NAHN Winter Newsletter 2016

W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 I N V I E R N O 2 0 1 6
In the Garden
The Official Newsletter of Garden State Chapter
Of National Association of Hispanic Nurses
Ventanilla a la Salud
Collaborating with
the Mexican Consulate,
Garden State chapter
took one more step in
reaching out to all our
communities, especially
those most vulnerable
by bringing valuable
health information &
support by traveling
with the consulate to
different sites sharing a
culture of health at a
local & attainable level
See more inside...
Planting Seeds Locally
Nurturing International Roots
Planting Seeds One Community at a Time, the official motto
of Garden State Chapter of NAHN, took on a local &
international flair during the months of November &
December. Joined by Miss Puerto Rico National Teen, the
chapter held a Toy Drive for abused & abandoned children at
Casa Cuna, and locally at home we lent our knowledge &
clinical skills at ADA La Conferencia held at the Rutgers Busch
campus, assisting our communities in the fight against
Diabetes. Read more inside…
Save the Date!
Go Red/Heart
Health Brunch
Sunday February
28 th at 11:30 AM
at Esquina Latina
Restaurant, New
Brunswick, NJ
General Chapter
Meeting
Thursday March
10 th at 6:30 PM at
Rutgers University
Newark Campus –
Talk on HIV (1 CE)
Spring Gala &
Fundraiser
Cruising for
Scholarships!
Saturday April 16 th
Join us as we
celebrate & fundraise
for nursing scholars.

WINTER 2016 INVIERNO 2016
Garden State NAHN chapter has kept busy
during the late autumn and early winter months
in its commitment to making both small & big
differences; “One Community at a Time”.
Joining organizations such as the American
Diabetes Association at La Conferencia held at
the Rutgers University Busch campus. Our
members provided bilingual education and
health screenings. In November and early
December, traveling to different sites in the
community with the Mexican Consulate mobile
service “Ventanilla a La Salud” and participating
in ADA’s initiative “Passport to Health”
providing relevant culturally competent
nutritional information at Save Latin America
Meet A Chapter Member
Nuestro Jardín
Nacional y Internacional
Jackeline Biddle Schuler JD, DNP, RN
A proud Puerto Rican by birth, Dr. Jackeline
Schuler’s accomplishments include being a
Registered Nurse in the ICU with over 20 years
experience & CCRN certification. As an
attorney, once even owning her own practice,
she worked in the areas of medical malpractice,
criminal law, personal injury and nursing
liability. Currently, she brings her vast
education and experience as a Professor of
Nursing to BSN, MSN and DNP students.
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community center. Our team members are
providing the tools to our communities in the
fight against diabetes and healthier lifestyles.
Nurturing our international roots, with the
wonderful representation of Miss Puerto Rico
National Teen, Tiffany Silva, our collection of
toys for the holiday season was lovingly and
safely delivered at Casa Cuna de San Juan, in
Puerto Rico. This wonderful organization
provides a loving and safe shelter to orphaned and
abandoned children. Garden State Chapter is
grateful to all our chapter members and sister
nurses from the Middlesex Regional Black Nurses
Association and the Mid-States Regional Black
Nurses Association for making wishes come true.

WINTER 2016 INVIERNO 2016
La Fuente
Mil Felicidades are in order for Garden State
Chapter’s very own Treasurer Carmen Cruz
Torres, MSN, MHS, RN, CNE for her recent
recognition with the St. Joseph’s Health System
1 st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Service Award. Carmen was
commended for her work as a Career Advocate
for inner city youth promoting Nursing as a
profession for minority students.
In addition, Carmen was given three
citations from the Passaic Board of Chosen
Freeholders, the Mayor’s Award for
Outstanding Civic Contribution for the City of
Paterson and the City of Paterson Municipal
Council Citation. En Hora Buena, Carmen!
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WINTER 2016 INVIERNO 2016
Por Tu Salud …
Un Mensaje de Su Enfermera
A Message from your Nurse
For Your Health …
New Year’s resolutions…Improve your heart health?
Written by: Evelyn Javier, BA, RN and Community Liaison for
AHA-Garden State NAHN initiatives
With the New Year here we all have made resolutions, which is just a fancy way of
saying we'll try forming better habits. It can actually feel uplifting to begin a new plan such
as joining a gym to get fit, taking actions to stress less or something as simple as keeping our
computers backed up. All of these are suitable resolutions, but have we thought to
incorporate getting healthy energy on your most important asset, your heart? According to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), heart disease is a leading cause of
morbidity and mortality of both men and women in the United States, in fact, nearly half a
million Americans die every year from heart disease.
As we start the year off by forming better habits we must consider how currently in the
U.S. the average predicted heart age for adult men and women is significantly higher than
their chronological age (Yang, Zhong, Ritchey, Cobain, Gillespie, Merritt, Hong, George,
and Bowman, 2015). Do you know your predicted heart age? Men and women have an
average predicted heart age of 7.8 and 5.4 years older than their chronological age,
respectively (Yang et al, 2015). In addition, Hispanic and Black populations have the highest
predicted heart age in comparison to other racial/ethnic groups (Yang et al, 2015).
What increases our risk for cardiovascular disease? Elevated blood pressure and high
cholesterol are the most common cardiovascular issues that can be caused by poor diet,
weight gain, lack of physical activity, genetics and smoking. So what can we do to improve
our heart health and that of our communities? Be motivated and motivate those around you
to have heart-healthy lifestyles. Below are some simple and effective resolutions to
incorporate into your lifestyle (supported by American Heart Association, 2015):
1. Be active, but not just at the gym. (STAIRS OVER ELEVATOR)
2. Limit your fat intake. (OPT FOR OLIVE OIL OR CANOLA OIL)
3. Stay hydrated. (WATER!!)
4. Focus on fiber. (WHOLE GRAINS)
5. Fill up on fruits and veggies. (ADD A VEGETABLE TO EVERY MEAL
AND FRUIT TO EVERY SNACK)
Remember, healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand. Ring in the New Year by making
yourself a few promises and incorporating a culture of health for improving your heart age
and overall health. We wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!
References
American Heart Association (2015). The American Heart Association's Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. Retrieved from: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/The-
American-Heart-Associations-Diet-and-Lifestyle-Recommendations_UCM_305855_Article.jsp#.VonokIRlnVo
Yang, Q., Zhong, Y., Ritchey, M., Cobain, M., Gillespie, C., Merritt, R., Hong,Y., George, M.G., and Bowman, B.A.(2015). Vital Signs: Predicted Heart Age and Racial Disparities in Heart Age Among U.S. Adults at
the State Level. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. Retrieved from:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6434a6.htm?s_cid=mm6434a6_w