Let’s Talk Turkey!

Turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature during “the big thaw.” While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again.  There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave oven. You can find the rest of the article from the USDA here.

The web portal at FoodSafety.gov has links to even more information to help with a safe holiday feast. The website goes far beyond turkeys and you will  find many food safety topics when you visit the website.

 

Dealing with Diabetes

November is  American Diabetes Month.  The American Diabetes Association is taking this time to shine a spotlight on a serious disease that leads to potentially life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation. 

• 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes
• 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes
• 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue

The Library has a great collection of books and other resources that explain the disease, give advice on living with diabetes as well as the practical guides for cooking and eating.  Check out our catalog and see what is available 

Beyond the library, there are good websites to visit like the  American Diabetes Association and MedlinePlus.  Databases like our Health & Wellness Resource Center may have other great information as well. (For access outside of our library buildings, you will need to enter your library card number for authentication).

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

As many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s — it is the seventh-leading cause of death for Americans. You can learn about the disease on the Alzheimer’s Association website.  There you will find all kinds of information about Alzheimer’s including the 10 warning signs to look for as well as an interactive visual tour of how the disease affects the brain. To take the tour, just click on the image.

 The Library has a great collection of materials about Alzheimer’s — including ones that support the caregiver, help those diagnosed with early onset understand options available for treatment and titles that have practical activities to help maintain connections with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s Care with Dignity — Meet the Author –

Frank Fuerst, author of Alzheimer’s Care with Dignity, will be speaking at the Main Library Thursday, October 29, 2009. Be here at noon in Meeting Room 2AB to learn from someone with 17 years experience providing nurturing care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing immediately after the presentation.

 

Alzheimer’s Care with Dignity will help you gain confidence, improve quality of life, overcome negative emotions, and renew hope and spirituality. From secrets of survival to financial and legal concerns, Frank Fuerst has detailed information to share. His book includes step-by-step routines for bathing, dressing, eating, and even travel tips. A very thorough Appendix includes a sample agreement to hire live-in help and helpful care hints when others do the caring.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For 25 years, October has been the month to promote early detection and treatment of breast cancer — with the hope of a future cure. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) except for some kinds of skin cancer, breast cancer in the United States is –

• The most common cancer in women, no matter your race or ethnicity.
• The most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women.
• The second most common cause of death from cancer among white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

In 2005 (the most recent year numbers are available)—

• 186,467 women and 1,764 men were diagnosed with breast cancer.
• 41,116 women and 375 men died from breast cancer.

For more information:

Resources available at the Library
National Breast Cancer Awareness Website

Dr. Nieca Goldberg’s Complete Guide to Women’s Health

by Nieca Goldberg

Calling all women ages 35-55: here’s advice on how to live right from the medical director of the NYU Women’s Heart Program.
Copyright 2008,  Ballantine Books.

Click here to view library copies.

Making good health information easier to find at Main Library

As librarians in the Science and Technology Division we answer an array of health and medical questions on a daily basis. Typical questions could be a basic definition, side effects of medication or more detailed information on a particular disease. We work to answer as best we are able and within the boundaries of our training as information professionals.

We know this kind of information is so very important and we wanted to do a better job of helping you get to the answers that you need. We took on the challenge through improving our skills and many of us have completed training to earn Consumer Health Information Specialist certificates through the Medical Library Association. We also decided to bring the books that would be most helpful to the front of the Division, near the reference desk. Creating this space was a huge undertaking!

In our Health Information Center we have focused on current, easy to understand books by trusted publishers and authors. The space allows for browsing the collection more like a bookstore and books may not shelved in strict Dewey order. For instance, books on heart disease could be next to heart healthy cookbooks, which isn’t possible in the traditional collection. You will also find our medical reference books and some computers for online research. We are putting the collection together in stages and you will see progress over the next several weeks. We plan to have everything in place in October 2009.

We want to reinforce that we are reference librarians, not healthcare professionals. The information we help you find should not be taken as medical advice. Any information we provide is general and intended to help you better understand and follow your doctor’s instructions. Only your doctor can speak to your specific health situation.