Bloom Winter 2016

GOOD BACTERIA | FIGHTING FAT AFTER 40 | LEARNING RESILIENCE

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Nurturing women’s health in Colorado Springs

Chill Out

High blood pressure is more dangerous for women. Learn how to lower your numbers.

Page 4

Brain Fitness, Boosting Metabolism, Bosu Extreme, and more

new classes!

Winter 2016 Volume 6, Issue 1

Page 10

How bad is it ...

to Sleep in Your Makeup?

Conquer Cold and Flu with Good Bacteria, Not Antibiotics 70-80% of immune cells that keep you healthy and prevent infections are in your gut.

Good bacteria in yogurt, lactobacillus, help boost the immune system.

Probiotics like kefir, unpasteurized sauerkraut, and kimchi help replace good bacteria.

Many of us think that bacteria are bad. But our bodies need good or friendly bacteria to stay healthy and fight off disease. Using antibiotics when they won’t help — for viruses like cold and flu — destroys good bacteria, making us more likely to get antibioticresistant bacterial infections. These infections can be serious, even deadly.

“Antibiotics don’t know good bacteria from bad bacteria. They kill bacteria across the board,” says John Reasoner, MD, a family practice physician at Centura Health Urgent Care Tri-Lakes. Many symptoms of viruses and bacterial infections look alike, so people often ask for antibiotics that won’t make them better and can cause long-term harm.

Trust your doctor on whether you need an antibiotic, he says.

Boost Good Bacteria Probiotics, found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, unpasteurized sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and in supplements, boost good bacteria. On yogurt labels, look for “live and active cultures.” When you do need antibiotics, use probiotics with each meal or about four hours after each pill to replace good bacteria, Reasoner says. Make probiotics part of your regular diet, too.

Taking antibiotics until they’re finished and eating less meat also helps prevent antibiotic resistance, Reasoner says. Most meat today is pumped full of antibiotics, resulting in more antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Look for antibiotic-free meat and meat from free-range farms.

Centura Health has five urgent care locations in Colorado Springs, Monument, Woodland Park, and Cripple Creek.

Centura Health Urgent Care Broadmoor at the corner of Lake Avenue and Venetucci Boulevard is now open!

Learn more at penrosestfrancis.org/urgentcare.

bloom is published four times annually by Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. 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 Health Marketing. Executive editor is Jill Woodford.

Getting your beauty rest may not be that effective if you go to bed looking beautiful. Sleeping in your makeup can make your skin age faster and cause problems like brittle eyelashes, chapped lips, and acne. When you don’t wash your face and remove makeup, collagen, which keeps your skin firm and strong, breaks down. This leads to fine lines and wrinkles. Bacteria build up in clogged pores, especially if you sleep in foundation, making your skin look dull and sometimes causing acne.

“Even sleeping in your makeup once in a while may have longterm consequences such as premature aging of the skin,” says Ginger Mentz, MD, dermatologist at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. If you’re too tired to correctly wash your face, use makeup remover wipes, Mentz says. Keep a stash of wipes by your bed for those nights when you can’t face a full cleansing routine.

Fast Fact Sleeping with lipstick on gives you dry, chapped lips.

Fast Fact Eyelashes can break when you sleep wearing mascara.

2222 North Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

bloom

2

Winter 2016

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Cover photo: ©IStockphoto.com/Oliver Harbour Studios; This Page: ©IStockphoto.com/ swkunst, /imagehub88; Opposite Page: ©IStockphoto.com/ Quasarphoto, /JoKMedia, / Magdalena Tworkowska (illustration)

HealthyStart

A Few Steps Prevent Achy Knees Achy, painful knees are common as women age, but this doesn’t have to happen to you. “If you age actively, you age healthily,” says Margaret Sabin, president and CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services who is also a certified fitness instructor. The basics of healthy living — appropriate activity, a healthy weight, and a healthy diet — can prevent or reduce knee pain.

Margaret Sabin

“The less you move, the more you’ll hurt,” Sabin says. Focus on weight-bearing aerobic activity, strengthening your muscles, and staying flexible. Working out with a BOSU ball, for example, is a great way to strengthen your core and the muscles around the knees, and improve your flexibility.

Wearing the right shoes and maintaining good posture are important too. “A long day in high heels isn’t great for your knees and feet,” Sabin says. Poor posture strains all of your joints.

Take our new

BOSU Extreme class. See Page 11 for details.

Screening To Catch Lung Cancer Earlier L

ung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers, but an annual screening can lower the death rate significantly.

The screening, a computed tomography scan using low doses of radiation (called a low-dose CT scan) helps detect lung cancer at earlier stages when it is more treatable. Eighty percent of people whose cancer was detected early through the screening lived 10 or more years, according to studies by the National Cancer Institute. In comparison, fewer than 15 percent of patients whose lung cancer is detected at advanced stages live five years after diagnosis.

The Centura Health Cancer Network, the only accredited cancer network in Colorado, is now offering this screening at all of its facilities, including Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.

Who should be screened?

Current smokers, or former smokers who have quit within the past 15 years, are eligible for screening through the Centura Lung Screening Program if they meet the following criteria: • Age 55 to 77 • Smoking history of 30 “pack-years” or more (for example, a pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years) • Asymptomatic for cancer • No history of lung cancer

If you meet the criteria above and would like to have a screening, talk to your primary care doctor for a referral.

Your screening will be billed to Medicare or private insurance; please check with your plan to ensure coverage.

Don’t have a primary care doctor? Visit penrosestfrancis.org/psfpc.

penrosestfrancis.org

For the man in your life

Boosting and Balancing Protein

Most men skimp on protein early in the day

and eat too much at dinner. “Our bodies can only absorb about 25 to 30 grams of protein at a meal. More than that and it’s stored as fat,” says Sharon Jacob, RD, clinical dietitian at St. Francis Medical Center. Depending on their weight, men should eat 60 to 90 grams of protein a day, evenly spaced between breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Your man also needs protein and carbs within an hour of working out. It’s best to eat a healthy meal like eggs, a skinless chicken breast, salmon, or yogurt plus whole-grain bread or pasta and veggies. But if the workout isn’t close to mealtime, milk or a whey protein shake supplies both protein and carbs. After age 50, men need even more protein — closer to 30 to 40 grams per meal — to help retain muscle mass.

Move over meat

Did you know about these protein sources?

1 cup broccoli: 4.6 g 2 tablespoons peanut butter: 8 g 1 cup quinoa: 11 g 1 cup chickpeas: 14.5 g

If you or the man in your life has been impacted by injury, illness, or another condition, Medical Nutrition Therapy may help improve his nutrition and overall health.

Learn more at penrosestfrancis.org/ healthlearningcenter.

Winter 2016

3 bloom

Controlling your blood pressure could save your life

More Dangerous, Less Understood:

High Blood Pressure in Women

7 10

About in people who have their first heart attack have high blood pressure.

8 10

in About people who have their first stroke have high blood pressure.

Staying active is one way Melissa Archibald is fighting back against the high blood pressure that caused her heart attack.

bloom

4 Winter 2016

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

One morning 39-year-old Melissa

Archibald went for a run with a friend to train for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver half marathon. The next thing she Dr. Preetham Reddy remembers — five days later — is waking up in the hospital. Archibald’s heart had stopped, in part due to her high blood pressure.

Less than 10 percent of people who have a sudden cardiac arrest survive. But the Colorado Springs resident was lucky. Before Archibald collapsed, her friend and two other runners saw that she didn’t look well, and called 911. Then a cyclist who was a member of the ski patrol performed CPR. This kept Archibald alive until the paramedics arrived, shocked her heart back into a normal rhythm, and whisked her away to Penrose Hospital.

The Silent, Invisible Health Threat A few years earlier, Archibald had been diagnosed with high blood pressure but thought it was from the stress of working too much. “I didn’t understand the magnitude of it being high. I felt fine, so therefore, nothing could be wrong,” she says. That attitude is common.

“People have a very difficult time believing that something that doesn’t bother them can be deadly,” says Preetham Reddy, MD, a cardiologist also with Colorado Springs Cardiology, A Centura Health Clinic.

High blood pressure forces the heart to work

penrosestfrancis.org

Know Your Numbers + 180 170

More Danger for Women High blood pressure is different — and more dangerous — in women than in men, say researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Health. They found that women had 30 to 40 percent more vascular disease than men with similar levels of high blood pressure. Vascular disease, any condition that affects blood flow throughout the body, can cause heart attack, stroke, leg pain when walking, and other problems. High blood pressure may need to be treated earlier and more aggressively in women than in men, Reddy says. But doctors don’t know yet what that will look like. “There hasn’t been much research on the differences in the development of high blood pressure and treatment based on gender,” Reddy says.

For now, Reddy suggests that women, especially those with a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease like Archibald, be more proactive about their blood pressure and heart health. Both of Archibald’s parents had bypass surgery in their early 50s. She wasn’t worried, though, because she thought she lived a healthier lifestyle than her parents.

That lack of worry is common, according to the

blood pressure chart High Crisis

160 150

High

140 130

Pre-high

120 110 100 90

normal

80 70 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 diastolic

+

The American Heart Association uses four categories for blood pressure: Normal blood pressure: Less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic Pre-high blood pressure: 120-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic High blood pressure: 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic High blood pressure crisis (get emergency care): Higher than 180 systolic or higher than 110 diastolic

continued next page

Winter 2016

5 bloom

photos: Opposite page: ©Steve Bigley; this page: ©istockphoto.com/rvlsoft

But by the time Archibald arrived at the hospital, she had almost no blood pressure and wasn’t responding to medications. A team of doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists worked on her for nearly four hours. Alain Eid, MD, a pulmonologist with Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, used an innovative technique, called proning, in which he placed Archibald on her abdomen so gravity made blood flow to the front of the lungs. This brought Archibald back to life.

Tests showed that one of Archibald’s arteries had ruptured due to a buildup of plaque, fat, and cholesterol. The rupture blocked blood flow and caused both sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack. Chad Schooley, MD, a cardiologist with Colorado Springs Cardiology, A Centura Health Clinic, put a stent in the artery to restore blood flow and keep it open.

harder. Left untreated or inadequately treated, it increases the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, stroke, and other serious problems.

Archibald had been taking medicine to lower her blood pressure, prescribed after she went to the emergency department with chest pain a few months earlier. But her blood pressure was still too high.

systolic

Back to Life with Innovative Treatment

High blood pressure is nearly as common in women as in men from

continued from Page 5

2014 Cleveland Clinic Heart Health Survey, which found that more than 25 percent of people with a family history of heart disease weren’t trying to keep their hearts healthy. Reddy suggests that women with a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease check their blood pressure every six months or so at a pharmacy or their doctor’s office, and women diagnosed with high blood pressure should buy a blood pressure cuff and check their numbers routinely at home.

45-54

ages , and more common after age 65.

1 3

All Woman Are at Risk Women are nearly as likely as men to have high blood pressure in middle age. After age 65, it’s more common in women. Yet, many women don’t know about this silent threat to their health. And many stop getting routine checkups, where it’s usually diagnosed. “Women need to understand that the risk for heart disease and stroke is higher after middle age for women than men,” says Reddy.

He adds: “No matter how healthy you are, how active you are, you can develop high blood pressure.” That’s because high blood pressure is caused by a combination of things, including family history and getting older, and some risk factors that we can change, including: • Being overweight or obese • Too little exercise • Too much salt and other unhealthy eating habits • Too much alcohol • Using tobacco • Stress “A lot of the things your mom told you, like having a healthy diet and exercising, make a big difference,” Reddy says. “Many of my patients see their blood pressure go down when they start an exercise program, even if they don’t lose weight.”

Archibald completed cardiac rehab at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and is back at work. “I try to keep a lot more balance and perspective on things. There are very few circumstances where stress is warranted,” she says. She no longer takes work home and is taking better care of herself, including practicing yoga to stay calm.

Learn how to prevent a heart attack at a FREE seminar with Dr. Paul Sherry, cardiologist.

See Page 10 for details.

bloom

6 Winter 2016

Warning Signs of Heart Attacks in Women While women sometimes have chest pain during a heart attack, it’s more common in men. Instead, women are likely to have an uncomfortable feeling in the chest that turns into jaw pain, Reddy says. Other warning signs in women are: • Arm pain or discomfort • Shortness of breath with or without discomfort in the chest • Nausea and vomiting • Back, neck, or stomach pain • Breaking out in a cold sweat or lightheadedness Call 911 and get to a hospital fast if you have any of these signs.

New Stroke Prevention Guidelines for Women For the first time ever, guidelines for doctors on preventing stroke highlight risks and treatments unique to women. Issued by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, the Guidelines for the Prevention of Stroke in Women note high blood pressure as a risk factor that’s stronger or more common in women than in men.

Migraine with aura, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, depression, and emotional stress are other common risk factors for women.

Colorado Springs Cardiology, A Centura Health Clinic, is the most honored heart and vascular program in southern Colorado. Our team of 18 cardiologists provides prevention, testing, diagnosis, and treatment for women in all walks of life. To schedule an appointment, call 719-776-8500.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

photos: This page: ©Steve Bigley; Opposite page: ©istockphoto.com/MarsBars, ©Steve Bigley

in women die of heart disease each year. 1 in 31 die of breast cancer.

& QA Alexis Michopolous, DO Family Medicine Physician at Centura Health Physician Group Tri-Lakes Primary Care 17230 Jackson Creek Parkway Monument

Q: Why am I gaining weight as I get older?

A: Weight gain after age 40 is mostly related to the aging process and changes in your lifestyle. Over the years, muscle mass decreases and fat increases, slowing down your metabolism. Less physical activity, including exercise, and increased stress contribute to those extra pounds. Menopause is partly to blame too, as changing hormones send more fat to the abdomen.

Q: Is middle-age weight gain dangerous?

A: The older you get, the more weight gain increases your risk of problems like disrupted sleep, depression, and headaches, along with high blood pressure, diabetes, and knee and back pain.

Q: Why is it so hard to lose weight?

A: Middle-age weight gain is hard to get rid of. The things that worked for your body before won’t necessarily work now because of decreased muscle mass, changing hormones,

How to fight

Weight Gain After 40 and increased stress. You can lose weight, but you need to set realistic expectations, like losing 5 pounds in a month instead of 60 pounds in three months.

Q: What will help me lose weight?

A: Mix up your workouts, pay attention to what you eat, and have a support system. Make sure your workouts give your body something it’s not used to on a regular basis. Work out for 30 to 45 minutes five times a week, and combine cardiovascular exercise and weight lifting. Start slowly and build up time and intensity.

Use an app to track what you eat, and notice how different foods affect you. Cutting out sugar helps many middle-age women lose weight. Eat mostly whole foods and lots of protein (70-89 grams of protein a day for a 150-pound middle-aged woman, divided evenly between meals throughout the day). Be realistic and give yourself a cheat day or meal.

Find an “accountability buddy,” a friend to work out with who will support you and hold you accountable for sticking to your goal. Once you’ve committed to your new exercise and diet program, have your doctor or a trainer develop a personalized weight loss plan for you.

Dr. Alexis Michopolous Dr. Michopolous focuses on preventive care and wellness.

A Colorado Springs native, Michopolous likes to team up with her patients to keep them healthy and, when they’re sick, keep the problem from getting worse.

“Being able to make a difference in the lives of my patients every day is a lot of fun,” she says. Using a healing touch (moving the muscles and joints, called osteopathic manipulative treatment) is one way that Michopolous diagnoses and treats patients. In her free time, she, her husband, Eric, and their two dogs, Cooper and Nessie, like to camp and hike.

To make an appointment with Dr. Michopolous, call 719-571-7000.

penrosestfrancis.org

Winter 2016

7 bloom

technology

N EVE S G BRIN TO stem sy ECISION arm PR O TER GERY A E GR E SUR SPIN

y Armedurac cc A h t i w

99%

We can get accuracy with the O-arm. ­— Dr. Michael Brown

Dr. Michael Brown

Positioned for Success Brown says the O-arm system can be helpful for any surgery that requires spinal stabilization using rods and screws. The goal of these surgeries is to reduce the chance of future instability and, if needed, decompress nerves that are causing pain.

Spinal stabilization surgeries are used to treat spinal stenosis, a common degenerative disease of the spine, as well as spinal injuries and fractures. The greatest risk with these surgeries is incorrectly positioning the screw in the spine and causing nerve damage.

The O-arm system reduces this risk by capturing a CT scan image of the patient’s spine, then using infrared technology to map the surgeon’s movements along the spine.

The surgeon is guided by a computer image of the spine and the screws to ensure accurate placement.

“The O-arm system helps establish landmarks

bloom

8 Winter 2016

in the anatomy with the computer and guide the placement of the screws,” Brown explains.

“This is especially helpful for people with spinal fractures, because disruption of the normal anatomy disrupts [the surgeon’s] usual landmarks.”

At the end of the procedure, another CT scan image can be taken to confirm the screw placement, or assess how successfully the procedure decompressed the spine — all before wheeling the patient out into the recovery room.

“You can confirm immediately whether or not the screw is in the proper position, and reposition it while we’re still in the operating room if necessary,” Brown says. “It’s really comforting to walk out of there and know that the screws are in the proper position.”

Less Invasive Means Less Damage The O-arm helps reduce damage to supporting muscles and nerves, which is a benefit of all

minimally invasive procedures, along with less tissue exposure during surgery because of the smaller incision. There’s also less pain and blood loss with minimally invasive surgery, and Brown is confident that the O-arm system lets him complete procedures more quickly — which means less time in the operating room for patients.

“The most common procedure we do that requires stabilization is to treat spinal stenosis, which is just one of those things that happens as we continue to walk upright against gravity,” he says. “For most people, the surgery can bring complete relief — and this technology makes the procedure that much safer for patients.”

Attend Healthy Back, Healthy Life with Dr. Brown on Thursday, Feb. 25.

See Page 11 for details.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

photos: This Page: ©istockphoto.com/DNY59, /GlobalStock; opposite page: ©istockphoto.com/gpointstudio

T

he beauty of minimally invasive procedures is that the surgeon can get the job done through a much smaller incision, which means less risk of infection and a shorter healing time for patients, among other benefits. On the other hand, the smaller incision means the surgeon needs some technological assistance to “see” inside the body.

This assistance is especially vital during spinal surgeries that require placing screws in the spine with pinpoint accuracy. That’s why Penrose-St. Francis Health Services has been using the O-arm Surgical Imaging System for nearly three years now.

“The accuracy of screw placement was really quite high before,” says Michael Brown, MD, a neurosurgeon at Penrose-St. Francis who specializes in spine surgery. “But we can get to 99 percent accuracy with the O-arm system, which makes it even safer for the patient.”

Bouncing Back Studies say resilience is one of life’s most important characteristics

H

elen Keller said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” That’s the idea behind resilience, the ability to cope with or bounce back from exposure to life’s various stressors. According to Colorado Springs psychiatric oncologist Di Thompson, MD, the good news is that resilience is not necessarily something we’re born with, but instead, something we can develop over time. Coping with adversity happens in the brain, which is naturally resilient.

“If one area of the brain is overwhelmed, another part of the brain can take over its functions,” says Thompson, who is a member of the Penrose Cancer Center team.

“And throughout our lives, our brains continue to grow neurons and go through transformations, allowing us to become more resilient.”

Years ago, it was assumed only babies’ brains grew in that way, but Thompson says we now know brains of all ages have the potential to increase blood flow and grow or strengthen neuronal connections.

penrosestfrancis.org

Di Thompson, MD Psychiatric Oncologist Centura Health Physician Group Behavioral Health 2312 North Nevada Avenue Suite 215 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 719-776-6850

5 ways to build a better brain

Even though the brain is naturally resilient, there’s always room for improvement. According to Thompson, there are steps you can take — for yourself and your children — to ensure resiliency is a family trait.

Exercise more.

“People don’t like to hear it, but it’s true,” Thompson says. “We know that regular exercise helps build a stronger, more resilient brain.”

Get enough sleep. We all need sleep. Strive for seven restorative hours and then tweak that amount to determine what feels best for you.

Practice gratitude. Studies show grateful people have higher levels of brain activity and make more of the feel-good hormone dopamine.

Be mindful.

Adults should take a note from kids here — children naturally focus their attention on the present moment and we should, too.

Avoid multitasking.

We pride ourselves on multitasking abilities, but multitasking hinders our ability to be resilient by overwhelming the brain. Thompson recommends focusing on one thing at a time and using “Two Do” lists.

“Make your list and then circle the two most important activities,” she says. “This helps avoid feeling overwhelmed or dissatisfied at the end of the day.”

Di Thompson, MD, speaks regularly on the topic of resiliency. “It’s such an important topic that the U.S. Secretary of Defense is looking closely at psychological resiliency in the military,” Thompson says. “The idea is that resiliency is important not only for yourself, but in your family, your unit, and your community.”

Thompson is passionate about helping her cancer patients and considers her work extremely rewarding.

“We often talk about how the diagnosis has changed their perspective and made them realize how precious every moment is,” Thompson says.

“In the midst of dealing with cancer, they are practicing gratitude!”

Centura Health Physician Group Behavioral Health offers outpatient counseling for children and adults, including individual and group therapy. Learn more at penrosestfrancis.org/ behavioralhealth.

Winter 2016

9 bloom

bloom 10 Winter 2016

How to Prevent a Heart Attack Date | Sat, Jan 16 Time | 10-11 a.m.

Location | Tri-Lakes Health Pavilion, 17230 Jackson Creek Parkway, YMCA Community Room Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/heartseminar It’s never too late to take steps to prevent a heart attack — even if you’ve already had one. Dr. Paul Sherry, cardiologist at Colorado Springs Cardiology, A Centura Health Clinic, will discuss the ways to prevent a heart attack, highlighting family history, lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise.

For Your Spirit

A Better You

What If? What Else? What Now? Date | Sat, Jan 23 Time | 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Location | Penrose Pavilion, 2312 North Nevada Avenue, 2nd Floor Cost | $125/person Registration | sarastrategies.com/register. html Are you exploring a career change, a recent empty nester, or just in need of guidance on the next chapter of your life? Experience a one-day, interactive life planning session facilitated by bestselling 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. 18.

Payment due at time of registration.

“Wrinkles mean you laughed, gray hair means you cared, and scars mean you lived!”

— Unknown

Healthy Relationships Date | Thursdays, Feb 11-Mar 17 Time | Noon-12:45 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Room B Cost | $25 Registration | 719-776-7983 No matter where we work, how old we are, whether we’re married or single, living with family or alone, relationships make up a significant portion of our lives. Join this interactive six-week workshop to learn strategies for making all kinds of relationships thrive! You will gain tools to help you achieve and maintain healthy relationships in every area of life through positive cognitive thinking methods.

Brain Fitness Date | Wednesdays, Mar 16-Apr 13 Time | Noon-12:45 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Room C Cost | $25 Registration | 719-776-7983 Modern life places extraordinary demands on our brains, but there are many ways to improve brain health and performance at any age. This five-week program is based on the book The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, co-written by Alvaro Fernandez and Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg. Learn how to integrate positive lifestyle changes and use evidence-based games and programs to challenge your cognitive thinking skills.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

photos: This page: ©istockphoto.com/julos, /GlobalP; Opposite page: ©istockphoto.com/fuzzbones0, /Todor Tsvetkov

calendar

Winter

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 from 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.

WomenHeart Support Network Date | 2nd Tue of month Time | Noon-1:30 p.m.

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

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

Say Yes to Understanding the Effects of Cancer Treatment on the Cardiovascular System Date | Sat, Jan 30 Time | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Rooms A-C Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ sayyes Info | Carolyn Kalaskie at 719-776-4542 Learn from a board-certified cardiologist how cancer treatment affects the heart and what you can do to keep your heart healthy.

The Importance of Nutrition for Weight Loss Date | Sat, Feb 20 Time | 10-11 a.m.

Location | Tri-Lakes Health Pavilion, 17230 Jackson Creek Parkway, YMCA Community Room Cost| FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ nutritionclass Info | 719-571-7039 Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and promote your overall health. Join Dr. Albina Gadeliya, family practitioner, for this informative seminar. Healthy refreshments included. penrosestfrancis.org

Ignite Your Metabolism Date | Mondays, Jan 11-Feb 29 Time | 5-5:45 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Room B OR Date | Wednesdays, Jan 13-Mar 2 Time | Noon-12:45 p.m.

Location | St. Francis Medical Center, 6001 East Woodmen Road, Conference Room 1 Cost | $25 Registration | 719-776-7983 This eight-week program teaches you how to exercise and refuel your workouts efficiently. Participants will put their knowledge to use in the gym by performing strength training and cardiovascular exercises.

Got Insomnia? A Program for Cancer Patients/ Survivors Date | Mon, Jan 18 Time | 4:30-6 p.m.

Location | Penrose Pavilion, 2312 North Nevada Avenue, 2nd Floor Cost | FREE Registration | Sherry Martin at 719-776-5311 or sharonmartin@ centura.org Learn from Sherry Martin, LCSW, about risk factors and complications of insomnia and how to get a good night’s sleep using nonpharmacologic strategies.

Oh, My Aching Joints!

Date | Thu, Jan 28 Time | 6-7:30 p.m.

Location | St. Francis Medical Center, 6001 East Woodmen Road, Conference Room 1 Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ events Do you have hip or knee pain that never goes away? Have you been told you have arthritis in your joints?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, come learn from Dr. Michael Feign, orthopedic surgeon at Front Range Orthopaedics, A Centura Health Clinic, how to protect your joints and discover treatments that may work to relieve your pain.

Healthy Back, Healthy Life Date | Thu, Feb 25 Time | 6-7:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Rooms A-C Cost | FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ events Has back pain prevented you from doing your daily activities? Get educated about your back health.

At this FREE seminar, Dr. Michael Brown, neurosurgeon, will review the importance of spine care and why you should always speak up about symptoms. He will explain back pain causes and share the latest treatments, innovative procedures, and advanced technology that can provide relief.

Beginning Again: Tools for the Journey Through Grief Date | Wednesdays, Mar 30-May 18 Time | 5-6:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Pavilion, 2312 North Nevada Avenue, 2nd Floor Cost | FREE Registration | Sherry Martin at 719-776-5311 An eight-week workshop, taught by Sherry Martin, LCSW, for anyone who has lost a loved one to death.

1263 Lake Plaza Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Primary Care • Urgent Care Orthopedics • Physical Therapy Behavioral Health Occupational Health Radiology • Laboratory Learn more at myneighborhoodhealthcenter.org.

BOSU Extreme Date | Wednesdays, Jan 6-Feb 24 Time | 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Hospital, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Wellness Center, Basement Level Cost | Packages range from $25-$75 Info and registration | 719-776-5776 Participants build muscular strength, endurance, cardiovascular power, and flexibility. Because the BOSU balance trainer is utilized in every workout, participants will improve agility, balance, coordination, and reaction. The team-oriented nature of the workout inspires interaction, socialization, and friendly competition while amplifying the intensity. Utilizing a wide variety of the most popular pieces of training equipment, and designed to burn the maximum calories in a minimum amount of time, this class delivers a high-results workout for all fitness levels.

Stay Active: Keeping Knees and Hips Healthy Date | Thu, Mar 10 Time | 6-7:30 p.m.

Location | Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Avenue, Conference Rooms A-C Cost| FREE Registration | penrosestfrancis.org/ events A thorough discussion and conversation regarding degenerative pain of the hip and knee with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Eric Jepson.

There will be an emphasis on prevention as well as both surgical and nonsurgical management options for hip and knee arthritis.

Refreshments provided.

Power Up, Yoga, and Zumba are just a few of the fitness classes offered at the Penrose-St. Francis Wellness Center.

For a complete list of classes, visit penrosestfrancis.org/calendar or call 719-776-5776.

Now Open!

Winter 2016

11 bloom

Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado Non-Profit Org US POSTAGE

Pioneering health since day one.

I know, I was there.

PAID

Colorado Springs, CO Permit NO. 14

2222 North Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80907

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, 2016.

entityhospital.org

entityhospital.org

All about oil

How to tell the good from the bad to make oils a healthy part of your diet

With Melaina Bjorklund, MS, RD, Clinical Dietitian at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Cracking the coconut But what about coconut oil? If it’s saturated, how can it be healthy? Here’s a quick explanation: • ‘Bad’ saturated fats contain long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) that make them more apt to be stored as fat.

They’re also more likely to contribute to increased cholesterol levels.

• Coconut oil contains MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides), which undergo a different metabolic process that makes them more bioavailable for fuel right away. Additionally, MCTs won’t contribute to spiking cholesterol levels.

Recommended Daily Oils Total fat Saturated fat

25-35% No more than 7%

Oils in Moderation

Whether you’re using oils or getting them from food, fat is calorically dense, so be sure you’re consuming oils in moderation, Bjorklund says.

For comparison: Calories per gram of fat: 9 Calories per gram of carbohydrate and protein: 4

The Purity Test

Worried your olive oil may not be 100 percent pure? Bjorklund suggests three ways to get the facts: Ask your grocer about possible differences between brands.

Buy locally produced 100 percent pure olive oil, so you’ll know for sure.

Test it: Put 2 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil in clean glass or jar, seal, and refrigerate for 24 hours. “Because there are mostly monounsaturated fats in pure olive oil, it should solidify or thicken in the fridge if it is pure,” Bjorklund says.

Enter a drawing to win an Olive Tap Trio Gift Box ($55 value) by going to penrosestfrancis. org/oliveoil. Must register by Jan. 30.

photo: ©istockphoto.com/Kasiam

A

ll the debate in recent years over what’s “good” and what’s “bad” about certain types of oils has made it difficult for many of us to figure out which ones deserve a place at our table, but there’s one easy way to tell the difference between most healthy oils and their less healthy counterparts, Bjorklund says.

“The good, unsaturated oils, which contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are always liquid at room temperature. Take olive or avocado oil versus saturated fats like butter, margarine, or lard that are solid.”

The fact is, you need healthy fats in your diet. They’re essential for enabling fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K to be digested, and the best way to get them is through food sources. This ensures you’re also getting the microand macronutrients foods contain. “For example, walnuts contain healthy fats as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, plus protein and fiber,” Bjorklund says.