According to the CDCC, children are getting at least 200 calories a day from soda. These sugary drinks are contributing to obesity and replacing healthier options, such as milk. But how do you avoid soda? First, don’t take it away altogether. Teach your children how to enjoy soda in a responsible way. You can cut back to one or two a week, rather than every day. Also, studies suggest saving soda as a substitute for dessert. Soda is, after all, similar to candy. Lastly, stock your fridge with healthy alternatives. Water, milk, and fruit juices can replace sugary sodas and give your child a better choice.

A new study has been published that followed over sixteen thousand women over the age of 70, tracking their berry intake. The researchers found that those who ate more blueberries and strawberries had a slower rate of developing memory problems by about two and a half years.

The women that ate more berries also had a higher income and excerised more, both of which lead to better health. Due to these factors, researchers could not say if the berries were the contributing factor for better memory. However, this study shows that perhaps berries merit more research, as they could improve memory and push back memory related problems.

The Medical Center and partner Lifelink of Georgia have announced that a new Donate Life flag will fly at The Medical Center. The flag will fly, according to national protocols, every day during April to mark National Donate Life Month. Then, starting on May 1 and continuing on, The Medical Center will raise the flag each day there is a donation at the hospital.

National Donate Life Month was instituted by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003 with the support of then Secretary of HHS, Tommy Thompson. National Donate Life Month encourages Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to celebrate those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.

Currently, 113,265 Americans are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and the number grows every day. In Georgia, there are 3,488 people who need a transplant. Each day, approximately eighteen to twenty people die waiting for a transplant.

For more information, visit http://donatelife.net/

Getting a sunburn in childhood raises a person’s lifelong risk of skin cancer. Even with this knowledge, only 25% of fourteen year olds in the U.S. say they use sunscreen regularly, according to a new study. This risky behavior gets worse as the children get older, with older teens reporting more time in the sun with less use of sunscreen.

More and more children are reporting that they enjoy getting a tan and that they will spend longer periods of time outside to get one. At this critical age, it’s important to explain why sunscreen is so important and the consequences of failing to use it.

Sunscreen provides protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. This radiation can lead to premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, tanning, and burning. This skin damage can open the door to various skin cancers . When heading out into the sun, make sure that your children are practicing good sunscreen habits and applying a nice, even coat of sunscreen before any extended time in the sun.

 Mercer University announced today that it is partnering with The Medical Center and St. Francis Hospital to establish a Columbus campus for its School of Medicine. Columbus joins Macon, where the school was established in 1982 to prepare physicians for rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia, and Savannah in hosting campuses for the medical school, which currently enrolls 400 M.D. students.

Under terms of the partnership, the Mercer School of Medicine will place up to 80 third- and fourth-year medical students at the Columbus Campus. Students will begin their clinical rotations in Columbus this summer.

“The expansion of Mercer School of Medicine to Columbus has been made possible by the hard work of many people, including the leadership of The Medical Center and St. Francis, Pete Robinson, State Rep. Richard Smith, Mercer Medical School Dean Bill Bina, Mercer trustees Jimmy Elder and Tom Black, and a number of other local business and community leaders,” said Mercer President William D. Underwood. “We are pleased to be taking the unique mission of our School of Medicine to Columbus and West Georgia. It will further enhance health care for the citizens of this region and help prepare much-needed physicians for our state.”

Local recruitment of faculty and staff for the Columbus campus of the School of Medicine will get under way immediately, beginning with about a dozen and expanding as the program grows.

“This partnership integrates the strengths of all three institutions to improve undergraduate medical education, enhance graduate medical education experiences and further develop local Columbus faculty physicians,” said William F. Bina, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the Mercer School of Medicine. “Because the Mercer School of Medicine only accepts students who are Georgia residents, this campus expansion will expose a large number of future Georgia doctors to Columbus and the surrounding western region of Georgia, increasing the likelihood that many of them will practice in the area once they complete their medical education.”

Georgia is facing a critical shortage of physicians within the next decade and beyond. The state currently ranks 37th in the nation in the number of physicians per capita. More than 25 percent of the current Georgia physician workforce is age 55 or older. Most of these physicians will retire from practice or significantly curtail their patient care activities in the next 15 years.The number of Georgia citizens over the age of 65 will double in the next 20 years. Persons ages 65 or older seek care from a physician at two to three times the rate of persons younger than 65.

“It is imperative that Georgia medical schools prepare more physicians to address this shortage and the increased demand,” President Underwood said. “Mercer School of Medicine is central to the solution, and this partnership with The Medical Center and St. Francis will greatly enhance our ability to meet this need.”

Over the School of Medicine’s 30-year history, a higher percentage of its M.D. graduates – 65.7 percent – have remained in Georgia or returned after completing residencies than any other medical school in the state.

Establishment of a Columbus campus for the medical school will not only enhance medical education, it will also promote increased medical research at the institutions.

“The School of Medicine will be working with the two hospitals to develop clinical and basic science research, as well as research in health care delivery in the Columbus region,” Dr. Bina said.

“The future benefits of this affiliation to our community and our region are without question,” saidLance Duke, FACHE, President and CEO of The Medical Center. “We know many of the students will grow to love this community as we do, and will choose to stay here to practice medicine. I appreciate the efforts of all involved, and I especially want to commend Dr. John Bucholtz for his leadership on behalf of our organization.”

Robert Granger, president and CEO of St. Francis Hospital, said, “Through partnering with the Mercer School of Medicine, this represents a unique opportunity for St Francis and The Medical Center to work together for the improvement of healthcare in our community.”

The Medical Center is pleased to accept a $20,000 grant from the Amerigroup Foundation to further the development of health and medical services for children in Columbus covered by Medicaid.

Dr. Tunde Sotunde, CEO of Amerigroup-Community Care of Georgia, made the announcement today at the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center. Dr. Sotunde and Dr. William Alexander, Chief Medical Director for Amerigroup-Community Care of Georgia, saluted the efforts of Columbus Regional and The Medical Center in making quality pediatric care available to all children in the community.

“We are delighted to play a role in supporting The Medical Center in its efforts toward providing quality care to the underserved in our communities,” Dr. Sotunde said.

“We accept this grant from Amerigroup Foundation with gratitude and sincere appreciation,” said Mike Hill, CEO of Evergreen Medical Group, a physician-hospital organization jointly owned by Columbus Regional Healthcare System and community physician partners. “Amerigroup has a strong commitment to providing support to the Medicaid population. They requested the grant funding be used to further pediatric medical care in Columbus, and we are delighted to put the funds to good use for the children of our community.”

Columbus Regional is the region’s leading provider of women and children’s services, including hospital and outpatient care for children, Mr. Hill added. From July 2010-June 2011, The Medical Center recorded 1,562 pediatric inpatients, well over 30,000 outpatient pediatric visits, 169 admissions to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and 11,800 pediatric visits to The Medical Center’s Emergency and Trauma Center.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in our work that it’s tough to take a break. We become convinced that taking a vacation would not be possible. It’s hard to see the benefits sometimes when you know just how much work needs to get done. What you probably don’t know is that taking a vacation has some pretty important benefits that might just help you come back strong and make your work even better.According to recent research, vacations are essential to a healthy brain. Even if you simply take a day trip to a museum or the aquarium, vacations can have lasting benefits. Here are a few:

Taking a vacation can improve your memory. By shaking things up and visiting new places, your brain experiences something new and unfamiliar. This releases dopamine into your hippocampus, the part of your brain that creates memories.

Vacations also boost creativity. They encourage people to try new things and increase your awareness of hidden connections, which boosts creativity.

When you become stressed, your body begins to lose focus. This makes working tougher to do. By taking a vacation, you can lower your stress and re-focus when you return to work.

While on vacation, you tend to sleep longer and get better quality sleep. This boosts your reaction time, while recharging your batteries.

Now that you know the benefits, what is the best kind of vacation to take? Research suggests that getting away from your normal surroundings will give you the best results. Go somewhere far away from your home. Also, make sure you remove the stress of vacationing by planning ahead. Eliminate the stress from the vacation and plan ahead. Finally, remove yourself from work. You will experience far better results when you disconnect from work (and your phone) and just enjoy the vacation.

Now get out there and relax!

It’s 2012 and your resolution is to lose weight. Why not include the family and get healthy together? Go for a walk together after dinner. If the kids aren’t interested, make the activity fun. Start up a game, such as soccer, freeze tag or kickball. Kids want something engaging and stimulating.

When meal time comes, get the children involved. Cook healthy meals and educate your children on cooking the right kinds of food. You can teach them the skills they need for the future and get them involved in their own well being. Also, they will learn which foods they should be eating when you are not around. Cooking a healthy dinner is a nice way to spend time together while avoiding the calories of pizza night or going out.

Remember: keep it fun! Play games on xbox or wii like Dance Central, Kinect Sports or Just Dance. These games require you to be up and moving. They even have fitness modes designed to get you active. These are great on rainy or really cold days! Outdoors, you can walk in the park, play games, hike a nature trail and more! The only limit in 2012 is your imagination. Have fun and stay healthy!

Please come out tonight at 6PM as we kick off the Tree of Light Ceremony! This year, Gwen Cogar will share her family’s personal journey with her triplets Caroline, Olivia and Emily, and how they benefited from the services of the NICU and The Medical Center. Guests at this ceremony will enjoy holiday musical sel…ections from Clubview Elementary School Chorus and the Bob Barr Community Band. Donations to the Tree of Light can be made by contacting Nancy Williams at (706) 571-1480 or nancy.williams@crhs.net

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Having type 2 means your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t properly use the insulin it does produce. Some symptoms of type 2 diabetes are frequent hunger or thirst, very dry skin, infections, greater need to urinate and weight loss.

Though not cureable (yet), type 2 is managable. Talk with your doctor about a healthy diet and physical activity routine.

Changing your diet can be tough at first, but it’s critical to your health. Begin by adding high fiber foods including fruits and vegetables. Physical activity, such as jogging or playing sports, can be a big help in lowering your blood sugar. Medication may also be necessary. You may need to begin using insulin as well.

 If you are a smoker, you will want to get help and stop smoking. Testing your blood sugar levels will also be important before and after meals.

Above all, stay motivated. This is your health and you are in the driver’s seat. Find a friend to help you through the rough patches and talk with your doctor if you feel something needs to change. Someday, there will be a cure for diabetes. For now, we must all take the proper steps to manage this issue and remain healthy!