LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Parkinson’s Support Group meets on the second Monday of each month at 2 p.m.
Starting on Feb. 10 the group will meet at United Christian Parish, 745 N Brush St.
Please RSVP to either Phil Myers at
Parkinson’s patients along with their spouses or significant others/caregivers are invited.
For several years, many have been quick to attribute rising fast-food consumption as the major factor causing rapid increases in childhood obesity.
Now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill report that fast-food consumption is simply a byproduct of a much bigger problem: poor all-day-long dietary habits that originate in children's homes.
The study, led by Barry Popkin, W.R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of nutrition at UNC's Gillings School of Global Public Health, found that children's consumption of fast food is only a small part of a much more pervasive dietary pattern that is fostered at an early age by children's parents and caregivers.
The pattern includes few fruits and vegetables, relying instead on high amounts of processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages.
These food choices also are reinforced in the meals students are offered at school.
“This is really what is driving children's obesity,” said Popkin, whose work appears in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Eating fast foods is just one behavior that results from those bad habits. Just because children who eat more fast food are the most likely to become obese does not prove that calories from fast foods bear the brunt of the blame.”
The study looked at data acquired through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2010.
The researchers studied the dietary intake of 4,466 children between 2 and 18 years old and whether they ate at fast-food establishments or elsewhere.
The children were further categorized as being nonconsumers of fast food (50 percent of the children), low consumers (less than or equal to 30 percent of calories from fast foods; 40 percent of the children) or high consumers (more than 30 percent of calories from fast foods; 10 percent of the children).
The researchers then determined which factors were most related to dietary adequacy and risk for obesity.
“The study presented strong evidence that the children's diet beyond fast- food consumption is more strongly linked to poor nutrition and obesity,” said Jennifer Poti, doctoral candidate in UNC's Department of Nutrition and co-author of the study. “While reducing fast-food intake is important, the rest of a child's diet should not be overlooked.”
Popkin said he is certainly no fan of fast-food consumption, but actually knowing where the problem originates is important if we are to invest in solutions that foster healthier habits, including reducing the consumption of sugary drinks and emphasizing more fresh vegetables and fruit.
“Children who rely on fast foods may tend to have parents who do not have the means, desire or time to purchase or prepare healthy foods at home,” Popkin said. “This is really what is driving children's obesity and what needs to be addressed in any solution.”
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Westamerica Bank has donated $1,100 to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s wound care and lymphedema program to cover out-of-pocket costs for a number of patients who could not otherwise afford treatment.
“This generous gift will make a tremendous difference in the lives of these patients,” said Director of Rehabilitation Services Ron Ryskalczyk.
“Most people who come to our program have prolonged or chronic conditions, and for many of them the out-of-pocket costs can be a significant burden. Too many patients choose to forgo treatment due to the expense. This gift will provide bandaging supplies and compression stockings for 18 current lymphedema patients who would otherwise struggle to afford treatment,” said Ryskalczyk.
Lymphedem causes increased fluid buildup in the tissues, leading to chronic swelling. If effective treatment is not initiated, lymphedema will worsen, resulting in pain, dysfunction and eroding quality of life.
St. Helena’s Lymphedema Management Program offers the most advanced lymphedema treatment available.
The center’s Wound Care Program is also emerging as one of the top wound care clinics in the region, specializing in hard-to-heal wounds resulting from a wide array of conditions such as chronic vascular wounds, diabetes, venous stasis ulcers, and surgical or traumatic wounds that have failed to heal.
For many patients, getting outpatient wound care or lymphedema treatment provides pain relief and a return of hope and independence.
“We see a big difference in people once they begin therapy. Many come in afraid they’re going to lose their leg or they have resigned themselves to the pain which leads to loss of dignity,” Ryskalczyk said.
“On behalf of our patients, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s Rehabilitation Services Department is very grateful to Westamerica Bank for this donation,” Ryskalczyk said. “In addition to minimizing hospitalizations, assistance with these uncovered costs makes lifelong successful management of lymphedema a reality for these members of our community, and this is very much appreciated.”
There also is an ongoing need for donations to continue treatment for current and new patients throughout the year. “This is one area where even small donations can have a large impact on the lives of people in the community,” Ryskalczyk added.
For more information or to make a donation to any of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s programs, please call 707-995-5678.
SACRAMENTO – Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state health officer, warned consumers with wheat and soy allergies not to eat Gano C’Real Spirulina instant cereal because of undeclared wheat and soy allergens.
GanoC’Real Spirulina Instant Cereal Gano Excel USA, Inc. of Irwindale, California, has initiated a voluntary recall of the cereal, which is sold exclusively through multi-level marketing distributors across the state.
Gano Excel USA Inc. immediately separated its entire inventory of recalled products and has notified its distributors of the recall.
The recall was initiated after CDPH identified the labeling omission of the wheat and soy allergens during a routine inspection. No illnesses have been reported.
The products are packaged in boxes labeled Gano C’Real Spirulina. Each box contains 15 packets.
People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat and/or soy run the risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention if they eat these products.
Consumers who have experienced an allergic reaction after eating any of these products should contact their health care provider.
Anyone observing the products being offered for sale is encouraged to call CDPH’s toll-free complaint line at 800-495-3232.