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WMCHealth

WMCHealth Explains What You Need To Know About Living With Alzheimer's WMCHealth Explains What You Need To Know About Living With Alzheimer's
Wmchealth Explains What You Need To Know About Living With Alzheimer's Watching a loved one go through the slow, difficult process of losing their memory due to Alzheimer's is often incredibly difficult for friends and family of those affected by the disease. Westchester Medical Center explains what causes the disease, how it is identified, and explores potential treatment options available in the near future. Complex Causes Contrary to what you may have heard, dementia (loss of intelligence due to a pathological cause) and Alzheimer’s are not the same. “There are 81 causes of dementia, and Alzheimer’s is just one of them,” said Dr. Stephen Marks a neurologist…
Heart Transplant Gives Triathlete The Gift of Life Heart Transplant Gives Triathlete The Gift of Life
Heart Transplant Gives Triathlete The Gift of Life Battling a life-threatening illness is challenging enough, but when confronted with a second debilitating health condition, Elisabeth Kepley knew she was in for a different kind of fight.  “It almost took me out,” said Kepley of her Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis in 2006. “My organs were shutting down, and I was very sick,” recalled the single mother of three. “Ten years later, though in remission, I learned that the chemotherapy used to treat my cancer had nearly destroyed my heart.” In fall 2016, Kepley was visiting her son in Colorado when her heart began to fail…
When Do We Peak? WMC Explores When We're At Top Physical Fitness When Do We Peak? WMC Explores When We're At Top Physical Fitness
When Do We Peak? WMC Explores When We're At Top Physical Fitness There's no denying we all age, but exactly when are we in peak physical fitness? According to Dr. William Frishman, director of Medicine at Westchester Medical Center, flagship of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), being young has a host of benefits. The simple answer, said Dr. Frishman, is that our bodies peak in our 20s and 30s. The more nuanced response, however, is shaped by how we deal with reduced vigor and energy as we age, as well as the depression that can set in as we realize we’re not as invincible as we once were. “Yes, the body ages and slows down. And t…
Beat The Back To School Blues With These Summer-Long Prep Tips Beat The Back To School Blues With These Summer-Long Prep Tips
Beat The Back To School Blues With These Summer-Long Prep Tips Summer means a break from everything school-related — from bedtimes to bullies. But all things school should be addressed well before Labor Day to smooth the transition for children, said Abraham Bartell, MD, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). “Children need a week or two to retrain their brains and bodies to return to a full day of school,” he said. Consider taking a staycation for the last week or two before school and moving bedtime 15 to 30 minutes earlier each night. “All sc…
Spray Or Lotion: Which Sunscreen Works Best? Spray Or Lotion: Which Sunscreen Works Best?
Spray Or Lotion: Which Sunscreen Works Best? The short answer is: it doesn’t matter -- as long as you wear sunscreen in some form, said Arlene Cohen, oncology nurse at HealthAlliance Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). Cohen recommends creams for drier skin and the face, gels for hairy areas like the scalp or male chest and sticks for the sensitive area around the eyes. Overall, she favors a visible form of sunscreen over the sprays. “With creams and lotions, you know there’s adequate coverage because you can see it,” Cohen said. “Plus, research is still underway about whether inhalation of …
Care At Every Age: WMC Explains Preventative Screenings For Women Care At Every Age: WMC Explains Preventative Screenings For Women
Care At Every Age: WMC Explains Preventative Screenings For Women Regardless of a woman's age, being proactive and having routine preventative check-ups is key in discovering potentially dangerous illnesses before they result in larger issues. Below, the women's health experts at Westchester Medical Center explain the important procedures for women of every age. Age 21: Pap test for cervical cancer. Doctors recommend this screening every three years until age 30 and then every five years, along with Human papillomavirus (HPV) co-testing, ending at age 65 if you’re not at high risk for cervical cancer. Discuss concerns with your OB-GYN at your annual exam. …
With Temperatures Rising, Here's How To Beat Heat Stroke With Temperatures Rising, Here's How To Beat Heat Stroke
With Temperatures Rising, Here's How To Beat Heat Stroke According to Dr. Steven Beenstock, family medicine physician at Bon Secours Medical Group, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), when the heat index rises above 90°F, so does the risk for heatstroke. Heatstroke is the medical emergency that occurs when your core temperature rises above 104°F due to exposure to elevated temperatures. “Someone suffering from heatstroke will feel hot, with red, dry skin and shallow breathing," said Beenstock. "There will be neurologic symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, muscle weakness and nausea.”  If you suspect …
Going For A Ride This Spring? Here's Why You Need To Wear A Helmet Going For A Ride This Spring? Here's Why You Need To Wear A Helmet
Going For A Ride This Spring? Here's Why You Need To Wear A Helmet As the weather warms and roads are cleared of sand and salt, biking offers a healthy and fun way to take in the spring season. However, before riding down the block or around town, it's important to always put on a helmet. “Bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head and brain injuries in the event of a crash, but only 18 percent of bicyclists wear them,” said Angela Katz, trauma injury prevention and outreach coordinator at WMCHealth. Ensuring that children wear helmets correctly and consistently starts with parents wearing them, said Katz. “Be a role model for your children.” Look for helmets…
WMC Explains How To Keep Hearts Healthy After Failure WMC Explains How To Keep Hearts Healthy After Failure
WMC Explains How To Keep Hearts Healthy After Failure According to cardiac specialist Dr. Alan Gass, the advice he gives to patients with heart failure is designed to be simple yet effective: stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, lose weight and start exercising.  “If you have heart failure, do all of that, plus watch your salt and water intake, and be active,” said Gass, medical director of Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Westchester Medical Center, the flagship of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), who also sees patients at Good Samaritan Hospital, in Suffern. “People think that exercise an…
'Oh No, What Do I Do?' WMC Answers Everyday Medical Questions 'Oh No, What Do I Do?' WMC Answers Everyday Medical Questions
'Oh No, What Do I Do?' WMC Answers Everyday Medical Questions From bumps and scrapes to accidents in the kitchen, many everyday injuries are unavoidable. To help area residents better understand the severity of common injuries -- and what to do about them -- Westchester Medical Center doctors share their advice and tips: You’re renovating your home and step on a nail. Should you remove it yourself? According to Dr. Ivan Miller, Director of Emergency Medicine at Westchester Medical Center, the flagship of WMCHealth, “Puncture wounds are high risk for infection because they tend to seal in whatever contamination occurred with the puncture. In all cases,…
WMC Helps Jazz Librarian Stay Pitch Perfect WMC Helps Jazz Librarian Stay Pitch Perfect
WMC Helps Jazz Librarian Stay Pitch Perfect POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- A library clerk by day and a jazz-and-blues crooner by night, Audrey Willis of Poughkeepsie makes a living with her eyes. That's why when a slow-growing tumor was discovered near her optic nerves in 1995, she knew trouble was lurking. However, it took nearly 22 years before she opted for surgery, only doing so at the recommendation of doctors at Westchester Medical Center. If not for the intervention of one incredibly committed doctor, Mark Watts, MD, a neurosurgeon at MidHudson Regional Hospital, a member of WMCHealth, the surgery would not have occurred when it did. …
Feeling The Winter Blues? Here's How To Get Your Diet Ready For Spring Feeling The Winter Blues? Here's How To Get Your Diet Ready For Spring
Feeling The Winter Blues? Here's How To Get Your Diet Ready For Spring WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Winter's cold days and long nights can wreak havoc on even the most disciplined dieter. As the snow begins to melt and the promise of outdoor activities returns, here's how to make sure your body is ready to "spring ahead." “Over the cold months, most of us tend to hibernate," said Susan Epstein, MS, RD, CDN, registered dietitian at The Surgical Weight Loss Institute at Good Samaritan Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). To shed those extra pounds and reclaim warm-weather figures, she encourages people to …