See No Evil, Speak No Evil: Learn About Your Eyes and Mouth at the Library

Join the St. Louis Public Library for our final installment in the 2014 Consumer Health Speaker Series, "Can I Catch That?," as we discuss eye and mouth health, and what they can indicate about your overall health.

"See No Evil, Speak No Evil: The Story Your Eyes and Mouth Tell About Your Health" will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 28 in the Carnegie Room at Central Library, 1301 Olive Street, 63103. The discussion will feature an intimate conversation with ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Donahoe, dentist Dr. Candace Wakefield, and pharmacist Dr. Jamie Shelly.

This event is free and open to the public, and no reservations are required. Free parking is available at the Library's parking lot at the corner of 15th and Olive streets, a block west of the Library. For additional information, call 314.539.0390.

Join the Library for a Chat About Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 29 million Americans have diabetes. What’s even more startling is that, of those, more than 8 million don’t know they have it.

To help raise awareness about the disease, the St. Louis Public Library and its partners will present “Diabetes: What’s New, What Works, and How Can I Prevent It?” The program will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 22 in the Carnegie Room at Central Library, 1301 Olive Street. It will feature Certified Diabetes Educator Jennifer Markee and pharmacist Amy Drew, who will discuss this increasingly prevalent disease and the ways in which it can be treated and managed.

A consultant for the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition and the OASIS Institute, Markee is a medical social worker and a certified diabetes educator through the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Drew is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and a practicing pharmacist at the Ambulatory Clinic at Mercy Clinic Family Medicine.

“In the last 10 to 15 years, there has been such an increase in the diagnosis of diabetes. It’s becoming more pervasive,” Markee said. “One out of five Americans has diabetes so this is important for people to look at and not sweep under the rug.”

Markee said that a diabetes diagnosis often comes with a dose of guilt, as people often automatically assume that they did something wrong to deserve the diagnosis. However, diabetes is part lifestyle and part hereditary. “It becomes this elephant in the room, and people think it’s not valid enough to talk about in conversation,” she said.

At the July 22 event, Markee said she hopes to remove some of that stigma, and to help people learn about the symptoms and warning signs of diabetes, as well as how it is diagnosed, and help them get started on developing a support system to learn more about this chronic disease. She and Drew will also discuss some of the ways that diabetes can be controlled, including exercise habits and reading nutrition labels.

“Diabetes: What’s New, What Works, and How Can I Prevent It?” is the third presentation in “Can I Catch That?,” the St. Louis Public Library’s 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series. The fourth presentation, “See No Evil, Speak No Evil: The Story Your Eyes and Mouth Tell About Your Health,” will take place on Tuesday, October 28 at Central Library. For more information on this series and other health events at the Library, call 314.539.0390.

Let's Talk About Diabetes at the Library

As we head into July, the St. Louis Public Library is turning its focus to diabetes. Diagnoses of the chronic condition is on the rise nationwide, with more than more than 29 million cases across the country, according to the American Diabetes Association. Having diabetes can have an impact on all aspects of your health, including increasing your risk for other serious health problems.

To help raise awareness and educate about diabetes, the Library has partnered with OASIS to provide free 6-week classes to help those with diabetes manage their disease. Led by certified diabetes educators, these classes will take place at several branches throughout the city, starting July 10 at the Schlafly Branch. Registration is required; to secure a spot, call 1-855-805-6168. For a full list of times, dates, and locations, check out our page of Upcoming Events.

On July 22, the third event in our Consumer Health Information Speaker Series will also focus on diabetes. Can I Catch That? Diabetes: What's New, What Works, and How Can I Prevent It? will feature Certified Diabetes Educator Jennifer Markee and pharmacist Amy Drew discussing the best ways to prevent and treat diabetes. The event will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 22 in the Carnegie Room at Central Library.

Check back to the blog throughout July as we offer more insight into diabetes!

Cardio Time at Central Library!

Don't forget that tonight is the second event in the Library's 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series, "Can I Catch That?" Tonight's program focuses on cardio health, and features cardiologist Angela Brown and clinical pharmacist Anastasia Armbruster. The program starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium at Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. See the posts below for more information on the event.

Additionally, the event will feature herbalist and massage therapist Rachel Davis, and Lisa Hays of the Million Hearts Campaign talking about various ways in which you can take care of your heart at home. On your way in, please stop by their tables outside the auditorium.

See you at Central tonight!

Learn About Heart Health at the Library

Everyone has heard that having a healthy heart is part of living a healthy life. But how can you tell if your heart is healthy? And if it’s not, what can you do to make it healthy?

These are some of the questions the St. Louis Public Library and its community partners hope to answer on Tuesday, May 27, during a program called “Cardio Health: Risks, Intervention and Prevention.” The event, which will feature cardiologist Dr. Angela Brown and pharmacist Anastasia Armbruster, and will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103.

Dr. Angela Brown

Brown is an associate professor of medicine in the cardiology division at Washington University School of Medicine and director of the school’s section on hypertension. Armbruster is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, and a clinical pharmacist specializing in cardiology and internal medicine at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.

The Library and its partners have chosen to focus on cardio health because it is something that affects

everyone. “It’s not just old people — it’s young people too,” Brown said. “This is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S.”

During the May 27 event, Brown and Armbruster will discuss what exactly constitutes heart disease, as well as risk factors and the lifestyle interventions that can decrease someone’s chances of developing heart disease. Brown said that after the event, she hopes people will feel empowered to take charge of their own heart health, noting that there are things people can do to improve their overall heart health and live a good-quality life.

Anastasia Armbruster

“It’s all about understanding your risk factors and knowing what you need to know to live that long, healthy life,” Brown said.

Fortunately, there is a lot that individuals can do on their own to improve their heart health. Both Brown and Armbruster suggest simply talking to your doctor about your personal risks for heart disease, and making sure you get the right screenings.

“Talk to your doctor about your risk. Have a yearly checkup, and ask about your blood pressure,” Armbruster said. “Heart health is a big deal. It is important, and something you want to put at the forefront.”

“Cardio Health: Risks, Intervention and Prevention” is presented as part of “Can I Catch That?,” the 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series. The series is presented by St. Louis Public Library and its community partners: HealthStreet, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, and Washington University's Bernard Becker Medical Library. For more information about this event or about health information, call 314-539-0390.

*This article was originally published in the May 2014 issue of The Healthy Planet.

Have a Healthy Heart!

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the U.S.; stroke, another condition related to heart health, is fourth on the list. The bottom line: cardiovascular health is something that affects everyone, no matter how young or old. But the good news is, there’s a lot you can on your own to improve your cardio health.

The American Heart Association has lots of helpful tips on getting healthy, from weight management to smoking cessation to raising healthy active kids. Keeping an eye on your blood pressure is also a way to monitor your heart health. Take a look at this CDC infographic to see what your blood pressure means, and learn some tips on ways to keep it under control.

The Library has boatloads of books and DVDs about heart health, way too many to list here. But check out this link for a list in our catalog, or simply search for “heart health” in the catalog to get a list of results. Another good search term is “American Heart Association,” which will pull up plenty of cookbooks with heart-healthy recipes.

The Library will also focus on heart health later this month with “Can I Catch That? Cardio Health: Risks, Interventions, and Prevention.” This panel discussion will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 27 in the Auditorium at Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. It is the second event in the 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series. 

Next week on the blog, we’ll post more information about the event, including interviews with the two speakers, cardiologist Dr. Angela Brown and pharmacist Anastasia Armbruster. Make sure you check back later on for more info!

Learn About Cancer at the Library on March 25

In just eight days, the St. Louis Public Library and our partners will present the first of our panel discussions in "Can I Catch That? The 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series." Join us at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25 in the auditorium at Central Library for "Cancer: Risks, Prevention, and Intervention." The event will feature local health experts Dr. Bettina Drake, Janelle Mann, Pharm.D., and Monique Norfolk discussing the risk factors and treatments of cancer, as well as preventative measures you can take to decrease your risk of cancer. For more information about our speakers, read on:


Dr. Bettina Drake is an Assistant Professor at Washington University School of Medicine and Siteman Cancer Center. Her research has focused on identifying preventive strategies to reduce cancer disparities. The objectives of her research program are: to identify the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for cancer as well as the at-risk groups for these factors; to utilize community-based approaches to design, implement and disseminate research information; to promote education and awareness of research and research participation in minority communities. Currently she is conducting community-based research through the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) on minority recruitment into biorepository studies. In addition, she co-leads the Prostate Cancer Community Partnership, a community partnership of PECaD, which seeks to reduce prostate cancer disparities in the region.


Janelle Mann, Pharm.D., BCOP, is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. In addition to her teaching duties, she is a clinical oncology pharmacist at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. Mann is a 2009 graduate of St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency and PGY-2 oncology specialty residency at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis.

Monique A. Norfolk, MPH is a Program Coordinator/Community Health Educator at Washington University School of Medicine. She coordinates outreach efforts for The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) of the Siteman Cancer Center of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In her role, she ensures collaboration between the university and community stakeholders. Her background is in public health education and health behavior. She received her master’s degree in public health from Saint Louis University School of Public Health. Mrs. Norfolk is a St. Louis native and has worked with the community since finishing her degree. Currently, Mrs. Norfolk coordinates PECaD community partnerships and expansion of PECaD education and outreach, disseminates findings and locally/regionally developed resources, identifies new community partners, and seeks ways to better integrate research partners.

The "Can I Catch That? 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series" is held in partnership with HealthStreet, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, and Washington University's Bernard Becker Medical Library.