Latest news with #LECOMInstituteforSuccessfulLiving
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. advisor stopped at Erie event. What he said about vaccines, processed foods, more
America's health-care system needs to be overhauled because it has done a poor job of controlling chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, a senior advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a May 12 speech in Erie. Instead of educating families about the importance of eating a healthier diet with fewer ultra-processed foods, Calley Means said the federal government has focused on treating the symptoms with expensive drugs like the new injectable GLP-1 medications. "We are paying three times more than any country in the world for health care and living seven years less than many of them," Means said during the speech at the Bayfront Convention Center. The average United States lifespan is 79.6 years, which is 48th out of 201 world countries. Means, the brother of current surgeon general nominee Dr. Casey Means, spoke to about 350 people at LECOM Health's annual Culture of Caring education conference for long-term care professionals. An author and former lobbyist, Means addressed many of the sometimes controversial health-care issues associated with Kennedy during a nearly 90-minute discussion with Dr. James Lin, president of the LECOM Institute for Successful Living. One of those issues is opposition to his sister's nomination to become the nation's chief medical doctor and health educator. Dr. Means left her surgical residency because she was disillusioned with traditional medicine and currently has an inactive Oregon medical license. "Health care doesn't just happen in the doctor's office," said Means, who cofounded TrueMed, which helps people use tax-free health savings accounts for healthy lifestyle expenses like food, exercise, and wellness coaching. "There are people who are not ready to leave the system, but they need people pushing from within the system." Another issue was Kennedy's track record on vaccines. He has been a champion of personal choice for vaccines, even the required childhood ones. Kennedy also questioned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's childhood vaccination schedule, asking during his first address to HHS staff whether it plays a role in Americans' poor health. "Bobby Kennedy has made very clear that people should follow the CDC schedule and take the MMR vaccine, so I have nothing to say on that," Means said after the speech. "Additionally, he has brought a very important point to the forefront that we have to see science as an ongoing process. That we have to continue to keep asking questions. We have to look at vaccine injury and ask questions about why children are getting sick." Vaccine safety: Medical experts explain how vaccines work Means repeatedly blamed the food industry for America's health problems, pointing to the rise in ultra-processed food. These foods are made from many manufactured ingredients and often are high in sugar, calories, fat and sodium, and low in nutrients. He pointed out that many ultra-processed foods can be purchased by low-income people through the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. "About $70 billion a year from our food stamp program goes to ultra-processed food," Means said. "No other country in the world allows their low-income nutrition program to go to that type of food. Ten percent of the program goes toward soda." Means said things are already starting to change since Kennedy became head of HHS. He pointed to the federal government's new plan to phase out artificial dyes from the nation's food supply, though the food industry is expected to fight that change. "A key goal, a foundational goal, is to restore trust in science," Means said. "This administration wants in four years to have increased trust in science." Contact David Bruce at dbruce@ Follow him on X @ETNBruce. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: RFK Jr. advisor: America's health-care system needs overhaul
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
LECOM Health offers Erie's first treatment for Alzheimer's, dementia
A local healthcare facility is the first in Erie to administer a treatment for early symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. That treatment being given to an Erie man who said the diagnosis is not only a heavy burden for the patients, but families as well. Parts of Walnut Creek Marina closing for maintenance Amyloid-targeting therapies, also known as ATT, is being offered in Erie for the first time by LECOM Health. It's a new class of medicine that targets patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's dementia. 'There's significant side effects and there's a significant process to screen patients so we got to pick the right patient to be safe,' Dr. James Lin, president of LECOM Institute for Successful Living. Jay Estes is the first patient in the area to receive this treatment that will take place over a span of eighteen months. New cutting-edge tech helping Erie eye doctors revolutionize treatment 'I'd gone to several tests and they're all telling me that I'm fine and my wife and we both know that I'm not fine,' he said 'They've shown significant reduction in terms of the plaquing in the brain as well as improving function,' Dr. Lin said. Estes said the diagnosis is not only a heavy burden for the patient but also the family. 'I would forget things I would talk to my wife and I would forget what she told me be driving along go the wrong way and have to turn around and go back,' Estes 'We watched his father go through it and he was at the Soldiers and Sailors Home for probably four years and he didn't know any of us and it was very difficult to go see him. So at least we know that he's doing everything he can to prevent that happening,' said Diane Estes, Jay's wife. Dr. Lin said there's a protocol that medical staff follows for patient safety. One aspect of that protocol is a patient navigator who is every step of the way from the pre-screening process to the day of infusion. 'It's a new treatment option there's a lot of questions there are a lot of risks involved it's not a cure-all I think we're kind of looking for that cure so just explaining that,' said Jennifer Kline, patient navigator. Erie Land Bank changing policies to help drive development 'We've already seen some cognitive improvement that we test him pre-imposed an MRI shows that he's having improvement in terms of plaquing so we're very cautiously optimistic that this is really going to work,' Dr. Lin explained. With the treatments underway, Estes said he is back to enjoying activities that he loves. 'Yeah we went to Florida and I played golf three times and went fishing and I feel a lot more energetic,' Estes went on to say. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
