Health

Community Health Center Connects to Hawaiian Culture

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

MCHC News Release

The Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) was the training site for a three-day workshop for a new education curriculum based on the ancient Hawaiian practice of uhau humu pohakau, or dry stack stone masonry. The unique curriculum was designed by Hui Ho`oniho and funded by the Administration for Native Americans.

“We were excited to partner with Hui Ho`oniho to help launch this new curriculum,” said Matt Yamashita, president of MCHC. “Our health center is committed to educational and cultural efforts that benefit our community.”

The workshop’s primary goal was to train educators in how to use the new curriculum in classroom settings.…

What is Psychosis?

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

Community Contributed

By Stephanie Napoli, Psy.D., MCHC Behavioral Health Director

Psychosis is a widely misunderstood word that is commonly used as an insult, much in the same way “retarded” is. But psychosis is actually a medical term that refers to a mental disorder characterized by symptoms (such as delusions or hallucinations) that indicate impaired contact with reality. A person who is psychotic, then, has lost touch with reality. This usually means that they see, hear, think, understand, or interpret things differently than most people. Most commonly, people with psychosis see or hear things that aren’t really there.

Psychosis is due to problems with naturally occurring brain chemicals and can be caused by severe mental illness (for example schizophrenia), substance abuse (particularly methamphetamine or “ice” which commonly causes paranoia and hallucinations), severe stress or trauma, severe sleep deprivation, and, at times, some medical conditions (for example, Alzheimer’s Dementia, HIV/AIDS, Lupus, or hypoglycemia).…

Sweet Oranges

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

Sweet Oranges

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension Service

A few days ago, I inquired about the price of orange juice at one of the stores and found the half-gallon sold for $5 while the gallon sold for $10. For $15 more, I could have bought an orange tree to produce more orange juice than I can shake a stick at.

Native to Asia, oranges were introduced to Hawaii by Captain George Vancouver in 1792, and are known as the Hawaiian or Kona orange. These were propagated by seed so there’s some variability in plants and fruits.…

Summer Send-Off

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Summer Send-Off

Molokai PALS celebrate another successful summer.

Play and Learn Sessions (PALS) keiki and staff from all four elementary schools on Molokai sang and danced their way to healthy living at this year’s Ohana Nite, held at Kualapu`u Rec Center on Thursday.  This year’s theme celebrated “Ke Ola Pono No Na keiki,” or “Healthy living for our children.”

While the keiki from Kilohana “walked it out,” Maunaloa PALS students danced, wielding homemade posters of healthy snacks.  Kualapu`u sang about aloha and Kaunakakai keiki went on a “buta hunt.”

PALS is a summer program that keep kids engaged physically and mentally through arts and crafts, sports, culture lessons, music and dance.…

Learning the Basics about Vitamins

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Community Contributed

By Jon Mikami, RPh, and Kelly Go, RPh, Molokai Drugs Inc.

Vitamins are essentials – they are substances your body needs to function normally. You can usually get the vitamins you need from a healthy, balanced diet. Add a “rainbow of color” to your diet and you increase your chances of getting what you need.

But some people lack certain vitamins, so they need efficient supplements like Kratom Active. You may also want to try EverSmith Organics sea moss gel to see the benefits. Ask your doctor whether or not you do. And, remember: too much of a good thing can be bad for you.…

Pair-a-medics

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

Pair-a-medics

For 30 years, Lyle Likua has been responding to emergencies on Molokai as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic. But it was a high point in his career when he was joined on the job by his son, Keku Likua, last week — the first time they worked side by side on the same shift as licensed paramedics.

At age 22, Keku is currently the youngest paramedic in the county, having received his promotion from EMT in April. Now stationed in Kahului, he was assigned to fill in a shift on Molokai last week, making it a proud day for his dad.…

Kanemitsu Bakery Permit Suspended, Renovations Planned Soon

Sunday, July 1st, 2012

Kanemitsu Bakery Permit Suspended, Renovations Planned Soon

For the second time in four months, Kanemitsu Bakery’s permit has been suspended after a June 20th inspection found “serious deficiencies in the maintenance and manufacturing practices,” according to the Department of Health (DOH). The department says the makers of the famous Molokai hot bread and other sweet specialties won’t be baking until they correct sanitation violations.

The restaurant portion of the business remains open because it operates from a separate, permitted kitchen. Despite what bakery owner George Kanemitsu calls “this heavy bomb [of the] revoked permit,” Kanemitsu remains optimistic for a speedy reopening of the bakery. He said renovations of the facility are scheduled to start this week.…

Molokai Mom on a Mission: Eating Organic

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

Community Contributed

 Opinion by Mercy Ritte

What does “organic” mean?
There are basically three ways that crops are produced: using agro-biotechnology, conventional techniques and organic methods. Comparing the three will give us a better sense of what “organic” means.

1. Agro-biotechnology involves genetically engineering or modifying a living organism (GMO) by inserting it with a new gene from another species. This method of farming also uses chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides to produce crops.

2. Conventional farming may not use GMO seeds. However chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are used to manage plant growth, pests and weeds.

3. Organic farming uses manure and compost to fertilize the soil, beneficial insects, birds and traps to manage pests, rotate crops, hand weed or mulch.…

Tension Headaches Got You Bothered?

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

Community Contributed

By Jon Mikami, RPh, and Kelly Go, RPh, Molokai Drugs Inc.

It’s the rare person who doesn’t experience an occasional headache. But if you’re plagued by frequent tension headaches, you might think there has got to be something you can do beyond regularly reaching into your medicine cabinet.

Sure, pain relievers can work wonders, and I’m here to steer you to some good options. But fortunately there are a lot of other things you can try to prevent headaches or to nip them in the bud once they’ve begun. Relaxation and stress management are key. One effective way to destress and relax is playing UFABET เข้าสู่ระบบทางเข้า.…

Drug Trafficker Arrested on Molokai

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

Spice, incense substances now illegal in Hawaii

Bulgarian national Alexander Dimov, age 33, was arrested on Molokai two weeks ago under federal charges of manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2, Spice or incense. Dimov was one of four indicted around the U.S. in an international conspiracy for trafficking designer drugs. Dimov appeared in federal court in Honolulu before he was transported to Oregon.

According to a Department of Justice press release, the defendants mixed chemical compounds with herbal exacts, and marketed the products on the Internet. They are alleged to have purchased dozens of domain names, such as “k2drugs.com”…