Flourish Spring 2011

golfing stronger

snore no more

free cancer screenings

flourish Spring 2011

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

PLUS!

Easing the pain of breast surgery

Stand Up to Knee Pain!

5 steps to wearing heels safely

healthystart at Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center have been designated as the only Accredited Chest Pain Centers in southern Colorado by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Check out our new WomenHeart Support group on page 7.

Flourish 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 flourish@centura.org. Flourish is produced by Clementine Communications of Denver, Colo. Executive Editor is Jill Woodford.

2222 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80907

flourish

2 Spring 2011

Berry Beautiful 5 Things to Know About Summer’s Bounty

By Sharon Jacob, Registered Dietitian, St. Francis Medical Center

One cup of berries provides your daily dose of cancer-fighting antioxidants. But you still need another 5–8 servings of vegetables and other fruits to get all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants needed for optimal health.

Any type of berry will do. From good ol’ blueberries to newly popular acai berries, all types of berries are rich in antioxidants. The more colorful the better.

Organic is best. Berries are difficult to wash without damaging the delicate skin.

Rinse well with water right before serving.

Don’t waste your money on juice drinks.

Drinks are filled with sugar and additives and very little fruit.

Plus you don’t get the benefits of the fiber from the skin.

Different berries deliver different benefits.

Strawberries reduce the risk of macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis; blueberries protect against heart disease; and raspberries block the body’s production of enzymes used by cancer cells.

For the Man in Your Life Your guy’s snoring could be doing more than keeping you up at night. Snoring is often a sign of a sleep disorder that can cause weight gain, diabetes and heart problems. If he snores, feels tired despite a “good night’s” sleep or nods off during the day, encourage him to ask his doctor about a sleep study, says Alain Eid, MD, a pulmonologist with Penrose-St. Francis Sleep Disorders Center.

Learn more and get a free sleep consultation by going to penrosestfrancis.org/sleep and clicking “Take the Sleep Quiz!”

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Photos: ©iStockphoto.com/JPecha, Tjanz, Juanmonino, Anyka, 1MoreCreative, Brasil2, lisegagne, Zeq

The Chest Pain Centers

&A Q

Power Swing

That new swing that promises to put you on the green in two could put you out for the season.

if you To see for qualify gery or ic sur bariatr uest a free to req tion, visit a consult tfrancis.org/

Four out of five golfers experience a back injury at some point, according to Sports Injury Bulletin. And one of the most common causes is a new swing, says Debra Gillis, a physical therapist with Colorado Sports & Spine Centers. es “As you change your swing, you put different demands on muscles penros htloss. eig w and joints that can lead to injury,” Gillis says.

Today’s golf swing relies on a tightly coiled body that releases its power at the point of impact. This swing requires core strength and flexibility in the hips and back.

Scott Fischer, MD, FACS Maintain a year-round routine of Pilates, yoga or other exercise programs Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services to reduce the risk of injury. “This will also help improve your accuracy,” Gillis says. Focus on: Can weight loss surgery cure my diabetes?

• Building inner core strength. Forget the sit-ups and concentrate on exerYes is the short answer—if you have Type 2 diabetes, cises that strengthen the pelvic floor and the deep abdominal muscles.

• Increasing hip rotation. Work on “turning over” your hips as you pull the type caused by lifestyle and not genetics. Gastric bypass resolves Type 2 diabetes in more than 80 perthrough the swing.

• Increasing upper-back flexibility. Harness the power of the trunk through cent of patients. Other surgeries also can help patients a full upper-back swing, rather than through the arms. with less severe non-insulin resistant Type 2 diabetes.

If your diabetes is being treated with medication only, weight loss from surgery may be enough to cure the diabetes. If you have a more advanced stage that requires insulin, gastric bypass is recommended. By bypassing the duodenum and part of the jejunum, gastric bypass actually creates a biological change in the body that reverses insulin resistance and restores some pancreatic function.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services The evidence is so convincing that the U.S. Food is the medical provider for the and Drug Administration recently recommended 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, that the weight requirement for lap-band surgery be July 4–10 at The Broadmoor. reduced from a BMI of 35 to a BMI of 30, if the patient For a chance to win two tickets, has diabetes. That would mean a 5-foot-5-inch woman register by June 12 at who weighs 180 pounds would now qualify for surgery.

penrosestfrancis.org/golftickets.

Teens and Tanning

While most parents wouldn’t allow their teens to smoke cigarettes, some may let them use indoor tanning booths. Yet, both cigarettes and indoor tanning booths have been classified in the highest risk category for causing cancer.

“Indoor tanning before the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by as much as 75 percent” says Anuj Peddada, MD, a radiation oncologist with the Penrose Cancer Center. “Indoor tanning is not a safe option to sun exposure. The ultraviolet radiation given off by tanning beds and sun lamps can be stronger and more dangerous than the sun’s radiation.”

Attend a free skin cancer screening on May 7.

See page 7 for details and registration.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Spring 2011

3 flourish

in? a P e e Kn what’s

Learn your knee o g causinnd what toEdE a FR pain a t a t i t abou eminar. ils.) s a for det ge 7

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Big Steps Lynn Meyer is back to long walks in the woods with Buddy after knee replacement surgery.

flourish

4 Winter 2011

Anatomy + Genetics = Bad Knees Story by Michele Conklin • Photos by Ellen Jaskol

which causes an achy pain in the knee, especially First off, ladies, let’s pay homage to our curves. when climbing stairs and when squatting,” says Our vivacious hips are not just sexy—they help us Vicki Lieber, a physical therapist and certified bring life into this world. athletic trainer at Penrose Hospital. “This is very But with this strength comes a weakness. Those common in women.” same lovely curves mean extra pressure on our Lynn Meyer knows the feeling well. The knees, putting us at increased risk for knee injuries 69-year-old Monument resident began feeling pain and ultimately knee arthritis. And, of course, in her kneecaps several years we don’t help the situation by wearing Three Things You Should Know ago. Despite injections and other treatments, the pain confour-inch stilettos about Knee Replacement: tinued increasing until it was or packing on a few • Don’t wait too long for surgery. keeping her awake at night extra pounds.

Consider surgery if nonsurgical measures and limiting her activities.

“In general, womare no longer working and your activities are “I was down to bone-onen are more prone to limited, which can lead to weight gain and bone in my knees,” Meyer knee injuries due to decreased health. says. “I’d wake up with pain their anatomy,” says and go to sleep with pain. It Eric Jepson, DO, an • Don’t skimp on physical therapy. A new study in the Clinical Rehabilitation journal bothered me all the time.” orthopaedic surgeon found that patients who started rehabilitation By last fall, the pain had with Penrose-St. within 24 hours had shorter hospital stays, become so unbearable that Francis Health Serless pain and greater range of motion. she decided to have knee vices. “Knee injuries replacement surgery. In Januthen put women at • Improve your health prior to surgery. ary, she had her right knee increased risk of Research reported at the recent 2011 Anreplaced with plans to replace osteoarthritis and nual Meeting of the American Academy of her left knee soon. After just knee replacement Orthopaedic Surgeons found patients fared five days of recovery and later in life. There are significantly better if they stopped smoking, five days of physical therapy, also many women reduced their alcohol intake and maintained she was back to most of her who develop osteostable blood-sugar levels before surgery. normal activities. arthritis for reasons “I tell people not to wait as long as I did,” we don’t yet understand.”

Meyer says. “If a person is having severe Females, particularly younger active women, are pain or difficulty getting around, they should up to 10 times more likely than men to suffer knee go in because their quality of life is going to be injuries. And knee osteoarthritis—the aching pain greatly improved.” that leads to knee replacement—is twice as comNearly 300,000 knee replacements are permon in women as men. formed each year in the United States, with more The exact reasons for this increased risk are not than 60 percent in women, according to the Amerifully understood, but doctors do know that there can Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Due to are some particular issues that lead to problems. women’s unique physiology, advancements specific Women’s wider hips put more stress on the knee to women are being developed. The two most joint. Women also are likely to develop stronger promising advancements include artificial knees quadriceps muscles in the front of their legs than designed specifically for women and “custom” hamstrings in the back of their legs, leading to a knee replacements that are designed specifically for muscle imbalance that pulls at and stresses the each patient. knees. As women age, they also may lose strength These customized knees don’t show a significant in their buttock muscles, which can lead to a condifference in the immediate outcome, but researchdition called patellofemoral syndrome. ers believe that they will lead to better wear over “When the glute muscles are weak, it causes time, Jepson says. the back of the kneecap to rub on the thigh bone,

Watch a video on simple exercises to strengthen your knees by going to www.penrosestfrancis.org/knee.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Sensible Stilettos High-heel shoes increase the force behind the kneecap and inside the knee joint by 23 percent or more, which can cause degenerative changes to the knee.

“Most of my female patients are victims of fashion, with osteoarthritis being the main outcome leading to pain,” says Kenneth Gavin, a certified orthotist in Colorado Springs.

So what’s a girl to do? If you’re unwilling to give up your Manolos, try these tips to ease the pain.

Buy the right size shoe and customize. Most women buy shoes that are too narrow, particularly in the toe box. Buy shoes that fit comfortably in the afternoon, and don’t expect shoes to “give.” Add cushioning pads under the ball of the foot.

Wear wedges or shoes that lift the forefoot along with the heel. Look for the latest styles that have platforms on the front.

Break in your shoes. Just like you’d never wear hiking boots for the first time on an all-day hike, don’t wear your new heels for the first time to an allday wedding.

Take frequent breaks. Save your highest heels for date nights at the movies and skip them at work where they increase your chances of falling.

Strengthen your core. You’ll not only look better in heels, you’ll also have the support to help protect your knees.

Spring 2011

5 flourish

Pain Relief Breast Reconstruction Made Easier A drug typically associated with helping women stave off the signs of aging is now being used to help breast cancer patients.

Surgeons at Women’s Surgical Services at St. Francis Medical Center in Colorado Springs are using BOTOX® injections to alleviate the pain associated with breast reconstruction after mastectomy. This technique largely alleviates the need for painkillers such as Valium, says Toni Green, DO, breast surgeon.

“The initial breast surgery and then the process of breast reconstruction can be quite painful and is typically managed with oral medications, but those can leave women drowsy and unable to think clearly,” says Green, director of breast oncology at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. “By using BOTOX, these women can return to work and many other activities while going through the process.”

Unlike breast augmentation for aesthetic purposes, breast implants after cancer surgery cannot be placed directly under the skin. Instead, they must be placed behind the pectoral muscles. To make room for the implants, surgeons expand the muscles by placing small balloons behind them and gradually increasing the size of the balloons over a period of six to 12 weeks.

“When you stretch the muscle to make room for the implants, it will spasm and cause pain. BOTOX partially paralyzes the muscle so that it doesn’t spasm,” says Aaron Smith, MD, a plastic surgeon with Penrose who began using this technique three years ago while training alongside Green at the Mayo Clinic.

Claudia Martinez, a nurse in Colorado Springs, was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall. Although the cancer was caught very early, Martinez opted for a double mastectomy.

“I was very lucky because it was teeny-tiny,” Martinez, 53, says.

“But I had always said that if I got breast cancer, I would

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have my breasts removed so I didn’t have to worry about it coming back.”

719-5 71-88 ca Martinez knew she wanted reconstrucll 40. tion, but she hadn’t thought about the process or realized that it could be painful.

Working with Green and Smith, she chose to get the BOTOX injections.

“I had absolutely no spasms and no pain,” Martinez says.

In addition to using BOTOX, surgeons and anesthesiologists also use epidurals during surgery—to control the immediate pain and help get women back on their feet faster by avoiding the painkillers that leave them too tired to move, Green says. Not all surgeons offer these techniques and some insurance plans do not yet cover them, so women may need to ask about them, she adds.

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flourish

6 Spring 2011

Jerry and Claudia Martinez

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Photo: Ellen JasKol, RIBBON Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/skodonnell

Self-Advoc

calendar Spring The Benefits—and Risks—of Alternative Medicine Natural treatments such as herbal supplements, massage and acupuncture provide many health benefits, but they also present some risks. Join us to learn about the various forms of complementary and alternative medicines and the things you need to be aware of for some of the most popular treatments. As part of this class, we will provide you with an electronic guide to help inform your use of supplements.

Date: Wednesday, April 20 Time: 5:30–6:30 p.m.

Location: Penrose Health Learning Center, 1644 Medical Center Point (Union and Templeton Gap) Cost: $20 Registration: 719-776-3600 Eating on the Run Is it possible to eat healthy while maintaining a crazy, busy schedule that doesn’t allow you any extra time in the kitchen? Learn how to shop and cook for health—even with the busiest schedule.

Date: Thursday, April 28 Time: 5:30–6:30 p.m.

Location: Penrose Health Learning Center, 1644 Medical Center Point (Union and Templeton Gap) Cost: $20 Registration: 719-776-3600

WomenHeart Support Group Have you been diagnosed with heart disease or suffered a heart attack? Are you at risk for heart problems? EMPOWER your personal journey toward heart health by joining the WomenHeart Support Group. Shared experiences can help you regain a sense of control, feel less alone, develop a positive life outlook and find the strength to commit to lifestyle changes. Led by Stephanie Hammar, heart attack survivor and WomenHeart Support network coordinator. All ages are welcome!

Dates: Third Friday of every month Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Location: Volunteer Conference Room, Penrose Hospital, 2222 N. Nevada Ave. Cost: FREE Information: 719-200-2645

FEATURED PROGRAM

background Photo: ©iStockphoto.STILLFX knee Photo: ©iStockphoto.Eraxion

Learn how to eat healthy while eating out.

(See back cover for details.)

Weight Loss Surgery Would you like to learn more about weight loss surgery and how it can improve your health? Join the staff from the Penrose Bariatric Surgery Center, the only Bariatric Center of Excellence in southern Colorado, to learn the differences between gastric bypass and lap-band surgery and the criteria needed to qualify for bariatric surgery. You’ll meet former patients, hear their stories and learn their tips for success.

Lap Band Surgery Seminar: Date: Wednesday, May 4 Time: 12:30 p.m.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Seminar: Date: Thursday, May 12 Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Both programs will be held in the Penrose Cancer Center Conference Room, 2222 N. Nevada Ave. Cost: FREE Registration is required: 719-776-5359

Wounded Knees No More Did you know that women are 10 times as likely to have knee injuries as men? And twice as likely to have osteoarthritis? Learn why your knees ache, what you can do to ease the pain and why early diagnosis can help save you from knee replacement.

Come dressed to move as you learn easy exercises to protect the knee and relieve pressure.

Date: Wednesday, May 25 Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Penrose Health Learning Center, 1644 Medical Center Point (Union and Templeton Gap) Cost: FREE Registration: 719-776-3600

Bootcamp Join Margaret Sabin, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services CEO and ACE certified group fitness instructor, for a weekly mega-dose of cardiovascular conditioning, muscle toning, balance, agility training and flexibility.

Dates: Thursdays, May 26–June 30 Time: 5–6 p.m.

Location: Penrose Hospital Wellness Center, 2222 N. Nevada Ave. East Tower, Basement Level Cost: $45 Registration: 719-776-7494

FAMILY FOCUS Natural Family Planning Are you interested in learning a natural, low-cost way to achieve or avoid pregnancy? Join our certified Natural Family Planning Practitioner to learn more about the Creighton Ovulation Model of Fertility Care, a method that is 99 percent effective in avoiding pregnancy and a valuable aid in helping couples achieve pregnancy.

Come to a FREE introductory session: Date: Monday, May 9 or June 13 Time: 7–8 p.m.

Location: St. Francis Medical Center, 6011 E. Woodmen Road Cost: FREE introductory session.

Registration: 719-571-3101

HEALTH SCREENINGS Skin Cancer Screening Skin cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. Get a free skin check from a licensed dermatologist as part of the Colorado Springs community skin screening.

Date: Saturday, May 7 Time: 8–11:30 a.m.

Location: Peak Vista Family Center, 225 S. Union Blvd.

Cost: FREE Registration: 719-444-2273 Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Screening Oral cancer is on the rise in younger adults, and recent research indicates this development is linked to the increase of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a cancer-causing infection that can be transmitted by oral sex. Tobacco and alcohol users also are at high risk for these cancers. Join the experts from the Penrose Cancer Center to learn the early symptoms and get a free exam.

Date: Thursday, May 12 Time: 4–6 p.m.

Location: Penrose Cancer Center, 2222 North Nevada Ave. Cost: FREE Registration: 719-776-5610

Visit penrosestfrancis.org/wellness for a list of additional health and fitness classes.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Spring 2011

7 flourish

Get Tested Nearly 7 million Americans of all ages are walking around with undiagnosed diabetes, putting them at high risk for heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.

Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

2222 North Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Colorado Springs, CO Permit No. 14

“Many people don’t know they have diabetes until it gets into a more advanced stage and, by then, the damage is hard to undo,” says Michael Koren, MD, an endocrinologist with Advanced Care in Endocrinology & Diabetes in Colorado Springs. “Every adult over 45 should be tested for diabetes every three years, even if they feel fine.”

In addition to fasting glucose and glucose tolerance tests, an A1c blood test can be used to screen patients.

This test is more convenient for patients because it does not require fasting and can be done any time.

4 Ways to

Prevent Diabetes ✓ Breastfeeding a baby for even one month cuts a mom’s risk of diabetes in half. ✓ Combining aerobic exercise and resistance training controls blood sugar better than either one alone. ✓ Eating a Mediterranean-style diet controls diabetes more effectively than a low-fat diet. ✓ Sleeping poorly is linked to an increased risk of diabetes. (Learn more on page 2.)

Photos: Women: ©iStockphoto.com Steve Debenport, apples: ©iStockphoto.com Sawayasu Tsuji

Take a free online diabetes risk test at diabetes.org under “Diabetes Basics.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Koren, call 719-776-3636.

Get the latest health news, tips and information on health events by becoming a fan.

Facebook.com/penrosestfrancis

Conversations with WomenTheseSaDve Eating Well While Eating Out

Eating out is no longer a once-in-a-while treat—for some it’s an everyday necessity, and for others it’s an essential part of their social or business lives. Join our dietitians for a lively night of learning how to stay healthy while eating out.

Enjoy healthy food samples from You’ll learn how to: local restaurants and register to win restaurant gift certificates!

• recognize how fat and extra calories creep in to appetizers and Date: Thursday, June 9 entrées Time: 6–8 p.m.

• identify how much is too much by knowing proper food portions • know what and how to order from your favorite restaurants • strategize before eating out

ates!

Upcom ing Co nversa With W tions omen includ e: • Sept. 2 2: Meno pause an Hormone d Therapy • Nov. 1 5: Anti-A ging Stra for Body tegies , Brains and Bea uty

Location: Julie Penrose Health Education and Research Center (NorthCare Building on the St. Francis Medical Center campus), 6071 E. Woodmen Road Cost: FREE For more information or to register, call 719-776-5052.

Centura Health complies with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination in the provision of any care or service on the grounds of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual preference, ancestry, age, familial status, disability or handicap.