Soda and Sugary Drinks Lead to Dangerous and Life-Threatening Disease

In direct opposition to its reputation as a slice of good ol’ American fun, soda and sugary drinks provide both adults and children with a large list of very serious and life-threatening health problems.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, (CSPI), has presented a list of "Soda Facts 101" on their website, in conjunction with a very eye opening video about the real health risks attributed to the consumption of these types of beverages. Click here to learn more and see this important video:

http://www.cspinet.org/

Sugary drinks are the single-largest source of calories in the American diet. Those calories equal 38 pounds of sugar and are devoid of nutrition. Drinking just one or two of these beverages a day increases your risk for Type 2 Diabetes by 25%. Each sugary drink consumed per day increases a child’s risk of obesity by about 60%. Diabetes increases an individual’s possibility for amputations and erectile dysfunction. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and many other health problems. These dangers can be easily avoided by eliminating these drinks from our diets. This is a very easy way to greatly reduce the risk of many of these dangerous and chronic illnesses.

Big soda would have us think differently. Our children see soda commercials and logos everywhere. They are on clothing, stuffed animals and featured as advertisers during children and youth television programs. By making the choice away from sugary drinks, we ultimately help our children avoid the awful outcomes of these diseases.

Locally, re:THINK Winnebago is active promoting health lifestyles and nutrition. Check out their EatSmart resources for dining out:

http://www.rethinkwinnebago.org/nutrition_initiatives.html

contributed by guest blogger Kim Hageman

http://www.survivingoshkosh.com/　

http://www.facebook.com/SurvivingOshkosh　

　

Doctors Prescribe Fruits and Vegetables to Encourage Healthier Eating

In a remarkable new program, Unity Healthcare and Community Non-Profits in Washington, D.C. is giving 35 families "prescriptions" for $60 a week in fruits and vegetables from local farmers markets. According to Mirna Valdez of Unity Healthcare, this will help patients understand the importance of a healthy diet.　 　

"It makes them feel like, they think medicine is important for their health, but also the vegetables", says Valdez.　

By honoring the prescription at 5 different farmers markets throughout the city, patients are also being exposed to the wide variety of produce that is available. For Janet Lopez, an eighteen year-old mother of two, she is already feeling the impact. She says, "I feel healthier because I’m eating stuff that I need and I should be eating".

To read the larger article and see the NBC Latino report, go to this link:

http://nbclatino.com/2012/07/31/doctors-prescribe-fruits-and-vegetables-literally-to-encourage-healthy-eating/

To see some of the healthy food initiatives in Winnebago County, click on the link here:

http://www.rethinkwinnebago.org/nutrition_initiatives.html.

MARC!

Partnerships work! Re:THINK, a program of the Winnebago County Health Department recently teamed up with the Oshkosh Area School District on a special project. MARC (Make A Right Choice) is an 8 foot tall kiosk installed with a video monitor, which will play Public Service Announcements and other important informational media. Beginning with topics such as the dangers of binge drinking, MARC will be seen in public places such as festivals, pools, parks and events. Shaped like a giant red exclamation point, you can be sure this will be a noticeable tool to help our community promote the importance of being healthy and substance free.

We thank the Oshkosh Area School District Woodworking Department for all of their energy and expertise in developing MARC! 

Synthetic Drugs Banned With New Federal Law

Have you heard the words “K2”, “Spice” and “Bath Salts” in recent news broadcasts and wondered what they were? These are names for dangerous synthetic drugs that have been sold over the counter in stores across the country. Poison Centers reported severe side effects from using these synthetic substances to include: increased blood pressure and heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions, suicidal thoughts, combative/violent behavior and death or serious injury.

On July 11, 2012, President Obama signed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 into law. This places these synthetic compounds under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act and will serve as a valuable tool in keeping these substances off the shelves. Although this law will have an impact on the sales of these drugs nationwide, Federal agencies will have to continue to update the list of banned substances, as new synthetic compounds emerge.

We are fortunate that our state and community was way ahead of the game! In February 2011, an ordinance was passed banning the sale of K2 in our local area. One year ago, in July 2011, our state passed a law to ban these synthetic drugs. As a community we need to remain watchful, as there will be new types of synthetics coming, and diligent, to make sure the new substances are banned. You can read more about these issues here: http://rethinkwinnebago.blogspot.com/2012/06/emerging-drug-threats-right-under-our.html.

We all need to get involved! re:THINK ,Winnebago's Healthy Living Partnership, has a Substance Prevention Committee that is open to anyone ready to join and welcomes new members. The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, September 20th, 1-3PM at the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. You can also check out the re:THINK website for other ways to take action: http://www.rethinkwinnebago.org/take_action.html. Help push drugs out of our community now!

Kim Hageman
http://www.survivingoshkosh.com/
http://www.facebook.com/SurvivingOshkosh

Emerging Drug Threats: Right Under our Noses

Recently, I was part of a coalition that developed a fairly comprehensive toolkit on prescription drug abuse. I've since been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel throughout Wisconsin giving presentations on prescription drug abuse, and for each of these I start with the question, "When you hear the words 'drug abuse,' what drugs come to mind?"

Answers I always get include: marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other street drugs, but people never think of listing prescription drugs. Unfortunately, we can now also add a suite of new designer drugs to the list synthetic drugs like K2/Spice and "bath salts."

I can hear the sighs from here; another emerging drug threat? Yet another trend to keep up with, and even more substances to worry about when it comes to our teens' health and safety?

Many communities around the country are experiencing problems with several new synthetic drugs. I won't go into great length about what these products are and what the effects of taking them are, as The Partnership at Drugfree.org recently created an excellent parent kit on synthetics that gives details about these new substances and what you can do to prevent teens from using these drugs.

I will, however, tell you what they are. While these products are typically marketed like incense, potpourri or bath salts (the kind that you actually use in a bathtub), they are not intended for this type of use. Upon closer examination, the packets clearly do not contain any of these products. Here in Northeast Wisconsin, law enforcement agencies have recently been encountering these synthetic cannabinoids in convenience stores, smoke shops and adult toy stores. The prices for these products range from about $19.95 to $39.95 for a small three-gram container. Clearly, most consumers would not purchase three grams of potpourri or spa bath salts for that amount of money. These prices are actually more in line with traditional drugs such as marijuana or cocaine. Another frightening thought: since they are marketed as incense, potpourri or bath salts, anyone "regardless of age" can purchase them. We have actually seen these products in convenience stores at the counter right next to candy bars!

In March of 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enacted an emergency measure to place several of the compounds commonly found in these synthetic drugs on the controlled substances schedule. Here in WI, a law was passed last July to ban these compounds, and many communities have followed with the passage of local ordinances. One thing we have learned is that the manufacturers of these substances will place stickers on their products or provide lab reports that their product does not contain any of the banned compounds, but investigations from across the state have shown that products seized have tested positive regardless of the letters or stickers.

What does this mean for you as parents? It means that we need to work together to keep up on the current trends in substance abuse. It is an ever changing world for us parents. Between texting, smart phones and hundreds of channels on television, life has changed for many of us! Substances that are abused also change with the times. K2/Spice and "bath salts" have been an eye opener for not only myself, but many of my partners in law enforcement. The Wisconsin Crime Prevention Practitioners Association worked to create a drug bulletin highlighting these new threats to our youth. Law enforcement agencies across the country are taking steps like this to help their communities stay informed.
Stay educated, and remember to keep talking to the kids in your life about the dangers of these and other substances.

Written by guest blogger Jason Weber Community Liaison Officer with the Town of Menasha Police Department. This blog was featured on PACT360

Stay educated, and remember to keep talking to the kids in your life about the dangers of these and other substances.

Stay tuned for PSA's to be aired at Marcus Cinemas in Oshkosh over the Nov-Jan holiday season on prescription abuse prevention.