Bloom Winter 2017

AVOIDING DIABETES | No More Neck Pain | Winning Resolutions

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Nurturing women’s health in Colorado Springs

time IS precious Increased awareness and better treatments help women with ovarian cancer live longer

BYE-BYE

FAT

Lose weight and keep it off Page 7

Winter 2017 Volume 7, Issue 1

HealthyStart

Get coached in diabetes prevention

1/3

Americans at risk of developing type 2 diabetes

9/10 Americans don’t know they are at risk

At the park, the grocery store, and other locations around town, Judy Kibby, RN,

lifestyle coach at the Penrose-St. Francis Health Learning Center, offers up small, simple, and even fun changes to Colorado Springs residents to help them live healthier and avoid developing diabetes.

The stats are scary: Some 29 million U.S. adults have diabetes. Nearly one in three Americans are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And nine out of 10 of them don’t know it, says Kibby, a certified diabetes educator.

But studies show that just small changes can make a big difference. Eating healthy, dropping as little as 5 percent of weight (if you are overweight), and getting in 150 minutes of weekly moderate activity can prevent prediabetes from turning into diabetes.

Throughout the community, Kibby and fellow coaches meet with groups who participate in a free yearlong program to share tips that can help them achieve these changes. And the tips pay off: Participants in the Penrose-St. Francis Diabetes Prevention Class lower their risk of developing diabetes by 58-72 percent.

To join Penrose’s FREE Diabetes Prevention Class, call Mike Campos at 719-776-4685 or Judy Kibby at 719-776-3600.

Visit penrosestfrancis.org/bloom to read how two Colorado Springs sisters used the diabetes prevention program to change their lives.

bloom is published four times annually by Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. Executive editor is Jill Woodford. As part of Centura Health, our mission is to nurture the health of the people in our community. The information herein is meant to complement and not replace advice provided by a licensed health care professional. For comments or to unsubscribe to this publication, please email us at bloom@centura.org. bloom is produced by Clementine Healthcare Marketing.

Your back aches. The label on your painkillers carries an expiration date of eight months ago. Will the capsules inside still relieve your ache? Could taking “old” drugs hurt you?

“The expiration date on any product is the date up to which the manufacturer will guarantee the medicine’s full potency,” says pharmacist Alan Henley of Centura Health Pharmacy at Penrose Hospital.

Several studies have shown that most medications are fully effective if used within a year or two of the expiration date if they have been properly stored, Henley says.

But do not use a prescription drug after the expiration date if it is critical medication, such as anticoagulants (blood thinners), antibiotics, and medications for heart conditions, seizures, diabetes, severe allergic reactions, and any serious chronic illnesses. “You would not want to risk any diminished potency,” Henley says.

FAST FACT The antibiotic tetracycline is dangerous to take after its expiration date because it can damage kidneys.

The Colorado Medication Take-Back Program can help you dispose of old medications properly. To find a location near you, visit colorado.gov/ pacific/cdphe/medicationtake-back-locations-list.

2222 North Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

bloom

2

Winter 2017

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Cover photo: ©IStockphoto.com/fotyma; This Page: ©IStockphoto.com/sunstock, /amphotora; Opposite Page: ©IStockphoto.com/GlobalP, /Nastco, /LuisPortugal

How bad is it ... to take expired medications?

New year, new rear

Get behind your behind to help hips, knees, back If only sitting on our backsides counted for giving our rears a workout. But sitting and having poor posture make them weak and lazy. “The gluteus maximus, the body’s largest and potentially strongest muscle, has work it should be doing: moving the hips through their full range of motion,” says Erin Heberlein, gym and fitness supervisor at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.

The gluteus muscles can suffer from “gluteal amnesia,” in which the body forgets how to activate these big muscles, she says.

Weak glutes can result in pain in the low back, hips, knees, groin, and even the shoulders.

Try exercises like hip raises, lunges, and squats to get your rear back into gear.

For the man in your life FAST FACT Americans sit an average of 13 hours a day.

Sign up for one of Penrose-St. Francis’ 21 ongoing, weekly group fitness classes. For more information, visit penrosestfrancis.org. Click on the “Health & Wellness” tab.

LUNG CHECK

Screening detects lung cancer early

Just as some people metabolize food more quickly than others, some smokers metabolize nicotine faster. Now, researchers have discovered new genetic markers associated with faster nicotine metabolism. The condition can lead to smoking more cigarettes and inhaling more nicotine — which adds up to greater risk for lung cancer.

Annual low-dose CT screening saves lives by identifying lung cancer, even before symptoms appear. Early detection makes treatment easier and improves outcomes and survival rates.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, designated by the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) as a Screening Center of Excellence, offers lung cancer screenings.

Is his heart attacking, or just on fire?

That fiery pain in the chest that comes on after he eats or that keeps him up at night is probably heartburn.

But, if it’s happening regularly, it Dr. James Schmidt could be a sign of something more serious, says cardiologist James Schmidt, MD, with Colorado Springs Cardiology, A Centura Health Clinic.

According to Schmidt, it may be time for him to see a doctor if: • He’s experiencing heartburn more than twice a week • His over-the-counter medications don’t relieve symptoms • He has trouble swallowing • He has persistent nausea, vomiting, or a poor appetite • He experiences unintended weight loss And, Schmidt says, always seek immediate medical help if he experiences heartburn with severe chest pain or pressure, especially if accompanied by difficulty breathing and pain in the arm or jaw. This could be a heart attack.

Could a heart attack be in his or your future? If you have risk factors for heart disease, a cardiac calcium scoring test, a noninvasive CT scan, can help determine your heart health. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 719-776-8080.

If you fit these criteria, you should talk to your doctor about screening: • You are 55 or older • You currently smoke, or quit smoking within the last 15 years • You smoked at least 30 pack years or the equivalent (a “pack year” is equal to one pack a day for however many years you smoke; two packs a day for 15 years, for example, is equal to 30 pack years) If you have questions, call 719-776-5273 to speak to a nurse. A physician referral is required to schedule a screening.

Penrose Cancer Center is part of the Centura Health Cancer Network, delivering integrated, advanced cancer care across Colorado and western Kansas. penrosestfrancis.org

Winter 2017

3 bloom

Making strides against a deadly cancer

Increased awareness and better treatments are helping women with ovarian cancer live longer Five years after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Ann Gore

celebrated both her 80th birthday and her 50th wedding anniversary.

The theme for her birthday party was Paris, where Gore spent three months in 1964 working in the U.S. Embassy. When the state department transferred Gore to Libya, she met her husband, Marion, who was serving in the Air Force there.

“It’s been an interesting life,” says Gore, who celebrated her birthday surrounded by family and her anniversary over a quiet dinner for two with Marion in their backyard.

She was celebrating something else as well, a remarkable recovery from ovarian cancer.

More time for women with advanced cancer

Gore is like most women with Dr. Dirk Pikaart ovarian cancer, age 60 or older and diagnosed when the cancer is advanced and can rarely be cured. But new and better treatments are extending life. “We work to give women extra time, and quality time,” says Dirk Pikaart, DO, a gynecologic oncologist at Southern Colorado Gynecologic Oncology. In 2011, Pikaart operated on Gore, removing her uterus and ovaries, part of her colon, and dozens of lymph nodes. Then Gore had chemotherapy to kill the remaining cancer cells.

The cancer came back five times through the summer of 2016. Each time, Gore had more chemotherapy. Today, she’s doing well and has no evidence of disease. She sees Pikaart every three months for monitoring.

Subtle changes could be cancer

“It’s really hard to catch ovarian cancer early.

Most of the time, early on it doesn’t cause a lot of discomfort or symptoms,” Pikaart says. That’s why it’s so important to be tuned into subtle changes

bloom

4 Winter 2017

in your body. All too often, women explain away bloating, feeling full quickly, persistent pelvic or abdominal pain, or changes in the menstrual cycle as something minor. And changes from menopause make it harder to know what’s normal.

“If the symptoms are new and don’t go away, they need to be explained,” Pikaart says. “Most of the time, it’s not going to be cancer.” See your doctor if mild or moderate symptoms don’t go away after a few weeks, and sooner if the symptoms are severe.

Being persistent about getting a diagnosis is important, too. Gore had been having abdominal pain for months, but her doctor kept telling her it was constipation. When she told her gastroenterologist about the pain, he ordered a CT scan, which showed an ovarian cyst. The gastroenterologist sent Gore to a gynecologist, who called in Pikaart. It is also important to see a gynecologic oncologist as soon after diagnosis as possible, as outcomes are dramatically improved by seeing a physician who specializes in gynecologic cancers. “You can avoid extra surgeries, begin treatments sooner, and likely have a better quality and longer life,” says Pikaart. He is currently the only gynecologic oncologist in southern Colorado.

Advances lead to better treatments

New drugs and better understanding of genetics are helping women like Gore live longer and better, including: • PARP inhibitors, which inhibit the enzyme poly ADP ribose polymerase, are designed to kill cancer cells by inhibiting the cancer cells’ repair genes. As the cancer cells die, the tumors shrink, resulting in better survival rates. One PARP inhibitor — Lynparza — is already being used in women with mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are best known for their role in increasing the risk of breast cancer.

(This is the genetic mutation Angelina Jolie fought with mastectomy and removal of her ovaries.)

• Targeted therapies, like Avastin, block specific pathways in the cancer cells that are required for them to live and grow. Avastin stops the cancer cells from being able to form new blood vessels. Without a blood supply, the cancer cannot grow. Avastin is used with other chemotherapy agents for recurrent ovarian cancer.

(Continued on Page 6.)

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Screening for ovarian cancer: Should you or shouldn’t you?

Routine ultrasound and blood tests that screen for ovarian cancer may reduce deaths, say recent studies, yet the Food and Drug Administration and leading medical societies discourage routine screenings. “These methods don’t catch enough ovarian cancers early to make a difference,” says Dirk Pikaart, DO, a gynecologic oncologist at Southern Colorado Gynecologic Oncology. But they can lead to unnecessary surgery because of the high number of positive results that turn out not to be cancer. Right now, an annual pelvic exam is the only recommended screening for ovarian cancer in women with no known risk factors. Women with a BRCA mutation, family history of ovarian cancer, or another risk factor may need additional screenings as recommended by their doctors.

About 70 percent of ovarian cancers aren’t diagnosed until they’ve spread because there are often only subtle changes that women frequently ignore.

Symptoms to report to your doctor include: • Feeling full quickly • Bloating • Persistent pelvic or abdominal pain • Changes in the menstrual cycle, particularly bleeding after menopause

penrosestfrancis.org

Last year, Ann Gore celebrated her 80th birthday, 50 years of marriage to Marion, and five years of survivorship after ovarian cancer.

Winter 2017

5 bloom

photos: ©istockimages.com/agcuesta, /inbj, ©Steve Bigley

Ladies: Pay Attention!

Symptom

Continued from Page 4

Genetic Breakthroughs

Ovarian Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Endometrial Cancer

Vaginal bleeding or discharge

x

x

x

Pelvic pain or pressure

x

x

x

Abdominal or back pain

x

x

Bloating

x

Changes in bathroom habits

x

x

The identification of genetic mutations linked to some ovarian and endometrial cancers and the availability of genetic tests to find those mutations have led to breakthroughs in prevention and treatment. “The field of genetics is exploding with new knowledge,” says Pikaart.

Inherited ovarian and endometrial cancer

Women with mutations in the BRCA genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) have a high risk of developing ovarian and/or breast cancer. Fewer than 2 percent of all women will develop ovarian cancer, according to estimates. But for women with a BRCA mutation, the risk increases to: • BRCA1 mutation: 39 percent • BRCA2 mutation: 11-17 percent Having a genetic mutation called hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer syndrome, or Lynch syndrome, may also increase the risk for endometrial and colon cancer. The most common genetic risk factor for cancer, Lynch syndrome is caused by mutations in any of several genes.

Women with Lynch syndrome have an estimated: • 9-12 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer • 20-60 percent chance of developing endometrial cancer

Genetic testing for prevention and better treatment

If genetic testing shows BRCA mutations or Lynch syndrome, surgery to remove the ovaries, uterus, or breasts prevents those cancers. Other ways to reduce cancer risk include oral birth control pills, a healthy lifestyle, and (for ovarian cancer) tubal ligation. Some drugs can also help reduce the risk of developing these cancers.

Genetic testing is also sometimes used to find the best treatment for a specific patient if cancer is found. “We’re trying to figure out which drugs work for each individual based on the cancer cells’ genetic profile,” Pikaart explains. The drug Lynparza, for example, is currently used in some ovarian cancer patients with BRCA mutations. Research shows that PARP inhibitors may benefit more patients with different genetic profiles, too.

The Hereditary Cancer Service at Penrose Cancer Center provides cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling, and testing services for individuals and families with concerns about inherited cancer predispositions. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 719-776-5279. To contact Dr. Dirk Pikaart, call 719-776-6222.

bloom

6 Winter 2017

How too much fat increases cancer risk Being obese, or even overweight, increases your risk for both ovarian and endometrial cancer. “Fatty tissue creates estrogenlike hormones,” explains Pikaart, “which stimulate the uterine lining continuously, causing changes that eventually become cancer.” Compared to women who are a normal weight, endometrial cancer is: • Twice as common in overweight women • More than three times as common in obese women Obesity increases the risk for ovarian cancer, too, but its role isn’t as well-understood. “It may have to do with the same reason as endometrial cancer: higher estrogen levels,” Pikaart says.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

photos: This page: ©istockphoto.com/giuliano2022, /lleerogers, /Lenorlux, /tiler84, ©Steve Bigley; Opposite page: ©istockphoto.com/fcafotodigital, ©Steve Bigley

Symptoms of ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancer

& QA Emily Valenta, DO Family Practice Physician Penrose-St. Francis Primary Care 3027 North Circle Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80909 719-776-4646

Q: Is a low-fat diet the fastest way to lose weight?

A: Maybe. There’s intense controversy about

whether a low-fat or low-carb diet works best.

If you cut out saturated fats, like animal fats and butter, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, a low-fat diet can be a good way to lose weight fast. But it’s never good to completely cut out key nutrients, like fat, and you should only use a low-fat diet for a short period of time. The body needs good fats like polyunsaturated fatty acids found in plant-based foods like olive oil.

They help prevent vision loss, heart disease, depression, and other problems.

Q: Is the Paleo diet a good choice?

A: Eating like a caveman is also controversial.

The lean meats, fruits, and vegetables that are the Paleo diet’s mainstay are healthy — so is eliminating processed sugar. But cutting out dairy, grains, and legumes isn’t a good idea because they provide calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Consider using Paleo to kick-start your weight loss, but not as a lifelong way of eating.

Want to learn more about the latest diet trends? Join our free class in January.

See Page 11 for details.

What Works Best

for Losing weight and keeping it off?

Q: What’s a “metabolic” diet?

A: This diet focuses on foods that stoke your

metabolism and smaller, more frequent meals to burn fat instead of carbs. It includes complex (good) carbs, like whole grains and brown rice, but excludes refined carbs, like processed breads and sugars. Other recommended foods include fruits, vegetables, lean meats, legumes, eggs, and yogurt. You might lose weight fast, but that can be unsafe, and isn’t sustainable.

Q: Do I have to change my diet to stay healthy as I get older?

A: As you age, you lose bone mass and muscle, and your metabolism slows down. You need plenty of calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong and healthy, and you need to be careful about calories. Eating about 25 percent more lean protein (and doing weightbearing exercise) strengthens your muscles and helps prevent problems like falls and fractures.

Q: I’m so confused! What diet should I choose?

A: The anti-inflammatory diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and Asian diet, is a healthy diet. It focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish with omega-3 fatty acids, and lean protein. The anti-inflammatory diet is low in saturated fat and refined carbs and is wellbalanced overall.

Dr. Emily Valenta Since her high school science classes, Dr. Valenta has been fascinated by the way that the human body works. After completing her residency in Kansas City, she and her husband, Kenny Rentas, MD, a radiologist, moved to Colorado. “We both love the outdoors and enjoy hiking and skiing,” she says. “Colorado Springs is really impressive to us.” In her family medical practice, Valenta uses evidencebased integrative medicine to care for each patient’s mind, body, and spirit.

To make an appointment with Dr. Valenta, call 719-776-4646.

penrosestfrancis.org

Winter 2017

7 bloom

technology

Banishing Neck Pain

A minimally invasive procedure helps relieve pinched nerves

Better function and less damage Traditionally, a compressed nerve causing pain is treated by removing the disc that is pinching the nerve and filling in the space with bone or sometimes a plate to keep it from compressing again. That technique,

called anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), however, can limit motion in the neck.

So instead, Joseph J. Illig, MD, a neurosurgeon at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, recommended replacing Haarman’s injured disc with an artificial disc.

This technique helps maintain normal neck movement and prevents damage to surrounding discs. “It’s a very good operation for younger patients who have perhaps one or two degenerative discs that are contributing to symptoms,” says Illig.

Haarmann was hospitalized overnight for the procedure, performed by Illig, in November 2015.

After the surgery, Haarmann’s coordination and balance improved and the “pins and needles” feeling in her hands disappeared. Haarmann returned to work about six weeks after the procedure, although patients with desk jobs usually return to work sooner than that.

And more than a year later, “I can turn my head, and I don’t have any pain,” she says.

Ellen Haarmann, a correctional counselor from La Junta, found relief for her neck pain with a disc replacement.

bloom

8 Winter 2017

Advantages of disc replacement Replacing an injured disc in the neck with an artificial one and avoiding fusion is best suited for younger or healthier patients.

The benefits include: • More neck movement • Recovery does not require a cervical collar, which can cause stiffness and problems swallowing and chewing • Quicker return to normal activities and work But that procedure is not suitable for all patients.

Discectomy with fusion is recommended for patients with severe deterioration in their discs that results in too little room to put in an artificial disc or abnormal cervical motion.

“There’s a 75 to 85 percent chance that symptoms will improve with either procedure,” says Illig.

Did you know that pain, tingling, or numbness in your arm could be caused by nerve damage in the neck? Learn more about symptoms of cervical spine problems and the latest treatments at a FREE seminar on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. See Page 11 for details.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

photos: This Page: ©Steve Bigley; opposite page: ©istockphoto.com/gradyreese, Illustration: ©istockphoto.com/nezezon2

As a correctional counselor at the Bent County Correctional Facility, Ellen Haarmann needs to be strong. Neck pain didn’t stop her from doing her job, but it was always there. “It just started hurting, Dr. Joseph J. Illig but I didn’t think I had anything wrong with me,” says the 56-year-old La Junta, Colo., resident.

Then an MRI showed that Haarmann had a pinched nerve and a pinched spinal cord in the neck — which could cause permanent damage. She needed surgery to unpinch the nerve and spinal cord.

Accentuate the Positive

Flipping your approach to health may be just the inspiration you need

3 ways to think positive

1

2

A

lthough you shouldn’t wait for the new year to change your life for the better, there is something about Jan. 1 that inspires people. But this year, why not try a different tact? Instead of pledging to give up something (that extra 10 pounds, for instance), why not form habits that add to your life (like taking a daily walk with your husband)?

“If you suspect that restraint, deprivation, and rule following aren’t your strong suits, you’re in good company with every other human,” says Lindsey Carnick, integrated behavioral health specialist at Centura Health Physician Group Behavioral Health in Colorado Springs.

“Giving up things goes against our psychobiological instincts and cultural conditioning, which encourage us to stock up, hoard, and consume,” Carnick says. “When it comes to giving up an established behavior — sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, gossip, and so on — the projected benefits are vague abstractions, compared with the instant gratification that got us hooked in the first place.”

Change Your Focus “Most of us have a really tough time giving things up because of the essential nature of motivation. Focusing on deprivation provokes our universal human anxiety about shortages,” Carnick says. “So in trying to avoid something — or to cut down, or quit — we end up focusing on whatever it is.”

Saying to ourselves: “I’m not getting that scone at the coffeehouse this morning” is directing our attention to the scone. Instead, try telling yourself, “I AM going to get the most gorgeous fruit-and-yogurt bowl ever!”

It’s OK to fall short. Just keep moving in the right direction. “Expectations should be like lottery tickets,” Carnick says. “If you didn’t win a million dollars but still walked away with $50 more than before, are you going to say ‘no, thanks’?”

“Stay focused on what did work well and use today’s information for more success tomorrow,” she says.

penrosestfrancis.org

3

Be nice to yourself. Most of us would never speak to others in the harsh, negative ways we address ourselves.

When you’re being self-critical, ask yourself: “Would I talk to a friend this way?”

Grab a piece of paper. Write down a list of your goals. “You’ll be shocked at how many are framed as things not to do,” Carnick says. Rewrite your goals as things you want to do, then get started.

Be realistic. “Most of us feel obligated to set monumental goals, and then get demoralized and give up,” she says. “Set realistic goals, blow them out of the water, and then aim higher.”

Integrated Behavioral Health Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) specialists are licensed psychotherapists who practice inside CHPG Primary Care offices. Once a patient and her primary care provider identify health care goals, IBH specialists help patients develop strategies to address negative health behaviors, chronic disease management (including diabetes, hypertension, insomnia), weight management, mental health concerns, substance abuse, and relationship problems that may be keeping her from reaching optimum health.

To access this service, you need to have a primary care provider with CHPG Primary Care. For a list of our three locations, visit penrosestfrancis.org/psfpc.

Winter 2017

9 bloom

Matters of the Heart

bloom 10 Winter 2017

Take Heart WomenHeart Support Network Date | 2nd Tue of the month (see special class to the right for February) Time | Noon-1:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Pavilion, 2312 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Room A Cost | FREE Info | Elizabeth at 626-688-3420 or Stephanie at 719-200-2645 Support, advocacy, and education for survivors of heart disease and stroke.

Led by peers who have experienced heart disease/stroke, our goal is to thrive for the best quality of life. Call for more information.

Penrose Cancer Center offers more than 30 support groups, and fitness and complementary programs for cancer patients and their families, regardless of where they receive cancer care. Visit penrosecancercenter.org/ calendar for information.

Heart-Healthy Eating Class Dates | Tue, Feb 14, 4-5 p.m., CHPG Primary Care Broadmoor, 1263 Lake Plaza Drive; Wed, Feb 15, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Tri-Lakes YMCA Community Room, 17230 Jackson Creek Parkway; Thu, Feb 16, 4-5 p.m., Penrose-St. Francis Primary Care, 3027 North Circle Drive Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ Feb14, penrosestfrancis.org/Feb15, OR penrosestfrancis.org/Feb16 (choose one) Learn helpful hints on how to eat better for heart health.

Heart Calcium Scoring $149 This noninvasive CT scan is a quick, painless method for detecting heart disease. You can learn at the time of your screening by a cardiac nurse if you are at risk for heart disease before a single symptom occurs. Calcium scoring does not require a physician referral, but you should consult with your physician to see if calcium scoring is right for you. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 719-776-8080.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

photos: This Page: ©istockphoto.com/skodonnell; opposite page: ©istockphoto.com/Sacura14, /sankai

calendar

Winter

Date | Sat, Jan 28 Time | 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Location | St. Francis Medical Center, 6001 East Woodmen Road, Cafeteria Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/PYH Are you aware of the top risk factors that contribute to heart disease? Dr. Paul Sherry, cardiologist at Colorado Springs Cardiology, A Centura Health Clinic, will discuss the main risk factors of heart disease and teach you prevention techniques to keep your heart healthy.

A registered dietitian will share helpful hints for heart-healthy food choices, complete with tasty samples that will make your heart sing. An exercise physiologist will demonstrate commonsense ways to strengthen and tone your way to heart fitness, and you’ll end the morning with a 15-minute relaxation exercise that will be sure to melt away your stress. Heart-healthy breakfast snacks will be provided. Space limited to 90.

Is feeling better urgent?

We have five urgent care locations to serve you:

Centura Health Tri-Lakes Urgent Care (Monument): 719-571-7070 Penrose Community Urgent Care: 719-776-3216 Centura Health Urgent Care Broadmoor (Lake and Venetucci Boulevard): 719-776-3330 Penrose Mountain Urgent Care (Woodland Park): 719-686-0551 Penrose Urgent Care at Cripple Creek (Cripple Creek): 719-776-4300 Learn more at penrosestfrancis.org/urgentcare.

Nutrition Trends From the 21st Century Dates | Wednesdays, Jan 11, 18, and Feb 1 Time | 6-7 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Rooms A-C Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ trends A three-part series to discuss the truth behind some of the trending nutrition fads, including GMOs, the Paleo diet, artificial sweeteners, and more.

What If? What Else? What Now? Date | Sat, Jan 21 Time | 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Location | Penrose Hospital, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Barry Nolan Boardroom Cost | $125/person Registration | sarastrategies.com/ register.html Are you exploring the next chapter of your life? Experience a one-day interactive, life planning session facilitated by best-selling author Sara Boatz. You’ll identify your dreams, articulate your goals, and leave with a clear purpose, direction, and a written plan to live the life of your dreams. Seminar includes continental breakfast, boxed lunch, work binder, and book. Registration is required

by Jan. 16. Payment due at time of registration. penrosestfrancis.org

Cervical Disc Replacement Seminar Date | Wed, Jan 25 Time | 6-7:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Rooms A-C Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ CDR Do you suffer from arm weakness/ numbness? Do you have tingling in your arm or hand? Do you experience sharp pain in the neck or shoulders? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing a herniated cervical disc. Join Dr. Joseph Illig, neurosurgeon, to learn about herniated cervical discs and your treatment options.

Diabetes Prevention Class Date | Informational session offered Wed, Jan 25 Time | 4 p.m.

Location | Penrose-St. Francis Primary Care, 3027 North Circle Drive, Conference Room Cost | FREE Info and registration | Mike at 719776-4685 or michaelcampos@ centura.org Did you know that one in three adults is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes? If you have prediabetes or other risk factors for type 2 diabetes, this proven program can help prevent or delay getting it.

In group sessions, you will work with a trained lifestyle coach and other participants to learn the skills needed to make lasting lifestyle changes. You’ll learn how to eat healthy, add physical activity to your life, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy changes. Plus, you’ll have opportunities to win items to help you reach your goals, including gift cards, a Fitbit, and more! Space is limited!

Relief for Chronic Headaches and Migraines Date | Thu, Mar 9 Time | 6-7:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Rooms A-C Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ migraine Knowing the symptoms of different types of headaches can help you get the appropriate treatment. Join neurologist Dr. Julia Brinley to learn more about the different types of headaches and migraines and the latest treatment options.

Stress Busters for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers Date | Wed, Feb 22 Time | 4:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Pavilion, 2312 North Nevada Avenue Cost | FREE Registration | Sherry Martin at 719-776-5311 Crystal Fields-Burdick and Sherry Martin will provide a wide range of techniques designed to reduce anxiety, tension, and distress.

JUNTAS Contra el Cáncer/ TOGETHER Against Cancer Date | Mon, Feb 27 Time | 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Room A Cost | GRATIS/FREE Info and registration jessicavencer@centura.org or 719-776-5549 Los invitamos a la presentación de nuestro grupo: JUNTAS Contra el Cáncer. Please join us as we present our group: TOGETHER Against Cancer.

Stepping On! Dates | Tuesdays, Apr 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, and 16 Time | 10 a.m.-Noon Location | St. Francis Medical Center, 6001 East Woodmen Road, Conference Room 4 Registration | 719-571-8000 Cost | FREE Stepping On! empowers older adults to carry out healthy behaviors that reduce the risk of falls. It is a community-based workshop offered once a week for seven weeks, using adult education and self-efficacy principles. In a small group setting, older adults learn balance exercises and develop specific knowledge and skills to prevent falls. Older adults who should attend are those who are at risk for falling, have a fear of falling, or who have fallen one or more times. The workshop is co-led by a health care professional and a lay leader. Local guest experts assist by providing information on exercise, vision, safety, and medications.

Limited to 14 participants.

Barbell Mix Dates | Mondays Time | 5:15-6:15 p.m.

Location | Penrose Hospital, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, E-Tower Basement Aerobics Room Cost | Classes are available through punch cards and unlimited packages ranging from $25-$70 Info and registration 719-776-5776 Strength training is truly the fountain of youth. Women of all ages need to tap into the power of strength training to maintain muscle mass and bone density. In this class, you will use barbell exercises along with other tools designed to challenge your muscles, build lean body mass, add muscle definition, and torch fat! This is a moderateintensity class.

Winter 2017

11 bloom

Non-Profit Org US POSTAGE

The best health care this side of the Mississippi.

PAID

Denver, CO Permit No. 4773

2222 North Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80907

entityhospital.org

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services is part of Centura Health, the region’s leading health care network. Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 303-804-8166. Copyright © Centura Health, 2017.

Miracle entityhospital.org

Foods?

Melaina Bjorklund, MS, RD,

Apple Cider Vinegar

W

ant to lose weight or control your blood sugar?

Drink apple cider vinegar. If you have arthritis or are sore after working out, tart cherry juice can relieve your pain.

Ginger can reduce nausea, along with pain from arthritis and working out. Many studies have proven that these three foods help heal in these, and other ways, so they should be part of a healthy lifestyle. They’re not miracle cures, though, and they don’t have the same benefits for everyone.

For less than 6 calories per tablespoon, apple cider vinegar can help you feel full and is packed with sour-sweet taste. The acid in apple cider vinegar slows the accumulation of fat and helps control blood sugar.

But for losing weight, apple cider vinegar only works for some people, depending on their metabolism and pH level. how much do you need?

• Recommended daily dose 1 teaspoon-2 tablespoons

Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherries are packed with antioxidants, which reduce muscle soreness as well as inflammation and pain from arthritis. Juice made from tart cherries also gives the immune system a boost. how much do you need?

• Research shows benefits with around 8 ounces per day how to eat to heal • Just drink it!

how to eat to heal • Drink it diluted in water (1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water) • Add it to juices • Use it to make salad dressing

Join a special 3-part free community seminar in January to learn more about current diet trends. See Page 11 for details.

Ginger

Chemotherapy patients, pregnant women, and people with other types of nausea often feel better after consuming ginger; but ginger does not agree with everyone.

Like tart cherry juice, ginger is an anti-inflammatory — so it can help relieve pain from arthritis and working out. Ginger also may help slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. how much do you need?

• Recommended daily dose 1-2 grams per day • Ginger ale, chews, or tea: Start low and slow; adjust as needed for your symptoms how to eat to heal • Sauté ginger root in veggies or mince in many dishes • Eat ginger chews • Drink ginger tea or ginger ale

Illustration: ©istockphoto.com/appleuzr; photos: ©istockphoto.com/tashka2000, /gojak, /ChamilleWhite

Clinical Dietitian at PenroseSt. Francis Health Services