family are covered at all times.

These are just small things that you can do to make your life healthier!

Reference : http://cmcd.sph.umich.edu/what-is-chronic-disease.html