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NYC Health + Hospitals announced this week that its nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine Program has expanded to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in the Bronx. This is the first of six new sites to make the program available citywide. 

The pilot program, launched at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in 2019 with the support of then-Borough President Eric Adams, has already seen hundreds of patients. The program’s team supports patients in making evidence-based lifestyle changes, including a healthful plant-based diet, increased physical activity, improved sleep habits, stress reduction, avoidance of substance use, and stronger social connections. 

Adults living with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or health concerns related to excess weight are eligible to enroll. 

The program can accommodate 48 new patients each month, and the care team at each site includes physicians, a nurse practitioner, a dietitian, a health coach, community health workers, a psychologist, a program coordinator, and an exercise trainer. 

In the wake of the launch at Jacobi, NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, Kings County, Lincoln, Elmhurst, and Gotham Health, Vanderbilt will launch in the coming months. Current patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can get referrals to the program from their providers, and people who are not yet patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can see if they qualify to enroll in the program by calling 347-507-3695.

“I joined the new Lifestyle Medicine Program a month ago, and already I feel so much better,” said Skyler Myres, a patient at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. “I no longer have diabetes. My blood pressure is lower, and I no longer need to take one of my blood pressure medications. I have more energy. I feel it in the morning when I exercise—it’s easier to do things than it was before. I really enjoy the camaraderie of the team here, and they’re always there for me when I call with a question. I feel welcome here.”

The Lifestyle Medicine Program’s nine-month program provides every patient with these resources: 

• Six to nine one-on-one counseling sessions—two to three visits each with a physician or nurse practitioner, dietitian, and health coach to develop and implement a personalized care plan. 
• 14 weekly group classes about topics such as reading nutrition labels, grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation, and sleep and stress management techniques. 
• Eight weekly exercise classes, working with an exercise trainer and receiving a resistance band for strength training to take home. 
• Six free, monthly deliveries of seasonal fresh produce—patients will work with dietitians to learn about incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet across culinary traditions and skill levels; recipes developed by the team’s dietitians accompany each produce box (launches early 2024). 
• Access to Health Bucks—$2 coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at NYC farmers markets. Five of the seven program sites have farmers’ markets on their campus.
• Culinary skills videos so patients can learn cooking skills through short videos developed by the Lifestyle Medicine team in partnership with an online culinary school, Rouxbe. Videos feature healthy cooking from various culinary traditions, including Caribbean, South American, Central American, and South Asian, and will be translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, and Haitian Creole (launches early 2024). 
• A plant-based cookbook; cookbooks for plant-based eating for type 2 diabetes are available as well. 
• Support with accessing benefits from community health workers for patients who are eligible for SNAP benefits and nutrition resources. 

Each site will partner with local community-based organizations to explore ways to support community members in nutrition and other aspects of lifestyle change. The Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi will collaborate with the Throggs Neck Community Alliance in the Bronx. 

Particular attention has been placed on ensuring that the curriculum is relevant for patients from diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, the Spanish-language curriculum reflects cultural adaptations, not simply a translation of the English-language version. Individual visits with the medical providers, dietitians, and health coaches allow for tailored behavior change recommendations based on each patient’s social, financial, cultural, and family context.Formal evaluations of the Bellevue pilot program revealed a successful implementation process;  extremely high demand for services (more than 850 patients asked to enroll in the first few months); and positive health outcomes, including clinically and statistically significant improvements in weight, glycemic control, and diastolic blood pressure.

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Six people and a business were indicted in July by Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah and accused of stealing the property deeds of New Rochelle and Yonkers homeowners. The homeowners were facing bankruptcy and even foreclosure. They had turned to the indicted individuals––Marcia Campbell, 61, a licensed real estate broker from New Rochelle, and her husband, licensed real estate salesperson Fred Campbell, 64; New York City attorney Anthony Chilliest, 53; Gerald Smith, 48, of Elmsford; Wayne Green, 48, of Lynbrook; Frank Palmer, 66, of the Bronx; and the Campal Corporation (a company owned by Marcia Campbell)––because they believed they would be helped with refinancing their properties.

Instead, two homeowners in New Rochelle and one in Yonkers were scammed: The indicted people reportedly obtained $2 million in loans against their homes.

While the charges against the defendants are still accusations and need to be proven, Rocah said, “Deed theft schemes exploit the most vulnerable and can have lasting housing and financial impacts to families. My office will seek to hold the defendants accountable for allegedly stealing titles to victims’ homes while pretending to help them.”

If you think you may be a victim of deed theft or fraud, call the Westchester County DA’s Office at 914-995-TIPS (8477). 

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* This article was originally published here

Join the Trust for Governors Island and African Film Festival (AFF) for their 16th annual Family Day Celebration on Sunday, Oct. 1, from 12 noon to 6:15 p.m.

Fun-seeking individuals of all ages are invited for a day of free activities, including storytelling and double dutch with Malika Lee Whitney; Afro Brazilian, Senegalese, and Guinean dance and drum workshops led by world-renowned instructors; arts and crafts; and a selection of short films—all celebrating Africa and the diaspora.

All activities take place at Nolan Park, Governors Island, New York, NY 10004.

For more information, contact AFF via phone at 212-352-1720 or email at info@africanfilmny.org.

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* This article was originally published here

Nope, it wasn’t Joe Hill, the martyred union activist, but Joe Biden walking the picket line. With a bullhorn in his hand and a UAW cap on his head, Biden joined a throng of union members as they marched and chanted Tuesday afternoon at the Willow Run Redistribution Center in Wayne, Michigan. 

Biden, the first sitting president to picket with striking workers, told them as if answering their chants about “No pay, no parts!” that “The fact of the matter is that you guys, the UAW, you saved the automobile industry back in 2008…you made a lot of sacrifices. You gave up a lot. And the companies were in trouble. Now they’re doing incredibly well and guess what? You should be doing incredibly well.”

Moreover, he said, “You deserve the significant raise you need and the benefits. It’s about time for them to step up for us.”

After his short speech, Biden returned the bullhorn to Shawn Fain, the union’s president. “Thank you, Mr. President, for coming to stand up with us in our generation-defining moment,” Fain said. 

Fain put the strikes in historical perspective, recalling Detroit’s role as the arsenal of democracy during World War II: “It’s a different kind of arsenal of democracy and a different war we’re fighting. Today, the enemy isn’t some foreign country miles away, it’s right here in our own area.”

While negotiations have proceeded fairly well with Ford and the Canadian plant, an agreement with Stellantis and GM seems to be as far apart as ever. The union has expanded the strikes to more than 38 sites, hoping the additional pressure will bring the companies to the bargaining table.

Biden and the DNC are also hopeful that his appearance at the strike will bolster his numbers and improve his standing with blue-collar workers. To date, the UAW has not endorsed Biden.

Trump is expected in Michigan on Wednesday.

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* This article was originally published here

More than 50 community organizations, local businesses, city and state agencies teamed up with Harlem’s Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center to provide free health screenings, COVID testing and vaccinations, flu shots, and more during a recently held Community Health Street Fair.

The annual event, typically located within Bowen’s outdoor plaza area, was expanded this year, taking up the city block located in front of the organization’s headquarters on Amsterdam Avenue between 145th & 146th Streets. Attendees interacted with a wide variety of participants to learn about their programs and services, including the New York State Department of Health, Ponce Bank, New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Ryan Health, The LGBT Community Center, Harlem Strong, Harlem Hospital, Heritage Health, and The Lincoln Recovery Center. In addition, attendees took part in health screenings that included blood pressure, diabetes and glucose, HIV and hepatitis C testing, as well a chair yoga workshop and seminar on how to reduce and manage stress. 

During a special ceremony, the Bowen Center presented its Community Leadership Award to The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, in recognition for the organization’s “steadfast dedication to preserving and enhancing” the Harlem Community. Michael Flanigan accepted the award on behalf of the organization. 

The event featured a little bit of everything for individuals of all ages including a bounce house for children, face painting, balloon characters, music, free food and drinks, and raffle giveaways— including tickets to an upcoming New York City Football Club match at Citi Field, donated by the club.

The Bowen Center is one of the largest community organizations that provides mental health services, addiction treatment and social services to more than 5,000+ clients citywide.

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* This article was originally published here