Home|Blog | August 2021 Health e-Connection

Like most years, these final days of summer have been hot, hazy and humid. This sort of weather can be especially hard on our breathing.

There are many common ailments that can make it very difficult to breathe in the summer. If you are having issues breathing in the hot and humid weather, schedule a check-up with your physician to discuss your breathing issues. Griffin Faculty Physicians have primary care offices throughout Lower Naugatuck Valley and can help you discover the reasons, provide wellness resources, and connect you with experts, like Griffin Faculty Physicians Pulmonary Specialists.

To help you keep your breathing in top shape, this newsletter includes tips for healthy lungs as well as information about asthma and exercise. If you or a loved one smoke, please read the tips on quitting smoking, and consider joining Griffin’s free smoking cessation program. There’s also a guide to healthy ways to beat the heat.

Lifestyle Tips for Healthy Lungs

Along with your heart, your lungs are among your most vital organs. That’s why it’s wise to take proactive steps to keep them healthy. An investment in lung health will pay dividends just like an investment in heart health. Learn More.

Join Us for the 13th Center for Cancer Care 5K Sept. 25

The Annual 5K Walk/Run to benefit the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital will be back as an in-person event to celebrate its 13th year on Sat., Sept. 25. This non-competitive, family-friendly event supports exceptional, personalized cancer care and helps ease the financial burden of Griffin’s cancer patients face as they undergo treatment. Learn More.

Meet Our Pulmonary Specialists

Dr. Roman Spivak, and Katherine Roarty, APRN, are experts at treating diseases of the respiratory system, including Asthma, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis and Emphysema. If you are experiencing persistent cough or shortness of breath, it may be time to see our experts. Learn More.

Healthy Living Made Easy

Opened in 2020, Griffin’s Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. The Center offers a wealth healthy living videos share health education, low-cost lifestyle changes, and disease management tools that can help you increase your physical activity, focus on nutrition, learn techniques to reduce anxiety and stress, and pursue a healthy body. Learn More.


Tips for Quitting Smoking

Smoking harms every cell in your body, which can lead to hundreds of diseases and health issues. Deciding to quit is an excellent choice. Whether you are trying to quit for the first time or the 100th time, these tips can help. Learn More.

Sweet Treats to Beat the Heat

Summer is here and the temperatures are rising. As the days get hotter, cooking is less appealing than binging on ice cream or a cold berry mojito. But have no fear. Here are some healthier recipes for cold treats that can satisfy your sweet tooth. Learn More.

Free Virtual Presentations on Weight Loss

Griffin Bariatrics will offer free virtual presentations on weight-loss services on Thurs., Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m., Wed., Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m., and Tues., and Sept. 28 at noon. Led by Griffin Hospital Director of Bariatrics Dr. Abe Fridman, this seminar will explain how bariatric surgery can help patients lose significant amounts of weight, enhance their health, and provide long-term outcomes. Learn More.

Asthma and Exercise

Regular exercise is good for your overall health, but if you are finding it hard to breathe while exercising, you may have exercise-induced asthma. Learn More.

Griffin Offers Mobile COVID-19 Vaccinations and Passes to Quassy Amusement!

Connecticut’s COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Teams provide no-cost, walk-up vaccinations across the state in addition to its vaccination centers in Shelton and Naugatuck.

The highly visible yellow Mobile Vaccination SUVs, provided by the CT Department of Public Health and run by Griffin Health, can administer 100-125 shots per day in a six-hour window of time. The shots are available to individuals 12 years and older without an appointment. It is not necessary to have health insurance or a state-issued ID. All residents are welcome and no one will be turned away for lack of insurance or ID.

Griffin is giving out free day passes to Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury for everyone who comes to a Griffin Mobile Vaccination Clinic to receive their first dose COVID-19 vaccination. Day passes include all of the rides as well as the waterpark.

Visit griffinhealth.org/Coronavirus-COVID19-Information/COVID-19-Vaccination for a schedule of upcoming mobile vaccination clinics. Additionally, Griffin’s COVID-19 vaccination center at 10 Progress Drive in Shelton is currently open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The Naugatuck vaccination center at 727 Rubber Ave. in Naugatuck is currently open from 12 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Starting July 6, the Shelton location will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The Naugatuck location will be open from 12 to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

Volunteers Needed for Study of Phototherapy

The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center’s cardiovascular laboratory at Griffin Hospital in Derby is looking for volunteers to take part in a study to test how well a phototherapy product can improve health. The product uses two small patches worn on the skin that, when activated by body heat, reflect low levels of infrared and visible light to stimulate the skin’s surface. The patches don’t contain any drugs or herbal compounds, and don’t put any chemicals in the body. Learn more.


Virtual Presentations on Joint, Hip Replacement

Griffin Health will offer a free virtual presentations joint replacement options and on minimally invasive hip replacement surgery in August and September.

On Tues., Sept. 14 at 6 p.m., Orthopaedic Surgeon Gary R. Richo, M.D., PhD, will present “Advances in Joint Replacement, an open discussion of the causes of joint pain, conservative treatment options, total joint replacement techniques, post-surgical recovery and the return to normal activities. The presentation will also include information about Griffin’s advanced surgical technology, including 3D Mako SmartRobotics™ which provides unmatched precision in knee procedures.

These seminars are offered monthly. For more information about joint replacement or to get log-in information for the virtual presentation, contact Vivian Ramia at vramia@griffinhealth.org.