WNC Wellness review: Coffee drinking leads to reduced stroke in women

  • YWCA Wellness Open House March 29:

“We will be hosting a Wellness Open House on Tuesday, March 29 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Local health practitioners will be present. There will be free chair massages, health screenings, giveaways and more. Also, the YW will waive the joining fee for anyone who signs up for Club W: The YWCA Health & Fitness Center on March 29. Find out more by calling 254-7206 x 203. ” – [ywcaofasheville.org] 

• Whooping cough raises concerns in Hendersonville:

“In February, a local child care center in Henderson County was affected by cases of whooping cough, according to an official at the Henderson County Health Department. Fifty people were also given preventative measures after the cases were reported, according to Linda Weldon, communicable disease lead nurse at the Health Department. Weldon added that according to Epinotes, a publication from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2009 the state had 216 cases of whooping cough reported. In 2010, there were 153 cases reported.” – [BlueRidgeNow.com] 

• McDowell Hospital recruits telehealth robot named ‘Otto’:

“Otto, which was purchased through a grant to the hospital from the state’s Department of Health & Human Services, enables physicians from Mission Hospital in Asheville to communicate virtually with McDowell patients. Mission Hospital see more than 2,000 patient transfers a year, but remote access to Mission physicians through Otto allows patients to receive the care they need while staying closer to home.” – [Becker’s Hospital Review] 

• Doctor’s Day to be celebrated March 31 in Asheville:

“The WNC/ Buncombe County Medical Society (WNC/BCMS) honors and thanks local physicians at a special ‘Doctor’s Day’ event on Thursday, March 31 from 6am to 10am in the lobby of Mission Hospital. ‘Doctor’s Day gives us an opportunity to say thanks to physicians who work tirelessly every day to keep their patients and our community healthy,’ notes Miriam Schwarz, CEO, and WNC/BCMS. ” – [Ashvegas]

• Ladies Night Out program offers free health screenings for women:

“Ladies Night Out, typically held the first Thursday of every month, offers free physicals, mammograms, pap smears, refreshments and health education for uninsured and underinsured women. But according to one of the program’s most loyal volunteers, the experience is anything but cold and clinical.” – [Asheville Citizen-Times]

• Asheville-area health experts offer tips on dietary cleanses:

“Whether it’s a kick-start to a spring weight-loss goal, a fasting regimen in honor of Lent or just a way to detoxify from a day of Mardi Gras indulgences, a cleanse could be the perfect way to eliminate some of the thousands of toxins that most people let into their bodies every day.” – [Asheville Citizen-Times]

• Local VA working to eliminate exam backlog in region:

“As part of The VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, Charles George VA Medical Center will tackle the growing backlog of Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams during three one-week sessions beginning in March. ” – [Mountain Xpress] 

• Coffee drinking linked to reduced stroke risk in women:

“Drinking more than a cup of coffee a day was associated with a 22 percent to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with those who drank less, in a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.” – [centredaily.com]

Opinion: • Why Gou Ji Berries?:

“Gou Ji berries have become a health trend in the past few years. […] Lately I have discovered that several of the natural food stores in Asheville, NC are not able to obtain it for their shelves. But contrary to popular belief, this tonic herb should not be used for general consumption.” – [Bartlett Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine]

Please submit WNC health & wellness info to: mxhealth@mountainx.com