Happy Holidays!

Over the course of December, many holidays will be celebrated. In addition to many celebrations of fun national days like National Cookie Day, Brownie Day and Cupcake Day we also celebrate traditions that have been happening for generations. 

This year, Hannukah began on December 4th and ended on December 10th. Hannukah is an 8-day celebration in which a candle is added the menorah after sundown. The ninth candle, the shamash, is used to light the others. Learn more about Hannukah here!

Lots of people like to celebrate Winter Solstice, which is the changing of the seasons and happens on December 21st. It is also the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. The solstice is important as is only happens twice a year including June. In many cultures, the solstice holds important meanings. 

Festivus is celebrated on December 23rd. This celebration was made popular by an episode of Seinfeld in the 90s but has been celebrated for many many years prior. This is a holiday that is considered an alternative to others to help those escape the pressures of the over commercialized holiday season. One activity that takes place is the "airing of grievances." 

Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. It is an ancient holiday that tons of people partake in, in many different ways. People like to spend time with family and friends as well as exchanging gifts.

December 26th is the start of Kwanzaa. This holiday is celebrated by millions of people worldwide. Kwanzaa honors it's seven principles which are Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, and Imani. 

Lastly is New Year's Eve on December 31st! This day is meant for reminiscing on the past years' events and bringing in the new year! Break out the pots and pans and let's make some resolutions for 2019!

S.A.D.

Seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD is a type of depression that is related to the changes in the seasons. Most people with SAD tend to develop symptoms in the fall and they continue onward until the end of winter. This can be due to multiple factors including a lack of sunlight, colder temperatures and reduced activity due to the aforementioned. 

Symptoms of people that have SAD may start out mild but then gradually increase. These can include:

• loss of interest in activities
• having low energy
• having trouble sleeping
• inability to concentrate
• appetite changes
• anxiety

Is it important to know when you or someone around you is being affected by SAD and to take the necessary steps to get help. Self-care is highly important, particularly around this time of the year. SAD can be treated in several ways. 

• For information on treatment and diagnosis, visit here!
• Signs and Symptoms of SAD
• Ways to get more light and activity in during the winter.

Produce Connect at PrimaryOne Health®

As Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” PrimaryOne Health (P1H), in partnership with Mid-Ohio Foodbank, did just that in a produce prescription initiative called Produce Connect. Produce Connect allows PrimaryOne Health to screen patients for diabetes, weight loss, and other health factors as well as food insecurity. In order to address food access as a social determinant of health, patients are connected to healthy food options through Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s Partner Agency pantries. These pantries are considered “Choice Pantries” as patients are able to choose culturally appropriate foods in quantities that fit their households. Patients were tracked through the Foodbank’s proprietary software, PantryTrak, to record the number of visits and demographic information on the household per Feeding America and state regulated standards. Identified patients were given a key card, very similar to a Kroger Plus or Giant Eagle Rewards card that, on one side scanned their information into the PantryTrak system, but on the reverse, allow them discounts via P1H’s 340B program, as these patients often overlap.

First initiated in 2011, with food boxes being picked up onsite, this program began to grow with grant funds from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Starting at one health center site and partnering with three pantries in 2015, has now grown to be offered at all ten of P1H’s health centers with a list of 12 pantry locations. With approximately 40% of P1H patients screening as food insecure, nearly 10,000 unique patients have come through the program with a fill rate of 41%. Diabetic patients tended to visit either less than twice in one year or went to the pantry on average of 13+ times a year. These patients saw a more than 1% decrease in their A1c numbers. Weight loss patients saw decreases in weight coinciding with increased pantry visits, 0-2 visits saw .2 pounds lost, 3-12 visits saw 5.8 pounds lost, and 12 or more visits saw 11 pounds lost.

This work clearly shows that when our patients know better, AND have access to services, they do better. In thinking of patients as an iceberg, what is treated is what is seen above the water, but what lies beneath, are the conditions in the environments in which they are born, live, work, play, and worship that affect their health, functioning, quality of life and risks, which account for over 80% of overall health outcomes. PrimaryOne Health in partnership with Mid-Ohio Foodbank is doing a small part to help patients get the services that they need to lead holistically healthy lives.

Post submitted by:
Yolanda Owens | Associate Director of Marketing & Development
PrimaryOne Health