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Heart disease and women PAGE 6

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4STUDIES

SHOW BREAST HEALTH

DOCTOR’S ORDERS

IS IT A COLD OR THE FLU?

GOOD QUESTION

MENOPAUSE MYTHS

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insidehometown health

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Studies Show: Breast health

Hunting safety tips

Doctor’s Orders: Is it a cold or the flu?

Mother-to-be happy to find prenatal care close to home

Good Question: Menopause myths

Fitness & Book Clubs

1412

3things about this issue of Hometown

Health

Heart Health:Men aren’t the only ones with cardiovascular disease — young women have the highest risk these days. Find out why on page 6.

Cold or flu? George

Pujalte, M.D., explains the difference on page 10.

Pregnancy shouldn’t mean an end to your fitness routine. Turn to page 12 to learn how to exercise safely during pregnancy.

2

At Mayo Clinic Health System, we’re in the business of keeping you well.

That may seem obvious. But for many years, health care providers were more focused on taking care of people when they were sick. We’ve begun to realize the real goal of health care should be keeping people healthy — and providing support for their needs both inside and outside the doctor’s office.

That’s why we’re partnering with organizations like our local schools, including Blackshear Elementary School in Blackshear and Memorial Drive Elementary School in Waycross, where we’re working with staff to develop health-related lessons and events. And we provide Sports Medicine support to young athletes at high schools in Ware, Pierce and Brantley counties.

But no matter how focused you are on staying healthy, there will still be times you’ll need to see a health care provider. We want to make sure you have a lot of options when you do. Sometimes, you’ll see your primary provider. Other times, another member of your care team, such as a nurse practitioner or dietitian, will be a better fit. And you don’t always need to come to Waycross or Jacksonville for care. Our clinics in Douglas and Folkston bring our specialists to other communities, making care more convenient. Many minor

illnesses can even be managed through our nurse line or Patient Online Services. Be sure you sign up for

this free service. Visit mayoclinichealthsystem.org for more information.

Why so many options? Because health care is not one size fits all. Your needs are different

from your neighbor’s, and may be different this year from last year’s needs. Our goal is to provide you with exactly the right care, in the right place, at the right time — each time.

R. John Presutti, D.O., CEO Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross

2

Focusing on the ‘health’ in ‘health care’

51

&eventsclasses

For a complete calendar listing or to register, visit mayoclinichealthsystem.org

Blood DriveWednesday, Oct. 7 and Wednesday, Dec. 9 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Annex Cafetorium

Breast-feeding ClassThursday, Nov. 12 5 to 6:30 p.m. $10

Mothers only, please.

Childbirth ClassSaturday, Nov. 14 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $20

Mother and partner.

Losing weight and eating healthy doesn’t mean swearing off fast food. The occasional fast-food stop can fit into a healthy lifestyle if you know what to order.

Opt for grilled itemsFried and breaded

foods, such as crispy chicken sandwiches and breaded fish fillets, are high in fat and calories. Go for grilled or roasted lean meats — turkey, chicken breast, lean ham or lean roast beef are great options.

Keep portion sizes smallPick the smallest

sandwich that the restaurant has to offer. Multiple-patty burgers contain close to 800 calories. Instead, try a 250- to 300-calorie children’s burger. It could cut the calories in half.

Watch what you drinkMany beverages are high in calories. For example, a large

regular soda (32 ounces) has about 300 calories. Instead, order diet soda, water or unsweetened iced tea. Skip ice cream drinks. Large shakes can contain more than 800 calories and all of your saturated fat allotment for the day. 32 oz. Soda

300 Calories

Double Burger 800 Calories

Choose healthier side dishesMost fast-food restaurants

offer healthier sides. Instead of french fries, consider a salad with low-fat dressing or a baked potato. Other healthful options include fruit, yogurt, corn on the cob or baked potato chips.

Go greenEntrée salads are usually offered with grilled chicken,

shrimp or vegetables. Pair that with a fat-free or low-fat dressing, and you can easily enjoy a meal under 500 calories. Avoid high-calorie salads with deep-fried shells, breaded chicken or extras, such as cheese, bacon bits or croutons.

2

3 4

5

TOP 5:Healthy food choices on the go

3mayoclinichealthsystem.org

Sourced from mayoclinic.org

STUDIES SHOW | hometown health | Fall 2015

4

Breast density and its effects on womenEach year, 250,000 women are diagnosed with breast

cancer in the U.S. And that number is on the rise,

according to Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., an internal medicine

physician at the Breast Diagnostic Clinic at Mayo Clinic

in Rochester, Minnesota.

Breast density

One risk factor that’s associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer is dense breast tissue.

“Dense breast tissue is the amount of connective tissue, milk ducts and glands relative to fatty tissue in the breast,” says Dr. Pruthi. Breast density is classified as D1 through D4, with D1 as the fattiest — and least dense — breasts and D4 as a very dense breast where greater than 75 percent of the breast is composed of ducts and glands.

Although many women with dense breast tissue don’t develop cancer, Dr. Pruthi says there is evidence that women with D3 and D4 breast densities have twice as high of a risk of developing breast cancer compared to women at average risk.

“We don’t know what causes dense breasts,” says Dr. Pruthi. “But women who are menstruating and premenopausal produce more estrogen, which increases their

likelihood of having dense breast tissue since the tissue is stimulated by hormones.” Older women produce less estrogen and generally have less ducts and glands, and have more fatty tissue.

Diagnosing and treating dense breast tissue

If a mammogram reveals very dense breast tissue, the next step is to determine if supplemental screening is needed to further assess the breast tissue.

Several imaging methods are used as supplemental screening to improve the detection of tumors. “These imaging methods include whole breast ultrasound, molecular breast imaging, digital mammography, 3D tomosynthesis mammograms or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),” says Dr. Pruthi. “Milk glands and ducts can make breast density difficult to interpret, so we try to decide on the best test, taking into account

the patient’s risk factors, family history and density.”

Dr. Pruthi says the only way for women to be diagnosed with dense breast tissue is through a mammogram. She follows the American Cancer Society’s recommendation that women should get a mammogram at age 40, followed by subsequent yearly mammograms.•

The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book Whether you’re facing a cancer diagnosis or trying to prevent breast cancer, this book brings you the most accurate, reliable and up-to-date information available about prevention, treatment, coping and living with hope. store.mayoclinic.com

Sandhya Pruthi, M.D. Internal Medicine Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn.

5mayoclinichealthsystem.org

© Mayo Clinic Breast Density Images. Sourced from mayoclinic.org

Disclosure Policy: Your right to know

Physicians in some states are required by law to inform women when tests reveal they have dense breasts. What happens from there hinges on conversations between women and their providers.

“Patients with a high risk of breast cancer typically get an MRI, but patients without that risk can decide between the other supplemental imaging tests,” says Dr. Pruthi. “Some tests involve more radiation, and some can result in higher false-positives — so it all depends on what the patient feels most comfortable with, as well as her understanding of the risks and benefits of each test.”

D1 Almost entirely fatty breasts indicate that the breast tissue is almost entirely composed of fat.

Up to30 percent of women have this result.

D2 Scattered areas of fibroglandular (milk ducts and glands) density indicate some scattered areas of density, but the majority of the breast tissue is composed of fatty tissue.

About 30 percent of women have this result.

D3 Heterogeneously dense (almost all tissue composed of milk ducts and glands) indicates some areas of non-dense tissue, but the majority of the breast tissue is dense.

About

30 percent of women have this result.

D4 Extremely dense breasts indicate that nearly all of the breast tissue is dense.

About

10 percent of women have this result.

LESS DENSE MORE DENSE

In-house specialty physicians improving care for hospitalized patients

Hospital medicine physicians now provide care for hospitalized patients at Mayo Clinic Health System. These physicians, called hospitalists, are board certified in internal medicine and specialize in caring for hospitalized patients. They are on the hospital campus at all times and provide 24/7 care to patients and their families.

“Hospitalists offer excellent care to our patients,” says Brent Waters, M.D., a family medicine physician at Georgia Physicians South in Blackshear, Georgia. “They’re available for our patients during emergencies and when questions arise.”

Hospitalists partner with each patient’s primary care physician to ensure the best possible care both in the hospital and afterward. Following discharge, the primary care physicians resume the care and treatment of their patients.

Women with D3 and D4 breast densities have a

of developing breast cancer compared to

women at average risk.

2xhigher risk

Sandhya Pruthi, M.D. Internal Medicine Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn.

“ Cardiovascular

disease is

80 percent

preventable

with an optimal

heart-healthy

lifestyle.” Sharon Mulvagh, M.D.

Cardiology Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn.

6

FEATURE | hometown health | Fall 2015

Double-edged sword

Nearly 1 million men and women die of cardiovascular disease each year in the U.S. Approximately half of those deaths are from heart attacks, while the rest are mostly from strokes and heart failure.

The good news? The number of deaths from cardiovascular disease is decreasing in both groups, according to Sharon Mulvagh, M.D., director of the Women’s Heart Clinic and associate director of Preventive Cardiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The bad news? More women than men are dying of cardiovascular disease and in higher numbers.

But Dr. Mulvagh says the worst news is that just over half of women realize that cardiovascular disease is their No. 1 killer, and even fewer young women know this.

The million-person question

“The death rate from heart attacks in women ages 35–54 has actually been increasing by 1.5 percent per year over the last decade,” says Dr. Mulvagh.

Why are younger women dying from heart attacks more often? Dr. Mulvagh says the reasons can be narrowed down to a few important elements.

“Younger women have more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and the factors seem to be more impactful

for women,” she says. “Women who smoke, have high triglycerides and/or have diabetes are two times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than men. And the biggest thing driving women’s risk is obesity.”

A supersized problem

“Obesity in the United States has increased dramatically over the last few decades — about one-third of the population is normal weight, one-third is overweight and one-third is obese,” says Dr. Mulvagh. “This environment we’ve lived in for 50 years, which influences people to be overweight or obese, is quite striking. We’ve supersized everything — soft drinks, food — and women appear to have been more affected than men.”

Dr. Mulvagh says women, especially those approaching midlife, tend to develop a metabolic syndrome — sometimes called prediabetes — that increases heart disease risk if three of these five characteristics are present:

• High blood pressure

• Glucose intolerance (elevated fasting blood sugar)

• Elevated triglyercides

• Low HDL (high density) and high LDL (low density) cholesterol

• 35” or greater waistline for women (40” or greater for men)

Getting to the heart of the matter: Women and cardiovascular diseaseAre you feeling chest pain? Tingling or numbness in your left

shoulder? Nausea? You might be having a heart attack —

but you might not realize it.

“All of these factors are lifestyle-induced,” says Dr. Mulvagh. “Cardiovascular disease is 80 percent preventable with an optimal heart-healthy lifestyle.”

Family history plays an important role too. Dr. Mulvagh says if you have an immediate family member or relative who has had a heart attack, it’s even more important for you to lower your risk by living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Unique symptoms

Although women share some symptoms of cardiovascular disease with men, they’re often different.

“Nearly 60 percent of women having a heart attack experience classic chest pain symptoms,” says Dr. Mulvagh. “But women tend to have more atyptical symptoms than men.”

For example, women tend to have shortness of breath more often. Some women only get pain in their shoulders and back, or experience profound fatigue. “Symptoms can be hard to figure out, especially if it’s something new. It’s very concerning — listen to your body and get checked out,” says Dr. Mulvagh.

Preventing the percentages

Dr. Mulvagh says you can help prevent cardiovascular disease by maintaining a healthy body weight and eating primarily vegetables, fruit and lean sources of protein while avoiding refined carbohydrates (white sugar and starches). She recommends two brief sessions of strength training per week, at least 30 minutes of regular exercise most days of the week or 60 minutes if you’re overweight or obese.

“I like how the science journalist Michael Pollan put it,” says Dr. Mulvagh. “’Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.’ And get active. For most people, this boils down to eating less and moving more — a simple formula to protect your heart.”•

mayoclinichealthsystem.org 7

How to have a safe huntMost states in the U.S. have a long-standing hunting tradition, and safety is one of the most important parts of hunting, whether you’re a novice or experienced hunter.

Many hunters use a tree stand — an elevated platform secured to a tree — to hunt deer. Although tree stands are effective tools, they can be extremely dangerous.

“We see tree stand-related falls with alarming regularity,” says David Ciresi, M.D., the trauma medical director at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. And the reason is simple: Many hunters don’t use a safety harness.

A typical conversation with a patient who has fallen from a tree stand goes like this:

Tree stands are often sold with a safety harness included, but if not, it’s important to buy one. The most effective harnesses have shoulder and leg straps and include a safety strap to put around the tree to climb the stand. The strap is then secured to the tree while hunting to avoid falls.

Safety starts long before hunting. Tell people where you’re going to hunt and when you will return. Use recommended equipment properly, practice appropriate weapon safety and enjoy your hunt.

Did you have a harness?

Yes.

Did you have it on?

No.

David Ciresi, M.D. Trauma Center Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire, Wisc.

Safety harness

FEATURE | hometown health | Fall 2015

8

Express Care hours:Monday through Friday

9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Express Care’s new office:

1921 Alice St., Suite A4 Waycross

Express Care now open for life’s little emergencies

There’s a new option in

Waycross for diagnosing and

treating life’s little emergencies:

Express Care at Mayo Clinic

Health System. Formerly called

Convenient Care, Express

Care offers expanded hours,

a renovated office, and new

providers to meet your needs.

No appointment is necessary.

Most types of insurance are

accepted.

“This is a great option for many

minor care concerns,” says

Muhammad Akram, M.D.

“We focus on treating minor

illnesses and injuries

as quickly as

possible. Patients

are seen on a

first-come, first-

served basis.”Muhammad Akram, M.D. Express Care & Family Medicine Waycross

mayoclinichealthsystem.org 9

Express Care’s new office:

1921 Alice St., Suite A4 Waycross

Now showing: Meet our providers Want to learn more about a provider you’re scheduled to see? You can get a sneak peek by visiting our website, where we’re posting short videos of many of our providers. You can learn things ranging from what drew them to medicine to what you can do to get the most out of your health care. To view the videos, visit mayoclinichealthsystem.org.

• Allergies

• Athlete’s foot

• Bladder infections

• Bronchitis

• Chlamydia testing

• Cold sores

• Diabetes testing

• Ear infections

• Fever

• Flu

• Itchy skin

• Laryngitis

• Minor cuts

• Minor rashes

• Minor sunburn

• Mononucleosis testing

• Pink eye

• Poison ivy and poison oak

• Pregnancy testing

• Respiratory infections

• Ringworm

• Scalp rash

• Shingles

• Shots: flu, tetanus, adult hepatitis B, tuberculosis, and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

• Sinus infections

• Skin infections

• Sports physicals

• Strep throat

• Sties

• Swimmer’s ear

• Swimmer’s itch

• Throat cultures

• Tick and insect bites

Express Care offers evaluation and treatment of a number of conditions, including but not limited to:

Stephanie Reese, D.O.

10

DOCTOR’S ORDERS | hometown health | Fall 2015

Cold or flu?Many cold and flu symptoms are the same, including stuffy nose, sore throat, cough and headache. One difference? Flu symptoms tend to be more severe.

But there are other differences as well.

“The flu often comes with a sudden fever, whereas colds do not,” says Dr. Pujalte. “And patients with the flu often also experience chills, fatigue and body or muscle aches.”

Another way to tell the difference: Cold symptoms tend to be primarily above the neck, while flu symptoms are more likely to be felt all over the body.

When to see your providerDr. Pujalte says that in most cases, both colds and the flu can be treated at home with rest, fluids and over-the-counter medications. But if you or a loved one are at high risk for complications due to an underlying condition such as diabetes or asthma, see your provider. Infants who show signs of dehydration,

such as crying with no tears or having significantly

fewer wet diapers than normal, should also be evaluated. And severe or unusual symptoms, such as

vomiting, confusion, chest pain, stiff neck or

difficulty breathing,

warrant a trip to the emergency department.

Back to fitnessIf you were sick for more than three days, you may need to wait until a day or two after you feel better to return to your regular exercise routine. Dr. Pujalte suggests easing back into activity, increasing your duration of exercise first, then your intensity.

An ounce of preventionThe best way to avoid developing a cold or the flu is still the easiest: Washing your hands. Dr. Pujalte says getting a flu vaccine is important, too.

Cold vs. Flu‘Tis the season. Cold and flu season, that is.

Below, George Pujalte, M.D., a family medicine and

sports medicine provider, outlines the difference

between the two, and shares how to keep yourself

— and those around you — healthy this year.

Cold symptoms tend to be primarily

above the neck, while flu symptoms are

more likely to be felt all over the body.

George Pujalte, M.D. Family Medicine Waycross

The best way to avoid developing a

cold or the flu is still the easiest —

washing your hands.

Rub your hands vigorously

for at least

20 seconds.

Cover your sneeze

or cough.

Your best shot at protection What’s the best way to protect yourself against the flu? Getting vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a yearly influenza vaccination for everyone age 6 months or older.

The flu vaccine comes in two forms:

A shot. Available to everyone 6 months and older.

Nasal spray. Approved for healthy people ages 2 to 49 who aren’t pregnant.

Contact your provider to schedule an appointment for a flu vaccination.

12

True or false: The flu vaccine can give you the fluFalse: The vaccine can’t give you the flu.

You might develop the flu or flu-like symptoms after getting the vaccine for other reasons, such as:

• Reaction to the vaccine. Muscle aches and a fever may occur after a flu shot. The nasal vaccine can cause runny nose, headache and sore throat.

• The two-week window. It takes up to two weeks for the vaccine to become effective, so you could develop the flu during this time if exposed.

• Mismatched flu viruses. In some years, the vaccine doesn’t match the viruses circulating during the flu season. If you are exposed to a strain of the flu that is not contained in the vaccine, you could develop the flu.

• Other illnesses. Other illnesses, including the common cold, produce flu-like symptoms.

Adapted from mayoclinic.org.

11mayoclinichealthsystem.org

PATIENT FEATURE | hometown health | Fall 2015

Mother-to-be happy to find prenatal care close to home

Tiffany Warren loved

being pregnant with her

daughter, Sadie, now

2½. But she didn’t love

the 45-minute trips to

Jesup for her prenatal

doctor appointments.

“I delivered Sadie in Jesup out of sheer necessity,” says Warren, a counselor at Memorial Drive

Elementary School in Waycross. “At the time,

we didn’t have any female OB-GYNs here in town.”

By the time Warren became pregnant with her second child, things had changed. Three obstetrician-gynecologists

now provide care at Mayo Clinic Health System. Warren chose to receive care

12

Tiffany and Daniel Warren enjoy exercising with their little ones, Sadie and Max.

“ There were definitely mornings I didn’t want to get out of bed and

run, but I did it and was always happier afterward.” Tiffany Warren

from one of them, Machelle Borders, M.D.

“I’d heard nothing but good things about Dr. Borders,” says Warren, who says the doctor’s reputation is well-deserved. “I loved her right away. She’s very down to earth. She’s laid back, yet professional. I felt like I could ask her anything.”

One of the first questions she asked: What were Dr. Border’s thoughts on exercise during pregnancy?

“I’m an avid runner, and I wanted to know her opinion on exercising while pregnant because there are many different opinions out there,” says Warren.

Dr. Border’s advice to Warren was simple: Listen to your body, and slow down or stop when your body tells you to.

“She told me that no one knows my body better than I

do, and I should trust it,” she says. “It was so refreshing to hear a doctor say that.”

With her doctor’s encouragement, Warren kept up her running habit throughout her pregnancy.

“I ran three half marathons and then a 12K at 30 weeks,” she says. “After that I started scaling back the distance. The last race I ran was a 5K at 37 weeks. Then I stuck to shorter distances on the treadmill or elliptical.”

Though it wasn’t always easy, Warren exercised until the morning she delivered.

“There were definitely mornings I didn’t want to get out of bed and run, but I did it and was always happier afterward,” she says.

Max Thomas Warren arrived on Friday, March 27, a healthy 7 pounds, 10.8 ounces. Warren has nothing but praise for the team that

delivered her “sweet baby boy.”

“Dr. Borders and the team of nurses were wonderful,” she says. “I absolutely loved all of my care.”

Just two weeks after Max arrived, Warren was once again off and running. Her motivation?

“Exercise balances everything out for me, psychologically as well as physically,” she says. “I eat healthier when I’ve exercised, and I feel better when I exercise.”

She’s passing on that knowledge — and her love of running — to her daughter.

“Sadie likes to run with Mommy, so we run together on weekends,” says Warren. “She ran her first 5K with me at Mexico Beach over the 4th of July.”•

Machelle Borders, M.D. OB-GYN Waycross

Exercise during pregnancy? Yeah, baby!Ah, pregnancy.

Time to sit back,

put up your feet and

relax, right? Wrong.

Most women should try to exercise at least 30 minutes most days throughout pregnancy. Exercise can help reduce discomfort during pregnancy, boost mood and prevent weight gain. Other potential benefits include reducing the risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy-related high blood pressure.

In general, it’s safe to continue to exercise at your pre-pregnancy level. If it’s been a while since you exercised, talk with your provider before starting a new routine.

13

Adapted from mayoclinic.org.

mayoclinichealthsystem.org

Q&A | hometown health | Fall 2015

14

goodquestion

A: There is a myth that the treatment of other medical or surgical problems is always the same in all women regardless of menopause. But the truth is that there are specific diseases that require evaluation and processing of a panel of information, such as a woman’s menopausal status. For example, treating breast cancer in women who are postmenopausal requires a different class of medications, called aromatase-inhibitors, rather than the hormone receptor antagonists. This is just one of many considerations when your team is tailoring your care plan.

John Pennington, M.D. Hospital Medicine

Waycross

Sigismund Lee, M.D. Surgery

Waycross

A: A common misconception is that symptoms of perimenopause are caused by an absence of estrogen. Many patients find this confusing because symptoms may sometimes persist for years. In truth, perimenopausal symptoms are due to falling levels of estrogen, not a complete absence of estrogen. This problem becomes easier to understand and address when we keep in mind that it’s the change in estrogen levels and not the absence of estrogen levels that leads to the symptoms of perimenopause. Otherwise, we would expect the symptoms to continue throughout a woman’s lifetime. While falling levels may indeed occur over the course of several years, they will eventually stabilize.

A: Sometimes women think that hormone therapy is the only treatment for menopausal symptoms. But there are several holistic therapies that also help, such as massage, Reiki, reflexology, essential oils and acupuncture. Short-term hormonal therapies, exercise/dietary changes, stress reduction (including optimal sleep hygiene) and natural/herbal supplements may also help. I encourage women to be open minded and patient when trying different kinds of treatments. Menopausal symptoms can begin as early as the 30s and may last ten years or more, so it’s important for women to remember that there are many treatment options for bothersome symptoms. If one treatment isn’t working, a different one might.

Jennifer Rafus Certified family nurse practitioner

Primary Care Waycross

Q: What’s one myth you hear about menopause?

mayoclinichealthsystem.org 15

CLUBS | hometown health | Fall 2015

How much physical activity should the average adult get? The Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:

Find these and other Mayo Clinic titles at your local Mayo Clinic Store or visit store.mayoclinic.com.

Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!This book offers help for improving your heart health and reducing your risk of heart disease in 10 easy-to-follow steps.

Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure, 2nd EditionThis guide explains issues related to blood pressure while covering risk factors, healthy weight, medication alternatives and other elements to help you make essential treatment decisions.

Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Heart Health DVD

Mayo Clinic partnered with alternative health and wellness experts at Gaiam, a leading lifestyle company for yoga, fitness and wellness products and content, to bring you this integrated health action plan designed to help you maintain a healthy heart. The DVD presents a three-step plan that covers: understanding your condition, eating well, and exercise and stress-relief techniques.

book club

DVD

VIG

OR

OU

S

MO

DE

RAT

E

STR

EN

GTH

75 MINUTES A WEEK —OR—150 MINUTES A WEEK 2 TIMES A WEEK

WEIGHT LOSS:

WORK UP TO 45 MINUTES

OF PHYSICAL

ACTIVITY A DAY

AEROBIC ACTIVITYGet at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. You also can do a combination of the two.

STRENGTH TRAININGTry to do strength training exercises at least twice a week.

Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running or aerobic dancing.

Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, swimming or mowing the lawn.

Strength training can include use of weight machines, push-ups, pull-ups or activities such as rock climbing and even gardening.

If you want to aim even higher, you can achieve more health benefits, including increased weight loss, by upping your exercise to 300 minutes per week.

Even brief bouts of activity offer benefits.

SET GOALSAim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you might need to exercise more.

hometown healthFor more information, visit our website, mayoclinichealthsystem.org

Hometown Health™ is published as a community service for the friends and patients of Mayo Clinic Health System. If you have comments or suggestions for Hometown Health, contact Audrey Laine Jeffords, Public Affairs, 912-287-2572.Information for Hometown Health stories is provided by Mayo Clinic Health System professionals. If you have medical questions about these stories and how they affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Mayo Clinic Health System consists of Mayo-owned clinics, hospitals and other health care facilities that serve the health care needs of people in more than 70 communities in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The community-based providers, paired with the resources and expertise of Mayo Clinic, enable patients in the region to receive the highest-quality health care close to home. Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross is a non-profit, mission driven, acute-care community hospital licensed for 231 beds. The tradition of care began over fifty years ago and continues today with more than 1,700 employees, physicians, and volunteers. ©2015 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. MAYO, MAYO CLINIC, Mayo Clinic Health System and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks and service marks of MFMER.

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Register for Patient Online ServicesCreate an account to access your lab results, clinical notes, medication lists and other portions of your health record 24/7, communicate with your provider and more. Go to mayoclinichealthsystem.org and click Patient Online Services in the top banner.

For more Hometown Health, visit our blogRead patient stories, get guidance and advice from health experts and explore health topics. You can share your story there too. To visit the blog, go to mayoclinichealthsystem.org and scroll down to the Hometown Health blog.

Use Express Care for life’s little emergenciesGet quick, convenient care at our new Express Care clinic located at 1921 Alice St., Suite A4 in Waycross. For a list of services, turn to page 9.

Schedule your mammogramMayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society and other organizations recommend women begin yearly screening at age 40.

Mammograms are available Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call 912-287-4180 to schedule your appointment.

checkupsFall

1900 Tebeau St.Waycross, GA 31501

Express Care hours:

Monday through Friday

9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.