Become A Certified Nursing Assistant

DERBY - The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers, 300 Seymour Ave., Suite 206, is offering classes for its fall Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program.

The School of Allied Health Careers is offering a day session for its CNA program with classes on Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. starting Nov. 4.

The CNA course offers students an affordable and condensed schedule. Course content includes infection control, legal and ethical responsibilities, communications, body mechanics, moving and positioning residents, personal care skills, nutrition, measuring vital signs, and restorative care. The program’s clinical experience is at a long term care facility and Griffin Hospital for a total of 40 hours. 

After successfully completing the course and clinical experience, students will be qualified to take the certification exam for a Nursing Assistant in Connecticut. The CNA course tuition fee includes the course book, CPR training, liability insurance and the 40 hour clinical rotation.

Anyone 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or GED may apply for admission. Early application is 

encouraged for all courses, as space is limited.

For more information or to set up an entrance interview, call 203-732-1276.

About the School of Allied Health Careers

Griffin Hospital's School of Allied Health Careers was one of the first hospital-based schools of its kind to be authorized by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and offers Phlebotomy and other professional educational programs to provide training, education, and certification in selected health careers. Classes are taught by certified instructors in the Griffin Hospital Medical Building, located at 300 Seymour Avenue in Derby.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Nutrition expert to teach course at Griffin Hospital in Derby

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will offer a free four-week nutrition course beginning Sept. 16.

“Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition, But Were Afraid to Ask” is a groundbreaking series of fun, informative classes is taught by Samantha Heller, MS, RD, the clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.

A registered dietitian and exercise physiologist, Heller is a nationally-known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as CBS This Morning, MSNBC, Dr. Oz, Ny1 News, Better Connecticut and more.
She also hosts “Samantha Heller's Health & Nutrition Show” on Sirius XM, and is the author of Get Smart: Samantha Heller's Nutrition Prescription for Boosting Brain Power and Optimizing Total Body Health.

The classes will be held for four consecutive Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 16-Oct. 7 at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave.

Participants should plan on attending all four sessions, as the learning is cumulative. The classes cover a variety of nutrition topics, including how to:

·         Reach and maintain a healthy weight

·         Manage Type 2 Diabetes

·         Lower cholesterol

·         Reduce blood pressure

·         Boost stamina and energy

·         Reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases

·         Improve memory and sharpen the mind

Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. Register at 203-732-1260.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Griffin Hospital doctor: Competing claims of 'best' diet unjustified

DERBY - At a time when best-selling diet books about weight and health routinely refute both the conventional wisdom and one another, an article in the Annual Review of Public Health asserts that such claims are almost entirely unsubstantiated.
Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center at Griffin Hospital  reviewed several hundred primary research papers for the article entitled “Can We Say What Diet Is Best for Health?”
“The basic theme of optimal eating for human health and weight control is very strongly supported by a vast and diverse literature,” Katz said. 

David Katz, M.D.

“But arguments about the best variant on that theme are mostly unfounded, sometimes utter nonsense, and often about attempts to sell something to a public that is particularly gullible on this topic. Most of the competing claims about diet invoke either a particular scapegoat or panacea, and that seems to conform to the prevailing variety of wishful thinking.”
Katz, who is also the editor-in-chief of Childhood Obesity and President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, cited more than 150 research papers in the article’s bibliography. For his work on the third edition of his textbook, Nutrition in Clinical Practice, now in production, he reviewed thousands.
“From altitude, it’s pretty clear that Michael Pollan pretty much nailed the description of an optimal diet when he recommended eating ‘food, not too much, mostly plants.’ But importantly, that theme can be represented by a diet low or high in fat, low or high in carbohydrate, lower or higher in protein,” Katz said.
“It can be represented by a Mediterranean diet, a traditional Asian diet, a Paleo diet, a vegetarian diet, or a vegan diet. If any one of these is ‘best’ we lack the evidence to say so; there are, not surprisingly, no lifelong studies that randomly assigned people to optimized vegan or Paleo diets. Who would sign up?”
Katz also refutes the currently popular concept that wheat or grains are particularly to blame for weight or health problems.
“People with celiac disease or lesser forms of gluten sensitivity clearly need to avoid gluten and its sources, just as people with peanut allergies need to avoid peanuts. But whole grains figure in the diets of some of the longest-lived, healthiest people on the planet, as highlighted by the Blue Zones project,” he said.
“Like most other competing claims about diet, these seem convincing because the authors only cite the work that supports their point of view, ignoring a vast literature that refutes it.”
Katz, who serves on the panel of judges for US News & World Report’s annual “best diet” release, has published a total of 15 books, and roughly 200 peer-reviewed articles.
“I think it’s very important that I don’t have a dog in this fight,” Katz said. “I don’t really care which diet is best - I care about the truth. My own work over the years hasn’t been about advancing a particular diet, but rather keeping up with the relevant science to know what diet is best - and then doing all I can to help people get there from here. This article was very important to me because competing claims and the confusion they propagate actually forestall progress in public health nutrition. The more time and effort spent on ‘my diet can beat your diet,’ the less time and effort devoted to claiming the common ground of healthful eating. We are not clueless about the basic care and feeding of Homo sapiens, but the way we carry on, we might as well be.”
About the Annual Review Public Health:
The Annual Review of Public Health, in publication since 1980, covers significant developments in the field of Public Health, including key developments in epidemiology and biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, issues related to social environment and behavior, health services, and public health practice. For more information, visit www.annualreviews.org/journal/publhealth.
About the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center:
The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (PRC) was established in 1998 through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of 37 such centers nationwide representing academic/community partnerships, the PRC is engaged in interdisciplinary applied prevention research in collaboration with community partners, federal, state, and local health and education agencies, and other universities. The goal of the PRC is to develop innovative approaches to health promotion and disease prevention that will directly benefit the public's health, first locally, and then nationally. For more information, please visit www.yalegriffinprc.org.
About Dr. David Katz:
David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, is the founding director of The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. 
Recipient of numerous awards, including an honorary doctorate and nominations for U.S. Surgeon General, Katz is recognized globally for expertise in nutrition, weight management and chronic disease prevention.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Yale-Griffin center director named to influential list

For 2nd consecutive year

DERBY - David L. Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, was recently named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness by Greatist.com for the second year in a row.

David L. Katz

Greatist.com, an online health and fitness source that appeals to the young, savvy, and social, selects innovators who revolutionize the way others think about health and wellness. 

This year’s list includes Dr. Oz, First Lady Michelle Obama, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chef Jamie Oliver, food journalist Mark Bittman, food policy expert Dr. Marion Nestle, food writer Michael Pollan, and natural health educator Dr. Andrew  Weil.

'Nutrition trailblazer'

Katz ranked 13^th on this year’s list, on which he was called a “nutrition trailblazer.” Last year, he was ranked 19^th.

Katz, a board-certified preventive medicine physician, is a recognized thought leader in nutrition, chronic disease prevention/health promotion, weight management, and integrative medicine. 

He has been named one of America’s Top Physicians in Preventive Medicine three times by the Consumer’s Research Council of America. He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Childhood Obesity President-Elect of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, founder and President of the non-profit Turn the Tide Foundation, and medical director for the Integrative Medicine Center at Griffin Hospital. 

He is the principal inventor of the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System used in thousands of supermarkets across the country, which scores foods on a scale from 1-100 based on nutritional value to help consumers make healthier purchases.

Katz is the founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, which is affiliated with Yale University’s School of Public Health. 

For the last 15 years, he has overseen a team that conducts a mix of community-based and clinical research. His team is currently searching for the minimal dose of cocoa that can provide “heart-healthy” benefits, studying the health effects of walnuts on people with diabetes and the health effects of eggs on people at-risk for diabetes, and comparing snacks for their effects on satiety. 

They are partnering with two universities on a study – funded by the National Institutes of Health – to investigate the impact of massage on people with osteoarthritis of the knee. They are also partnering with four school districts in the Naugatuck Valley to promote health and prevent obesity among their students and families. 

In addition to providing nutrition and physical activity programs, they are helping school food service directors in two of the school districts to evaluate the impact of the NuVal system on students’ food selections in school cafeterias and vending machines.

Katz has also authored or co-authored 15 books, including textbooks in nutrition and preventive medicine and a new book titled Disease-Proof: The Remarkable Truth About What Makes Us Well. 

He also has published nearly 200 scientific articles and textbook chapters and nearly 1,000 newspaper articles. 

He is a blogger/medical review board member for the Huffington Post, a health contributor to US News & World Report, one of the original 150 ‘thought leader’ Influencer bloggers for LinkedIn; and a health writer for Everyday Health.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Dietitian, musician team to present program in Fairfield

Talk to highlight lifestyle changes to boost vitality

 

 Registered dietitian and exercise physiologist Samantha Heller and jazz musician Michael Coppola. / Contributed photo

 

DERBY - Griffin Hospital’s Registered Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist Samantha Heller will team up with jazz musician Michael Coppola Nov. 10 for an out-of-the-box presentation about simple life changes that can boost vitality in a big way.

“How to Beat Fatigue, Feel Fabulous & Look Amazing with Simple Lifestyle Changes” is a unique, music-infused event that shows participants how to optimize health, boost energy and feel younger. The creative fusion of science and song promised to leave participants motivated and empowered to change their lives.

The program will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road.
Heller, a Wilton native, is The Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital’s Clinical Nutrition Coordinator and a nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as The TODAY Show, the CBS This Morning, Dr. Oz, and Doctor Radio on Sirius XM.

Coppola is a local musician who plays at the Center for Cancer Care and at venues such as Café 9 in New Haven, Fuji of Darien and Ari Bella in Shelton.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Nutrition course offered at Griffin Hospital in Derby

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will offer a free four-week nutrition course beginning Sept. 25.

“Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition, But Were Afraid to Ask” is a groundbreaking series of fun, informative classes taught by Samantha Heller, clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital. 

A registered dietician and exercise physiologist, Heller is a nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, and the CBS Early Show. 

She also hosts “Samantha Heller's Health & Nutrition Show” on Sirius XM, and is the author of Get Smart: Samantha Heller's Nutrition Prescription for Boosting Brain Power and Optimizing Total Body Health.

The classes will be held for four consecutive Wednesdays from Sept. 25-Oct. 16 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave.

Participants should plan on attending all four sessions, as the learning is cumulative. 

The classes cover a variety of nutrition topics, including how to:

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight;
• Manage Type 2 Diabetes;
• Lower cholesterol;
• Reduce blood pressure;
• Boost stamina and energy;
• Reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases;
• Improve memory and sharpen the mind.

 Early registration is encouraged; space is limited. Register at griffinhealth.org or by calling 203-732-1260.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Ansonia Library to host SNAP presentations

ANSONIA - The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will offer SNAP 101 presentations about program basics, eligibility requirements and how to apply, at the Ansonia Library.

There will be two sessions: from 1-2 p.m. Oct. 10 and from 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 8.

For more information on this program or to set up eligibility screening call Jessica Mahon, 860-519-4776.

The library is at 53 S. Cliff St.

This is a press release from Joyce Ceccarelli, Director, Ansonia Library.

Healthy eating part of the lesson plan at Derby Middle School

Scoring system determines nutritional value

DERBY- Fat-free chocolate milk or low-fat regular?
Orange juice or apple juice?
Healthy eating is now much easier for students in the local middle school, as their cafeteria and vending machines now feature the NuVal® Nutritional Scoring System, a unique and revolutionary way of comparing the foods we eat.  

Starting Thursday, foods sold at Derby Middle School will be labeled with a “NuVal Score,” a number between 1 and 100 that determines the nutritional value of the food; the higher the NuVal Score, the better the overall nutrition.

NuVal Scores can now be found on a la carte items (such as milk, fruit, and side items such as rice and beans) and on food in all vending machines.

VITAHLS Program
The Derby introduction of the NuVal system is part of the Valley Initiative to Advance Health and Learning in Schools (VITAHLS) program launched by Griffin Hospital in partnership with the Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton school districts and Emmett O’Brien Technical High School in Ansonia. 

VITAHLS is a childhood and adolescent obesity-prevention program launched in April 2011.

In addition to having the NuVal Scores help guide them to better choices, students will participate in educational programs about health and nutrition at school.  Their families will also have access to education about how to receive the best nutrition for their grocery dollars.


For students who are just learning how to make nutritional choices, NuVal offers quick and simple information to help them make the right selection.
By putting scores on food items such as Cheetos (NuVal Score 14), Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks (NuVal Score 6), Frosted Mini-Wheats (NuVal Score 36), and Tropicana OJ with calcium (NuVal Score 51), students are provided with the opportunity to make an educated decision.

Assisting with the Derby Middle School launch is grocery retailer Big Y Foods. Since launching the NuVal Scoring System throughout their stores in 2010, Big Y has been actively educating consumers throughout the state of Connecticut about using NuVal Scores to trade up their weekly groceries. Big Y Foods is looking forward to furthering the school's efforts at home.
"Offering NuVal Scores at Derby Middle School is a wonderful way to engage students and staff with their own nutrition and health. At Big Y, we're excited to continue the discussion and maintain the enthusiasm around NuVal Scores by showing families throughout the Valley how easy it is to trade up their grocery carts one food at a time" said Carrie Taylor, RD, LDN the Lead Dietitian for the Living Well Eating Smart Wellness Team.

Derby has been the first school system on the East coast to implement the NuVal system. NuVal Scores are also available at cafeterias and vending machines in Missouri, Minnesota, and Tennessee.

Funding to support the implementation of NuVal in the Derby CT School District was provided by Turn the Tide Foundation, Inc (www.turnthetidefoundation.org) through the generous support of the California Walnut Board and Commission. 



About NuVal LLC:
The NuVal Nutritional Scoring System is a unique food labeling system which ranks all foods between 1 and 100; the higher the score, the higher the food’s overall nutrition. 
NuVal^® Scores can be found in participating grocery stores, where they are posted on shelf tags next to the product price and on in-store signage. 
NuVal® Scores can be found at more than 1,600 stores nation-wide and the system itself was endorsed by the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM).  A recent Harvard School of Public Health study showed that those who ate food with more favorable NuVal Scores had a lower risk of chronic disease and had a better chance of living a longer, healthier life. 
NuVal LLC is a joint venture formed in 2008 by Topco Associates, LLC and Griffin Hospital.


This post is taken from a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Griffin Hospital in Derby to host talk on weight loss

DERBY - Griffin Hospital is helping area women get ready for Women’s Health Week (May 12-18) with a free presentation April 30 on the dangers of excess body fat.
Nutrition experts from Medi-Weightloss Clinics in Shelton will present “Excess Body Fat Hurts More Than Just Your Looks” at 6:30 p.m. in the hospital’s Meditation and Learning Center at 130 Division St.

The talk will discuss several underlying medical concerns for overweight women and why it is important to shed those extra pounds for the sake of their well-being.
This presentation brings to light the number of health concerns that may be lurking inside the body and features testimonials from women across the U.S. who have shed the extra pounds and learned more about their overall health than they ever expected.

Attendees will receive a gift certificate for a free consultation and BMI analysis or a free diabetic screening.

The talk is part of Griffin Hospital's Healthy U “Tuesday Talks,” a series of free wellness talks featuring Griffin Hospital medical experts and community partners providing trusted health information and answers to questions on a wide range of topics.

Tuesday Talks are held in Griffin Hospital’s Meditation and Learning Center. Light refreshments will be served.

To reserve your spot or for more information, call 203-732-1511 or visit www.griffinhealth.org.
To find out about upcoming Tuesday Talks, visit griffinhealth.org/programsevents.

Nutrition is topic of workshop at Griffin Hospital in Derby

DERBY - The Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital will host a free workshop from 6-7 p.m. April 18 to help cancer patients and their families understand the importance of nutrition during survivorship.

Registered Dietician Samantha Heller, MS, will present “Nurturing Your Body through Nutrition,” a discussion on how to eat healthy after cancer treatment to boost the immune system and lower the risk for cancer.

The presentation is part of the Center for Cancer Care’s free Survivorship Program, which offers personalized guidance from experienced clinicians to help cancer patients transition from active treatment back to everyday life.

Future presentations include "Intimacy and Sexuality" on May 17.
The Center’s entire survivorship care team is Survivorship Training & Rehabilitation (STAR) certified.
Through extensive evidence-based training, STAR certified clinicians have gained thorough knowledge and understanding of the unique rehabilitation needs of cancer survivors.
To reserve your spot for the workshop, call 203-732-1260 or email tpittman@griffinhealth.org.

If you are interested in the Survivorship Program, contact the Center’s survivorship navigator Donna Hayes, 203-732-1408 or dhayes@griffinhealth.org to schedule a private consultation.

Nutrition, wellness course slated in Derby

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will offer a free four-week nutrition course beginning April 17.
The free course, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition, But Were Afraid to Ask," will be held over four sessions, April 17 and 24 and May 1 and 8 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave.

This groundbreaking series of fun, informative classes is taught by Samantha Heller, Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.

A registered dietician and exercise physiologist, Heller is a nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, and the CBS Early Show.
She hosts "Samantha Heller's Health & Nutrition Show" on Sirius XM, and is the author of "Get Smart: Samantha Heller's Nutrition Prescription for Boosting Brain Power and Optimizing Total Body Health."

Participants should plan on attending all four sessions, as the learning is cumulative. They will learn about a variety of nutrition topics, including how to:

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight
• Manage Type 2 Diabetes
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduce blood pressure
• Boost stamina and energy
• Reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases
• Improve memory, sharpen the mind, and more.

Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited.
Register online at griffinhealth.org or by calling 203-732-1260.

This is taken from a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Griffin to host heart health fair in Derby

DERBY - Information on how to stay heart healthy will be in the spotlight April 20 at The Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave.

The Heart Health Fair will run from 9 a.m. to noon and will feature presentations by medical experts.

Cardiac rehabilitation department director Eunice Lisk said Dr. Avinash Gulrajani will discuss pacemakers and defibrillators, Dr. Rista Ramlogan will speak on "Excess Weight and Stress on Heart Health," Dr. Alon Ronen will discuss "Food for Your Heart," Dr. Lisa Rosenberger will talk about "What is Integrative Medicine," and Dr. Martin Plavec will lead a roundtable discussion on cardiac issues.

Lisk also said members of Griffin Hospital's Cardiac Rehab and Fitness Center will hold their second annual reunion with a reception from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The fair will offer information and demonstrations on services and programs offered at Griffin Hospital, including: blood pressure, cardiac risk and sleep apnea screenings, stroke assessments,  body composition, nutrition, exercise, congestive heart failure, CPR training, pet therapy, and more.

There will be healthy recipes and refreshments provided.

For more information, call 203-732-7107 or visit www.griffinhealth.org.

Weight loss talk slated at Griffin

DERBY - Boost your New Year’s resolution to lose weight at a free weight loss talk Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St.

Nutrition experts from Medi-Weightloss Clinics in Shelton will present “Resolve to Reduce Your Waistline,” a program offering medically-tested information on how to lose weight and tips on how to stick with New Year's dieting resolutions.

Attendees will learn key action items that will help them achieve their weight loss resolution.

The presentation is part of Griffin Hospital's Healthy U “Tuesday Talks,” a series of free wellness talks featuring Griffin Hospital medical experts and community partners providing trusted health information and answers to questions on a wide range of topics.

All Tuesday Talks are held in Griffin Hospital’s Meditation and Learning Center. Light refreshments will be served.

To reserve a spot or for information, call 203-732-1511 or visit griffinhealth.org.

This information is from a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Grant to fund nutrition program at Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley has received a grant from Unilever to continue its Healthy Habits after-school nutrition program in January. This program teaches young people how to understand nutrition and make better food choices.

The Healthy Habits program is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s comprehensive health initiative called Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul. This dynamic initiative demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle for Club members.

In each of the 10 Healthy Habits sessions per semester, members make a healthy afterschool snack, taking home not only a recipe, but valuable nutritional information and kitchen skills to encourage making eating healthy a lifelong positive choice. 
The program is open to all Boys & Girls Club members ages 6 through 18, enrolled in the after-school program at the Shelton Clubhouse.

Healthy Habits is facilitated by staff member Emily Degnan, with the help of Club volunteers. She has a degree in Culinary Arts from The Center for Culinary Arts at Lincoln Tech.

Detailed information on all programs can be found at www.BGC-LNV.org/Shelton Clubhouse.


The above is taken from a release from the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

Fun Day to focus on nutrition, fitness

Event at Emmett O'Brien to feature farm market

ANSONIA - The Valley Initiative to Advance Health & Learning in Schools (VITAHLS) will host a Family Fun Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 21 at Emmett O’Brien Technical High School, 141 Prindle Ave.
A fun run at 8 a.m. will precede the free event. 
Family Fun Day will have a festival feel with many booths featuring games, nutritional and fitness activities, free healthy snacks and a farmer’s market.
The Family Fun Day is also designed to launch the public phase of the VITAHLS program informing parents, community leaders and the public about the goals and components of the program.

Obesity prevention
VITAHLS is a community and school-based childhood and adolescent obesity prevention program that aims to reduce the prevalence of obesity and promote health, well-being and the academic readiness of students in the Valley school districts.

The initiative was launched last school year by Griffin Hospital and the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in partnership with the Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton school districts and Emmett O’Brien Technical High School.

This school year, the initiative will introduce Activity Bursts in the Classroom (ABC) for Fitness™ and Nutrition Detectives™ to students throughout the Valley and the Family Fun Festival will allow parents to try these two fun and informative programs as well.
ABC for Fitness helps increases the amount of physical activity our students get throughout the school day, and Nutrition Detectives teaches children the five clues for selecting more nutritious food.

In a related effort to help students eat healthier, Derby schools will offer the NuVal Nutritional Food Scoring System this school year.
Starting this fall, foods sold at the schools will be labeled with a “NuVal Score,” a number between 1 and 100 that determines the nutritional value of the food. The higher the NuVal Score, the better the overall nutrition.
NuVal Scores will be found on a la carte items (such as milk, fruit, and side items such as rice and beans) and on food in all vending machines. NuVal offers students quick and simple information to help them make the right selection.


The above information is taken from a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Healthy eating is in the spotlight at Griffin Hospital

Nutrition expert to offer free 4-week course

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will offer a free four-week nutrition course beginning Oct. 3.
"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition, But Were Afraid to Ask," will be held over four sessions, Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave.

This groundbreaking series of fun, informative classes is taught by Samantha Heller, the Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.
A registered dietitian and exercise physiologist, Heller is a nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, and the CBS Early Show.
She also hosts "Samantha Heller's Health & Nutrition Show" on Sirius XM, and is the author of "Get Smart: Samantha Heller's Nutrition Prescription for Boosting Brain Power and Optimizing Total Body Health."
Participants should plan on attending all four sessions, as the learning is cumulative.  They will learn about a variety of nutrition topics, including how to:

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight
• Manage Type 2 Diabetes
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduce blood pressure
• Boost stamina and energy
• Reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases
• Improve memory and sharpen the mind, and more.

Early registration is encouraged; space is limited.  Register online at griffinhealth.org or by calling 203-732-1260.

Derby library slates nutrition program

    DERBY - The Derby Public Library has scheduled the program, Low Cost & Nutritious Food Shopping and Preparation at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10.
    Doris Little from the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System will introduce participants to EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program).
    This federally-funded program teaches families, adults, and youth with limited income or resources how to food shop and prepare nutritious meals and snacks. 
    EFNEP can help you stretch your food dollars, choose the best buys for good nutrition, plan meals and snacks, make low-cost, nutritious meals that taste good, help change bad eating habits, and cook, handle, and store foods safely.
     Additional programs will be scheduled, depending on interest. Registration is requested.
     For information, stop by the Library at 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482, or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.    

Dietitian to discuss boosting brain power

DERBY - Renowned nutrition expert and exercise physiologist Samantha Heller, MS, RD, will share simple lifestyle changes that can boost brain power during a free cancer survivorship event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. May 23 at The Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave.
Based on her best selling, medically peer-reviewed book, “Get Smart: Samantha Heller’s Nutrition Prescription for Boosting Brain Power & Optimizing Total Body Health,” Heller’s presentation will show ways to boost brain power, dodge dementia, reduce chemo brain, improve memory, and lower your risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
She will also reveal which foods are best for your brain and heart, and which foods to avoid. The presentation incorporates music by well-known jazz musician Michael Coppola, compelling visuals and proven science that take attendees on a journey to a healthier brain.
While this event will benefit cancer survivors and their family members and friends, it is open to the general public and offers useful information for everyone looking to strengthen their minds.
“We all want a better memory, more energy and a healthy brain,” Heller said. “Every 68 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. This event is an entertaining and informative way to learn how you can boost your brain power, reduce the risk for mental decline and remember where you put your car keys.”
Heller is the clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital. She is an author and nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, Better Connecticut and NY1. Heller hosts her own weekly show on Sirius XM’s Doctor Radio.
Attendees will be entered into a raffle. Copies of Heller’s book will be available for purchase and she will autograph copies at the end of the event.
For information or to register, go to www.griffincancercenter.org or call 203-732-1260. 

The above information was released by Griffin Hospital in Derby.