News

The Health Benefits of Forgiveness

Letting go of the resentment you feel about offenses large and small can lead to better health and happier relationships.

Taking Control of Your Ergonomic Health

Long days and repetitive tasks can result in workplace injuries. Learn about ergonomics, plus ways to manage your own health.

Preventing Breast Cancer Through Diet

About 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime — but eating the right foods can help prevent it.

Skills for Managing Chronic Pain

Using mindfulness skills, Kaiser Permanente Northern California members learn to relate to chronic pain in a new way.

A Mindful Approach to Chronic Pain Management

KP Northern California helps people with chronic pain to reduce their use of opioid pain relievers.

A Front-Line View of the Flu

With flu season right around the corner, it’s time to protect yourself and your family by getting the flu vaccine.

Teaching Parents Their ABCs

ABC means ‘Alone, on their Backs, and in a Crib’ — and that’s how parents are remembering the essentials for keeping their babies safe from sleep-related deaths.

Be Good to Your Gut

Jason Guardino, DO, MS, offers advice for keeping your stomach and digestive system happy and healthy.

5 Tips for Empty Nesters

A child leaving home for the first time can cause parents feelings of both excitement and grief. Learn some tips to cope with these mixed emotions.

Facts About Fibroids

About 70 percent of women develop a fibroid in their lifetime. But what are they — and what do you do if you have one?

Understanding Breastfeeding

World Breastfeeding Week is Aug. 1 – 7. Learn how Kaiser Permanente supports nursing moms and babies.

10 Healthy Travel Tips

You’ve packed your swimsuit and your sunglasses, but have you forgotten some important steps to ensure a safe and healthy vacation?

Doctors Get a Taste of Their Own Medicine — and It’s Delicious!

Linda Shiue, MD, is one of a growing number of physicians incorporating the idea of food as medicine into their practice.

Practicing Gratitude

Kaiser Permanente Spiritual Care Director Raymond Dougherty offers tips and thoughts on the benefits of keeping a simple gratitude journal.

Thriving in the Senior Games

The Kaiser Permanente-sponsored Sonoma Wine Country Games promote healthy, active aging, and a transformation of body, mind, and spirit.

A Look at Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Young People

Obsessive-compulsive disorder has entered the everyday vernacular. But what is it — and how does it affect young people?

The Many Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

A plant-based diet helps prevent the onset of several chronic diseases. But did you know it positively impacts even more factors, including our mental health and the environment?

Caring for Aging Eyes

Learn about the diseases plaguing seniors’ eyes, treatment, and the best advice for caring for your vision at any age.

5 Take-Out Tips for Healthier Eating

Eating out is convenient and fun, but with large portions and harmful additives, it’s often not good for you. Learn some tips to make it healthier.

What Women Need to Know About Heart Disease

In recognition of American Heart Month, Kaiser Permanente cardiologist Peter Miles, MD, lays out the facts about women and heart disease and how both sexes can keep their hearts healthy.

Wellness Coaching Helping Members Lose Weight

Michelle Soo Hoo was ready to make lifestyle changes; a Kaiser Permanente wellness coach helped her take steps toward a healthier weight.

75 Pounds Lost, 25 More to Go

Rochelle Ford is confident she can lose that last 25 pounds with the help of Pound for Pound, an 8-week weight loss program that starts today.

Busting the Myths About Sleep and Its Disorders

You might just sleep better once these six misconceptions about sleep health are put to rest.

Secrets to Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

Kaiser Permanente’s Mindy Boccio, MPH, offers tips for making and keeping healthy New Year’s resolutions.

Know Your Knee and Hip Health

Some basic measures will keep your knees and hips happier. Read about them as well as what to do if you are experiencing pain.

Reducing Exposure to Harmful Chemicals

Chemical substances are everywhere — in the air, water, soil, food, and everyday products. Jeanne Ann Conry, MD, PhD, discusses the chemicals, their potential impact on our most vulnerable population — mothers and children — and steps for diminishing their harm.

Healthy Tips for Happy Feet

Most people don’t think about their feet much until they start hurting, but a little bit of prevention can go a long way in keeping them healthy. A KP podiatrist discusses tips and trends.

Studying Up on Back-to-School Stress

Packing lunches and stocking up on binder paper are the easy tasks associated with a new school year. The harder stuff might seem out of your control — such as your child’s anxiety. Hillary Van Horn-Gatlin, PhD, offers insights.

Making a Joyful Sound Together

For physicians Ann Eastman and Betty Lin, music and medicine have a lot in common. That’s why the two connected with Awesöme Orchestra so Kaiser Permanente physicians and employees can play together at pop-up concerts.

Eat Like an Athlete

Are you inspired by the athletes of the summer games and thinking about improving your own athletic results? Get some nutrition tips from a KP dietitian who is also a specialist in eating to maximize sports performance.

Advice on Sodium That’s Well Worth Its Salt

Chips, nuts, popcorn, fries — they’re all better with salt, right? Not when the vast majority of Americans are consuming far too much sodium daily. Beth Goodridge, a registered clinical dietitian at Kaiser Permanente Modesto, explains how sodium figures into our health — and how to shake its prevalence in our meals.

Improving Mental Health in the Community

Support for people who have issues involving mental health is a growing concern in the community, and Kaiser Permanente Northern California is investing in evidence-based approaches to help.

3 Tips for Staying Sun Safe

Summertime is approaching and that means beaches, pools – and possible sunburns. But you can still enjoy time outside without the burn. Learn how to protect yourself and loved ones from damaging sun exposure.

Studies Show Depression Screening Program Works

Two new Kaiser Permanente studies show that the region’s universal depression screening program for pregnant women and new moms is helping them get care when they need it.

Identifying and Managing Your Stress

Marta Obler, MD, chief of Mental Health at the Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center, identifies key stresses and stress management techniques.

Pedaling Made Easy in Pleasanton

Kaiser Permanente employees at the Pleasanton Technology Campus are using their cars less, getting good exercise, and having some fun — thanks to a program that allows them to borrow a bike at work.

Healthier Eating with Ben Maring, MD

How can a primary care physician with a passion for healthy cooking help you eat healthier? Find out in an interview with KP Oakland’s Dr. Ben Maring.

4 Steps to a Stronger Relationship

Whether it’s making time to catch up at the end of the day or saying something positive to your partner, paying attention is an important part of keeping your relationship strong.

Why We Walk the Walk

The annual American Heart Association Heart Walk is one of KP’s biggest employee events, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. For some, the “why” behind their walking is personal and powerful.

Nurse’s Annual Volunteerism Is “Life Changing”

Long-time KP nurse Elizabeth Baggetta had never been farther than Baja when she raised her hand to provide care in Peru. Four years later she has a few other medical missions under her belt — with plans for more.

A Back-to-School Boost for Children in Need

Hundreds of low-income students are heading back to school this season equipped with new backpacks and school supplies, thanks to a series of KP grants and donation drives held across Northern California.

Good-bye, Fryers — Hello, Baked Fries

To help Kaiser Permanente members, patients, and employees thrive, the organization has given its cafeteria and patient menus a healthy makeover.

Embracing 3 Simple Rules for Health

Todd Weitzenberg, MD, is hitting the road through December to bring his talk on the benefits of exercising and eating well to employees throughout the region — and he has some basic, easy tips you can use right away.

They’ve Got Game

Physicians and employees mix it up on the courts through Kaiser Permanente’s basketball leagues. The consensus: It’s a slam dunk!

Thriving through Menopause

Every woman experiences menopause, but each woman experiences it differently. Learn about the latest on menopause symptoms, treatments, and the upside of midlife.

Putting Your Insomnia Issues to Rest

What are the causes of insomnia? More important, how can you get your 40 winks? InsideKP NCAL checked in with Dr. Mia Zaharna to find out.

Yoga for Anxiety and Depression

Kaiser Permanente patients in Richmond are finding relief for anxiety and depression through yoga. Find out how the practice of mindfulness with movement is making a difference.

Come On, Get Happy!

As with being fit and physically healthy, happiness takes focus and effort. With a new book out on the subject, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo clinical psychologist Jonah Paquette shares how to build the happiness skill.

What You Should Know about Osteoporosis

For many years, osteoporosis was thought of as a woman’s disease — but that’s no longer true. In recognition of National Osteoporosis Month, learn more about how osteoporosis affects both men and women, and what you can do throughout your life to help prevent it.

Volunteers Teach Oakland Youth Workplace Lessons

Fifty Oakland youth recently did what many on the business side of Kaiser Permanente regularly do: tackle a problem, brainstorm solutions, develop a plan, and present it. Find out how KP helped make this competition possible.

Get SMART about Keeping Your Resolutions

Having trouble keeping your New Year’s resolutions? You are not alone. KP Sacramento’s Sheri Pruitt, PhD, offers some strategies for making positive changes in the new year.

New Book for Nutritious Remedies

If you want help being healthier and reducing the dire consequences of heart disease, Rajiv Misquitta, MD, has advice and tips. Six year ago, the KP South Sacramento physician adopted a plant-based diet, and it changed his life. Now, with a new book, he’s sharing how you can changes yours.

Nurse’s Nonprofit Helps Children of Liberia

Kathryn Walker, RN, was born and raised in Liberia, one of the West African countries devastated by the Ebola virus. Learn how Walker is helping the children of Liberia, and how her international work affects the care she gives KP patients.

Disaster Relief Work Makes Our World a Better Place

Emergency Medicine physicians Hernando Garzon, MD, and Vivian Reyes, MD, trace the recent history of KP international disaster relief efforts—and express their own reasons for helping people in crisis overseas.

Reflections on Helping Fight Ebola in Sierra Leone

Hernando Garzon, MD, has returned from Sierra Leone, and shares how he plans to continue to improve lives for people affected by the deadly disease and for health care workers committed to fighting it.

An Employee’s Healthy Travels

Frances Garrett, RN, hospital house supervisor at KP South Sacramento, has been on a journey to good health and it’s taken her to every state in the nation. From 5Ks to full marathon over three years, she has hit every state—running.

Celebrating Fun, Family, and Wellness

The Family Wellness Festivals are about living healthy, fostering community, and just sheer fun for adults and children. Experience the festivities with a photo essay with music highlighting the activities and spirit of the events.

Ins and Outs of Alternative Medicine

Deep breathing. Acupuncture. St. John’s wort. For more than a decade, physicians and clinicians across Kaiser Permanente Northern California have integrated a wide range of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) approaches.

Kaiser Permanente among Healthiest Employers in Bay Area

It’s the fourth straight year that the region’s health care leader has been ranked in the Top 3 among large businesses in the San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal’s annual poll.

Heading to the Heart of the Ebola Crisis

Hernando Garzon, MD, has traveled around the world for the past 20 years giving critical medical relief. Now, he is facing his most challenging assignment yet: setting up and running an Ebola treatment unit in Sierra Leone.

Expanding the Boundaries of Our Compassion

Why are KP employees and physicians in the East Bay raising money for a struggling hospice thousands of miles away? Find out about the Laikipia Hospice Project, and how one KP team decided to make a difference—half a world away.

The Face of Good Skin Care

Monica Constantinescu, MD, a dermatologist with Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento, explains the best practices—and smashes a few myths—concerning sensible skin care.

Paving the Way to a Better Commute

Is your commute long, gridlocked, or just full of too many obstacles? Mason Turner, MD, director of Outpatient Services for Regional Mental Health and Chemical Dependency, shares strategies for making it less stressful and more enjoyable.

Mastering the Mexico City Marathon

Kaiser Permanente Napa-Solano employees Dan Gutierrez and Danield Mejia had a long climb to get to marathon-runner status. Then they raised the bar even higher—completing a demanding high-altitude marathon together.

Exercise as Medicine for Parkinson’s Patients

There’s no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but exercise may be able to slow it down. Unfortunately, most patients are sedentary. Learn how KP Redwood City’s Ramon Queseda, MD, and physical therapist John Berdoulay are trying to change that.

One Doctor Turns to Cycling for Exercise and Spiritual Rejuvenation

Learn why Anthony Retodo, MD, Kaiser Permanente Folsom’s medical services director likes cycling so much and what his tips are for anyone interested in getting started.

Operation Access Honors Kaiser Permanente O.R. Nurse

Jungon Ahn, RN, was busy raising her 2 children back in 1998 when she did something surprising: She donated the precious little spare time she had—to go right back into KP South San Francisco’s operating room on weekends as a volunteer.

Nurse Honored for Being at Heart of Volunteerism

Maggie Holmes, RN, is honored by Operation Access for being on the ground floor of its free surgeries at the Fremont Medical Center.

The Secret Sauce for Behavioral Change

Sheri Pruitt, PhD, director of Behavioral Science Integration for TPMG at Kaiser Permanente Sacramento and Roseville, will show you how to lose those 20 pounds or make another change in your life.

The ABCs of Healthy Eating for Kids

What’s the latest thinking on helping children to eat healthy? KP San Francisco pediatrician Dr. Kim Newell has tips, tricks, and plenty of straightforward advice in a preview of her new Health Talks podcast.

Removing the Barriers That Block Exercise

The evidence for why we all need exercise just keeps coming. So why do we still avoid it? Todd Weitzenberg, MD, helps us out with a pep talk and makes a compelling argument for how exercise is a true friend right when we’re at our most exhausted.

Strategies for Reducing Anxiety

An estimated 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, the most common psychiatric illnesses. But don’t we all worry, at least a little? When does that worry become a disorder? Psychiatrist Maria Koshy, MD, sheds light on the subject.

MD Shares Rx for Stress by Teaching Yoga

Five years ago the KP South Sacramento physician Rajiv Misquitta, MD, experienced a life-changing event that led him to the study, practice, and teaching of yoga. Learn more about Dr. Misquitta’s healthy transformation, and why he now teaches yoga to KP employees.

Foods to Improve Your Mood

Feeling stressed? Will ice cream and cookies make you feel calmer? It might, but broccoli and carrots may help, too. A discussion with Nancy Hoffman, PsyD, will shed light on the link between what you eat and how you feel.

Department Committed to International Service

Kaiser Permanente physicians and employees have a proud history of donating their time, talent, and resources to people in need, both at home and around the world. Read about one department that boasts a team with an extraordinary commitment to international service.

Oakland Block Transformed

Zero in on one talented team of volunteers in Oakland as it takes a ‘day on’ for KP’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. By Lynn Mundell The first thing a visitor sees when approaching Allendale Elementary School in Oakland is a bright blue…

Good-bye, Soda … Hello, Gym!

Like many, Marie Lee tried a lot of diets. But when she got one more shot at losing weight before being put on additional medication for her diabetes, she created her own sensible health plan that worked. Learn about the series of small lifestyle changes that resulted in one big drop in pounds.

Rx for Computer Users: Get Up and Stretch

What easy activity can help regular computer users prevent ergonomic injuries, feel less muscle tension, and enjoy more energy? The answer is simple: frequent stretching.

Promoting Health—by the Book

From soup to nuts—literally! KP San Rafael’s cookbook is filled with employee and physician recipes that can help people stay healthy.