NYC Health + Hospitals held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to celebrate the recent upgrade of a health center in the East Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Funded with $1.2 million through Mayor de Blasio’s Caring Neighborhoods Initiative, the facility renovation reflects NYC Health + Hospitals’ commitment to community-based ambulatory care, one of the chief strategies of the health system’s transformation agenda.

The NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health center in East Tremont provides a range of services, including family medicine and behavioral health care. The enhanced examination rooms and waiting area were designed with patient comfort in mind.

Located at 1826 Arthur Avenue in East Tremont, the health center is expected to provide care for 7,360 patients annually. The new layout includes 13 upgraded exam rooms, new medical equipment and furniture, and an uplifting décor to create a welcoming environment.

“We are pleased to continue addressing the challenge of ambulatory care access, one underserved neighborhood at a time,” said Stanley Brezenoff, interim president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “Every New Yorker deserves equal access to health care, and now, if you wake up in East Tremont feeling under the weather, you don’t need to travel to get health care. Quality care is right in East Tremont.”

Launched in October 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Caring Neighborhoods Initiative is a program to significantly increase primary care access for thousands of residents in underserved neighborhoods across New York City. Spearheaded by NYC Health + Hospitals and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Caring Neighborhoods builds primary care capacity in communities where over a million New Yorkers have faced limited options for convenient and affordable health care services.

The refurbished Gotham Health center will provide services that reflect the needs of the community. The site will employ a nutritionist and a social worker to support behavioral health services.

“The new clinic is modern and welcoming,” said John Maguire, MD, attending physician at the East Tremont location. “Environment matters, and our patients deserve the best.”

“This investment in improving health care in our community means access to quality and convenient services for thousands of Bronxites,” said Assembly Member Michael Blake. “No New Yorker or Bronxite should be faced with the choice of staying sick or traveling great distances for quality care. These hard-working families and their children will now have access to a health care system that works for them, not against them. I commend Mayor de Blasio and his administration for working to achieve this goal and look forward to working with his administration and my colleagues to continue #BuildingABetterBronx”.

“One of the first steps toward building a healthy Bronx is assuring access to healthcare services is not determined by zip code, said Assembly Member Victor Pichardo.”’ I’m more than thrilled to see the NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Center at East Tremont open its doors right here in our neighborhood and help many families and children receive care. I commend the Mayor’s efforts on combating healthcare access inequality. It is another example that when we work together, we can build a better Bronx.”

The health center is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The center’s patients will also have 24-hour phone access to clinical advice. To make an appointment, patients can call 646-815-9700.

On Saturday, Nov 4th, Healthy NYC kicked off its launch with a bang at the Healthy NYC Expo, presented by ShopRite. The event, held at the Brooklyn Sports Club, in Spring Creek, brought out the best of the best of health-focused companies, organizations, and individuals, representing health segments from physical and mental to nutrition, skin and hair care, senior health and everything in between. Vendors, free classes, demonstrations and discussions were spread throughout the venue, which was amped up by a live DJ.

While the event focused on the many types of health and self-care, senior health took a high priority, with many vendors specializing in senior health programs, and resources. Senior Whole Health and Tradition Home Care spread information on managed long-term care. The American Cancer Society,the Family Health & Cardiac Center, a Brooklyn-based healthcare center located at 7404 5th Ave that specializes in heart disease; and the Bedford-Stuyvesant Family Health Center, all focused on healthcare and health-based programs. Many of the vendors focused on reaching out to local residents who knew little about their services.

Ramesh Smith, a representative of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Family Health Center, commented how “Some persons who have visited the table have expressed that they didn’t know about the Hepatitis C program that we offered, and they’re glad that something like this exists for Brooklyn residents.”   

Many attendees were surprised by the information they were learning, especially when it came to medical conditions that generally are not openly taught or spoken about. One of the largest focuses during the event was that of mental health. Throughout the day, open conversations about mental health were brought up by vendors and attendees alike. Programs such as ThriveNYC, which highlighted the long-term changes New York City has instituted to combat mental illness and NYC Well, which provides a free, 24 hour, confidential service to those going through hard times, helped highlight the importance of mental health.

Andratta Mitchell (CEO, LifeHope), a behavior specialist, psychotherapist, counselor, and one of the expo’s speakers on the Mental Health Discussion Panel commented that mental health is about community. Mitchell stated, “…as the community is so impacted by mental illness, and it’s impounded by social issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, and drug addiction. I’m here today because we need to answer the question of where do we go after here? We can talk about it, we can be about it, but as our community is now being regentrified, how do we re-gentrify our people? How do we educate them and how do we move all of the stigmas regarding mental health?”

Mitchell was joined on the panel by five other panelists, including 25 year old recording artist, Kota the Friend, Marc R. Damsky, SVP at ICL, Judge Carolyn Wade, Chantal Georges, Creative Art Therapist (NYC Health + Hospitals, Kings County),  Dr. Lisa Nichols, MBA, PHD, Clinical Manager at Brookdale Hospital, and moderator, Nneka Njideka, LMSW, School Assessment Team for NYC Dept of Education. held a fantastic discussion about mental health and how people can catch the signs and help combat its negative stigma. The discussion, entitled, “The Mental Health Roundtable Discussion: Recognizing the Signs”, was a crowd favorite, and went over its initial scheduled time due to the audience’s interest and participation.

Other elements of the event included a special opening performance by Performing Arts & Technology HS (PATHS Dance), from Thomas Jefferson Campus,  which wowed the crowd, cooking demonstrations by dieticians from ShopRite, where food was passed out, free smoothies from the Vita Coco smoothie bar, and free dance classes by Purelements Dance Company. 

After the cooking demonstration, many guests decided to join in on the 90’s Hip Hop Inspired Spin Class, while others joined in on the zumba session.

The next Healthy NYC Expo will be held in the Bronx in April 2018. To become a partner or vendor of the next Healthy NYC Expo contact [email protected] or call 718-285-9351.

Senior Whole Health Team

ShopRite Cooking Demonstration

Kings County Hospital Team

What are Superfoods?

Super foods refer foods that are loaded with nutritional value and contain powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants fight against free radicals that cause damage to cells. In other words, antioxidants help reduce the risk of common health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, and even cancer. Antioxidants help boost your immune system as well as “slow” the aging process.

Here’s our list of Top 10 super foods to consider in your diet:

Tomatoes

Active ingredient: Lycopene

Health benefits: Reduces risk of heart diseases, prostate cancer and digestive tract cancers; improves bone health

Lycopene is a pigment responsible for the reddish color of the tomatoes, but it has some pretty impressing alternative uses as well. Lycopene is a phytochemical that helps eradicate cancer-causing free radicals in the body. Recently, researchers have linked the importance of lycopene to bone health. A study conducted on postmenopausal women showed an increased risk of osteoporosis in women when lycopene-containing foods were removed from their diet.

Green Tea

Active ingredient: Flavonoids including EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate)

Health benefits: Reduces risk of certain cancers such as those affecting the bladder, prostate, breast, stomach, and blood. It improves brain function,has anti-aging properties and promotes healthy gums.  It alsohelps to reduce the risk of diabetes and depression and inflammation among patients with arthritis.

Green tea is made from the Camellia sinensis herb. Green tea has been an ancient anti-aging secret among people in China and Japan. Now, people around the world are becoming more and more aware of the health benefits this drink has to offer. A study conducted  in 2009 by Dr. Kaijun Niu at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, suggested that men and women, 70 years old and above, who drank 4 or more cups of green tea daily were less likely to exhibit depression symptoms as compared to those who only drank once a day. In another study, it was found that older adults who consumed 2 or more cups daily were half as likely to exhibit cognitive impairment compared to those who drank 3 cups or less each week.

While a rich source of antioxidants, green tea also contains caffeine. Therefore, it should not be consumed in excess although the amount of caffeine is less than in a typical cup of coffee. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends an intake of 2-3 cups of green tea per day.

Red Wine

Active ingredient: Resveratrol, flavonoids, phenols, and tannins

Health benefits: Reduces risk of heart disease and increases the good (HDL) cholesterol level. It improves blood clotting and has anti-aging properties. Amazingly, it promotes a lowered risk of tooth decay and gum diseases. To ound it out, it also reduces the risk of osteoporosis and aids in the prevention of certain cancers

A common misconception is that drinking is “bad for you”. Consuming alcohol in excess is definitely detrimental to all areas of your health. However, drinking responsibly has its benefits. That being said, the National Institute of Healthrecommends that people aged 65 and above should not exceed seven drinks per week (one drink is equivalent to 5 ounces of wine) and no more than 3 drinks in one day. Also, mixing alcohol and medicine together may be dangerous. It would be best to consult your doctor before adding red wine to your diet.

Dark Chocolate

Active ingredient: Flavonol

Health benefits: Improved brain function; lowered risk of diabetes and heart disease

Got a sweet tooth? Indulge in some dark chocolate! It is packed with antioxidants, soluble fiber, and minerals which are known to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

A study conducted on over 400 elderly men suggested that the rate of cardiovascular deaths was significantly reduced by 50% over a period of 15 years when dark chocolate had been consumed regularly.

Foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Active ingredient: Omega-3 fatty acids

Health benefits: The foods have anti-inflammatory properties and help to reduce the risk of arthritis, heart disease, and cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids are abundantly found in nuts such as pistachios, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil are also rich sources of Omega-3. Fish like sardines, salmon, and tuna also have high omega-3 fatty acid content. This is an often overlooked area of the “superfood group”, but is also extremely beneficial! Omega-3 heavy foods also improve brain function, which is why foods such as salmon and tuna are called “brain food.”

Legumes

Active ingredients: Folate, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals

Health benefits: Legumes have anti-inflammatory properties and help to improve blood vessel function, lower bad cholesterol levels as well as improve heart health.

Beans and peas are fully loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. They are saturated fat-free and cholesterol-free. Legumes are also rich in soluble fiber. Good examples of these beans and peas include chick peas, kidney beans, lentils, black beans, and red beans. The National Heart Foundation of Australia recommends that legumes be included in the diet in at least 2 meals each week, but recommend more. If you aren’t a fan of beans as a stand alone dinner, consider recipes that include ideas like hummus or soups.

Pomegranate

Active ingredient: Ellagitannin compounds

Health benefits: It will help to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, and prostate cancer. It is considered as a cure for menopausal hot flashes, gastric irritation, conjunctivitis, and viral infections (such as influenza).

Another superfood that tops the list is the oh-so-juicy pomegranate. Since it is packed with vitamins and very potent antioxidants, it has been shown to play a role in reducing bad cholesterol levels.  It will help to prevent the build-up of cholesterol plaque and thereby reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Also, as a neat trick, here’s a 10-second trick to de-seeding a pomegranate: click here.

Cinnamon

Active ingredient: Hydroxychalcone

Health benefits: Cinnamon helps decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes, lower bad cholesterol levels and has anti-inflammatory properties, medicinal properties. It helps to regulate blood sugar by improving sensitivity to insulin. In addition, it enhances brain function especially in the areas of cognitive processing, visual-motor responses and attention.

Daily intake of cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar levels by 20-30%. Additionally, even just smelling the aroma of spelling gives some health benefits by boosting cognitive processing and visual motor responses.

Blueberries

Active ingredient: Anthocyanins

Health benefits: Blueberries improve brain function and reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and urinary tract infections. It will enhance immune system, help form collagen and promotes healthy gums.

Anthocyanins, which is an active ingredient in blueberries, are not only responsible for the blue color of the berries but is actually a subclass of flavonoids,  potent antioxidants. In fact, blueberries have been ranked as possessing one of the highest antioxidant properties among all fruits and vegetables. They are also a rich source of dietary fiber. One derives the most nutrients from blueberries when they are eaten raw. Blueberries are a potent source of vitamin C where one serving already meets 25% of your daily required value. Blueberries really are a superfood.

A study conducted at the University of Illinois showed the berries’ have the ability to fight off the free radicals known to cause cancer. The study also suggested blueberries’ ability to hinder the formation of tumor cells.

So the next time you’re shopping for food, try to consider including these superfoods in your grocery list and make them a regular part of your diet.