MyChart Now In Spanish / MyChart Ahora en Español

MyChart, the patient portal used by NOAH, HonorHealth, and many other healthcare organizations in Arizona and around the country is now available in Spanish as well as English.

MyChart, el portal para pacientes utilizado por NOAH, HonorHealth y muchas otras organizaciones de atención médica en Arizona y en todo el país ahora está disponible en español e inglés.

NOAH patients or their family members for whom Spanish is their primary or preferred language will now have better access to their healthcare. Having information and communications with your provider team in the language you prefer is an important step for patients to live their healthiest life.

Los pacientes de NOAH o sus familiares para quienes el español es su idioma principal o preferido ahora tendrán un mejor acceso a su atención médica. Tener información y comunicaciones con su equipo de proveedores de atención médica en el idioma que prefiere es un paso importante para que los pacientes vivan su vida de la manera más saludable.

MyChart is free and available as an app on your phone or tablet and is accessible via web browser as well.

MyChart es gratis y está disponible como una aplicación en su teléfono o tableta y también lo puede accesar a través del navegador web.

Benefits of MyChart / Beneficios de MyChart

Patients can use MyChart from anywhere to:

  • Schedule or cancel appointments with your provider.
  • Review test and lab results.
  • Email your provider with non-urgent medical questions and get a response within two business days.
  • Request prescription refills from your provider.
  • Review your medications, immunizations, allergies, and health history.
  • Access patient education resources through nationally recognized sources.
  • Review post-visit instructions.
  • Securely pay your bills online for all of your NOAH and HonorHealth accounts.

Los pacientes pueden usar MyChart de cualquier lugar para:

  • Programar o cancelar citas con su proveedor.
  • Revisar los resultados de pruebas y análisis de laboratorio.
  • Enviar un correo electrónico a su proveedor con preguntas médicas no urgentes y obtener una respuesta dentro de los dos días hábiles.
  • Solicitar a su proveedor que vuelva a surtir sus recetas médicas.
  • Revisar sus medicamentos, vacunas, alergias y antecedentes médicos.
  • Tener acceso a recursos educativos a través de fuentes reconocidas a nivel nacional.
  • Revisar indicaciones posteriores a la visita.
  • Pagar de manera segura sus facturas en línea de todas sus cuentas de NOAH y HonorHealth.

Learn more about MyChart in Spanish or MyChart in English, or sign into your MyChart account and get started!

¡Obtenga más información sobre MyChart en español o MyChart en inglés, o inicie su sesión en su cuenta MyChart y empiece hoy mismo!

Celebrate a Healthier Season with NOAH Holiday Recipes

The holiday season is filled with traditions and memories. Sometimes these are traditions shared throughout our family for generations, are new traditions we make with friends and family, or are something unique to the place where we live. But so often, that tradition involves something festive to eat or drink. The season and memories are intertwined with holiday recipes that bring the season to life.

However, to really make the holidays memorable, they should include everyone. If you, a family member, friend, or guest is living with diabetes, heart disease, food allergies or sensitives, or another chronic condition managed with diet, NOAH has some great recipes.

NOAH’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are thrilled to share some of their favorite holiday recipes for meals, treats, and snacks with everyone in a way that is healthy for all your friends and family to enjoy. So enjoy everything from sharable appetizers that pack a flavorful punch (without the calories), vegetarian versions of classic main dishes, or show-stopping drinks and desserts that bring the festive feel to a new level.

You can download the NOAH Holiday Cookbook to enjoy these new holiday recipes or reimagined, healthier versions of classics!

Click here to go get your NOAH Holiday Cookbook today. Then, you can enjoy these holiday meals and the flavors and tastes of the season in a deliciously healthy way.

NOAH Awarded Grant to Address Rising HIV in Arizona

NOAH was awarded a grant recently to be part of the solution to the rising cases of HIV in Maricopa County. The program, called Partners in Prevention, is an important way communities across the country are coming together to address the HIV epidemic in the U.S., with the most focus on places like central Arizona.

Maricopa County is recognized as one of the 57 HIV “hot spots” by Health and Human Services. The goal of the program is to work together to reduce new transmissions by 75% by 2025 and by 90 percent by 2030.

The two-year grant NOAH received is from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This is part of the first phase to reach the HIV reduction goals nationwide. During those two years, NOAH will launch a specialized team to address the rising cases in Maricopa County by:

  • Increasing HIV testing to identify individuals currently living with the virus. People can call NOAH at 480-882-4545 to make an appointment to get tested!
  • Reducing HIV spread by prescribing PrEP – a medicine that prevents the virus – for people who are at high risk. Learn more about PrEP here.
  • Treating patients. NOAH will connect patients who test positive with high-quality, compassionate, on-going care with partner organizations including Valleywise and Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS.
  • Working with organizations including Sonoran Prevention Works to expand prevention efforts and testing in key areas.

Solving this important issue will take collaboration between individuals and groups with years of experience in healthcare, community outreach, HIV treatment, impactful prevention efforts, and more. NOAH is honored to be able to work with leaders in Maricopa.

New and existing patients can request a test with NOAH online or by calling 480-882-4545.

NEWS: COVID Vaccines for Children Age 5 – 11 at NOAH

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in children ages 5 to 11. NOAH has the vaccine available to begin scheduling COVID vaccines for children and is kicking this off with a vaccine event on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at NOAH Palomino Health Center.

The approval came after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was studied in approximately 3,100 children. The study shows the vaccine to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 through 11 and there were no serious side effects found during the study.

While the same vaccine, the dosage children 5 to 11 will receive is 1/3 the dose those 12 and older receive. The second dose of the vaccine will be 21 days after the first dose. NOAH will schedule the second dose appointment when patients schedule the first dose for their child.

More Questions About COVID Vaccines for Children?

NOAH has put together some of the most common questions about COVID vaccines for children.

Schedule An Appointment

Parents or guardians of patients ages 5 to 11 can request a vaccine appointment at NOAH. The first vaccine opportunity is:

COVID-19 vaccines are free, and no insurance is required. For individuals under 18, parental consent is required. ID is required for parent or guardian and can include any government-issued ID.

If you have questions about COVID-19 or the vaccines, NOAH has answers here, or you can make an appointment to talk to your healthcare provider.

Native American Heritage Month – A Nutrition Perspective & Recipe

By Maggie Hensley, RD | Registered Dietitian

NOAH acknowledges with respect, that the physical locations of NOAH’S programs are within the ancestral homelands of Native American tribes that have sustained connections to its lands and waters, including the Akimel O’odham (Pima), Pee Posh (Maricopa), and Tohono O’odham peoples. Thousands of years ago they settled around the Gila River and built a complex maze-like network of canals. This made it possible for them to grow crops in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. The traditional crops they grew included: cotton, melons, tobacco, and fruit. But most important were “The Three Sisters” of corn, squash (pumpkin), and beans.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters were grown in an ingenious farming practice of planting all three on a small hill very close together. The corn stalks provide a ladder that the beans can grow upward on. The beans in turn give stability to the corn stalks during high winds. The leaves of the squash keep the soil cool and damp in the hot sun.  

Just like they grow better together, they are also better eaten together. For example, there are proteins that our bodies need, but we must get them from our food because our bodies don’t make these types of proteins. When the corn and beans are eaten together, they are a “complete” protein.

All three staples – corn, beans, and squash – also provide fiber. The fiber is great for heart health and blood sugar management. The three sisters also have good fats (especially pumpkin seeds), and a lot of vitamins and minerals!

The Bavi Bean

One bean, the bavi, or tepary bean, has been growing here for over 5,000 years. They are higher in protein and iron than kidney, navy, or pinto beans. They are one of the most heat tolerant beans in the world, which makes them ideal for growing in desert conditions.

The Akimel O’odham use tepary beans to make a dish called poshol. Poshol is a traditional soup that has beans, corn, wheat berries, and a variety of vegetables. Celebrate Native American Heritage month by enjoying some traditional poshol and learning about the Native cultures and history in our community. For more information on the Tribal communities in the greater Phoenix area please check out the Gila River Indian Community, the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Salt River Indian Community, and the Ak-Chin Indian Community. To learn more about Indigenous cultures throughout Arizona please see the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona.

Ramona Farms Poshol features their heirloom Bavi Beans

Traditional Poshol by Ramona Farms

Ramona Farms, a more than 4,000-acre farm in the Gila River Indian Community in Sacaton, AZ, began in the 1970s when Ramona and her husband Terry began farming the 10-acre allotment her parents had farmed. Their farm grew and with the support from the community, and Ramona’s father’s wishes for his daughter and the land, they slowly began farming the nearly extinct bavi beans. Today Ramona Farms bavi beans and other products are available to purchase at local stores throughout Arizona, through their online store, and in countless dishes as restaurants around the country.

Enjoy a delicious meal featuring two of The Three Sisters. The traditional Poshol recipe is equally delicious and nutritious, and it features Ramona Farms bavi beans.

To learn more about NOAH’s nutrition services, visit NOAHhelps.org/nutrition/services.

NEWS: NOAH’s Nurse Triage Line Now 7 Days a Week

NOAH launched the Nurse Triage service in August of 2021 to help reach more patients and community members. The Nurse Triage service helps people answer urgent medical or other health questions with an RN on the other end of the line. This service is free and helps patients avoid costly and unnecessary emergency department or urgent care visits with a highly-trained and caring medical professional just a phone call away.

Phoenix’s ABC15 came to NOAH to learn more about Nurse Triage and talk to the team behind it.

10 Tips for a Healthy Holiday

By Kahti Paydar | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

The holiday season is around the corner and making it a healthy holiday isn’t as hard as you think! Check out these 10 tips from our Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Kahti.

Healthy Holiday Top 10 Tips

  1. Be realistic. The holiday season isn’t the time to lose weight or start a new diet. Instead, the goal can be to maintain your weight. Balance party eating with other, healthier meals.  Eat small lower-calorie meals during the day so you can enjoy celebration foods without overeating.
  2. Don’t go to the party hungry. Keep your meals normal and nutritious during the day. Make sure you aren’t really hungry when you go to a party.  Eat a small, low-fat snack like fruit or a bagel, or a protein-filled snack like chicken before you head out the door. This will help you avoid rushing to the food table when you arrive.
  3. Meet and greet. Conversation is calorie-free. Get a beverage and settle into the festivities before eating. Try sparkling water with a lime twist rather than alcohol or high-calorie drinks.
  4. Choose lower-calorie party foods. Have some raw vegetables with a small amount of dip. You can also offer to bring healthy food – like fruit and vegetables – to make sure everyone has something nutritious to enjoy.
  5. Choose your drinks wisely. Remember that alcohol is packed with calories. A holiday-sized mixed drink can have 500+ calories. Choose light beer over mixed drinks or mix with soda water instead of a sugary option. And remember to drink plenty of water because alcohol dehydrates the body quickly.
  6. Pace, don’t race. Pay attention to how quickly you eat and what you are eating and drinking. Savor the flavor by eating slowly and choosing your food carefully.
  7. Watch portion sizes. When we are celebrating and having fun, we don’t always pay attention to what or how much we are eating. Try to eat a variety of foods. A good rule is to keep proteins to about the size of the palm of your hand.  Fill the other parts of the dish with as much salad or vegetables as you want.  Your starchy carbohydrates, like pasta, rice and potatoes should just take up 1/3 of the plate. Stay away from seconds!
  8. Continue regular exercise. It can be harder during the holidays but make fitness and exercise a priority, but being active will not only keep extra calories away, it can also reduce the stress of social events and family gatherings.
  9. Choose your indulgences. Don’t waste calories on something that’s just so-so. But when it comes to your favorite foods, dig in and enjoy.  Make every calorie count and enjoy the once-a-year pleasures.
  10. Try the 80/20 approach.  About 80% of the time do the things that are healthy for you. The other 20% let go a little and enjoy a healthy amount of your favorites. Trying to be all healthy all the time can set you up for failure, so give yourself permission to enjoy! You’ll have fun and feel better at the start of the new year.

Keep your healthy habits throughout the holiday season by prioritizing nutritious foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, and exercising and staying active. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the fun and flavors of the season! If you need a little extra help or motivation, talk to a NOAH nutritionist.

Get Cooking with NOAH’s Fall Cookbook!

Enjoy the flavors of fall with NOAH’s Fall Cookbook. Complied by NOAH’s team of nutrition experts, these recipes are an exciting and delicious way to feel that fall coziness anytime of year.

From snacks to sides, and drinks to desserts, the Fall Cookbook has something for everyone. Recipes include dishes that are easy to put together and some that will expand your culinary skills in a good way.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists at NOAH care about the food you eat, and how it tastes. That’s why each recipe has been thoughtfully created and adapted to be healthy, nutritious, and something you will enjoy eating. So whether you or a loved one are looking for fall flavors that support heart health or a diabetic-friendly diet, or you just love food and want it to taste good and be good for you, these recipes have you covered.

Get the NOAH Fall Cookbook

Whatever you are craving, NOAH’s Fall Cookbook has something you will love, and something you will love making again and again. Cozy up with a homemade pumpkin spice latte, whip up a batch of pumpkin gnocchi, or snack on some spiced pumpkin seeds.

If you have any questions about your healthy diet or ways to make changes, contact NOAH about our nutrition services.

Supporting a Loved One With Diabetes

By Christa O’Mara | Nurse Practitioner

Family and friend support make a big difference in how someone manages their diabetes, according to the CDC. We all want to help our loved ones but it can confusing what do to.  Here are a few tips that can help!

How to Help

  1. Understand diabetes: Understanding how the body works will help you understand diabetes. When a person eats or drinks something with carbohydrates, it turns into glucose (sugar) in the body. This sugar flows thru the blood stream to feed all the cells of your body, but it cant get into the cell without help. Insulin does this! If you have type 1 diabetes, your body stopped making insulin. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body has become resistant to insulin, so the insulin doesn’t work as well anymore. Neither type of diabetes is worse than the other. In both types of diabetes, the sugar levels in the blood rise and can’t get into the cells. Every person is different, so each person’s treatment plan will vary. But there are some common things that are important for everyone.
  2. Be supportive: Being supportive and kind are both important. Your loved one did not do something wrong. Being blamed or criticized will just make them feel bad and won’t help them get better. Being optimistic can make a huge impact! Ask if you can join them at medical appointments or diabetes education classes. 
  3. Make changes together: Create a daily routine of doing some fun types of exercise or other activity. Exercise makes your body use insulin better and lowers blood sugar levels. Choose something together that you and your loved one like to do. Move as much as possible. Remember exercising does not mean you need to go to a gym. You can dance, jog, walk briskly, swim, ride a bike, play soccer or basketball, run and play with your kids or your dog; the possibilities are endless! Your goal is 30 minutes a day, but its okay to start with 10 minutes per day and increase it every week.
  4. Eat better together: There are plenty of delicious, healthy foods to choose from! One option is the plate method. Half your plate can be a non-starch veggie, one quarter should be a nutrition dense carbohydrate and the remaining quarter can be a lean protein. The NOAH nutrition team has a video explaining this in detail. The American Diabetes Association is also a great resource for information. They even have recipes! Your health care provider can also connect you with one of our dieticians to work with you and your loved one.

Receiving a diagnosis of diabetes can be scary. But with lifestyle changes and medications that are tailored to each person, this disease can be controlled so complications are avoided. There are many diseases where this is not an option. Having the support, acceptance and love of friends and family will help your loved one (and yourself) feel better and improve your health!