Sharp News Updates — March 2013

Inside Sharp HealthCare

• Is it Allergies or Something More? — Sinusitis, a condition that causes swelling of the inner lining of the sinuses, is an ailment that affects nearly 37 million Americans each year. It causes symptoms similar to allergies or a head cold. As allergy season approaches, Dr. Brian Weeks, a Sharp Grossmont-affiliated physician specializing in otolaryngology (ENT), is available to discuss the difference between allergies and sinusitis, and discuss the latest advancements in treatment of sinusitis.

• How to Improve Your Diet in 30 Seconds — March is National Nutrition Month and it's also a great time to revisit your New Year's health resolutions. A registered dietitian with Sharp Weight Management and Health Education is available to share new ways to motivate yourself to continue practicing healthy habits.

National Trends Localized

• Cutting Salt Saves Lives — According to a new study, steadily reducing sodium in the foods we buy and eat could save a half-million Americans from dying premature deaths over a decade. And a more abrupt reduction to 2,200 milligrams per day — a 40% drop from current levels — could boost the tally of lives saved over 10 years to 850,000, researchers have projected. A Sharp-affiliated dietician is available to discuss ways to cut salt in the foods you eat.
  
  
• Folic Acid Reduces Autism — Mothers who took folic acid supplements around the time they became pregnant were less likely to have children with an autism spectrum disorder, a new study has found. A Sharp-affiliated physician is available to discuss the benefits of mothers taking folic acid supplements during pregnancy.

Important Health Dates

• Get to the Bottom of Colorectal Cancer — It's struck the famous wife of a shock rocker, TV news icon and one of Charlie's Angels, but colorectal cancer doesn't just target the glamorous like Sharon Osbourne, Katie Couric and Farrah Fawcett; in fact, colorectal cancer is diagnosed in more than 140,000 men and women every year, causing approximately 50,000 deaths. But if everyone over age 50 got screened, as many as 60 percent of deaths could be avoided. In honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a physician cancer expert affiliated with the Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center is available to discuss the disease, including screening and prevention. Visuals like cancer-fighting foods are available.
  
  
• St. Patrick's Day — St. Patrick's Day is known to be one of the most popular drinking days of the year, meaning San Diego is sure to be populated with green beer, clovers and of course, heavy drinkers. It is important to regulate your alcohol intake, especially on a day when heavy drinking is encouraged. Binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning, which according to the World Health Organization affects 50,000 people each year in the U.S. A Sharp representative is available to discuss the causes, symptoms and risks of alcohol poisoning.