To Your Health!

The Bethany Beach Town Council voted 6-1 on Friday, April 18, to adopt the smoking ban the town has spent the last seven months debating and turning into legislation. With the vote, the town became the first in the state of Delaware to ban smoking on a public beach. Such bans already exist in many California beach towns, as well as on the Great Lakes and in New England.

Delaware's C-section rate in 1995 statewide was 21.48%; in 2005, it was 29.94%. Sussex County's C-section rate in 1995 was 21.58%; in 2005, it was 33%. VBACs statewide in 1995 were 3.52%; no statistics were available for 2005. (source: CDC)

Many people waver before reaching for a bottle of multivitamins from the store shelf. Perhaps worse, others go right for a bottle that very well may not be what they need at all.

In weeks leading up to the start of summer, hundreds of people turn to healthy and active lifestyles, hoping to shed those last few pounds before slipping back into their swimsuits. It’s the athletic regiment and discipline of the beach patrol that should draw the most attention, however.

With the ever-increasing presence of computers and the Internet in the home, the availability of information on every topic a person could dream of is ballooning. And one of the most common search subjects on the vast World Wide Web is health, as the vast majority of U.S. users of the Internet use their computers to seek out information on health-related topics.

Over the past decades, tens of thousands of individuals have struggled with eating disorders and food addictions, many with minimal results. Until recently, many proposed solutions have failed — primarily because they lack one important component: support.

Growing up in New Jersey, near Rutgers University, Kim Furtado always knew she wanted to be a doctor, but it took a little more than insight to figure out her true calling — naturopathic medicine.

What started as a small endeavor under founder Dr Raymond Yow — the first urologist on the Eastern Shore — has grown into a bustling practice in Salisbury and Berlin, Md., with four doctors, one physician’s assistant and one nurse practitioner. And Peninsula Urology Associates recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of their new satellite office in Millville.

Every organ in the body is connected with and controlled by nerves from the spinal cord and brain, so it’s no wonder that keeping the spine in check can involve scores of preventative measures, including visits to a chiropractor.

Diane Clark of Wholesome Habits understands that her store just outside Bethany Beach may be a little intimidating to newcomers, but as many people are finding out, the full-line, health-conscious store provides a variety of products and a multitude of information of the kinds that are giving millions of people worldwide a healthier outlook on life.

While we’ve been talking mostly about “active” fitness technology in our series of stories on health tech, I don’t think many would argue about the value of good sleep in overall health, so this month, I’d like to look a little at some high-tech options that could help you get a little more quality in your Z’s.

There will be an open house this Saturday, March 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Delaware Hospice Center, Independence Commons, 100 Patriots Way in Milford. The center, which is the first free-standing hospice center in Delaware, is scheduled to open to patients in April.

With a cancer diagnosis, one of the first things one might need is emotional support, access to education and, most importantly, hope. The last thing one needs is to think about where to get those and how to pay for them. That’s where The Wellness Community comes in.

I’ve been Betamaxed.

Actually, the realization just hit me that many of you might not remember Betamax, and the battle for technological supremacy it had with VHS during the 1980s. An even scarier thought is the notion that some of you might not even be familiar with the VHS format. So, in a nutshell, I got Betamaxed, and I’m getting old.

In this second part of our story on health technology, we’ll be looking at some alternative exercise devices and online dieting options.

Office work gets moving

June Taylor, or “Nurse June,” as she is known by her patients, has been instrumental in schools across the state, providing medical advice, care and assistance to young and old in the education facility.

Walking into the Integrative Health Department of Beebe Medical Center even smells different than any other part of the hospital. There’s not a gown or hospital bed in sight (except the one used for massage!). Soft music plays, the sound of water is flowing from the room and it is surrounded with live, green plants.

So, I basically lit my head on fire the other night.

Would-be health professionals can become a member of the rapidly expanding health care field by taking the evening nurses’ assistant course offered through Delaware Technical & Community College, Owens Campus.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) basic classes for the general public and refresher courses designed for healthcare professionals are available at Delaware Technical & Community College, Owens Campus.

Delaware’s Division of Public Health (DPH) is urging Delawareans who have not yet had their influenza shots to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Reports indicate that influenza is spreading in New York City and other areas, increasing the possibility that more cases may occur in Delaware, officials said.

Motherwell, a Peninsula Regional Medical Center-sponsored health and fitness program for pregnant women and new mothers, is currently being held in Salisbury.

The Arthritis Foundation Delaware Branch, in conjunction with Beebe Medical Hospital, Delaware Rheumatology Society, and CHEER Community Center, is hosting a free seminar for the public to discuss the latest information regarding back pain and arthritis.

The seminar is being held on Friday, Feb. 22, 1-4 p.m. at the CHEER Community Center, 20520 Sand Hill Road Georgetown.

Beebe Medical Center Rehabilitation Services has announced that, effective Feb. 18, the outpatient services at Beebe Physical Therapy-Millville, located at Creekside Plaza, 203 Atlantic Avenue, will include occupational therapy and speech therapy services.

The Lighthouse Restaurant, located at Fisherman’s Wharf, 7 Anglers Road, Lewes, is offering the restaurant’s pavilion area as the site for an American Cancer Society (ACS) benefit on Sunday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Beebe Medical Center offers a link to a Web site about herb and supplement safety as a service of the Integrative Health Department. The Web site, linked through www.beebemed.org, will take visitors to the Natural Medicine database, where they can view information that is updated every 24 hours and includes vital information on herb and supplement safety, uses and interactions.

The Lower Delaware Autism Foundation’s Autism Ball and Auction for Hope is slated for Saturday, March 15. This year’s event will again be held at the Bay Center in Dewey Beach. The new theme encourages guests to see the “Wonder” in the individuals LDAF serves and “Imagine the Possibilities” of what is possible with the community’s support.

The 4th annual Community Heart Fair, hosted by Beebe Medical Center, will be held Thursday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.

“I’m excited, because this is my first year as community health nurse coordinator,” said Peggy Diehl, coordinator of the event.

Bethany Beach Town Council members voted 5-1 on Friday, Feb. 15, in favor of drafting legislation that would ban smoking year 'round in the town's parks and playgrounds, and in its boardwalk bandstand area at Garfield Parkway. Smoking would also be banned on the rest of the boardwalk and on the town's beach during the summer season, from May 15 through Sept. 15, with the exception of designated smoking areas at the eastern edge of the new dunes. The seasonal beach ban includes "wet" areas of the beach -- its swimming and fishing zones.