WINTER 2016 | Volume 2, Issue 1
A Healthier You
St. Thomas More Hospital
Afresh
OUTLOOK Quitting smoking does more than stop hurting your health — it can actually turn back time.
Derick Brady is breathing easy about his future, thanks to smoking cessation classes at St. Thomas More Hospital.
Read his story on Page 4.
WARM UP TO WINTER WORKOUTS Page 2
FOR A HEALTHY HEART, STRESS LESS Page 6
SMALL RESOLUTIONS, BIG RESULTS Page 7
PHOTO BY STEVE BIGLEY
inspiring health
DON’T St. Thomas More Physician Group welcomes general surgeon Vincent Yu, MD SURGERY IS MORE THAN A JOB for general surgeon Vincent Yu, MD. “Going to work is not a chore for me,” he says. In fact, along with fixing his own cars, Yu considers surgery one of his hobbies. “A hobby is something you enjoy doing, and the reward is the sense of accomplishment, not necessarily a financial reward.”
Dr. Vincent Yu
Yu moved to the United States from Hong Kong when he was 15 years old. He attended medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his residency in general surgery at Temple University Memorial Medical Center in Philadelphia.
In private practice for 24 years, Yu has lived and worked in Cañon City since 2004. He has three daughters who are 22, 20, and 12 years old. His oldest is currently studying to be a nurse, and ultimately a nurse anesthetist. “She eventually wants to join Doctors Without Borders,” Yu says.
HIBERNATE Staying active yearround keeps you healthier and happier
COLORADO OFFERS tons of outdoor options for activity in the winter — cross-country or downhill skiing, snowshoeing, or Lindsey Heiting, even just building a snowman. Outpatient Whatever the weather, try to Physical get out often. “Recommended Therapist exercise is 30 minutes, five days a week,” says Lindsey Heiting, outpatient physical therapist at St. Thomas More Hospital. The good news is, you don’t have to do 30 minutes all at once. “You can break it up into bouts of 10 minutes minimum,” Heiting says, and still reap the health benefits. Exercise not only promotes a healthier heart and bones, “physical activity increases endorphin release, which helps to decrease stress,” Heiting says. “We have pretty nice weather in southern Colorado so when it’s not icy, you can get out on the Riverwalk.”
Through Global Health Initiatives of Centura Health, Yu has traveled to Peru in the past and hopes to do a surgical mission trip to Nepal with his daughter when she finishes her training.
Your partner in health Call 719-285-2760 to make an appointment with Dr. Yu or visit stmhospital.org/physician-group for more information.
INSIDE (WORK)OUT Too cold or icy to go out? Try these indoor options instead: Work out to an exercise DVD or find a fitness video on YouTube Rev up your housecleaning routine Swim laps or do water aerobics at an indoor pool Take a fitness class
WIN A FITBIT! Tracking your daily activity will keep you on track toward your fitness goals. To enter for your chance to win a Fitbit — which tracks your steps and calories burned — visit stmhospital.org/fit-bit.
EXPERTS COME TO YOU Visiting doctors provide care in nine specialties
IF YOU HAVE A HEART PROBLEM, skin condition, or other specialized health care need, you don’t need to leave Cañon City to find expert care. Specialty clinics are held in the Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at St. Thomas More Hospital on a regular basis. For information or appointments to any of these clinics, please call the number next to the specialty:
u Cardiology (every Wednesday) 719-776-8500 u Coumadin Clinic (every Tuesday through Friday) 719-285-2291 u Nephrology (first and second Tuesdays) 719-561-5264 u Neurosurgery (last Friday of each month) 719-473-3272 u Pacemaker Clinic (second Wednesday of each month) 719-776-5021
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INSPIRE ST. THOMAS MORE HOSPITAL
u Pulmonology (every Monday) 719-564-1542 u Radiation Oncology (first Thursday of each month) 719-557-5460 u Skin Clinic (second and fourth Thursdays) 719-285-2255 u Vascular Surgery (third Tuesday of each month) 719-544-0269
PHOTOS: LINDSEY BY STEVE BIGLEY; FITBIT COURTESY OF FITBIT INC.
WHEN WORK IS A JOY, NOT JUST A JOB
inspiring health
HOW BAD IS IT… TO SIT AT A DESK ALL DAY?
IN A WORD?
DEADLY.
PROLONGED PERIODS OF SITTING RAISE RISK for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, among other deadly diseases — regardless of how much activity you get other times of day, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
back in 2 minutes
Specifically, sitting eight to 12 hours a day raises risk for type 2 diabetes a whopping 90 percent. And a new study published last July found that women who sit more than six hours daily have a 43 percent increased chance of ovarian cancer. Inactivity has even been identified as the fourth leading cause of death by the World Health Organization. “We sit at work, in the car, and on the couch at home,” says Britta Crawford, certified wellness coach at St. Thomas More Hospital. “Adults today aren’t getting the physical activity they used to, and it’s killing us.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO? STAND UP TO SAVE YOUR LIFE! u Make one-on-one meetings walking meetings u Use a headset and pace during conference calls
u Petition for a stand-up desk u Walk around for two minutes every hour
Take a stand against heart disease Fremont County residents have a 25 percent greater risk of being hospitalized due to heart attacks than the rest of the state. Find out how to protect your heart at our annual Pamper Your Heart event on Feb. 15. Details on Page 5.
DEADLY CO MBINATION
Common drugs, foods, and supplements can have risky interaction with Coumadin
PHOTOS: CHAIR ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COM/ANTPKR; PILL ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COM/LEUNGCHOPAN
EVERY YEAR, it’s estimated that upward of three-quarter of a million Americans will wind up in a hospital emergency room simply due to a medication error, often preventable. And blood thinners, particularly warfarin, are one of the top three medications that result in hospitalization. Warfarin, known commonly by the brand name Coumadin, is taken to prevent blood clots. This drug is extremely sensitive to other drugs, foods, and supplements that alter the levels of the liver enzyme used to break down the warfarin, says Dennis Vettese, Coumadin Clinic coordinator at St. Thomas More Hospital. When that enzyme is altered, the liver degrades the warfarin faster or slower than expected. If the warfarin is degraded slower, it can lose its power to prevent blood clots. If it is degraded faster, it can cause unexpected bleeding. “Coumadin patients need absolute awareness that many different medications can cause dangerous changes in levels,” Vettese says.
Vettese offers these tips to help patients be more proactive about preventing medication errors: Keep a medication Don’t leave your Avoid having Read up on your list that includes all doctor’s office or prescriptions filled at prescriptions. prescriptions, overpharmacy with different pharmacies. One credible site the-counter medicines, unanswered If you are using an is the National and supplements. questions. To print out online pharmacy, be Institutes of Health Be sure to take this list a list of “10 Questions sure to bring copies of at: nlm.nih.gov/ with you on all visits to You Must Ask,” go prescription records medlineplus/ doctors, pharmacies, to stmhospital.org/ to your regular druginformation. and hospitals. medication. pharmacist. html.
Dennis Vettese, Coumadin Clinic Coordinator
If you currently take a blood thinner and would like to learn more about interactions and monitoring, call the Coumadin Clinic at 719-285-2291.
STMHOSPITAL.ORG WINTER 2016
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smoking cessation
deep breath
TAKE A
When you quit smoking, the healing starts from day one
“I’m “I’mnot notgoing goingto tosmoke smoketoday.” today.” At one of the classes, they showed a picture of a smoker’s lung compared to a nonsmoker. It was so black. The thing that stood out to me is that I can’t reverse what I did to my lungs. But by quitting, I’ve stopped the aging of my lungs and cut my risk of lung cancer.”
— Derick Brady, former smoker and current nonsmoker
That’s the motto Derick Brady learned in the smoking cessation program at St. Thomas More Hospital. A 31-year-old locksmith from Cañon City, Brady knew it wouldn’t be easy to leave cigarettes behind after 15 years of smoking. “I’d tried to quit on my own five or six times in the past,” he says. But with his wedding date approaching, Brady didn’t want to smoke anymore. “The classes were free so I thought, why not? I’d see what happened. And it stuck.” Brady was tired of the toll smoking was taking on his health — he couldn’t run without getting out of breath. “Plus, my nephews were watching me,” Brady says, and he realized he wanted to set a better example.
Support to go smoke-free Each week of the 13-week program, “we watched a video with doctors telling us what we’d feel that week and what nicotine replacement we should use,” Brady says. Guest speakers and fellow classmates kept Brady motivated and accountable. “I wanted to keep going because it was working,” he says.
Not only did Brady start breathing better, “my sense of taste and smell came back,” he says. “You just don’t know how much you’re losing when you’re smoking.” In addition to his senses, quitting saved his “cents” as well. After six months smoke-free, “I’d saved $1,300,” Brady says. “That’s over 5,000 cigarettes I hadn’t smoked.” To help motivate others and keep getting support, Brady decided to go back for the next session of stopsmoking classes. If you’ve thought about quitting, consider yourself invited: “Just try it,” Brady says. “You never know what will click in your head to give you the motivation to believe you can do it. I owe a big thank-you to my teachers, Laurie and Cat. With their help and dedication, I became a nonsmoker.” When Brady looks back on 2015, his Oct. 10 wedding anniversary won’t be the only milestone he remembers. His March 15 quit date will also stand out as a day he started an important new chapter in his life.
GET HELP TO QUIT To register for the next FREE tobacco cessation program, visit stmhospital.org/ calendar or call 719-285-2010. The program includes pre- and post-test lung function screenings, guest speakers, group support, and more tools to help you quit smoking for good.
Kicking the smoking habit means Derick Brady has more energy to play with his pup, Skully.
DID YOU KNOW… that cigarette smoke contains 60 known carcinogens, including
arsenic, and that smokeless tobacco contains 28, including radioactive elements from fertilizer?
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INSPIRE ST. THOMAS MORE HOSPITAL
Your lungs before, after, and after that
PHOTOS: PATIENT BY STEVE BIGLEY; SCISSORS ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COMBLACKBOARD1965; SMOKE ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COM/VROBERT; LUNGS ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COM/OSIPOVEV
The physiological benefits of becoming a nonsmoker
Before smoking: HEALTHY LUNGS
After smoking: HURTING LUNGS
After quitting: HEALING LUNGS
One important function of healthy lungs is keeping themselves clear of dirt and pollutants. Tiny hairlike projections called cilia line the upper airway, sweeping inhaled invaders up away from the lungs on a layer of mucus. “The cilia protect the lungs from infection,” says Craig Shapiro, MD, medical director for respiratory therapy, sleep lab, and pulmonary rehabilitation at St. Thomas More Hospital.
Smoking impairs normal lung function because it damages lung tissue, including the cilia and alveoli. “Smoking destroys the tiny hairs of the cilia,” Shapiro says. “That means the dirt and crud you breathe in doesn’t move out of the lungs.” Plus, cigarette smoke itself is a potent source of inhaled toxins.
You can’t turn back the clock, Shapiro says, but from the day you quit smoking, your health begins to improve:
“When you breathe in smoke, dust, or other particles, they get caught by the cilia and pulled up to the top of your throat so you can cough them out,” Shapiro says. Of course, the lungs’ primary job description is breathing — inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. The center of operations for this exchange is the alveoli, tiny pockets at the end of the branching air passages of the lungs. “Alveoli are like millions Dr. Craig Shapiro of stretchy balloons,” Shapiro says. “They fill up with oxygen when you breathe in, and that oxygen gets absorbed into the bloodstream,” while carbon dioxide passes into the alveoli to be exhaled.
Since pollutants aren’t being extracted from the lungs, smokers can develop chest infections, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. The air sacs of the alveoli become less stretchy and elastic in people who smoke. “The ‘balloons’ are harder to blow up,” Shapiro explains, so breathing takes more effort. Changes in the alveoli also make the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide less effective. After about age 30, lung function declines naturally over time, but this process is accelerated in smokers. While normal lungs lose about 30 to 50 cc a year (a measure of air volume capacity), “smoking increases that reduction in lung volume to 150 cc a year,” Shapiro says. Quitting smoking will slow, but not reverse, the decline in lung capacity.
Within 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood return to normal. In 72 hours, the bronchial tubes in the lungs start to relax. In two weeks to three months, lung function improves. In eight weeks, the insulin resistance and diabetes risk caused by smoking returns to normal. During the first nine months after quitting, the cilia in the lungs recover and regrow. After one year, your risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke drops to half that of a smoker. In five to 15 years, your risk of stroke is down to that of a nonsmoker. In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer is 30 to 50 percent of a continuing smoker.
Pamper YOUR HEART Learn ways to protect your heart at this year’s Pamper Your Heart, a FREE event to nurture your heart physically and emotionally. Enjoy a smorgasbord of heart health screenings, information booths, and a FREE hearthealthy dinner. All attendees will receive a special gift. Monday, Feb. 15 4:30-7 p.m. Evangelical Free Church 3000 E. Main St. Cañon City Register online at stmhospital.org/ pamper-your-heart or by calling 719-285-2179.
Not just the lungs: 7 side effects of smoking “People think the lungs are the key issue with smoking, but it’s more than that,” says pulmonologist Craig Shapiro, MD. Smoking also increases the risk of:
DIABETES HEART DISEASE STROKE
BLINDNESS
INFERTILITY
CANCER — colon, cervix, liver, stomach, pancreatic, and others
PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS — prematurity, low birth weight WINTER 2016
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preventive health
Don’t take stress to heart Learning to manage stress promotes a healthier heart and blood vessels
“The modern day is much different from the way things were 10,000 years ago,” says Thomas McGuire, MD, an internal medicine physician at the St. Thomas More Physician Group. Instead of facing short-term, immediate danger such as a predator, we wrestle with more persistent, intangible threats to our jobs, families, and future prospects. This chronic stress takes its toll on the heart and blood vessels.
The heart in high gear “Stress in small quantities is lifesaving,” McGuire says. “Stress can cause your sympathetic nervous system to kick in and can save you from being eaten alive or falling off a cliff.” That’s because in response to stress, the body launches a fight-or-flight response — releasing a burst of adrenaline and cortisol that causes the heart to beat faster and harder and raises blood pressure. “In short, controlled bursts, elevated blood pressure provides extra blood supply and oxygen to the muscles so we can respond to a possibly life-threatening event,” McGuire says.
Dr. Thomas McGuire
Over time, however, all that adrenaline creates a toxic environment for the heart and blood vessels. “There’s no question that persistent, prolonged stress is a significant component in the formation and progression of cardiovascular disease,” McGuire says.
Chronic high blood pressure causes increased muscle tone in the artery walls that decreases their flexibility. Stress also appears to have a negative effect on the tissue inside artery walls, making it more prone to rupture and trigger a blood clot that can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Finding healthy stress busters Sometimes people turn to unhealthy behaviors to cope with stress, such as smoking, drinking, or overeating. “These actually make things worse for the heart,” McGuire says. Instead, helpful tools to manage stress include:
u Exercise u Meditation u Biofeedback u Mind-body practices such as yoga or tai chi u Getting enough sleep u Time with loved ones u Volunteering.
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INSPIRE INSPIRE ST. ST. THOMAS THOMAS MORE MORE HOSPITAL HOSPITAL
Do a stress check The next time you feel stressed, stop and pay attention to your body. Is your breathing shallow? Is your heart pounding? Take a deep breath and ask yourself if you’re actually in danger. Modern stressors don’t usually require a literal “fight-or-flight” response. You’re better off to dial down the adrenaline and “breathe and think” instead.
A virtual checkup every night Remote monitoring for pacemakers and other cardiac devices catches problems fast Most people with pacemakers are used to going in twice a year for a checkup. “Now we have bedside monitors that check pacemakers automatically every night while patients are asleep,” says Susan Martini, RN, Remote lead of the pacemaker monitoring device clinic at St. Thomas cuts risk of More Hospital. death in half. At the remote monitoring site, staff receive alerts the very next day and notify patients’ doctors if abnormal heart rhythms are detected. Any device issues, such as a low battery or loose wires, also show up with remote monitoring.
“Research shows people who use wireless remote monitoring have a 50 percent decrease in mortality or death,” Martini says. They also have fewer ER visits and spend less time in the hospital. Remote monitoring is available for most pacemakers, defibrillators, and congestive heart failure monitors. Ask your cardiologist or call 719-776-5021 for more information.
Pacemaker Clinic
If you have a pacemaker or defibrillator, talk to your cardiologist for a referral to have it checked at the device clinic, which is held the second Wednesday of every month. For more information, call 719-776-5021.
We are part of the Centura Heart Network, the region’s leading provider of cardiovascular care.
PHOTO ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/PLHERRERA
ASK 10 PEOPLE IN AN ELEVATOR HOW THEY’RE DOING, and chances are at least nine of them will say, “Stressed.” Feeling busy, rushed, and stressed out can seem like an ever-present part of life.
THINK YOUR WAY TO THIN A gentler, smaller approach to resolutions will have you winning big
THE NO. 1 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION IN AMERICA is to lose weight. If you are one of those folks, congratulations — just making a resolution has gotten you off to a good start. People who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t make resolutions, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychology. But if you’ve found it hard to stick to your plan in the past, it may be because you’re an all-or-nothing thinker. These people often throw in the towel if they indulge in even one little nibble that is not on their plan, says Emma Glancy, manager of wellness programs at St. Thomas More Hospital. “You think, ‘I’ll start clean tomorrow.’ That’s that black-and-white thinking,” she says. A typical example? It’s a co-worker’s birthday, so you eat a piece of cake. You immediately tell yourself the day is shot, so you reach for another piece of cake, a hamburger with fries for dinner, and maybe a bowl of ice cream before bed — why not, you’re starting over in the morning, right? “What you need to understand is that the 500-calorie piece of cake doesn’t make you or break you, but the 2,000 calories that you eat after you give up will make a difference,” Glancy says. Her advice? Get right back on your plan and eat normally for the rest of the day. By the end of the week, you’ll probably still hit your goal.
PHOTOS: VEGETABLES ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COM/FISHERPHOTOSTUDIO; SHOES ©DOLLARPHOTOCLUB.COM/COCOOO
Another reason many people don’t succeed in reaching their goals is because they have set goals that are unrealistic or don’t have action plans to back them up, Glancy says. Many people often tend to focus on what they didn’t do rather than what they accomplished. “Beating yourself up because you didn’t do something will lower your self-esteem and make you feel like you’re stuck in a cesspool of negativity. Instead, turn around and think positively about what’s possible,” says Glancy. Here are some tips to help you enjoy a successful New Year:
Emma Glancy, Manager of Wellness Programs
Take small actions
Focus on the possibilities
Escape resolution fatigue by setting realistic goals and taking small actions every day.
Forgiving yourself for mistakes and staying positive takes time and practice. “Stay motivated with positive thinking about what’s next and what’s possible,” Glancy says. If you only go for two bike rides in a week, congratulate yourself on exercising twice instead of berating yourself for missing the third bike ride (and throwing in the towel because you weren’t perfect). Then plan to go on three bike rides the next week.
Focus on what you can do each day or each week to move closer to your goal. If you want to exercise more, for example, commit to making time for a bike ride after work today. Then tomorrow, set another goal.
GANG UP
ON YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION If your New Year’s resolution is to increase your level of activity, join the Inspire Running Club! The club is open to the public and offered by St. Thomas More Hospital for all levels, from walkers to runners, and varies in distances (1 mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon runners). This is a great opportunity to meet people, train, receive support and encouragement, and have fun! For more information and a list of upcoming running club events, contact Emma Glancy at 719-285-2630 or emmaglancy@centura.org, or visit stmhospital.org/ running-club.
STMHOSPITAL.ORG WINTER 2016
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Over 130 years of pioneering health care for you.
Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado
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1338 Phay Avenue Cañon City, CO 81212
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INSPIRATION THE OPTIMISTIC LIFE
FRIDAYS, FEB 5-MAR 11 NOON-12:30 P.M.
This six-week program is designed to provide participants with a practical “hands-on” approach to learn and recognize the choices we have in adopting optimism as a way of life. Location: St. Thomas More Hospital, Board Room Cost: $25 for community members; FREE for St. Thomas More employees Registration: 719-285-2711
Pamper YOUR HEART MONDAY, FEB 15 4:30-7 P.M.
Enjoy heart health screenings, information booths, a heart-healthy dinner, a special gift, guest speakers, and more! Wear red in support of National Heart Month. Location: Evangelical Free Church, 3000 E. Main St. Cost: FREE Registration: stmhospital.org/ pamper-your-heart or 719-285-2179
INSPIRE
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
St. Thomas More Hospital
Join our health experts to learn how you can make small changes that make a big impact on improving your health! For a complete list of classes and details, visit stmhospital.org/calendar.
TAI CHI: MOVING FOR BETTER BALANCE MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, FEB 15-MAY 4 9-11 A.M.
The class helps adults 60 and older improve balance and reduce the likelihood of falling; tai chi also helps improve many health conditions. Location: Parks and Recreation Building, 575 Ash St. Cost: FREE Registration: 719-285-2345
CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION WEDNESDAYS, MAR 2-23 6-9 P.M.
Prepare yourself, your partner, and baby for labor and delivery during this fourweek program that spans from the third trimester through labor and delivery and postdelivery care. Location: St. Thomas More Hospital, Community Room Cost: $25 for you and a support person; scholarships available upon request Registration: stmhospital.org/ childbirth-education or 719-285-2058
STEPPING ON
THURSDAYS, MAR 17-APR 28 9-11 A.M.
Prevent falls with this seven-week program that strengthens your balance and has proven to help reduce falls by more than 30 percent. Location: St. Thomas More Hospital, Community Room Cost: FREE • Registration: 719-285-2345
BRAIN FITNESS
TUESDAYS, MAR 15-APR 12 NOON-12:30 P.M.
During this five-week program, learn how to integrate positive lifestyle changes and use evidence-based programs to build your cognitive thinking skills. Location: St. Thomas More Hospital, 2nd Floor Board Room Cost: $25 for community members; FREE for hospital employees Registration: 719-285-2711
SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY, APR 16 7 A.M.-NOON
KOAA5 Southern Colorado Health Fair Location: Evangelical Free Church, 3000 E. Main St. Information: 9healthfair.org or 719-285-2630
INSPIRE is published quarterly by St. Thomas More Hospital as part of our Mission to nurture the health of the people in our community. The information herein is meant to complement, not replace, advice provided by a licensed health care provider. To comment or unsubscribe, email us at inspire@centura.org. INSPIRE is produced by Clementine Health Marketing. Executive Editor: Jillian Maes.
St. Thomas More 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 303-804-8166. Copyright © Centura Health, 2016.
S T M H O S P I TA L.O R G