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Hey, San Antonio! Want Help to Eat Healthier?



You can get help eating healthier from the Green Wellness Program: Plants-2-Plate, a 6-month program led by Wellness 360 at UT Health San Antonio.   Plant-based food is the heart of the program.  “The mission of the UT Health San Antonio Green Wellness Program: Plants-2-Plate is to make lives better by promoting lifestyle change, including a plant-predominant eating pattern to achieve optimal health,” according to the program webpage.  Get information on how to join!  Can a Plant-Based Diet Work for You?   The future of humanity depends on building healthier, plant-based food systems.  A plant-based diet focuses on food that comes primarily from plants including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, and legumes.  Some people experience different ...

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Partner Spotlight: NCUIH Addresses Infection Control in Native Healthcast!


infection control NCUIH

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Project Firstline program provides all healthcare workers – no matter their role or educational background – the infection control training and resources they need to protect themselves, their patients, and their coworkers from infectious diseases. Now in its third year, Project Firstline is made up of a diverse group of more than 20 healthcare, public health, and academic partners, as well as state and local territorial health departments. In collaboration with the National Hispanic Medical Association, Salud America! is one of those partners. To support Project Firstline and our fellow partners, we’re spotlighting impressive infection control resources that are culturally tailored to diverse audiences. Today, ...

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Just 10 Minutes of Physical Activity Can Benefit Cancer Patients


physical activity for cancer patients

Physical activity has long been touted to prevent and lessen the impact of acute and chronic illnesses, like cardiovascular disease and obesity. Studies have even found that physical activity can help destroy cancer cells. But exactly how much physical activity is needed for cancer patients to reap this benefit? Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland conducted two studies to gain clarity. Conducting the Research on Physical Activity The two Finland studies involved 28 recently diagnosed lymphoma and breast cancer patients between ages 20 and 69 and 37 and 73, respectively. Study methods involved taking blood samples of the patients before and after riding a bicycle for 10 minutes. “The pedaling resistance was determined individually for each patient so that ...

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Latino Families Still Facing Childcare Disruptions Due to COVID-19



Latino families with children are still experiencing COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions to their childcare arrangements, according to a new data analysis from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families (NRCHCF).   Childcare disruptions are defined as the inability of any children in a household to attend a care arrangement because of closure, lack of availability or affordability, or safety concerns.  From summer 2021 to summer 2022, these childcare disruptions remained prevalent among Latino households with children younger than 12, particularly those with children younger than 5, according to the NRCHCF analysis. Let’s explore these disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and how it continues to impact Latino families today.    The State ...

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4 Incredible Ways SNAP Helps People


Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food insecurity

The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program provides temporary support to help people and families afford food.   But SNAP benefits are often under fire.  After Trump-era efforts to curb SNAP benefits and the recent expiration of COVID-era SNAP increases, some lawmakers are pushing to add more work requirements to qualify for eligibility.  Under the House’s proposed expansion of work requirements to parents and caregivers, as many as four million children could go hungry.   “Millions of low-income households, people of color, and their families rely on basic supports to access health care, feed themselves, afford childcare, and survive financial and health insecurity,” according to a UnidosUs blog. “Cuts to these programs, or additional ...

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Is Machismo a Healthcare Barrier for Latino Men?


latino men don't go to doctor

Research suggests that men, regardless of race/ethnicity, are generally less likely to go to the doctor than women. But some men who value masculinity, such as Latinos with the “machismo” mindset, may be even less likely to seek routine medical care compared to their peers. Let’s explore more reasons why Latino and all men are less likely to go to the doctor, the consequences of delaying healthcare, and how to help men get the care they need. Exploring the Machismo Mindset of Latino Men Latinos as a whole face many systemic barriers to healthcare, including a lack of access to affordable health insurance, discrimination and physician implicit bias, lack of access to culturally competent care, and immigration status fears. But there could be an additional barrier to ...

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Play Deserts Common in Southern Areas



Play deserts are common among the Deep South and Southwest areas of the United States, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia (UGA).   You may have heard of food deserts and how healthy eating options are limited or hard to access in many racial/ethnic and low-income neighborhoods.   Play deserts are defined as “areas where parks and other spots to run around and play are nonexistent, hard to access or in less safe locations that make parents second-guess taking their children to play there.”   The UGA study shows that play deserts cover about 7% of the US, but the rates are even higher in the Southern parts of the nation.   “Even if you have the park near where you live, if the environment is not safe or it’s difficult to access, then people ...

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Honoring Latino Military Heroes on Memorial Day


latino military hero rocky versace for memorial day

Memorial Day is May 27, 2024. We at Salud America! are excited to honor all U.S. military personnel, including the Latinos, who have served and died for our country. Latinos in the Military: History Latinos have a “proud and indeed enviable” record of military service that dates back all the way to the Civil War, according to a U.S. Army historical website. About 20,000 Latino serviceman and women participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, 80,000 in the Vietnam War in 1959-1973, and more than 400,000 in World War II in 1939-1945. Latinos have earned more than 40 Medals of Honor, according to the Department of Defense. “Whether their heritage can be traced to Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or one of dozens of other Spanish-speaking countries or ...

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Lack of Men of Color in Health Professions Is a National Crisis



The low number of Latinos and other men of color graduating and entering the health care professions is a national crisis, according to a new consensus statement led by the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP).  The statement calls on local and national educational, health care, governmental, and community leaders to address this issue.    “A continued lack of awareness, marginalization and unconscious bias has led this issue to reach crisis proportions,” according to a FASHP statement. “This crisis is reflected in absolute numbers in academic institutions, in the representation of health professionals, in the elevation to leadership positions, and in health outcomes across the health professions.”   Let’s dive deeper into this ...

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