Monday, September 23, 2013
Changing bad habits require focus, patience
Most of us have unhealthy habits that we would like to
change, but may not know exactly how to go about it. I have a long list of health improvements I want to
make: lose twenty pounds, stop
eating chocolate every day, be a better listener, handle stress better,
exercise 30 minutes every day —
to name just a few.
When I look at
that long list, I feel overwhelmed, so I will “practice what I preach.” I have always given the following
advice when people show me their long list of New Year’s resolutions:
• Don’t try to change too many things at once.
• Choose the most important goal and work on it first.
• Write down three specific, achievable actions you can take
towards your goal.
• Set a realistic deadline.
• Be sure to reward yourself when you have accomplished each
step toward your goal.
In that spirit, I am taking that advice in my quest to
change one thing: How I
handle stress in my life. Three specific actions I can take are:
• Learn how to
say “no.” I need to
understand my limits and stick to them.
• Set aside
relaxation time throughout the day.
• Reframe my
problems. Worrying just adds
stress, and haven’t we all found that in reality most of the things we worry about never materialize?
Authors Melinda
Smith, M.A., and Robert Segal, M.A., offer these tips to manage stress and
promote relaxation:
• Go for a walk
• Spend time in nature
• Call a good friend
• Sweat out tension with a good workout
• Write in your journal
• Take a long bath
• Light scented candles
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• Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea
• Play with a pet
• Work in your garden
• Get a massage
• Curl up with a good book
• Listen to music
• Watch a comedy
I think everyone can use at least two of these tips to help manage the
inevitable stress we all feel.
Now that I look at my list of unhealthy habits I want to
change, most of my bad habits are related. If I eat a healthier diet, avoiding a “daily chocolate fix”
and exercise 30 minutes a day, I will be using some of the specific actions
that have been recommended for managing stress. Now to reward myself when I have accomplished each step
towards my goal, I won’t eat a piece of chocolate, but will do something I
really enjoy but don’t often have time for — read a book.
Alice Facente is a community education nurse for the Backus
Health System. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Irritable Bowel Syndrome more common than many think
In my role as a community health education nurse, I have
arranged for educational programs on a wide variety of topics. Several weeks ago,
a gastroenterologist — or bowel specialist — approached me and asked me to help
him arrange a program on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s
Disease. I said I was doubtful that
many people would come to a program on that topic. Well, was I wrong!
We filled the room to capacity, an overwhelming success. I had no idea so many people were
interested in or suffered from IBS.
IBS is a disorder that leads to abdominal pain and cramping,
changes in bowel movements, and other symptoms.
According to the National Institutes of Health, about one in
six people in the United States has symptoms of IBS. It is the most common intestinal problem that causes
patients to be referred to a gastroenterologist. Symptoms range from mild to severe and include abdominal
pain, gas and bloating. It
is unclear why patients develop IBS and it is twice as common in women than in
men.
The goal of treatment is to relieve the symptoms. Dietary changes can be helpful. However, no specific diet
can be recommended for IBS because the condition differs from person to person. Changes that may help
alleviate symptoms include avoiding large meals and foods and drinks that
stimulate the intestines, such as, caffeine,
tea or colas.
This is the most important take-away message: if you notice
a consistent change in bowel habits, consult your primary care physician.
In light of the demand for information on the subject, we will be repeating the presentation of “Calm Your
Colon: IBS, Crohn’s and Colitis” with Dr. Jefrey Salek and Dr. Shirani Sood,
gastroenterologists at Norwich GI Associates.
Learn more about this topic by attending on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6-7:30
p.m. at Backus Hospital. Call 860-889-8331, ext. 6381 to register.
Call now to reserve your space at this program — it’s filling up fast!
Alice Facente is a community education nurse for the Backus
Health System. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Monday, September 09, 2013
Rare women’s cancers cannot be ignored
In today’s world, everyone has heard something about the
many types of cancer that exist. Breast cancer is a prime of example of a
cancer that has a high degree of awareness.
But there are a
few cancers that for some are uncomfortable to talk about that people are
dealing with every day: cancer of the vulva, cancer of the anus or cancer of
the penis to mention a few.
A co-worker of
mine approached me a few months ago, and confided in me that she had stage 4
cancer of the vulva. I knew it was
possible to get cancer anywhere on the body, but I never knew anybody who had
been diagnosed with that particular cancer before.
She felt so
vulnerable and alone, explaining that it was a rare cancer, people didn’t talk
about it, and she didn’t have any support system. I thought she was quite brave to reveal this very personal
problem. She decided to go public
with her personal struggle to help convince parents to have their young girls
vaccinated with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, and bring awareness of
this type of cancer.
I subsequently did some research and discovered cancer of
the vulva is indeed a rare tumor; The American Cancer Society statistics report
that approximately 4,700 women in the United States are afflicted annually. It
forms in a woman’s external genitalia. Fortunately, vulvar cancer is highly
curable if detected at an early stage.
Some of the warning signs and symptoms are:
• persistent itching, burning, or bleeding on the vulva.
• skin changes including what looks like warts or rash
• pelvic pain or pressure especially during urination or after
intercourse.
Any of these signs should be reported to your health care
provider for evaluation.
Protection from infection with the Human Papilloma Virus
including an HPV vaccination reduces the risk of vulvar cancer. Examination of
the vulva for changes by a woman at home or by her gynecologist during her
annual pelvic examination can lead to the detection of pre-invasive disease or
early vulvar cancer. Suspicious or unexplained changes on the vulva should be
biopsied.
Should my pre-teen-aged daughter get the Human Papilloma
Virus (HPV) vaccine? This is a
dilemma many parents face. One of
the barriers for making this decision is that the optimum time for getting the
vaccine is before the girl becomes sexually active, 11-16 years of age. Most parents do not want to deal with
the fact that their child will become sexually active.
As a parent of
a daughter, I understand that. But
the truth of the matter is that this age group has the best response of the
immune system. The older the girl
is, the less effective the immune response is to the vaccine. This is certainly a discussion
all parents should have with their health care provider.
The Foundation for Women’s Cancer has good information and
has created a very interesting video called, “What every woman should know” on their
website www.foundationforwomenscancer.org.
Bringing awareness of these “unmentionable” cancers is so
important to make survivors feel supported and spread their message of the prevention
measures we should all be aware of.
This health column is a good place to start spreading the word.
Alice Facente is a community education nurse for the Backus
Health System. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Monday, September 02, 2013
Prepare for disasters before it is too late
Yards filled with downed trees and power lines, basements
flooded with water, phone and internet connections disconnected and blocked
roads are just a few of the effects of severe weather and disasters that we
face in Eastern Connecticut.
Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy, and Blizzard Nemo —
severe weather events that will no doubt be talked about for generations to
come — have left a lasting impact on our psyche.
If there is anything positive about having such severe
weather in a short period of time, it’s that people are taking preparedness
more seriously. It had been years since we had blizzards and hurricanes like we
have in the last couple of years – now a whole new generation has seen
firsthand how vulnerable our neck of the woods is.
As we begin National Preparedness Month (NPM) in September,
some may think our area is due for a reprieve, but think again. The National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released an updated
Atlantic hurricane season outlook that predicts an “above-normal season” with
an estimated 13-19 named storms through October.
Besides hurricanes and snowstorms, our region can be
impacted by many emergencies including: pandemics, cyber attacks, power failures,
transportation accidents and workplace violence. Imagine, Interstate 95 being
closed for days, or an electrical outage lasting weeks.
Although you may have never been personally affected by an
emergency or disaster, the chances are you will in the future. Unfortunately,
there is a tendency for people who have never lived through a disaster to have
the attitude “It will never happen to me.”
But many
experts believe disasters are becoming more common, and they are affecting more
people each year. Studies show that people who discuss disasters and plan for
emergencies respond and cope better than those who do not. Here are four simple
steps we can take to be prepared for whatever might come our way:
Be Aware
• Think about what emergencies can affect you, your
neighborhood, and your community.
• First responders are often overwhelmed during disasters and
may not be able to provide immediate help like normal.
• Preparing will allow you to be more safe and comfortable
during a disaster.
• Follow advice from emergency officials, concerned family
members, friends, and healthcare providers.
Plan
• Create an emergency plan by writing down personal and
emergency contact numbers, as well as medical information.
• Plan with people you trust, including: neighbors, friends,
and companions.
• Be sure to think about your pets’ and service animals’ needs.
Animals can become frightened, panicked and disoriented.
Prepare
• Create an emergency kit. Some items to include are: water,
non-perishable food, radio with extra batteries, first aid kit, flashlight,
clothes and money (cash and coins).
• If you have an access or functional need, consider preparing
essential supplies and medical equipment like oxygen, medication, and
batteries.
• Learn how to shelter in place, and find out where your
community’s shelter is located. Be sure to come to the shelter with all the
supplies you need.
Connect with community
• Sign up for CT Alert and your local emergency alert system.
• Volunteer with a Community Emergency Response Team, Medical
Reserve Corp, Red Cross, community group, or local shelter.
• Assist those in need, neighbors and friends during
emergencies.
Emergencies and disasters are often stressful on the entire
community. Citizens, organizations, businesses and governments all play
important roles in the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery to a
disaster — no one can do it alone.
Make no
mistake, these unfortunate events will continue to happen, and we owe it to our
families, our community and our nation to be more prepared and resilient. To learn more, go to http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness or http://www.ready.gov/are-you-ready-guide
Patrick Turek is the Disaster Preparedness Coordinator for the Backus Health System. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Mr. Turek or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
