Category: Health + Beauty

    Health care is just like football. Even those who work hard at staying healthy will fumble or get tackled. Everyone gets sick at some point. Flu, a common cold, stomach bugs – they all make the rounds at this time of year. While a trip to an urgent care clinic might help ease the symptoms, a primary care home is typically your better option for long-term healthy outcomes. Patients who have a primary care provider have overall lower healthcare costs and higher satisfaction rates.

    The advantages of a primary care home are much like playing football in your home stadium. You get to know your provider and your care team, and, more importantly, your providers get to know you and your health history. Continuous care at a primary care home builds a long-term relationship between you and your provider that can help reveal ongoing health issues that might otherwise go unrecognized at a single doctor’s office visit. Such relationships lead to better communications and disease management, less risk of complications, fewer hospitalizations, and fewer visits to an emergency department. 

    A primary care home is more than just having the name of your doctor at the tip of your tongue. It is where your primary care provider plays quarterback to a care team that coordinates your health care beyond treating a sudden case of sniffles. It is where wellness examinations, preventive services, chronic diseases management and acute illness treatments are first downs in your health care playbook. It is where you get to score touchdowns on the health goals in your life.

    In a primary care home, your provider also acts as a coach, helping you navigate through the game of health. The health care industry is getting more complicated. With advances in technology, improvements in medical therapies, and a convoluted system of insurance and regulatory issues, it is essential to have a primary care team that knows you. 

    Offense is obviously important as you move toward the goals of chronic disease management. Managing care on a continuum and in context of the individual patient is a more effective, efficient, and holistic approach to patient care. Treatment of acute illnesses also requires knowledge of your overall health and medical conditions. Defense also plays a key role in healthcare wins! Preventive health services, immunizations, wellness exams, and screening tests are all critical in maintaining good health.

    A primary care home also helps maximize your health-care dollars with significant savings over unnecessary emergency department visits. Urgent Care Centers and Emergency Departments do serve a necessary purpose. They are appropriate for acute, potentially serious conditions that are not appropriate for an office setting, or may need urgent treatment when your provider’s office may not be accessible. How do you know when should you go to your primary care provider or the emergency department? 

Primary Care Office:

• persistent pain or condition
• Minor aches and pains
• Arthritis
• Cold or flu-like symptoms
• Earaches
• Minor burns or cuts
• Minor dog or animal bites
• Persistent fever
• Skin rashes
• Sprains
• Symptoms of sexually transmitted infections
• Sudden/severe pain

Emergency Department:

• Coughing up or vomiting blood
• Difficulty speaking
• Fainting or sudden weakness
• Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden change in or loss of vision
• Sudden chest pain or pressure
• Sudden confusion or change in mental state
• Suicidal feelings
• Uncontrolled bleeding

    As you enjoy (or suffer through) the bowl games this time of year, you may be contemplating some New Year’s Resolutions. These almost always include some impossible health goal – like losing 100 pounds or exercising six hours a day. Why not make a resolution that is truly beneficial to your health, and extremely easy to keep – make an appointment with your primary care provider! Happy New Year!

Story by Dr. Edward Behling, Chief Medical Officer, HopeHealth

360 North Irby St.  Florence | 843.667.9414 | hope-health.org

3 Terms That Guide You Towards Good Health & Wellness

story by Brock McCallister

Firefighter, City of Florence & Head Trainer, Fitness Forum

 

    There are three terms that are not exclusive to elite athletes, but often are ones that only get used in a sports setting. They are terms that can and should be used to describe what each one of us should be focusing on – strength, endurance and nutrition.

    No matter if you are someone who works at a desk or a firefighter pulling someone from a burning building, if you seek a healthy lifestyle it will revolve around these three terms. Throughout life there will always be heavy objects to move, something that will make you stop and catch your breath, and illnesses that will challenge your overall health, so if we can manage these three things we will have a pretty good grasp of health and wellness.

    First, let’s talk about strength. Strength by definition is, “our power to resist force.” This may seem very generic, but in other words its our ability to move or stop objects and as we age our ability to develop strength diminishes. In order to develop strength we must, over time, increase the loads that we try to move by pulling, pushing, dragging, and/or holding. Some movements that resemble these, dead-lifting (pulling), squatting (pushing), bench or shoulder pressing (pushing), and dragging. Implementing these exercises with gradually increasing loads will improve your strength drastically and have you ever heard anyone say, “I really wish a wasn’t this strong!”

    Next, endurance defined as “our ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.” Now a good example of this would be running a marathon, but it is not exclusive to runners. Playing with your grand kids all day, doing work in the yard, and walking the dogs all require endurance. The demands may be different, but they still reflect on our ability to endure working or moving for an extended period of time. Now how do we work on this? Simple, just like strength training you have to gradually increase either the amount of work in a given time frame or increase the amount of time that you do an activity. An example of this would be, decreasing your mile run time from ten minutes to seven minutes or increasing the distance you run in ten minutes from one mile to one and a half miles. Increasing your endurance can help decrease your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes as well as boost your immune system to get your through flu season!

    Last and most important, nutrition. Without good Nutrition you will hinder both your ability to increase your strength and endurance! Now, everyone seems to have their go to “diet” when they want to drop a few pounds before summer, but for the most part every successful “diet” will have some of the same components, real food and no added sugar. But what does that even mean? Real food would be the stuff that has an expiration date like bananas or meat from the market and some examples of added sugar are soda or candy. Some of the most simple advice for trying to eat healthier would be to stay on the outside of the grocery store, no fast food, and no sugary drinks like soda or sweet tea. As Greg Glassman, Founder of CrossFit says, “ Eat meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO SUGAR!”

    In closing, you can read all of the health and fitness magazines that you want, but when in comes down to it, if you want to have the ability to handle most things that life throws at you, just remember to lift heavy (strength), move fast (endurance), and eat clean (nutrition).

                                                               

120 East Elm Street, Florence | 843-661-3800 | bmccallister@fitnessforumonline.com

No Join Fee during the month of January at Fitness Forum. Also the start of the Biggest Loser Competition. To learn more, visit www.fitnessforumonline.com!

 

Whitney Robertson Talks Fitness

story by Jordan Pupa

   Whitney Robertson has been a certified personal trainer for three years and was recently certified in nutrition. She is currently a personal trainer at the Hartsville YMCA.

   “My first true love is the gym. That is where I basically spend my whole day, six days a week. I gained a love for fitness about four years ago when I went through my own fitness journey, losing a total of fifty pounds. I’m glad I had that experience because it gives me a chance to really connect with my clients and understand their struggles and fears. I love seeing my clients gain confidence in the gym. I always have ladies that are super excited about gaining some muscle and definition. The gym doesn’t have to be a scary place, and that is one of my main goals as a trainer, to help people feel comfortable.”

Tips & Tricks for Staying on Track This Holiday Season

• Plan Thanksgiving & Christmas dinner as your cheat meal- NOT a cheat day!

• If you can help it, do not keep excess treats in your house.

• Do not keep “trigger foods” in your house. (These are foods where you can’t have just one.)

• Get your workouts in at the beginning of the week so you can enjoy the weekend with family.

• Keep lots of healthy snacks around, such as apples or mixed nuts.

• If you plan on drinking alcohol, try a Vodka Selzer Water instead of sugary beverages.

• Do not go to family get-togethers or parties starving.

• If bringing a dish to share, spring for a healthy dish that you can also eat.

• When eating out, pick healthy dishes that aren’t loaded with cheese, sodium, and fatty dressings. (You can always modify some items on a menu. For example, on a salad, ask for the cheese and dressing on the side.) 

• If your traveling out of town, bring your own snacks, sauces, or pre-prepped meals. Give yourself the opportunity to choose a healthier option.

At Home Workouts: (Required equipment: dumbells)

LEG WORKOUT: Repeat Exercise 4 Times

•  Squat Thrusters- 10 reps

Accelerate when nearing top of squat, drive dumbbells up off shoulders, and throw weight overhead by extending arms upward. Immediately lower weight by bending arms. As weight descends, bend legs, and catch dumbbells in front of shoulders as knees are bending at approximately 90°.

•  Walking Lunges- 20 total reps

Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells at your sides. Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot. (Don’t ever let knee go above your front toes.)

•  Calf Raises- 20 reps

Standing with heavier set of dumbbells at your sides, raise the backs of your heels off the ground.

• Sumo Dumbbell Squats- 15 reps

Grab a heavy dumbbell and hold an end with each hand at arm’s length in front of your waist. Set your feet about twice your shoulder width apart, your toes turned out slightly. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.

 

Quick High Intensity Interval Workout: (no dumbells required)

4 total rounds with minimum rest

•  High Knees- 24 total reps

•  Squat Jumps- 10 reps

•  Jumping Jacks- 20 reps

• 30 second rest

•  Mountain Climbers- 20 total reps

•  Crunches- 15 reps

•  Leg Raises- 15 reps

At Home Workout: (Required Equipment: dumbells)

4 rounds with 30 Second rest in between each set

•  Over Head Triceps Extensions- 12 reps

•  Bent Over Together Dumbbell Rows- 12 reps

•  Alternating Dumbbell Curls- 12 reps

•  Lying Chest Press with Dumbbells- 12 reps

•  Shoulder Dumbbell Press- 12 reps

 

Instagram: whitney_fitxo

Facebook: Whitney Nicole Robertson

704-830-4838 | whitneyyynicole1415@gmail.com

The Key to Prevention & Detection

story by C. Eric Wooten, M.D., Carolinas Hospital

    Lung cancer is a disease in which cells arise in the lungs and begin to grow out of control. If undetected and untreated, lung cancer can spread to lymph nodes and other organs. It can be a devastating disease and remains the number one cause of cancer mortality for both men and women in the United States. Recent advances in lung cancer prevention, early detection and treatment are improving survival. 

Risk

    Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body. It’s also the number one risk factor to cause lung cancer and is linked to 80-90% of lung cancer deaths. Other tobacco products such as cigars and pipes also increase risk. Quitting smoking at any age can lower the risk of lung cancer, COPD, heart disease and many other diseases. Secondhand smoke can be just as dangerous and is known to contribute to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory infections, asthma attacks, heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. 

    One of the leading causes according to the American Lung Association (ALA) of lung cancer in non-smokers is radon gas and has been found in homes all across the US and the world. Radon is a naturally occurring, colorless and odorless gas that comes up from the ground and gets trapped in houses or structures. It is estimated that 1 in 15 houses in the US has high radon levels and testing your home is recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. Other exposures such as asbestos and a family history of lung cancer also contribute. 

Prevention & Detection

    Public education about the link between smoking and lung cancer has reduced the incidence of lung cancer in the US. Radon testing your home is also an import preventative measure. Other important ways to lower your risk of developing lung cancer is to avoid secondhand smoke, exercise, eating healthier foods and limiting alcohol intake. The single best preventative method to avoid lung cancer is to quit smoking.

    One of the tools used for early detection is a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. Many symptoms of lung cancer are not specific to the disease so it can progress to advanced stages before detection. A recent method of screening dramatically improved survival in current and former smokers, detecting the disease early when the chance of cure is greatest. This method saved 1 in 5 people diagnosed with lung cancer based off comparison to a control group. The screening also has shown to reduce the overall risk of death from lung cancer by almost 7%. 

    To put this into perspective, lung cancer screening exceeds survival benefit of screening for prostate, breast or colon cancer. As an Oncologist, it is exciting to imagine the benefit of yearly exams throughout a patient’s life.

Yearly screening is recommended for those meeting the following criteria:

•  Have a history of smoking 30 pack years* or more (A pack year is smoking an average of one pack per day, per year.)

•  Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years

•  Are between 55 and 80 years old.

    Unfortunately, despite the overwhelming benefit of screening, rates remain very low. Research presented at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting revealed that in 2016 only 2% of a 7.6 million eligible population were screened in the US. For many, screening simply hasn’t become a regular practice or a successful early detection program isn’t available to either physicians or patients. 

    At Carolinas Hospital System, our administrators, Oncologists and Pulmonologists have come together to create a screening protocol and lung clinic for primary providers to easily refer patients for treatment and follow-up. 

    The Pee Dee region has shown a high rate of smoking and lung cancer. Raising public awareness about the importance of screening can potentially save many lives.

    If you, or someone you know meets the criteria, encourage them to contact their primary care provider or call Carolinas Hospital System Lung Nodule Clinic (843) 673-7529. Screening is covered by most insurance providers. 

Dr. C. Eric Wooten is the Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Carolinas Hospital System. He is board certified in radiation oncology. For more information call Carolinas Hospital System Radiation Oncology at (843) 674-2470 or go to CarolinasHospital.com.

If you, or someone you know meets the criteria, encourage them to contact their primary care provider or call Carolinas Hospital System Lung Nodule Clinic (843) 673-7529. Screening is covered by most insurance providers. 

Did You Know?

story by Donna Tracy, Communication Coordinator, HopeHealth

    More than three decades have passed since AIDS first captured global attention and put a name to the epidemic that terrified communities. No one knew what was causing AIDS. No one knew how it was transmitted. Task forces set out to determine risk factors. Specialized treatment clinics opened. Congressional hearings were held. Legislation for research was drafted. And people continued to die.

    In May 1983, researchers discovered the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, that destroys immune cells, known as CD4 T lymphocytes or CD4 cells. Healthy individuals typically have 500 to 1,600 of these cells in a single milliliter of blood. Below 200, the HIV infection has progressed to AIDS. At this point, the virus has so weakened the body that opportunistic infections and cancers can rapidly take hold.

    An AIDS diagnosis in the 1980s was a prognosis for death. Available treatments were harsh on the body and required a rigid regimen that included a minimum of 18 pills per day. For many, it also meant rejection from and abandonment by their communities and families.

    Today, much has changed, both in prognosis of the disease and in treatment, and an individual diagnosed with HIV and in compliance with their treatment plan can expect to live a full, typical life. The development of rapid HIV testing allows for fast, accurate HIV-status test results without a specialized clinical setting, and improvements in medicine has reduced treatments plans to a single pill a day. These pills are a combination of three medicines from more than 20 drugs, including antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, in about eight classes. Each attacks the HIV virus in different ways and the specific combinations prescribed to an individual are based on a genosure test that determines their specific HIV strain’s drug resistance.

    Even though treatment for HIV/AIDS has come so far, access and awareness remain hurdles for many communities. To combat the fear and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS, World AIDS Day was established in 1988 with a three-fold goal: to unite communities, to celebrate and support people living with HIV/AIDS, and to honor the more than 35 million people who have lost their lives to the disease. World AIDS Day is held Dec. 1 each year to bring awareness about the disease and HopeHealth commemorates the day with the annual AIDSWalk in Florence.

    HopeHealth was established in 1991 as a grass-roots support group to help those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and combat the fear and stigma surrounding the disease. HopeHealth continues to organize awareness events to increase the dialogue about HIV and AIDS, decrease stigma, and provide support to individuals living with the disease. Our Infectious Diseases Department works closely with our community health programs to allow for coordinated care across specialties, including pain management, substance abuse, dental care, mental health, and primary care.

    Open conversation on the HIV epidemic still has a long way to go, especially in southern states, which, according to the CDC, have the highest number of people living with HIV and account for 44 percent of all people living with HIV in the US. Nationwide, more than 1.2 million in the US are living with HIV infection and, of those, one in eight (150,000) do not know they have the virus.

 

The fastest growing population rates for HIV infection is young men having sex with men, and college age kids.

•  HIV has claimed more than 35 million lives globally since 1981.

•  In 2015, 1.1 million people died from HIV-related causes globally.

•  There were approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV at the end of 2015.

•  2.1 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2015 globally.

•  There is no cure for HIV infection. Effective antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can control the virus and help prevent transmission.

•  With effective treatment, people with HIV can enjoy healthy, productive lives.

•  Global estimates indicate only 54% of people with HIV know their status.

•  Between 2000 and 2015, rates of new HIV infections fell by 35%, and AIDS-related deaths fell by 28%.

•  Expanding ARV to all people living with HIV and expanding prevention choices can help avert 21 million AIDS-related deaths and 28 million new infections by 2030.

•  In South Carolina, 20.7 people per 100,000 are living with HIV and the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with HIV ranks 10th in the nation

•  Columbia, South Carolina, ranked 13th in the nation for highest infection rates per capita

Keys to an Incident-Free Holiday

story by Circle Park Behavioral Services

    The Holiday Season is a busy time for many adults with family gatherings, social events, celebrations and traditional festivities. According to Nicole Cogdell-Quick, a licensed clinical counselor with Circle Park Behavioral Services, it is also a particularly important time to focus on the safety of their teens and even pre-teens. “The holidays can be an extremely challenging time as youth are faced with difficult choices in how to safely and legally enjoy the holidays with their friends. They will have more social opportunities and activities during the holidays, many away from the supervision of their parents. It is important during this busy time to take a time out with them and discuss your expectations and boundaries for the choices they make, particularly in regards to underage drinking.”

    Mrs. Quick added, “Research continues to show that parents have a great deal of influence on the choices their children make. In fact, many teens find it comforting to have parents show enough interest in them to set boundaries and rules in regards to their choices. When parents are clear on their ‘no alcohol use rules and consequences,’ their children are less likely to partake in underage drinking during the holiday season.”

    We encourage all parents to exercise their right to set boundaries and expectations for good choices and join us in ensuring that our community enjoys a safe and incident free holiday season.

Parents can help to avoid underage drinking incidents by utilizing a few of the following tips:

•  Be clear with your expectations; let your child know that regardless of the situation, underage drinking and/or being at a location where it is taking place is simply illegal and unacceptable.

•  Teach your children it is not necessary to have alcohol to have a good time. Plan and provide a non-alcoholic kid friendly holiday party.

•  Help your children serve and enjoy traditional holiday drinks without alcohol such as cider, eggnog or punch.

   For parents of underage youth it is important to monitor all temptations with the social activities that accompany the holiday season. It is important to pay close attention to the age of anyone consuming alcohol.

A few tips to assist with this would be:

•  Never serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 21.

•  If you maintain alcohol at home, make sure to keep track of your supply at all times.

•  Establish a friendly relationship with parents of your children’s friends so that you can call ahead and make sure alcohol will not be involved in the parties or activities your child may be attending and that appropriate supervision will be on hand.

•  Make sure your child is maintaining healthy friendships and having friends who chose not to make alcohol a part of their holiday season.

Mrs. Nicole Cogdell-Quick, LPC,CACII,SAP is a clinical counselor atCircle Park Behavioral Health Services. Learn more about Circle Park, visit by www.circlepark.com or calling calling  843-665-9349.