Health Living News
Greetings!
March is upon us and happens to mark National Doctors' Day on March 30th. Every day is Patient Day at Emerald Physicians, and in that spirit, we reinforce our mission statement to our patients:
We believe in offering a helping hand to all our patients especially during times of great need.
We believe in educating our patients about their responsibilities for their own care and also informing them of best practices so they may stay healthy.
We believe that ultimately all patients at Emerald will be empowered to be their own advocates in all matters related to their health.
We hope you find our monthly newsletter helpful and informative, and welcome your suggestions! If there are topics you would like to see addressed in future newsletters, please send your feedback to webmaster@emeraldphysicians.com.
|
|
|
Spotlight On...Our Endocrinology Team
 | |
Nathaniel Clark,
MD, MS, RD |
 | |
Jennifer August, PA |
|
| |
Dawn Sprague,
MS, RN, RD, CDE, LDN |
Did you know that Emerald Physicians has a team that specializes in Endocrinology? For the convenience of our patients, this team is mobile and sees patients at our Mashpee Commons office, as well as our two offices in West Yarmouth.
Nathaniel Clark, MD, MS, RD and Jennifer August, PA work closely with patients' primary care physicians to diagnose and treat patients with certain endocrine diseases, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, and osteoporosis. Additionally, Dr. Clark directs the Diabetes Center of Cape Cod™ at Emerald Physicians.
Dr. Clark received his M.S. in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism from MIT and completed his training to be a Registered Dietitian at the University of California. He received his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and completed his medical residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA, where he was also a fellow in Endocrinology in Diabetes and Metabolism. Dr. Clark has served as the Director of the Vermont Regional Diabetes Center, as a faculty member of the University of Vermont's College of Medicine, and later as the National Vice President for Clinical Affairs at the American Diabetes Association and the Senior Medical Advisor in Diabetes for Novo Nordisk, Inc. Since moving to Cape Cod in 2010, Dr. Clark has cared for patients with diabetes and thyroid disorders in Hyannis, MA. He was recently recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for the quality of his diabetes care.
Jennifer August is board-certified Physician Assistant who has practiced on Cape Cod for the past 13 years. She received her BS in Medical Biology and her Masters of Science in Physician Assistance Studies from the University of New England. After graduation, Jennifer worked at the Duffy Health Center where she provided primary care services. She also created policies regarding standards of care for diabetes management, was the team leader/provider champion for the Diabetes Health Disparities Collaborative and was the liaison between the Duffy Health Center and Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. Most recently, Jennifer has been working in Endocrinology with a primary focus on diabetes management/care. She was recently recognized by the NCQA Diabetes Recognition Program for providing the highest level of diabetes care.
Dawn Sprague, MS, RN, RD, CDE, LDN is our Diabetes Nurse Educator and Register Dietician. In this role, she helps patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes reach optimal health and prevent complications through lifestyle changes, health education, and support in reaching their own health care.
Dawn is a Registered Nurse, Registered Dietitian, and Certified Diabetes Educator. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Framingham State College. The impact of nutrition on health has always been of great interest to her so while her daughters were in high school, she returned to school to become a Registered Dietitian and also earned a Masters of Science in Food and Nutrition from Framingham State University. Prior to moving to the Cape, she worked at Reliant Medical Group in Worcester as the Bariatric Case Manager and Diabetes Nurse Educator during which time she obtained a certification in diabetes education. She also holds a certificate in adult weight management.
Beginning this May, Dawn will be launching a new Emerald Physicians Diabetes Support Group with the purpose to help our patients with diabetes realize that they are not alone in managing their disease. Participants in this program are encouraged to offer their understanding and hope to others in the group, as part of their own wellness process. The group will meet the second Tuesday of every month from 6-7pm in our conference room at 46 North Street in Hyannis. Those interested in participating can contact Dawn through info@emeraldphysicians.com.
|
|
50 Tips for Healthy Living
by Cormac Coyle, MD
Medical Director, Emerald Physicians
- If you are currently healthy, do not take it for granted.
- Establish a bonding relationship with your Primary Care Team of Physician(s) and Nurse Practitioners /Physician Assistants. If you can't do this- change the team!
- Try to stay positive in outlook and don't sweat the small stuff.
- Exercise 7 days a week in some form (including walking). 10,000 steps a day will help you stay trim. ZUMBA will make you happy. Swimming is the best exercise of all (if you know how to swim that is)!
- Eat as many healthy meals a week as possible. Breakout once in a while just to prove you are human. I love The Daily Paper in Centerville.
- Eating lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, salads, fish, grains, olives and white meat (n small quantities) is good for you.
- Avoid Red Meat as much as possible, but if you do eat it, make it organic and infrequently - once a month.
- Do not smoke. If you currently smoke try to give it up.
- Drink 2 drinks of alcohol or less a day for a man and 1 drink or less a day for a woman.
- Be your own Advocate in all matters related to Healthcare and do not be a shrinking violet in the presence of Physicians.
- Volunteer your time and money to worthy causes. This helps you become a more complete person and less focused on yourself. Give to your library.
- Read about the Mediterranean diet and The Engine 2 Diet. These are not diets at all- that's what makes them so great. They are fabulous lifestyles.
- Until further notice, have Mammograms, Colonoscopy, and routine vaccinations as per guidelines in consultation with your Physician.
- You can't take it with you and leaving it all to the kids may not be healthy for you or them. Be generous - money equals time. The more you give, the longer you'll live.
- Give a wide berth to fast food joints except in an emergency. Even then avoid them! But if you do go in, whatever you do, don't eat anything.
- Turn off the Boob Tube.
- Try to live every day as if it is your last. That does not mean I've gone soft on number 15.
- Try to listen more and speak less.
- Keep the volume down and hear the birds.
- Walk through your community regularly. Go to the beach.
- Have one PSA (Prostate specific antigen) before age 50 and discuss the result with your Primary Care Physician.
- If you have a very strong family history of Breast Cancer then get good advice about screening for BRCA 1/ 2 from a specialist.
- If you are a heavy smoker (1 pack per day) consider having a CAT Scan yearly. It looks like this will save lives. It is not settled medical law yet.
- The biggest killer of all is heart disease and high blood pressure. Way more than all cancers combined. Modify what you can. See 1-20 above.
- Diets high in saturated fats can also cause Cancer of Colon, Prostate, Breast and others (in addition to causing heart disease). Hey! Why you want to do that now!!
- Omega 3 fatty acids lower triglycerides and cut the rate of thrombosis in those with stents.
- Get your daily Vitamin D by walking outside for 15 minutes + no sunblock first 20 minutes.
- Try not to drink more than 4 cups of coffee a day.
- Read. Go to your Library and be part of your community. Libraries are not just for reading! They are the center of the community.
- Anything with a very long shelf life is probably not that great for you.
- Honey does not have a shelf life. It's good for you. It's also good for wound care in the form of medical grade honey.
- Honey, agave and maple syrup are better sweeteners than processed sugar.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners. You can't fool the brain. The brain relies on sugar for fuel primarily. Artificial sweeteners will make you gain weight and have other issues.
- If you are a Diabetic on pills or Insulin, the biggest short term threat to your health is Hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar is especially dangerous for those > 75 years old.
- Laugh a lot. You might as well. Why are there 239 beans in Irish Bean Stew? One more and it's too farty.
- Ask your Doctor what supplements she/ he takes...and why?
- High sodium diets cause large swings in blood pressure and can trigger stroke or congestive heart failure as well as elevated blood pressure.
- If you have symptoms of Stroke (Slurred speech, weakness of the face, weakness of arms or legs, sudden blindness) get someone to take you to the Hospital. Call 911.
- Support your local Hospital. We need it. It is a fantastic asset to this community.
- Get an Annual Physical that is thorough, meaningful and answers all your questions. Go to your Doctor's visit prepared to get the most out of it.
- Sleep enough. Practice 7 -8 hours for most people. You can't fool the brain.
- Never let "not covered" mean that you are going to forego necessary treatment. Always ask for discounts if you have high deductible insurance.
- Ask your Emerald Physician for "The Medicare Allowable Rate" for all visits, tests and procedures if you have no insurance or if you have a high deductible. YES!
- Celebrate others and their achievements. Say it. Truly it's not all about you. How many times do I have to tell you that?
- If you are unhappy with any aspect of your care contact an Advocate. It might save your life.
- Avoid decongestants over the counter containing phenylephrine. These can cause Strokes and Heart attacks.
- Stop saying Medicare equals Socialism. We can do better than that and we will. Medicare is awesome - for patients. It will be better if we keep it away from Politicians.
- Call around and ask for the best price for an M.R.I/ CT SCAN/ LABS ETC.....ALWAYS.
- Pass on compliments you have heard about others. It will make everyone happy. Even you!
- "Ain't Momma happy, ain't nobody happy ". And that's a tip!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Healthy Gems
Recipes that are good for you...and taste good too!
Emerald Green Smoothie
Perfect for St. Patrick's Day, here's a delicious way to get your greens! This recipe is a favorite of one of the webmasters and made its debut at the 2012 Business Connect, where our Emerald table created quite a buzz between the Vitamix whirring and the vivid green smoothie sampling.
Emerald Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 orange peeled
1 banana
1 cup of frozen grapes
1 cup of chopped pineapple
1 cup chopped kale (or spinach)
1 cup of almond/coconut milk
optional: 2T ground flaxseed
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smoothie consistency. In hot months, a few ice cubes thrown in the mix make this a nice frozen treat!
Makes approximately 2 servings
|
|
