What to Expect?An echo is painless and there's usually no preparation on your part. We apply gel to your chest to help sound waves reach your heart. We move a transducer (wand-like device) around on your chest.The transducer connects to a computer that transmits ultrasound waves into your chest, and the waves bounce or echo back. The computer converts the echoes into pictures of your heart.
Screening
Conditions/Services/Treatments Page
Cardiac Imaging: Echocardiogram
Cardiac imaging tests allow your doctor to get a clear picture of your heart and blood vessels. This allows us to see how your heart is working.Our heart specialists use the most advanced cardiac imaging technology to monitor, diagnose, and treat you. Here's an overview of a common cardiac imaging test.EchocardiogramOften called an echo, this test uses sound waves to create live pictures of your heart. Your doctor can see the size and shape of your heart, plus how blood pumps through the valves and chambers.Who gets an echocardiogram?An echo helps diagnose or monitor problems with your heart or heart valves and checks their severity.
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We're here to:Educate you on how to live a healthy and full life with diabetes.Monitor your condition so we can catch and treat any complications at an early stage.Provide all the treatments you need, including medications, technology supports, physical therapy, nutrition counseling and more.
Condition
Conditions/Services/Treatments Page
Diabetes
A diabetes diagnosis can be life changing. Let's face it, living with diabetes takes work and a commitment to learn.
At Luminis Health, we give you the tools you need to control your diabetes, so it doesn't get in the way of your health or happiness. We empower you with knowledge and skills to live successfully with diabetes.
Why Luminis Health
Our diabetes team includes doctors, nurses, diabetes educators, registered dietitians, physical therapists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. We surround you just like a group of caring friends. We're there to problem solve with you, get you through the difficult times and cheer on your successes.
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Cancer Care
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Tips for Eating Well During Chemotherapy
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Eating well during chemotherapy can help you maintain your weight and improve how you feel during treatment. A well-planned strategy and support from your cancer care team, can help you navigate any obstacles to maintain optimal health throughout treatment.
You need more calories and protein during chemotherapy.
Both cancer and cancer treatment increase the energy and nutrients your body needs, especially protein. Protein is important in helping you rebuild strength during treatment.
Foods rich in protein and nutrients are the best choices during treatment, including:
Beans
Berries
Bright orange fruits and vegetables
Chicken
Eggs
Greek yogurt
Leafy green vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Salmon
Whole grains
Chemotherapy may cause symptoms that can impact your ability to meet your nutrition needs.
Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cancer cells. Despite its intended target, it often impacts healthy rapidly dividing cells as well, including those of your mouth, esophagus and the rest of your digestive tract. Because of this, digestive symptoms like mouth sores, heartburn and constipation are common.
Medications given with chemotherapy can also cause side effects. For example, some pain medications can slow down the digestive tract making it difficult to digest food and have a regular bowel movement.
The good news is your doctor expects and is prepared for these challenges. A registered dietitian can provide strategies, and help you plan a healthy diet that addresses your symptoms.
Small frequent meals may help when you don’t feel like eating anything at all.
Loss of appetite and early fullness are common side effects of chemotherapy. And if you don’t feel like eating, sitting down to a huge plate of salmon and greens isn’t exactly appealing. Here are a few ways to maximize the nutrients in your food:
Add blueberries to a bowl of cereal
Make grilled cheese on whole grain bread
Mix chopped broccoli into mac and cheese
Pump up chicken, tuna or egg salad with fresh celery and parsley
Toss extra vegetables in a mug of soup
Use peanut butter or avocado on toast
Soups, stews and smoothies make great meals for getting in lots of nutrients. And smaller portions make eating and drinking seem less daunting. Focus on eating a few bites or drinking a few sips at a time. You can always get seconds if you’re still hungry.
Take care in the kitchen to keep your food safe.
According to the National Cancer Institute, it’s unnecessary to avoid all fresh fruits and vegetables during treatment. Research shows that general food safety practices reduce the risk of food-borne illness while allowing for a less restrictive diet. Food safety practices include:
Washing hands
Separating raw meat, poultry and eggs from other foods
Washing fresh fruits and vegetables with cool water
Avoid food buffets
Mix up your routine to deal with taste and smell changes.
Taste changes and smell aversions are also common during treatment. That’s because the tissues that line your mouth and nasal cavity are also lined with those same rapidly dividing cells impacted by chemotherapy.
Identify your taste changes and add flavors to balance what you’re tasting using the FASS principle. FASS stands for fat, acid, salty, sweet. Patients experiencing taste changes may use these flavors differently depending on their specific tastes:
Acids: Try something acidic, such as fresh lemon juice when food tastes too sweet
Fats: Use nut butter or nut creams to help soothe mouth sores
Salty seasonings: Add sea salt when food seems tasteless
Sweeteners: Seasoning your food with natural sweeteners such as maple syrup or agave nectar, can help when your food tastes metallic or bitter
Activity, fluids and fiber can help you stay regular.
Bowel regularity is an essential part of staying well-nourished. Constipation can leave you feeling full even if you need to refuel. Loose, watery stool can dehydrate you. To alleviate discomfort, incorporate these strategies:
Activity: Exercise and physical activity encourage movement of food products through the digestive tract.
Fluids: Caffeine-free fluids, including water, herbal tea and unsweetened milk, help meet your body’s fluids needs.
Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber holds water in the digestive tract and encourages soft stools. Good sources include peeled apples and pears, beans, peas, blueberries and oats.
Talk to your doctor about your side effects.
Side effects of chemotherapy are expected, and your doctor will have some options for making them better. Whether you’re dealing with constipation, heartburn or sores in your mouth, your medical team has strategies to improve how you feel so you can keep up with your nutrition. Inadequate protein and calorie intake can lead to muscle loss and treatment delays.
Depending on your side effects, your doctor may suggest talking with a palliative medicine provider, who are specially trained to help you feel better. From appetite to energy and even your bathroom habits, they have an arsenal of tools, including medications, supplements and complementary therapies like acupuncture and massage.
A registered dietitian is a great resource.
Optimal nutrition during chemotherapy can help you feel good and maximize the benefits of your treatment. Treatment side effects may have you feeling a little out of sorts, but we’re here to help. If you would like more specific guidance, talk to your doctor about speaking with one of our registered dietitians today.
Authors
Monica Tomazic, MS, RD, CSO, LDN, and Maureen Shackelford, MS, RD, LDN, are registered dietitians specializing in oncology nutrition with Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.
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Your Heart Is in Good Hands with Luminis Health
LHAAMC is an American College of Cardiology Accredited Chest Pain Center
We provide you and your loved ones with compassionate care and the most advanced heart treatments available. This includes the latest, most minimally invasive procedures for both diagnoses and treatment.
We offer:
Emergency life-saving heart attack care. The Maryland Institute of Emergency Medicine Services Systems designates Luminis Health a Certified Intervention Center for emergency heart attack care. This means we're the area's preferred hospital for heart attack care, and you'll get life-saving care within 90 minutes of calling 911. We exceed Maryland state standards for this care.
Heart attack treatments recognized by the American Heart Association. The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline® program recognizes Luminis Health for outstanding performance and care when treating heart attack patients. We're one of only 25% of hospitals in the U.S. qualified to perform emergency cardiac catheterization.
A dedicated heart center. Our Zazulia Heart and Vascular Center is an inpatient unit just for heart patients. It features cardiac catheterization labs, a critical care unit and a cardiac rehabilitation center.
Nationally recognized care. The American College of Cardiology recognizes Luminis Health for our commitment to hospital care for heart patients. We're one of 212 hospitals in the nation to receive the Platinum Performance Achievement Award for chest pain and heart attack care. And we appear on the 2022 U.S. News & World Report list of “Best Hospitals."
Condition
Conditions/Services/Treatments Page
Heart Attack
Call 911 immediately if you think you might be having a heart attack. Eighty-five percent of heart damage occurs within the first two hours of a heart attack. Getting to the hospital at the earliest sign of an attack is key for a good outcome and quick recovery.Interested in learning your heart attack risk level? Take our Heart Health Profiler.What Is a Heart Attack?A heart attack is a medical emergency. It usually happens when plaque in an artery blocks blood flow to your heart. Without blood, your heart can't get oxygen and heart-muscle cells die quickly.Symptoms of a heart attack vary, but they often include chest pain or discomfort and shortness of breath.
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Why Choose Us?At Luminis Health Physical Therapy, we'll help you prevent falls and maximize your mobility so you can enjoy an active, independent lifestyle. Reasons to choose us include:Our fall prevention expertise. We have certified fall prevention specialists. Plus, we partnered with our primary care team to develop our fall prevention program based on recommendations from national experts.Our extended hours and many locations. By offering more options for where and when to see us, we make coming for treatment more convenient. And when necessary, a therapist can visit your home, through our PT360 outpatient physical therapy program. In some cases, we also provide telehealth visits.Our patient satisfaction. You don't have to take our word for it about the quality of our care providers and the services we deliver. Ask our patients. They say they're highly likely to recommend us to friends and family.Our focus on your goals. We focus on patient-centered care. When it comes to our level of concern for patients' questions and worries, patients rate us very highly — 90%. And we get the identical grade for our efforts to include them in decisions and discussing treatment with them.Our partnership with other care providers. We're closely connected with primary care, hospital inpatient care and our PT360 outpatient physical therapy programs. We'll also stay in close touch with your referring doctor and consult other experts as necessary.
Treatment
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Fall Prevention and Balance Treatment
We assess fall risk in older adults, create customized fall prevention programs and treat balance problems. We also conduct wheelchair evaluations.Falls and BalanceMost of us want to continue living in our own homes as we age. But each year, one in four older Americans experiences a fall, which can threaten that degree of independence. For instance, 70% of older adults hospitalized for falls need home health care or nursing home care after hospital discharge.After a fall, fear of falling again can keep people from staying active or even leaving the house. But you don't have to accept falling as an inescapable part of aging. Our fall prevention and balance treatment specialists can help keep you standing firmly on your own two feet.
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