The Power of Spices Page 2 Helpful Hints: Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy Page 4 Same Day Care Page 6 SPRING 2018
THE POWER OF SPICES You ve probably heard the saying, Variety is the spice of life. Well, take it to heart (and to health), because cooking with a variety of spices can help you live a healthier life in many ways. In fact, spices are some of the most potent ingredients in your kitchen for taste and for curing what ails you. For thousands of years, spices have been harvested from the seeds, roots and leaves of plants known for their powerful flavors and medicinal qualities. And, after decades of research, it seems the centuries-old wives tales have been proven true. Below are the five spices with the most powerful health benefits, each of which has been extensively researched. Plus, we ll also suggest a few ways you can add them (delectably and easily) into your daily diet: GARLIC Truth is, garlic is quite possibly the healthiest spice (and food!) in the world. Garlic (Allium sativum) is closely related to the onion and has been revered for five thousand years, not only for its culinary value but also for warding off disease. Garlic is known to have antimicrobial properties that can help fight infections, including the common cold. There s also evidence that garlic helps lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, and improves overall heart health. That s not all. Garlic is renowned as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and it s packed with nutrients. The main medicinal properties of garlic are in a compound called allicin which is only formed after a clove has been cut or crushed and exposed to oxygen for approximately 10 minutes. Once the allicin is formed, much of it will remain even if cooked. Recipe Ideas: Go ahead, eat garlic raw for the most powerful health benefits. Marinate it into a robust tomato salad. Blend up a pesto with garlic, fresh basil and nuts. Whip up a hummus with garlic, garbanzo beans and tahini. Or cook garlic into any number of dishes from Chinese stir-fries to spaghetti sauce. GINGER The root (or underground stem) of the ginger plant is the part harvested for its flavor and medicinal benefits. Ginger also has thousands of years of history, particularly in Asian and Indian cuisine. It s known for relieving a number of ailments of the digestive tract, including nausea, motion sickness and, research indicates, it may also help reduce the risk of colon cancer. LARGE PRINT OR OTHER LANGUAGES If you need this newsletter in large print, in other formats or languages, read aloud, or need another copy, call 303-602-2116 or 1-800-700-8140. For TTY, call 711. Call Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at no cost to you. Si usted habla español, tenemos a su disposiciónservicios de asistencia, gratuitos, en su idioma. Llame al 1-800-700-8140 (State Relay 711). 2
Recipe Ideas: Ginger s spicy, zesty flavor is delicious in stir-fries, marinades and baked goods (think ginger snaps!), as well as cold, citrusy summer beverages. Ginger tea, made by simply boiling and steeping slices of fresh ginger root in water, is a satisfying beverage that can help soothe a cold or flu by warming the body from within. TUMERIC Curry gets its bright yellow-orange color from the spice tumeric, a root which contains several medicinal compounds, the most potent of which is curcumin. According to several research studies, this compound is said to be as effective at reducing inflammation as some anti-inflammatory drugs. Also an antioxidant, this powerful spice shows promise in helping to treat cancer. Recipe Ideas: Cook up some Indian specialties, like Tandoori Chicken or the nutritious lentil dish, dahl. Then, try to get even more creative with this versatile, mild spice by adding it to sweet potato soup, rice with almonds, and coconut pie. Rub it on chicken wings before throwing them on the grill. Or, for the ultimate in nutrition, blend up a carrot, tumeric, ginger smoothie. CHILI PEPPERS Chili peppers, including cayenne pepper, get their medicinal properties from a substance called capsaicin, which is what gives them their fiery-hot spiciness. You may have heard the term capsaicin on TV, touted as a topical analgesic. That s because several clinical studies have shown that capsaicin creams can temporarily relieve chronic pain due to arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. When eaten, chili peppers stimulate the circulatory system, can clear respiratory infections and boost your immune system. Recipe Ideas: Keep cayenne and other hot chili peppers in your cabinet to spice up all sorts of dishes in every type of cuisine, from Mexican to Italian to Thai. Careful, though, a little goes a long way! CINNAMON It comes comes from the dried brown bark of the cinnamon tree and is one of the oldest spices in human history. Cinnamon s sweet, warming flavors make it a favorite for baking, but this common ingredient is one of the most powerful antioxidants of all the herbs and spices. Cinnamon is also known to be an anti-inflammatory, an immune booster, and may help diabetics reduce blood sugar levels. Last but not least, cinnamon is being researched for its ability to help protect against Alzheimer s Disease. Recipe Ideas: Get baking with cinnamon in recipes from apple pie to muffins to cookies. In summer, add cinnamon to fruit salads and butter-grilled peaches. Don t forget a simple breakfast of oatmeal, cooked apples and a dash of cinnamon on top. Yum! Sources: https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/over-50-nutrition-17/spicesand-herbs-health-benefits https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-healthy-herbs-andspices#section4 https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/cooking-cookware/cookingwith-spices/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-everyday-spicesmake-you-healthier http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307319,00. html#turmeric-3 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-ofgarlic https://draxe.com/10-medicinal-ginger-health-benefits/ https://nutritionfacts.org/questions/what-are-the-anti-cancer-effectsof-garlic/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990.php https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318405.php https://draxe.com/health-benefits-cinnamon/ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/turmeric-recipes https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-peacheswith-cinnamon-sugar-butter-recipe-1947882 3
NurseLine Advice HELPFUL HINTS: NAUSEA & VOMITING DURING PREGNANCY By: Marie Richardson BSN, RN at Denver Health Are you experiencing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy? A call to the NurseLine may benefit you! Nausea and vomiting is very common during early pregnancy. The good news is that the symptoms of nausea and vomiting will usually resolve by mid-pregnancy. Symptoms can be avoided simply by staying away from environmental triggers such as odors, heat, noise, humidity, stuffy rooms, and physical or visual motion. Dietary changes such as avoiding spicy, strong smelling foods, dairy, coffee, and high fat or very sweet foods can be helpful as well. What home-care remedies can help? Be sure to get plenty of rest. It is recommended that pregnant women get eight hours of sleep per night. Sipping cold fluids often, and drinking water thirty minutes before or after a meal helps to avoid an overly-full stomach. Popsicles are a great way to slowly take in fluids. Sports drinks that have no caffeine can help maintain your electrolyte and glucose levels when vomiting is severe. Eating cold, solid foods seems to be better tolerated than hot foods due to the fact that they have less of an odor. Eat frequent, small meals or snacks every two hours. Keep a food diary that identifies items that may make the nausea and vomiting worse. High carbohydrate and/or high protein foods are usually the best tolerated. This includes pretzels, nuts, eggs, and crackers. Don t wait until you are hungry to eat, as an empty stomach can make the nausea worse. Eating a few crackers before getting out of bed in the morning is known to be helpful. Be sure to maintain good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal and wash out your mouth frequently. Taking your prenatal vitamins in the evening with a snack may cause less nausea than in the morning. Try to create a relaxing ritual (listen to music, meditate, light exercise, etc.). What Over-The-Counter (OTC) treatments can be tried? Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can help - take 25 mg up to three times a day. If Vitamin B6 isn t helpful, then add doxylamine (Unisom), which is safe during pregnancy - take 12.5 mg every six to eight hours. If doxylamine is not available, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can be used - take 25 mg every six to eight hours. Ginger is another OTC treatment that can help and is available in the form of lollipops, tea or capsules (take 250 mg four times a day if using the capsules). If these OTC treatments are not effective and they have been tried for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours, call the Denver Health NurseLine at 303-739-1261. The experienced RN s will review your symptoms and any home treatments that have been tried to help develop a plan of care that is right for you! Sources: Smith, J., & Refuerzo, J. (2018). Treatment and outcome of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. In Up-To-Date. Retrieve from https:// www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-and-outcome-ofnausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy?search=vomiting%20in%20 pregnancy&source=search_result&selectedtitle=1~150&usage_ type=default&display_rank=1 4
Mini AppleCinnamon Muffins recipe PREP TIME: 20 min COOK TIME: 12 min SERVINGS: 24 INGREDIENTS 4 sprays cooking spray 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar ½ Tbsp salted butter 3 Tbsp quick cooking rolled oats ¾ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp table salt 1 pinch ground allspice 3 Tbsp dried currants, chopped 1 large egg ½ cup unsweetened applesauce 3 Tbsp low-fat milk 3 Tbsp granulated sugar 1½ Tbsp canola oil ½ tsp vanilla extract INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 425 F. Coat 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. To make topping, with your fingertips, combine 1 Tbsp flour, brown sugar, and butter in a small bowl until crumbly; stir in oats and set aside. To make muffins, in a large bowl, combine ¾ cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and allspice; stir in currants. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, applesauce, milk, granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until blended. Stir applesauce mixture into flour mixture just until blended. Evenly divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1 Tbsp in each); evenly sprinkle with reserved oat topping. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of each muffin comes out clean, about 12 minutes. Transfer muffins from pan to a wire rack and cool completely. Servings size: 1 muffin 2018 Weight Watchers International, Inc., owner of the WEIGHT WATCHERS and SmartPoints registered trademarks. All rights reserved. 5
WHEN YOU NEED CARE TODAY AND CAN T GET IN TO SEE YOUR PROVIDER THE NURSELINE IS HERE TO HELP YOU. Call 303-739-1261 and speak to a Denver Health nurse about your health concerns at no cost to you. Sometimes they can even call in a prescription for you. NurseLine nurses can help you decide the best plan to get the care you need, which may include any of the following options. VISIT A WALGREENS HEALTHCARE CLINIC. These clinics are a good option if you have a sore throat, sinus infection or the flu. VISIT AN URGENT CARE CENTER. Denver Health offers three Urgent Care centers. There are separate Pediatric (open 24/7) and Adult (open Mon-Fri, 7am to 8pm Sat-Sun, 8am to 7pm) Urgent Care centers on its Main Campus at 777 Bannock Street, as well as the Southwest Clinic for Pediatrics and Adults at 1339 Federal Blvd (open Mon-Fri, 9am to 8pm Sat-Sun, 9am to 4pm, closed holidays). Note: You can visit any urgent care center that is convenient for you. Your plan will cover you at any urgent care center, anywhere in the U.S. EMERGENCY ROOM. You can access 24/7 emergency care for both children and adults on the Denver Health Main Campus at 777 Bannock Street. The Denver Health Pediatric Emergency Department is designed just for kids and is completely separate from the Adult Emergency Department. Note: If you need emergency care, go to the nearest hospital or call 9-1-1. Your plan will cover you at any emergency room, anywhere in the U.S. 6
GOOD HEALTH IS ALWAYS ON HIS AGENDA. The Honorable Wellington E. Webb, former Mayor of Denver Denver Health patient since 1991 Former Mayor Webb thinks of Denver Health as a game changer. The hospital has been there for him as well as his wife, brother and mother when high-quality health care was needed. Because our integrated health care system cares for one of every four Denver residents many through its nine convenient neighborhood clinics Denver Health is critical in strengthening our community. Find out more at DenverHealth.org 7
PREGNANCY-RELATED DEPRESSION: When it s more than just the baby blues Pregnancy-related depression and anxiety (PRD) is the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting about one in seven women in the United States. PRD can happen any time during pregnancy or within the first year of having a baby. It may also happen after a pregnancy loss or after adopting a baby. PRD is different from the baby blues. Baby blues go away on their own within two weeks after the loss or birth of a child. PRD is a serious condition that affects a woman s physical and mental health, and it doesn t usually get better on its own. However, PRD is treatable with self-care, social support from friends and family, counseling and/or medication. PRD symptoms are different for everyone, but may include the following: Crying and sadness Feeling angry or irritable Feeling very worried or panicky Feeling guilty, shameful, or hopeless If you think you or a loved one may be experiencing PRD, it s very important to ask for help. PRD is common and treatable. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms. You can learn more about PRD and what support is available by visiting the Postpartum Support International-Colorado website at postpartum.net/colorado/ or by calling 1-800-944-4773 (Se habla espanol). 8
WHAT IS NEW WITH YOUR PHARMACY BENEFITS? Your pharmacy benefits are updated many times over the course of the year. To see what s new or changed on your drug formulary, visit www.denverhealthmedicaid.org/pharmacy for Medicaid Choice or www.denverhealthmedicalplan.org/chp-pharmacy for CHP+. The Formulary Updates link will get you up-to-date on any changes in your plan s formulary, which could be newly added drugs, new generics and more. To learn more about your prescription benefits and a full list of covered drugs, please go to the link for the Formulary/Drug List. This link will also make clear the formulary restrictions, limits or quotas, and your plan s process for generic substitution, therapeutic interchange and step therapies. You can also find out how your provider can ask for a prior authorization or exception request (non-urgent requests may be processed the next business day). If you have questions about your pharmacy benefits, please call Member Services at 303-602-2116 for Medicaid Choice, 303-602-2100 for CHP+, or toll-free at 1-800-700-8140. TTY users should call 711. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM At Denver Health Medical Plan, part of our mission is to provide high-quality health care. To help in that effort, we have a Quality Improvement (QI) Program. The goal of the QI Program is to review the job we have done as your health care plan, check on how we are doing compared to our goals and learn how we can improve. Each year, we look at our data and measure our performance using benchmarks applied to the whole country, best practice criteria and community standards of care. The goal of the QI Program is to make sure you have: The right to receive high-quality care Health management programs that meet your needs Help with chronic sicknesses Care support when you need extra help, such as after a hospital stay Care from high-quality providers You can find outcome results for our programs on the DHMP website at: www.denverhealthmedicalplan.org/quality-improvementprogram For further information, you may contact the QI Department via email at: DL_QualityImprovementDepartment@dhha.org 9
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PLAN GETTING THE RIGHT CARE FOR YOU Sometimes deciding what kind of care is right for you can be hard. Each person is different and may need a different type of care. As a member, it is your right to know what health care choices are available to you. You should be told about all possible choices. Your doctors and nurses should always tell you about your care choices in a way that makes sense to you. Always feel free to ask questions if you do not understand what your choices are. It is your doctor s job to help you understand your choices. If you are confused, you could make a mistake when picking which health choice is right for you. Denver Health always wants you to be told about your health care choices because it s your right! If you have any questions about this or any other of your rights as a member please call Member Services at 303-602- 2116 for Denver Health Medicaid Choice (DHMC) or 303-602-2100 for CHP+ by Denver Health Medical Plan (DHMP). EXERCISING YOUR RIGHTS You have many rights as a member of DHMC or DHMP. You should always feel free to practice them at all times. Denver Health wants you to know that practicing your rights will never result in being retaliated against (being treated differently or in a bad way). This means that Denver Health cannot do anything to you because of something that you did. Examples of this are filing a grievance or an appeal, asking for help or turning down service. These rights cannot ever be denied to you as a patient. In fact, it is against the law for Denver Health to deny you these rights. You should never feel scared to use them. If you are ever treated differently at Denver Health for practicing yours right please let us know. Denver Health wants you to always have a good experience when you see one of your doctors. If you have any questions about this or any other of your rights as a member please call Member Services at 303-602- 2116 for Denver Health Medicaid Choice (DHMC) or 303-602-2100 for CHP+ by Denver Health Medical Plan (DHMP). YOUR RIGHTS Denver Health Medicaid Choice (DHMC) provides access to medical care for all its members. We do not discriminate based on your religion, race, national origin, color, ancestry, handicap, sex, sexual choice, or age. We give care through a partnership that includes your provider, DHMC, other health care staff, and you our member. DHMC is committed to partnering with you and your provider. As a DHMC member, you have all of the following rights: To be treated with respect and with consideration to your dignity and privacy. To get information from your provider about all of the treatment choices and alternatives for your health condition in a way that makes sense to you. To be involved in all decisions about your health care. To say no to any medical or surgical treatment that you are offered. To get a second opinion (have some other provider review your case) at no cost to you. DHMC will arrange a second opinion with an outof-network provider if a DHMC provider is not available. To make an Advance Directive. To get detailed information about Advance Directives from your provider and to be told up front if your provider cannot follow your Advance Directives because of their beliefs. To be free from any form of limitations or seclusion used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation. (This means that DHMC providers and staff cannot hold you against your will to punish you, get you to do something they want or get back at you for something you have done). To get health care services from providers within the DHMC appointment standards timeframes (in your handbook). To see providers that make you comfortable and that meet your cultural needs. 10
To use any hospital (inside of or outside of the Denver Health network) or other facility for emergency and urgent care services. Emergency and urgent care services do not require prior approval or referral. To get health care services outside of the Denver Health Network if you are not able to get them in the Denver Health Network (DHMC must approve non-emergency and non-urgent care services first). To get family planning services directly from any family planning provider, in-network or out-ofnetwork, without DHMC approval or referral. To ask for and get a copy of your medical records. To ask that your medical records be changed or corrected. To file a grievance, appeal or ask for a State fair hearing. To join the DHMC Consumer Advisory Committee. To get complete benefit information from DHMC. This information includes covered services, how to get all types of care like emergency care, detailed information about providers and your disenrollment rights. To use your rights above without fear of being treated poorly by DHMC. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DHMC wants to give every member outstanding care and a great experience every time they come to Denver Health. That is why we expect our members, staff and providers to treat each other with dignity and respect. As a DHMC member, you are also responsible for: Choosing a Primary Care Physician (PCP) or Medical Home that is in the Denver Health Network. Following all of the rules in your member handbook. Getting an approval from your PCP before you see a Specialist (unless one is not needed). Following the rules of the DHMC appeal and grievance process. Calling Member Services to change your PCP. Paying for any health care that you get without referral from your PCP (unless the services are emergency or urgent care services, or if they are Wrap-Around benefits). Paying for any services that are not covered by DHMC or Medicaid. Telling DHMC about any other insurance you have besides Medicaid. Calling the Appointment Center 24 hours before your appointment date if you need to cancel your appointment. If you have any questions about your rights and responsibilities as a member, please call Member Services at 303-602-2116 for DH Medicaid Choice, 303-602-2100 for CHP+ offered by DHMP or toll free at 1-800-700-8140. 11
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