- Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhether it’s a ‘small tinkle’ with a sneeze or a ‘potty dance’ while headed toward the bathroom, the uncontrolled leakage of urine is called urinary incontinence. This condition can be a real bother for many ladies. Do you skip gym class for fear of leaking urine? Are your daily trips planned around restroom breaks? Have you ever heard yourself say, “Stop, don’t make me laugh!”? When the bladder is functioning normally, you should be able to delay a bathroom break until a socially acceptable time and not worry about leaking during activity. You do not need to have pelvic organ prolapse (or a collapsed bladder) for urine to leak. You may look and feel the same, however, the dampness signals a problem. Sometimes this condition can be temporary, such as with a urinary tract infection or during pregnancy. If so, urinary incontinence will quickly resolve after the temporary condition has passed. At other times, leakage may start slowly and worsen over time. Many women wear panty-liners or change their underwear frequently because of urinary incontinence, a condition that according to the National Association for Continence affects close to 18 million women. Urinary incontinence may be common but it’s not normal and, thankfully, there is often a cure. Here are some things you can do to help: Do Kegel exercises. These exercises help muscle strength and endurance training for the pelvic floor. Try core muscle strengthening exercises, like Pilates and yoga. The core muscle and pelvic floor muscles work closely together. Getting one region stronger can help the other. Wear a tampon during exercise, or a pessary vaginal insert made to help with stress leakage. Achieve normal body weight through nutrition or lower impact exercise. Consider a surgical procedure to support the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the body). READ MORE: Bladder control problems: 5 ways women can manage There are other cases when medical conditions or prior surgeries are causing the leakage. Even issues that limit the speed and ease of walking can contribute to leakage. Urinary incontinence and constant dampness can cause skin irritation in the regions of dampness. I have seen firsthand how urinary incontinence can affect day to day activities, plans for the future and even self-esteem. If this problem continues, talk to your healthcare team. Details about treatment can be discussed with your provider or a pelvic floor physical therapist. Leakage can control your life. Even though you can live with these problems, ask yourself, ‘Why should I?’ Would you give your daughter or girlfriend the same advice? Let’s do better for ourselves. For more information on urinary incontinence, visit us today! Author Kay Hoskey, MD is a board certified urogynecologist at the Women’s Center for Pelvic Health at Anne Arundel Medical Center.0
- Wellness, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNothing says Valentine’s Day like a box of chocolate. But this Feb. 14, treat your loved one to the rich, health-boosting benefits of dark chocolate. Chew on this: chocolate—specifically dark chocolate—has gained attention in recent years for its impressive health benefits. A new study backs this up, revealing that eating just a few servings of dark chocolate each week can help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Specifically, the study found that people who ate at least five servings of dark chocolate a week had a 21 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who rarely or never ate dark chocolate. What’s more, the more dark chocolate they consumed, the better the outcome, with each additional serving reducing the risk by another 3 percent. But it’s not all good news. The study found no similar benefits for milk chocolate. In fact, it linked milk chocolate consumption to long-term weight gain—a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. So, what makes dark chocolate stand out from its milk counterpart? In a word: a lot. Big benefits of dark chocolate According to the American Heart Association, a standard bar of dark chocolate with 70 percent to 85 percent cacao (cocoa in its raw, less-processed form) contains about 600 calories and 24 grams of sugar. Milk chocolate, on the other hand, packs roughly the same calories, but double the sugar content. Most dark chocolate is also rich in flavonoids—especially a subtype called flavanols, which have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Cocoa beans are naturally high in flavanols, and since dark chocolate contains more cocoa than other types of chocolate, it also packs more flavanols (Flavanols can also be found in tea, red wine, apples and berries.) As antioxidants, flavanols play a key role in producing nitric oxide, which helps relax blood vessels, improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. They also support a balanced immune system and have a positive impact on brain function, boosting reaction time and memory. Dark chocolate’s lesser-known health benefits While heart health, brain function, and immune support grab the spotlight, dark chocolate also offers other surprising health benefits, such as: Enhanced mood Dark chocolate may increase feelings of pleasure and enjoyment. A 2022 study found that people who ate 85 percent dark chocolate daily maintained a better overall mood than those who ate chocolate with less or no cocoa. Improved workouts Because flavanols promote the production of nitric oxide in the blood, eating dark chocolate can reduce the amount of oxygen you use while exercising, meaning you can work out for longer. Sun protection Eating dark chocolate may protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) ray damage. Reduced stress Eating dark chocolate can reduce levels of stress hormones like cortisol. Dark chocolate is also rich in fiber and packed with important minerals like copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc, which among other things, help boost immunity, support bone health, improve sleep quality and help maintain energy levels. Facts to remember Still, there are a few things to keep in mind about dark chocolate, such as: The higher the cocoa content, the better. Aim for dark chocolate that’s at least 70 percent cacao. Always check the nutrition label. You can counteract the benefits if the chocolate is high in calories, fat and sugar. Type 2 diabetes affects millions of Americans. According to the latest data, more than 38 million people, about 1 in 10, have diabetes, with 90 to 95 percent of them having type 2 diabetes. Even more concerning about 98 million Americans, or 1 in 3—have prediabetes, which can lead to type 2 diabetes if left untreated. The good news is prediabetes is reversible, and with lifestyle changes, like maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active, you can delay or even prevent most cases of type 2 diabetes. And maybe, by eating more dark chocolate. Author Colleen Kiley, MS, RD, is a lead diabetes educator for Luminis Health Diabetes and Endocrine Specialists. To make an appointment, please call 443-481-6700.0
- Why Choose The Lifecare Institute?Hospice is a unique philosophy of care centered around enhancing quality of life for people with a life-limiting illness, while also providing support to caregivers and loved ones. It can be provided in any setting, including a private home or residential care center. The Lifecare Institute Hospice Care provides medical and nursing care, social work support, home health care, spiritual care and volunteer assistance.ServiceConditions/Services/Treatments PageThe Lifecare Institute Hospice Care ProgramHospice enhances the end of life by providing care that allows people to live their final days to the fullest, in peace and without pain, in the place that provides the most solace.The Lifecare Institute Hospice Care provides comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate care to people with life-limiting illnesses—such as cancer or end-stage heart, lung, kidney or neurological disease—as well as their families. We care for individuals and families throughout Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County, Maryland. Our team of hospice professionals and volunteers provides support that addresses all needs—medical, emotional, social and spiritual. We serve people of all ages, focusing on helping them live life to the fullest.0
- CommunityGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs we close out Pride Month, AAMC President Sherry Perkins discusses the significance of this year’s celebration. As you walk the halls of Anne Arundel Medical Center, the J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center and Pathways, you’ll see rainbow flags big and small decorating in celebration of Pride Month. These symbols of our commitment to equity and inclusion remind me not only of our solidarity this month, but most importantly of our actions to be inclusive, equitable, and stand with our LGBTQIA+ community every day. This Pride month, many efforts sponsored by our Department of Diversity Equity and Inclusion have been underway and our LGBTQIA+ Business Resource Group (BRG) has been working hard to bring events that bring us together to celebrate Pride – many of you already have participated. I want to recognize the significance of this particular Pride month as we also challenge ourselves to learn, grow, and act to fight racial injustice. We will continue to actively recognize oppression or exclusion of many forms and work to dismantle it and empower the diversity of our health care system. Thank you all for your care to patients, families, and each other.0
- News & Press Releases, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG), a multi-specialty physician group that is part of Anne Arundel Medical Center, today announced the merge of its two cardiology practices, AAMG Cardiology Specialists and AAMG Annapolis Cardiology Consultants. The two practices will now operate under the name AAMG Cardiology Specialists in one location, AAMC’s new Specialty Physicians Suite–Annapolis. “This past summer, we were pleased to announce the partnership between AAMG Annapolis Cardiology Consultants and AAMG Cardiology Specialists,” said Dr. Jerry Segal, senior cardiologist at AAMG Cardiology Specialists and medical director of Cardiovascular Services at AAMC. “The merger of the two practices provides patients with nine cardiac specialists in one central, convenient location. This expanded practice provides patients with the entire array of cardiac testing and cardiac care.” Specialists cover the fields of general cardiology, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology and vascular medicine. In addition to AAMG Cardiology Specialists, the new Specialty Physicians Suite–Annapolis, located on the fifth floor of AAMC Belcher Pavilion (2000 Medical Parkway Annapolis, MD 21401), will also house AAMG Diabetes and Endocrine Specialists, AAMG Neurology Specialists, AAMG Neuropsychology Specialists and AAMG Palliative Medicine Specialists. Mitch Schwartz, MD, chief medical officer at AAMC, says bringing these multispecialty doctors, nurses and skilled care teams under one roof is part of AAMC’s continuous efforts to better integrate and coordinate patient care. “Patients will have the benefit of better communication between doctors, easy appointment scheduling, and seamless medical record sharing between specialties. Our focus is on our patients and creating the best healthcare experience possible,” he said. For more information or to schedule an appointment with AAMG Cardiology Specialists, call 443-481-67000
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