We are excited to announce that Dr. Linda Jourdan and her nurse practitioner Susan Harris are joining our team at Northside Family Care. It is an honor for us and Community Hospital and Physicians to have them join us in their move from Fishers Family Physicians. (Dr. Tim Fletchall and Dr. Carrie Melloh from Fishers Family Physicians also moved to join Community at Fishers Family Care.) I have shared night and weekend patient calls with Dr. Jourdan for many years. She is an excellent caring value-driven doctor and person, as is Susan, her nurse practitioner.
As I reflect upon what I have learned over the past 2 weeks since my last blog entry, reading Tony Dungy’s new book “Uncommon - Finding Your Path to Significance” and attending his conference at my church, Traders Point Christian Church, yesterday jump out to me as the most significant. The following sentence is a summary sentence of his book and conference. Don’t be a follower, taking the common wordly path. Be instead a Godly leader, taking the UNCOMMON path that we all can choose by living our values, faith, and unique God-given talents and abilities. I encourage everyone to read this book or listen to Tony reading it himself on the audio cd (which we have at our office available for checkout, among many other great books on audio cd). The book is especially written for young men, but has great life and living lessons that we all need to be able to continue our work with God to apply these lessons and values more and more in our lives.
Tips to lower your cancer risk:
1. Move more -Exercise!!! – as I always say, EXERCISE at least 5 times/week!
-a lack of exercise increases risk for colon, postmenopausal breast, and endometrial cancers – you can cut the risk of postmenopausal breast and colon cancer by up to 40% by vigorously exercising at least 30 minutes 5 times/week
-if you like to keep track of your progress, a small computer worn on the arm, Go-Wear fit by Body Media, can track calories burned, steps taken, physical activity levels and sleep duration and efficiency ($199 at Dicks)
2. Get your screenings and immunizations
-half of all new cancer cases can be prevented or detected earlier with proper screenings – especially PAP smears, PSA prostate blood tests, mammograms, colonoscopies, skin exams, and young woman getting the Gardisil HPV vaccine
3. Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, and take Vitamin D
- this can help lower your risk of many cancers – fill at least 2/3 of your plate with these types of foods, and take 1000 – 5000 iu vitamin D/day for adults (many people should have their vitamin D level tested, especially if you have risk factors or take the higher levels) and at least 400 iu/day for children
4. Don’t overdo alcohol
-one drink a day increases cancer risk 6 – 10%, and two drinks a day increase the risk by 25% - develop a taste for noncaloric drinks and sip wine or beer slowly
5. Reduce processed and red meats and reduce fat in your diet
-processed meats are sausage, bacon, and lunch meat, and red meat is beef, lamb, and pork – think of meat as the side dish to vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains
6. Control your weight
-excess body fat has been directly linked to colon, rectal, pancreatic, kidney, endometrial, esophageal and postmenopausal breast cancer – check out such sources as http://www.sparkpeople.com/ to journal your diet and calories and help motivate you to exercise and eat healthy, and schedule an office visit with me or your doctor for suggestions and motivation
7. Don’t smoke or be around it
-not smoking is the most important step people can take to lower the risk of so many types of cancers – contact the Indiana Tobacco Quitline (800-784-8669), American Lung Association (800-586-4872), and see me or your doctor to discuss help such as Chantix
8. Stay out of the sun, and especially do not get sunburned
-wear protective clothing and sunscreen with at least SPF 15
Ways to relieve joint pain
1. Maintain muscle strength – keep muscles surrounding joints strong and stretch properly – women over 65 have to work double-time to preserve muscle by eating more protein and resistence/strength/weight training
2. Try lower impact exercises – like yoga, dance, Wii Fit, swimming
3. Treat painful joints with hot packs before exercise and cool packs after exercise (10-20 minutes)
General Tips
A home treatment for cold sores on or around your lip is powdered deodorant (like Degree) applied 3-4x/day at first sign/feeling of cold sore.
Ingesting shredded coconut twice a day can significantly help colitis in some people
Marriage Tip
Marriage Tip
Seek out and kiss and hug your spouse (before your kids) immediately upon arriving home – show and let him/her know they are your priority!
Children Tip from Tony Dungy “Quiet Strength”
Hug your kids every chance you get! ...
Have a beautiful blessed healthy fun week, and take time to consider your many blessings!
Dr. Lisa
