- Men's Health, Women's Health, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe number one killer in America is heart disease. What if I told you there were six things you could do to make you 70 percent less likely to have a heart attack? A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that if women followed six healthy lifestyle habits—just six—they were 92 percent less likely to develop heart disease. Not only that, but these six simple activities also could have prevented 70 percent of heart attacks in the study group. Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Heart Attacks Maintaining a healthy diet. Having only one or no alcoholic drinks a day. Exercising two-and-a-half hours weekly. Watching seven or fewer hours of TV per week. Being smoke-free. Keeping a healthy BMI or Body Mass Index, which is really your weight. As a cardiologist, what I found interesting about this study is that it focused on heart disease risk factors rather than just preventing heart attacks. Of course, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and to call 911 immediately if you think you or a loved one is experiencing one. But it’s also time we get more proactive about our heart health. Small Changes Make a Huge Difference If you think about the six habits that were studied— eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol, exercising, watching less TV, not smoking and keeping a healthy weight—I think we can all agree it wouldn’t be too hard to change a few of these in our own lives for the sake of a healthier heart and, in turn, a longer life. Some heart disease risk factors are beyond our control, such as age and family history. But there are more factors you can control either through lifestyle changes or medication from your doctor. Learn your risk for heart disease with our free online heart health profiler at askAAMC.org/HeartHealth and take the first step toward having a healthy heart for life. Author Barbara Hutchinson, MD, is a cardiologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach her office, call 410-573-9805. Originally published Jan. 30, 2015. Last updated Feb. 3, 2020.0
- CommunityGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn the wake of recent events, Luminis Health CEO Tori Bayless shares how our health system plans to confront anti-Asian discrimination, together. The events of the year 2020 both exposed and exacerbated inequities in our society. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hate crimes against Asian Americans have increased exponentially across the nation. Last week’s senseless violence in Atlanta took more innocent lives – and demands a response. As an organization that values diversity and inclusion and is in the business of saving lives, we condemn the rising violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Through this message, and other efforts, we want to raise awareness of these violent events, demonstrate the need to be supportive of AAPI communities, and explore opportunities for us to do more to support our leaders, staff, patients, and families of AAPI communities. First, let me take a moment to speak directly to our Luminis Health colleagues, patients, family and community members who identify as Asian American and Pacific Islander. You are a valued member of our health system and our community, and we stand with you. Your safety, mental health and wellbeing matter. We believe there remains much to be done to dismantle and disrupt the hate that pervades our society and we are committed to doing more. As mentioned in last year’s messages on xenophobia and racism, incidents of hate, discrimination, and xenophobic rhetoric are not acceptable, and we must play a role in addressing them. Through our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy, we will continue to confront racism, injustice, hate and inequity in all of its forms. We will not lose our unity or be torn apart by those that seek to divide us. In response to last year’s events, many of you are aware that we created the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Task (HEART) Force to facilitate further progress in our DEI journey. The recommendations forthcoming from the HEART Force aim to confront racism and discrimination, address the effects of systemic inequity, disrupt hate and injustice, and support an innovative culture of thriving inclusion across Luminis Health. Through thoughtful partnerships and the purposeful engagement of our workforce, we will change and positively impact our communities. As we work to educate ourselves, I invite you to join me in learning more about what we can do individually and collectively. I invite you to read this recent Vox article on Why Pandemics Activate Xenophobia, as well as The New Yorker’s piece on Confronting Anti-Asian Discrimination During the Coronavirus Crisis (written a year ago). Together, we can work to effect change and make a difference for our colleagues, patients, friends and families.0
- Cancer CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBeginning this month – National Cancer Survivor’s Month – we will share a series of blog posts from our own cancer survivors. Each cancer journey is unique. At Luminis Health, we want to shine a light on these journeys from the perspective of our own patients. That’s why we’ve started this new series – bringing hope and comfort to those who have been touched by cancer. Here’s Maureen Disharoon’s story: Last summer, my husband, Larry, noticed that he had a blister between his toes. We didn’t think much of it, but a few weeks later, it looked a little angry, so we saw a dermatologist—the biopsy came back as melanoma. The dermatologist helped us get an appointment at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) the very next day, which was really kind of amazing. Going through this process during the year of COVID-19 added a challenging layer to this scary scenario. Over the next few months, Larry had surgery to remove his cancerous toe and a lymph node from his groin. A genetic test recommended by Dr. Adam Riker determined he had a version of the BRAF gene that makes melanoma worse, so he recommended immunotherapy following the surgery. It was a lot, but everything seemed to be going fine until December, when Larry started to have some behavioral and cognitive changes—we learned that the cancer spread to his brain, as well as his lung, his abdomen, and leg. This required an entirely new game plan on very short notice: whole brain radiation and full-blown chemotherapy. Throughout this process, Larry’s team of doctors at LHAAMC—Drs. Julie Oda, Mary Young, and Adam Riker —were amazing. They were right there at every new development. Dr. Riker always has a “we gotta go after this!” energy, while Dr. Oda has a gentle, caring approach—and both are brilliant. Dr. Young, the radiology oncologist, laid out an aggressive plan the first day she met Larry and moved heaven and earth to set up his whole brain radiation that started hours later…during Christmas week. This was not an insignificant feat. The whole team, including the nutritionist and other staff, gave us whatever we needed; not only did they design a treatment plan for him literally in hours, but everything was so personalized. When he went in for radiation, Dr. Young would occasionally walk Larry out herself and hand him over to me, adding a personal touch to this treatment phase. The staff has just been incredible, compassionate, and accommodating. From my perspective, as the spouse and advocate, I did a lot of notetaking, scheduling, and orchestrating. I’ve been a NASA consultant supporting many NASA missions for 40 years and this became my newest mission. Most people have seen how quiet and calm mission control is, but in reality, the rooms that surround Mission Control can be frantic. I tried to harness the frenzy, keep out the noise, and focus on the “mission.” We feel very grateful for the care Larry has received. Larry’s brother died of melanoma at 43, before immunotherapy and other targeted treatments existed. As long as the medicine is working, Larry will stay on it. We know it won’t cure it, but as his doctors say, we can put the cancer to sleep for as long as it will stay asleep. The cancer is asleep now, but if it wakes up—if the gene finds a backdoor, as it’s been known to—then maybe something else will be needed. Larry is still under the care of Drs. Oda, Riker, and Young, and they’re making sure we don’t let our foot off the gas. But things are hopeful right now: Larry celebrated his 65th birthday in April, and he’s looking and feeling good, he’s gained weight, mows the lawn, and has even gone golfing! If you told me this in February, I don’t know if I’d have believed it. So that’s where we are. We’re enjoying life. Every day we have like this is a win.0
- Cancer Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogDuring this month – National Cancer Survivors Month – we will share a series of blog posts from our own cancer survivors. Each cancer journey is unique. At Luminis Health, we want to shine a light on these journeys from the perspective of our own patients. That’s why we’ve started this new series – bringing hope and comfort to those who have been touched by cancer. Chris D’Andrea’s Story: In 2018, I started having severe reactions to mosquito bites. My primary care physician in Virginia Beach did some blood work, and I had consultations with an allergist and dermatologist, but everything came back normal. In the summer of 2019, I began having other symptoms including night sweats. My doctor ran additional tests and performed a lymph node biopsy. These tests confirmed my worst nightmare: I had cancer. I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, specifically mantle cell lymphoma. It was a huge curveball. The kind of cancer I have only affects 4,000 people per year in the U.S. and the average age is 65. I was 49 when I was diagnosed. I definitely went through the “why me?” phase. But as my journey progressed—and cancer is a journey—I started telling myself, “why not me?” I wouldn’t want it to be any of my family members or friends. I started chemotherapy in the fall of 2019 at George Washington University Cancer Center (GWUCC) and had great response to treatment. In January 2020, I began maintenance therapy with Dr. Tabbara, who was then at GWUCC, in preparation for an autologous stem cell transplant. Nurse Kathy Zimmerman, Dr. Tabbara’s hematology/oncology transplant coordinator, has been amazing and my touchpoint since I began treatment. She always kept the process moving forward, be it navigating insurance approvals or answering my numerous questions. Nurse Manager Emily Zerges from the oncology/transplant ward has also been fantastic making my hospital stays as comfortable as possible and addressing any of my treatment concerns. Unfortunately, my lymphoma returned before my stem cell transplant, so I began an oral treatment regimen. Mantel cell lymphoma can become resistant to treatments that previously worked, so it’s important to have a team that understands the nuances of the disease and the numerous treatment options. I had my transplant last October and was doing very well initially but, unfortunately, I’ll need to have a second one later this year. For that one, my son will be the donor. But the crazy thing was that in the middle of all this, Dr. Tabbara, Kathy, and Emily told me they were transferring to Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. It was a punch in the gut to hear they were leaving, because I had been through so much with them on this journey and they were just such a great team. But since my wife, who was active duty military at the time, was stationed in Washington, D.C., I decided to continue my care with Dr. Tabbara and his team. So I said, “tell us when you’re going, I’ll make sure insurance covers it, and I’ll go.” So now, I travel from Virginia Beach to Annapolis for treatment. Our insurance has been great; it even covers travel for medical appointments. My wife has also been amazing, coming with me to all my appointments, staying by my side at the hospital during treatment and documenting my journey so we can ask the right questions. She has been my rock and source of strength. I also have great support from friends and a strong prayer chain. I couldn’t do it alone. Like I said, cancer is a journey. You meet great people along the way, whom you would never have known if you’d just passed them on the street—but because of the way fate and God work, we met. We consider the doctors and nurses to be friends of the family now. They see people at their worst and they’re always there, redesigning treatment plans and supporting you along the way. There is no cure for my disease, but my doctors are very confident we’ll get it into remission for a long time. And when your doctors feel that way, it’s helpful—it gives you hope as a patient. Each day you can wake up and see the sunshine is a good day.0
- PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen school is out for the summer, your whole family may be on a more relaxed schedule. That may include kids’ bed times. But with the new school year beginning, it’s time to get your children back on track so they are getting enough sleep to focus on their school work. A lack of sleep can lead to an array of problems for children and teenagers. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says lack of sleep is linked to behavior and learning problems, and an increased risk of accidents and injuries. Some evidence also suggests a lack of sleep could lead to conditions including diabetes, obesity, hypertension and depression. Yet a 2016 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than two-thirds of high school students are sleeping less than eight hours every night. This could be because there is a shift in the body’s circadian clock during puberty, causing teens to naturally prefer a later bed time. Are you confused about how much shut-eye your children should be getting each night? It varies depending on how old they are, but the AASM says babies, children and teens need much more sleep than adults. Here are its sleep recommendations: 4-12 months: 12-16 hours 1-2 years: 11-14 hours 3-5 years: 10-13 hours 6-12 years: 9-12 hours 13-18 years: 8-10 hours It can be hard to tell when young children are tired. While adults slow down when they’re exhausted, children speed up, the National Sleep Foundation says. For that reason, it can be easy to confuse signs of sleepiness with signs of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Back-to-school sleep tips The National Sleep Foundation offers the following tips for helping your child develop good back-to-school sleep habits: Two weeks before school starts, start to help your child get on a school sleep schedule gradually. Every night, set a slightly earlier bedtime, and every morning, a slightly earlier wake-up time. Don’t use the weekend to catch up on sleep. Before bedtime, start a relaxing routine, such as bath and story time for younger children or reading time for older children. Limit screens, including TV and electronic devices, before bed time. Avoid big meals close to bed time, and caffeine six hours before bed time. A dark room, comfortable bed, and room temperature that is not too hot or cold make for the best sleeping environment for your child. Most importantly, follow these rules yourself so you can set a good example for your children. If you suspect your child isn’t sleeping enough, talk to your pediatrician. Author Rebecca Duncan, MD, is a primary care physician with AAMG Kent Island Primary Care. To reach her practice, call 410-604-6560. Originally published Aug. 22, 2017. Last updated Aug. 16, 2019.0
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