Health Matters
A Newsletter from Highline’s Health and Social Services
February 2016
What are Non-Communicable Diseases?
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are
Primary care providers can provide education
chronic conditions that are not contagious, have a and screening for modifiable risk factors for
long duration and slow progression. The four
chronic disease. The World Health
most common non-communicable diseases
Organization (WHO) has set standard
worldwide are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer
Chronic Respiratory Conditions
Diabetes.
Non-communicable diseases attribute to 63%
of annual deaths in the world.
important goals of reducing the number of
premature deaths due to NCDs expecting a
decrease of 25% by 2025. A critical factor to
reach this goal is to increase access to primary
care resources.
In addition to the WHO the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) has also
stepped up their efforts to improve access to
health care and reduce the burden of chronic
disease. They have recently identified one of
the solutions to this worldwide problem is to
“improve and sustain management of
chronic conditions through referral of
patients to programs that improve
prevention and management of chronic
conditions.” (The Four Domains of Chronic Disease Prevention, CDC)
Policy and environmental approaches have
also been identified by the CDC. These
include smoke-free air laws, a ban on flavored
cigarettes, and zoning that encourages walking
and/or biking. Other environmental
improvements include making sure every
Four life-style modifications are:
community has a full-service grocery store and/
1. Quit smoking or using tobacco products –
or farmers markets to promote a healthy
or better yet, never start!
diet. It is equally important for all
2. Eat a healthy diet – increase vegetables,
families to have access to safe playfiber, fruits, and lean proteins
grounds, hiking trails, and bike
3. Get exercise - A combination of cardio,
paths.
The good news — is the risk factors for these
diseases are often modifiable, meaning you have
the power to prevent or reverse the effects of
these lethal illnesses.
established a farmers market for their patients
who are described as living in an “Urban Food
Desert.”
As educators and healthcare providers to the
students of the Highline Public Schools, we
can also make a difference.
Events like Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart
hosted by our elementary schools are good
examples of how we can get our kids excited
about disease prevention.
Did you know:
That as early as 1600 AD, Egyptians used
vines for jump roping? Jump roping or
skipping even 10 minutes a day can increase
flexibility, heart health, and overall strength.
In Sweden, they actually celebrated Skipping
Day in 1991, where 120,115 people gathered
and skipped together. Maybe Skipping Day
can be your school’s next event to promote
health wellness to our students and staff.
Disease prevention can be
simple and fun!
Remember:
Get exercise, eat well, don’t smoke, drink in
moderation, and encourage others to do the
same. You will be making great strides
strength training, and stretching exercises is
most beneficial
4. Less is more– Drink alcohol in moderation,
or not at all
Facts:
 6 million deaths a year are related to the use of
tobacco products
 1.7 million deaths a year are related to the
cardiovascular consequences of a high sodium diet
 3.2 million deaths a year can be attributed to lack
of exercise
 3.3 million deaths a year are related to unhealthy
drinking habits
Complimentary to lifestyle modifications, another
important component to reducing preventable
deaths is primary health care. Low-income
countries are disproportionately represented in
the deaths listed above due to a lack of primary
Health Matters
There are already some great projects out there that are making gains
to link communities with proper
health care resources.
These projects include:
 Million Hearts – a National
effort to prevent one million heart
attacks and strokes
 The National Diabetes
Prevention
Program – a
program that links those
at high-risk for diabetes to communitydelivered interventions
 Truman Medical Centers Health Harvest
Produce Market – a hospital that has
Resources:
http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/4-domains-052015.pptx
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs355/en/
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5840-skipping-for-your-health
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The National Medical Association
& the American Medical Association of Minority Affairs Section
Commemorates African American History Month
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (1858-1931)
Dr. Williams, a renowned cardiologist, founded
Provident Hospital in Chicago, the first Blackowned hospital in America. In 1891, Williams
became the first doctor to successfully perform
open-heart surgery on a patient. In 1895, he
co-founded the National Medical Association for
African-American doctors.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895)
Dr. Crumpler was the first African-American woman
to earn a medical degree in 1864. She devoted her
life to improving health in the Black community
through research and working in clinics. When the
Civil War ended, she dedicated her career to helping
newly freed Blacks in the South by providing them
medical care.
Nearly ninety years since its original launch by Carter G.
Woodson, Ph.D., the month of February marks our country’s African American History Month commemoration.
The original celebration in 1926 was the second week of
February, between the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and
Abraham Lincoln. It was expanded to the full month of
February in 1976, as part of the nation's bicentennial.
TRIVIA QUESTIONS
1.
True or False?- The four most common non-communicable diseases worldwide are (1) cardiovascular disease,
(2) cancer, (3) chronic respiratory conditions, and (4) diabetes.
2. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are chronic illnesses that are not contagious, have a long duration and slow
progression and contribute to ___ of annual deaths in the world.
3. In what year was our country’s African American History commemoration originally launched?
Collard Green &
Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Antioxidant-rich collard greens and fiber-packed black-eyed peas have a starring role in this nutritious soup.
There's no need for loads of ham or salt pork—just a small amount of bacon gives it a wonderful smoky
flavor. You can skip the bacon and substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth for a great vegetarian dish.
Ingredients
Preparation
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1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, (4 sliced and 1 whole), divided
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 cups chopped collard greens, or kale leaves
(about 1 bunch), tough stems removed
1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed
6 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette, preferably
whole-grain, cut on the diagonal
6 tablespoons shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
2 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
Source: www.eatingwell.com
Health Matters
cook, stirring, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sliced garlic, thyme, and
crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until
fragrant, about 15 seconds. Increase heat to
high and add broth, tomatoes, and their
juice. Bring to a boil, scraping up any
browned bits. Stir in collard greens (or
kale), reduce heat to maintain a simmer
and cook, stirring occasionally, until the
greens are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard
the thyme sprig. Stir in black-eyed peas;
remove from the heat and cover.
2. Position rack in upper third of oven;
preheat broiler.
3. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and
broil until lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Rub each bread slice with the remaining
garlic clove. (Discard garlic.) Turn the slices over and top with cheese. Broil until
the cheese is melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve the soup topped with the cheese toasts
and bacon.
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