Health

How is Your Healthcare?

Friday, October 2nd, 2015

Gov. Ige News Release

As part of a statewide effort to share health care innovation plans and get community feedback, the Governor’s office will provide public briefings on Lanai and Molokai. Two health care initiatives meant to improve insurance coverage, health care access and coordination of care will be addressed in the following proposals:

The state’s proposed waiver from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), developed with input from the Affordable Care Act Waiver Taskforce, which seeks to preserve Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Care Act while also complying with the federal health care law.

A plan to improve behavioral health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and excessive alcohol consumption by incorporating screening and treatment for behavioral health needs with innovations in workforce, telehealth, training, and incentives. …

Molokai Fitness: Eat More and Lose Weight

Friday, September 11th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Ayda Ersoy

You always heard that if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. Correct? Actually no, not exactly. Yes, it’s important how many calories you are consuming each day, but what’s so much more important than that is what type of food you are eating.

Here are three foods that may help you lose weight. Let’s start with the first meal of the day, breakfast!

Did you realize the word actually means to break, or end, your fasting (that you do every night)? When you eat your first meal of the day with high protein and low carbs, you will feel fuller longer, and most likely you will not crave high carbs for the rest of the day.…

Molokai Fitness: Healthy Alternative for Soda

Thursday, September 3rd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Ayda Ersoy

I already talked about soda in a couple of my articles, and why you shouldn’t drink it. I got a big response, lots of you asked me questions. Yes, I think we all know that soda is not good, but what can we drink instead?

Actually, the best answer is water. Remember our body consists of almost 90 percent water. But I understand that sometimes drinking water alone can be a little boring! Great news though, I have some awesome and delicious recipes for you.

A good friend here on Molokai, Skylla, is setting a great example of how you can grow your own food and feed your ohana just from your own garden.…

Community Resources for Kids with Disabilities

Friday, August 14th, 2015

LDAH News Release

Interactive entertainment, developmental learning activities provided by specialists and early childhood screenings for children ages two through five will highlight the Kid Zone at the 2015 Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii (LDAH) Traveling Mini-Conference (TMC) on Molokai.

The event will be held on Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Molokai Community Health Center from 3 to 7 p.m. and is free and open to all families.

The Molokai TMC is an opportunity for families to learn more about community resources and services available to help their children with or at risk of disabilities. Kid Zone will include age-appropriate activities and comprehensive childcare for siblings so parents of children with disabilities, students with disabilities and educators can attend informational sessions.…

Molokai Fitness: Why you should quit drinking soda

Friday, August 14th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Ayda Ersoy

Do you drink soda? If the answer is no, that’s awesome, but if you drink fruit juice, energy drinks or smoothies, there’s actually not much difference between all these. They all have almost equal levels of sugar.

If the answer is yes, then do you drink normal or diet soda? Unfortunately both are pretty much the same when it comes to the damage they do to your body.

I know, sweet, cold drinks are hard to resist, especially with the weather on Molokai like it has been recently, and it’s difficult to quit drinking them. But maybe after reading this article you will think twice before you buy or give them to your kids.…

Walking the Path of Healing

Thursday, July 30th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Daria Gray, Speech Therapist

Last weekend, I joined several other speech-language pathologists at the Phoenix Convention Center (in 106 degree weather!) who attended the American Speech-Language Healthcare and Business Institute in Arizona.  The keynote speaker for the conference was Dave Isay, the founder of StoryCorps, who believes that everyone should have the opportunity to tell their story. This, I have come to know, is a way of life for island people who talk story and seek to live their story of closeness to the land and each other.  Mother Teresa embodied this truth: “We belong to each other.” …

Molokai Fitness: Meditation

Friday, July 17th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Ayda Ersoy

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. It was originally developed to help form a deeper understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. Nowadays, it’s mostly used for decreasing stress and relaxation.

There are many things in life that are beyond our control, but it is possible to take responsibility for our own states of mind. I call meditation “listening.” Hearing your inner voice and finding a connection between the outer you and the inner you.

Do you meditate? If the answer is no, why not? You don’t have the time? You have no space to sit quietly and focus?…

Imua Family Services Expands to Molokai

Friday, July 10th, 2015

Imua Family Services News Release

Imua Family Services is pleased to announce a new chapter in the agency’s rich 69 year history. As of July 2015, Imua Family Services will be providing Infant and Child Development Services to families and children on the island of Molokai, making the organization’s services available County wide with ongoing services on Maui and Lanai. Families on the island will be able to access Care Coordination Services, Speech Language Pathology, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Special Instruction, and General Education Training for keiki birth through 3.

Imua Family Services, through a contract with the State of Hawaii Department of Health Early Intervention Section, will open an office at the Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC).…

Be Part of Molokai’s Nutrition Revolution

Friday, July 3rd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Megan Stephenson

Sitting down to a meal at home, with your `ohana, is such an important part of the day. Everyone shares their latest news, cracks jokes, nags about getting chores done, and tucks in to the ono food. Bonds strengthen while the body simultaneously refills on more energy. When done eating, do you ever feel sluggish or sleepy? This may seem like a natural course of the day, but it‘s actually a sign to get moving again. Walking or activity after eating a big meal, especially one full of carbohydrates like pasta and rice, helps break down the food you just ate, which has transformed into different types of energy — sugar or fat — that your body runs on.…

Molokai Fitness: Community Power

Thursday, July 2nd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Ayda Ersoy

First, I want to say Happy 30th Birthday to The Molokai Dispatch! I’m honored and grateful that my articles are a part of it.

This week, I want to talk about the power of a community.

Do you know what’s easier: to change your environment, or to change your mind? Can you change your family or your career easily? I don’t think so. But we can change our minds, and our perception.

I like Wayne Dyer’s book title “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life.” I know it’s not easy to do, but it’s not impossible either.…