Sparkle Winter 2018

Sparkle AVISTA ADVENTIST HOSPITAL

With health, hope, and happiness

WINTER 2018 • Volume 2, Issue 1

Listen to your HEART What women need to know about the subtle signs of heart disease. p. 4

plus

IS IT MENOPAUSE OR MORE? p. 3 FREEZING EGGS FOR FERTILITY p. 6 4 STEPS TO CALM YOUR BLADDER p. 7

You’re

INVITED INSPIRATION IN WOMEN’S WELLNESS EVENT p. 2

WINTER

Dr. James Rouse will be the keynote speaker at Avista’s Inspiration in Women’s Wellness Event.

He is a human performance clinician, author, and professional speaker. He draws from his personal experience as an Ironman triathlete and mountain climber to inspire others to push their own personal limits. Working with clients Dr. James Rouse like the NBA, Google, and Whole Foods, his approach integrates empowered thinking, mindful eating, and creative movement to help individuals achieve optimal wellness.

Rouse lives in the Foothills with his wife, Debra, and their two daughters.

Dr. James Rouse is committed to inspiring us to achieve the vibrant, high-performance lives we deserve.

His mission is to help guide all into a healthy lifestyle. His keynote talk will give you insights into the three major components of a healthy lifestyle:

Diet What we eat impacts our lives, from physical performance to emotional wellbeing, he says. For example, we can help promote positive mental and emotional thinking by choosing foods rich in key compounds that serve as building blocks for our bodies and brains.

WOMEN’S WELLNESS EVENT APRIL 3 EVENT SCHEDULE 10:30 a.m.

Booths open 11:30 a.m.

Luncheon begins 11:50 a.m.

Guest speaker, Dr. James Rouse 12:40 p.m.

Educational breakout sessions 2 p.m.

Booths close

Exercise One of Rouse’s favorite sayings is: “You don’t have to exercise every day, only on the days that you eat.”

“I appreciate the emotional, physical and spiritual rewards of daily exercise,” he says. “But, the world’s longest-living people don’t work out in gyms or run marathons. They move in their daily lives. We can do that by walking, gardening, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.”

nd much d, health, a o fo f o y a d nual Join us for a Adventist Hospital’s an a st vi ve lness E nt. more at A omen’s Wel W in n o ti a Inspir

What

s to answer out session ak re b d h. an men’s healt Luncheon ons on wo ti es u q r u yo

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Inspiration When we consciously think and believe in a positive manner, we unlock unlimited opportunity, Rouse says. Look around and see what inspires you or brings you down. How can you increase the former and let go of the latter? What we surround ourselves with may be the best natural brain and memory medicine.

3 APRIL

2 P.M. 10:30 A.M.ER WESTMINST THE WESTIN ER BOULEVARD TMINST 20 10600 WES ER, CO 800 WESTMINST

During the event, you’ll have two opportunities to attend each breakout session.

This year’s topics include: • Advances in Breast Cancer Treatment: Expert Panel Discussion Presenters: Jette R. Hogenmiller, PhD, MN, ARNP; Katrina Oyague, MD; and Lindsey Burch, NP • Influences on Pain and Its Treatment Presenters: E. Whitley Lassen, PsyD, and Leif Sorensen, MD • The Role of Probiotics and Your Gut: Combining Eastern and Western Medicine Presenter: Scott Hallgren, DO

R SVP

27 303-715-76 ellness.org ensw m o w n o ti a inspir

TO DO FOR YOU

Build a snowman

Call a friend just because

Wear a warm, colorful scarf

Take a nap

Eat breakfast for dinner

Sparkle is published three times annually by Avista Adventist Hospital. Executive editor is Kirsten Gurmendi.. 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 sparkle@centura.org. Sparkle is produced by Clementine Healthcare Marketing.

100 Health Park Drive, Louisville, CO 80027

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Sparkle | WINTER 2018

AVISTA ADVENTIST HOSPITAL

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s e s Day n l l e W

Menopause OR MORE? Four signs you’re perimenopausal A

s women, we spend much of our lives trying to decipher what our bodies are telling us. Am I getting my period, or am I pregnant? Is that ovulation pain or a cyst?

Because perimenopause can’t be confirmed until it’s over (when menopause officially begins 12 months after your last period), it can be difficult to know for sure when you’re in it.

“The perimenopausal transition usually starts four to six years out from menopause,” says Colleen Mullin, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Centura Health Physician Group Women’s Health Arvada. “The average age of menopause in the U.S. is 51, so that puts the average age for perimenopause at 47.”

Here are four signs of perimenopause:

Bio Box Dr. Colleen Mullin Obstetrician/gynecologist with Centura Health Physician Group Women’s Health Medical school: Creighton University School of Medicine Residency: Naval Medical Center San Diego Contact: 303-649-3180

… And 3 symptoms

1

that might mean more

Irregular periods Irregular bleeding is the most common symptom of perimenopause.

Periods may be heavier and longer some months and lighter and shorter others. Cycles may increase in length or shorten, or you may skip months altogether.

�

2 Hot flashes

Hot flashes often manifest as night sweats. Avoid dietary triggers, exercise daily, quit smoking, and sleep with a fan.

4

There’s no proof perimenopause causes moodiness, but if sleep is disturbed by night sweats, you’re likely to be irritable. Try meditation or deep breathing exercises if you feel a mood swing happening.

AVISTAHOSPITAL.ORG

�

Hot flashes plus chest pain or heart palpitations.

3

3 Moodiness and irritability

Abnormal bleeding, such as very heavy bleeding, bleeding more often than every 21 days, bleeding after sex, or any bleeding after 12 consecutive months without a period.

Mood changes coupled with feelings of extreme sadness, depression, or anxiety.

Vaginal dryness

As the vagina begins to atrophy, meaning the tissue becomes dry and thin, you might experience pain and burning during sexual intercourse. Low-dose topical estrogen can help.

If you feel any of these, talk to your doctor or seek emergency care if severe.

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A

Woman’sDisease?

Heart disease hits women just as hard as men — here’s what you need to know

Dr. Monica Gressianu

Heart disease is responsible for one in every three female deaths. That’s about one woman every minute.

Did that get your attention, ladies? It should.

“We still live with the myth that heart disease is a ‘man’s disease,’” says Monica Gressianu, MD, FACC, board-certified cardiologist practicing at Avista Adventist Hospital. Yet, statistics show that almost an equal number of men and women die in the U.S. each year from heart disease.

So, what can you do? Know the signs of heart disease, and don’t ignore them.

More Subtle Signs

Complicating the ability for many women to identify heart trouble is the fact that their symptoms are often atypical. When a woman is having a heart attack, it’s rarely a “clutch your chest and drop to the ground” type of event. Heart attack symptoms in women may include: • Uncomfortable pressure or squeezing in the chest • Arm, back, neck, jaw, or stomach pain • Shortness of breath • Cold sweats, nausea, or dizziness Gressianu says women also may experience fatigue or flu-like symptoms. She urges them to pay attention and prioritize themselves. “Listen to these warning signs and do not procrastinate in seeking treatment. It’s time for women to put themselves first for a change,” she says.

Listen to Your Body

Her patient, Peggy Fetchenhier, couldn’t agree more. The 70-year-old Evergreen resident is used to being on the go, but she just couldn’t shake the feeling that she was going to “black out” after directing several choir rehearsals last spring. She also had a persistent tired feeling.

In fact, Fetchenhier had an irregular heartbeat and two leaky heart valves. Her heart was being strained, and she was now at high risk for stroke. She scheduled surgery right away to repair the valves and regulate her heartbeat.

Now back to being active in community fundraising activities and leading the choir at Evergreen Lutheran Church, she urges women not to ignore symptoms, even if they seem minor. “Don’t just write off dizziness or fatigue as aging,” she says.

3 You Didn’t See Just as the symptoms of heart problems are different in men and women, so are the risks.

For example, diabetes ups the risk for coronary artery disease three to seven times in women, compared with half that for men, Gressianu says.

But here are three links to heart disease — for men and women — that you might not have seen coming.

4 Sparkle | WINTER 2018

Migraines

Researchers don’t know the reason, but they do know there is a link between migraines and heart disease.

In fact, women who suffer migraines have about a 50 percent greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

AVISTA ADVENTIST HOSPITAL

Sleep deprivation

Those who sleep fewer than six hours a night may have double the risk for heart attack or stroke than those who get six to eight hours of shut-eye.

AVISTAHOSPITAL.ORG

Shingles

According to research out last summer, patients with shingles have an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

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Peggy Fetchenhier is back to leading her church choir after having two leaky heart valves repaired.

We are part of the Centura Health Heart & Vascular Network, the region’s leading provider of cardiovascular care.

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StoptheClock Freezing offers women a way to expand fertility options by preserving younger, healthier eggs

Dr. Robert Gustofson

Once an experimental procedure, the practice of freezing nonfertilized eggs has expanded, offering women the option to postpone having children, without increased risk of miscarriage or birth defects caused by decline in egg quality.

Board-certified reproductive endocrinologist Robert Gustofson, MD, with Avista Adventist Hospital, answers questions about egg freezing.

A: Egg freezing started in the 1980s as a way to offer women undergoing chemotherapy hope for preserving fertility. Now, it’s common among women who, for a variety of reasons, choose to delay having children. Any woman under age 45 can consider egg freezing; however, best rates for success are in women under 40.

Q

HOW DOES EGG FREEZING WORK?

A: The process starts with blood tests to determine hormone levels. That gives us a good composite picture of how the ovaries are functioning. Then, we create a customized hormone treatment for each woman, to stimulate egg production. Eggs are taken from the ovaries in an outpatient procedure.

LONG CAN EGGS BE Q HOW STORED?

SUCCESSFUL IS EGG Q HOW FREEZING?

A: Until about 2005, the technique yielded discouraging results. But around 2005, technology improved and now some 90 percent of harvested eggs survive. For women 35 and under, 60 percent of egg transfers result in pregnancy. That percentage does decrease as maternal age increases.

IS THERE A MAXIMUM AGE Q AT WHICH EGGS CAN BE TRANSFERRED FOR FERTILIZATION?

A: It varies with each woman, but generally if at age 55 a woman has not conceived, she might need a surrogate carrier.

A: As far as we know, indefinitely.

28 6 Sparkle | WINTER 2018

Want to get pregnant?

Relax.

A 2016 study found that elevated stress around ovulation can reduce chances of conceiving that month by as much as 40 percent.

But don’t stress too much about the findings, boardcertified reproductive endocrinologist Robert Gustofson, MD, says. “Stress does play a role, but it has to be really high levels, and ongoing.” In other words, a bad day at work and maddening traffic isn’t going to put the baby brakes on long term, he says.

The New Life Birth Center at Avista Adventist Hospital offers 28 private birthing suites that welcomed the hospital’s 50,000th baby in July. Only nine other small- to medium-size hospitals in the country perform more deliveries.

AVISTA ADVENTIST HOSPITAL

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IS A CANDIDATE FOR Q WHO EGG FREEZING?

CONTROL THE GO

Calming overactive bladder symptoms can be a matter of trading shame for solutions

Has sneezing become a little scary as you’ve aged?

Can laughing make you leak?

STEP

1 Talk to your primary care physician or urogynecologist to rule out medical issues, such as urinary tract infections or diabetes, Joyce says.

Determining the cause of your symptoms is important to finding the right treatment path.

Kegel exercises can strengthen pelvic muscles — if done right. Here’s how: Imagine a string from the pubic bone to the rectum. Now, imagine pulling that string up, without bearing down.

Take heart. You don’t have to live that way — even though many women think they do. An estimated 40 percent of women experience overactive bladder, which can include urinary urgency and incontinence, but only about 15 percent of them seek treatment. Those who do learn what Centura Health Physician Group urogynecologist John Joyce, MD, tells his patients: Symptoms are most often treatable, and relief is usually just a few steps away.

STEP

2 STEP

Many symptoms can be relieved with behavioral changes, including: • Cutting caffeine.

• Filling up on fiber to decrease constipation.

• Cutting back on fluids.

• Shedding pounds, if you’re overweight.

• Training your brain. Your brain, not your bladder, may be insisting you have to go at certain times. If you get the urge every time you drive into the garage or walk out of your office, then you’ve developed a habit, Joyce says. “You can train yourself to delay or to time urination,” which can head off accidents and leakage.

STEP

4

When nothing else has worked, your urogynecologist may recommend one or more treatments, including: • Medications to decrease the strength or frequency of bladder contractions • Botox to help control bladder spasms • Devices, such as InterStim, that stimulate pelvic nerves to control the bladder • Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), which delivers electrical stimulation to improve bladder control

BIO BOX AVISTAHOSPITAL.ORG

6.5

Average number of years women wait before seeking medical help

Dr. John Joyce Urogynecologist with Centura Health Physician Group Women’s Specialty Health Church Ranch Medical school: University of North Dakota Residency: St. Louis University

3

If you’ve changed your habits and still haven’t found relief, several noninvasive therapies can help: • Vaginal estrogen. The dryness many women experience after menopause can contribute to urinary incontinence. Many women are fearful of estrogen therapy, but vaginal estrogen creams don’t raise estrogen levels throughout the body, Joyce says.

“It’s safe to use, even in women who’ve had breast cancer,” he says.

• Physical therapy. Exercises, including Kegels, strengthen pelvic muscles to help improve control.

• Biofeedback. This type of physical therapy helps women identify, isolate, and strengthen pelvic muscles to improve control.

Fellowship: Texas A&M Health Science Center Clinical interests: Pelvic organ prolapse, overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, painful bladder syndrome, vaginal mesh erosion Contact: 303-925-4100

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JOIN US

for our annual Inspiration in Women’s Wellness event and luncheon. This year, the breakout sessions will cover topics in advances in breast cancer treatment, how pain management affects quality of life, and the effectiveness of probiotics for conditions like constipation, IBS, and type 2 diabetes.

Portercare Adventist Health System NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAID

DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 4033

100 Health Park Drive Louisville, CO 80027

When: Tuesday, April 3 Time: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Where: Westin Westminster To register, go to inspirationwomenswellness.org or call 303-715-7627 Avista Adventist Hospital 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 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2018.

ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-303-673-1250 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-303-673-1250 (TTY: 711).

INFANT/CHILD CPR This two-night class is encouraged for all expectant couples, new parents, grandparents, and others who may take care of the children. Professional EMS instructors through HeartSmart, Inc. teach the CPR/Pediatric First Aid classes using customized curriculum specific to child emergencies.

When | Thursdays, Jan 18 and 25; Mar 8 and 15; or Mar 22 and 29, 6-9 p.m.

Location │ Church Ranch Neighborhood Health Center OR When | Mondays, Feb 5 and 12; Feb 19 and 26; or Apr 2 and 9, 6-9 p.m.

Location | Avista Adventist Hospital Registration │ avistahospital.org/ events

2018 CALENDAR

N’BALANCE Each class incorporates sitting, standing, and walking balance exercises to improve balance and reduce the fear of falling.

When | Thursdays, Jan 25-Mar 1, 11-11:50 a.m.

OR When | Thursdays, Mar 8-Apr 19 (no class on Mar 29), 11-11:50 a.m.

Location | Church Ranch Neighborhood Health Center in the Clear Creek Conference Room Cost | $30 per session Registration | 303-925-4093

TAI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS AND FALL PREVENTION Tai Chi helps to prevent falls, increase balance and movement, and improve quality of life.

When | Thursdays, Jan 25-Mar 1, 10-10:50 a.m.

OR When | Thursdays, Mar 8-Apr 19 (no class on Mar 29), 10-10:50 a.m.

Location | Church Ranch Neighborhood Health Center in the Clear Creek Conference Room Cost | $30 per session Registration | 303-925-4093 DOG AND NEW BABY The Dogs & Storks™ program is perfect for expecting families with dogs as they prepare for life with baby. This class helps ease families into the transition from pet parents to baby parents with pets. This presentation helps you plan and prepare for baby’s arrival — specifically with your dog(s) in mind. Dogs & Storks fills in the gaps left uncovered by obedience training.

When | Saturday, Jan 27, 9:30 a.m.1 p.m.

OR When | or Saturday, Apr 7, 9:30 a.m.1 p.m.

Location | Avista Adventist Hospital Cost | $15 Registration | avistahospital.org/ events

LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER A FREE class hosted by Centura Health in partnership with the American Cancer Society. Volunteer instructors teach women to reclaim their self-confidence and combat appearance-related side effects of cancer. Each participant receives a free beauty kit in their skin tone.

When | Mon, Mar 19, 10 a.m.-Noon Location | Church Ranch Neighborhood Health Center in the Clear Creek Conference Room Registration | 720-321-8232

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WINTER

For additional details and information about this year’s guest speaker, Dr. James Rouse, see Page 2.