Most people don’t spend much time thinking about their pancreas, but it plays a critical role, helping our bodies produce digestive enzymes and insulin. An inflamed pancreas, also known as pancreatitis, causes abdominal pain that can radiate from the front to the back. Everybody can get an upset stomach here and there, but if it’s new pain that you haven’t had before and it’s persisting for 12 hours or 24 hours or longer, it’s worth getting checked out. Click here to learn more about pancreas problems, their causes and their symptoms here.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

The majority of foods found on grocery store shelves have undergone some type of processing: cooking, canning, drying and pasteurizing all count. But many also contain chemicals, preservatives, dyes, oils, flavoring agents and refined sugars. These fall into a category called ultra-processed foods, which have been linked to a range of health issues, including obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers. Click here to learn more about ultra-processed foods and why reaching for minimally processed foods instead—even if they take a little more time and preparation—is a better choice.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Barbara Smith and her late husband, William, moved from Chicago to San Diego 35 years ago and became Scripps patients shortly after. Over the years, both were treated for cancer, orthopedic injuries and other medical care, and though William ultimately lost his battle with cancer, Barbara’s connection to the hospital only grew stronger. She has donated to numerous causes within the Scripps system and has volunteered in the gift shop, participated in the pet therapy program and has even knitted baby caps. Her latest and largest contribution was a legacy donation to name the William W. and Barbara Smith Cafeteria in the new tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Click here to learn more about the inspiration behind Barbara’s decades of support.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Southern California continues to face evolving threats from natural disasters—from wildfires fueled by extreme heat and drought to floods and debris flows following record-breaking rainfall, to the ever-present risk of earthquakes. For residents and business owners alike, year-round preparation is no longer optional. It’s essential.

Cox Communications understands the critical importance of reliable connectivity before, during, and after an emergency. Whether it’s keeping families and neighbors in touch, powering remote work and school, or ensuring hospitals and first responders have the connectivity they need to serve the community, Cox is committed to maintaining the strongest network in even the most extreme conditions.

To provide resilient service during a disaster, Cox continues to invest in network and product upgrades. Over the last 10 years, Cox has committed more than $19 billion to these efforts with $400 million earmarked for expanding services in underserved communities over the next few years. These investments aren’t just about gaming and productivity at work, but rather they’re designed to handle maximum strain such as that which can come with an emergency.

Southern California’s wildfire season is now a year-round phenomenon given the cycle of risks: dry and windy conditions in one season followed by rain and flooding the next. Cox holds regular readiness exercises, reviews its business continuity plans, and works collaboratively across departments to make sure employees are trained and ready to respond to a range of natural disasters.

When dangerous weather patterns—like our infamous Santa Ana winds—spark wildfire risk, utility companies may implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) to reduce the potential of an ignition. When this happens, even in areas where Cox is required to maintain backup power for its network, your home equipment may not work unless you have a backup power source on your premises. Cox stays in close contact with local utility providers and public safety agencies to monitor events and protect its infrastructure.

While Cox is at the ready as a community partner, there are things community members can do on their end to better prepare for an unexpected event.

Keep a corded landline and battery backup for phone service. Cox Voice customers should have a corded phone on hand and a fully charged backup battery for their phone modem. Call 855-324-7700

Follow and get updates on Cox’s social media accounts especially @coxcalifornia. In the event of a PSPS, wildfire, or other natural disaster, Cox will post service outage updates, tips, and other important information on this handle.

Download Cox apps. Don’t wait until there is an emergency to get Cox apps.
● Cox app gives you the ability to check on outages, stay up to date with text alerts, and manage accounts.
● Cox Contour app lets customers access the latest news and weather anytime as well as stream their favorite content on smartphones and tablets.

Stay connected with Cox’s WiFi backup internet service. Cox now offers Stay Connected, a WiFi backup solution powered by unlimited 4G LTE cellular data and a four-hour battery. This service automatically switches to cellular internet when your primary connection goes down keeping you online during outages caused by power shut offs or natural disasters.

Keep a portable generator on hand. Back-up power? Yes, please. If your power goes out, a generator may prolong your services if your Cox service location still has power. Check your generator’s owner’s manual for details on power capacity and safe operation.

Update contact information. Get ahead of wildfire season and update your preferred contact information with Cox to receive emergency and outage notices.

Be aware of disaster relief protections. You could be eligible for consumer disaster relief protections if your Cox Voice service goes out during a state of emergency declared by the California Governor’s Office or the President of the United States. Disaster relief protections include a waiver of a one-time activation fee for establishing remote call forwarding.

Know your evacuation zones and emergency contacts. Take time now to identify your local evacuation zones, emergency shelters, and public safety contact numbers. Program them into your phone and keep a printed list on hand, along with an emergency go-bag with stocked essentials.

Written by La Monica Everett-Haynes

From Ocean Beach to the canyons of Clairemont and the sidewalks of San Diego State University’s campus, generations of skaters have pushed through the streets. Now, the city that helped define modern skate culture is home to a university program that is shaping the future of skateboarding – through research, education and global partnerships.

A new collaboration between SDSU’s Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports, and Social Change and The Skatepark Project (TSP) is linking skateboarding’s cultural power to academic research and community impact. The partnership aims to spotlight the mental, physical and social benefits of skateboarding culture, while launching a series of events and initiatives designed with students and communities in mind.

“Meeting young people where they are – and using their love of skateboarding – helps them see the university as a place of belonging,” said Neftalie Williams, director of SDSU’s skateboarding center and assistant professor of sociology. “It creates a gateway into other fields of study like business, diplomacy, art, and technology.”

Together, SDSU and TSP will conduct and share research on the wellness and cultural impacts of skateboarding, host programs and events that promote inclusion, health and youth development; and collaborate with universities, governments and businesses around the world to elevate skateboarding as a tool for social change.

“The Skatepark Project recognizes the importance of research in understanding and promoting skateboarding,” said Benjamin Anderson Bashein, CEO of TSP. “That’s why we’re excited about the center and the essential work that can be done there. We look forward to collaborating with SDSU to explore the benefits of skateboarding and skateparks for the millions who use them globally.”

The impact is massive. TSP has supported nearly 700 skateparks across all 50 states, with an estimated 17 million visits annually. And internationally, skateboarding has surged in popularity in South Africa, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. 

Williams, who co-authored a nationwide study (“Beyond the Board: Skateboarding, Schools and Society”) found that skateboarding is more than a sport; skateboarding is a creative and social ecosystem that helps young people build identity, navigate challenges and form lasting communities.

That sense of connection is key to skateboarding’s appeal.

“Often skateboarding is different from traditional team sports because it relies so heavily on individual practice and skill honing that is then shared in a communal space at a skatepark or ‘spot.’ This builds mental and physical health capacity by requiring skaters to challenge themselves and to develop focus and confidence. In many ways skateboarding is both about joy and overcoming the fear of failure,” said David Kamper, associate director of the SDSU Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports, and Social Change and professor of American Indian Studies. 

Skateboarding as we know it today has its origins in California in about the 1940s and 1950s as a fun way for kids to get around town. During the 1960s and 1970s, surfers turned to skateboarding to practice their movements and skills, often in the Southern California embankments and gullies that were paved to stop erosion. These mini hills provided perfect concrete and asphalt waves. In the 1980’s, Tony Hawk – who went on to establish TSP – emerged as the leader, and during the 1990s established one of the most celebrated teams in skateboarding under his brand Birdhouse Skateboards, in San Diego.

And anyone who has been at SDSU since the early 2000s knows how ubiquitous skateboarding is and it is only growing, Williams said. 

“Most everyone at some point has connected with skateboarding, which remains an influential part of culture and urban life, for youth and, really, for people of every age,” said Williams, a skateboarder himself, who served as the inaugural Ambassador of Skateboarding, appointed by the U.S. State Department. “Skateboarding is constantly evolving in terms of style, technique, health benefits, accessibility and its impact on public diplomacy. It represents everything we want our young people to experience early in life.”