Health | VivirLatino

Posts Tagged ‘Health’

Latino Centered Diabetes Health Kit Unveiled

2:37 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Health · 1 Comment

12 Sep 2008

I don’t know about you, but I can name scores of community members, family members, and random Latino celebrities that are dealing with or have died from diabetes. That’s why, although I am very critical of major organizations (namely, they are so disconnected from communities, most donations go to pay salaries rather than helping community members), I am very pleased to see that the American Diabetes Association is targeting Latino populations with it’s new diabetes awareness toolkit.

To celebrate the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month and to recognize those in the Hispanic/Latino American population who have, or are at risk for, diabetes, the American Diabetes Association, through a grant from the Abbott Fund, is introducing its new Adult Prevention Toolkit designed specifically for community-based and faith-based organizations in Hispanic/Latino communities. The toolkit provides organizations with comprehensive and culturally relevant information on diabetes and healthy living. Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, the American Diabetes Association will also be hosting Feria de Salud Por Tu Familia, an outdoor Latino health festival in cities across the United States.

Tell your loved ones about this, if you’re a community organizer, spread the information around. This is so important–I’m tired of seeing loved ones die because of something that is manageable. Let’s love ourselves enough to take care of ourselves and each other.

via CSR Wire

AIDS becoming a female issue in Mexico

7:04 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Health|mexico|Women · 1 Comment

10 May 2007

The number of women infected with HIV or suffering from AIDS has skyrocketed, making the epidemic in Mexico a “women’s issue”, according to the United Nations Population Fund which announced, via press conference, a worldwide HIV conference to be held in Mexico next year:

The UN representative stressed that the increase in the number of cases of women [with HIV] is “worrysome”, as the statistic of 35 percent of women making up the number of infected people around the world in 1995 has gone up to 48 percent.

Mauricio Hernández, under secretary of Health, revealed that in Mexico there are 40,000 women infected with the virus, and that the organization is looking to negotiate to procurement of female condoms for less than two dollars each, to be able to distribute 800,000 this year.

According to the UN Joint Programme on AIDS, two thirds of the estimated 1.7 million people living with HIV in Latin America reside in the four largest countries: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina.

Via / La Jornada and UNAIDS

Forget the Apple a Day. A Chile a day keeps the Cancer Away.

2:43 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Food|Health · Comments Off

11 Jan 2007

Like your food spicy? If so you may be preventing illnesses like cancer compared to those who like their comida on the blander side, at least according to a study released by British Nottingham University. The key is capsaicin, an ingredient from jalapeno peppers that kills cancer cells. Eating a daily diet rich in these foods explains, according to the study, why countries like Mexico and India have a low incidence of certain types of cancer.

Via / Univision.com

Image Via / Alternative Complementary Medicine

Spain says no to Super-sizing it

5:13 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Health|Marketing|Spain · Comments Off

22 Nov 2006

Picture%205.jpg The Spanish Food Safety Agency (AESA) is threatening to take action against Burger King for violating an agreement between the Spanish Health Ministry and the fast food chain in which it promised not to use advertising to promote “large portions”. According to 20 Minutos, the agreement is a Spanish Health Ministry initiative to help bring down obesity rates in the country.

Apparently the BK is not holding up its end of the bargain, launching a new campaign a couple of weeks ago to promote their gargantuan “XXL Burger” (with a whopping 971 calories) in Spain, an initiative that was denounced by consumer groups and has caused polemic among health-related public entities.

Now just weeks after that controversy, it appears that Burger King is pushing the envelope yet again, with advertising supporting its new “Triple Whopper”, which boasts a mere 820 calories and three beef patties. Barf.

“Therapeutic Abortion” now illegal in Nicaragua

11:31 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Latin America|Nicaragua|Women · 1 Comment

27 Oct 2006

A follow-up to Mala’s post from a couple of weeks ago.

In a giant leap backwards, the Nicaraguan parliament has yielded to the pressures of religious groups and the Nicaraguan president himself and moved to make therapeutic abortion (abortion to save a mother’s life) illegal and punishable by law in the coutry.

The parliament has left the current sentence for those who practice the abortions in place — six years in prison — in spite of the fact that President Enrique Bolaños was pushing for a much harsher sentence of 20 to 30 years.

Meanwhile, according to Spain’s 20 Minutos, the United Nations and the European Union are “worried”. You see, it’s no coincidence that this is being debated now…election day is just over a week away.

The measure was approved with the help from the left in an attempt to bolster favor for their candidate Daniel Ortega.

According to 20 Minutos, in a joint statement the United Nations and the European Union said:

“given that this is a highly sensitive issue that affects the life, health, and judicial safety of Nicaraguan women,” this issue should not be discussed so close to the November 5th elections.

Reuters reports that hundreds of women protested the passing of the measure outside of the National Assembly Wednesday night, many calling the decision a “death sentence” for pregnant women and a “violation of human rights”.

Via / 20 Minutos and Reuters

Cuba donates 20 hospitals to Bolivia

1:29 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Bolivia|Cuba|Health · 1 Comment

17 Oct 2006

After having already “donated” 20 hospitals to Bolivia, the Cuban government is matching that with another 20, with the help of Venezuela.

Last September, Cuba finished construction on and the equipping of 20 hospitals in rural communities.

In addition, Cuba has also built 7 opthamological centers where the ‘Operación Milagro’ progam is carried out, which are free eye operations for the poor.

These hospitals now have the equipement necessary to do complete diagnoses, from X-rays, ultrasounds, EKGs and lab work, as well as operating rooms and specialized staff, said the minister.

Ten of the 20 new hospitals will follow this pattern and the other ten will receive only basic equipment to get them up and running.

According to Spain’s 20 Minutos, the Cuban Medical Brigade currently has 1,681 of its doctors and nurses in Bolivia, and doctors have performed over 36,000 cataract surgeries.

Earlier this year, Bolivian doctors protested the presence of the Cuban physicians, accusing them of taking away their jobs.

Via / 20 Minutos and BBC News

Soraya succumbs to cancer at 37

7:46 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Health · Comments Off

10 May 2006

soraya%20211-RT.jpg Thanks to a tip from one of our readers (thanks, Kathy) we were alerted to the sad passing of the beautiful and talented Latina singer Soraya.

Soraya, of Colombian descent, was not only an amazing singer songwriter, but she also became a powerful voice for the message of prevention of breast cancer among Latinas, lending her support to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. AP reported on her death in Spanish today:

The singer-songwriter, born on may 10 1969 in New York to Colombian parents, and who had been diagnosed with cancer six years ago, was about to celebrate her first decade of her music career.

Soraya brought the 12 stringed guitar known as “tiple” to the United Stated and sang songs both in Spanish and English.

Soraya even spoke about the importance of prevention and embracing life as she was in the clutches of her illness, posting a letter to her fans on her web site which sends a powerful message, especially as we contemplate her death:

I am confident that my existence will leave a mark on your lives, and will benefit the future of many women, and that the light of my own life will illuminate that of many other families’, reads the letter on her web site.

`I am not losing this battle today because I know that my struggle has not been in vain, but that it will help win a larger battle, that of early detection and prevention of this terrible illness.’

`Now it’s your turn to continue with our mission’

I hope with all of my heart that I can transmit to you my love of life and the you be a channel by which many people may receive this message which could save their lives.’

VL originally wrote about Soraya’s struggle with cancer back in September.

Soraya on Wikipedia

Listen to Soraya’s interview with NPR in 2002

Soraya’s web site (currently down)

Via / Frontera.info

Immigration to the U.S.: Harmful to your health

6:19 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Health|Immigration · 2 Comments

2 Mar 2006

Living here makes you less healthy and more fat:

Millions of Latinos come to America looking for jobs and educations, but remaining here seems to be bad for their health.

The longer Latinos are here, the more likely they are to become obese, to develop diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. And Latinos born here have even higher rates of those illnesses, a new government report shows.

I always thought it was true, and have anecdotal knowledge that tells me that as much as certain types of Latino foods are villified by the mainstream as being unhealthy, people back in the home countries eat a lot better than Latino immigrants in the United States. Sure, tacos and tortas aren’t the best foods available, but they sure as hell beat McDonalds’ hamburgers and Pizza Hut.

A piece of me for you

6:51 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Health|race · 1 Comment

24 Feb 2006

For all of you who are feeling negative about Latino-African American relations in light of recent news stories, here’s a little story that reminds us — pardon the cliché — that we are all just human and we need to help each other out:

The two men each needed a new kidney. Both had been looking for a donor. Paulette Chandler and Alfreda Torres told the Chicago Tribune they each had been separately asking for help for their husbands.

“Lord, bring us a donor,” Chandler said.

“Lord, help me find a way,” Torres hoped.

VivirLatino