Healthy San Francisco

05/18/2016

Screening for Depression. A quick, easy, and confidential way to determine if you may be experiencing depression is to take a mental health screening. A screening is not a diagnosis, but a way of understanding if your symptoms are having enough of an impact that you should seek help from a doctor or other professional. Visit http://www.mhascreening.org to take a depression screening. If you don’t have internet access, you can ask your primary care doctor to do a screening at your next visit.

Taking a screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Mental...

05/16/2016

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Recovery is possible. It is important to remember that even though mental health conditions may require intensive,
long-term treatment and a lot of hard work at Stage 4, people can and do recover and reclaim their lives. http://bit.ly/1Agy9v3

May is Mental Health Month 2016 This year’s theme for Mental Health Month is - Life with a Mental Illness - and will call on individuals to share...

04/28/2016

Ready, Set, Go Bayview, Dogpatch come and enjoy Sunday Streets on 3rd Street.

The sunny Southside Bayview and Dogpatch neighborhoods are rolling out all the stops for Sunday Streets this Sunday, May 1st from 11:00am - 4:00pm. With free activities all along the 3rd Street corridor from 18th to Yosemite Street, Sunday is shaping up to be a beautiful day of fun in the streets for the whole community.

04/20/2016

To prevent colon cancer, you should get a screening starting at age 50, and then keep on getting screened regularly. You may need to be tested earlier than 50 or more often than other people if:
• You or a close family member has had colon polyps or colon cancer
• You have painful bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis
• You have born with syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome)
Speak with your doctor about when you should start testing and how often you should be tested.

04/06/2016

Don’t forget that this Thursday, April 7th, Walk San Francisco will host Walk to Work Day, a fun and festive day of encouragement celebrating the most healthy, sustainable form of transportation: walking. If you live and/or work in San Francisco we encourage you to walk just 15 minutes of your daily commute (whether traveling to work, school, church, temple, or shops). Walking at least 15 minutes a day can start you on a healthy walking habit. Learn more at walksf.org.

03/25/2016

Sugar, primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup is the largest source of calories in the United States. While its appeal is easy to understand, its health impacts are significantly harmful and are often overlooked.

One recent study states that about 50 percent of Americans consume as much as half a pound, more than 225 grams of sugar a day.

Sugar is a major player in the obesity, heart disease, and type II diabetes epidemic,
You should keep your sugar levels below 25 grams per day. By doing so you are decreasing your chances chronic illness. For diabetics, pre-diabetics, people who are overweight, or people with high cholesterol or high blood pressure you should aim to keeping your sugar intake to below 15 grams per day.

03/15/2016

New research has shown drinking more water provides many added benefits.

Drinking more plain water by just one percentage point reduced the amount of calories, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol a person consumed. Drinking a cup or two of more water saw those benefits grow.

Researchers found the average adult consumed 4 cups of plain water a day. That made up 30% of their total water intake.

Drinking an extra glass or two of plain water a day resulted in eating as many as 200 fewer calories, 18 fewer grams of sugar, 240 fewer milligrams of sodium, and 20 fewer grams of cholesterol.

So reach for the water, for your health.

12/19/2015

Here are some ways to help you fight a cold this holiday season.
• Get a least seven hours of sleep a night.
• A cough will last about 18 days, so try to let it run its course through you
• Take antiviral mediation within two days of getting cold like symptoms
• Take zinc when you start getting cold like symptoms
• Wash your hands regularly and often

04/08/2015

Come Celebrate Sunday Street in the Bayview and Dogpatch this Sunday, April 12

Sunday Streets is returning to the Bayview and Dogpatch! On Sunday, April 12th, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. the southbound lanes of Third Street between 18th Street and Yosemite Ave into a space for people of all ages and their furry friends to walk, dance, bike, and explore. Learn more at http://SundayStreetssf.com

SFMTA and Livable City transforms the street into a car-free space. The event is modeled after Bogotá, Colombia’s Ciclovía.

01/14/2015

If you didn't get around to getting a flu shot in the fall, or heard that the flu strain isn’t matching the vaccine, here are some facts to know. As long as the flu is circulating, it's never too late for a flu shot, and it's still worthwhile even when the vaccine isn't a perfect match.

In most years, flu activity peaks around February, although every season is a little different. The flu shot takes about two weeks to take effect, so the sooner you get it, the better. That's why it's best to get the shot before flu season starts—you'll be protected by the time it rolls into your neighborhood.

The people at highest risk of flu complications are kids under 5, old folks over 65, pregnant women, people with asthma or diabetes or pretty much any serious health issues, like heart disease and cancer. If you have any of these people in your life, your flu can become their flu so even healthy people should get the flu shot.

11/25/2014

The holidays are a time to celebrate, give thanks and reflect. They are also a time to pay special attention to your health. Give the gift of health and safety to yourself by following these holiday tips:
• Wash your hands often
• Stay warm
• Recognize and manage stress
• Travel safely
• Be smoke-free
• Handle and prepare food safely
• Eat healthy and be active

11/03/2014

Tomorrow November 4th is Election Day.
All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Voting is a way to speak your mind and let your voice be heard. When we vote, we are actually telling elected officials and lawmakers how we feel about education, public safety, social security, health care, and other important issues.

Make the time to get to your polling place and vote.

09/04/2014

Apples are nature’s power food, high in vitamin A and C. Now that it is fall, apple-picking season has started. Try buying local organic apples and wash them well before eating.

08/05/2014

The California Smokers’ Helpline can help you quit smoking or other to***co use. The helpline has trained, caring professionals who will work with you to create a plan and stick to it. Call 1-800-NO-BUTTS or visit https://helpline.ucsd.edu/registration/ to sign up online.

07/16/2014

Cholesterol is a type of fat found in your blood that your body uses for many reasons. Not all cholesterol in your blood is bad for you but a high level of cholesterol increases your chance of heart disease, heart attack or stroke. There are two kinds of blood cholesterol that you should know about: HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol).

You should regularly find out what your cholesterol is. Go to your provider and ask for a cholesterol test. The test will let you know how much good and bad cholesterol you have. Your doctor will tell you the number for your total cholesterol level. Your total cholesterol number should be under 200.

06/04/2014

Sleep is important for your health. Getting enough sleep can help your immune system stay strong. It can also help your mood, so you can feel happier and less stressed. Lack of sleep may make you more likely to gain weight. Make sure to relax as you get ready to sleep--deep breathing, relaxing your muscles and visualizing a peaceful, restful place all help in getting a good night’s sleep.

Sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, and insomnia are three common types of sleep disorders. Call your provider if you are having sleep problems, there are many safe treatments available to you.

05/28/2014

If you are overweight, you are not alone. Two out of every three adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Being overweight raises your risk for health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

The best strategy for getting to a healthy weight is to make small changes and stick to them. Small changes can lead to big results so stay positive and focus on making healthy choices. Learn how to get started athttp://healthysanfrancisco.org/files/HealthEd_Brochures/hsf_fs_overweight.pdf

05/22/2014

There are five important health numbers everyone should know. They are your Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Waist Circumference. See your provider and learn these numbers. Review the results with your provider and create an action plan to get them to a healthy number, if necessary.

Testing and early detection can help you avoid serious health conditions. Take charge of your health by controlling your weight, be more physically active, avoid unhealthy habits, like smoking, and eat healthy foods.