Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

It’s that time of year again. January is coming, and you are ready to push the reset button and stop all of your bad habits. For the past few years, the number 1 and number 2 New Year’s resolutions have been to get fit and healthy and lose weight, but only 8 percent of people felt they kept those resolutions. Rachel Wagner, MS, LD, a Registered Dietitian at St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center says, “If you are like most people and want to make health improvements in the New Year, it would be a mistake to wait until January 1. By…

Holidays can be a stressful time of year for any family, but dealing with a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. The holiday season is about traditions and celebrations. Sharri Butcher, MSN, RN-C, Nurse Manager for St. Elizabeth Healthcare Cancer Care/Medical Oncology, offered some insights on how to help during the holidays. By providing comfort and cheer to someone with a cancer diagnosis, spirits will raise and they can enjoy the holiday season. Here are ten ideas to help your loved one: Ask about expectations. Ask the individual what they wish to do during this holiday season? What traditions would they…

Nothing is more fun than buying a gift for a newborn. Since the baby is too young to be thankful for the gift, you want the parents to be happy with your gift choice. Myra McElheney, RN, OB Prenatal Educator, reached out to some of the mom’s that have delivered babies at the Family Birth Place at St. Elizabeth Edgewood to ask what they felt were the most cherished baby gifts—from the essentials to the splurge items. Essential Items New Parents Want Most When you are shopping for a new baby, you don’t want to just buy diapers but the…

It’s that time of year again—party, party, party! Whether it is at the office, or with friends and family, it seems impossible to make it through the season without your healthy eating habits going off the rails. These four tips can help you enjoy the holiday season and keep your diet on track. Don’t go on an empty stomach. Going to a party on an empty stomach is like grocery shopping on an empty stomach—you pick up things you don’t need. To avoid consuming too many calories eat a healthy snack before you leave home. Betsy Oriolo, MS, RD, LD,…

Vestibular Physical Therapy St. Elizabeth Healthcare offers a unique treatment option to patients experiencing dizziness, vertigo or balance disorders: vestibular physical therapy. Scott Schowalter, a Physical Therapist at St. Elizabeth, has been treating patients with vestibular therapy since 2003. He has completed more than a dozen specialized courses and earned his certificate of competency in vestibular therapy from a high-level program at Emory University. “I find this type of therapy really interesting,” says Scott. “Vestibular therapy is such an effective type of treatment to offer our patients to help cure dizziness, vertigo or balance issues.” Vestibular therapy is performed by…

Breastfeeding can come with a learning curve for new mothers and their infants. Many overwhelmed mothers give up on nursing without proper support and preparation. To help new moms get ready to nurse – and have success – Debbie Hutchison, RN, IBCLC, a Registered Nurse Lactation Consultant at St. Elizabeth offers some advice and support. 1. Educate Yourself Debbie suggests pregnant women take advantage of local breastfeeding classes taught by certified lactation consultants (IBCLC). St. Elizabeth offers a free online breastfeeding class as part of its childbirth class. The class is convenient and gives you the chance to ask questions and…

Holiday stress comes in myriad forms. Too much to do, too little time, too many little nagging details that need attending. “The holiday season can be a time of great joy and excitement but also a time of stress and anxiety,” says Robert. D. Wells, Ph.D., a psychologist with St. Elizabeth Behavioral Health. So whether you’re stressed because you spent the afternoon circumnavigating the shopping mall looking for a parking spot or spent an entire evening trying to make small talk with your boss at the holiday office party, Wells recommends some basic strategies to help manage the stress and…

The empty chair. The unhung stocking. The favorite story that won’t be told. “The death of a loved one leaves holes in our lives and in our holidays,” says James Ellis, bereavement care coordinator at St. Elizabeth Hospice. The holidays may bring a renewed and profound sense of loss to families dealing with the death of a loved one, says Ellis. Here are some coping strategies that may help: Celebrate your loved one. Don’t deny your loss. Celebrate your loved one. Propose a toast in his or her honor, write them a letter, hang a special ornament on the tree in…

Most of us know we should be drinking more water. But when thirst kicks in, maybe we’re craving the flavor of a sports drink instead, or the afternoon caffeine boost of a soda. That’s where liquid water enhancers come in, a relatively new player in the market that some experts see as a $1 billion business by 2020. We’ve all seen them, whether in the beverage aisle or maybe the checkout of your local grocery. Made by brands such as Mio, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, and available in flavors from berry pomegranate to tropical coconut and everything in between, they can…

No matter what you’re serving for your summer holiday celebrations, you’ll want to use these tips from the FDA to make sure you’re not serving up a big helping of salmonella or other food-borne illness with your hamburgers. You want your picnic to be memorable for the fireworks show, after all, not the tummy trouble. Here are a few of our top tips: Pack beverages and perishable food (meats) in separate coolers so the perishable foods’ cooler stays closed as people reach for cold drinks. Try to limit the number of times you’re opening the cooler with perishable foods so…