protect your

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Healthy

YOU

YO U R G U I D E TO H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

SPRING 2016

KEEP KIDS SAFE DURING PLAYTIME

Sun, Fun – and y Safet p5

PROTECT YOUR

SKIN AT EVERY AGE

URGENCY OR EMERGENCY? KNOW WHERE TO GET CARE

Healthy

SNAPSHOTS

Save Your Flip-Flops for the Beach Got flip-flops? Of course you do—flip-flops are as American as apple pie! But just like eating too much pie can make you queasy, wearing flip-flops 24/7 can damage your feet. “Wearing flip-flops nonstop can lead to a host of foot problems, including blisters, stubbed toes and tendinitis,” says Steven Klumb, D.P.M. “Flip-flops offer minimal Steven Klumb, support for the D.P.M., Podiatrist 26 bones of the feet, which may increase your risk for sprains, breaks or ligament injuries.” If you already suffer from

heel pain, flip-flops will only add to your misery. Also, if you have diabetes and want to protect your feet, flip-flops make you more susceptible to cuts and scrapes. Opt for lightweight summer shoes instead. Never wear flip-flops when walking long distances, playing sports or mowing the lawn. Sturdy flip-flops are appropriate when you are at public pools, locker rooms, beaches or hotel rooms, because going barefoot in these settings increases your risk of contracting infections, such as athlete’s foot or plantar warts. Choose flip-flops that have some support—if you can bend them in half, they are not supportive.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Your Diet Can Strengthen Your Bones Your bones are the foundation of your body. Just like in a house, a weak foundation can cause a host of problems. Your bones need an array of nutrients to stay strong and healthy. Chief among them are calcium and vitamin D, without which your body cannot adequately absorb calcium. If you don’t have enough calcium in your diet, the body will steal what it needs from your bones. This makes your bones frail and susceptible to osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become thin and fragile. To get more calcium in your diet, up your intake of dairy products, such as milk and cheese, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and kale. For more vitamin D, try to include more salmon, soybeans and tofu. You can also find foods fortified with extra calcium and vitamin D, including milk, fruit juices and cereals.

According to a n e w s t u d y, f e m a l e h i g h school athletes face a 50 percent greater risk for overuse injuries than their male counterparts.

Examples include shin splints, tendinitis and stress fractures. For information about United Regional’s Sports Medicine Program call 940-781-8812.

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HEALTHY YOU

Turn to the back page for a delicious salmon taco recipe packed with vitamin D!

For Medical Emergencies Big and Small,

And Everything In Between

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s a woman, it is very likely that you are making more than just the healthcare choices for yourself. Women make the majority of all healthcare decisions—and that includes decisions for their children, spouses, significant others and parents or elderly relatives. You need to know what services, hospitals, clinics and physicians will be used. That can be a lot of pressure. Here are some tips to help you know what level of care is appropriate when a medical need arises.

Checking In with Your Regular Doctor Whenever possible, make your primary care provider your first choice. This helps you build a relationship with your doctor, which can lead to better care on future visits. Visit your family medicine physician: • When you need treatment for chronic conditions • For preventive care, like immunizations and checkups • Instantaneous and severe pain • Significant shortness of breath • Allergic reaction to a food, medication or insect sting If your doctor’s office is closed or if you’re unable to get an • Poisoning appointment, visiting a walk-in clinic may be an option. A • Serious traumatic injury walk-in clinic is normally a faster, more convenient and less expensive setting to get treatment for primary care conditions, • Unexplained prolonged stupor, drowsiness or disorientation compared to an Emergency Room (ER). These are some • Vomiting or coughing up blood conditions commonly treated in a walk-in clinic: • Severe or persistent vomiting • Earaches • Neck stiffness or rash with fever • • Headaches, unless severe or accompanied by stroke symptoms • Colds, coughs, sore throat, fever or flu symptoms • Upset stomach • Minor cuts in which bleeding has been stopped

Understand Primary Care Walk-In Clinics

Timing is Everything: Hospital-Based Emergency Care A hospital-based ER provides patients many benefits. There, patients have fast access to the resources only a full-service hospital can provide: a cardiac catheterization lab, operating suites, intensive care, advanced diagnostics and life-saving technology. Some conditions for which you should go to a hospital-based emergency room: • Loss of consciousness • Signs of a heart attack lasting longer than two minutes • Signs of a stroke • Bleeding, that in spite of direct pressure for ten minutes, does not stop

For additional health information, be sure to visit www.unitedregional.org and click on the Chief Family Medical Officer banner. Select the topics you are interested in to become more knowledgeable in your role as Chief Family Medical Officer!

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LADIES:

You Can Lower Your Stroke Risk

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rom pregnancy to meno for stroke compared to those pause to cervical cancer, who don’t—especially women women know that they over age 35. face unique health situa• Being pregnant, because of tions that don’t affect men. On top hormonal changes occurring in of this, women are more likely than the body. men to experience a stroke. Jessica Schultz, M.D., • Receiving hormone therapy to In fact, according to the Centers Neurologist relieve menopause symptoms. for Disease Control and Prevention, • Suffering from migraine headstroke is the third leading cause of death in aches with aura. Most people who suffer women. But there are crucial steps women from migraines are women. Migraines can can take to help them prevent a stroke from more than double a person’s risk for stroke. occurring.

Special Risks for Women “Controllable risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking, can occur in both men and women,” says Jessica Schultz, M.D., neurologist. “But women face a unique set of risk factors.” These include: • Taking birth control. Women who take oral contraceptives have an elevated risk

Make These Lifestyle Changes

Women need to live healthy in order to cut their stroke risk. To help lower your chance of having a stroke: • Eat a nutritious diet. Choose fruits, vegetables and whole grains over junk foods like chips and cookies. • Exercise regularly. Aim to walk for 150 minutes each week. • Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your doctor about ways you can control your weight. • If you smoke, quit. Avoid secondhand smoke, too, as it also can damage your blood vessels. • Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol. • Check in with your doctor. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a family history of stroke. •

As a Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center, United Regional is equipped to care for the unique needs of stroke patients. Watch a video with Dr. Schultz and stroke patient Tonya Parr as they discuss the quality care provided by United Regional. Go to unitedregional.org/ medical-services/stroke. 4

HEALTHY YOU

Sun, Fun – and Safety youngest—do so in home swimming pools. “Never let kids near pools or other bodies of water unattended,” says Dr. Yap. At least one adult who knows how to swim should oversee kids without distraction. For infants and toddlers, this grown-up should stay at arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.” And keep safety equipment, such as life preservers, on hand.

Biking

On the Playground

Exploring the world on two wheels offers your child freedom, fun and exercise. However, each year, about 8,000 children age 14 and younger get hurt in cycling accidents. Don’t rush your child off training wheels— most aren’t ready for a two-wheeled bike until age 5. “Choose a bike that allows your child to Rodney Yap, M.D., place both feet on the Pediatrician ground while sitting on the seat,” advises Rodney Yap, M.D., pediatrician. “Always insist that your child wear a helmet for every ride. In a crash, helmets protect kids from more severe injury.”

Swings, monkey bars and seesaws encourage kids to test their physical limits. Still, after hours in the sun, equipment can scald your child’s skin, while wooden materials supply splinters. And falling from a swing or slide onto a hard surface like concrete or asphalt can cause injuries. If you have a home set, install equipment properly and safely. Choose all-weather woods and metal with heatreducing coating. Watch children closely while they play. Frequently inspect equipment for loose joints, rusted chains or jagged edges that could catch a child’s clothing. •

Swimming For many kids, summer fun means splashing in the pool, lake or ocean. But unintentional drowning is a real and very serious risk. Many children who die—especially the

[

T

hrough a child’s eyes, summer looks like an endless array of long, playful days. But as a grown-up, you also see the dangers that can lead to broken bones and bike crashes. Balance your adult nature with your inner child. Know what safety steps are nonnegotiable. Check them off your list, then go have some fun.

Bike helmets

reduce the risk for serious head and brain injury by as much as

88

%

Don’t skip the sunscreen!

Remember your child should always wear sunscreen when playing outdoors. Turn to page 7 to learn more about how to keep your kids safe from harmful ultraviolet rays.

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Shield Yourself

from

Skin Cancer No matter your age, you can take these steps to protect your skin from damage.

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here’s nothing like the sun shining on a warm day. It invites you to have drinks at an outdoor café. It beckons you to the beach, calls you to the hammock and insists you go for a run. Unfortunately, though, it also contains some hidden dangers. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and the most preventable cause of skin cancer is excessive sun exposure. Follow these tips to protect your skin, and know when you need to check in with a dermatologist.

Skip the Tanning Bed You may be tempted to visit an indoor tanning salon to give yourself a sun-kissed glow. But this may pose risks to your health. Reasons why you should consider using a sunless tanning product instead include: • Indoor tans are not safer than outdoor tans. Indoor tanning is particularly risky because it zaps you with

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HEALTHY YOU

high levels of ultra violet (UV) radiation in a short period of time. • Indoor tanning increases your risk of developing melanoma (the deadli- est type of skin cancer) by 59 percent. Your risk increases each time you tan. • Tanning indoors causes premature signs of aging, including wrinkles, age spots and changes in skin texture. • Every year, 3,000 Americans visit hospital emergency rooms because of burns from indoor tanning beds and tanning lamps.

It’s All About Sunscreen Sunscreen helps to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. Begin your sunscreen selection by choosing the right sun protection factor (SPF). The higher the number, the greater your protection against burning UV rays. Experts recommend an SPF between 15 and 30, regardless of your age, skin color, or how long you’ll be in the sun. Higher numbers don’t provide much added benefit. It’s important to protect children with sunscreen. Apply sunscreen of at least 15 SPF liberally 30 minutes before they go outside. Choose a waterproof sunscreen, and reapply every two hours. It’s best to keep babies younger than 6 months out of the sun com-

pletely or shade their stroller with an umbrella. If you need to use sunscreen, apply a small amount to the face and back of the hands. Apply carefully around the eyes.

Know When to See the Doctor Tell your doctor about any change in your skin. Don’t wait for pain—skin cancer rarely hurts. A change in the size, shape, color or feel of a mole or an unusual new mole is often the first sign of melanoma. When checking moles, remember your “ABCs”: • Asymmetry: One side of the mole does not match the other. • Border: A mole’s outline is jagged or blurry. • Color: The color is uneven. You may notice different shades of tan, black and brown. Areas of white, gray, red, pink or blue also may be present. • Diameter: The mole is larger than ¼ inch in diameter—about the size of a pencil eraser. • Elevation: Be wary of moles that are raised above the skin’s surface. Get familiar with your moles and birthmarks. Every month, check your entire body in the mirror for skin changes, including your back, scalp and feet. Ask your doctor to examine anything that concerns you. •

If you have any questions about your skin, or if you notice any unusual changes to your skin, a dermatologist can help. To find a dermatologist, visit unitedregional.org and click on “Find a Physician.”

The Route to YoungerLooking Skin When you fight wrinkles, dermatologists say, you’re fighting destiny. Nevertheless, there are some things you can do to offset the effects of time, sun and heredity:

AVOID EXCESS SUN

Use sun block, avoid deep tans or burns and wear sunglasses and a hat. Don’t assume you’re safe because you’re in the shade or under an umbrella: Concrete and sand can reflect most of the sun’s harmful rays.

EXERCISE

Exercise temporarily increases your blood pressure and helps you get more blood to the skin. This brings more oxygen and nutrients to your facial skin.

CLEANSE SENSIBLY

A regular cleaning regimen will do your skin a world of good. A gentle washing with mild soap and warm water is enough. Too much cleaning and scrubbing can dry your skin, making wrinkles more prominent.

DON’T SMOKE

Not only does it slow the flow of oxygen to your skin, the constant puckering motion of dragging on a cigarette wrinkles your upper lip.

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United Regional Health Care System Inc. 1600 11th St. Wichita Falls, TX 76301 940-764-7000 WWW.UNITEDREGIONAL.ORG

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID United Regional Health Care System Inc.

Visit facebook.com and search “United Regional Health Care System.”

youtube.com/unitedregional

Information in Healthy You comes from a wide range of medical experts and may not apply to your particular situation. If you have specific questions about your health, contact your personal physician. All models used for illustrative purposes only. Developed by StayWell (10433MA)

[recipe]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Heart Savers Support Group INGREDIENTS

12 oz salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions 4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas FOR TACO FILLING:

1 cup green cabbage (about ¼ head), rinsed and shredded 1 tsp lime juice 1 tsp honey ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced 1 medium jalapeño chili pepper, minced 1 tsp fresh cilantro, minced

Baja-Style Salmon Tacos Salmon is a great source of vitamin D.

Turn to page 2 to learn more about how this nutrient can benefit your bones! DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill or oven broiler on high temperature. 2. Prepare taco filling by combining all ingredients. Let stand for 10–15 minutes to blend the flavors. 3. Prepare the marinade by combining the oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt in a bowl. 4. Place salmon fillets in a flat dish with sides. Pour marinade evenly over fillets. 5. Place salmon fillets on grill or broiler. Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, until fish flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part (minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees). Remove from the heat and set aside for 2–3 minutes. Cut into strips. 6. To make each taco, fill one tortilla with ¾ cup filling and one salmon fillet. If watching your carb intake, you can eat without a tortilla.

FOR MARINADE:

½ tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp lime juice 2 tsp chili powder ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander ¼ tsp salt

Thursday, May 26, noon to 1 p.m., at United Regional’s Bridwell Tower, Montague Room RSVP: 940-764-6719

Prepared Childbirth – Condensed Class Saturday, June 11, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at United Regional’s Bridwell Tower lobby Fee of $30 per couple. RSVP: Call-A-Nurse at 940-764-8570

Joint Replacement Seminar Tuesday, June 14, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Wellington Banquet and Conference Center, 5200 Kell Boulevard, Wichita Falls RSVP: Call-A-Nurse at 940-764-8570

Breath Savers Support Group

PER SERVING

Serves four; serving size is one taco. Each serving provides: Calories 325 Total fat 11 g Saturated fat 1g Cholesterol 54 mg Sodium 395 mg Total fiber 4g Protein 24 g Carbohydrates 29 g Potassium 614 mg

Thursday, June 16, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., at the Heart Clinic, second floor of 1631 11th Street, Wichita Falls Info: 940-764-8284

55 Advantage senior program

Wednesday, June 22, noon to 1 p.m., at the Multi-Purpose Event Center, 1000 5th Street, Wichita Fall Info: 940-764-7933 Find more classes and events at unitedregional.org.