Louisiana universities could get ‘fail safe' for students in mental health crisis
The Louisiana Legislature is advancing a measure that would allow colleges and universities to contact the parents of students experiencing a mental health crisis.
House Bill 202 by Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, would require colleges and universities to offer privacy waivers to students that would allow the schools to contact a pre-designated person in the case of a mental health crisis or situation in which the student poses a risk to themselves or other.
The measure is necessary because colleges are currently not able to contact parents under privacy laws that protect adult students, Boyd said. Students would be given the option to fill out the waiver.
Legislators on the House Committee on Education described the proposal Wednesday as a 'fail safe.' It comes on the heels of several high-profile deaths on college campuses.
'Just recently, we had a student at Xavier University that committed suicide about a month ago,' Boyd told the committee. 'Imagine if someone had paid attention to the change in attitude, the personality or what have you, it could have ended in a different way.'
Boyd's bill will next be discussed on the House floor.
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Yahoo
13 hours ago
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8 Heart-Healthy Snacks to Satisfy Your Late-Night Cravings, According to Nutrition Experts
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Popcorn 'Popcorn made with a little canola or olive oil and sprinkled with your favorite herb or spice is a delicious heart-healthy snack,' McIndoo says. This is thanks to the fiber found in popcorn, unsaturated fats in vegetable oils, and antioxidants in any herbs or spices you use. A small pinch of salt is totally warranted here as well—just be careful to not overdo it. Tinned Fish and Crackers Tinned fish—like salmon or tuna—are delicious options to curb those late-night salty cravings while getting a hefty dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, as well as fiber from any whole grain crackers or rice cakes you serve them on. 'The vast majority of canned salmon comes from Alaska, which means it's wild, sustainable, and packed full of heart-healthy omega-3s,' House says. Mix your canned fish with a spoonful of plain low-fat Greek yogurt and chopped celery or cucumber for added creaminess and fiber without excessive amounts of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. Chocolate Yogurt and Fruit If your sweet tooth rears its head in the evening, a decadent yogurt dessert might be just the trick. 'Stir a tablespoon of cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix) into ½ to ¾ cup of vanilla low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt, [topped] with fresh raspberries,' McIndoo says. 'Cocoa powder is a good source of heart-healthy flavanols that improve blood flow and lower blood pressure and raspberries are a great source of fiber.' If you want to further healthify this creative dessert, opt for plain yogurt and sweeten it with a little bit of honey—a natural sweetener full of antioxidant plant compounds and prebiotic fiber. 'A small drizzle of maple syrup (another nutrient-added sweetener) to sweeten the yogurt is still less sugar than pre-sweetened flavored yogurts,' House adds. Veggies and Hummus As a classic and easy-to-assemble snack, veggies and hummus bring the crunch that many people seek from less healthy options like chips or pretzels in the evening hours. You could dip whole grain crackers into your hummus, too, which offers cholesterol-lowering fiber just like veggies. 'Made with garbanzo beans and olive oil, hummus provides fiber and healthy fats to boost your heart health,' McIndoo says. Trail Mix Prepping a big batch of trail mix at the beginning of the week is an excellent way to ensure you have heart-healthy snacks ready for late-night cravings. 'For an on-the-go snack, mix a couple tablespoons of walnuts and your favorite dried fruit,' McIndoo suggests. 'Walnuts provide heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and dried fruit contains fiber, both of which can help lower LDL cholesterol levels.' Edamame 'Soy has been shown to reduce markers of heart disease such as total and LDL cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and triglycerides,' House explains. 'Try edamame steamed in the pods (they're fun to eat!).' You can sprinkle a bit of salt or tajín on your edamame for a boost of flavor, too. Dark Chocolate-Covered Fruit Dark chocolate is the perfect way to satisfy that evening hankering for chocolate without all the added sugar. Plus, it pairs perfectly with fruit, as options like bananas, berries, apples, or dried (unsweetened) apricots naturally sweeten the final dish. 'Melt dark chocolate (the higher cacao percentage, the better) and dip fresh strawberries or banana slices in it,' McIndoo says. 'Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that benefit heart health, whereas berries contain fiber and phytonutrients that can help lower LDL cholesterol and inflammation.' Chia Pudding Our final heart-healthy late-night snack suggestion is chia pudding! 'Chia seeds may decrease cardiovascular disease risk by decreasing triglycerides and cholesterol,' House says. Plus, these tiny seeds offer a satisfying texture to your pudding, making late-night snacking a sensory experience. You can make this pudding by combining chia seeds, low-fat milk of your choice, a dash of honey or maple syrup, cinnamon, and nut butter for a high-fiber and antioxidant-rich evening treat. What to Include in a Heart-Healthy Snack There are a few hallmark nutrients to include at snack time when heart health is top priority—namely heart-healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants. 'Unsaturated fats do double duty in promoting heart health,' McIndoo says. 'They can help raise levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein or 'healthy' cholesterol) in the bloodstream and lower levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein or 'unhealthy' cholesterol).' Plus, unsaturated fats also help reduce bodily inflammation—key for keeping heart disease at bay. Generally, unsaturated fats are found in fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and the oils of any of these options. Omega-3 fatty acids are also included under this umbrella as they carry out many of the same functions and are particularly concentrated in walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, seaweed, leafy greens, and fatty fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, trout, and anchovies. 'Fiber, especially soluble fiber that is in fruits, veggies, seeds, and whole grains, helps grab cholesterol in your digestive system so it can be removed from your body instead of being absorbed into your bloodstream,' McIndoo adds. Fiber can also be found in other plant-based foods like nuts and legumes including beans, peas, and lentils. What to Avoid in a Heart-Healthy Snack On the other side of the coin, there are a few nutrients that we want to steer clear of when assembling a heart-healthy late-night snack. These include trans fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, sodium, added sugars, and alcohol. 'Saturated fats, usually solid at room temperature, tend to raise your blood levels of LDL cholesterol,' McIndoo says. 'Trans fats do as well, but they also lower levels of HDL cholesterol.' Dietary cholesterol may also increase blood cholesterol levels. However, both dietary cholesterol and saturated fats have been found in certain studies to not be as correlated to heart disease as once thought. That said, it's still a good idea to use caution around them when focusing on heart health, as they have been found in some circumstances to increase cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels over long periods of time can contribute to atherosclerosis (or plaque build-up on veins and arteries) development—a hallmark feature of many heart diseases. 'Consistent high-sodium intake can increase your blood pressure,' McIndoo says. 'This excessive force can stretch and damage your blood vessel walls and increase the build-up of the waxy, sticky plaque that can lead to clogged vessels (atherosclerosis) which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.' 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USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
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Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
US organ donation system faces scrutiny and changes after reports of disturbing near-misses
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The hearing came after a federal investigation began last fall into allegations that a Kentucky donation group pressured a hospital in 2021 to proceed with plans to withdraw life support and retrieve organs from a man despite signs that he might be waking up from his drug overdose. That surgery never happened after a doctor noticed him moving and moaning while being transported to the operating room — and the man survived. Lawmakers stressed most organ donations proceed appropriately and save tens of thousands of lives a year. But the federal probe – concluded in March but only made public ahead of Tuesday's hearing — cited a 'concerning pattern of risk' in dozens of other cases involving the Kentucky group's initial planning to recover someone's organs. The report said some should have been stopped or reassessed earlier, and mostly involved small or rural hospitals with less experience in caring for potential organ donors. The Kentucky organ procurement organization, or OPO, has made changes and the national transplant network is working on additional steps. But notably absent Tuesday was any testimony from hospitals – whose doctors must independently determine a patient is dead before donation groups are allowed to retrieve organs. Here's a look at how the nation's transplant system works. There's a dire need for organ donation More than 100,000 people are on the U.S. transplant list and about 13 a day die waiting, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Only about 1% of deaths occur in a way that allows someone to even be considered for organ donation . Most people declared dead in a hospital will quickly be transferred to a funeral home or morgue instead. 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Organs are only considered usable if death occurs relatively quickly, usually up to about two hours. Sometimes that takes much longer and thus the organs can't be used – and HRSA's Dr. Raymond Lynch told Congress that doesn't necessarily mean anything was done wrong. Still, he said HRSA is investigating reports of possible mistakes elsewhere. 'This is a technically demanding form of care' that requires 'good collaboration between the OPO and the hospital,' he said. What happens next At issue is how doctors are sure when it's time to withdraw life support from a dying patient — and the delicate balance of how OPOs interact with hospital staff in preparing for donation once death occurs. In May, HRSA quietly ordered the U.S. transplant network to oversee improvements at the Kentucky OPO and to develop new national policies making clear that anyone – family, hospital staff or organ donation staff – can call for a pause in donation preparations any time there are concerns about the patient's eligibility. Lynch said the government now wants more proactive collaboration from OPOs to give hospital staff 'a clear understanding' of when to at least temporarily halt and reevaluate a potential donor if their health status changes. Kentucky's Massa said his group only received HRSA's reports this week – but that after learning about last fall's allegations, it made some changes. Massa said every hospital doctor and nurse now gets a checklist on caring for potential donors and how to pause when concerns are raised — and anyone can anonymously report complaints. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.