Category: Food and Nutrition

Taking Care of Yourself When You Have Hepatitis C

by Karon Hicks and Seth Lamming

From PHN Issue 39, Winter/Spring 2019

Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver that is caused by a virus spread through blood. It is most commonly transmitted through shared needles or other equipment during injection drug use. You can also get hep C by being tattooed or pierced in prison or using other people’s personal care items like razors that may have infected blood on them. The risk for hep C transmission through sexual contact is low, but the risk increases if you have HIV, multiple partners, or a sexually transmitted illness. In general, anyone who has ever injected drugs, had a blood transfusion before 1992, or was born between 1945 and 1965 should request testing for hepatitis C. Continue reading “Taking Care of Yourself When You Have Hepatitis C” →

Hepatitis A and B

By Arielle Horowitz

From PHN Issue 37, Summer 2018

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a virus that can make it harder for your liver to work. You can get hepatitis A from food or water contaminated with fecal matter (poop), being near someone who has hepatitis A, or having sex with someone who has hepatitis A. It is not spread by sneezing or coughing. Washing your hands often, especially after using the toilet, may help you avoid getting hepatitis A. You can also prevent it by getting a hepatitis A vaccination. It is important to speak to your doctor to be sure that you are properly vaccinated, as everyone’s vaccination needs and effectiveness can be different. Continue reading “Hepatitis A and B” →

How to Avoid Food Poisoning

By Sarah Frankl

From PHN Issue 36, Spring 2018

Foodborne illnesses can be painful and serious. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and aches. Even if you eat bad food and end up vomiting (or having diarrhea) later in the day, some of the microbes that made the food bad can stay in the gut and continue to cause health problems. Although food poisoning symptoms usually last a few days, some foodborne illnesses can cause more serious health issues that can last for longer. Continue reading “How to Avoid Food Poisoning” →

Nutrition Tips from Our Readers

From PHN Issue 35, Winter 2018

Preparing your own meals from items you purchase from commissary allows you to control what you’re putting into your meals and pay attention to the contents. Just as our body must consume a particular number of calories, it must also consume vitamins. Unfortunately, in most cases, kitchens overcook the vegetables and its extracting the vitamins we need. To make up for this, you can eat fruit…Regardless of what you eat, it’s good to drink water throughout the day in order for the body to function properly. Drinking water will help you digest food properly. Continue reading “Nutrition Tips from Our Readers” →

Beat the Winter Blues

By Leo Cardez

From PHN Issue 34, Fall 2017

As the winter approaches, I find myself getting tired and moody. It starts as early as September and gets really bad in January. Although I’ve never been officially diagnosed, I’m sure I suffer from some degree of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). As I look around my cell block, I don’t think I’m the only one. The good news is I’ve found that some small tweaks to my daily routine (tips and tricks) can help keep my spirits high. Continue reading “Beat the Winter Blues” →

Managing Diabetes

by Julie Carney

From PHN Issue 33, Summer 2017

Diabetes is a group of diseases caused by too much sugar, or glucose, in the blood. Our bodies have a hormone, insulin, which is produced by our pancreas, that helps move glucose out of the blood and into our cells. In diabetes, less glucose enters into the cells, and instead it builds up in the blood, causing high blood sugar. In Type 1 diabetes, the body makes no insulin. In Type 2 diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or can’t use it well. In Gestational diabetes, a person gets diabetes when they are pregnant, increasing their risk of Type 2 diabetes after the pregnancy. Continue reading “Managing Diabetes” →

Understanding and Taking Control of Your High Blood Pressure

By Priyanka Anand

From PHN Issue 31, Winter 2017

Most people have heard of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Maybe the doctor has told you that you have high blood pressure. About 30 percent of adults in the United States have high blood pressure. Continue reading “Understanding and Taking Control of Your High Blood Pressure” →

Dining Hall Boycott at Pennsylvania’s Coal Township Prison

by Incarcerated Citizens Coalition

From PHN Issue 22, Fall 2014

From June 16 to 23, men at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Coal Township in Pennsylvania initiated a 1-week, peaceful boycott of the Inmate Dining Hall in response to the implementation of the Department of Corrections’ (DOC) “efficiency diet” at the prison. The men supported one another by sharing food and commissary items on the units. The boycott was overwhelmingly successful on the West Side of the prison, where over 70% of the men participated, with only 20 to 25 individuals per unit/wing going down to the dining hall per meal. Continue reading “Dining Hall Boycott at Pennsylvania’s Coal Township Prison” →