Health care

New Year, Healthier You

The beginning of the new year is often seen as a time of rebirth, a chance for individuals to start anew.

Each January, millions of Americans resolve to better themselves – many focusing on their health. However, according to a report from Forbes, just 8% of individuals will actually achieve their goals.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try. It means that you need a plan in place and must be realistic about the challenges ahead.

Check out five of the most common New Year’s resolutions and how you can achieve your goals:

Lose Weight

One of the most popular resolutions is also one of the most difficult to achieve. People want results immediately, but losing weight takes time. Each day presents a new opportunity to make a change: improve your diet, be more active or embrace a healthier lifestyle overall.

Keeping track of what you eat will help you realize change is happening even if it’s not yet visible. It is also very helpful to have a support system in place for those days that are a bit more challenging than others.

Take it one step at a time and plan for bumps in the road.

Fit in Fitness

Getting into better shape doesn’t mean you have to spend countless hours at the gym or on the track.

For the average person, a good fitness program consists of exercises that work the entire body and lasts between 30-60 minutes throughout the day. Cardio work improves the health of your heart, lungs and blood vessels. Weight-bearing exercises enhance the function and health of the bones, muscles, joints and connective tissues.

Start slow and if you are unable to commit a full 30-60 minutes at a given time throughout your day, spread it out. Go for a walk on your lunch break, ride your bike after work or do a few reps while dinner is in the oven.

Quit Smoking

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more former smokers in the United States - nearly 50 million - than current smokers. That means it’s a popular goal and that many people succeed.

Regardless of how long you’ve been smoking, quitting will be a challenge. Research the various methods available and be prepared to try different ones until you find the one that works best for you.

As with losing weight, let others help you. Tell your friends, family and co-workers about your plan and explain to them that you would like their support throughout your journey. It also may be helpful to talk with your healthcare provider as they will have suggestions on how to lessen the urge.

Get More Sleep

Have you been unsuccessful in past quests to get fit, lose weight or eat healthier? Perhaps your plan to healthier living is missing one of the most important pieces of the puzzle: sleep. A lack of sleep has been linked to a greater risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, among other things.

Although everyone has different sleep patterns and slightly different needs, it is recommended that you get at least seven hours of sleep per night. If you have trouble doing so, try avoiding electronics an hour before bed. The blue light emitted from your television, laptop or smartphone can trigger alertness, keeping you awake longer. Also, try to stick to a schedule, regardless of the day. If you go out late on Saturday and sleep in on Sunday, you may have trouble being ready for Monday morning.

Cut your stress

We all do it. Work is overwhelming, we have a list of chores we need to take care of or we are trying to stick to these New Year’s resolutions. We put added stress on ourselves, which leads to a lack of sleep, poor eating choices or other unhealthy habits.

Make sure to make time for yourself. If you’re like many, you have vacation time saved up – use it. Don’t make yourself available 24/7. Turn off your smartphone, television and computer for an hour a day.

Removing unnecessary stress will go a long way in helping you achieve your other New Year’s resolutions.

Here’s to a healthier you!

Need additional help getting started on your resolutions? Speak with a primary care doctor in your neighborhood.

When is the Right Time to See a Fertility Specialist?

About one in seven couples struggle with infertility and require assistance in becoming pregnant. The good news is recent breakthroughs in reproductive care are giving couples more hope than ever before. Treatments for infertility are rapidly advancing, but some conditions affecting fertility take more time to treat than others. Therefore, it is important to know when to seek care from a fertility specialist. Penn Fertility Care specialists are pioneers in the development of infertility treatments and are at the forefront of research in the field.

Penn Sports Medicine: Helping Patients Get Back in Action

From the weekend warrior to the professional athlete, the specialists at the Penn Sports Medicine Center provide comprehensive care for athletes of all abilities. Specially trained in the field of sports medicine, the physicians at the Penn Sports Medicine Center have one goal: to help their patients get back in the game as quickly as possible.

A sports medicine patient can be anyone who is active and needs treatment in order to get back to work, weekend activities or organized sports.

Our sports medicine team is really multifaceted," said Brian Sennett, MD, chief of sports medicine at Penn. "We see nearly 4,000 patients a year and provide treatment for a full range of sports injuries related to recreational, high school, collegiate and professional athletic performance."

The physicians at the Penn Sports Medicine Center are experts in treating serious injuries. They combine treatment, therapy and surgery for the least invasive approach to achieving the best possible outcomes.

National Leaders in Pancreas Surgery

Pancreas surgery is technically difficult and specialists at Penn Medicine perform among the highest volume of pancreatic operations in the Unites States, including the Whipple procedure, with complication rates and long-term survival statistics that set the standard nationally. As part of Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, patients also have facilitated access to the full range of treatment options for pancreatic cancer including radiation, chemotherapy and the latest clinical trials—all under one roof.

At high-volume centers with integrated, multidisciplinary care teams, long-term survival for patients who undergo surgery for pancreatic cancer continues to improve. Recently, in one of the largest studies of its kind published to date, short-term recovery and long-term survival rates at Penn were shown to be among the best in the nation, demonstrating that Penn Medicine is at the forefront of providing the best care available for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Nationally and internationally recognized for their depth of experience and innovative research on the latest surgical treatment options, meet Penn’s pancreatic surgeons:

Jeffrey A. Drebin, MD, PhD
Chairman, Department of Surgery

A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Drebin continued his surgical training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine before joining the faculty at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In 2004 he was recruited to Penn Medicine as chief of the division of Gastrointestinal Surgery and vice-chairman for research for the department of Surgery. Following his tenure as chief, Dr. Drebin was appointed chairman of the department of Surgery at Penn Medicine and the 14th John Rhea Barton Professor of Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine.

In addition to pancreas surgery, Dr. Drebin specializes in acute and chronic pancreatitis, the use of new technologies to manage liver tumors, disorders of the bile ducts and the management of gallbladder disease.

Learn more about Jeffrey A. Drebin, MD, PhD.

Charles M. Vollmer, MD
Director, Pancreas Surgery Program

Dr. Vollmer received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed his internship and residency in general surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis. Dr. Vollmer’s training includes a clinical fellowship in hepatobiliary and GI transplantation surgery at Toronto General Hospital, as well as research fellowships in surgical oncology at UCLA School of Medicine and hepatobiliary oncology at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at the University of Toronto. He comes to Penn Medicine from Boston where he practiced at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

In addition to pancreas surgery, Dr. Vollmer specializes in treating all malignant and benign conditions of the pancreas and biliary system with a strong emphasis in care of pancreatitis. He also focuses on the management of pancreatic cysts and co-directs the Penn Pancreatic Cyst Program, a multidisciplinary team that evaluates and treats all types of pancreatic cysts.

Learn more about Charles M. Vollmer, MD.

Location:
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
West Pavilion, 4th Floor
3400 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 800.789.PENN (7366) or request an appointment online.

Penn Thoracic Oncologist to Appear on Comcast Network

James Stevenson, MD, director of thoracic oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, is scheduled to appear on Larry Kane’s “Voice of Reason.” Dr. Stevenson discusses cigarette smoking and its relationship to lung cancer, new FDA warnings on cigarette packaging, and smoking cessation on the program. The show airs at 9:30 pm, Dec. 19, and 5:30 pm, Dec. 22 at 5:30pm on Comcast Network (TCN).

At Penn Medicine, individuals diagnosed with lung cancer benefit from a full range of treatment options that offer the best chance of survival. The experts at Penn’s Center for Lung Cancer and Related Malignancies have developed some of the most sophisticated medical treatments available today, including surgical techniques to treat previously inoperable lung cancer. The expertise of Penn’s lung specialists has also helped earn Penn the highest ranking in the region from U.S.News & World Report for the treatment of respiratory disorders.

Listen to podcast now

I Got the Flu Vaccine. Now I Have the Flu.

Alicia Travis, CRNP, from the Penn Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine practice discusses some known – and not-so-known – drawbacks to flu season.

Alicia Travis, CRNP

As is required for all health care workers, I got my flu vaccine in October and figured this would protect me throughout this flu season. As I am writing this, though, I am under my heated blanket with a cup of green tea in one hand and a box of tissues in the other. My throat is sore, my nose is dripping, my temperature is 100.8° F, I have a deep chest cough, and worst of all, my body aches all over.

I have the flu and I am miserable!

The reality is that influenza is an ever-changing virus with several common strains that can cause an array of troublesome symptoms. These symptoms include fever, cough, congestion, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting and generalized malaise. In immunocompromised patients, or people whose immune system is not capable of resisting the infection, influenza can be a much more severe, even fatal, illness. It is for this reason that every fall, your doctor and/or nurse recommends you get that pesky needle pinch (or inconvenient intranasal spray) to be protected.

Unfortunately, like most things in life, the flu vaccine is not 100% effective. When vaccine researchers formulate the components of the vaccine, they are speculating months in advance as to which strains will be dominant that year. Therefore, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine can vary year to year based on viral resistance patterns and the accuracy of vaccine researchers’ predictions.

According to an article published by the Center for Disease Control, researchers approximate the flu vaccine is around 60% effective most years. Meaning, this leaves me, and roughly 40% of the vaccinated population, at risk of contracting influenza despite getting the vaccine. That may seem like unfavorable odds, but 60% is better than nothing.

To put this in perspective, as a nurse practitioner in a busy adolescent and young adult practice, I have seen upwards of 100 patients in the past couple months with flu-like symptoms. Influenza is very contagious and, if I had not received the vaccine, I would have certainly been at a higher risk of contracting influenza.

The key to staying flu-free is to wash your hands frequently, stay away from anyone who has flu-like symptoms, stay well rested and get your flu vaccine.

Need to see a physician?
Schedule an appointment today.

Prevent Snow Shoveling Injuries

If the start of the season is any indication, salt, shovels and snow blowers are in the forecast for most of us over the next few months. This means more risk of injury. Although cardiac-related injuries tend to be the most serious, sprains and strains, especially in the back and shoulders, are the most common injuries related to snow shoveling.

Andrew F. Kuntz, MD

“This time of the year, we tend to see many shoulder and elbow fractures due to slips and falls,” said Andrew F. Kuntz, MD, Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon at Penn Orthopaedics. “We also encounter a good number of sprains and strains directly related to snow removal.”

It is important to note that the design of the snow shovel does very little to help those with pre-existing back and shoulder problems. The length tends to be too short for most and a shovel made of steel adds significant weight that an individual must lift. Poor form can force individuals to bend and twist when shoveling heavy snow, which can lead to injuries.

The good news is there are tips that you can follow to reduce the risk of these types of injuries:

Warm-up your muscles

You should always remember that shoveling can be a very vigorous activity. If your muscles are cold and tight, you will be more susceptible to injury. Do some light exercises, stretch your lower back and hamstrings and loosen your arms, legs and shoulders before venturing outside - just as you would for any other workout.

Use proper technique

Just like weight lifting, having good technique can help you avoid injury and use your energy more efficiently. When possible, push the snow in front of you, rather than lifting and twisting. Be sure to always bend at the hips and lift with your core muscles instead of just your back and arms. Finally, keep your loads light and alternate shoveling between arms. Having good form will remove some of the stress put on your back, spine and arms.

Pace Yourself

It’s cold outside and all you want to do is get the driveway and front walk shoveled and hurry back inside your warm home, but go at your own pace. It is recommended that you shovel a small area, then give your body some time to rest before moving on to the next section. During breaks, stretch your muscles again and keep moving, so that you don’t tense up.

“It is extremely important to take your time and not to overdo it,” said Dr. Kuntz. “When there’s a big job ahead of you, take frequent breaks and remember to use proper technique to minimize your chances of injury."

Pay Attention to Your Breathing and Your Pulse

Shoveling snow is a strenuous exercise that can put undue strain on the heart. Factor in cold air, which constricts the blood vessels and increases blood pressure, and you have a dangerous combination for people with coronary artery disease or other forms of heart disease.

So before you go shovel your walkway or let a loved one shovel their own, take a few moments to review some common heart attack symptoms. If you feel soreness, pain or strain despite following these tips, it might be time to hand the shovel off to an ambitious or helpful neighbor.