- Women's Health, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAfter 30 years of dealing with acid reflux and trying different medications, Michelle Richardson finally decided to treat the problem with surgery. She spoke to a neighbor who recommended that she see the same local surgeon who helped him. Dr. Adrian Park, of Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC), Michelle learned, is internationally known as a leading authority in minimally invasive surgery. Feeling reassured, Michelle started the process to take control of her health. A few weeks before surgery, she met with Registered Dietitian Allison Maurer to go over a special diet in preparation for her surgery. Allison also told Michelle about an online support group established for patients of Dr. Park. “We created this forum to foster a community of sharing and encouragement among patients,” says Dr. Park. “The opportunity to connect with others who have been down this path before them and even those who are making the journey in parallel with them often provides great comfort and reassurance.” Michelle signed up and posted that her surgery date was coming up. She quickly heard back from Karen Pearl. The two shared the same date for surgery and decided to keep in touch. They texted almost daily. “It made me feel like I was not alone,” Michelle says. “The group was really helpful because I could gain perspective from actual patients who had already had the procedure,” adds Karen. On the day of their surgery, Michelle and Karen saw each other in person for the first time. “That was wonderful, not only to see each other in person but also know that the surgery was behind us. It was a day to celebrate,” Karen says. The two planned their follow-up appointments on the same day and had lunch together before going to Dr. Park’s office. “I think of her as my ‘surgery bud,’” Michelle says.0
- Cancer Care, Men's Health, Women's Health, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogExcerpts from the Living Well with Cancer podcast interview with Rebecca Gondak, speech language pathologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Rebecca discusses therapy to treat cognitive impairment, chemo brain, that results from cancer treatment and AAMC’s Cancer Rehab Program. Listen to the entire interview here. What kind of symptoms would you notice in someone with chemo brain? People who come in with chemo brain often report problems with attention and multitasking, their processing speed, their word retrieval, their planning and organizational skills and their memory. How do you treat chemo brain or chemo fog? We start by educating the patients on what impairments they’re having difficulty with, then we teach them to apply compensatory strategies to manage those difficulties. That can include pacing of cognitive activities, preventing or minimizing distractions, using short-term memory strategies and word-finding strategies. Secondly, we teach them exercises to improve weaknesses, and we gradually increase the complexity of those exercises to encourage functional reorganization of the brain. Read the transcript of the interview or listen to the recording. For more information on AAMC’s cancer care services, visit www.askAAMC.org/cancer.0
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen she saw her July 2012 vacation picture, Melissa Staud of Harwood knew she had to make a change for the better. She weighed 275 pounds and knew she needed to lose weight to improve her life and her health. “I honestly tried on my own to lose weight, but I wasn’t successful no matter what I tried, even Weight Watchers and working out at the gym,” says the 34-year-old. “For me, the problem was portion control, and I also made bad food choices. After vacation, I looked into weight loss surgery and decided it was a good option for me.” In January 2013, Melissa had gastric sleeve surgery, in which a portion of her stomach was removed. The surgery opened a whole new world for Melissa, who acknowledges that people used to treat her differently. “I don’t get stares anymore, and I like the way I look. Now I can bend over, tie my shoes, actually get boots on, and buy clothes from a store.” She’s thrilled to take longer horseback rides and ride smaller horses. “Horses are my passion,” she says. She expected to lose about 50 to 60 percent of her excess weight after the surgery and was pleasantly surprised. “Thanks to the surgery, my complete lifestyle change and formation of new habits, I have surpassed those average numbers and have lost nearly 90 percent of the excess weight,” she says. Not only that, she also eliminated her high blood pressure and sleep apnea. The change required a lifetime commitment to new eating habits. “I cleaned out my kitchen cabinets and restocked with healthy items. I only drink water and decaf unsweetened tea. I’ve learned to snack on fruits and vegetables, use spices to flavor foods [instead of salt], and eat correct portions.”0
- Men's Health, Weight Loss, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogGive up soda, start an exercise regime or start meditation. These might be just a handful of goals you have for the new year. But by the end of January, 36 percent of New Year’s resolvers have thrown their hands up in the air and said, “Better luck next year.” It’s normal to want to reboot your life come Jan. 1, but before you go crazy with your New Year’s resolutions list, you want to consider these common mistakes that could set you up for failure, rather than success. Mistake #1: You set your goals too broad. Goals like losing weight, eating healthy and exercising are too ambiguous to execute. Make sure your resolution passes the SMART goals test. It should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Instead of aiming to eat more vegetables, commit to incorporate at least one vegetable in at least two meals per day. Mistake #2: You don’t hold yourself accountable. If there are no consequences surrounding your goal, you are more likely to make excuses, fall behind or give up. You have to put yourself in a situation that makes it difficult to slack off. If you thrive on encouragement, ask a friend, family member or a trusted health expert to make sure you are on track with your goal. For example, if your resolution involves exercise, participate in a team challenge or set non-negotiable exercise dates with a friend so you can’t bail at the last minute. Mistake #3: You’re not tracking your progress. Monitor your progress. Whether it’s stepping on the scale, tracking your workouts or journaling your activities, tracking what you do can increase your chances of following through with the changes you need to make. It also allows you to recognize and celebrate milestones along the way, a process that’s vital to keeping you confident and motivated. Mistake #4: You allow lapses to become relapses. Slip ups will happen, but successful resolvers use these to strengthen their determination. Recognize your mistake and learn from it. Confidence is a strong predictor of success. To boost your ‘can do’ attitude, focus on playing up your strengths and don’t get hung up on your weak spots or missteps. If you are dining at a friend’s house or are at a party, you can bring a side of fruits or vegetables next time to ensure you have healthy options available. Mistake #5: You do not develop realistic plans to achieve your goal. A goal without a plan is just a wish. Before you take action, make a list of things you can do each day to achieve your goal. Then, include weekly and monthly milestones you want to hit. Breaking your goal down into several smaller short-term goals helps you stay focused and feel accomplished, even on hard days. Effective New Year’s resolution ideas to get you started: Do your daily workout in the morning. You’ll be less likely to schedule something over your exercise time or skip it because of a last-minute change in your schedule. Make a workout date with a friend. If weather precludes outdoor activities, invite your friend to your house and get your sweat on in your living room with a streaming fitness program. Slowly change your diet. Eat two extra servings of vegetables every day for a month. Get creative. Try one new dinner idea every week that has a lot of vegetables. Make a slow-cooker meal every Sunday. Eat the leftovers or repurpose the rest for meals later in the week. Turn to homemade food. Bring your lunch to work every day for the next month. Hydrate. Drink a glass of water every morning when you wake up and before every meal. Consume less carbs. When eating out, swap your carb-filled sides (such as fries or rolls) with vegetables or fruit. Pick one or two, but no more than three specific, measurable, attainable yet realistic resolutions that are compatible with your schedule and fitness level. Start small and build on these after they are implemented and habitual. Make this year the one where you accomplish the resolutions you have set for yourself! 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 Jan. 7, 2019. Last updated Dec. 30, 2019.0
- WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogZoom has made it easier for us to attend meetings and stay connected, but it may also be contributing to burnout. So, why does Zoom burn us out? A 2021 study observed video conferencing communication increased the cognitive demands of participants. This happens because users have to coordinate the conference call, create the illusion of eye contact and physical presence, read incoming messages, and process the content on the call simultaneously. Here are some practices that can help you prevent fatigue. Ground Yourself Take a moment for you. Try moisturizing your hands, having a snack, filling a water bottle, or taking a breath break before you log into your Zoom meeting. Take Breaks Schedule mini buffers between meetings. Use that time to stretch, take a lap around your house, or do a few desk exercises. It’s Okay to Cancel Advocate for your mental and emotional wellbeing because only you know what you need. Ask if you are a “need to have” or a “nice to have” at the meeting. If you don’t need to be there, it’s okay to ask for notes in lieu of attending. You can also ask someone else to take notes for you, request a recording to watch later, or ask if you can reschedule for another day. Finally, before adding another Zoom to the schedule, ask yourself a few questions: Could this be an email? Could this be a phone call? If you answer yes, it’s okay to suggest or schedule an alternative way to get the work done. Authors Anne Gotimer is manager of WellBeing and Engagement for Luminis Health.0
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