elevate winter 2015

winter 2015 | Volume 3, issue 1

Living at the height of wellness

ConCussions not Just for KidsPage 4

ExpErt CarE for HEart EmErgEnCiEsPage 7

stop tHE Hot flasHEs0

tEarit up!Learn how to tear up the slopes and not your knees this winter. story on Page 8.

ELEVATE is published four times annually by Castle rock Adventist Hospital — Portercare Adventist Health system. As part of Centura Health, our mission is to nurture the health of the people in our community. the information herein is meant to complement and not replace advice provided by a licensed healthcare professional. For comments or to unsubscribe to this publication, please email us at [email protected]. ELEVATE is produced by Clementine words llC. executive editor is Christine Alexander.

2350 Meadows BouLevard | CastLe roCk, Co 80109

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Being well isn’t just about avoiding illness. It’s about addressing the physical, mental, spiritual, and social aspects of your health, something Castle Rock Adventist Hospital strives to do through CREATIoN Health, a scientifically proven approach at the heart of the hospital’s wellness philosophy. “There isn’t a better community than Castle Rock in which to build a CREATIoN Health life,” says Todd Folkenberg, CEo of Castle Rock Adventist Hospital. The eight health tenets of CREATIoN Health are Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, outlook, and Nutrition. on this page each quarter, we’ll offer you insights into improving your health in one of these areas. This quarter, we’re focusing on Interpersonal Relationships, which can have as much of an influence on your health as other aspects like nutrition and exercise “We’re blessed to live in a place where there are many opportunities to form truly meaningful relationships,” Folkenberg says. “It’s organizations like the Colorado Agriculture and Leadership Foundation (CALF), where both my kids volunteer feeding farm animals, or 4-H, where our kids are active learning life skills and making new friendships, that are a perfect reflection of what ‘Environment’ and ‘Interpersonal Relationships’ mean to our family.” To learn more about ways to strengthen your interpersonal relationships, visit castlerockhospital.org/interpersonal.

WHo’s in your moai? The longevity of the people of

okinawa is undisputed, but healthy eating and exercise aren’t their only secrets. Their tradition of forming a moai — an informal

social cooperative that may offer emotional, social, or even financial help to one another — plays a big role in everything from providing

security to reducing stress.

HEaltHy tiEsWhile you might think the best

way to avoid a cold is to stay away from people, it’s just the opposite. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon university found that the more

friends you have, the less likely you are to catch a cold — even if the virus is deposited directly inside your nose!

3Xpeople who are lonely and isolated have three times higher mortality rates, according to a uC Berkeley study of more than 7,000 people

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Finding fun things to do with your family and friends is critical to

strengthening your social ties. And Castle Rock’s new philip S. Miller park and 60,000-square-foot Miller Activity Complex (or the MAC) is a great place to start. opened in october 2014, the

230-acre regional park showcases a lighted outdoor synthetic turf

field, future adventure playground, around 6.5 miles of trails, and a

hillside challenge staircase, with a zip line tour opening this spring. The

MAC includes indoor fields — a first for Castle Rock — as well as an indoor pool, trampolines, play areas, batting cages, and more. For more

information, go online to crgov.com/psmpark.

Rita Thieme, MD, FAAp, is a board-certified pediatrician who’s practiced in Castle Rock for 15 years. She received her medical degree in 1989 from the university of Colorado, followed by a residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Thieme also completed two years of specialty training in pediatric nephrology (kidney disease), and has been selected as one of America’s Top pediatricians by the Consumers’ Research Council of America.

dr. rita thieme

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eLevate3Winter 2015

givE tHE flu its duEWhile the flu may seem like a minor illness, it can quickly get serious, especially in children. A recent study by the American Academy of pediatrics found that one in three children seen in the emergency department for the flu can be at risk for severe complications such as pneumonia. “Symptoms of the flu are fever, cough, headache, body aches, and fatigue. If your child has flu-like symptoms, call your pediatrician early,” Thieme says. “There are antiviral drugs we can use to treat influenza, but they must be started in the first 48 hours.” It’s not too late to get a flu shot, either. Flu season typically lasts all the way through April, and January is a peak month for illness.

winter is prime time for respiratory problems in children. Castle rock pediatrician rita thieme, md, walks us through signs to watch for, easing symptoms at home, and when antibiotics can help — and when they can’t.

Sore throatS: “eighty percent of sore throats are viral in children, and they will go away on their own,” thieme says. If accompanied by a fever or your child just feels “horrible,” see your doctor.

Strep throat: Strep is usually accompanied by a fever but not other cold symptoms. It is unusual in children under 3 and generally strikes in late fall or winter.

Colds, minor coughs, and minor sinus congestion that last about 7 to 10 days.

“If your child has difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, you should see your doctor to rule out something more serious such as pneumonia. If the cough hasn’t gone away in about two weeks, antibiotics may be necessary. Keep an eye on it,” thieme says.

yEs antiBiotiCsno antiBiotiCs

WHEn antiBiotiCs Can HElp — and Can’t When your child is sick, you want to help him or her in any way you can. But with so many stories about antibiotic overuse in children lately, when do they really help? The short answer is that antibiotics are not needed with viral illnesses. Here are a few examples:

BronChioLitis and your BaByBronchiolitis is a common lung infection in young children most often caused by a virus and hallmarked by coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Because it’s a virus, there are no medical treatments for it, but there are steps you can take at home to ease your child’s symptoms: ✷using a cool-mist humidifier✷ Treating fever with acetaminophen✷ Ensuring they get lots of fluids✷ using a suction bulb or saline drops to help relieve a stuffy nose

Watch for signs of something more serious: “If they’re breathing faster than 60 times a minute, have high-pitched squeaking sounds (wheezing), or any labored breathing, they need to see a physician,” Thieme says.

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Quick, think of a scenario that resulted in a concussion. Did you picture a football player smashing helmets with another player?

Contact sports are the poster children for concussions, but the truth is they aren’t the only causes. “In Colorado, we see a lot of concussions from ranching accidents — falling off a horse or doing yard work,” says Lauren C. Barnes, MS, CCC-SLp, a speech-language pathologist at Castle Rock Adventist Center for Rehabilitation. “We also see patients from motor vehicle collisions and bike riding accidents.” And winter poses even more concussion risks. “We see a fair number of concussions resulting from falls in winter,” says Mark Elliott, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital, “especially when the ice first comes and people aren’t ready for it.”

WatCH your HEad!ConCussions aren’t reserved for the fieLd, or the young

contact SportS winter falls

Ranching accidents Car aCCidents

Yard Work Bike accidents

Speech-language pathologists like Lauren Barnes (facing camera) help patients recover from concussions.

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Lingering effeCtsConcussions can cause effects that linger weeks and even months. If you or a loved one has sustained a blow to the head and experienced any of these symptoms for two weeks or longer, you should see your doctor: Slowness in thinking, acting,

speaking, reading, or reacting Getting lost or easily

confused Difficulty remembering

things, paying attention, organizing daily tasks, and problem solving

Sensitivity to sounds, lights, distractions

persistent headache Neck pain Loss of balance, light-

headedness, or dizziness Blurred or double vision Ringing in the ears Fatigue, lack of energy or

motivation Change in sleeping patterns Feeling sad, anxious, irritable,

or angry Loss of one or more senses

(taste, smell, hearing)

WHat is a ConCussion, anyWay?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury resulting from a bump, jolt, or blow to the head that temporarily alters brain function. Symptoms often include headache, amnesia (loss of memory, usually of the event that caused the concussion), and confusion. other symptoms can include: temporary loss of consciousness dizziness ringing in the ears nausea/vomiting speech difficulty fatigue However, only one in 10 people who suffers a concussion loses consciousness and half of all people report no symptoms at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention. For those reasons, it’s important to seek medical care after any type of significant blow to the head, whether or not there was a loss of consciousness or other symptoms. “No two head injuries are ever the same,” says Rich Martin, the battalion chief of Castle Rock Fire and Rescue. “That’s why it’s important to get help right away, whether that’s through 911 or through your private physician.” If the concussion was sports-related, stop play immediately. Avoid any rigorous activity and rest as much as possible. Contrary to a popular myth, it is oK to sleep following a concussion. If treatment is delayed for any reason, jot down symptoms. Concussions don’t show up on diagnostic scans, so it’s important to accurately relay symptoms to a healthcare provider.With rest, most concussions typically heal in about a week. But you must rest both your body and your brain. That means limiting all mental stimulation, including doing work or schoolwork, reading, watching TV, having computer time, and even texting. As symptoms subside, your doctor will recommend a gradual return to daily activities. under Colorado law, youth who suffer a concussion during a sport cannot return to play until cleared by a medical professional.

tHE lasting EffECts

unfortunately, the effects of a concussion don’t always go away as quickly as they come. “Symptoms usually go away about a week out,” Barnes says. “post-concussive syndrome is when patients experience symptoms weeks, months, or even years after the injury.” If after two weeks you are still getting easily confused or lost; having difficulty remembering, problem solving, or paying attention; having slowness in thinking, acting, reading, or reacting; or you have sensitivity to light and

sound, then you should talk to your doctor and ask for a referral to a speech-language pathologist. “We’ll take those areas that are most difficult for patients and train them to use certain techniques or strategies to help them complete daily tasks,” Barnes says. “For example, say someone is having difficulty doing tasks like laundry because they have trouble focusing. We might suggest setting a timer to remind them to do each step.” other strategies involve a computer program for cognitive retraining. But time is also spent educating patients on the importance of mental rest. “We have so much stimulation in our society,” Barnes says. “It’s important for patients to implement rest throughout the day. That means giving your brain a rest — laying in a dark room, maybe taking a nap, and no texting or using the computer.”

no sECond CHanCEs

Therapy also involves educating patients on how to prevent future concussions. “Another head injury can be very dangerous,” Barnes says. “The damage compounds. So the more [concussions] you have, the more likely you are to have permanent brain damage or even death.” Second impact syndrome is particularly dangerous — even deadly. “It’s when a patient has a second concussion before the first one has healed,” Elliott says. “I consider it to be a ‘one plus one equals three’ situation. They add together to be a very serious injury.” Half of all second impact concussion incidents result in death, according to clearedtoplay.org. That’s why it’s so important to heal fully before returning to activity. And there’s no hard and fast guideline on how long it takes. “you can have two athletes with the same injury, and one might be ready to play in a week and the other in a month,” Elliott says. “youth often take longer to heal than adults in concussion cases. That’s one reason to follow the Jake Snakenberg Act.” The act, which became law in Colorado in 2012, states that coaches must undergo annual training in recognizing concussions; players must be taken out of the game anytime a concussion is suspected; and players must not return to activity without approval from a medical professional. It was proposed after Jake Snakenberg, a freshman football player for Grandview High School, died in 2004 following a second impact concussion. The act may be focused on youth in sports, but anyone who suffers a concussion is smart to follow its principles. proper care and treatment, however long after the event, are vital to future brain health.

Have you Had a concussion?

To learn more about post-concussive syndrome or to schedule an evaluation, call Castle Rock Adventist Center

for Rehabilitation at 720-455-3700.

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Chances are likely that you might be sitting in a driverless car in the next decade. In addition to being safe, you’re sure to be hoping that the car will get you exactly where you want to go. Thankfully, these types of advancements have already occurred in radiation oncology. Today’s sophisticated multimillion dollar radiation therapy machines — coupled with highly trained cancer experts — can now deliver exactly the right amount of radiation directly pinpointed at cancerous cells with very little damage to surrounding tissue.

a prEsCription for prECision“The word ‘radiation’ can scare us,” says Anuj peddada, MD, medical director of radiation oncology at parker Adventist Hospital’s Cancer Center. “I tell my patients to think of radiation as medicine. If you don’t need it, we don’t prescribe it. If you need it, it can be lifesaving.” Just as medications have improved to reduce side effects, so has radiation therapy. The machine itself, called a linear accelerator, is the focus of improved treatment and decreased side effects. parker Adventist Hospital’s Cancer Center and porter Cancer Care Center at porter Adventist Hospital offer the most advanced type of linear accelerator called the Varian TrueBeam. This machine offers several technological advancements that allow more precise dosing and placement of the radiation, including:

oN TARGETMore preCise radiation therapy Means fewer side effeCts for peopLe with CanCer

Ditch the travel

Castle rock Adventist Hospital is part of the Centura Health Cancer network, delivering integrated, advanced cancer care across Colorado and western kansas. we provide radiation therapy in three south denver locations to allow you to receive treatment close to home.

(Opening Fall 2015) radiation Oncology at littleton adventist hospitalCancer Care Center7700 south broadway littleton, Co 80122Phone: 303-734-8740

radiation Oncology at Parker adventist hospitalthe Cancer Center9395 Crown Crest boulevardParker, Co 80138Phone: 303-269-4975

radiation Oncology at Porter adventist hospital Cancer Care Center2555 south downing streetdenver, Co 80210Phone: 303-778-5714

The TrueBeam accelerator has what’s called a high-definition multileaf collimator. That’s a fancy term that basically means that the radiation beam can be shaped to match the cancer tumor and avoid healthy tissue. “By contouring the dose into the areas that we actually want to treat, that allows us to limit the side effects in a way we were not able to do before,” says Jeremy Land, manager of radiation oncology at porter Cancer Care Center.

The linear accelerator has a built-in imaging system that can visualize the tumor during treatment. In the past, radiation oncologists had to plan a wide safety margin around the treatment area to account for the patient’s breathing and any changes in position from day to day. “Now, with image guidance, we can be much more confident in delivering the radiation to where we need it, so we can be more sparing,” peddada says.

To treat a tumor from multiple angles previously required stopping and starting the treatment. TrueBeam rotates around the patient to deliver radiation from nearly any angle. “We can treat anything in a 360-degree arc without stopping, which allows us to reduce the treatment time significantly,” Land says.

How Radiation Worksradiation targets quickly growing cancer cells and damages their dnA so they can’t grow and divide. normal cells can repair themselves in a way that cancer cells can’t.

Custom Contouring intEgratEd imaging 360-dEgrEE aCCEss


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John Roberts was walking the family dog one evening when he felt a sudden pain in his chest and neck. “It was not like any other pain I had experienced before,” says Roberts, 45, a chemical engineer and resident of Castle Rock. “I had a suspicion it might be heart-related.” As he sat on the floor in his home, his wife, Gina, called 911. The paramedics performed an EKG, which was normal. Even though it appeared not to be a heart attack, they took Roberts straight to Castle Rock Adventist Hospital.

ExpErts at tHE rEadyWhen a patient comes to the Castle Rock Adventist Hospital ER complaining of chest pain, the first step is an EKG — even if you had one in the ambulance, explains Russell Royer, cath lab manager. “our first benchmark for performance in quality care is that the first EKG is performed within 10 minutes,” he says. “our times are around three minutes.” If the EKG shows it’s a heart attack, the ER physician calls a cardiac alert, readying a cardiologist, nurse, and technicians. As a national standard for heart attack care, hospitals measure the time from the moment you arrive to the time you’re undergoing angioplasty — a procedure that uses a tiny balloon to open the blocked artery. The national goal for “door-to-balloon” is 90 minutes. Castle Rock Adventist Hospital averages 55 minutes. Why is it that a young hospital like Castle Rock Adventist Hospital can achieve such goals in a short period of time? It has passion and experience on its side. Castle Rock Adventist Hospital’s board-certified ER doctors also staff Littleton Adventist Hospital, porter Adventist Hospital, and parker Adventist Hospital, and are medical directors for the area’s EMS providers. The ER teams also uses processes that are proven to work.

fast aCtion savEs livEsFor Roberts, when the second EKG didn’t reveal a heart attack, the emergency team performed other tests and asked more questions. A CT scan showed Roberts had an aortic dissection — a life-threatening tear in the aortic wall. Roberts was immediately airlifted by Centura Health’s Flight For Life® to porter Adventist Hospital for open-heart surgery. Without treatment, about 33 percent of aortic dissection patients die within 24 hours. Fast action saved Roberts’ life. “From the time my husband first complained of chest pains to the time he was being wheeled into surgery was exactly four hours,” Gina Roberts wrote on Facebook. “The statistics for ER staff missing an aortic dissection are 40 percent. I thank God every day Castle Rock Adventist was not part of that 40 percent.”

HEart attaCK signs to

WatCH forIf you or a loved one is experiencing signs of heart attack, call 911 or head to the nearest ER to have it checked out. ! Chest pain or discomfort! pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach! Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort! Nausea/vomiting! Light-headedness

Castle rock Adventist Hospital, a level iii trauma Center, is part of

the Centura Health trauma system, the region’s largest and most

comprehensive network of trauma care and emergency services.

oF THE MATTERHEartWHEN you’RE FACING A CARDIAC EMERGENCy, you WANT ExpERTS WHo THINK — AND ACT — FAST. AND WHo DoN’T GIVE up WHEN THERE’S NoT AN EASy ANSWER.

Winter 2015

John Roberts enjoys time with his family after getting lifesaving care for an aortic dissection.

atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, is a type of temporary heart arrhythmia that interrupts blood flow to the heart. when left untreated, your risk of suffering a stroke down the road is five times higher, and your risk of dying from a heart-related incident doubles. Learn more about a-fib, how to recognize the symptoms, and the latest in treatment options at a frEE seminar on tuesday, feb. 24. see back cover for details.

a-fiB Class


In some (other) states, winter is a time to stay indoors, huddle around a fire or the TV (or both), and hibernate until it’s warm enough to play outdoors again. But in Colorado, while the activities may change, vegging out in front of the screen isn’t one of them. With winter sports like skiing and basketball in full swing now, ligament injuries are also on the rise. Did you know that even if you work out regularly and are in good shape, you could still be at risk

for a ligament tear? yep: Sudden changes in activity can trigger an injury just as easily as going from being inactive to moving can. Here we’ll explore some of the most common ligament injuries in the knee with William C. Kramer, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital.

tearKNEE LIGAMENT INJuRIES CAN SIDELINE you FRoM youR FAVoRITE WINTER SpoRTS, BuT THEy DoN’T HAVE To KEEp you DoWN FoR THE CouNT. WE’LL SHoW you HoW To GET MoVING AGAIN, WHETHER you NEED REHAB, RECoNSTRuCTIoN, oR BoTH.

dr. william kramer

on a 200,000100,000

Annual incidence of ACl injuries

ACl reconstructions performed each year

Patrick Hannaway was sidelined after an ACL tear, but reconstruction at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital is getting him back on the court.

the reality Of revisiOns

only about 5 to 10 percent of ACl reconstructions

require revisions, and the need is based on a variety of factors, from biologic issues

and untreated secondary instabilities to traumatic

reinjuries.

eLevate9castlerockhospital.org Winter 2015

Description ACL: Anterior cruciate ligament, which connects the thighbone to the shinbone in the front of the knee

MCL: Medial collateral ligament, which connects the thighbone to the shinbone on the inside of the knee

rates • 200,000 annually • 70% occur from pivoting, cutting,

sidestepping, out-of-control play, or awkward landings

• Females are 8-10 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury

• MCL injuries are the most common knee injury in sports, occurring when one person collides with another or when too much stress is placed on the ligament via a quick turn or stop

• Athletes who play basketball or who ski are at increased risk of MCL injury

• Males are more likely to sustain an MCL injury than females

treatment • Minimally invasive surgery uses a tendon graft from the knee or hamstring to “construct” a new ACL

• Your activity and not your age should lead your list of considerations. “Surgery is not just for young people or athletes,” Kramer says. “For people in their 40s and 50s who still want to remain active and athletic, we typically recommend reconstruction because they’re able to get back to their sport better — especially to jumping, cutting, and pivoting activities.”

• Typically does not require surgery• Treated with RICE (rest, ice,

compression, elevation), a knee brace, and rehabilitation

recovery 3-6 months 3-8 weeks

results 82-95% success Nearly all MCL injuries can be repaired with proper treatment and rehabilitation

preventing LigaMent tearsyou’ve run and biked all summer and fall, so you’re in great shape to hit the slopes and indoor courts, right? Wrong, say the experts at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital. Running and biking are linear sports that generally occur at an even rate, while skiing and basketball (or indoor tennis) require frequent changes in direction, speed, and even surface conditions, says Scott Bartel, DpT, SCS, director of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital. “Having the ability to adapt to that with your muscles is critical to preventing injury,” he adds.

Bartel suggests participating in a conditioning program that offers a graduated approach with a few key elements:Base strengthening — Start with a core and lower-extremity strength program, progress to balance work, and finally ensure that your workout balances opposing muscle groups.dynamic plyometrics — Include higher-intensity training, including side-to-side hops or jumps, planting and pushing, and the mechanics of landing with hips, knees, and ankles in good alignment. absorption — Learn and practice the ability to absorb an impact or change in direction by distributing the force across all joints. A good dynamic landing will include absorption occurring at the feet, knees, hips, and trunk, and should appear soft or quiet. Balancing hamstring and quadriceps strength — Many people — especially women — tend to be stronger in their quadriceps than hamstrings, but strong hamstrings help stabilize and protect the knee and ACL.

30%the percentage of ACl injuries that occur from contact with another player

A Second Shot if you’ve spent a lifetime loving your sport, you’ll do whatever it takes to come back from an injury. when Patrick Hannaway of denver injured his right knee playing basketball two years ago, he underwent surgery, completed rehab, and returned to play, only to reinjure the same knee. “the first surgery didn’t go as well as i’d hoped, and i was in quite a bit of pain from it,” Hannaway, 30, says. then a friend referred him to todd wente, md, of Colorado orthopaedics. wente performed the revision, which involved a graft replacement of Hannaway’s ACl. “i couldn’t speak more highly of todd or Castle rock Adventist Hospital,” he says. “i had very little pain the second time around, and i appreciate his bedside manner and how thoroughly we went over everything to decide the best option.” now five months out, the dentist and former college basketball player still longs to get back on the court but is taking it slow. “i’m doing my physical therapy and can go shoot around in the gym. i still want to play, but i’m giving it a full year,” he says.

learn MOreJoin dr. todd wente for a free community seminar about how to know when it’s time for knee

replacement surgery on thursday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. see back cover for more details.

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ChiLLing effeCtIf you have to look at a calendar to remind yourself that it’s winter, chances are good that you’re going through menopause. More than three-quarters of women experience hot flashes beginning in their late 40s or early 50s during the transition to menopause. While these sudden intense heat bursts may be inevitable, there’s no need to suffer in silence — or cause your family to freeze while you fling open all your windows! “I encourage women to consider menopause as an opportunity,” says John Stallworth, MD, a gynecologist with RidgeGate oB-GyN. Around the time of menopause, a woman’s risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases starts increasing. Lifestyle changes that help treat hot flashes also help decrease the risk of major illnesses. In this way, hot flashes serve as an alarm bell telling women to take time to pay attention to their bodies and improve their overall health. use them as the excuse to finally put yourself first, Stallworth recommends. Lifestyle changes that can help relieve hot flashes include maintaining a healthy body weight, eating clean, and stopping smoking. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation or acupuncture, also help some women find relief while reducing stress, which in turn helps the body maintain its immune system and fight inflammation.

lEarn WHat you Can do to tamE tHE Hot flasHEs tHat ComE WitH mEnopausE

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Winter 2015

For more information about managing the symptoms of menopause, go online to the north American menopause society at menopause.org.

Ward off Hot flasHEs WitH lifEstylE modifiCationseliminate hot flash triggers by focusing on wellness, staying relaxed, and keeping your core body temperature cool. here’s how:

• Dressinlayers• Keeproomscool, especially at night• Avoidspicyfoods• Useafan• Drinkcoldbeverages

• Eatclean• Exercisedaily• Reachormaintaina healthy body weight• Stopsmoking• Trymeditation

mEEt tHE doCsThe Alexander Building at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital houses more than 29 physician practices and specialty clinics, including the practices of Dr. John Stallworth and Dr. Jackie Ziernicki who were featured in this article. Here is a little more about them.

RidgeGate oB-GyN’s John Stallworth, MD,

specializes in helping manage gynecological issues for women throughout adulthood and has expertise in gynecological surgery, including robotic surgery. He recently completed extensive studies and an examination to become a certified menopause practitioner by the North American Menopause Society.

ridgegate ob-gyn is located at 2352 meadows boulevard, suite 300, in Castle rock. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 303-649-3380 or go online to ridgegateobgyn.org.

Jackie Ziernicki, MD, is a board-certified

obstetrician and gynecologist who describes her philosophy of patient care as “encouragement, education, and respect for each patient’s health goals.” She provides comprehensive women’s care, including obstetrics, and has special interest in minimally invasive gynecological surgery. She also is located in the Alexander Building.

go natural

Although it is not completely clear what causes hot flashes, the general consensus is that drops in estrogen send a signal to the brain that the body is hot (even when it is not). This causes the body to cool itself through sweating and blood vessel dilation, which causes the telltale flush that often accompanies hot flashes. “Hot flashes can be so severe they lead to night sweats and disrupt sleep,” says Jackie Ziernicki, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital. “The loss of sleep may lead to feelings of depression or cognitive changes.” Many women look first to natural supplements for relief. phytoestrogens, which include herbal supplements such as black cohosh, chickpeas, soybeans, and flaxseeds, can stimulate estrogen receptors in the body to offset the signals that cause hot flashes. Although the safety and efficacy of these natural remedies is not well-established, some patients report success, Ziernicki says. “If the patient is a candidate, they can consider it as an alternative to conventional care.” The North American Menopause Society agrees that some women experience success with supplementation but urges patients to talk with a healthcare provider before taking them. Stallworth recommends making modifications to lifestyle. If the side effects of menopause become overwhelming, talk to your physician about possible prescriptive options, he says.

prEsCription mEdiCation

Historically, the go-to treatment for menopause symptoms was hormone replacement therapy (HRT). However, after the Women’s Health Initiative in 2002 reported a link between HRT and breast cancer, the use of routine HRT to treat menopause symptoms was stopped. Since then, research has been refined and physicians will sometimes recommend HRT on a limited basis. When used around the time of menopause for short periods, HRT can be highly effective in treating hot flashes while limiting the increased risk of breast cancer that comes with prolonged use. For women who wish to avoid hormones or can’t take HRT, there are other medication options. “Medications used to treat pain syndromes or depression can be very effective in managing hot flashes,” Stallworth says. “In these cases, the dosage is typically smaller and the medication may only be needed for a short period of time.”

Hot flashes serve as an alarm bell telling women to take time to pay attention to their bodies and

improve their overall health.

2350 Meadows BoulevardCastle Rock, CO 80109

Portercare Adventist Health SystemNoN-Profit org

US PoStAgE

PAiDDENvEr, Co

PErmit No. 4773

Castle Rock Adventist Hospital is part of Centura Health, the region’s leading healthcare network.Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact Centura Health’s office of the general Counsel at 303-804-8166. Copyright © Centura Health, 2015.

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Welcome aboard!ridgeline Family medicine welcomes kelly morales,

md, as their newest family medicine physician. dr. morales cares for

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rsVP is required for all seminars. go to castlerockhospital.org/register.

elevate winter 2015

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