Free Flu Vaccines For Seniors

Each fall, Sentara Potomac Hospital, in partnership with the Prince William Health District, offers free flu vaccines to persons 60 and over. Vaccines are given at places of worship and other community locations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone 65 and older get a flu shot each fall. Upcoming senior flu clinics:

Monday, November 1, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 18825 Fuller Heights Road, Triangle. For more information, call Marcia Connolly at 703-221-4044.

Thursday, November 4, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Prince William Area Senior Center at Woodbridge, 13850 Church Hill Dr., Woodbridge. For more information, call 703-792-5081.

Wellness Wit and Wisdom

By Maureen Deutermann, MSN, R.N.
Director of Community Education

One of my favorite Disney movies is the classic Pollyanna. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, the heroine is an 11-year-old orphan who is sent to live with her bitter spinster aunt in a gloomy little village full of equally gloomy people. Pollyanna, however, is infused with an unquenchable enthusiasm for life which serves to change the lives of many of the villagers, and ultimately helps Pollyanna herself to overcome a personal tragedy.

Pollyanna’s tool for happiness is something called the “glad game.” Here’s how it works: Whenever something you perceive as being “bad” happens, say to yourself “I am glad of this because… (fill in the blank).” It’s a simple way of looking for the silver lining, or seeing the glass as half full. This little game is a good thing to practice, because as it turns out, having an optimistic outlook is beneficial to one’s overall health!

Studies show that folks who exhibit a positive attitude are less likely to develop certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and back trouble. They also recover more quickly from surgery. In fact, scientists now consider pessimism a risk factor for disease. In a study of 25-year-old Harvard University students, the optimists were significantly healthier at ages 45 and 60 than their pessimistic fellow students.

Psychologically, optimism also pays off. Optimists experience less stress, possibly because they believe in their own talents and expect the best outcome. Optimists don’t give up easily, and their persistence translates into greater achievement and success in life. In a study of clinically depressed patients, it was found that 12 weeks of training in optimistic habits worked better than medication!

Convinced that the practice of optimism is worthy of taking a whack at it? Okay, let’s start with a simple test of the Glad Game. Fill in the blank: “I am glad for Mondays because…” If you can do that one, Pollyanna would be very proud of you!

Free Diabetes Fair

The Diabetes Management Program at Sentara Potomac Hospital invites you to the 21st Annual Diabetes Fair on Saturday, October 30, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the Hylton Education Center at Sentara Potomac Hospital.

Bring your family and friends to this free event where you'll learn helpful hints for managing diabetes. You'll also have the opportunity to talk to medical professionals and ask questions. Plus:

• Ask the dietitian your questions about food and diabetes
• Talk to healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical representatives
• Learn about recipes and new products
• Blood pressure checks
• Body composition analyses
• Insulin pumps
• Blood glucose meters
• Enjoy healthy refreshments
• And more!

Special Presentation
Heart Disease and Diabetes: Reaching Your Target Range: A board-certified cardiologist will discuss the importance of knowing all of your numbers, including lipids, blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and keeping them in your target range. Being proactive about reaching your target and staying within your target range will greatly reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Click here to register or call 703-221-2500.

Modern Treatments for Incontinence and other Women's Health Concerns

More than 17 million women in the U.S. cope with urinary incontinence. If you’re one of them and want to know when to seek professional medical help, attend this free seminar presented by a board-certified urologist.

Making repeated visits to the restroom is both inconvenient and frustrating, but there is help for those with an overactive bladder including leakage, the inability to fully empty your bladder, or urgency or frequency.

At the seminar you’ll learn about modern treatments for common women’s pelvic health problems such as overactive bladder, incontinence, painful urination or intercourse, post-partum changes in bladder and bowel control and minimally invasive treatment of vaginal prolapse repair.

This free seminar will be held on Wednesday, November 3, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Hylton Education Center at Sentara Potomac Hospital. Click here to register or call 703-221-2500.

FREE Sinus Screening

Are you suffering from chronic sinus problems such as runny nose, itchy eyes, loss of smell or taste, headaches, or dizziness? These are common complaints, but solutions are available to help treat your symptoms.

Come take advantage of a free screening at Sentara Potomac Hospital and learn what treatment options are available. The screenings will be conducted by board-certified ear, nose and throat physicians specially trained in minimally invasive sinus surgery techniques, including balloon sinuplasty.

The Sinus Screening will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. in The Potomac Center, Suite 130 (medical office building next to Sentara Potomac Hospital).

This screening is free but an appointment is required. Click here to register or call 703-221-2500.

Wellness Wit and Wisdom

By Maureen Deutermann, MSN, R.N.
Director of Community Education

It seems like life just keeps getting more and more hectic and stressful. Even positive change causes stress. No time to think about anything as mundane as healthy food choices, right? WRONG! In periods of stress, even more attention should be paid to how we are fueling our bodies. Why? When under stress, we need more of all nutrients and in particular B vitamins, which contribute to the functioning of the nervous system, and calcium, which offsets the production of lactic acid from tense muscles.

Ironically, when under stress we often give in to the temptation of allowing healthy nutrition to take a nosedive.We are so busy and distracted that we may end up grabbing some pretty unhealthy grub. What’s a stressed out team member to do?? Here are some suggestions:

Adopt a nutritional “mantra”; anything that triggers you to think before you eat. “Garbage in garbage out” might do the trick!

Be prepared. Instead of becoming so ravenous that you find yourself wildly emptying quarters into the nearest vending machine, spend some time the night before planning and packing healthy snacks and lunches.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals to keep blood sugar levels steady. Include sources of protein as well as carbohydrates in your snacks to give your energy level more staying power. Low fat cheese, peanut butter, and hard boiled eggs are good sources of protein. Team with whole grain bread, crackers or pretzels for the carb part of the equation.

Avoid or consume in moderation: Caffeine, which can increase nervousness, impairs sleep, and sucks up your reserve of B vitamins. Alcohol: also depletes B vitamins and can be disruptive to sleep, not to mention affecting judgment/thought processes.

Avoid concentrated sugar/sweets, which can cause an immediate surge in blood sugar only to ultimately result in an extended “low”: translation: you may start out with a zing but an hour or two later you may find yourself crashed into your computer keyboard. Not a good thing!

Think fresh and “whole” rather than processed. Whole grain products and fresh fruits and vegetables will supply adequate amounts of magnesium and Vitamins B and C, all of which are needed even more in times of stress. Don’t rely on a multivitamin to take the place of good nutrition; they can be helpful but can’t replace the health benefit of whole fresh foods.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to get enough sleep, take time to exercise, play, read, socialize; in short, take good care of yourself.

Reference: uhs.uga.edu/stress/nutrition; holistic-online.com/stress/stress_nutrition

Remembrance Ceremony

Commemorating infant and pregnancy loss

In honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Sentara Potomac Hospital is holding a Remembrance Ceremony on Sunday, October 17, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Worship Room.

Please join us for speakers, poetry read by parents, music, commemoration and refreshments. Everyone who has experienced an infant and pregnancy loss, regardless of when or how the loss occurred, is invited to attend. It is our hope that the Remembrance Ceremony brings comfort to grieving parents, family members and others in our community.

For more information, please call Chaplain Carol Wille at (703) 583-3003.