A Place for the Heart

Heart & Vascular Center By Koren Gillespie

Movin’ on up! Patients of the Heart & Vascular Center now have quicker access to care and overall convenience under one roof in a new location.

“I always say it’s not the building, but the people in it that matters, but the new facility does give us the opportunity to do things more efficiently,” says Andrew Hordes, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at the Heart & Vascular Center. “Everything is in one place, and there are circumstances when someone comes into the office, and it is an urgent situation. We can now get certain tests done right away and being down the hall from our testing area makes it streamlined. It’s good to be in the same building.”

Formerly known as The Cardiology Center, the newly named Heart & Vascular Center is now located in an 8,000 square-foot space inside Watauga Medical Center. The setting is new but offers the same award-winning, quality care to patients. Prior to the move, space was an issue. Parking could be scarce. Staff shared desks and offices. Social distancing for patients and personnel was harder to implement. The move now allows for a better working environment and roomier waiting area, as well as convenience of care.

“Our patients have been very impressed with our new office space and comment that it is so warm and inviting,” says Beth Miller, Senior Director for Clinical Support Services. “Also, they like that we now have the ability to provide vascular care in the same office they receive their cardiology care—it’s been a real plus.”

The Heart & Vascular Center offers a full spectrum of cardiology and vascular services to the community. Common heart disease in the United States. About patient needs include heart monitors to 805,000 Americans have a heart attack per evaluate for heart arrhythmias, high blood year. Heart disease is the leading cause of pressure management, stress testing and death for both men and women, and one echocardiography to evaluate the heart, in four deaths are due to heart disease. The management of pacemakers and defibril- main culprits for heart disease are high lators, management of heart failure, and blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, care after a heart attack. Additionally, and smoking, and about 47 percent of medical personnel often see undiagnosed Americans have at least one of these three vascular issues during a general assess- risk factors. Think about how many people ment of their cardiac patients. The most you personally know who have suffered prevalent issue is peripheral artery disease from cardiac-related conditions, and sadly, (PAD), leg pain, and decreased circulation. you are likely to come up with at least a

Miller adds, “Every day I work with handful of people. To meet these everstaff and providers who demonstrate growing needs, Appalachian Regional compassion and care to our patients and Healthcare System continues to prioritize families. And, in many cases, our staff and cardiovascular care as demonstrated with providers go above and beyond to not only the newly expanded Heart & Vascular provide exceptional care but an excep- Center. tional patient experience. Our team gets “One of the primary missions of our to experience the enjoyment of providing healthcare system is to provide high qualcardiac and vascular care during a really ity, compassionate care close to home,” critical time in a patient’s life. Often, we shares Miller. “We pride ourselves at the are able to experience the positive impact Heart and Vascular Center by focusing when caring for someone through a criti- on state-of-the-art care here in the High cal illness. We get to take care of them as Country. We want to treat each patient we watch them return to a healthier way of like they are a member of our family, strivlife. That’s truly rewarding!” ing to provide excellent care right here

Also new to the Heart & Vascular in our surrounding communities. We Center is the ability to provide 24-hour, have excellent providers, excellent staff, seven-days-a-week catheterization lab and now excellent healthcare facilities in coverage. For patients experiencing the which to care for our community. The enmost serious symptoms of heart attack, all tire healthcare team genuinely wants to access availability saves time and allows for care for each patient by providing attenquicker, possibly lifesaving interventions. tion to individual needs and the individual

The need to prevent and treat cardio- needs of their families,” concludes Miller. vascular health issues is still an ongoing effort for our nation and local community. For more information about the Heart & Vascular Center, Statistics from the Centers of Disease visit http://apprhs.org/heart/ or call Control and Prevention (CDC) show (828) 264-9664. troublesome facts about the burden of

Your Immune System: The Most Effective Weapon Against Illness (Part Two) By Samantha Steele

For those of you who are new to our “Be Well” column, my name is Samantha Steele and I am a Holistic Health care practitioner. “Holistic Health” is the practice of working with the whole person to improve overall health, wellbeing and immunity. Rather than a diseasebased approach to health care—get sick, see a doctor, take medication—a Holistic Health Practitioner uses a wellness-based model to prevent and treat the whole person, mind, body, and spirit.

I exercise my intervention specifically through diet, lifestyle and supplementation. I believe many illnesses can be successfully prevented, and even some treated, this way. Because of these uncertain times, in this two part series I focus mainly on supporting the immune system, which starts with the basics of heathy living: whole foods, restorative sleep, reducing toxin exposure, effectively managing stress, building and maintaining a healthy microbiome, and emotional health. In our Autumn 2020 issue, I covered good vs. bad bacteria, diet, sleep, stress management, earthing and forest bathing. You can read Part One online at www.CMLmagazine. online. In Part Two of this series, I cover the importance of hydration, detox, meditation and deep breathing, hygiene and supplementation.

Hydration

Stay hydrated with at least half of your body weight in fluid ounces of water. Our immune system is seriously dependent on the nutrients in our blood stream, and our blood stream is made mostly of water! If we don’t have enough water, we cannot properly transport nutrients to each organ system. Staying well hydrated is also very important for detoxification pathways by increasing lymphatic drainage and making sure we are clearing out any foreign invaders and other waste materials. Dehydration can contribute to muscle tension, headaches, low serotonin production and digestive issues.

Detox

Start by adopting the detoxifying habit of drinking at least six ounces of lemon water in the morning and/or evening. Simply squeeze one half of a small lemon in six ounces of water. You can reduce toxin exposure by avoiding excess sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and fructose. Watch out for environmental toxins, like artificial fragrances found in personal care products and household cleaners, and trace amounts of weed killers and pesticides found in certain foods. Buy organic and know your sources when choosing what to put in and on your body.

If you vape, smoke or use other forms of tobacco, consider cutting back or quitting altogether. Actively reduce any dependence on over-the-counter medications that compromise liver function, such as Ibuprofen, Tylenol and Motrin. Tylenol can deplete glutathione, a very strong antioxidant that your body requires daily. It is especially helpful in fighting harmful viruses, and some people who suffer the most from COVID have shown a glutathione deficiency.

Meditation with Deep Breathing

Even a few minutes at the beginning and end of the day can make a HUGE difference in your immune system and your overall wellbeing. And feel free to practice as needed throughout the day!

Hygiene

Work to build and maintain your skin and gut microbiome. You can help accomplish this task by avoiding chlorine and antibiotics, which obliterate your healthy microflora. Wash your hands with natural soaps rather than antibacterial sanitizers, which can sometimes be toxic. The CDC recommends washing 20 seconds in warm or cold water. I recommend cool water because hot water can dry and crack the skin barrier, making

“Holistic Health” is the practice of working with the whole person to improve overall health, well-being and immunity.

us much more susceptible to invasion. Eat plenty of fresh, leafy vegetables, fermented foods and cultured dairies which are full of natural enzymes. Rotate these foods because different foods feed different types of bacteria and cultivate a diverse microbiome. A healthy microbiome is proven to help our bodies fight against invaders that lead to disease.

Don’t forget how important oral care is for overall health! Take care of your mouth with twice daily teeth brushing and flossing. Avoid alcohol based mouthwashes. Instead, rinse your mouth out with salt water made with Celtic sea salt and a little peppermint essential oil. Try oil pulling, a practice that involves swishing oil, such as unfiltered coconut oil, in your mouth once a week to keep gingivitis at bay. Also avoid toothpastes made with unhealthy or potentially toxic ingredients, such as Triclosan, microbeads, artificial colors, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and propylene glycol.

Supplementation

Supplementation should be considered a way to “top off” the nutrients that you naturally receive by eating a healthy diet. Even with a very healthy, balanced diet, it is necessary to supplement in times of need to offset poor food quality and to aid the body in regaining balance. Currently Do something fun! Enjoy some quality we are all in need of a strong immune time with a loved one. Find something system as we face the current threat of that makes you laugh really hard and just COVID-19. There will be future threats as relax for goodness sake! All of these things well, so why not arm yourself for the next will boost your “feel good” hormones, one? Consider adding the supplements lower your ambient anxiety and promote listed below to your daily regimen, and joy in you and others. seek support from a trusted health care professional for more information on including them in your immune support regime: • Samantha Steele is a nutritionist, food scientist and Be Well n Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 n Liposomal Vitamin C n Vitamin E n Liposomal Glutathione n Quercitin n Zinc n Broad spectrum Probiotics n Elderberry As cooler weather approaches and you begin heating your home, use a humidifier in your bedroom if your indoor air is too dry. This can help reduce the risk of infections, as bacteria and viruses do not typically travel well in moist air. Signs of a dry climate are lips that start chapping and houseplants that wither more readily between waterings. Lastly, building your immune system doesn’t have to be all boring and mundane. herbalist who loves spending time outside foraging for wild foods while appreciating the abundance of God’s creation. • Samantha can be contacted at cmlmag3@gmail.com. • The views are those of the author and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your personal physician or healthcare professional before making changes to any treatments or regimens. References: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/threatsreport/2019-ar-threats-report-508.pdf https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15632669/ https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-howhandwashing.html