5 Ways to Help Boost Your Happiness

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Here are five simple ways to help boost your happiness right now. 1. Master the moment with wonderment and enthusiasm. “Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” — Socrates With mindfulness, relish and enjoy the simple things with wonderment and enthusiasm. Whether it’s laughing with your family and friends, feeling sand on your feet, listening to the rain, running a 5k, walking in the park, cooking your favorite meal, throwing a Frisbee,…

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Social Media: What Consumers Need to Know About Online Health Information

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA It’s an exciting time in health care today. The health care landscape is rapidly changing and digital technology has transformed the way we communicate, interact and search for health information. Social Media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, to name a few, are powerful and phenomenal platforms to educate the public, raise awareness of health issues and collaborate and engage in conversations. Social media platforms gives a voice…

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How to Keep Food Safe

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Do you know how long you can store food in your refrigerator? Do you know what foods can be frozen? “Everyone, everywhere needs safe food, free from microbes, viruses and chemicals. But globalization means the food you are eating today may have come from the other side of the world…we all have a role to make food safe – from farm to plate.”-WHO How to Keep Food Safe Source:…

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Misleading Food Labels: It’s a Big Deal

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Reading the list of ingredients is more important than reading the front of the food label. Food labels can be confusing and misleading   The description on the front of a food label may be quite different than the actual ingredients. A food label may look “healthy” because the packaging and the wording are precisely created to capture your attention. Picture this You’re walking through the bread aisle and you…

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Heart Disease in Women: It’s a Big Deal

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Heart disease in women is a big deal. The number one killer of women is heart disease. In the United States, 1 in 4 women dies from heart disease. This post addresses signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women, important numbers you ought to know, and ways to help reduce stress by focusing on you. #Take15Minutes each day for YOU. Ladies, love your heart. It’s important to know your…

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