Welcome to Community Health Center Inc. Online!

to community Health Center Inc. Online!
You're about to discover one of the leading health care providers in the state of Connecticut, offering services to the insured, underinsured and uninsured for over 34 years.

Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) is a private nonprofit agency providing affordable, high-quality primary health care, dental, mental health, and social services to thousands of area residents from over 100 Connecticut communities each year.

Explore our site and find out how we can help you achieve and maintain good physical, mental, and dental health.

Learn More About...
	Experts Gathered for Weitzman Symposium! New!
	Masselli receives honorary doctorate from Wesleyan New!
	Mark Masselli addresses “The New Normal” in health care in Washington New!
	Breaking News H1N1 Preperations New!
	CHC H1N1 Preparedness New!
	Walgreen's Opening in Meriden: Fox 61
	A Fair Health System, Mark Masselli CEO
	Healthy Dance Classes In Middletown Schools
	Dental-Office-in-a-Box Pops Up In Schools
	Mark Masselli CEO, Face The State
	Walgreen's Opening: NBC 30
	Walgreen's Opening: Eyewitness News Channel 3
	TOP-OFF: Download Video
	Find a CHC Location Near You
	CHC Alternative Medicine Program
	Congressman Chris Murphy speaks at CHC of Meriden
	If unable to play video, click here if unable to read manual, click here

CHC is pleased to provide free access to Up to Date for a reliable, accurate source of medical information for patients. Click here to learn more about the medical topic of your choice:

Visit the Weitzman Center

HEALTHY TOPIC OF THE MONTH

First Steps Towards a Healthy Diet

Everyone knows that the typical American diet is unhealthy, and loaded with excess fat and calories. Eating a healthier diet is very important to prevent weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease later in life. Read More

What do people die from?  The answer more often than not is heart disease.  Heart disease is the principal cause of 37% of all deaths, and an underlying factor in up to 58% of deaths.  With the aging of the population and the increase in obesity, these numbers are expected to worsen in the future.

The causes of heart disease are well known, and many of them have effective treatments or other interventions that can actual prevent a heart attack before it happens.  The main things that increase a person’s risk for a heart attack are:

•	Diabetes
•	High blood pressure
•	Smoking
•	High cholesterol
•	Having a close relative who had heart disease at an early age

While you can’t change your family history, the remaining four risks can be reduced with specific actions.  Quitting smoking, lowering dietary fat, and getting regular exercise all can help reduce heart disease risks.  Your primary care medical team can help with the following:
•	Counseling and/or medications to help quit smoking
•	Nutrition/diet advice including specific advice on how to shop for and prepare healthy meals, and how to eat out in a more healthy way
•	Advice on exercise.  There are many ways to increase your level of activity, and even small changes can make a big difference
•	Medications:  For some patients, medications are needed to help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol to healthy levels

If you or someone in your family is concerned about heart disease, see your primary care provider for a check up.  Primary care providers are “specialists” in how to prevent problems before they occur, and they will help come up with a personalized plan to help each patient reduce their chance of heart disease.