Your Health
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New Center for Healthy Living introduced Achieving personal health goals may often seem out of reach, but it’s proven that having a support system can really make a difference. That’s why The Outer Banks Hospital created The Center for Healthy Living, which specializes in helping you to meet your goals as they relate to your health and well-being. Their team is trained to offer personalized care and encouragement in a positive and inspiring setting. While the Center doesn’t replace your primary care physician, they work closely with your doctor to help you make positive changes in your life. TOBH says to
think of the center as your wellness specialist. If you need knee surgery, your primary care provider would send you to an orthopedic specialist. If you need help with a lifestyle change or support that will greatly improve your health or quality of life, your primary
care provider may refer you to The Center for Healthy Living. There are many reasons people need personalized help to achieve these goals. Maybe your surgeon has told you that you need to lose weight or stop smoking to be eligible for surgery. Perhaps you need help learning how to plan meals as a newly diagnosed diabetic. Or it could be that your stress is so overwhelming that you worry about being able to take care of your family. The center can help you: • Improve your nutritional habits • Develop a safe exercise
The Center for Healthy Living team includes, from left, Donna Jones, LPN; Denise de Pedro, NBC-HWC; Sarah Kershner, BSN, RN; Alison Carras, CMA; Leah Wood; Jaclyn Hall, RD; Marielle Silk, FNP; Christina Bowen, MD; and Robin South, BSN, CMSRN.
plan • Quit smoking — for good • Cope with stress and other emotional concerns • Experience better sleep • Modify your drinking
habits • Learn how to manage a newly diagnosed chronic disease such as COPD or diabetes • Manage symptoms caused by cancer and/or
chronic disease For a referral to the center, contact your primary care physician or specialist. For more information about The Center for Healthy Living, call 252-449-5978.
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Preventing heart disease Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for Americans, for both men and women and most ethnicities; for American Indians and Asians/Pacific Islanders, heart disease is second to cancer in causes of death. More than 600,000 people die of heart disease every year; that represents 25 percent of all deaths in this country. The good news is that while some aspects of heart disease are hereditary and all risk factors can’t be fully controlled, there are a number of lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of a serious heart condition, like a heart attack, or help protect yourself from acquiring a heart condition. And, while
heart disease looks different in everybody, there are symptoms to watch for. Since early action is critical in treating heart disease, that knowledge can save a life.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Most people recognize that chest pain is symptomatic of a heart attack, but there are other signs to look for as well. Pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or upper stomach; shortness of breath and nausea, lightheadedness or cold sweats all could indicate a heart attack. Women with heart disease are more likely to report chest pain that is sharp or burning.
When in doubt, it’s better to seek treatment immediately. Almost half of sudden cardiac deaths occur before a person can get to a hospital, which likely means early warning signs were ignored.
RISK FACTORS
High cholesterol, hypertension and smoking are the major risk factors for heart disease; the CDC said about half of people with heart disease have at least one of these risk factors. Other chronic conditions or lifestyle choices that are risk factors are diabetes, being overweight or obese, having a poor diet, not getting sufficient exercise and excessive alcohol use.
PREVENTION
Healthy habits like a balanced diet (whole foods with lots of color on your plate that comes from fruits and vegetables, not colored
candy), getting plenty of exercise, quitting smoking and reducing your alcohol intake all reduce your risk of heart disease or a heart attack. You also want
to keep your cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes under control; take any medication you should be and see your doctor regularly.
S E N TA R A T HE R A PY CE N T E R - K I T T Y H AW K
SUPPORT FOR A HEALTHIER YOU. Sometimes people are given physical challenges and hurdles they never expected to face. If you’re experiencing a disability through injury, surgery, or illness, the caring and experienced physical therapists at the Sentara Therapy Center can help you reach your maximum independence.
Sentara Therapy Center - Kitty Hawk 5136 North Croatan Highway Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 757-827-2513 to speak with a member of our team
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The many benefits of yoga by Philip S. Ruckle Jr. philip.ruckle@thecoastlandtimes.com
With a history that dates back several thousand years, yoga is a relatively new practice in the United Sates. According to a 2016 Yoga in America study, there are 36.7 million yoga practitioners in the U.S., up from 20.4 million in 2012. While a majority of American practitioners have been doing yoga for five or fewer years, yoga teachers have a longer track record, with at least half teaching for more than six years. So, since its introduction in 1893 at the Parliament of Religions at the World’s Fair in Chicago
by Swami Vivekananda as part of a world religious forum, what makes yoga so popular? “Yoga is a physical practice that benefits the mind and the body,” said Jessica Moody, a local yoga instructor and co-founder of Village Yoga in Duck. “A lot of people are doing it for the physical body benefits,” she continued. “A lot of people look at it as exercise, but it’s way more than that. It’s benefiting your central nervous system and your brain.” Moody went on to say that most of America is overworked and under-rested and as a result our the central nervous
systems are in overdrive all the time. “Yoga allows us to slow down,” Moody added. “We rest better and sleep better.” Other benefits include: ● Improves flexibility. ● Builds muscle strength. ● Helps perfect your posture. ● Prevents cartilage and joint breakdown. ● Protects your spine. ● Betters your bone health. ● Increases your blood flow. ● Drains your lymphs and boosts immunity. “People think you have to be flexible to do yoga,” said Moody. “Actually, it’s
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MICHELLE DORER
Beginners participate in a yoga class
the opposite. You get flex- athletes. It’s for everyone.” cardiovascular health, inible from yoga. So it’s not Other health advantag- jury recovery and stress just for young and flexible es include weight loss, reduction.
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THE COASTLAND TIMES Social interaction might be included on some lists. Accord to Moody, yoga is often practiced as a group. “People bring their whole families to Yoga on the Greens in Duck,” she explained. “It’s a chance to practice yoga and visit with friends.” There are also additional benefits to yoga other than meeting with friends or practicing healthy exercises. In fact, unlike stretching or fitness workouts, there is a lot more to yoga than just physical postures. “Yoga incorporates a number of physical, mental and spiritual practices or disciplines,” said Michelle Dorer, director of the Ashtanga Yoga Center on the Outer Banks. “Yoga is a path to
self-realization.” Dorer went on to say there are four different paths of yoga that can be incorporated into our lives: – Gyana Yoga flows a path of knowledge or, more correctly, wisdom. The discrimination between what is real and what is not real. – Karma Yoga is performing community action without an attachment to the outcome, a path of selfless service. – Bhakti Yoga is the path of love and devotion to initially anything with a strong emotional tie like family, a friend, or ultimately to the Divine. – Raja Yoga is king of all yogas following a path of meditation, mantras, and techniques toward
maintaining control over your own kingdom which includes the vast territory of your mind. And, although the four paths appear to be different, Dorer said there is really only one yoga with different paths complementing each other, much like different roads leading to the same final destination. Both Moody and Dorer agree that yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body and mind, to help manage stress, to lower anxiety levels, and help you relax. Not a religion, yoga is a philosophy that takes you on a path to a newer and better you. “It’s a path to self-realization and realizing who you really are,” said Dorer. Yoga students practice at Village Yoga.
I N T R O TO YO G A WO R K S H O P S E R I E S W I T H O L I V I A M U SC AT E L LO , 5 0 0 RY T TUESDAYS, 6: 00 - 7:15 PM FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 12 4 (75 MINUTE) SESSIONS: $60
DUCKVILL AGEYOG A.COM » 252.564.2219 The Waterfront Shops » 1240 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949
CAROLINE JARVIS PHOTOS
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WIC: Working with families to promote health and wellness by Kelly Nettnin, MPA, CSAPC Communications Specialist
Women, Infants and Children (WIC), one of the most successful social service and public health initiatives in the nation, provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and other health related referrals to women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have children under the age of five. The federally funded program has been proven effective in preventing and improving nutrition related health problems within its population. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities just released an updated version of their WIC Works: Addressing the Nutrition and Health Needs of Low-Income Families for 40 Years report. This report summarizes research on WIC’s
effects on: pregnancy and birth outcomes, nutrition, immunization, health and cognitive development and neighborhood food environments. The report now includes key recent findings such as: • WIC participation is associated with large reductions in the risk of adverse birth outcomes beginning about the 29th week of pregnancy; • Obesity rates declined among two to four year olds on WIC between 2010 and 2014; • WIC participation reduces the prevalence of food insecurity among children by at least 20 percent; and • Average scores for young, low-income children on the Healthy Eating Index increased more than twice as much among WIC participants as among
non-participants after the 2009 WIC food package changes. The WIC program works with families to promote breastfeeding and healthy habits like eating more fiber, fruit, vegetables, whole grain foods and choosing to drink low fat milk and water. In order to participate in the WIC program, applicants must be pregnant or have recently had a baby or have a child under the age of five, live in North Carolina, meet income eligibility guidelines and be at nutritional risk. A person receiving Medicaid or assistance from the NC Food and Nutrition Services (food stamps) automatically meets the income eligibility requirement. A nutritionist assesses for nutritional risk at no cost to the participant. Applicants can be seen at one of the WIC offices
Christine Heard, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with Dare County Department of Health & Human Services, helps a WIC client plan for their regular grocery shopping.
(Manteo, Kill Devil Hills or Frisco) to determine eligibility. If you believe that you or someone in your
family may be eligible for WIC services, call the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services
at 252-475-5068 to schedule an appointment. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
BLOOD PRESSURE
is 120/80; anything over 140/90 is high. Hypertension can make your arteries hard, which means less oxygen is moving through your body, which can lead to heart attack, heart failure or a stroke. Left untreated, it can lead to chronic kidney disease. Although about a third of Americans have high blood pressure, it doesn’t
have any symptoms, so without getting checked by a doctor, you may not know if you have it. There isn’t any one identifiable cause, in most cases, although genetics, age, obesity and a poor diet. To manage it naturally, it’s a similar diet if you’re watching your cholesterol, with the added measure of watching out for your sodium intake.
Healthy by the Numbers Every time you go to the doctor, she’s going to take a couple of numbers that can tell you a lot about your health. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can both lead to or be symptomatic of serious chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and stroke. The CDC talks about both of these conditions, what to know and how you can make lifestyle changes to keep these numbers in a healthy range.
CHOLESTEROL
Blood cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body produces naturally and uses to make hormones and digest fatty foods. Animal products like eggs, meat and cheese contain dietary cholesterol. High cholesterol, which about one in six Americans has, could be caused by a number of factors, including family history, health conditions like obesity and lifestyle habits such as a diet high in saturated and trans fats, not getting enough exercise, smoking or drinking too much
alcohol. While there is medication to treat high cholesterol, you can make several lifestyle changes to manage your cholesterol more naturally. Eat foods that are low in saturated fats, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains; high in fiber, like beans; lean meats like fish and chicken; and foods with unsaturated fats like nuts and olive oil. Regular exercise, quitting smoking and keeping your weight under control also can help you manage your cholesterol.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, has two measurements: systolic blood pressure, the top number, measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats, and the bottom number, the diastolic pressure, measures the pressure in the vessels when the heart is resting between beats. A normal blood pressure
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Handling stress key to quality of life How you handle stress is a huge factor in the rest of your health as well as your overall quality of life; poor stress management can make you feel under the weather, exacerbate conditions you already have, interrupt your sleep, and cause you to have a shorter fuse in dealing with people or issues and feeling overwhelmed when dealing with problems. If it goes on long enough, your brain is exposed to cortisol, which can weaken your immune system as well. The National Association of Mental Illness talked about stress, what to watch out for and how you can handle this normal part of life in a healthy way.
SIGNS OF STRESS
Like other conditions, stress can cause physical symptoms, including headaches, difficulty sleeping, jaw pain, appetite changes, frequent mood swings, having difficulty concentrating and feeling overwhelmed and unable to deal with difficulties that come your way.
TRIGGERS FOR STRESS
Stress is a part of everyday life, so it’s important to know where it is likely to come from in your life. Your job, family relationships, financial worries, school, health concerns, not getting enough sleep and not eating well can all lead to stress, which, while it not be overwhelming at first, can become that way if not handled well. On
top of this stress, other life events can make you even more vulnerable, such as experiencing a major life change (moving, the death of a loved one, starting a new job, having a child, getting married), feeling alone or without a social network for support.
REDUCING STRESS
Everyone handles stress a little differently, so don’t feel bad if your friend’s way of coping doesn’t work for you. NAMI suggested starting with accepting your needs — know what your triggers are, avoid them if possible or allow time and energy to handle them. Schedule your days so you have time to take have time for hobbies or Lean on your support net- group. Be careful not to breaks as needed, you’re reading or other self-care; work and consider talking self-medicate with alcohol getting enough sleep, you exercise; and eat well. to a therapist or support and drugs.
Avoiding the Flu Influenza isn’t just a cold on steroids. This disease, which resurfaces every fall and can be a health risk well into the next spring, can knock even the healthiest people out of commission for a week to 10 days. While flu can be dangerous to infants, elderly adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illness, for most people it’s not deadly, just extremely unpleasant. It’s good to be aware of the symptoms and know how to treat them. According to the Mayo Clinic, early symptoms of the flu appear like a common cold, though they are
likely to come on quickly and then get much worse than a cold. Common symptoms of the flu include a fever higher than 100 degrees; aching muscles; chills and sweats; headache; a dry, persistent cough; fatigue; weakness; nasal congestion; and a sore throat. Most people with the flu don’t need to see a doctor; stay home for at least a full day after your fever subsides (your coworkers and fellow students will thank you), rest, drink lots of fluids and treat the symptoms as necessary to remain comfortable. If you or a family member are at risk of complications, see a doctor
immediately. Taking antiviral drugs within the first two days may shorten the length of your illness and help prevent other problems. Those who are at risk and should seek medical care include the elderly and very young; people who live or work in facilities like hospitals or nursing homes; people with weakened immune systems, like those who have cancer or are going through chemotherapy; people with chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes or heart disease; pregnant women; and people with obesity. Getting a vaccine is your first and best option for
prevention; it makes you less likely to get sick and likely will reduce the severity of the illness if you do get sick. Other ways to prevent the spread of disease is regularly washing your hands,
using alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available; cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and avoid crowds. Flu spreads more easily when people are close
to each other, such as in child care centers, schools, auditoriums, public transportation, and perhaps most importantly, doctor’s offices and emergency rooms during flu season.
Health & Wellness Programs At Dare County Department of Health & Human Services we are committed to meeting the evolving health & social needs of our community. We are proud to offer a variety of services to assist with your health & wellness. More information about our services can be found at
darenc.com/hhs
About 1 in 10
Diabetes Programs
If you've been identified as prediabetic or have had gestational diabetes, come take our year long diabetes prevention class, free of charge! Learn how to make healthy lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
If you have been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, join our American Diabetes Association Education Program. We People have Diabetes Diabetes accept Medicare, Medicaid, Medcost, BCBS and Health Choice insurances. Come learn about how to manage yourCounty diabetes in our group classes and receive support from our of Dare Department of Health ®istered Human Services nurse and our diabetes educator! registered dietitian,
Call 252.475.5069 for more information! We can help you with the following needs... Family Planning Family Support Food & Nutrition Services Health Education Home Health Hospice Immunizations Lab Services Physical Examinations Woman’s Health ... and much more! Call us today!
County of Dare
Department of Health & Human Services P.O. Box 669 | Manteo, NC 27954 Health 252.475.5003 | Social Services 252.475.5500 | Veterans Services 252.475.5604 | darenc.com/hhs