- Behavioral Health, Men's Health, Women's Health, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogYou’re in holiday overdrive, baking cookies, running to the mall and rushing back home to arrive before your out-of-town guests. Is the gift you want most for yourself a nap? That may be just what you need. The holidays are meant to be a season of peace, not pressure. Carving out some downtime—whether it’s to recharge with a nap, take a walk or even play a game with your family—can make your holidays less stressful. And by slowing down, you may even have more energy to host guests and tackle your holiday to-do list. What else can you do to de-stress this holiday season? Try these tips: Focus on What Really Matters Say the word ‘holiday’ and a lot of us imagine picture-perfect celebrations. That fantasy is almost certain to stress you out if you buy into it. It’s okay if this year’s tree is a little lopsided or the cookies get burnt. Instead of focusing on presents and parties, focus on what truly gives the holidays meaning: time spent with family and friends. Make it a tradition to write letters to loved ones as gifts. This practice is both relaxing and rewarding, and can create deeper bonds with your loved ones. Get Moving As winter weather sets in and schedules get hectic, it’s not as easy to stay active. Exercise can help reduce stress, give you a fresh perspective and produce mood-boosting endorphins. Try fun activities that keep you moving such as sledding, building snowmen, skiing and ice skating. Simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking around the mall before you start your holiday shopping can make a difference. Try going to a group exercise class with a friend to stay motivated. Our Energize fitness classes are great for staying active during the winter. If you’re consistent with exercise, your body will respond with healthy outcomes. Mind Your Mental Health Take a step back and remember to prioritize your health. Anticipate the holiday stressors that affect you and create a plan to manage them. Making time for yourself is important to stay calm during the holiday season. While electronics help connect us to family and friends, being constantly “plugged in” can create anxiety due to information overload. Everyone should unplug and spend some quiet time alone. Journaling or writing down a list of things you’re thankful for can help put you at ease. For some, keeping up the holiday spirit can be hard work. The shorter, cold days of winter can create a downward spiral into a phase of depression. This is known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and affects millions of people every year. It’s important to recognize when you may need help and talk to your doctor. Prevent Illness Getting sick only adds to stress and can put a damper on holiday activities. Winter also brings cold and flu season. You can keep the flu away by getting a flu shot, making sure to wash your hands and cover your cough. And remember, you are what you eat. A nutrient-dense diet can help strengthen your immune system to fight off illness. Stay in contact with your doctor if you have any concerns about your health or feel like you’re getting sick. Don’t Drink Your Calories From cider and eggnog to hot chocolate, there’s no shortage of delicious holiday drinks. However, it’s important to keep in mind how these will affect your health in the long run. For example, one cup of eggnog can pack around 350 calories. Drink smart; keep portions small and limit yourself to one glass per occasion. Better yet, trade in the high-calorie drinks for something with a lower calorie content, like sparkling wine with fresh cranberries. Originally published Dec. 17, 2015. Last updated Dec. 2, 2019.
- Men's Health, Weight Loss, Women's Health, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMore than 29 million Americans have diabetes, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 8 million of those people do not yet know they have it. While these statistics are staggering, Barbara Mensah Onumah, MD, medical director of Luminis Health Diabetes & Endocrinology Annapolis, is even more concerned about another alarming fact: 86 million American adults—more than one out of three—have prediabetes, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. And, nine out of 10 people with prediabetes don’t know they have it. People with prediabetes have higher-than-normal blood-sugar levels but do not yet meet the criteria for a diabetes diagnosis. “Without lifestyle changes to reverse risk factors, 15 to 30 percent of those with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years. If you take action, studies tell us that you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and, in some cases, return blood glucose levels to within the normal range,” Dr. Onumah stresses. Luminis Health Diabetes & Endocrinology Annapolis offers comprehensive management, treatment and education for patients with diabetes. The program was created to complement care given by patients’ primary care providers and other specialists. Luminis Health’s diabetes care resources include: group education classes and access to support groups highly individualized counseling one-on-one nutrition counseling instruction on insulin pump usage and continuous glucose monitoring The program can be reached at 443-481-4600. Because so many Americans do not know they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, Dr. Onumah says that education coupled with physician-recommended screening tests are essential. Education begins with learning the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The two most significant risk factors, both modifiable, are obesity and inactivity. Non-modifiable risks include a family history of type 2 diabetes; African-American, Latino or Native American heritage; age of 45 or older; and for women, a diagnosis of gestational diabetes when pregnant. Knowing and discussing your risk factors with your physician helps pinpoint the right diabetes screening schedule for you. “A groundbreaking study showed us that education alone is not enough,” Dr. Onumah cautions. “There must also be motivational counseling.” The study she cites placed 3,234 overweight participants—all with increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes—into three distinct groups and followed them for three years. Compared to the placebo (those who did not receive individualized counseling or medication), those who received individualized counseling and were able to lose about 7 percent of their body weight through diet and exercise reduced their risk of developing diabetes by approximately 60 percent. The group that received medication alone reduced their risk of diabetes by about 30 percent. “It’s essential we understand the importance of increased risk of diabetes,” Dr. Onumah says. “Lifestyle interventions, addressed quickly and consistently, can change lives.” Author Barbara Mensah Onumah, MD, is medical director of Luminis Health Diabetes & Endocrinology Annapolis and can be reached at 443-481-4600. Originally published Nov. 17, 2015. Last updated Aug. 28, 2023.
- Men's Health, Orthopedics, Weight Loss, Women's Health, Wellness, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3Blog‘Tis the season to be jolly… and healthy! When you think of the holidays and health, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps it’s all the food you intend on eating with your family. Or finally getting that gym membership you’ve been putting off. Or, maybe you don’t think these two terms go hand-in-hand at all. Well, they can. And they should! The holiday season is a great time to enjoy time with family and friends, celebrate life, be grateful and take a moment to reflect on what’s important to you. It’s also a time to appreciate the gift of health. As this year ends and the next one begins, we encourage you to think about health and how you can help others make this essential part of life a priority. Health is described as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” If you could take that sentence, put it in a box and wrap it as a gift to give to someone you love or care about, would you? Brighten this holiday season by giving the gift of health to loved ones. How? We asked our experts for their ideas on how you can accomplish this and here’s what they had to say: Together time. Especially for our older population, giving the gift of time and ensuring you schedule dates to see them can bring them a great deal of joy (more than you know). Go pay a visit to your grandparents, uncles or check out nearby nursing homes. Bring along young children or pets (if appropriate) when you visit. Health-tech gadgets. In an age where everything revolves around technology, this might just be one of the best gifts to give this holiday season. There’s an endless supply of devices on the market that you can give to a person you know who has been concerned about their health. Whether they’ve been experiencing heart palpitations, poor sleep or fatigue, capturing these episodes can help their doctor make a diagnosis. For example, think of a Fitbit, Apple Watch or an AliveCor Kardia heart monitor. Gym membership or sessions with a trainer. No more excuses! It’s time to make that one stop you’ve been postponing for months. The gym has all the necessary equipment for getting in shape. As we get older, weight training becomes important. But, if you’d rather do cardio, there are plenty of other options. The elliptical, stationary bike and rowing machine mitigate the amount of repetitive forces on the knees that come with long distance running, even on a treadmill. Training sessions, on the other hand, are helpful in that they are an appointment – you have someone expecting you to be there and have allotted a certain amount of time to a given task. Sign up for a heart-healthy cooking class. This is certainly a more creative option. You can prevent, or even essentially cure, many of the chronic diseases present in society today, including heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, through appropriate diet. A heart-healthy cooking class can show people how to make delicious and healthy foods on a budget. Get your own equipment. Don’t like the gym? Think about purchasing TRX straps, an ab mat or even a bike. These relatively low cost options still can give you a great workout while using just your body weight. Adopt (not buy) a dog! The benefits of having a pet, especially a dog, are myriad. There are benefits to blood pressure and stress levels. From an activity standpoint, a responsible dog owner will make sure his or her pooch gets enough exercise and in turn will get some exercise himself or herself. In this case, you are improving and saving two lives – yours and your new pal’s! When thinking of what to get family, friends and loved ones this year, prioritize their wellbeing. You’re providing them with the gift that keeps on giving – good health. Authors Baran Kilical, MD, cardiologist and electrophysiologist with Luminis Health Cardiology. Lil Banchero, senior director of the Institute for Healthy Aging at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Weight LossGeneral Page Tier 3BlogDid you know that eating more often could help you in your weight loss journey? Now, please notice, we said eating more often, not more in quantity. Losing weight and keeping it off is by no means an easy task. By some estimates, 20 percent of overweight individuals are successful in keeping off at least 10 percent of their initial body weight for a year or longer. What is their secret? We looked at initiatives like the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) and have some tips to share with you to help you along your weight loss efforts. The NWCR identifies and investigates the characteristics of individuals who have succeeded at long-term weight loss. Here are a few key behaviors reported that led to their ongoing success: Follow a low calorie diet. Participants consume a low calorie (1,300 to 1,700 per day), low fat diet. They also successfully lose weight and maintain the loss by being consistent. This means they don’t start and stop a diet, like many dieters do. Eat more often. Participants eat four to five small meals daily. Their food intake is also consistent day to day. By making consistent food choices, this encourages self-control, minimizes unplanned food temptations, fosters self-discipline and increases your ability to keep with your diet routine. Do not skip breakfast. Participants consistently eat breakfast. Including this meal in the daily routine suppresses midmorning hunger, promotes better glucose control and reduces excessive eating later in the day. Even if it’s a piece of fruit or a small bowl of oatmeal, don’t skip your first meal of the day! Being active is a must. Participants who are successful with long-term weight loss make physical activity mandatory. The average person in the NWCR database exercises anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes per day at a moderate intensity. Daily physical activity is important for both weight management and health improvement. Finding a sustainable activity that fits your lifestyle, and making it a priority, is essential for long-term success. Track your progress. Participants weigh themselves frequently. This provides a form of accountability and self-monitoring. Limit sedentary activities. Research has connected successful weight loss over an extended period with minimal amounts of time spent watching TV. The national average time for watching TV is 28 hours per week or four hours per day. This is too much sedentary time. Ideally, try to limit TV viewing to less than 10 hours per week. Take corrective action when weight is regained. Participants did not allow even a small amount of weight gain to occur without corrective action. Obesity research shows that preventing people from regaining weight is one of the most difficult dilemmas that dieters face. Health improvement that results from weight loss and maintenance is a commendable goal that is worth the effort required to accomplish it. Don’t know where to begin? If you’re ready to start your diet plan but don’t know where to begin, we have a few suggestions that might help you kick off your weight loss journey with a few quick, easy and healthy meals. Breakfast Oatmeal toppings without the added sugar. Fruited buckwheat pancakes. Baked apples with oat toppings. Lunch Veggie stir-fry. Avocado feta salad. Lentil soup. Dinner Alaska salmon cakes with yogurt dill sauce. Stuffed acorn squash. Ginger carrots with golden raisins and lemon. Authors Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford are nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them, call 443-481-5555. Originally published Dec. 7, 2018. Last updated Nov. 4, 2019.
- Orthopedics, Weight Loss, Women's Health, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogStrength training exercises are key to burning calories, increasing metabolism and preventing injury. But you don’t need a gym membership or equipment for a proper strength routine. You can try these five exercises at home. Push-up Make sure your hands are shoulder-width apart. Angle your hands against the ground in whichever way feels most comfortable. Keep yourself straight. Think of your entire body as a straight line from your shoulders to your feet, and don’t stick your behind in the air. If you have trouble pushing yourself up, clench your glutes, abs or both. Your strength doesn’t have to come entirely from your arms. For a modified version, position your knees on the ground. Squat Spread your feet slightly wider than your hips. Point your toes slightly outward. Keep the weight on your heels and the balls of your feet. As you squat downward, push your behind and hips backwards. Think of it less about bending your knees and more about pushing your body backwards, similar to how you sit down in a chair. Make sure your hips go even with or lower than your knees. Otherwise, you won’t feel the full benefit of the exercise. Plank Forearm planks are more common and slightly easier than extended arm planks. For the forearm version, place your elbows on the ground at shoulder-width, and use the muscles in your abdomen to keep your body elevated parallel to the ground for as long as you can. For a slightly more difficult variation of the plank, extend your arms and keep your body in a straight line for as long as possible. For a modified version, position your knees on the ground. Tricep dip Find a chair or coffee table that is about the same height off the ground as your knees. Place your hands on the edge of the surface and slide yourself forward, keeping your arms straight and your body close to the chair. Lower your body until almost sitting on the floor and make sure your arms — not your legs — support your weight. Repeat as many times as you can. Originally published Dec. 5, 2016. Last updated Oct. 11, 2019.
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