We are excited to announce the next great health and wellness initiative at Stanly Regional Medical Center. To better to provide up-to-date and educational health information, we will be transitioning The Rounds over to our new Stanly HealthWave blog.

Please join us at for informative and engaging health and wellness content. Community matters most’ is what we say at Stanly Regional, which is why we’re passionate about starting a wave of health and wellness in our community. That’s what StanlyHealthwave.org is all about. It’s your online resource for healthful diet and exercise tips, information on community and health related events … and a dose of inspiration whenever you need it.

Being part of a healthy community has mattered to Stanly Regional Medical Center for over 60 years and this site, StanlyHealthWave.org, is the latest way to live up to this commitment. A great way for you to join us is to bookmark this site and check back frequently for new information and upcoming events.

Click here to visit the Stanly HealthWave Site.

Thanks!

-Stanly Regional Medical Center

For a healthy and enjoyable breakfast food, try out this tasty Applesauce Bran Muffins. Bake a batch of these tasty muffins to enjoy throughout the week. They’re great for breakfast on the go.

Ingredients

• 

  Photo courtesy of: American Heart Association

  Cooking spray

• 1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking oatmeal and 2 tablespoons uncooked quick-cooking oatmeal, divided use
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the bran flakes, milk, 1/2 cup oatmeal, applesauce, egg substitute, and oil. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, or until the bran flakes and oatmeal are softened.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda. Stir into the bran flakes mixture until just blended (no flour remains visible). Don’t overmix; the batter will be slightly lumpy. Spoon into the muffin cups. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oatmeal.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the muffin pan to a cooling rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins onto the rack and let cool completely, 20 to 30 minutes. You can store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to four months.

Cook’s Tip

• A spring-loaded ice cream scoop works well for filling the muffin pan cups. Lightly spray the scoop with cooking spray first, and the batter will slide right out.

Serves: 12; 1 muffin per serving
Baking Time: 18 – 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 to 30 minutes

Brought to you by the American Heart Association.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do to improve your quality and quantity of life. They estimate that men who smoke die an average of 13.2 years younger than nonsmokers because of the habit, and women who smoke die an average of 14.5 years younger.

Tobacco comes in many different packages. But no matter how it’s wrapped, smoking or chewing tobacco is harmful to your health. If you use tobacco, you run the risk of damaging nearly every organ in your body. You’re also more likely to become ill and have health problems in general.

We know that quitting smoking is not easy. Check out this great resource to help guide you through the process.

Picture courtesy of: American Heart Association

For a healthy and enjoyable appetizer or snack, try out this Honey-Ginger Fruit Dip. The fresh ginger adds the “wow” factor to this dip. It is especially good with crisp apple or pear slices.

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Cooking Instructions

• In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients.

Serves: 12; 2 tablespoons per serving

Recipe brought to you by the American Heart Association.

If nerve damage or “neuropathy” occurs in the body from uncontrolled diabetes, it is often assumed that the feet are primarily the only area affected. However, our bodies have many areas of nerves including the reproductive organs.

For women who experience neuropathy, symptoms of sexual dysfunction may include yeast infections, painful intercourse, and decreased libido, or desire. For men, the most common side effect is erectile dysfunction. If you are a man with erectile dysfunction, there are prescription medications available. Make sure you discuss this with your doctor.

People with type 2 diabetes may avoid such complications by keeping their blood sugars in the target range of 70-135.  Remember, the best way to control your blood sugars is to take medications as prescribed, exercise every day, follow a consistent carbohydrate diet, and follow up with your physician regularly for surveillance.

If you are experiencing sexual dysfunction related to your type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor or diabetes educator. It is important to remember that they help patients with these issues every day. Communication is key!

Carry a flashlight- Make sure that each child carries something lit, such as a flashlight, glow bracelet, etc.

Know the route- Make sure you know where you plan on going ahead of time so that you can scope it out. It’s important to know what streets have sidewalks and if there is any construction to keep in mind.

Wear comfortable shoes- Make sure each child is wearing comfortable well fitting shoes. Long routes and uncomfortable shoes can make for an unhappy child.

Comfortable costumes- It’s important to keep in mind when picking out Halloween costumes that children will need to be able to move around safely while wearing it. Avoid masks that interfere with their eyesight or long costumes that they could trip on. Another important factor is to buy something that is bathroom friendly.

Keep track of time- It’s general rule of thumb to stop trick or treating after 9 pm. Make sure you leave ample time for children to make the rounds before it starts getting too late.

The key to a happy Halloween is to stay safe and have fun!

The front side of the onesies have the message, “Stomach to Play, Back to Sleep, For Baby’s Safe Sleep” indicating that the infant should be placed on his/her back. The nightlight has the ABC’s of infant safe sleep; “Babies Sleep Safest Alone, On Their Backs, In a Crib.” Also included are checklists for parents to use once they bring their baby home to make sure they know all of the proper steps to take to keep their baby safe while sleeping.

SIDS is one of the leading causes of infant death in North Carolina. In 2010, SIDS accounted for 53 deaths in children under age one. In addition to SIDS deaths, many babies die from accidental suffocation, asphyxiation or entrapment while sleeping. These preventable deaths are often related to babies being placed in unsafe sleep environments, with excess bedding or toys or from parents sharing a bed with their babies. Many parents do not follow all of the necessary safe sleep recommendations of putting their infant to sleep alone in a crib or bassinet, within arm’s reach of the parents or caregivers bed.

NCHSF has coordinated the Infant Safe Sleep Campaign (formerly the Back to Sleep Campaign) since 1994. The campaign informs families, childcare providers, health and social service providers and policy makers about this leading cause of infant death and about steps they can take to help protect infants.

In October 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a revised policy for infant safe sleep which made updated recommendations, including:

• Breastfeed if possible. Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS.
• Get immunized. Recent studies suggest that proper immunization reduces the risk of SIDS by 50 percent.
• No crib bumper pads. Bumper pads increase a baby’s risk of suffocation, strangulation or entrapment and there is no evidence that they prevent injuries.
• Keep babies at a comfortable temperature. AAP no longer provides specific temperature guidelines. To avoid overheating, a risk factor for SIDS, infants should be dressed in no more than one additional layer than would be comfortable for an adult.

“We are thrilled that new parents will leave Stanly Regional with the most current information to help their babies sleep safely once they get home. The materials not only reinforce the infant safe sleep and SIDS risk reduction messages we provide parents but it also gives them tools to educate other caregivers of their baby,” stated Renee Carpenter, RN, Director of Women’s Services.

The best way to reduce breast cancer risk is to stay healthy and avoid gaining excess weight. With good nutrition and weight management, a woman can cute her chance of cancer by as much as two-thirds.

There are specific foods that are considered to be breast healthy. Next time you go to the grocery store, you should consider adding the following items to your cart:

• Plums & Peaches
• Walnuts
• Broccoli
• Salmon
• Parsley
• Coffee
• Beans

To find out more information about your risk of getting breast cancer, click here.

Surgical weight loss patients are trained to manage and avoid the cravings and pass up on many of the biggest holiday food offenders. While the average person may not have to follow a strict diet as part of their lifestyle, they certainly can learn some helpful tips from bariatric surgery patients.

It’s important to remember that holiday eating and indulgence is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. Where holiday eating can really hurt us is when it derails an existing diet or when it causes us to lose focus on our long-term health and we continue eating poorly for a while to come. In order to stay responsible during this holiday season, think about a few of these tips and tricks that bariatric surgery patients practice every day.

-        Try to have the party at your home. Doing so allows you to have the things you like, but also the foods that will help you stick to your dietary considerations.

-        If you can’t have the party at home, ask the host if you can bring a dish. Make it something that you can both enjoy and that’s a healthy option where there may be few others.

-        You may also be tempted to have one too many alcoholic drinks. Remember that alcohol itself is a sugar and the ingredients mixed into it can also be high in sugar. Opt of fresh fruit juice instead of syrup or light beer instead of regular. Doing so may save hundreds of calories over the course of the night.

-        Buddy up. If you feel uncomfortable being alone in your dietary restraints, it’ll be that much harder to resist. Having a friend or family member diet with you can offer the sense of comfort that you may need to make it through the meal unscathed.

-        Finally, drink plenty of water about 45 minutes before the meal. You may also want to start your meal with a healthy appetizer to fill you up just enough that you’ll enjoy the main course and dessert but not overindulge.

One or two days a year will not alter your weight loss efforts all that drastically. It is your state of mind that can make or break your diet plan for a long time to come. If overindulgence is inevitable this holiday season, just make sure that you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and reset that diet the very next morning. This ensures that you remain focused on your health, which will allow you to enjoy your holiday this year and well into the future.

Please visit the Stanly Surgical Weight Loss Center website for more information about our weight loss programs.

According to the NDSS, these are just a few of the many common myths about Down syndrome:

MYTH: Down syndrome is a rare disorder.

TRUTH: Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome, or approximately 6,000 births per year. Today, there are more than 400,000 people with Down syndrome living in the United States.

MYTH: People with Down syndrome have a short life span.

TRUTH: Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent years, with the average life expectancy approaching that of peers without Down syndrome.

MYTH: Down syndrome is hereditary and runs in families.

TRUTH: Down syndrome is hereditary in approximately 1% of all instances.  In the other 99% of cases Down syndrome is completely random and the only known factor that increases the risk is the age of the mother (over 35).  Translocation is the only type of Down syndrome known to have hereditary link.  Translocation accounts for 3 to 4% of all cases of Down syndrome.  Of those, one third (or 1% of all cases of Down syndrome) are hereditary.

For more information on Down syndrome and helpful resources, click here.

Want to learn more about the NDSS, click here.