Good Health & Healthy Aging
by Karen Kansler, RN
Did you know that strokes are the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States? Even though this news is alarming, the good news is that there are more than 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.
Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted and cells begin to die, because they stop getting the oxygen and nutrients necessary to function.
Ways to Avoid a Stroke
Experts agree that education is the key to decreasing your odds of having a stroke. Here are some alarming facts:
•If you smoke, your risk of stroke is nearly 50% higher than a non-smoker’s.
•Risk factors for stroke include high cholesterol, depression, and heavy drinking.
•Chronic conditions that can increase the risk of stroke include gum disease, heart disease, and diabetes.
So, how can you reduce your risk? Quit smoking, lower your blood pressure, and make dietary changes, such as eating lots of fruit and veggies, less salty foods, and whole-grain cereals and breads. At Good Samaritan Hospital, our Good Health Center can help with a free smoking cessation program, free blood pressure screenings, and nutritional counseling. Plus, we have experts who can teach you how to exercise properly at the FIRM (Fitness is Real Medicine), as well as help you relax with yoga or massage. Being involved in a regular exercise program can help reduce your stroke risk, and improve your overall health.
Peace of Mind for Stroke Care
Good Samaritan Hospital has been named a Primary Stroke Center, which means we have the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission (the national organization that sets the standards by which health care quality is measured throughout the world) to provide the best care. We’re fully equipped and trained from the time a stroke strikes, through rehabilitation. Good Samaritan’s emergency department, rated tops in the nation for patient satisfaction, can provide a quick response through its Brain Attack Team (BAT) and provide care to stroke patients, including use of the clot-busting drug tPA. If you have a stroke, getting the fastest treatment possible is essential. Good Samaritan also has a dedicated stroke unit as well as a rehabilitation unit that has been certified in stroke care.
Want to Learn More?
For more information about stroke and how to reduce your risk, call Good Samaritan Hospital at 443-444-4100 for a free stroke kit that contains a refrigerator magnet. Taking time to learn about stroke and its symptoms just may one day help save your life.
Have a health topic or question? Send them to: Karen Kansler, RN, Times Herald Health Questions, Good Samaritan Hospital, 5601 Loch Raven Blvd., Morgan 210, Baltimore, MD 21239 or fax to 443-444-5929. The information provided is intended to educate readers and is not a substitute for consultation with your personal health care provider.
Stroke symptoms can include:
•numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg;
•confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech;
•problems seeing in one or both eyes;
•difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance; and,
•severe headache with no known cause.
It’s important to know stroke symptoms – which come on suddenly – and call 9-1-1 immediately. If you cannot call yourself, get someone living in your house or a neighbor to help you.
‘Think pink’ offers hearing for a cause
The pink ribbons supporting breast cancer research are visible around the world on clothing, jewelry, cosmetics and beauty products. Now Karen Shaffer, BC/HIS of Clarity & Comfort Hearing Center in Perry Hall is offering a unique way for people with hearing loss to show their support for this worthwhile cause.
Oticon Delta “Think Pink” is a sleek, trendy and distinctively pink hearing device that allows wearers to promote breast cancer awareness and help raise funds for breast cancer research.
During October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Oticon Inc. will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of each Delta “Think Pink” and all other Delta hearing devices to the American Cancer Society to support breast cancer research.
For more information about hearing loss, the new Delta “Think Pink,” or to participate in a Delta Lunch & Learn Seminar, sponsored by Clarity & Comfort Hearing Center, to be held at Raffy’s restaurant on Tuesday, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Oct. 4, call 410 256-1006. Seminar reservations are limited.