Category: Health

All That Power In You: Tulalip Wellness Conference Focuses On Activism

Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon speaks about activism at the Annual Community Wellness Conference.
Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon speaks about activism at the
Annual Community Wellness Conference.

 

Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“With every journey, wherever you go, you’re going to find a way to make a difference in your own way. You could be the next President; you can be the leader of Pokémon Go! Whatever it is you believe in, you have to step up and find a way to make change. Somebody here might be changing the direction of this tribe in five to ten years, or maybe even tomorrow,” said Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon as he expressed to Tulalip’s youth the importance of activism during the first day of the Annual Community Wellness Conference.

This year’s conference, held in the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort Casino, is focusing on Native American activism. The event is a three-day conference held July 28, August 4 and August 11, and is free to the Tulalip community. An outstanding lineup of keynote speakers is scheduled,  including Seattle based Native American carver and activist Rick T. Williams, the Native American sketch comedy group 1491’s, and Native American Emcee Frank Waln.

As the opening speaker for the event, Chairman Sheldon gave a little history of both his, as well as the Tulalip Tribes, background. He spoke greatly of higher education and let the youth know that it is okay to go at their own speed while finding their path.

“Along the way on my educational journey, I learned a little bit about activism,” said Sheldon. “Being active, what are you going to do in life?”

Sheldon explained to conference attendees the signing of the Point Elliot Treaty, the rights the treaty entitles tribes to, and why it is important to exercise those rights. He also spoke about the Occupation of Alcatraz by the American Indian Movement in 1969 and communicated that if you are passionate about a topic you should stand up for what you believe in.

 

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“When we find what really motivates us, we find a way to get there. Is there something there that really hits your heart that you’ve got to get up and protest? You will want to be part of changing the social fabric of society,” said Sheldon. Crude oil, mascot names, equal pay for women, gun rights, and support for the LGBT community are issues that are currently affecting today’s society Sheldon pointed out, and that change can not happen unless you are active.

Sheldon stated that he is excited to see where life takes the group of young Tulalip tribal members. He closed the first day’s workshop with some encouraging words for the youth by stating, “One day you will find something so important to you, you’ll stand up and change the world for the better. You do have all that power in you!”

 

 

US HealthVest breaks ground on new Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital

New hospital fills unmet need for behavioral health in Snohomish County and beyond

 

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Speakers and attendees at the ceremony included: Mayor Jon Nehring of the City of Marysville; Dr. Richard Kresch of US HealthVest; John Nowoj of Mortenson Construction; Jesica Stickles of the Marysville/Tulalip Chamber of Commerce; Teri Gobin of the Tulalip Tribe; Misty Napeahi of the Tulalip Tribe; and Lisa Utter of NAMI Snohomish. Photo/Mortenson Construction

 

 MARYSVILLE, Wash. – (July 26, 2016) –US HealthVest and construction services firm, Mortenson Construction, broke ground today on the Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital at 3955 156th Street Northeast in Marysville. The new 115-bed hospital will provide a full continuum of behavioral health and addiction treatment—including inpatient and day-hospital services—to children, adolescents and adults.

With this new hospital, US HealthVest can extend much-needed services to patients north of Seattle, where communities are experiencing rapid population growth and a heightened need for behavioral healthcare. Specialty programs at Smokey Point will be tailored to the women’s population, patients with co-occurring disorders, the Native American population, veterans, youth, the senior adult population and faith-based groups.

 

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Photo/Mortenson Construction

 

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that Washington has one of the highest prevalence rates for adults with mental health disorders in the country, yet ranked nearly last among all states in the total number of psychiatric beds available per person. Additionally, nearly all hospitals providing adult psychiatric care in Washington had daily occupancy rates exceeding 80 percent compared to 64 percent in community hospitals in   the US; 24 percent of Washington adults met criteria indicating a mental health disorder – the third-highest rate of all states; and approximately 7 percent met further criteria for a serious mental illness that interfered with daily life — ranking Washington No. 2 in the nation.

 

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital rendering. Photo/CollinsWoerman
Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital rendering. Photo/CollinsWoerman

 

The two-story, 71,000-square-foot building was designed by Seattle-based architecture firm CollinsWoerman and will offer semi-private patient rooms, an outpatient clinic and support space including a pharmacy and food service administration. There will also be indoor and outdoor recreational activity areas. Mortenson anticipates the hospital will be completed in summer 2017.

How to keep your pet healthy

How to keep pet healthy

 

By Niki Cleary, Tulalip News 

It’s summer. The flowers are in bloom and the birds are singing and you decided to get your kids a puppy or kitten. Although you may be worried about potty training and chewing there are some common health concerns that should also be on your mind, first and foremost, vaccination.

“Starting at eight weeks old we recommend you start a vaccine series,” explained veterinarian Dr. Alina McLain. “It’s very similar to vaccines in people and prevents against normal puppy and kittenhood diseases that can be transferred between animals and are present in the environment.”

Booster shots have to be administered every three to four weeks afterwards.

“Diseases we’re most concerned about (in dogs) are distemper and parvovirus and rabies,” continued Dr. McLain. “Distemper and parvo are combined into one vaccine. Both diseases can be fatal to dogs. Rabies is required by law. Since rabies is 100% fatal to people, its one that the government cares about.”

The cost of vaccines varies from veterinary office to office. However, if you want to administer the vaccine yourself, vaccines can be purchased for less than $10 at animal supply stores.

“It’s hard to offer price,” said Dr. McLain. “If you get them at the Co-op vaccines cost $6.00, and it can cost $500-$600 to treat the diseases.”

Kennel cough, although not required, is recommended for dogs who are frequently in contact with other dogs.

“If the dog is going to boarding, it’s important,” said Dr. McLain. “Kennel cough is similar to the flu vaccine in people. It’s just as transmissible as the flu is in a person. In a vaccinated dog it can cause the sniffles. In an unvaccinated dog, it can cause pneumonia.”

Dr. McLain said it’s also important to vaccinate cats.

“Again there are three vaccines: feline distemper, feline leukemia and rabies,” she explained. “Feline leukemia is transmissable and comes from sharing water and food bowls. If an infected cat eats from the dish, then your cat eats food, they can get it. It’s very similar to leukemia or AIDS in people.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. We can’t make it go away and it lowers their immune system. A cold in a regular cat is not a big deal, a cold in a leukemia cat can be deadly.”

After their initial puppy and kitten shots, cats and dogs both need booster vaccinations once a year to be protected.

When is it time to go to the vet?

Use common sense and treat your pets like you would your kids, said Dr. McLain.

“If they vomit once or twice but are still perky, eating and drinking, don’t worry. But incessant vomiting or diarrhea for more than two or three days, lethargic or refuses food or water fro more than 24 hours means something is seriously wrong.”

Do not feed your pets human over the counter medications.

“Human drugs are not safe, they are often very toxic to your animals,” said Dr. McLain. “If you have a question about what’s safe, call your vet before you give it to your pet.”

If you have an emergency after hours, there are several emergency vets and 24/hour clinics in the area. Pilchuck Emergency clinic in Snohomish, Diamond Veterinary, and VSC specialty center in Lynwood can all help with after hours emergencies.

Www.veterinarypartner.com is a great resource for pet owners as well.

“The website is vetted by veterinarians,” said Dr. McLain. “It is monitored by veterinarians and the information there is good viable information.”

Exercise class offered at health clinic

Stephen Coombs, CSCS from Summit Rehabilitation and Kendall McCauley, Athletic Trainer, are the exercise class leaders at the Tulalip health clinic.
Stephen Coombs, CSCS from Summit Rehabilitation and Kendall McCauley, Athletic Trainer, are the exercise class leaders at the Tulalip health clinic.

 

By Veronica Leahy, Karen I Fryberg Tulalip Health Clinic

Have you heard of the exercise class we offer at the Tulalip Health Clinic? Our class leaders are Kendall McCauley, Athletic Trainer, and Stephen Coombs, CSCS from Summit Rehabilitation.

Kendall has been in practice for over 11 years and has spent the last seven working for Summit Rahab. She graduated in 2004 from Barry University in Florida then came back to her roots in the Pacific Northwest. Her personal interests include baseball, exploring the outdoors, crafting, spending time with her children and riding motorcycles.

Stephen has been working in the PT field for over four years. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a USA Track and Field Level-1 Coach. His personal interests include running, hiking and camping. Stephen is also interested in furthering his career in PT and will be applying to physical therapy schools this summer.

We all know how important it is to stay active and we know how great we feel after exercising, but at times it’s hard to motivate ourselves. Sometimes we lose sight of what’s most important, our health.

Tulalip Health Clinic has teamed up with Summit Rehabilitation to provide a place where patients can learn to exercise to improve strength, endurance, speed and power. Our ultimate goal is to help create healthier lifestyles and further independent living. We do that by using body weight movement and a variety of exercise equipment ranging from free weights to rowing and treadmill machines. When the weather permits, we’ll get outside for some fresh air and take a stroll along the newly built walking trail. We will also be offering some new group activities such as chair yoga on the lawn.

If you’re ready to use what you have and do what you can, contact your doctor to request an authorization for exercise.

Our summer hours are Tuesdays and Fridays 8:00-11:00 a.m.

Summertime smoothies with Tulalip kids

SmoothieClass-1

 

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

 

Tulalip Health Clinic Diabetes Care and Prevention held a cooking class at the Boys & Girls Club on Friday June 24, 2016. The class, held for children attending TRAILS diabetes prevention program, focused on food safety. Students received work packets containing information about germs and bacteria, cleanliness, kitchen etiquette, safety, and food temperature.

After washing their hands thoroughly, the students were ready for the cooking demonstration. With a table full of fruit and vegetables, the instructor informed the class that they would be making smoothies. The first round of smoothies went to members of the Wisdom Warrior Elders, who were enjoying watching the kids learn about food safety.

“Having our Wisdom Warrior elders present was a vital part of this day. Our elders were there to pray and participate with the kids. They loved watching them interact with the food, the recipes they were creating, and sharing their smoothies with [the students],” stated Veronica ‘Roni’ Leahy, Tulalip Health Clinic Diabetes Care and Prevention Program Coordinator.

Veronica explained that the students in the cooking class are currently developing their own cookbooks. Program staff hopes these books serve as both a reminder of the importance of healthy choices as well as the fun and memories that were created during these classes at the Boys & Girls Club.

The excitement and eagerness to learn were qualities all of the students possessed that afternoon. Each student was respectful, listened intently, and followed instructions perfectly during class.

Veronica stated, “Teaching the children at the Boys and Girls Club about food safety was an important part of the lesson plan for the day. We would like to say thank you to Karen Knopp, Food Safety Inspector, for developing a lesson plan targeted at the age of our kids in the TRAILS Program.  Hearing the kids questions and seeing them respond to the food after the teaching was really special because they were truly listening and applying what they learned while they made their own smoothies. I would also like to say thank you to Klesick Family Farms, they offer outstanding service and beautiful fruits and vegetables. We teach how to use the foods and we order enough boxes of food for the kids to take home for their families to enjoy.”

 

SmoothieClass-2

 

Summer Berry Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/4 cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 fresh ripe banana
  • 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
  • 1 cup vanilla soymilk
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup coconut water ice cubes

Nutrition:

This smoothie is rich in manganese, vitamin C, and B12 from the fortified soymilk. It is also a good source of fiber and potassium. You can add a scoop protein powder to give it and extra boost protein. Add some flax seeds, chia seeds or flax oil to give it a boost of healthy omega fatty acids.

Directions

  • Add the soymilk, frozen fruit, maple syrup, cider vinegar, ice and sea salt to blender. Blend until chunky-smooth
  • Add in the fresh banana. Blend until smooth
  • Lastly, add in the fresh strawberries and pulse blend for a few more rounds – you don’t want to mush up the berries though

Serve: Garnish with fresh fruit and enjoy!

Public Health Alert: Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in Tulalip

This health alert is to advise the community of a recent increase in Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in Tulalip.  
 
HFMD infection spreads quickly and should NOT be confused with the chicken pox (more info below).  
 
If your child or family member has symptoms of HFMD, take the child or family member to their medical provider:
                                                                             
First few days:
o   Fever
o   Reduced appetite
o   Sore throat
o   Feeling unwell (malaise)
 
 A day or two later: 
o   Painful sores in the mouth, usually starting in the back of the mouth
o   The sores often start as small red spots that blister then turn to ulcers.
 
 Over a few days:
·         Similar spots (red spots that may blister) on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
·         Other, less common places for the spots are: knees, elbows, buttocks, and genital area.  
 
 
HFMD Spreads VERY easily.  Prevent the spread by: 
·         Frequent handwashing with soap and water:
o   Always after touching any blister or sore
o   Before preparing food and/or eating
o   Before caring for babies
o   After using the toilet/changing diapers
·         Cleaning surfaces touched by anyone with HFMD (including toys, counters, dishes, etc.)
o   First clean with soap and water
o   Then disinfect with a solution made of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water (e.g. 2 Tablespoons bleach in 1¼ cup water)
·         Avoid close contact (kissing hugging, sharing cups, forks, spoons, etc.) with anyone with HFMD
·         Keep infants and sick children out of school, daycare, and other gatherings until they are well.
·         Monitor sick children and see a doctor right away if:
o   There is a high fever that doesn’t go down, 
o   The baby/child is not as alert as normal, or 
o   You think the baby/child needs to be seen (isn’t getting better, something is “off,” etc.)
·         Cough and sneeze into your elbow and teach children to do the same
·         Immediately throw away used tissues, diapers, etc. in trash bins with lids
 
HFMD is not preventable with a vaccine.  You can get HFMD more than once.  There is no benefit to getting or spreading HFMD.  
 
HFMD is NOT “chicken pox” (varicella), nor is it related.  Currently, there are NO confirmed cases of chicken pox at this time.  HFMD rash is more common on the hands, feet, and in the mouth; chicken pox rash is more common on the chest/back/abdomen.  If you would like to learn about chicken pox: http://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/  All children should be vaccinated against chicken pox twice: on or shortly after their 1stbirthday and again before kindergarten.  

Thank you for your attention and for caring for your community.

Climate Change and Health: What Everyone Needs to Know, May 14

 Dr. Ken Lans will speak about global climate change and its health effects at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 14, 2016 in the Everett Public Library Auditorium, 2702 Hoyt Avenue in Everett. 
 
Lans argues that we are already seeing health (and monetary) costs from heat waves and storms and from their resultant fires, floods, and droughts. He will also explore less-obvious health dangers like spreading infectious diseases, conflicts arising from food and water shortages, movement of climate refugees, and air-pollution’s role in aggravating existing conditions like heart disease, asthma, and other respiratory illness. He will end his presentation by talking about how concerned citizens can help forestall these dangerous health threats by aiding efforts to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. 
 
Ken Lans, MD, MBA is a retired general practice physician and founding board member (in 1979) of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR), an organization of healthcare professionals committed to enhancing socially just and life-enhancing policies regarding nuclear issues, climate change, environmental toxins, and other risks to human health. He is a Climate Leader with the Climate Reality Project, a non-governmental organization whose mission is  to “catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every level of society.”
 
For further information, please call 425-257-8000.