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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

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Articles by Cliff Despres

11 Foods Your Mouth Will Thank You for Eating


salmon cheese yogurt

SaludToday Guest Blogger Jefferson Dental Care In the mouth of the average Latino adult, you will find eight decayed, filled or missing teeth—but you may not find enough yogurt or leafy greens. Eating vitamin-packed foods, like those, can fight cavities. Putting the right foods in your mouth also can reduce plaque, support oral health, and boost overall health (even if they can’t heal existing cavities). Here’s our guide for picking foods to give your mouth a healthy boost. Dairy 1. Cheese is supercharged with calcium and phosphorus, which supports absorption of calcium, and vitamins D and K. In a 2013 study in the Journal of General Dentistry, researchers found that consuming cheddar cheese is effective at fighting cavities by raising the pH level inside the ...

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World Sleep Day Should Be a Wake-Up Call for Latinos



Everyone needs proper sleep, especially Latinos. Lack of sleep contributes to heart attacks, diabetes, obesity and other serious health issues that disproportionately affect Latinos, CDC reports. For World Sleep Day on March 16, 2018, let's explore why sleep is important for your health, how much Latinos sleep (or don't sleep), and how you can improve your sleeping habits. World Sleep Day is directed by World Sleep Society, World Association of Sleep Medicine, and World Sleep Federation. How Much Sleep Do We Need? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that children need at least 10 hours of sleep daily, teens need 9-10 hours, and adults need 7-8 hours. Why Is Getting Enough Sleep Such a Big Deal? People who get insufficient sleep are also more likely to suffer from ...

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El Día Mundial del Sueño


sleep crisis latino couple

El Día Mundial del Sueño es el 17 de marzo de 2017. Este día de conciencia global es un momento importante para continuar la discusión de mejorar los hábitos de sueño saludable. De hecho, los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades han declarado insuficiente sueño un problema de salud pública; un contribuyente a la hipertensión, la diabetes, la depresión, la obesidad y el cáncer. De acuerdo con el Instituto Nacional de Salud, el insomnio le cuesta a la economía de los Estados Unidos hasta $411 mil millones al año en pérdida de productividad. Los trastornos del sueño afectan a entre 50 y 70 millones de estadounidenses. Por eso, Kaiser Permanente desarrollo un video útil de consejos que la gente puede utilizar para dormir mejor y para mejorar la ...

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Tweetchat 3/14: One Screening that Can Save Your Life


latino hispanic man

If colorectal cancer is detected early, survival rates are vastly improved. Sadly, colorectal cancer screening rates are low among Latinos. This makes it the second-most diagnosed cancer in Latino men and women and the No. 3 cancer killer of Latinos. Good news: You can help change these statistics! For Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, let's use #SaludTues on March 14, 2017, to see how you can prevent colorectal cancer and learn about the National Cancer Institute's Screen to Save Colorectal Cancer Outreach and Screening Initiative to boost screening among racial/ethnic and rural communities. WHAT: #SaludTues: Screen to Save Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Awareness” TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2017 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag ...

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Fun in the Sun? Latinos Increasingly Face Skin Cancer


sunscreen application hispanic couple

Many Latinos think they're safe from sun damage due to their darker skin, even though advanced skin cancer is increasingly common in this group, HealthDay reports. Latinos thus don’t take steps to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays, said Dr. Maritza Perez, a dermatologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, in an American Academy of Dermatology news release. Some Latinos even go indoor tanning before spending time in the sun, under the false belief that a "base tan" will protect them, Perez said. "The belief that Hispanic people don’t have to worry about skin cancer has existed among Latinos for generations," she said. "They hear it from their parents and grandparents, and then they pass this belief on to their children." With ...

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Stories of Latino Community Health Workers: “It’s Just an Honest Care She Has for the People.”



Latinos face many barriers to healthcare, and thus suffer high rates of diabetes, obesity, and cancer. That’s why community health workers are so vital. These workers, often called promotores de salud or educadoras in Latino communities, provide culturally tailored health education, social support, and connections to resources to help Latinos overcome cultural, language, and other barriers to mental and physical healthcare. We are happy to spotlight a few of these amazing Latino community health workers. Mayola Cruz: Latino Bridge-Builder Mayola Cruz says she loves to talk. So much so that the Craig, Colo., resident learned English to amplify her voice. Cruz now uses her conversational personality to help give voice to Latinos’ healthcare needs as a member of ...

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Karen Aguirre: A Vow to Fight for Oppressed Latinos


Karen Aguirre

Nopales are strong, resilient plants that endure in any environment. The same characteristics apply to Karen Aguirre. Aguirre learned perseverance from her parents who crossed over from Mexico nearly a dozen times to bring her to a better life, and from her mentor who cared for undocumented Latinos. She has vowed to fight for the oppressed and engage Latinos in health policy. Aguirre, an MPH candidate in Health Policy and Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, recently was awarded the Chicago Schweitzer Fellowship and will receive funding to carry out a yearlong project with Latino high school students in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. The program is expected to become a pipeline system between an underserved community and neighboring ...

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Study: Air Pollution Linked to Diabetes in Latino Kids


air pollution

Latino kids who live in areas with higher levels of air pollution have a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. USC researchers tracked 314 overweight/obese Latino kids ages 8-15 in L.A. County. None had diabetes at study start. But by the time kids turned 18, those who lived in areas with high levels of air pollution had 13% less-than-normal efficiency in their insulin-producing cells, making them more prone to eventually developing diabetes, according to USC news. These children lived in neighborhoods that, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, had excess nitrogen dioxide and tiny air pollution particles that are generated by automobiles and power plants. “Exposure to heightened air pollution during childhood increases ...

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Gabrielle Castellanos: A Caring Attitude for Healthier Lifestyles


Exito cancer training

With the little “casita” (home) as a sentimental reminder of her childhood home and her late grandmother, Gabrielle Castellanos caring nature shines through. Castellanos truly cares about others through her desire to pursue a master’s degree and a PhD, and then apply what she learns to improve health in the community. She creates unique ways to help people live healthier lifestyles, whether it’s through a better diet, stress management, or cancer and chronic disease prevention—or a super-innovative way to integrate all of these elements. Castellanos, a native of San Antonio and a graduate of Health Careers High School, earned her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science at Texas A&M University. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in Allied Health Education ...

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