PRIMED

Associates in Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, a PriMed Group, 501 Kings Highway, Fairfield, CT

In response to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission’s critical need for essential and often costly toiletry items for homeless guests, PriMed and MED3000 employees rallied together and donated over 50 care packages to the Rescue Mission.

Healthcare providers from PriMed, a multi-specialty physician’s group with over 110 providers and 36 locations in Connecticut and employees from MED3OOO, a national provider of healthcare management and technology services with an office in Shelton, filled backpacks and tote bags with items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, laundry detergent, dish soap, and winter hats and gloves in a Christmas Compassion in Action campaign.

“Bridgeport Rescue Mission is truly grateful for this donation of these practical and much-needed items for the men and women in our shelters.  More importantly, these gifts tell our residents and guests that they’re cared for and loved,” said Bridgeport Rescue Mission Executive Director Terry Wilcox.

PriMed Physician Dr. John L. Maiocco's Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Office, 4699 Main St., Bridgeport, CT

“In these tough economic times so many families have a limited income and even no income.  We wanted to help lighten the financial load by donating these critical items and also enjoy the rewarding experience of giving back to our community,” said PriMed’s Director of Practice Development Stacey Porto.

With the mission of fighting poverty from the inside out by providing a place of hope and dignity through a yearlong educational program, biblical counseling and case management, the Bridgeport Rescue Mission provided, from January to December 2011, 40,150 nights of shelter (an average of 110 per night) and 610,011 meals (an average of 1,671 per day).  They provide meals to students in a yearlong recovery program, overnight guests, and low income members of the community who come to their doors on a daily basis for a warm meal or meals.

For more information on the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, visit www.bridgeportrescuemission.org.

PriMed Physician Dr. Larry Novik's Family Medicine Office, 325 Reef Road, Fairfield, CT

PriMed Physicians R. Scott Prewitt, M.D. and Michael Connolly, M.D., Pediatrics & Internal Medicine Office, 2900 Main Street, Stratford, CT

November is American Diabetes Month®, a time to raise awareness of the disease and how to prevent or manage it so as to live a healthy and longer life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the next four decades, the number of U.S. adults with diabetes is estimated to double or triple, which means that anywhere from 20 to 33 percent of adults could have the disease. Currently, 1 in 9 adults have diabetes.

With so many people living with diabetes, it’s important to understand ways to lower the risk of health complications and, ideally, prevent the disease.  A key measure in diabetes management and prevention is through healthy meal planning. PriMed Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator Lisa Bishop encourages people living with diabetes to improve health with healthy food choices in addition to taking other measures such as engaging in physical activity and not smoking.

“People living with diabetes know that it can be a challenge to choose a wide variety of healthy foods that they enjoy but, with a little help, it is possible,” said Lisa.  “Nutritional counseling addresses a person’s nutritional needs and medical concerns such as diabetes, while taking into consideration a person’s lifestyle and cultural preferences.”

Lisa says that eating a variety of foods provides a balanced and nutritious diet, which helps to maintain health as well as manage diabetes and help prevent other medical conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Lisa recommends the following healthy food choices:

• Breads:  Joseph’s or other low carbohydrate wraps and pitas, Deli Flats and 100 calorie bagel thins
• Deli:  Hummus and low fat cheese such as Cabot 75% or other reduced fat cheese
• Fresh Produce:  Choose from all color groups to get a wide variety of nutrients; focus on non-starchy vegetables such as cauliflower and spinach
• Meat/Fish:  Ground beef 90% lean, turkey and chicken breast-skinless, pork tenderloin and fish high in omega 3 fatty acids such as lake trout, sardines, tuna and mackerel
• Dairy:  Unsweetened plain Greek yogurt or “light” yogurt, low fat milk, sugar-free pudding
• Condiments:  Salsa, reduced-sodium soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, light mayonnaise, and unsweetened applesauce.

To make an appointment with Lisa, please call PriMed’s Nutritional Counseling office at 203-427-8192.  Please note that this number will change after December 1 to 203-371-7048.

For more information on American Diabetes Awareness month, visit  www.diabetes.org.

PriMed Internal Medicine of Trumbull celebrates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in pink. From left to right (top): Dr. William Hulcher, Dr. Arnold Peterson, Dr. Guido Napolitano, Candace Diaz, Joanne Toth, Denise McNamara, Evelyn Mensah, and Amy Raveis.

In recognition of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness month, the PriMed family of providers is dedicated to educating women on the importance of early detection through regular screenings to help combat the disease.

Since the breast cancer awareness program began in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older and breast cancer deaths have declined. Even with this progress though, there are still women who do not take advantage of early detection.

“Breast cancer is most treatable when it’s found early through regular mammograms and clinical breast exams,” says Dr. Guido Napolitano of PriMed Internal Medicine in Trumbull, CT. “The best way for women to lower their risk of dying from the disease is through regular screening, along with monthly self-exams.”

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States (other than skin cancer) and in 2011, more than 230,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. But, with the increased awareness and education of the disease, more and more women are regularly screened resulting in the decline of breast cancer deaths.

Another way to help in the fight against breast cancer is to encourage the women in your life to receive mammograms on a regular basis. Many more lives can be saved if even more women went for regular screening, which improves their chance of the disease being diagnosed early and consequently, treating it more successfully.

For more  information and resources on breast cancer, visit these websites below.

American Cancer Society (ACS)

Breast Cancer Network of Strength®

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

National Breast Cancer Foundation

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Oncology Nursing Society

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer booklet by the National Cancer Institute