Download the January/February Issue - Jersey Shore Medical Center

Health Briefs
More Kids Head to
the Hospital with
Hypertension
Skinned knees. Broken
bones. Hypertension? It may
not make most parents’ lists of top health
concerns for children. But a new report finds
high blood pressure is making an increasing
number of children seriously ill.
An estimated 71,000 kids ages 18 and younger
went to the hospital with high blood pressure
between 1997 and 2006. Many had kidney disease
or a kidney transplant.
Between 1 and 3 percent of U.S. children have high
blood pressure. “Have your child’s numbers checked
regularly beginning at age 3,” says Mitchel Alpert,
M.D., of K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey
Shore University Medical Center. “Finding and treating
hypertension early can prevent complications, which
also include heart disease and eye problems.”
Living with congestive heart failure?
Attend our event on February 27 at
Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
A nurse practitioner will discuss the
latest research and smart tips for
managing this condition. Turn to
page 22 for details.
MeridianHealth.com • 1-800-DOCTORS®
Fight Off Colds with Mind and Body
Forget chicken soup. Scientists may have found two new ways
to battle the common cold: exercise and meditation.
Study participants performed moderate daily workouts or studied
mindfulness meditation for eight weeks. During cold and flu
season, they reported fewer illnesses than people who didn’t
exercise or meditate. And when they did get sick, they
described their symptoms as less severe and required fewer
days off work.
For best results, combine these new routines with other coldprevention
methods. “Wash your hands frequently and avoid sick
people,” recommends Diana Verga, M.D., of Ocean Medical Center.
Exercise can keep your heart healthy, too. Learn how at our class
on February 21 at the Meridian Fitness and Wellness Center at
Hazlet. See page 24.
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