February is a busy month when it comes to keeping yourself healthy. The first hurdle is to dodge the many illnesses that are racing through our community. The best defense is being proactive with hand hygiene, overall hygiene, avoiding large crowds, wearing masks (as we did during the pandemic), and making sure we get our vaccines.
We are seeing the good vaccines have in our lives in vivid color over the last month or so because the measles, chicken pox, and flu are with us. Unfortunately, the numbers of measles, chicken pox, and flu cases being diagnosed are reflecting how many opted out of being vaccinated, as seen in doctor offices, Emergency Department, and across hospital. If you were vaccinated, it’s still possible to contract the flu, but the severity of it will be greatly reduced.
Like acute illness, chronic illness requires us to take proactive measures to lessen its impact on our future health. February has always been American Heart Month, and it’s an especially appropriate time to focus on heart health in women, whose heart attack symptoms can differ from men’s. The heart is the organ that keeps our body going our whole lives, so we need to treat it well. Being heart-healthy also does much to ensure the health of the rest of your body.
You can support your heart health by:
- Eating well: Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil and avocados. Avoid ultra-processed foods (UPFs), fast food, processed meats like bacon and hot dogs, and foods high in sugar and fat.
- Making physical activity part of your day: Get at least 150 minutes of exercise weekly (or a safe level of exercise for you, as determined by your stress test and provider).
- Getting sufficient rest: Develop good sleep habits, like keeping screens out of the bedroom and logging off social media for several hours before bed and creating a soothing nighttime routine that includes listening to music or enjoying a cup of tea.
- Effectively taming stress: Strive for work/life balance, engage in activities you enjoy, get outside every day, and adopt a mindfulness technique, like prayer or meditation.
Today’s advances in medicine and technology have created ways to buy more time, such as transplants and ventricular assist devices — but a willing donor of this precious gift must be available. February also raises awareness about the need for organ donations. Many say their body parts are likely too worn out as a reason not to donate. That’s not true. As long as you are healthy enough to donate, age is not a restriction. And even if you do have a condition that prevents you from donating, it can still be possible to pass on the gift of life through tissue, bone or cornea donation.
Angel Medical Center is a proud partner of Life Share of the Carolinas and honors the wishes of our community members who already have made the choice to donate so others can live. Deciding to be a donor is easy. First, inform your loved ones and state your wish on your health care power of attorney document. Second, make the decision part of all your written healthcare choices. Third, simply check the box on your driver’s license to be a donor, but please let your loved ones know. It’s best to take care of all three tasks. If you have questions or need more information, visit the Life Share of the Carolinas website.
In closing, I’d like to take the opportunity to recognize a leader at Angel who retired in January, Lisa Blankenship. She was our Director of Quality and Risk and served the community for 10 years and worked in healthcare for 45 years. She led the way in improving the quality of care that Angel proudly provides. Her passion, dedication, and patient advocacy will be missed. Thank you for your years of service, Lisa, and all you did to help grow a culture of caring and quality care for our community.
Clint Kendall, FACHE, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, is Chief Executive Officer/Chief Nursing Officer of Angel Medical Center. He started his career as a nurse, and that perspective still informs his work and passion for the patient experience. Clint holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Nursing, and Health Care Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University. Clint has also earned the Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) certification, and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and the American Nurses Association (ANA).