During the past year, PlaneTree staff and volunteers have helped you and other members of our South Bay community by -

• training individuals and small groups how to locate personally relevant health information online;
• providing individualized information on conditions, treatment and self-care;
• developing popular health lectures that educated and energized participants at Santa Clara County Library (SCCL) locations;
• researching links for new topics in SCCL's easy-to-use health portal;
• offering you information about health-related classes and events in the community, plus "News You Can Use."

     If you are grateful that PlaneTree services are in your community, and if you can, please make a tax-deductible donation to the library by mailing a check or by clicking here to securely contribute any amount by credit card. The people we help every day will be grateful for your support of our nationally-recognized, local health library.

 
Option 1:  For gifts that encourage personal relationships and experiences, fit your budget, and would be appreciated by those who have everything, check out these ideas, which also have small environmental footprints.
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Option 2:  Donating to a charitable organization in honor of one's giftee is popular. Let your giftee choose the charity at JustGive.org. (Santa wants you to know that PlaneTree is listed there.) You can also use the site to make anonymous donations.
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Option 3: To someone who'd like to eat safer and smarter, give the gift of information: a $10, one-year subscription to Nutrition Action. Your fortunate recipient will enjoy well-written articles on topics of broad interest, updates on nutrition research, and pithy evaluations of popular convenience and fast foods.
     Empowering consumers to make healthful choices and championing science-based nutrition and food safety initiatives, the  newsletter is published - without any ads - by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nonprofit organization. CSPI's co-founder and executive director, Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., received this year's CDC Foundation award, which recognizes a person who has made significant contributions to public health.

  
Cell-Phone Skin Rash
     If you use your cell phone a lot and have a rash where the phone touches your face, you may be allergic to nickel. Learn how to check for nickel on your phone, treat your rash, and avoid dermatitis in the future.

Health Insurance for People with Pre-existing Conditions
     Californians who have been unable to obtain insurance for 6+ months because of pre-existing conditions may now enroll in the California Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP, created as a consequence of the federal Affordable Care Act of 2010). Learn more by exploring the PCIP website.

Diabetes: Holiday Tips & Research on Exercise
     The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has numerous practical tips for managing your diabetes successfully during the holiday season. Many of these suggestions will also be helpful for folks who are borderline diabetic or who want to avoid gaining weight.
     A recent study found that individuals with Type 2 Diabetes whose exercise programs included both aerobic activity and resistance (or strength) training controlled their blood sugar levels more effectively than people performing only one type of exercise. As reported here, study participants who alternated between the two types of exercise were also more likely to reduce their reliance on medications. If you would like to read a substantive review of research on exercise and diabetes interactions, "Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes: American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: Joint Position Statement" is newly available.