Category Archives: Health

Why Nursing Homes Get a Bad Rap (And Why Assisted Living is the Answer)

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

Nursing home. The words themselves can create visions in your mind of a bleak environment used as a holding cell for seniors. Maybe you have even visited a loved one at a nursing home and walked away worrying if they were living an unhappy life. With the way they’re portrayed in the media, it’s no wonder that nursing homes receive such a bad reputation.

Nursing homes may need an image update, but they provide a lot of important care. There are a lot of inaccurate rumors about how they function as a home for seniors. However, aspects of a nursing home and the services they provide might still be wrong for your loved one. And with a growing number of seniors in need of new housing options, finding the right place may be a difficult task for caregivers.

To help you fact check some hearsay, here is a list of some of the most common rumors associated with nursing homes, and why an assisted living community may provide a better alternative.

Nursing homes are too clinical

The image of a traditional nursing home is a dull place, with fluorescent lighting and no atmosphere. Perhaps you may think of a clinical facility, not much better than a hospital room. Putting a loved one in a home like that may seem cruel, or like a punishment for them.

The truth is that nursing homes do have a more clinical feel than some other senior housing options. Because of the level of skilled nursing care that nursing homes are able to provide for seniors, a slightly more medical space is often necessary to ensure safety for both residents and staff. Nursing homes are able to provide constant care and attention for our loved ones who need to be monitored and assisted for their own safety and well-being.

Nursing homes are for the end of someone’s life

Often we think of nursing homes as the final home for our loved ones. Therefore, because nursing homes are full of similar people there for the same reason, it can be easy to assume that nursing homes are full of sick and lifeless people, with no energy or community.

While this may be an image that comes to mind when considering a nursing home, the truth is that nursing homes provide for a wide variety of members. Some seniors, after a medical emergency or a stroke, need constant care that goes beyond what caregivers can provide. Nursing homes can also offer a part-time stay until your loved one has recovered enough to return home.

In addition, due to the rising number of seniors who need to find a community to live in, nursing homes have plenty of engagement and community opportunities. Movie showings, games, and other activities help ensure that even if your loved one needs a high level of care, and will likely be in a nursing home for the remainder of their life, they aren’t going to be sitting alone in a chair for that time.

Nursing homes don’t offer independence

While nursing homes do offer activities and opportunities for community building, they do still monitor and supervise events fairly strictly. Again, due to the level of specialized care that nursing homes offer to aging seniors who need it, the freedom that is available for residents may be somewhat limited. Meals may be regulated to make sure that a senior is getting all the proper nutrients, and regulated medicine and bedtimes may also help seniors who have trouble remembering things.

However, this is a far cry from the common fear of an environment where seniors have no control over their movements or what they pursue. While seniors in a nursing home are observed to make sure they are safe, and have schedules for meals and medicines, what they choose to do in their free time is up to them.

The benefits of assisted living

For all that a nursing home can offer in terms of care, there are some limitations in what else they can provide. If your loved one needs a less specialized level of care, or they want to have more freedoms, then an assisted living community may be the right choice for you.

Assisted living communities like Vista Springs can offer many things for seniors:

  • A continuum of care for people who need some medical assistance, but don’t yet need the high level of care provided in a nursing home.
  • Focus on providing a multitude of ways for seniors to express independence and feel at home
  • A change that is much less drastic for seniors who are transitioning into a senior living community.
  • Communities like Vista Springs can offer independent living within the assisted living home.

While nursing homes get a bad rap, they do offer a highly specialized care that is necessary for many seniors. Once you get past the reputation, nursing homes may provide care that your loved one truly needs.


However, if you’re looking for senior living that provides a full of life experience as well as care services, an assisted living community may be exactly what you and your aging loved one are looking for.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Keep calm: April is National Stress Awareness Month

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Stress-Awareness-DayBy Victoria Mullen, WKTV

Editor’s note: This article was first published in April 2016. Nothing’s changed with Gustave since then.

At first blush, the assignment seemed straightforward. “Write a story on Stress Awareness Month [April 1-30],” my editor said. “Tell the audience that stress requires awareness and such. Don’t worry so much. You’ll do fine.”

My editor knows that I get nervous over anything with a deadline, but aside from some performance anxiety, I began this assignment feeling fine. I mapped an outline. I’d do some research, write a short article with the who-what-when-where-how-and-why.

But that’s when I thought I had until April 30. Admittedly, it would be tardy, but I could write the story in past-tense. The problem is that I just found out that Stress Awareness is a DAY, not a MONTH. Well, it is a month—all of April. It’s also a day—specifically, April 16—a mere four days hence as I type, and it’s today, if you’re reading this on April 16.

Now all bets are off. My trusty ulcer, Gustave has beget an ulcerette, and the entire office is taking bets on what I’m going to name him (or her).

If the point of National Stress Awareness Day is for people like you and me to become aware of how stressed we are, well kudos! More than ever I am aware, thanks to all this pressure.

stressed-498x300

How is this helpful? Why does anybody need a specific day for this? Isn’t it enough that everything in modern-day life is a stressor?

Luckily, my journalist gene kicked in and I compartmentalized my feelings, went undercover and got busy googling. Here’s what I found out: National Stress Awareness Day is the brainchild of the Health Resource Network (HRN), which started the whole thing back in 1992 to—you guessed it!—raise awareness of stress.

Uh, thanks, guys.

Oh, sure. They sell it by saying it’s a great chance to become aware of the deleterious effects of stress. They say to take a deep breath and relax. I don’t have time for this—I’m on a deadline here.

number 1 killer

Maybe they meant well, back in 1992. Maybe their intentions were pure. They researched. They tested subjects. And guess what they found: stress is really, really bad for the immune system. I could have saved them the time, trouble and cost to tell them that. But then, I probably wouldn’t have Gustave.

To their credit, they did things scientifically. In one study, they found that people caring for a spouse with dementia (representing the stressed-out group) experienced a significant decrease in their immune response when they were given a flu-virus vaccine when compared to the non-stressed control group. Sounds really scientific, right? What all that means is this: Their immune systems didn’t work as well as those in the control group, so they got sick(er) easier and more often.

There are different types of stress. Some stress is actually good (gets you motivated, gets you pumped up for performance, etc.). Acute stress is bad enough, but chronic stress is worse because it doesn’t let up; it can kill you. It can raise blood pressure, increase the risk of heart attack and speed up the aging process. See that info-graphic there? Just look at all the bad things chronic stress does.

I’ve aged 10 years just writing this.

If you want to read something helpful and get some ideas on how to celebrate stress awareness month, go here.

It’s all about the gut

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Keep your gut’s mix of bacteria healthy, and chronic illnesses might be kept at bay. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Christine Khamis, PA-C, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Gut health has become a prominent focus in 21st-century health care.

 

The human body has more bacteria cells than human cells, and recent clinical research links an imbalance of bacteria in the gut microbiome (“good” vs “bad” bacteria) to almost every chronic disease—including obesity, diabetes, autoimmunity, depression, cancer, heart disease, fibromyalgia and asthma.

 

Research also reveals that people with lower amounts of “good” intestinal bacteria had increased fat tissue, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and general inflammation when compared with individuals who have a healthy gut microbiome.

 

In addition to the ecosystem inside the gut, the intestinal wall itself houses nearly 70 percent of the body’s immune system.

 

The lining of our intestinal wall is only one cell layer thick, and therefore very susceptible to damage. If that barrier breaks down, due to infection, medication, food allergens or toxins, the body’s immune system is compromised, which can also lead to chronic disease.

 

The gut also contains more neurotransmitters than the brain, and the two organs are highly connected.

 

If messages are altered for any reason in any direction—from the brain to the gut or the gut to the brain—you’ll experience health concerns.

 

At STR!VE, we talk with members about the link between gut health and chronic disease, and use evidence-based lifestyle management strategies as the first and primary method for prevention and treatment.

Lifestyle factors that can damage your gut microbiome

  • Processed foods and a nutrient-poor diet
  • Chronic stress
  • Overuse of medications such as steroids, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and acid blockers

Actions you can take to improve your gut microbiome

  • Replace processed foods, sugars and refined carbohydrates with fiber-rich whole foods
  • Aim for 75 percent of your plate to be plant-based foods and vegetables
  • Eat fermented foods that contain good amounts of probiotics such as miso, kimchi, sauerkraut and tempeh
  • Consider a 30-day elimination diet to pinpoint trigger foods

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

The Benefits of Injury Rehabilitation for Seniors

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By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

Injuries are scary for everyone, but for seniors especially, recovery can seem impossible. After a life-altering event such as a bad fall, stroke, or serious illness, it’s not uncommon for the elderly to assume that they’ll never regain the same level of function that they had before the injury. But ignoring a problem never makes it go away, and failing to devote adequate time and effort to recovering after an injury can severely damage a senior’s chances of regaining their maximum functional potential. Inpatient injury rehabilitation can help seniors get back on track, both physically and emotionally, for the life they want to lead.

24-Hour Care

When recovering from an injury, changes can happen at any moment, and it’s important to have support when they do. While outpatient care can allow patients to recover in the comfort of their own home, the lack of 24-hour support can be the difference between a timely and late response to a change in condition. With inpatient injury rehabilitation, seniors have access to a qualified team of care providers, including nurses, doctors, and therapists, at all times, ensuring that care takes place exactly when it’s needed.

 

In addition, around-the-clock monitoring means that seniors undergoing injury rehabilitation can rest easy knowing there will be someone on hand to help with medication administration, wound dressing, and activities of daily living like using the bathroom, even in the middle of the night.

Tailored Treatments and Therapies

Whether recovering from fall-related injury such as a fractured or broken bone, or from an illness, stroke, or other serious condition, inpatient rehabilitation programs are fully equipped to offer individualized treatment for every patient. Inpatient rehabilitation centers almost always have 24-hour skilled nursing, as well as access to licensed physicians, therapists, social workers, and other staff to provide the best care for their patients. This means treatments can be tailored to each injury, and more importantly, each person.

 

For example, after a hip fracture, an injury rehabilitation patient may need physical therapy to regain a full range of motion and strength training to learn how to easily maneuver with a walker. Or, after a stroke, treatment may include occupational therapy to create and learn strategies for daily activities of independent or assisted living and speech-language pathology to improve or regain communication skills.

Emotional Support

Injuries and recovery can be isolating, and coming to terms with a life-changing event can wreak havoc on anyone’s emotional state. It’s important for family and friends to support recovering seniors, but it can be hugely beneficial to bring in professional emotional support to help the patient rehabilitate both mind and body. Unlike friends and family, some of whom have never had to navigate the recovery process, therapists and professional caregivers are well-versed in the emotional difficulty that injuries can create, and have helped many patients understand and improve their mental states. This experience can not only help rehabilitation be more effective and quick, but also help the patient feel more calm and assured.

 

Inpatient rehabilitation is an important tool for getting the most out of life after an injury. With an attention to holistic, individualized care, injury rehabilitation services are dedicated to getting patients back to their highest possible level of function and independent living. With the right care, seniors can rebound from injuries and other life altering events to continue living life to the fullest.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

 

‘Smoking isn’t worth it’

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By Sarah Anderson, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Photos by Taylor Ballek

 

She had been living with breathlessness for years. She even worked as a hospice nurse caring for patients who had stage 4 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

 

And still, Michelle Pekel found herself taken aback earlier this year when a doctor diagnosed her with COPD.

 

“Hearing the letters ‘COPD’ is a wakeup call—a call that I continually ignored for 35 years,” said Pekel, 50, of Fremont, Michigan.

 

An umbrella term for a group of lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, COPD is a progressive disease in which the blocked airways make it increasingly difficult to breathe.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 15 million people have COPD, although this number may be as high as 25 million because another 10 million people don’t know they have it.

 

Pekel found herself in that latter category of Americans.

 

“I’ve smoked a pack a day for 35 years and the symptoms didn’t seem like symptoms to me, as this was my everyday life,” Pekel said. “I always had a shortness of breath, chest tightness and constant coughing. … Although abnormal for a non-smoker, (it) was something that I came to terms with and became my norm.”

 

Not everyone who has these symptoms has COPD, and not everyone who has COPD has these symptoms, said Sally Wagoner, RN, a tobacco treatment specialist with Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial.

 

Over time, the symptoms can add up and get in the way of simple tasks. They can make everyday activities like cooking, climbing stairs or carrying a suitcase seem like a challenge.

 

Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat

As a hospice nurse who knows what stage 4 COPD looks like, Pekel wanted to avoid this fate.

 

“I have two children and I knew that I needed to quit for me to be in their lives,” she said. “My father died at the age of 59 from a massive heart attack and my mother died at 64 with cancer—and both were smokers.”

 

By her own account, Pekel had been a committed smoker, burning through a pack of cigarettes a day.

 

She smoked in the mornings, in the evenings, in the hours in between and even throughout her two pregnancies.

 

“I can’t imagine what I was polluting my children with,” Pekel said. “My daughter begged me to quit, but I didn’t hear her. Now all I can say is, don’t wait until it’s too late, until you get cancer, a stroke or a heart attack. So many diseases, all because of cigarettes.”

Wake-up call

Not until her own COPD diagnosis—and a little nudge from her pulmonologist at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial—did Pekel decide she needed to take control.

 

She registered for the smoking cessation program that Wagoner leads.

 

“Quitting tobacco is the single most important thing you can do for your health,” Wagoner said. “The Quit for Good program at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial encompasses all the tools and knowledge you need to be successful in one-on-one, group sessions or family quit programs.”

 

The program includes weekly meetings that can be adjusted to fit a person’s schedule.

 

“The weekly meetings are really needed to see higher success,” Wagoner said. “And we recommend eight sessions, which ensures accountability and continued success.”

 

Pekel said she has smoked her last cigarette.

 

And while she’s taking her newfound smoke-free lifestyle one day at a time, she credits the special program at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial for giving her the resources and strength to kick cigarettes for good.

 

“Without the class, I don’t think that I would have been successful,” she said. “The plan was a huge piece of the puzzle, and my quitting this time was successful—and it wasn’t before.

 

“I’ve never gone this long before without a cigarette, after 35 years of smoking, never,” she said. “I am amazed at my progress and can see and feel the change. My daughter is 14 and used to complain how her clothes smelled of smoke, and second-hand smoke is real. Now my house smells better, my car, my clothes. It’s a nice bonus to have.”

 

The journey didn’t come easy.

 

Registering for the class turned out to be the easy part.

 

“I had to mentally prepare myself to go to the first session,” Pekel said. “I was very anxious for my first class. I have tried to quit countless times over the years and I would make it two weeks and would be back to smoking again. Nothing seemed to work for me.”

 

Wagoner helped Pekel begin her journey as a non-smoker by first explaining the effects of smoking and describing the 4,000 chemicals that reside in cigarette smoke—dangerous toxins like ammonia, carbon monoxide, arsenic and formaldehyde.

 

“You see the commercials and you hear about this all the time, but this was an eye-opener for me,” Pekel said. “I didn’t realize I was smoking such harsh chemicals and toxins and for so long. I couldn’t believe what I was willingly doing to my body. Then it made me also realize the effects that I was having on others around me.”

 

Pekel said she still had doubts she could quit after that first session in January.

 

Wagoner was encouraging and enthusiastic, but Pekel doubted she could win the mental war with herself.

 

Among all U.S. adults who smoked in 2015, about 7 in 10 reported they wanted to quit completely, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Wagoner’s early suggestion—taper off gradually to quit cigarettes—proved more difficult than expected because she couldn’t smoke just two cigarettes a day, Pekel said.

 

She eventually chose a nicotine replacement. Wagoner worked with physicians to find a replacement method that would work for Pekel.

 

“I was 15 years old when I first started smoking, and like a lot of smokers I’m anxious about what life would be like without cigarettes,” Pekel said. “Sally didn’t push me, but she did show me how you can live life without cigarettes, how to make a plan for quitting, what to do when I crave a cigarette.”

Easy does it

When the craving for cigarettes sneaks up on her, Pekel said she gets busy.

 

Photo by Taylor Ballek

She does something with her hands and focuses on an activity such as cleaning the cabinets, cupboards and closets. Her house is now constantly clean and much better-smelling without the cigarette smoke, she said.

 

“When someone is trying to quit tobacco, old routines and triggers can derail any progress,” Wagoner said. “So what we did was analyze Michelle’s routines, so we could break those up to avoid downfalls.

 

“For her, mornings were the worst times,” Wagoner said. “And she couldn’t give up her coffee, so we had her have her morning coffee at the kitchen table instead of in front of the TV or computer.”

 

Pekel said changing the routine meant cigarettes were no longer associated with those old habits.

 

“After meals was another huge trigger for me,” Pekel said. “And I’m happy to say that after 36 days, that trigger was no longer there. If I can do it after 35 years, anyone can do it.”

 

Another positive activity Pekel incorporated into her life was exercise.

 

Before she walked into Wagoner’s quit tobacco program, Pekel had never stepped foot inside Tamarac, the wellness facility west of downtown Fremont that houses an outpatient rehabilitation center, a skincare center and spa, a pool, a café and support programs like tobacco cessation and diabetes education.

 

There’s also a 12,500-square-foot gym with personal trainers and fitness trainers, as well as more than three dozen fitness classes.

 

“Now I’m working out at least three times a week,” Pekel said with a laugh. “Tamarac has so many resources, opportunities and support for people like me who want to turn over a new leaf and take our health back. Pound and Zumba are my go-to programs, and I go there three times a week.

 

“The first class after I quit smoking, I was short of breath within seconds,” she said. “And now after 30 days, I’ve noticed an improvement in my breathing and stamina in the class.”

Time and money

Getting healthy wasn’t the only benefit.

 

Pekel also saw a financial dividend from quitting cigarettes. Because she no longer smoked, she wasn’t spending $6 per pack, per day. That added up to $42 a week, or almost $170 a month.

 

The extra money was nice, Pekel said, although nothing beats waking up in the morning and being able to breathe deeply without any shortness of breath.

 

It’s a miraculous feeling to go through the day with more energy.

 

“It feels so good to have more energy and a better quality of life,” Pekel said. “The exercise is really helping me stay active and busy. I can enjoy my kids and my pets keep me active.

 

Photo by Taylor Ballek

Said Pekel: “Being diagnosed with COPD was a real wake-up call that made me think about the consequences if I continued down this path. What would happen to my children and my pets if I would die? It’s a reality that you need to come to terms with. Who would take care of my children? Provide for them? Love them as I do? Smoking isn’t worth it.”

 

Despite the progress she’s made, Pekel is also a realist.

 

She knows that after smoking for 35 years, she’ll never regain full function of her lungs.

 

“I’m 50 years old, but I know that by quitting I can slow the progression of COPD,” she said. “Don’t wait until you get sick. Stop polluting your lungs, pick up the phone and register for a tobacco quit class.

 

“Don’t get into the mindset that you have smoked too long, that you can’t quit,” she said. “You can and you will—and I’m proof of that.”

Staying Connected in a Retirement Community

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

The importance of staying active as we grow older is well documented. Not only can frequent exercise help keep muscles strong, it can also improve balance, overall health, and mood. But did you know that it’s just as important to stay socially active as you age? Staying socially engaged has been shown to improve mental wellness in all seniors and slow cognitive degeneration in seniors with dementia; and living in a retirement community is one of the best ways for seniors to stay connected.

How Seniors Can Become Socially Isolated

Even for people who hate their jobs, the workplace offers a space for daily social interaction. After retirement, daily socialization becomes much harder simply because it’s no longer required. While some retirees feel motivated to go out and be social, others find themselves limiting social interaction to visits from friends and family, which can eventually lead to isolation.

 

A major factor in a senior’s risk of social isolation is their living situation. According to a report by the Administration on Aging, 20% of men and 35% of women aged 65+ live alone, with percentages increasing with age. While seniors living at home will often have informal or formal caretakers, such as adult children or a home care service, they may still feel lonely or disconnected. Distance from social activities and gathering spaces may be a limiting factor, as can health conditions, access to transportation, and more.

Social Living in a Retirement Community

Unlike living at home, an assisted living or retirement community gives seniors daily opportunities to meet and talk with many different people, form new connections and friendships, and partake in social activities. Here are some unique ways retirement communities help residents stay social:

  • Communal dining options: Sharing a meal together is a great way to connect, and assisted living facilities usually offer their residents the option to dine communally at least once a day. Good food and great company is a time-honored recipe for cherished relationships.
  • Engaging activities: From discussion groups to board games to trail outings, retirement community residents can come together over shared – or newfound – interests. Forming friendships with like-minded peers can help the mind stay sharp.
  • Next-door neighbors: While the phrase “next-door neighbors” is usually used to describe the people living in the house adjacent to one’s own, it can be used quite literally in the case of an assisted living community. Most retirement communities offer private or semi-private apartments to their residents, who can form close relationships with those around them without needing to go very far at all.

For those seniors for whom closeness to family is essential, choosing assisted living near home can mean the best of both worlds. Serving as caretakers for elderly parents can put stress on adult children and their relationships, so moving to a community that facilitates independent living can actually help seniors grow closer to their families.

 

Staying social can be difficult for aging adults, and social isolation is a very real and dangerous hazard. Retirement communities can help seniors stay engaged in a way that works for them, keeping them healthy for years to come.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Pampered with a purpose

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By Marie Havenga, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Photos by Chris Clark

 

Ruth Hourani swept hair from the floor at Profile Salon on a recent Monday, locks of brown, gray, red—each strand a story.

 

Hourani, a volunteer at Profile Salon’s Beautiful You program, knows that story of picking up the pieces all too well. The cancer story.

 

Just a short time ago, Hourani sat in those salon chairs.

 

Once a month, the Grand Rapids, Michigan, salon treats cancer patients to complimentary manicures, pedicures, massages and hair services.

 

Hourani said she gained so much from the fellowship and pampering at Beautiful You that she wanted to give back. She now volunteers there.

 

But it’s been a long and frightening journey from then until now.

 

In March 2016, Hourani underwent a routine mammogram. She went in confident. After all, she performed regular breast exams.

 

Photo courtesy Ruth Hourani

But when she overheard the receptionist attempting to schedule a biopsy after the mammogram, she knew.

 

“They had me scheduled for an ultrasound then switched it to a biopsy,” Hourani said. “Right then I thought, ‘Uh-oh, this isn’t going to be good.’”

 

That was on a Friday. The following Monday, March 14, her phone rang. Results. Results she did not want to hear. She suffered from an aggressive cancer.

 

“My husband (Thom) put the phone on speaker because I knew I wouldn’t retain much,” Hourani said. “It was like the floor dropped right out of my world.”

Aggressive cancer, aggressive action

Within days she met with a Spectrum Health Cancer Center oncologist and radiologist to discuss treatment.

 

“I went from a biopsy to being told to get ready for surgery within a week,” she said.

 

She had a lumpectomy on her left side on March 31. Doctors also removed two lymph nodes. They were clean, but due to the type of cancer, HER2, she had to undergo six chemo treatments, six weeks of radiation and a full year of preventative treatment called Herceptan.

 

She tried to keep life as normal as possible for her husband and two sons, Anthony, 21, and Thom, 18.

 

“My youngest son was a senior in high school and I wanted to make sure his last year was fun for him and it wasn’t all about Mom being sick,” she said. “When I look back, I don’t know how I did it. I was exhausted.”

 

Hourani threw up a denial defense at first—about the cancer diagnosis, about everything happening in her once-normal life.

 

“I lost my hair,” she said. “Two weeks from the first treatment they tell you you start losing it and they were dead on.”

Feeling beautiful again

Hourani enjoys sporting a sharp hair style. A friend of hers told her about the Beautiful You program.

 

“I was hesitant at first because I was so much in denial about what I was going through,” Hourani said. “I went there on one of their off days and had them shave my head. Your hair doesn’t fall out a piece at a time. It falls out in handfuls. If I had to do it over again I would shave my head right away. It was more traumatic to see it fall out.”

 

Hourani remembers feeling embarrassed. Ashamed. Different.

 

“They took me into a special room so I wouldn’t be out in public (for the head shaving),” Hourani said. “I felt very secluded and alone because it is a lonely journey. Unless you’re going through it, no one can understand how you’re feeling or really be there for you.”

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Despite her hesitancy, when she started attending monthly Beautiful You sessions, she gained camaraderie, comfort and compassion.

 

“I thought I needed something to look forward to,” Hourani said. “I needed to be with people who were OK seeing me without hair. Friendships change throughout this type of journey because most people don’t know how to handle seeing you sick. Most people are used to seeing me very strong. I’m happy hiding my emotions. People had a hard time seeing me otherwise.”

 

When she walked into the salon, she felt sisterhood.

 

“Everyone is loving and caring,” she said. “You’re catered to—little things you wish other people would do, they did. If your body hurts, you can get a massage. If your head hurts, and your scalp is sensitive to everything, to have your head massaged just means the world to you.”

Sharing the beauty

She sat with like-minded sisters in salon chairs, bald sisters, sisters who shared emotional and physical pain, sisters who somehow understood the juggernaut in her journey.

 

She so much wanted to get from Point A to Point B, to slay the fears, to dry the tears. Her salon sisters understood that, too.

 

“I got to know a lot of the people,” she said. “I didn’t leave there without crying, because you could. You don’t feel beautiful when you’re going through cancer. You’re bloated from treatments and hormones. You gain a lot of weight. You just don’t feel at all attractive to anybody.”

 

Beautiful You offers wigs for those who wish to wear one. They offer sweet treats and coffees and fresh fruit.

 

Volunteers make purses and scarves and necklaces for the cancer clients.

 

“You come home with something so you feel like you were given a gift,” Hourani said.

 

Now, Hourani is repaying that gift. On her first day of volunteering, she brought in fabric purses that a friend of hers made. Hourani wants to start crocheting again so she can make items for the group, too.

 

But most of all, she wants to impart her gift of knowledge, of being a cancer survivor, of reaching back to a sister who is at Point A, and helping them to recognize there is indeed a real-life Point B somewhere in the not too distant future.

 

She wants to help them believe. To trust. To know.

 

“I’m hoping to be an advocate, to talk to the women about what they can expect,” Hourani said. “I hope that I can make people feel as good as I felt, and feel as beautiful as I felt when I was there.”

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Hourani hugged the receptionists behind the desk, and talked with cancer patients getting pampered.

 

She wants to be a guiding hand, through her words.

 

“I would stay after my appointments just to talk to people and be upbeat with them knowing that it just stinks what you’re going through,” she said. “People will ask what you need and you don’t even know what to tell them. It’s almost as if these women just knew. When you walk in there, they know what you need—a massage, pedicure, manicure…They’ve got to see some pretty ugly feet without toenails (they fall out during chemo), but none of them look shocked.”

 

Hourani wants to reassure, just as other Beautiful You volunteers reassured her.

 

“They tell you you look beautiful,” she said. “Your family can tell you the same thing, but it comes differently from women who have been through it. They say, ‘We don’t care how you look. We want you to feel awesome today.’”

 

She misses the pampering, but now she tries to help others feel awesome.

 

“When you’re going through cancer, you feel as if you are dying, but you don’t want to feel that way,” she said. “It’s sad so many people have been touched by it. If I can help somebody else understand what they are going through after what I have been through, that right there is a blessing.”

 

Pam Westers, owner of Profile Salon, launched Beautiful You by Profile four years ago. The program started with less than 10 women three years ago and now pampers 60 to 80 cancer patients every Beautiful You Monday.

 

“It makes their whole month,” Westers said. “They look forward to this appointment because all their other appointments are hospitals and doctors. They love the relationships they make here. It’s almost like a support group when they’re here. It revitalizes them for the whole month.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Six senior activities for spring weather

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

Spring weather is just around the corner, and for those of us located in northern climes, it can’t come soon enough. Though our homes in Michigan and northern Ohio have been teasing us with sunshine, here at Vista Springs, we’ve been making preparations for warm weather. Maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves, but we’ve prepared a list of some of our favorite senior activities for spring.

 

1. Enjoy nature. Here in the Midwest, people tend to catch cases of spring fever at the first hint of sunshine. As cold days fade into breezy ones, and the grass begins to turn green, shaking off the winter by going on nature walks is a great way to enjoy spring. Make going outdoors a habit for the truly amazing experience of watching the greenery come to life as the season progresses.

 

2. Do some spring cleaning. Cleaning isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, but there’s something uniquely satisfying about airing out your rooms in spring. Do some dusting, change the linens, and give yourself a fresh start once winter is through.

 

3. Bring out the spring recipes. Springtime is associated with flowers, but there are plenty of foods that evoke the season. March through May bring asparagus spears, artichokes, fennel, watercress, and radishes, and fresh picked veggies are great for the body and spirit. And, of course, Easter celebrations bring brightly colored eggs and brunches made for sharing with family and friends. What are your spring recipes?

 

4. Take a day trip. Take advantage of the so-called “shoulder season,” between on- and off-peak seasons for popular vacation destinations, by taking a short trip to a nearby city or attraction. You get the advantages of warmer weather without the crowds and high prices. Visit lakes, mountains, big cities, museums, shopping destinations — whatever tickles your fancy.

 

5. Visit a nursery. When trees begin to bud, it’s a great time to visit a local nursery. Try out your green thumb by choosing some spring perennials for an outdoor garden, start an herb garden in your kitchen for fresh herbs year-round, or choose some potted plants to brighten up your interiors. You’ll be amazed at the fresh, lively atmosphere inherent to nurseries that you can bring home with you.

 

6. Start bird watching. Everyone knows to keep an eye out for the first robin of spring, and the sound of birdsong in the morning is one of the truest heralds of warmer weather. Invest in a bird feeder and bird seed for easy bird watching, or make your own for a fun creative activity. Learning what types of songbirds are local to your area can help you learn more about the ecosystem as a whole, and watching for rare species brings excitement to each quiet moment.

 

Are you as excited for spring weather as we are? These fun senior activities will help you get the most out of the season. Whether you enjoy getting outdoors or enjoying a lighter, brighter atmosphere inside, there’s something about spring that brings out a passion for life that deserves to be celebrated.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

The sooner you quit smoking, the better

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Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat

 By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay

 

Despite the well-known dangers of smoking, the sizable benefits of quitting may be overlooked, a new study suggests.

 

“These findings underscore the benefits of quitting smoking within five years, which is a 38 percent lower risk of a heart attack, stroke or other forms of cardiovascular disease,” said study author Meredith Duncan, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

 

“The bottom line is if you smoke, now is a very good time to quit,” Duncan said in an American Heart Association news release.

 

Her team also found that it takes more than 15 years from the time you quit until your cardiovascular disease risk returns to the level of those who never smoked—so the sooner you quit, the better.

 

Cigarette smoking in America is declining and leaving a growing population of former smokers. Earlier studies have hinted that the risk for heart disease lessens within a few years after quitting, but these studies haven’t looked closely at smoking history, including changes in smoking habits.

 

In this study, Duncan and her colleagues analyzed data on the lifetime smoking histories of nearly 8,700 people who took part in the Framingham Heart Study.

 

At the beginning of the study, none of the participants suffered from cardiovascular disease. Over 27 years, researchers compared the risk for heart disease among people who never smoked with those who quit.

 

They found that more than 70 percent of heart disease occurred in current or former smokers who smoked at least 20 pack-years—smoking one pack a day for 20 years.

 

But smokers who quit within the last five years cut their risk for cardiovascular disease by 38 percent, compared with people who continued to smoke. Moreover, it took 16 years after quitting for the risk of cardiovascular disease to return to the level of never smokers, the researchers found.

 

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting, in Chicago. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Five stretches seniors should know

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Photo courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

Mobility is a critical factor for seniors to maintain their overall wellness and independence. However, for many older adults, preserving a full range of motion is no picnic. This is because muscles and joints weaken and range of movement deteriorates as we age. Slowing down our daily routines and actions to avoid injuries might seem like the logical solution.

 

Unfortunately, the old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” rings true. When the body is primarily inactive, it gets weaker. Muscles start to shrink, and basic movements become nearly impossible, not to mention joint pain can be amplified. At this point, many seniors turn to prescriptions or assistive medical equipment for help. Methods like these just put a band-aid over a much deeper problem.

 

Fortunately, there is a solution that is both proactive and gentle for seniors looking for alternatives: stretching exercises. Consider incorporating stretching into your daily routine for its many health benefits. Some perks of daily stretching include development and maintenance of strength, improving flexibility, and increased circulation and blood flow, to provide a higher quality of life and healthy aging.

 

If you’re not sure where to start here are five stretches that every senior should know.

 

1. Neck Side Stretch. This is a simple stretch that’s perfect for the morning. The neck side stretch loosens tension in your neck and the tops of your shoulders. If you’re experiencing any pain or discomfort from sleeping in the wrong position, you’ll find this handy.

 

Start by sitting tall in a chair. Gently lean your head to the right as if trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Then transition back to its regular position, and lean downwards. Finally, from the center position, gently lean your head to the left. For a more intense stretch try lifting your right arm up and over your head, resting your palm gently on the left side. Gently pull your head to the right. If you find that to be too much, try resting your hand on your head. Remember to hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

 

2. Shoulder and Upper Back Stretch. If you’ve ever had a stiff back, you know how debilitating it can be. The culprit behind this pain is most likely sitting for too long. Sitting can make your shoulders and upper back round forward. Over time, it can be hard to stand up straight, since the muscles are so used to being in a hunched position. This stretch is great for loosening up the muscles and improving spinal flexibility, both of which can help you stand straight.

 

Begin by standing tall with arms near your sides. Reach behind you with both hands, pull your shoulders back, and interlock your fingers. If you feel a stretch already, hold it there. To intensify this stretch, push your interlocked hands away from your lower back and gently arch backward. Then return to standing tall and repeat.

 

3. Bent Arm Wall Stretch. A significant portion  of what we do in life is in front of us, so it’s common for our chest to be stronger and tighter. However, over time the tightness in our chest can be restricting and impede on your daily activities. One cause of over tightened chest muscles is poor posture. By lengthening these muscles, you can improve your posture. This stretch focuses on one chest muscle at a time.

 

Being in a split stance, which means the left leg on the front and right leg on the back, and stand at the end of a wall or in a doorway. Then bring your right arm up to shoulder height and position the palm and inside of the arm on the wall surface or doorway. Your arm should look like a goal post. Finally, gently press the chest through the open space to feel the stretch.

 

Moving the arm higher or lower will allow you to stretch various sections of the chest. Remember to repeat the action on your other side.

 

4. Hamstring and Low Back Stretch. This gentle stretch targets the lower back and hamstrings. Prolonged sitting or poor posture usually cause tightness in the lower back and hamstrings.

 

For this stretch start by lying face-up on your bed or floor. Bend your right leg and slowly move it toward your chest. Remember to keep your shoulders flat on the floor as you reach your arms around your right knee and pull it toward you. You should feel a stretch through your low back, glutes, and hamstring. For this stretch, make sure to hold for 30 seconds, and then repeat on your opposite leg.

 

5. Ankle Circles Stretch. Usually, you wouldn’t think to stretch your ankles, but it’s a crucial part of your body to keep in mind. Maintaining the flexibility in your ankles can be the difference in your ability to walk. For example, a stiff ankle can make it easier to have a fall by throwing off your balance. This is another simple stretch that can be done in a sitting position.

 

Start by finding a chair to sit in, and remember to sit up tall. Extend your right leg out in front of you, while keeping the other on the floor. Begin by rotating your right ankle; 10 to 20 rotations clockwise and 10 to 20 counter-clockwise. Then lower your leg and repeat on your opposite leg.

 

Stretching may seem like a simple solution, but  it’s a great way to listen to what your body needs. The majority of stretches talked about today can be adjusted to accommodate different levels of flexibility. When you work with your body instead of against it you can expect continuous improvement with results that last.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

 

Five essential oils that promote wellness in seniors

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Photo courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

Scents and smells have a powerful effect on our minds. The smell of freshly mown grass might take you back to childhood summers, or cookies in the oven might remind you of the holidays. Our sense of smell is closely linked with the parts of the brain that are responsible for memory, emotion, and more, and it is this connection that aromatherapy targets to promote holistic wellness. The practice of aromatherapy dates back at least 6,000 years to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, China, and Greece. Today, aromatherapy is used to promote wellness for a number of conditions, such as anxiety, pain, and sleeplessness.

 

Aromatherapy uses aromatic substances known as essential oils, which are derived from plants like flowers, grasses, fruits, and tree bark and are highly concentrated, and applying undiluted oils directly to the skin can cause irritation, allergic reaction, or increased sensitivity. Always consult with a healthcare professional before using essential oils and exercise caution when applying them.

 

Here are five of our favorite essential oils:

1. Lavender

Lavender essential oil is a holistic jackpot of benefits. For those just starting their aromatherapy journey, this is a great option. Lavender essential oil has long been recognized for its ability to soothe and relax, which is why it’s a perfect sleep aid for seniors suffering from insomnia. It also uses an easy application processes. Simply have 1-3 drops applied to clothing, bed linens or a cotton ball at bedside. Additionally, lavender essential oil also has pain relieving properties. When mixed with an unscented lotion or plain massage oil and applied to the skin, it relaxes and soothes your muscles.

2. Rosemary

Rosemary essential oil improves concentration. It’s often used to awaken the brain, resulting in improved alertness and overall function. In fact, numerous studies show participants exposed to rosemary aromatherapy performed better on cognitive tests. Other benefits of rosemary essential oil are it reduces sleepiness, keeping you alert but relaxed. A great way to experience rosemary essential oil is by placing one to three drops on clothing, linens or at your bedside on a cotton ball.

3. Geranium

If you are encountering anxious or fearful emotions that you can’t shake, try using geranium essential oil. Geranium essential oil is commonly used for its ability to stabilize moods and calm anxiety. Many have described its aroma as a floral scent similar to roses. Try using one to three drops put on your bed linens or clothing for a calming effect throughout the day.

4. Bergamot

Bergamot is a plant that produces a type of citrus fruit, and therefore yields a a citrus-like fragrance with distinctive spicy and floral notes. If you are dealing with unwanted weight loss or a lack of desire to eat, bergamot essential oil therapy could help by stimulating your appetite. When using bergamot essential oil, it’s important to remember that it reacts strongly with sunlight and can cause severe sunburn. Exercise caution, apply only one to three drops to clothing or linens, and never apply directly to the skin.

5. Lemon

If you find yourself hitting the mid-morning wall, try lemon aromatherapy. It’s a great way to combat the feeling of lethargy. With its bright citrus scent, lemon essential oils create a revitalizing and uplifting effect on your mind and body. It’ a wonderful alternative to strong stimulants such as coffee or medications. To experience the full benefits, place it on textiles like clothing or cushions and let the scent lift your energy levels whenever you need a boost.

 

Remember, essential oils are very powerful both in their effects and their concentration. Putting them directly on the skin without proper dilution is not recommended and may cause a severe reaction. Your best option to prevent any ill effects is to consult with trained healthcare professionals or aromatherapists before using any essential oils, and apply them only according to their recommendations.

 

When it comes to holistic care options for seniors, consider essential oil aromatherapy. Our essential oils program at Vista Springs is designed to help our community members live a full of life experience. To learn more about Vista Springs’ holistic, energetic approach to assisted living, download our free eBook here.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

 

Is your home poison-safe?

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By Dr. Jenny Bush, Cherry Health Pediatrician and Director of Pediatrics


National Poison Prevention Week is observed in the United States the third week of March every year. Over half of the 2.4 million cases of poisonings reported to poison control centers each year involve children less than 5 years of age.


To help keep your little ones safe, please check out these tips below:

  • Put the toll-free number for the Poison Control Center (1.800.222.1222) into your cell phone and post on the fridge.
  • Store all household products out of children’s sight and reach. Young kids are often eye-level with items under the kitchen and bathroom sinks. So, any bleach, detergents, dishwasher liquid or cleaning solutions that are kept there should be moved to a new storage location. This also applies to chemicals that may be in a garage or shed.
  • Keep cleaning products in their original containers. Never put a potentially poisonous product in something other than its original container (such as a plastic soda bottle) where it could be mistaken for something else.
  • Be aware of any medications that may be in your handbag. Ask visitors to place their handbags in an area that the children cannot get to.
  • Make sure that all medications, including vitamins, are stored out of reach and out of sight or children. Even if you are tempted to keep it handy, put medicine out of reach after every use. When you need to give another dose in just a few hours, it may be tempting to keep medicine close at hand. Accidents can happen fast. It only takes a few seconds for children to get into medicine that could make them very sick. Put medicine up and away after every use. And if you need a reminder, set an alarm on your watch or cellphone, or write yourself a note.

If you are interested in learning more about poisoning safety, please visit safekids.org.


Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

‘Beauty in the battle’

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Marie Havenga, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Photos by Chris Clark

 

In 2013, after a five-year battle, Emmy Rickert lost her Aunt Jodi to breast cancer.

 

Two weeks later, at age 24, Rickert began fighting the same battle.

 

Rickert was still grieving the loss of her mom, who died of a brain aneurysm just two years prior. Seven months before her mom passed away, Emmy’s dad endured a heart transplant.

 

Two weeks after Aunt Jodi died, while Emmy worked as a legislative aide for a state senator in Lansing, Michigan, she felt a bruised area on her chest.

 

“I felt deeper and felt a lump,” Emmy said. “I was an active 24-year-old who exercised regularly. I wondered if I pulled a muscle or dropped something on it.”

 

Rickert visited her OB-GYN in Lansing.

 

“She said, ‘You’re 24, it’s probably nothing,” Rickert said. “’Let’s check back in a month.’”

 

Still tender from the loss of her aunt, she wanted to be sure. She pushed.

 

“I really credit my aunt with my life,” Rickert said. “I tell people to be their own health advocate, I really had to push my OB to get it checked further. I didn’t feel comfortable having just lost my aunt.”

 

Rickert talked her doctor into ordering an ultrasound.

 

“I remember going in thinking ‘whatever journey I’m about to start, help me to be strong enough for it,’” Rickert said. “I just didn’t have a good feeling about it.”

Cancer at 24

Shortly after the Friday morning ultrasound began, the technician stepped out and brought the radiologist in. He immediately ordered a core biopsy.

 

On Monday, while at her desk at work, she got the results.

 

“The radiologist called me and told me I had breast cancer,” Rickert said. “He seemed quite shaken. He said, ‘I’ve never had to call a 24-year-old to tell them they have breast cancer.”

I remembered back to when I was a child. Whenever I was sick and had to take medicine, (my mom would) say, ‘Alright, I’m sending the soldiers in to kill the bad guys.’ Every time I watched the chemo flow into my body, I thought of my mom and felt her there. I thought, ‘We’re sending the good guys in to kill the bad guys.’

Emmy Rickert
Breast cancer survivor

The words rang in her ears. Just like in the movies. But this wasn’t fantasy. Instead, earth-shattering reality.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“My ears started ringing after I heard the word ‘cancer,’” she said. “I didn’t hear anything after. My world was spinning at that point. I didn’t understand why this was happening. I hadn’t prepared myself for those words ‘you have cancer.’ I don’t know if anyone can prepare themselves for that.”

 

Rickert’s mind whirled. She feared not only for her life, but she feared how she would tell her family about the diagnosis. They had already lost so much. So fast.

 

Right then, right there, she vowed to have the most optimistic and positive attitude possible.

 

“Having seen my family go through so much, I knew that was the answer,” she said.

Sharing the diagnosis with family

Rickert picked up her younger sister from Central Michigan University. They drove to their family home in Hersey, Michigan, near Reed City.

 

“I told them, ‘Listen, this is what’s going on,’” Rickert said. “I don’t know the specifics yet, but I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. I’m going to fight it and I’m not scared. I don’t want you to be, either.”

 

She soon learned the specifics. They weren’t comforting.

 

She had triple negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of breast cancer. She needed surgery right away.

 

Because her young age and triple negative diagnosis threw up red flags, she underwent a mastectomy on her left breast.

 

“They came out and told me it had grown an entire centimeter in the two weeks from the ultrasound to surgery,” Rickert said. “But it had not spread to my lymph nodes yet. They said if I had waited even a matter of weeks, it would be a different story.”

 

Further testing revealed Rickert carries the BRCA2 gene mutation.

 

Following surgery, Rickert wanted to go home. Home to Hersey. Home to family. Home to friends.

 

Knowing there was a new Spectrum Health cancer center in Reed City—the Susan P. Wheatlake Regional Cancer Center, one of six Spectrum Health cancer centers, she teamed up with a Spectrum Health oncologist to fight the foe.

She always wanted to be a mom

But the recommended chemotherapy carried a risk she wasn’t willing to take—infertility.

 

“The No. 1 fear for me was not losing my hair or being sick during chemo, or even death,” she said. “It was not being a mother. Being a mother has always been my dream.”

 

She went to a fertility specialist in Grand Rapids, and froze her eggs before commencing chemotherapy.

 

That decision helped instill a deep resolve. Commitment deepened. She would win this fight. She had to win this fight. For her unborn children.

 

“That gave me so much hope,” Rickert said. “It gave me the gumption and will to say, ‘I’m going to be a mother now no matter what the fertility outcome is after chemo. That means I need to survive this because I’m going to be a mom.’ I went into it with a suit of armor, with hope and peace.”

 

Courtesy Emmy Rickert

Only after her eggs were frozen and safely tucked away did she begin chemotherapy. She felt fear as she watched the liquid drip into her veins.

 

But she also felt a presence. A presence she missed so very much. Her mom.

 

“Along this whole journey, I could really feel my mom there,” Rickert said. “I remembered back to when I was a child. Whenever I was sick and had to take medicine, she’d say, ‘Alright, I’m sending the soldiers in to kill the bad guys.’ Every time I watched the chemo flow into my body, I thought of my mom and felt her there. I thought, ‘We’re sending the good guys in to kill the bad guys.’ I think that outlook really made a difference for me.”

 

Unfortunately, chemotherapy made her sick. Very sick. Aunt Jodi did well through chemotherapy. Not so for her niece.

 

“I was in bed for weeks at a time,” Rickert said. “My dad and little sister would help me to the bathroom. But I was glad it was kicking my butt because I thought it might be kicking cancer’s butt as well.”

‘So much gratitude’

She’s grateful she made the decision to return home.

 

“Being close to my family and having that support system, being in my hometown and being at Spectrum also made a difference for me,” she said. “I had so many people rooting for me and lifting me up daily. There wasn’t time to feel down. I constantly was uplifted by my doctors and my townspeople, my family and friends.”

 

After she recovered from chemotherapy, Rickert decided she didn’t want to ever live through the same nightmare. She proactively had her right breast removed.

 

A year later, she married.

 

She and her husband, Kelly, conceived naturally. Their daughter, Grace, entered their lives on May 15, 2015.

 

“I can’t even begin to describe the joy we felt,” Rickert said. “I started to enjoy living. I felt so much gratitude that I survived. Seeing that miracle reminded me even more how precious and fragile life was.”

 

Having survived her own battle, she turned her energy outward.

 

“I started to do as many speaking engagements as I could, trying to help as many people diagnosed, or battling cancer, as I could,” she said. “I had gone through this for a reason, and that was to be a bright light for anyone going through this. I felt so driven to let people know there is life after cancer.”

 

And for the Rickert family, yet another life. Their son, Huck, was born in 2016.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

The children were her light at the end of the tunnel, rainbows at the end of her storm. She calls them her little rainbow children.

 

But she knows storms can return. That’s why she’s not taking a single moment for granted. None of them.

 

“I know my cancer could return or something else could happen,” Rickert said. “Life is so precious, miraculous and fragile. I’m constantly being in the moment with my family. I’m helping others see that there is life past cancer and there is beauty in the battle because it makes you so much more aware of the fragility of life and the beauty of life.”

 

Judy Smith, MD, chief of the Spectrum Health Cancer Center, said Emmy is an inspiration to all who know her or her story.

 

“Her courage and optimism in the face of adversity takes my breath away,” Dr. Smith said. “She is one in a long line of strong women who proudly carry on the legacy of Betty Ford with her candor, willingness to publicly speak of her personal journey, promote screening and early detection and, most of all, help all women take charge of their own destiny.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Fibromyalgia myths and facts

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Connie Gall, whose fibromyalgia led to her early retirement, has found a new sense of purpose in the adoption and care of older dogs. She’s pictured here with her dog Prince. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Eve Clayton, Spectrum Health Beat

 

What do actor Morgan Freeman and Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor have in common with Connie Gall, a retired college financial aid officer?

 

All three suffer from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder with debilitating effects.

 

Gall, 59, has lived with fibromyalgia since 1990. Just four months after having back surgery that year, she was in a car accident that gave her severe whiplash.

 

The whiplash triggered a series of symptoms: migraines, widespread joint and muscle pain, TMJ trouble, restless legs, burning and cold skin sensations, sleep problems, fatigue, tinnitus and polyneuropathy.

 

Although Gall’s symptoms began 28 years ago, it wasn’t until 2004 that a rheumatologist connected the dots and diagnosed her with fibromyalgia.

 

Joshua Brinks, NP, is a family nurse practitioner who works in the Spectrum Health Medical Group East Grand Rapids Family Medicine office and specializes in working with fibromyalgia patients. He and Gall, one of his patients, would like to shed some light on fibromyalgia and debunk some of the common myths associated with it.

Myth No. 1: Fibromyalgia isn’t real, it’s all in your head.

Fact—Fibromyalgia is a central nervous system pain processing disorder.

 

“It’s a chronic pain syndrome,” Brinks said. “We don’t know what causes it and we don’t have a cure. And so for patients to actually have a name (for their disorder) and to know that … it’s not in their head is very comforting or relieving to them.”

 

Gall agrees. When she finally found a doctor who “could put a name on what was going on with me, it made me feel validated … and it all started to make sense,” she said. “It’s (your) central nervous system playing games with you.”

 

In the last decade, more and more health care providers have accepted and acknowledged the reality of fibromyalgia, Brinks said.

 

“That’s a big step,” he said.

 

The next challenge is getting more people to understand it.

 

“It’s hard to explain to people it’s something that’s going on in your brain—that it’s your central nervous system that is controlling how you feel pain,” Gall said.

Myth No. 2: Health care providers diagnose fibromyalgia when they can’t find a “real” diagnosis.

Fact—There are defined diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia. If a patient meets these criteria and if other diseases are ruled out, the diagnosis is quite clear.

 

“I can diagnose it in a single visit,” Brinks said, giving two main diagnostic criteria:

  • Widespread pain above and below the waist on both sides of the body for three months or longer.
  • Eleven out of 18 classic tender points—again, above and below the waist on both sides of the body.

“There’s no blood test for it, although sometimes we do a blood test to rule out other things that can mimic it,” Brinks said.

Myth No. 3: If your muscles hurt so much, there must be something wrong with them.

Fact—The problem isn’t in the muscles themselves, but in the way the brain is interpreting signals.

 

“The fact is,” Brinks said, “they’ve done studies to look at the muscle fibers, they’ve looked at biopsies, pathology studies—they can’t find anything wrong here.”

 

So if you have fibromyalgia, you need to “retrain your brain into thinking that if (your) husband gives (you) a hug and that causes pain, it’s not actually causing harm to the tissue,” he said.

Myth No. 4: Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that affects only women.

Fact—Between 10 and 20 percent of fibromyalgia patients nationwide are men, according to the National Institutes of Health.

 

These statistics match the patient demographics Brinks sees in his practice.

Myth No. 5: Fibromyalgia is rare.

Fact—Experts estimate that more than 5 million adults in the United States have it.

 

“It’s actually one of the most common pain disorders,” Brinks said.

Myth No. 6: Fibromyalgia is hopelessly untreatable.

Fact—Although fibromyalgia has no cure, several treatments can be helpful. Patients respond best if they keep a positive attitude and try various treatments to find what works for them. Brinks mentioned several:

 

Education

 

This is where treatment should start for every patient, said Brinks, who spends extra time helping newly diagnosed patients understand what he knows about fibromyalgia.

 

Gall advises people to find out as much as they can about their illness and its symptoms.

 

“One of the things that helped me was to really learn about it,” Gall said. “I found reading about it, understanding what all these things are, it made them less scary.”

 

Maximize sleep

 

Almost all patients with fibromyalgia experience non-restorative sleep.

 

“We don’t necessarily know why, but … the quality of their sleep is not good, so they wake up feeling tired,” Brinks said. The result: intensified pain.

 

Brinks tries to help patients develop good sleep behaviors and patterns. He also looks for underlying sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, and works to treat them.

 

Low-impact aerobic exercise

 

Using an elliptical machine, swimming, riding a bike, going for a fast-paced walk—any of these exercises can improve a patient’s sleep and mood, and they can also reduce pain. “Initially it makes your pain a little worse, but then it gets better with time,” Brinks said. Activities like yoga and tai chi can help, too.

 

Cognitive behavioral therapy

 

Try a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, Brinks suggested. Working with a therapist or pain psychologist, some patients experience improvement through relaxation and breathing techniques or through guided imagery.

 

Drug therapy

 

Brinks often starts patients on a low dose of amitriptyline, which can help improve sleep and pain. He might also prescribe drugs that block the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, which can help improve a patient’s mood and reduce pain. Some patients also find that anticonvulsant medicines help reduce pain.

 

The medications’ effectiveness can vary from patient to patient. “Sometimes it’s just one drug, sometimes it’s a combination,” Brinks said.

 

But narcotics are not in the mix: “Research has shown over and over again that narcotics do not help fibromyalgia,” he said.

 

Address underlying mood disorders

 

Treating anxiety and depression, which often go hand in hand with fibromyalgia, can ease the burden of living with the disorder.

 

Well-balanced diet

 

Gall is a firm believer in eating right.

 

“I don’t know what shape I’d be in if I didn’t eat so well,” she said. “If you let that slide, it’s like a domino effect.”

 

Overall, attitude makes a big difference for people with fibromyalgia, she said.

 

“I love life. I think this is a pretty cool place to be, and if you’re always talking to the people you run into about the latest thing your doctor has told you to do, that means you’re concentrating on your condition,” she said.

 

“Except for those days when I’m screaming through those stabbing pains or curled up like a ball with a migraine for three days, I’m going to try to do the rest of life with a smile on my face,” she said.

 

Brinks said people who have good attitudes and a willingness to try new things will experience better outcomes.

 

Three P’s

 

One strategy Brinks recommends is the “three P’s” approach:

  • Prioritize—“If you have a day off work and you have 12 errands you want to run, you need to shorten that list,” Brinks said. “What are the things that are most important?” If you take on too much, the stress can impact your sleep and “all of that is like the perfect storm for fibromyalgia to flare up,” he said.
  • Plan—Based on your priorities, think about how you should approach your tasks and what’s reasonable to expect of yourself.
  • Pace yourself—If you have three errands to run, don’t try to do all of them in the first two hours. Space them out, Brinks said. Gall told of a day when she didn’t pace herself as she prepared the house for a family gathering. She ended up in so much pain, she could hardly enjoy the party.

Above all, Brinks said, don’t let pain rule your life. Recognize there will be good days and bad, and remind your brain that your pain is “not life threatening—it’s annoying and frustrating, but it’s not going to cause terminal illness,” he said.

 

Still, it may bring about major life changes. For Gall, the pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia became so bad she eventually had to retire early from a job she loved.

 

Looking to fill the void, she and her husband began adopting older dogs from animal shelters, giving them a safe home in their later years. The sense of purpose this gives her is a tremendous help, Gall said.

 

After decades with fibromyalgia, she’s found the best strategy is to face it with grit and resolve.

 

“Even if I have to do life in pain every day, ranging from a pain level 3 to a pain level 10, I don’t get to go back and do it again,” she said, “so I’m going to try to be as good at it as I can.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

 

Don’t let anxiety or depression take control

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Break through the fog of depression. You can do it! (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Depression and anxiety are both common and potentially serious health issues.

 

In fact, approximately 10 percent of us suffer from one of these disorders, with anxiety being more common in women than in men.

 

The symptoms of anxiety and depression can go away and come back throughout life if left untreated, and many people find it difficult to admit they have anxiety or depression, thinking there isn’t a cure for what they are experiencing. Fortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

 

A few months ago, a patient I’ll call Cindy came to see me for her annual visit. She started to talk about her life and how she was feeling down most of the time. She didn’t understand why she was feeling this way—everything seemed like it should be nearly perfect.

 

Cindy is married, has three great kids and a part-time job she enjoys. She also has a strong group of friends at church and her parents live nearby, so she really feels like she has a good life.

 

As I probed a bit further with questions, she admitted she had been feeling down for about three months and wondered if she would ever feel like her old self again.

 

Her kids are doing well, but they are becoming busier with sports, church and school. Of course, this meant that Cindy is becoming busier as well. Although she generally isn’t feeling stressed or anxious, she started noticing some changes in herself: doubting how well she could handle her busy life, losing interest in playing games with her kids, making excuses to avoid going out with friends, cooking less (something she once loved to do), losing interest in sex, and exercising less.

 

When I asked Cindy about her extended family, she said that her mom had suffered from depression during Cindy’s childhood, and she remembers her mom withdrawing and spending quite a bit of time in her bedroom.

 

Cindy felt that her mom didn’t really know her and was never supportive of anything she wanted to do. In fact, when Cindy wanted to join the cheer team in high school, her mom would not take her to practice, and never encouraged Cindy to practice on her own or exercise to stay in shape. In addition, her mom always seemed sad and unusually quiet, her dad worked long hours and was never home, and her brother kept to himself most of the time.

 

Cindy obviously didn’t have a perfect childhood. She once had big dreams of attending college, but those dreams never materialized. She hadn’t thought about her college dreams in a long time, but talking to me about her childhood stirred up some old memories.

 

On a positive note, Cindy doesn’t drink much alcohol, never smoked, and eats a fairly healthy diet. She also walks the dog around her neighborhood daily, but she didn’t follow an intense workout program. Although she feels OK with her weight, she admits that she would feel better if she lost a few pounds.

 

Cindy just wanted to know how she could feel better. I certainly understand Cindy’s frustrations, and I was anxious to figure out why she was feeling this way and help her develop a plan to move forward.

 

I talked with her about anxiety and depression. We first looked at common risk factors of both: genetics (family history), low self esteem, prior traumatic events, abuse or neglect, substance abuse and early onset of anxiety and depression.

 

Cindy obviously had at least one of these factors in her life. We also talked about other reasons people struggle with these issues.

 

Anxiety and depression can be related to life events (past and present), but they can also be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. The analogy I use to explain our brain chemistry goes something like this: brain chemicals are like money in the bank—we only have so much to spend before we run out. We make brain chemicals when we sleep, and genetically (linked to many genes), some of us make more than others. We spend brain chemical on life events, which can cause our supply to get low.

 

For Cindy, life events (busy kids, busy husband, busy household) were causing her to use her supply of brain chemicals. She also had unresolved issues come to the surface: her kids getting to do things she never did in her childhood, her husband working long hours (just like her dad did), and thinking more about her earlier dreams of college. Add to all of this a little weight gain, and you can imagine the stress Cindy felt.

 

When we have unresolved issues on our minds (like Cindy did), they cost brain chemicals. Sometimes we may not even be aware of some of the things that are floating around in our head. So, when our friends ask us out for coffee or it is time to make dinner, we don’t have enough brain chemicals to propel us forward. We slowly start to shut down, and life starts to pass us by. Depression can set in and affect not only ourselves, but our family, friends and co-workers as well.

 

There are several common symptoms of depression that you can look out for, including feeling down most days, losing interest in usual things, sleeping too much or not enough, losing or gaining weight, feeling unable to concentrate or think clearly, and thinking you are not good enough.

 

If depression is left untreated, other issues can arise, such as anxiety, diabetes, heart disease and thyroid disease.

 

In order to help Cindy, I first ordered some lab work, which included her blood count, thyroid levels, body chemistry function, vitamin levels, and sugar levels. All came back normal. My hope was that we could work together to treat her symptoms.

 

Cindy felt a sense of relief just getting her worries off her chest, and she became hopeful when I told her she wasn’t crazy. Her experiences are normal, common and treatable.

 

I first recommended that she see a therapist who practiced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help her sort out issues from her past. I also suggested more exercise in her daily routine, even if it is in small amounts (like 10,000 steps per day).

 

And, finally, I recommended a short-term course of medicine from a group called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). These drugs increase the brain chemical levels so there is “more money in the bank” to help people like Cindy get back on track and stop the downward spiral.

 

Cindy came to see me two months later, and she felt much more like herself again—hooray!

 

She had seen her therapist several times and had started a very low dose of the medication. She also developed a meal and exercise plan that worked well. Her kids and husband had noticed, and commented that they had missed having fun with her and were happy to have her back.

 

Cindy started to think about her part-time job and maybe quitting so she could go back to school. She had coffee with a friend and realized how good it felt to stay connected and laugh again.

 

I have no doubt that Cindy will be fine, but she will always have to be aware of her feelings, or even ask a friend to check in with her if she notices any new symptoms Cindy might be displaying. Cindy will inevitably experience stressful events in her future (we all will), so she will always be at risk for starting a downward spiral at some point.

 

However, with treatment and awareness, she should live a happy, connected and fulfilled life.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

Which milk is the cream of the crop?

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The definition of milk continues to evolve to include new blends and fresh flavors. But is it better? (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Moooove over, Bessie. Cow’s milk has lots of competition.

 

You can fill your glass with a milk-like beverage made from hemp, coconut, cashews, macadamia nuts, oats, peas, flax, sunflower seeds or quinoa.

 

And the longtime favorites―soy, rice and almond milks―occupy more and more space on store shelves.

 

In the past few decades, the growth in milk alternatives has cut into Americans’ dairy milk consumption. Cow’s milk sales have dropped to half the level of the 1980s, according to the Dairy Reporter. Meanwhile, the milk alternatives market is expected to double by 2019.

 

With more options popping up, picking the right milk to pour on your cereal can be a bit overwhelming for consumers.

 

Making that choice depends on an individual’s health needs―and taste preference, says Kristi Veltkamp, MS, RD, a dietitian at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital.

 

“If you have allergies, that’s obviously a big driving force,” she says.

 

For those allergic to cow’s milk, nuts or soy, the growing alternatives market offers some welcome options.

 

Aside from allergies, nutritional goals should guide your choice, she says.

From the cow

When it comes to nutrition, the old standby rules.

 

“Cow’s milk by far has the most nutrition in it,” Veltkamp says. “It has protein in it. It has carbohydrates. It has fats. It has a good combination of all three macronutrients. …It’s also a good source of calcium. It has phosphorus and potassium.”

 

Nutritional guidelines call for whole milk for children from ages 1 to 2. Veltkamp recommends organic milk, free of growth hormones.

 

Consumers also should consider pastured or grass-fed cow’s milks, she adds, because in consuming an animal product, “you eat what it eats.”

 

Once children turn 2, they generally can switch to a lower fat milk.

 

Although adults have long been advised to drink low-fat milk to limit calorie and fat consumption, Veltkamp says recent research casts doubt on that practice. A 2016 study in the journal Circulation, for example, found people who consumed full-fat milk and dairy products had lower diabetes rates.

Sugars and protein

People opt for an alternative to cow’s milk for a variety of reasons―they may be lactose intolerant, allergic to milk or following a plant-based diet.

 

Typically, the plant-based alternatives are created by blending up the main ingredient with water and straining out the pieces.

 

“Then, they add a thickener. Otherwise, it would be very watery,” Veltkamp says, “Then they add vitamins. Essentially, it’s flavored water.”

 

Many plant-based milks “are a nice low-calorie option if you are trying to watch your calories or your carbs,” Veltkamp says.

 

But stick with an unsweetened version, she advises. The flavored versions of popular drinks, like soy and almond milk, can deliver more sugar and calories than cow’s milk.

 

And remember to check the nutrition facts. Rice milks typically are relatively high in carbs.

 

Milk produced by cows does contain lactose, a naturally occurring sugar. But that differs from the sugar added to sweetened milk alternatives.

 

“It is processed differently in the body,” Veltkamp says.

 

Most of the alternatives have little protein―just a gram or 2 per serving. For those looking for a higher protein content, soy milk and pea milk are good alternatives. They contain 7 or 8 grams of protein in a cup.

Calcium and cooking

Most of the plant-based milks are calcium fortified and deliver 30 to 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance for adults.

 

If lactose intolerance poses a problem, consumers can buy lactose-free milk.

 

“They add an enzyme called lactase, and it breaks down the lactose in milk,” Veltkamp says. “It’s kind of like it’s predigested.”

 

Despite the thinner consistency, Veltkamp says milk alternatives work well in recipes.

 

“I use almond milk in any recipe that calls for milk, and I don’t have any issues,” she says.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

 

 

 

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you need to know

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Health, Local Business, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming Events

By WKTV Staff
Ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“Eating good food is, too me, one of life's favorite joys, and I will never punish myself for it.”
 
                                                   ― Miriam Shor
A scene from a previous Taste of Kentwood. (WKTV)

Taste of Kentwood this week

The community is invited to explore a smorgasbord of local cuisine during the 18th annual Taste of Kentwood event on Thursday, March 14. Held at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, a variety of local restaurants will offer food and desserts during two sessions: one from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and another from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For the complete story, visit here.


Kent County Land for planned Sustainable Business Park, aerial shot that includes the property adjacent to the landfill, with the landfill in the background. (Supplied/Kent County)

Plans developing on business park

The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) and The Right Place, Inc. have announced a multi-year strategic partnership for the planning and development of the Kent County Sustainable Business Park. In October 2018, the Kent County Board of Public Works (BPW) approved the Sustainable Business Park Master Plan for 250 acres adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center. For the complete story, visit here.

Dr. John Mulder. (Supplied)

Local doctor earns national honor

Holland Home recently announce that John Mulder, MD, has been recognized by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) with the 2019 Project on Death In America (PDIA) Palliative Medicine Community Leadership Award. Dr. Mulder is Medical Director of the Trillium Institute, an affiliate of Holland Home. For the complete story, visit here.



Fun fact:

0.0173 percent

Today only 0.0173% of Americans live to 100. The population of the United States in 2010 Census was approximately 309 million. (Source)

Becoming a dementia-friendly Michigan

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Non-Profits, Senior Living,

By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan


Today, there are over 5,000,000 people in the U.S. living with dementia. They are members of our churches, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our communities. They shop in the same stores we do, dine at the same restaurants, attend the same events, and utilize the same public transportation system. Despite living with dementia, they continue to be vital members of our communities and valued for their contributions. This is the ideal, anyway.


The reality is that for people living with dementia, their world tends to become slowly and consistently smaller, and a lot of this has to do with the difficulty they experience interacting with the world around them. We’ve all come into contact with a person who seems lost, is taking an extremely long time to make a decision or is ‘holding up the line’ because they are confused about a process. We become exasperated; they become upset, and no one leaves the experience feeling good.


While we can go about our day collecting better experiences, a person with dementia might be flustered and reluctant to do anything that may recreate it — shopping for groceries, riding a bus, ordering in a restaurant. They gradually become more isolated, less independent and separate from their communities. The isolation and separation people with dementia experience can actually contribute to the acceleration of their disease.


Dementia Friends Michigan (DFMI) is part of a national movement working to educate ‘Dementia Friends’ throughout the state so that people living with dementia can feel comfortable navigating daily life. DFMI strives to move Michigan toward becoming more aware, accessible and inclusive throughout the state. Dementia-friendly communities are more attractive, competitive and sustainable when they become more accessible and inclusive for everyone. 


DFMI’s main focus right now is creating awareness. This is done by teaching people about dementia and helping participants develop practical actions they can use to help someone they may encounter in the community who has dementia.


Jennifer VanHorssen, DFMI Program Coordinator, said, “Whether it be the checkout at a grocery store, on the bus, serving coffee at a coffee shop, or at an art or music performance, each of us can be supportive and help people living with dementia feel welcome and included.”

Dementia Friends Michigan is not only training Dementia Friends, but also educating Dementia Champions who become trainers in their own communities.


Creating dementia-friendly cities and states requires participation from all sectors of society — business, local government, transportation, financial institutions, neighborhood associations, faith communities, emergency responders, healthcare and the legal sector. “In a dementia friendly community” VanHorssen cites, “people living with dementia have autonomy, a high quality of life, and are engaged with the community.”


It begins with generating awareness.


If your business/organization would like to learn about becoming a dementia friend or you’d like to bring Dementia Friends Michigan to your community by becoming a Dementia Champion, contact Dementia Friends Michigan by calling (616) 222-7036 or email info@dementiafriendlygr.com. You can also learn more about DFMI and the dementia friendly movement on their website www.DFMI8.org. 


Regina Salmi is the PR & Communications Coordinator for AAAWM. When not keeping up with two busy teenagers, she enjoys reading, writing, volunteer work, golf, technology and learning something new every day.

Baby blues—or something worse?

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Postpartum depression can affect up to 20 percent of new moms, making it difficult for them to care for their baby. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Samantha Kauffman, Spectrum Health Beat

 

If you’ve experienced depression, it may help to know you aren’t alone.

 

More than 16 million people experience at least one major depressive episode at some point during the year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

 

The positive angle on this: We know of many things that can help fight depression, including therapy, exercise and medication.

 

Sometimes the treatment depends on the circumstances.

 

Depression after having a baby, known as postpartum depression, is more common than people may realize.

 

About 15 to 20 percent of women in the U.S. experience major depression after having a baby. This type of depression is different from the more common baby blues, which about 80 percent of new mothers will experience.

 

Baby blues pertains to hormonal changes from having a baby, as well as lack of sleep with a new baby and a new role that comes with new pressures and other circumstances.

 

Some people are surprised to learn that dads can also get baby blues and depression.

 

Postpartum depression in moms, however, is more extreme and can interfere with a woman’s ability to care for herself and her family. Severe symptoms usually require treatment.

 

Over time, we have come to realize that postpartum depression can happen quite often. Many moms will suffer in silence, however, because they don’t know what signs to look for or they don’t know what to do about it even when they know what’s happening.

 

This is one of the reasons the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is recommending earlier postpartum visits after birth.

 

I should also point out that women can also suffer from depression during pregnancy, not just afterward. An estimated 14 to 23 percent of pregnant women will struggle with depression, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

 

While it may seem reasonable to assume this depression results from a pregnant mom’s changes in hormones, this is only partly true.

 

Depression in pregnancy can also be triggered by an unplanned pregnancy, partner violence, a previous pregnancy loss, relationship issues and more.

 

Some of the symptoms to watch for:

  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Sadness that won’t go away
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
  • Anxiety beyond what might be considered a normal amount
  • Feelings of guilt
  • No desire to eat or eating all the time
  • Extra stress

Some of these symptoms are normal with pregnancy, so it’s important to remember that you need to watch for extremes.

 

Make sure you talk with your OB provider if you’re worried about depression or anxiety during pregnancy.

 

A study published earlier this year in JAMA Pediatrics found evidence suggesting that depression during pregnancy could result in poorer emotional and behavioral outcomes in children.

 

Of 101 pregnant moms surveyed for the study, 42 met the criteria for mild depression. Researchers then took MRIs of each baby’s brain at 1 month of age.

 

“Our study suggests that moderate levels of maternal depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy were associated with variations in the brain’s white matter microstructure or ‘wiring’ at one month of age,” said lead author Douglas Dean III, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

Up to 1 in 5 pregnant women experience depression and anxiety, according to the report, adding: “Mounting evidence links these conditions with poorer emotional and behavioral outcomes in children.”

 

Other studies, meanwhile, have found that untreated depression during pregnancy is linked to lower baby weight at birth.

 

Bottom line: If you are pregnant and feeling symptoms of depression or anxiety, please talk to your OB provider.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Kent County public works partners with The Right Place on Sustainable Business Park plan

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Recycling
Kent County Land for planned Sustainable Business Park, aerial shot that includes the property adjacent to the landfill, with the landfill in the background. (Supplied/Kent County)

By Kent County

The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) and The Right Place, Inc. have announced a multi-year strategic partnership for the planning and development of the Kent County Sustainable Business Park.

Under the terms of the three-year agreement, The Right Place will support the planning and development of the Kent County Sustainable Business Park through business development and infrastructure planning efforts. The Right Place will also assist the county with managing community partnerships and identifying new sources of funding for the Sustainable Business Park.

In October 2018, the Kent County Board of Public Works (BPW) approved the Sustainable Business Park Master Plan for 250 acres adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center. This plan was created by local and national experts and includes recommendations on how Kent County can transition from a reliance upon disposal of trash in landfills toward a sustainable materials management system where waste materials are either reused in new production processes or products, recovered, or converted into renewable energy.
 

Kent County DPW processes over 1 billion pounds of waste each year and estimates 75 percent of that waste could be reused, recycled, or converted. The Sustainable Business Park could generate $500 million in direct private sector capital investment and 150 jobs could be created by processing and waste sorting alone. As part of the master plan approval, BPW authorized DPW to form a business development team to implement the plan, which includes The Right Place.

“The Sustainable Business Park will significantly reduce the amount of trash going into landfills and attract investment from companies that can convert waste into usable products,” said Dar Baas, director of the Kent County DPW. “The Sustainable Business Park is part of our community’s vision for a Circular Economy and our partnership with The Right Place will help attract businesses, technology developers, startups and non-profits from across the country that align with the Sustainable Business Park’s goals.”

As part of DPW’s Reimagine Trash strategic vision, there is a goal to reduce Kent County-generated municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste going to landfills by 90 percent by 2030. The development of the Kent County Sustainable Business Park is critical to reaching that goal.
 

“The Sustainable Business Park has the potential to generate investment and create jobs in West Michigan, while serving as a national model of what communities can achieve with a practical, innovative approach towards recycling and upcycling,” said Birgit M. Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc. “We look forward to partnering with Kent County Department of Public Works to bring the Sustainable Business Park to life.”

Man’s best friend, meet mom’s new baby

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Pets/Animals, , , , , ,

A dog with proper training and a good disposition will react well to the inevitable surprises a baby can bring. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Samantha Kauffman, Spectrum Health Beat

 

In one of our recent childbirth classes, a mom-to-be asked me for some advice on the best ways to bring her new baby into the home, since they have two dogs.

 

Now, my family doesn’t have inside animals at home, so I don’t have any personal experience.

 

But this struck me as a great question, and it led me to ask around and search online for some helpful tips. I found plenty of great information.

 

To start, you should assess your dogs—or even your cat, if that’s the case—to get a handle on their experiences and disposition around small children.

 

Has your pet ever been around small children before? How did the pet do?

 

One site I looked at recommended preparing your dog at least four months in advance for the arrival of the baby. You can do this by showing the pet the baby areas for play and sleep, the baby’s clothes, and so on.

 

When you’re one to two months from the delivery date, adjust the dog’s normal routine. You’ll have to do this anyway if you plan to have the dog sleep somewhere else, or if the dog’s access to certain areas will be limited because there’s a new baby in the house. It’s best to ready the dog in advance.

 

If you have time—and if your dog doesn’t already know these—teach the dog some basic commands like come, go, sit, stay and drop it. (That last one comes in handy with baby items.) It’s very important to teach the dog not to jump.

Prep your pup

One great way to prepare you dog for the arrival of a new baby in the home is to mimic—appropriately and respectfully—the potential behaviors of your baby. This can be done before your baby comes home, but also after.

 

Babies don’t know what they’re doing. If they see a dog, it’s inevitable they will pull its ears, fur, paws and nose.

 

The recommendation is to gently interact in a similar way with your dog—gently pull on the fur, for example—and give the dog a treat for behaving properly. Then, say something to your dog that you would have said if baby had been pulling on the dog’s fur.

 

For example: Give the dog’s paw a gentle tug, and then in a kind voice say, “What was that? Just baby!”

 

Continue this, appropriately, so your dog learns not to react. Your dog can learn how to properly respond to baby’s poking and prodding. Also, remember you’ll be teaching your baby what is OK and not OK with your pet.

 

Also, teach your dog that the nursery is off limits. (Remember, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends your baby sleep in a crib or bassinet in your room for the first year if possible, or the first six months at a minimum.)

 

At the end of the day, your baby’s safety is more important than all else. If you suspect your pet can’t behave or can’t be properly trained to accommodate a new baby, you should find the pet a new great home.

 

Some other tips I found in online research:

  • When you’re still at the hospital with your new baby, give a family member something that has your new baby’s scent on it, such as a burp cloth or a blanket. Have the family member take that item back to the house so that your dog can smell it. This can acclimate the dog to the new baby’s scent.
  • Once you’ve left the hospital and you arrive home with your baby, try to enter the home first. You or a family member can hold the baby at a safe distance, possibly in another room or a quieter part of the house. Let your dog get used to your return and work through its excitement. Just keep your baby a safe distance from the dog until the animal settles down.
  • Have someone distract the dog with treats until everything settles down.
  • When you eventually do allow the dog to come over and see the baby, be relaxed. Allow the dog to smell baby’s feet first. Praise your dog for being gentle and have treats available.
  • Never leave your baby alone on the floor with your dog.
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

 

What Are the Benefits of Assisted Living in Michigan?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living,

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

What comes to mind when you think about Michigan? The peculiarly shaped Midwest state is known for its cars, lakes, and cities still finding their feet, but one thing it definitely doesn’t have a reputation for is being a hot retirement destination. But while the winters are cold and the roads are bumpy, choosing assisted living in Michigan has plenty of benefits for even the most discerning retiree.

What is Assisted Living?

At its most basic definition, assisted living is housing for elderly and disabled people that provides assistance with daily activities, such as meals and housekeeping. While there’s nothing wrong with this completely serviceable definition, it’s impossible to sum up all the benefits of assisted living in a single sentence.

Living in an assisted living community means so much more than getting help with activities of daily living, or ADLs. Depending on the community, care can extend to nursing assistance, respite and memory care, and rehabilitation. Even for aging adults that are capable of performing ADLs on their own, the community aspect of assisted living is extremely valuable, as isolation during retirement is a huge risk factor for poor mental health.

Why Michigan?

  • Cost: According to the 2017 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, the cost of assisted living in Michigan is lower than the national median cost for a private one-bedroom apartment. Michigan’s tax burden for individuals is among the lowest in the country, and options like long-term care Medicaid and the Choice Waiver Program help eligible elders with the costs of assisted living and healthcare. While it may not be the first place people think of for great places to retire, there are many reasons why choosing an assisted living community in the Great Lakes State offers plenty of bang for your buck.
  • Outdoors: For the aging outdoors person, Michigan may as well be paradise. With four of the five Great Lakes forming many of the state’s borders, as well as over 11,000 inland lakes, residents of Michigan are never more than six miles away from some form of waterfront. In addition to lakes, the state’s natural landscape boasts over 36,000 miles of rivers and streams and 20.3 million acres of forests, on which 4 national parks, 103 state parks and recreation areas, and almost 8,000 miles of biking, hiking, and snowmobiling trails are available for enjoyment. Phew! And that’s just the start. For the hunters, fishermen and -women, winter sportspeople, swimmers, hikers, and those who just enjoy fresh air, Michigan offers everything you need.
  • Arts & Culture: If the great outdoors doesn’t call your name often, or at all, there’s still so much to take in. From the rejuvenated big city living in Detroit to the rich history of the old trading ports like Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island, to the thriving art and music communities in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Saugatuck, there’s truly something within half a day’s driving distance for everyone.

If you or a loved one is looking for an affordable but fun and full of life location for retirement, assisted living in Michigan should be at the top of the list.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Living.

Contaminated pet food and treats can harm people too

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Tainted pet foods and treats may make more than your dog or cat sick. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

 

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

 

Tainted pet foods and treats may make more than your dog or cat sick, new data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests.

 

Harmful bacteria can also make owners ill if they handle contaminated pet products improperly, and bacteria such as salmonella can spread from pets to people, the agency said.

 

“Ultimately, we’re hoping to learn ways FDA can help minimize the incidence of foodborne illness associated with pet foods and treats,” Renate Reimschuessel, head of the FDA’s Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network, said in an agency news release.

 

To collect the new data, the FDA worked with 11 veterinary labs across the United States to investigate pet infections reported by pet owners. One of the main focuses was salmonella infections.

 

Of almost 3,000 dogs and cats tested so far, fewer than 100 have tested positive for salmonella, the agency found.

 

“Pet owners should know, though, that almost half of the dogs that tested positive for salmonella showed no symptoms,” Reimschuessel said.

 

And a dog with no signs of illness can still be carrying salmonella, which can spread to people, she added.

 

The dogs that have tested positive for salmonella were more likely to have eaten raw pet food, Reimschuessel said. Raw food is not heated or cooked, which might explain why there was a higher likelihood of contamination, officials said.

 

There are a number of things pet owners can do to protect themselves, including checking the FDA’s list of recalled pet products. Other measures include:

  • Feed pets in areas that are easily cleaned and sanitized
  • Wash hands carefully after handling pet foods
  • Earmark specific utensils for use only with pet foods
  • Wash counters and any other surfaces that come into contact with pet foods
  • Keep dry pet foods in a sealed container in a cool, dry place
  • Never buy pet food in dented cans or damaged packaging

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Talking to children about violent events

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By Kylie Rymanowicz, Michigan State University Extension


The world can be confusing and scary, even for adults. In times of public violence and loss, everyone is impacted, especially young children. Incidences of violence and hate have a lasting impact on individuals and on our country as a whole. Here are some things you can keep in mind as you talk about violent events with young children.


Ask them what they know. Ask your child to tell you what they think they know or understand about the situation. Children often have misconceptions or a limited understanding of a complex issue, so start by asking them what they know. You can clear up any misconceptions and get a better understanding of what might be bothering your child about the situation.


Establish a dialogue. Talk openly with your child about what happened. Tell your child the facts about what happened, why it happened and what the result was. Take the lead from your child on how much information they are ready to hear, so keep your responses brief and look for cues that your child either needs to be done talking or wants more information.


Tell the truth. Give your child the facts and keep the information you share age-appropriate. Avoiding talking about traumatic events or telling white lies can actually make children more afraid if they think you are hiding something from them. It’s not easy to talk to children about issues like racism, hate or violence, but it is so important we do.


Educate yourself. If you are not confident that you truly understand the issues surrounding an act of violence, look to trustworthy resources to educate yourself. It’s OK to tell your child you don’t know or understand all the details surrounding an issue. You can always respond to a question with, “I’m not sure, but I will look into it and then we can talk about it some more.”


Talk about your feelings. It’s OK to let children know you are sad, scared or angry about violence in our world. Tell them how those violent acts make you feel; this act gives power to those emotions that your young child is experiencing as well. They will learn to trust their own emotions and emotional reactions to violence and other trauma when you share yours openly with them.


Accept their emotions. It’s tempting to want to minimize a child’s emotional response because we don’t want them to be anxious, sad or scared. It’s important we allow children to express themselves openly and we accept whatever they are feeling. Maybe they are angry or confused instead of just sad. All feelings are OK, even if they differ from yours. Children should have an outlet for processing their emotions. Some may want to just talk while others may process by writing, drawing or thinking on their own.


Love and reassure them. Children need parents and other families to be a steady foundation—they don’t need you to be perfect or happy all the time. Your calm and reassuring presence can help them work through tough situations and feelings and find calm and comfort. Show them affection, spend quality time together doing things you both enjoy and tell them how much you love them.


Be available. Unfortunately, violence is not a one-time event, and it’s not something anyone can just “get over.” Be available to continue to support, comfort and talk to your child about their feelings. Check in with them regularly to see how they are doing and if they need any additional support from you.


Limit exposure. The 24-hour news cycle means that stories about violent acts get replayed over and over again on many different media outlets from news television broadcasts and newspapers to social media, YouTube and in our daily conversations. Limit your young child’s exposure to the constant talk about violent events, as this may increase their anxiety or confusion of the issue. Instead, make sure you take the time to connect with them to talk about and process what has happened.


Provide resources and support. Sometimes the impact of a violent event can be severe. If your child continues to struggle with processing a violent event, or if they are having a hard time coping and you can’t seem to comfort them, you may need to reach out to others to find resources and support for your young child. Ask your child’s doctor or school social worker for help finding supports for your child.


Children are constantly learning and trying to make sense of the world, but sometimes the world doesn’t make sense. You can help children by being present with them, engaging in conversation and dialogue and giving them unconditional love and support.


Check out these resources from The American Academy of Pediatrics, The National Association of School Psychologists, The National Institute of Mental Health and Zero to Three for additional information.


For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.


To learn about the positive impact children and families are experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 Impact Report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the MSU Extension website.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Paws for peacefulness

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There’s an infinite amount of calm and comfort to be had in the company of dogs, cats and birds. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

 

Cats, dogs, birds and other pets can help people manage their mental disorders, a study says.

 

Researchers from the United Kingdom asked more than 50 adults with long-term mental conditions about the role pets play in their social networks.

 

Sixty percent placed pets in the central and most important circle—above family, friends and hobbies. Another 20 percent placed pets in the second circle.

 

Many said the constant presence and close proximity of their pets provide an immediate source of calm. For some, a pet helps distract them from symptoms and upsetting experiences such as hearing voices or suicidal thoughts.

 

“You just want to sink into a pit … the cats force me to sort of still be involved with the world,” one patient said.

 

Another patient said: “I’m not thinking of the voices, I’m just thinking of the birds singing.”

 

The findings were published in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

 

“The people we spoke to through the course of this study felt their pet played a range of positive roles, such as helping them to manage stigma associated with their mental health by providing acceptance without judgment,” said study lead author Helen Brooks, from the University of Manchester.

 

“Pets were also considered particularly useful during times of crisis,” Brooks said in a journal news release.

 

“Pets provided a unique form of validation through unconditional support, which [the patients] were often not receiving from other family or social relationships,” she said.

 

Despite this, pets weren’t considered in the individual care plans for any of the people in the study, Brooks said.

 

The results suggest pets should be considered a main source of support in the management of long-term mental health problems, Brooks and her colleagues concluded.

 

Through open discussion of what works best for individual patients, the mental health community might better involve people in their own mental health care, she said.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you ought to know

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By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org


Quote of the Day

“March is the month God created to show people who don’t drink what a hangover is like.”


~ Garrison Keillor


A force with which to be reckoned

The construction industry is a virtually untapped source of high-demand, well-paying jobs for women. Women in Construction Week focuses on raising awareness of the opportunities available in construction and emphasizing the growing role of women in the industry. Read more here.

Listen to those pipes

The gift of song has always been Thomas Carpenter’s saving grace. His deep baritone-bass voice has opened doors many times, and he delights in singing at church, for Dégagé, nursing homes, Heartside Art Studio and Ministry, and other organizations that help the homeless. Read more here.

Boo!


It’s rare, but you can actually be scared to death. When a person is frightened or perceived to be in danger, the brain triggers a surge of adrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster and pushes the body instantly into “fight-or-flight” mode. It also affects the liver and pancreas, triggers perspiration and pushes blood toward major muscle groups. But don’t let that scare you. Read all about it here.



Fun fact:

It’s a thing

Spring fever isn’t just a saying — experts say the body’s makeup changes due to different diets, hormone production and temperature.

It’s March! Bite into a healthier lifestyle this National Nutrition Month

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Courtesy Cherry Health

By Dawn Ware, Cherry Health


The month of March means it is time for another celebration of National Nutrition Month! This annual campaign was created by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help inspire people to learn how to make healthier lifestyle choices and reduce chronic disease. The idea focuses on the importance of improving lifestyle eating and exercise habits to bring wellness.


Here are a few ideas to get started on building a healthy lifestyle:

  • If you haven’t done it and have a chance to, see a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN): This can take the guesswork out of knowing where to start or what to do. Registered Dietitians (RDs) or RDNs are specialized in medical nutrition therapy to reduce risk of disease or chronic conditions. Dietitians work in schools, doctor offices, hospitals, diabetes clinics and many other places. Ideas of topics that they can educate on include weight management, diabetes, blood pressure, exercise etc. You can ask to be referred to an RD or RDN at Cherry Health if you are interested.
  • Learn how to plan meals: Eating healthy may feel overwhelming sometimes, but it is easier than you think. The meal can be quick to make and doesn’t need to be large and complicated or expensive to be healthy. One idea is to use my plate for a balanced healthy meal since it includes: the grain, dairy, fruit, veggie, and protein group. Pick at least 3 foods from these groups for balance. A plan for breakfast can look like a fruit, a cup of milk and an egg. Use this idea for lunch, dinner or snacks. To make it healthier, you can include foods from the food groups. You can get recipes and portion sizes from choosemyplate.gov
  • Learn how to read ingredients and food labels: A Dietitian can be valuable to help teach you this since food labels can often be confusing and misunderstanding. If there isn’t a lot of time to sort this out, start with looking at the added sugars. If sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup is in the first 3 ingredients, it is usually added. A good example is yogurt. Added sugar is now appearing on the food label. Here is a trick: look at added sugar grams on the food label and divide by 4. This equals your teaspoons of sugar. This goes by servings size. The bigger the portion, the more sugar.
  • Make it simple: Ordering pizza can be simple but not always healthy. A healthier option might be bagged salad with light dressing, rinsed cubed lean ham on salad, 100% whole wheat bread with light butter, and an apple.
  • Go back to the basics: The basics to me as an RD aren’t in a box or a takeout bag for health. The food is close to the original form such as fruit, veggies, lean meats (not chicken nuggets), sweet or white potatoes, rice, a cup of milk, plain yogurt with added fruit and nuts. This seems to work very well over the long run for health and weight loss.

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

Take 10 for mindfulness

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Feeling stressed? Try a little mindfulness for the health of it. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay

 

Feel yourself being pulled in a million directions and losing track of what’s really important? The meditative practice called mindfulness can help you get centered and re-focus on what’s meaningful to you.

 

And it doesn’t take time that’s already in short supply on your busy schedule. You can reap the benefits in less time than it takes for a coffee break.

 

Mindfulness shows you how to block out distractions and replace stress and other negative emotions with a sense of well-being. You accomplish this by focusing on the here-and-now — your present thoughts and feelings, not past concerns or future worries. You also learn to accept these thoughts and feelings without passing judgment on them, such as labeling them as good or bad, right or wrong.

 

Practicing mindfulness is easier than you might think. At the start of each day, you might take 10 minutes to do a few yoga stretches — yoga incorporates mindfulness because it teaches you to focus on your breathing as you move through poses.

 

Or spend 10 minutes at lunch or anytime during your workday to do a head-to-toe de-stress. Breathe in and out as you zero in on each part of your body, going from toes to the top of your head.

 

To unwind at night, consider more formal “guided” mindfulness, maybe with a podcast you can listen to through your smartphone. The UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center offers free ones, starting at just 3 minutes long.

 

Who doesn’t have time for that?

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Can you literally be scared to death?

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Can the occasional rush from an adrenaline surge be good for you? (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By American Heart Association, HealthDay

 

Can a person literally be scared to death?

 

The answer is a very conditional “Yes.” But, experts say, it’s extraordinarily unlikely to happen.

 

“Those circumstances are extremely rare when that happens,” and pre-existing conditions are typically a factor, said Dr. Mark Estes, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

 

When a person is frightened or perceived to be in danger, the brain triggers a surge of adrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster and pushes the body instantly into “fight-or-flight” mode. It also affects the liver and pancreas, triggers perspiration and pushes blood toward major muscle groups.

 

“It’s measured on how big the scare is,” said Dr. Vincent Bufalino, a cardiologist and president of Advocate Medical Group in Downers Grove, Ill. He said the more dangerous adrenaline surges come from the body’s response to a life-threatening situation or the stress of discovering the deceased body of a loved one.

 

“You can have a sudden cardiac-related event related to an adrenaline surge, but I think it would be a stretch to say you could get that from someone coming in a werewolf costume to your front door,” he said. “This is the kind of thing that you can’t prepare for. If it happens, it happens, and you hope your body doesn’t overreact to that event.”

 

People can typically get an adrenaline rush from skydiving or bungee jumping—even while watching a horror flick from the couch. More dangerous adrenaline surges come from life-or-death moments such as getting out of the way of an oncoming car or fleeing a tornado.

 

“Swings of emotion and roller coasters are OK for people who are young, who have a healthy heart,” Estes said. “But certainly, in people with pre-existing risk factors or pre-existing cardiovascular disease, you want to reduce the environments in which you might be suddenly stressed like this.”

 

People are able to prepare themselves when they get on an amusement park ride, so their risk isn’t the same as when they find themselves in life-threatening danger.

 

“The human mind and the human body do have the ability to prepare themselves for situations that can be anticipated that might be stressful and generally handle them much, much better,” Estes said. “It is the sudden, unexpected things which tend to cause a dramatic increase in heart rate and blood pressure and put people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease at risk.”

 

A possibly dangerous result of sudden stress may come from takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart’s main pumping chamber that is typically caused by emotional or physical stress. The temporary condition affects women significantly more than men.

 

Also known as broken-heart syndrome, takotsubo cardiomyopathy is different from a heart attack in that arteries are not blocked but blood flow is negatively affected nonetheless.

 

“Adrenaline is a funny thing,” Bufalino said. “We can’t measure it. The precipitating events are diverse. Your response to an event might be different than mine.”

 

Occasional rushes from adrenaline can be good for you, sometimes leading to increased cognitive function. But prolonged stress and an abundance of stress hormones over time can have negative effects, such as high blood pressure or anxiety.

 

“It’s hard for us to be precise in saying, ‘This event led to a certain amount of adrenaline that led to a cardiac event.’ They’re sporadic at best,” Bufalino said.

 

And there’s little that can be done to prevent being frightened to death, he said, but being in good shape may help.

 

“Those folks who are used to dealing with adrenaline with exercise probably have a blunted response” because their higher cardiovascular fitness level may allow their body to better handle an adrenaline surge, Bufalino said. “I would speculate that aerobic exercise might be preventative or at least modify the body’s response (to adrenaline).”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

A new weapon against ovarian cancer?

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NSAIDs may have a role to play in preventing ovarian tumors. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay

 

One low-dose aspirin a day could help women avoid ovarian cancer or boost their survival should it develop, two new studies suggest.

 

In fact, daily low-dose aspirin—the type many older women already take to help their hearts—was tied to a 10 percent reduction in developing ovarian cancer. It was also tied to as much as a 30 percent improvement in survival for ovarian cancer patients, the researchers said.

 

“Clearly, both these studies offer evidence of the benefit of the use of these anti-inflammatory drugs, and an insight into how to better prevent and treat this deadly disease,” said Dr. Mitchell Kramer. He directs obstetrics and gynecology at Northwell Health’s Huntington Hospital in Huntington, N.Y.

 

Kramer wasn’t involved in the new studies, and said that “more study is certainly warranted.” Still, “recommending a daily low-dose 81 mg (milligram) aspirin might be more than an ounce of prevention, as well as help for those women who have already developed the disease,” he said.

 

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cancer killer of women, largely because it is too often detected too late.

 

According to the researchers, there’s increasing evidence that inflammation plays a role in the development of cancer and can worsen outcomes. Medications, such as aspirin and non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—including ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve)—have already been shown to lower the risk of certain types of cancers, most notably colon cancer.

 

But do these drugs have a role to play against ovarian tumors?

 

To find out, researchers from the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., pooled data from 13 studies from around the world. The studies included more than 750,000 women and asked them about their use of aspirin and NSAIDs. The researchers then tracked these women to see who developed ovarian cancer—more than 3,500 women did.

 

According to the report published July 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, taking daily aspirin reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 10 percent.

 

“This study gives us a new perspective on whether aspirin and non-aspirin NSAIDs can impact cancer risk. Not only does it look at ovarian cancer, which hasn’t been studied before, our sample size is three-quarter of a million women who were followed for several decades,” Shelley Tworoger, senior study author and associate center director for population science at the Moffitt Cancer Center, said in a center news release.

 

“The results of the study support that aspirin can reduce ovarian cancer risk, but further studies will need to be performed before a recommendation of daily aspirin can be made,” Tworoger added.

 

In a second study, researchers from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and the Moffitt Cancer Center used the Nurses’ Health Studies to collect data on nearly 1,000 women already diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

 

The investigators found that women who used aspirin and non-aspirin NSAIDs after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer experienced as much as a 30 percent improvement in survival.

 

The results of the study were published in the journal The Lancet Oncology.

 

“To our knowledge, this study contributes the first comprehensive assessment of use of several types of common analgesic medications, such as aspirin and non-aspirin NSAIDs, after diagnosis in relation to ovarian cancer survival,” said Melissa Merritt, an assistant research professor at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.

 

“Our work demonstrates the importance of common medication in increasing survival rates of ovarian cancer, and this will encourage more studies to be conducted to confirm the results and broaden the discovery,” she explained in the news release.

 

Both studies relied on retrospective, observational data, so they were unable to confirm a cause-and-effect relationship, only an association.

 

Still, the evidence for an effect does seem to be there, said Dr. Adi Davidov, who directs gynecology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City.

 

He called the results “intriguing,” and believes that “we can now add an NSAID to further reduce the risk of cancer.”

 

Kramer added that “since aspirin has anti-inflammatory properties and is a relatively well-tolerated medication with few side effects, seeking its benefits for this deadly disease makes a great deal of sense.

HPV vaccine approved for people through age 45

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By Scott Roberts, HealthDay

 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the Gardasil 9 human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been expanded to include people ages 27 through 45, the agency said in a news release.

 

Gardasil 9, approved in 2014 for people ages 9 through 26, is the follow-up vaccine to the original Gardasil, which was approved in 2006 and is no longer sold in the United States. The updated vaccine is designed to prevent cancers and disease caused by nine HPV types.

 

Some 14 million Americans become infected with HPV each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 12,000 women are diagnosed annually with cervical cancer caused by the virus and 4,000 women die each year from the disease, the CDC reports.

 

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that HPV vaccination prior to becoming infected with the HPV types covered by the vaccine has the potential to prevent more than 90 percent of these cancers, or 31,200 cases every year,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

 

Gardasil 9 also is designed to prevent HPV-triggered cases of genital warts in men and women, and vulvar, vaginal and cervical precancerous lesions in women, the FDA says.

 

The most commonly reported side effects of the vaccine include injection-site pain, swelling, redness and headache.

 

Gardasil 9 is produced by a subsidiary of Merck & Co., based in Kenilworth, N.J.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

What’s your calorie-burning clock?

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Did you know that irregularity in our schedules of eating and sleeping may make us more likely to gain weight? (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Alan Mozes, HealthDay

 

When it comes to weight gain, what you eat clearly matters.

 

But a small, preliminary study now suggests that when you eat also matters, with people burning off more calories at the end of the day than they do at the beginning.

 

The finding is based on a three-week study that monitored metabolism changes throughout the day among seven men and women. All food intake was carefully controlled, and all participants refrained from calorie-burning activities.

 

“We found that when people are at rest, the amount of energy that they burn varies with the time of day,” explained study author Jeanne Duffy.

 

In fact, “we burn 10 percent more calories in the late afternoon (and) early evening compared with the early morning hours, even when we are doing the exact same thing,” she added.

 

Duffy, a neuroscientist in the division of sleep and circadian disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said it remains unclear why this is so.

 

“We don’t have an answer to that from our study,” she noted. “It could be that it is a way for our body to conserve energy, by requiring less at some times of day.”

 

In the study, Duffy and her team enlisted seven healthy men and women between the ages of 38 and 69. None struggled with insomnia or suffered from any chronic medical condition. No one smoked, drank excessive amounts of coffee, or regularly took any prescribed or over-the-counter medication.

 

All were asked to live in a room that was stripped of all indications of time of day. That meant no clocks, no internet, no phone and no windows.

 

For three weeks, participants were assigned bedtimes and wake times, and every day those times were shifted to start four hours later. The result was as if each had circled the entire planet once a week.

 

Diets were controlled and calorie-burning exercise was not permitted, allowing researchers to analyze metabolism patterns free from the influence of eating, sleeping and activity habits.

 

In the end, the researchers determined that calorie burning at rest was at its lowest in the morning and at its highest in the afternoon and evening.

 

Whether the same calorie-burning patterns would hold true if exercise was thrown into the mix remains an open question, Duffy added.

 

“But the practical implications of our findings are that any irregularity in our schedules of eating and sleeping may make us more likely to gain weight,” she said. “This may help explain why shift workers are likely to gain weight.”

 

As to how this finding might figure into any strategy to prevent weight gain, “keeping a very regular schedule of sleep and wake, as well as eating, is a ‘best practice,’” Duffy advised.

 

“Regularity means going to bed and waking, as well as eating meals, at nearly the same time every day,” she stressed. “That ensures our internal rhythms are primed to respond optimally to the food we eat.”

 

But Lona Sandon, program director of the department of clinical nutrition in the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, suggested that the findings are unlikely to help those looking to get their weight under control. She was not involved with the study.

 

“At this time, I do not think there is much of anything particularly practical or useful that we do not already tell people,” Sandon said. “For example, we already tell people to get more of their calories earlier in the day rather than later and aim for more and better sleep.

 

“(And) exercise is good any time of day,” Sandon added, “and you will burn more calories with intentional exercise than what you get with a slight boost in metabolic rate due to natural circadian rhythms.

 

“(So) I am not going to hold my breath for [this] as an effective weight management strategy,” she said.

 

The study was published in the journal Current Biology.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

‘I want it gone’

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Marie Havenga, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Photos by Chris Clark

 

Bob Bustance enjoys life in his hometown of Hastings, Michigan.

 

Depending on the season, he tends to his vegetable garden, hunts deer or goes snowmobiling.

 

But in September of 2017, as he harvested the last of his crops, he seemingly lost control of his bladder.

 

“I had to urinate frequently,” said Bustance, 58. “I had no control. It came out of nowhere.”

 

Bustance made an appointment with his family doctor. Her concern led to a referral to Christopher Brede, MD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group urologist.

 

“He went ahead and did his testing,” Bustance said. “Three days later, he called and told me I had prostate cancer. I was astonished.”

 

Dr. Brede said the routine screening showed Bustance had a rising PSA level, leading to a biopsy.

 

“The cancer was found to be localized at diagnosis,” Dr. Brede said.

 

After considering options presented by Dr. Brede, Bustance chose to have the cancer surgically removed. Dr. Brede performed a robotic prostatectomy.

 

But that wasn’t the end of Bustance’s cancer story.

 

Doctors discovered cancer lurking in his thyroid during a total body scan.

 

“It all hit at one time,” he said. “They took my prostate. Six weeks later they went in and took my thyroid.”

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Bustance sensed the cancer double whammy could only mean one thing. His time was up. He visited a local funeral home and planned for what he thought to be his future.

 

“I thought I was going to die,” Bustance said. “I went ahead and made my funeral arrangements and bought a cemetery plot. It was like a tidal wave hitting you.”

 

Dr. Brede said he doesn’t think the two cancers were related.

 

“Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer solid tumor in men, so it would not be that rare for an individual to have prostate cancer with another cancer,” he said. “His happened to be discovered concurrently. They ended up not being related.”

 

Bustance said a Spectrum Health nurse navigator helped answer questions and schedule appointments throughout the ordeal.

 

“He called me every week,” Bustance said. “He was a positive person. Everyone was so positive… Without those people at Spectrum, I would have never made it.”

 

In June, Bustance was able to return to his position as a supervisor for a metal stamping company.

 

“The company I work for has been awesome,” he said. “There’s no company in the world that will hold a man’s job for 10 months to make sure I had health insurance. A lot of people stepped up. It’s just amazing.”

 

Bustance continued to see Dr. Brede weekly after his surgery, then every three months and now, every six months. His PSA tests have been normal.

 

“I am so ecstatically happy,” he said at the time.

 

He and his partner of 35 years, Betty Negus, are resuming life.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“Robotic surgery is one of the most awesome experiences you could ever have,” he said. “They didn’t do an incision at all—just little holes with a couple of stitches. The recovery time to me was just remarkable. I got it done, went home and laid around for three or four days. The soreness just went away. By the time I went to see him a couple of weeks later, everything was healed up. No red marks. No nothing.”

 

Bustance said he’s still not 100 percent energy wise, but he can only imagine how he would feel if he had large incisions to contend with.

 

“Of all the surgeries a man could have, that’s the way to go because of the recovery time and not being split wide open,” he said. “Dr. Brede gave me options (treatment or removal). Cancer has been in my family for years. Being as young as I was, I looked at him and said, ‘I want it gone.’ Betty and I talked about it. I pretty much made up my mind I wanted it out.”

 

“It was very trying,” he said. “I had to stay positive. I had to surround myself with positive people. I live each day trying to be better than I was yesterday and it works. My eating habits have changed. Everything has changed.”

 

Bustance said he’s happy with his decision to have the prostate and thyroid cancer removed.

 

“I think I made a wise choice,” he said. “It’s a good feeling. I wake up every day very thankful. I wasn’t a religious person, but it really makes you think. It really does. It all came out for the best for me.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

‘One person can really make a difference’

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Story and photos by Alan Neushwander, Spectrum HealthBeat 

 

Rhonda Reilly trained for months to run her first half-marathon.

 

The 59-year-old from Athens, Ohio, was at her summer cottage in Ludington, Michigan, on Aug. 7, 2018 when she decided to continue training with a 4-mile run along Hamlin Lake. The picturesque setting on a warm summer afternoon seemed to present a perfect opportunity to take a break from preparing for a visitor.

 

Paula Milligan, a nurse at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, drove home from work that day along the same route. While driving on a road atop a bluff overlooking the lake, she noticed two bicyclists standing over a woman lying in the roadway.

 

The woman happened to be Rhonda. Face down, blood oozed from her head. At first, it appeared she may have been hit by a car. Milligan used her nursing skills to assess what may have happened.

 

“She was blue, which gave me an idea she had either a heart or lung issue,” Milligan recalled. “Once I rolled her over, I noticed there were no injuries to her hands or wrists. She also had sores on her knees which gave me an indication she had flopped down on the pavement.”

 

Rhonda suffered cardiac arrest. Milligan immediately began CPR.

 

“When I started compressions, her color started to come back and I’d get an occasional agonal breath,” Milligan recalled. “I just kept pumping hard to keep her color good and to protect brain function. I had no idea how long she’d been there.”

 

Milligan performed CPR for about 18 minutes before first responders arrived with an automated external defibrillator. They shocked Rhonda twice with the AED before rushing her to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.

Jane Doe

When Rhonda arrived in the emergency room, she had no form of identification on her. She went running that afternoon without her phone or any belongings.

 

Not knowing her identity, she was classified as a Jane Doe and flown by Aero Med to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.

 

Back at their cottage, Rhonda’s husband, Steve, began to worry. His wife’s run was taking longer than expected.

 

“I drove around for two hours looking for her,” Steve said. “I thought she may have taken a wrong turn and got lost. Finally, I called the hospital to see if anyone matching her description had come in. That’s when they told me what had happened and that she had been airlifted to Grand Rapids. I found out later that I had driven by where they had already rescued her.”

A superhero nurse

Rhonda credits Milligan with saving her life.

 

“I was very close to being dead,” Rhonda said. “I was blue when she found me. Less than 10 percent of people who have cardiac arrest outside of the home survive. Had she not found me and started CPR right away, I wouldn’t be here.”

 

Milligan, however, is modest about her lifesaving efforts.

 

“I don’t feel I did anything different than any other nurse would’ve done,” she said. “It just happened to be that I was the one who came across this person and responded to her.”

 

After being released from the hospital, the two reunited with a surprise visit Milligan made to Rhonda and Steve’s cottage.

 

“Paula is amazing,” Rhonda said with a smile. “She’s such a fun and happy person. We now have a special bond that will last a lifetime. This just goes to show that one person can really make a difference.”

Don’t take good health for granted

Rhonda appeared to be the model of good health. She didn’t take medication, had great blood pressure and maintained her physical fitness.

 

Doctors and nurses at the Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center stabilized Rhonda and determined a small blockage in an artery at the bottom of her heart caused her cardiac arrest.

 

She spent nine days in the hospital, including four days in the intensive care unit. A defibrillator was placed in her chest to help protect against future cardiac arrests.

 

“You can be the perfect picture of good health and still have something like this happen,” Steve said. “Don’t think you’re immune just because you’re fit and a runner.”

Everyone should be prepared to do CPR

There are two lessons the couple wants people to learn from Rhonda’s incident.

 

First, always carry identification if you are exercising alone.

 

“Steve didn’t know what was happening or where I was,” Rhonda said. “I didn’t have any ID on me. It would’ve been so much easier for my husband if someone could’ve called him to let him know what was happening.”

 

There are several different types of wearable identification items runners can wear such as a wristband ID, shoe tag, pocket card and necklaces.

 

More importantly, Rhonda knows CPR saved her life and urges everyone to learn basic CPR skills.

 

“It’s really not that hard to learn CPR and the difference you can make is incredible,” she said.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.

Kick dreaded belly fat to the curb

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Avoid the accumulation of dangerous belly fat. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum HealthBeat

I’ve told all of you about my mantra—lean and ease of movement—in some of my earlier blogs.

My plan to help me achieve this mantra is to eat small, frequent meals of complex carbohydrates and protein, plus one simple carb treat each day.

How many of you came up with your own mantra to help you make good decisions every day? I ask that question because I really believe everyone needs a little help to make smart choices, especially during middle age and menopause.

One of the most important reasons to choose what you eat wisely is because of the relationship between middle age, menopause and belly fat.

Even if you have always had a flat stomach, or mostly gained weight below your waist, you may have noticed that has changed as you’ve reached middle age (and beyond). A common complaint I hear from women who visit my practice is that they gain belly fat easily and have a difficult time losing it.

Why is belly fat so bad? There are several reasons, including both medical and personal issues, with belly fat:

  • Belly fat makes you feel unhealthy.
  • Belly fat can change your mood from cheerful to irritable.
  • Belly fat greatly increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes and overall weight gain.
  • Belly fat adds more insulation, which can cause or worsen hot flashes and night sweats.

In addition, belly fat is extremely powerful because it is inside your abdominal cavity, not just under the skin like fat elsewhere on your body.

When fat is so close to your liver, it can cause a condition called “insulin resistance.” This means that your insulin receptors on your cells require more insulin to make the sugar go into your liver, muscle or brain cells. Thus, as insulin increases to meet this demand, it increasingly makes you crave sugar and promotes fat storage.

When you answer the craving and eat sugar, the sugar goes directly to the belly fat and makes it bigger, which then makes your insulin increase even greater. You get the picture: The belly fat has a voice that says, “Feed me.” That “voice” is insulin, and the only way to shut it up is to starve it of simple sugar.

So, what’s the answer?

It’s simple: Get off the sugar.

There are simple carbs all around you every day, but you need to figure out how to stay away from them without feeling cheated. I was at a baseball game recently, and you can imagine how many simple carbs were right next to me—blueberry muffins, licorice, hot dog buns, slushes.

Here’s what I did before I went to the game: I had a late breakfast of brown rice, poached egg and mixed greens. Plus, I took a baggy of frozen grapes to munch on during the game. I was completely satisfied and had no craving for that blueberry muffin next to me.

You can’t always avoid simple sugars, but you can make smart choices.

Ice cream with the family? Choose a baby cone and throw away the cone (or get the ice cream in a dish).

Heading to a party or a baseball game? Eat a healthy meal or snack before you go and take a sweet snack (like frozen grapes) with you to help you avoid the cravings before they start.

And, keep repeating your mantra—whatever it may be. If you do not feed the fat, you will take back your power to be healthy.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.