- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has recognized Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), now part of Luminis Health, for the third year in a row. This time as a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” after earning a top score of 100 on the 2020 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). The HRC Foundation is the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization. “We are incredibly proud to be recognized as a leader in health equity,” said Shirley Knelly, chief compliance officer at Luminis Health and executive sponsor of the health system’s LGBTQIA Business Resource Group. “This designation recognizes our continued commitment to an equitable, inclusive environment for both our patients and workforce.” The HEI is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees. In 2020, more than 1,700 healthcare facilities were evaluated nationwide. Of those, 495 facilities earned the “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation. In a message to designees, Alphonso David, HRC president, said, “The health care facilities participating in the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) are not only on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are also making it clear from their participation in the HEI that they stand on the side of fairness and are committed to providing inclusive care to their LGBTQ patients. In addition, many have made strong statements on racial justice and equity and are engaging in efforts to address racial inequities in their institutions and their communities. We commend all of the HEI participants for their commitment to providing inclusive care for all.” AAMC had previously been recognized by the HRC Foundation as a “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer.” “Earning the top score this year is a testament of how we are constantly working to identify opportunities to create a more inclusive culture,” said Knelly.
- Cancer Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMany patients ask how they can reduce their risk of developing ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is a topic of concern for women across the nation. Ranking fifth in cancer deaths among women, this type of cancer accounts for more deaths than any other type of cancer that forms in the female reproductive system, according to recent research by the American Cancer Society (ACS). More than 22,000 women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer this year. Unfortunately, more than 13,000 will die from ovarian cancer. And although this cancer develops in older women – approximately 63 and older – it can happen to anyone regardless of their age. Luckily, research shows that the number of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. has been less over the last 20 years. But more needs to be done. There has been a lot of focus on researching effective screening tests and finding new ways for early detection, as that could change mortality rates. But as organizations continue to do the legwork of research, there are several things women can do to take care of themselves and their bodies. Although there is no direct method of preventing ovarian cancer, there are several prevention tips you can follow to reduce your risk. Consider genetic counseling. Especially as a woman with family history that suggests you could have a cancer syndrome that increases your risk of ovarian cancer. Genetic testing can help define if you (or even family members) carry certain gene mutations that lead to a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. Take the pill. Taking a contraceptive pill for at least five years will reduce your chance of ovarian cancer by 50 percent. However, you should talk to your doctor first. Taking the pill can be beneficial in reducing the risk of ovarian cancer, but there are side effects you should know. According to the ACS, birth control pills may slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Make sure to discuss the possible risks and benefits associated with taking the pill with your doctor first. Talk to your doctor about surgery. There are surgical procedures that can help reduce the chance of developing different types of ovarian cancer. Hysterectomy, tubal ligation, as well as removal of the ovaries, the fallopian tubes or the whole fallopian tube can all reduce a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer. However, these operations can have many side effects. Surgical interventions must be personalized based on personal and family medical history. Exercise regularly and eat nutritious foods. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating well can lower your risk of cancer. A good balance of fruits and vegetables can also contribute to a healthy weight, which is known to reduce the risk of developing cancer. There is no one specific symptom women experience, but the most typical are feeling bloated and noticing a change in bowel habits. Symptoms are very vague and can often be overlooked or dismissed. If something doesn’t feel right in your body, that’s probably because something isn’t right. Don’t ignore the signs, especially if you have been noticing symptoms for a while and they continue to recur. Talk to your doctor and don’t be afraid to seek specialty care. Gynecologic Specialty Surgeons provide preventive surgery for women at high risk of developing a hereditary type of gynecologic cancer. To book an appointment, call 443-481-3493. Originally published Sept. 23, 2019. Last updated Sept. 3, 2020.
- General Page Tier 3BlogThis green mango papaya salad can serve as a healthy and flavor-packed lunch or a light, refreshing side dish for dinner! The recipe notes to julienne both the papaya and the mango. To julienne a fruit or vegetable is to cut it into a thin, matchstick size. It’s helpful to first cut the mango and papaya lengthwise to create a flat surface and prevent them from rolling around on your cutting board. INGREDIENTS For the salad: ¼ cup green papaya, julienne ¼ cup green mango, julienne 2 Chinese long beans, charred 6 grape tomatoes ½ teaspoon jalapeno chile pepper, sliced ½ teaspoon salt pepper to taste 1 tablespoon peanuts, toasted, crushed 1 tablespoon cashews, toasted, crushed ¼ shallot, thinly sliced For the vinaigrette: 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon fish sauce juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon sugar INSTRUCTIONS Add green papaya, long beans, green mango, carrots, vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, bruise the vegetables slightly so that the vinaigrette is absorbed into the vegetables. Sprinkle the peanuts, cashews and shallots randomly over the salad. Add all dressing ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients to incorporate until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the salad. To learn more about nutrition services at Anne Arundel Medical Center, visit AskAAMC.org/Nutrition. Originally published Aug. 1, 2016. Last updated Sept. 2, 2020.
- Men's Health, Weight Loss, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe majority of our decisions about what to eat are on autopilot and often happen without us even thinking about them. Did you know that when you decide to change your diet, over 200 food-related decisions per day are impacted? From eating out to grocery shopping, all of these decisions are well rehearsed. On average, a grocery store will carry over 39,000 different items. Though variety is considered the ‘spice of life,’ the vast amount of food variety plays a role in overconsumption in our society. Research on food variety and its effects is emerging. In one interesting experiment done with M&M’s candy, researchers wanted to see what would happen if they gave moviegoers more color choices. They found that those who were given 10 different colors ate 43 percent more than those given the same amount of M&M’s in seven colors. READ MORE: What’s for dinner? New school year brings new pace of life You make fewer decisions over the course of the day when you automate your healthy choices , which helps you make it easier to choose healthier options. One way to eat healthier is to automate by meal planning. Too often, we let convenience, busy schedules and mindless eating derail our best intentions. Willpower is a resource that gets used up as the day goes on. The more decisions you have to make, the less willpower you have by the end of the day. If you automate your healthy choices, you make fewer decisions over the course of the day, which makes it easier to choose healthier options later in the day – a prime time for overdoing it. You are ahead of the game because you can choose something automatically instead of trying to use willpower. Here is a helpful guideline on how to automate by meal prepping: Eat the same breakfast and lunch every day. At least the template should be similar – a protein, fruit, vegetable and milk or starch. For breakfast, you could have oatmeal with fruit or a veggie omelet and fruit. For lunch, you could warm up some soup or a sandwich and pair it with some fruit. Alternatively, you could have some leftover chicken and green vegetables with seasonal fruit. You can mix things up at dinner and use the remaining willpower. Make meal planning and grocery shopping a given. Pick a block of time for planning your meals (perhaps in the car when commuting or transporting kids to activities) and then make your grocery list. Try to shop and prepare meals about the same time every week so it becomes part of your routine. Prep food ahead of time. Sundays are usually down days, which leaves time to tackle the preparation. If you really dislike cooking or prepping, consider purchasing prepared foods that fill the bill, such as already cooked chicken breast or various vegetable salads. Freeze meals. While prepping on Sundays, also pull out the crock-pot and make chili, a hearty soup, spaghetti sauce, lentil stew, etc. This will help you freeze and fill any unexpected gaps. Find foods you enjoy and that fit in the five food groups to slowly build a repertoire of satisfying meals. The effort in the beginning will be more time consuming, but the payoff will be worth the effort and repetition leads to balanced, healthy meals. Enjoy! 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 July 8, 2019. Last updated Sept. 2, 2020.
- General Page Tier 3BlogWho doesn’t love a turkey sandwich with freshly baked bread for lunch? Or who would ever say no to cheesy lasagna for dinner? Besides tasting good, what both of these foods have in common is gluten. Gluten is a protein found in grains, wheat, barley and rye. Foods like bread, baked goods, crackers, pasta and cereals contain gluten. This protein gives dough its elasticity and acts like a glue, which gives foods like bread its chewy, soft texture we all love. The term “gluten-free” has evolved from diet trend to big business. To put it into perspective, market trends suggest that gluten-free products could be worth as much as $7.5 billion by 2020. Some surveys have found over 25 percent of people stating that they are looking to cut gluten out of their diet for health reasons. READ MORE: Why does nutrition advice change? However, there is a nutritional downside to going gluten-free. If you unnecessarily cut out gluten, you may be risking nutrient deficiencies. Gluten-free products are lower in fiber and contain white rice flour or various starches. They also have more fat and sugar to make them bind together and taste better. And even if junk food is labeled as gluten-free, it’s still junk food, so keep this in mind if weight loss or eating a healthier diet is your goal. When diets and trends hit the mainstream, it creates an atmosphere ripe for myths and misinterpretation. The good news is that if you decide to go gluten-free, you have more options. Once you have made the decision to go gluten-free due to a gluten intolerance or celiac disease (an inflammatory response), consider the following: If the product doesn’t have a gluten-free label, carefully read the ingredient list and allergen warning. Check the allergen warning found underneath the ingredient list for wheat. If the warning lists wheat, then it is not safe for consumption. Barley and rye are not included in allergen labeling, but if found in the ingredient list, the product is still not safe for consumption. Only consume a product containing oats if it is labeled gluten-free. Oat products must be labeled gluten-free to be safe. Most commercial oats are contaminated with gluten from cross contact with wheat, barley or rye during harvesting and processing. Consider avoiding ingredients that contain gluten. Some common ones include malt, brewer’s yeast, wheat, barley, rye and wheat starch. Know which ingredients you can still consume. Some common gluten-free ingredients you do not need to avoid include caramel color, maltodextrin, glucose syrup and distilled vinegar. Read the manufacturer’s warning if the product is not labeled gluten-free. Avoid grain-based products (rice, corn and other cereal grains) that are labeled “may contain” or “made on shared equipment” with wheat/gluten. Prevent cross contact with gluten-containing foods while cooking and prepping food. The smallest amount of gluten, even one-eighth of a teaspoon, can cause intestinal damage in people with celiac disease. Individuals who do not have celiac disease may be able to tolerate gluten in these small amounts without allergic reactions. You should always sanitize cutting boards, toasters, strainers and knives to avoid contamination. Other considerations to keep in mind is assuring medications or supplements do not have gluten additives. Distilled alcohol, wine, gluten-free beer and ciders are safe for consumption. Try to stay away from all malted products, such as hard lemonade, mixed drinks and beer. Take some time to read labels and understand which ingredients you can or cannot consume if you’re trying to follow a gluten-free lifestyle. Start by becoming familiar with the most common foods with gluten and do some research on alternatives. Don’t forget that planning and preparation are important when trying to maintain a gluten-free lifestyle. But when in doubt, go without. Happy eating! 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 Sept. 2, 2019. Last updated Aug. 31, 2020.
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