Your Health Matters - November 2018

In this Issue

--Health Awareness: Diabetes Awareness Month

--Everyday Health: Affordable Care Act Walk-in Wednesdays

--Good'n'Healthy: Mushroom-Cornbread Stuffing

--News Worthy: Transgender Patient Rights

--Events: Giving Tuesday 2018 Dine-Out Event

 

Diabetes Awareness Month

About 10% of the US population has some form of diabetes, and Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.

So What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Your body does not use insulin properly, which is called insulin resistance. When you first develop Type 2 diabetes, your pancreas will make extra insulin to try and fix the problem.

Insulin is a hormone, made by the pancreas, that helps your body know whether to use or store glucose (blood sugar). Insulin works to balance blood glucose levels. Over time, your pancrease can’t keep up to make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose levels normal.

Symptoms & Risks

Common symptoms include:

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry - even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

Remember, you may not have all or any of these symptoms. It’s important to talk with your provider about your risks. If you think you may have diabetes, or know you have it but are not in treatment for it, make an appointment today by calling 410-837-2050.  Learn more here.

 

Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment is Underway!

The Affordable Care Act (known as ACA or health care reform law) makes it easier for everyone to get insurance and access to health care. This year, open enrollment began on November 1 and will continue through December 15.

You may be eligible for insurance through Medicaid or a low-cost health plan through Maryland's health insurance marketplace, Maryland Health Connection.

If you are interested in getting health care at Chase Brexton, come in for a free Health Insurance Assessment. No appointment necessary--stop by the Social Work and Outreach Department at Mt. Vernon, Columbia, Glen Burnie, or Randallstown Center any Wednesday between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15! Our team can help find the best options for you. Find out more here.

 

Mushroom-Cornbread Stuffing

This healthy mushroom-and-leek cornbread stuffing recipe is a lightened-up version of the must-have holiday side. 

Ingredients

10 cups cubed cornbread ( ½- to 1-inch pieces)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks
2 cups chopped mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 3 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 cups low-sodium broth
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted (see Tip)
¼ cup cooked diced pancetta
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Spread bread on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees . Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add parsley and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture on top of the bread. Melt butter in the pan, scraping up any browned bits, then scrape onto the bread. Add broth to taste, pecans, pancetta and pepper to the bread mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Spray one side of a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the stuffing, sprayed-side down.

4. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden brown, about 20 minutes more.

 

Dr. Elyse Pine Discusses Policy Effects on Trans Patients

Dr. Elyse Pine of The LGBT Health Resource Center was recently interviewed by the online magazine Bustle, and discussed the effects that proposed changes to federal policy might have on her transgender patients.

"Even before my work with the LGBT community, I have known that sex, hormones, genitalia, and chromosomes are far more complicated than the current administration cares to understand despite their talk of 'science' in this proposed policy change," Dr. Pine tells Bustle. "The idea that biological sex exists as only two options: 'Male' or ‘Female’ that always neatly aligns with body parts and chromosomes is simply not true. Nature is far more complicated and beautiful."

 

 

Giving Tuesday 2018 Dine-Out Event

Join Chase Brexton Health Care in a day of global giving and help our patients in need. We are working with Mt. Vernon restaurants to create an evening of giving to CBHC's Hope Lives Here Fund to assist our patients breakdown barriers to care. If you are unable to dine with us please visit www.chasebrexton.org to help us reach our goal of 40 new sustaining supporters. Restaurants will be announced soon! Like the event on Facebook to stay up-to-date.