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Written by White Plains Hospital

Category: Health

Published: 16 February 2021

The start of a new year symbolizes a fresh start, a chance to reassess our lives and set new goals. Two of the most common pledges we make every year are to lose weight and get in shape. To help achieve your aspiration of realizing a healthier you can follow the three M’s – Mediterranean diet, mindfulness and movement.

Take a Trip to the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seafood, with liberal use of olive oil and a limited intake of red meat. It’s not without its rewards – the diet plan also allows for a few glasses of red wine per week.

With easy to follow guidelines the diet has proven to be so successful that U.S. News & World Report recently ranked it No. 1 on its 39 Best Diets Overall list, labeling it as a Best-Heart Healthy Diet.  “Because it’s plant-based and it removes packaged foods, sugar, and saturated fats from your diet, it creates a core deficit that can help you lose weight,” says Diane May, MPH, MS, RD, CDN, CSOWM, a registered dietician with Scarsdale Medical Group. “Studies have shown the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as the incidence of cognitive impairment associated with dementia. It’s not a fad diet. It’s been used in research and is evidence-based.”

Put Your Mind at Ease

Mindfulness, the practice of focusing on the moment at hand, has been found to be a key element in stress reduction and overall happiness. People who practice mindfulness have seen an improvement in mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and experienced relief from physical ailments such as chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome and high blood pressure.

“Deep breathing is an easy method that can help ease stress,” says Mary Beth Schmidt, Senior Staff Chaplain at White Plains Hospital. “If you’re in a tense situation, take a deep breath, hold it for five seconds, and then let it go for ten seconds. It will lower your blood pressure and change how your body reacts to stress.”

Chaplain Schmidt also suggests mindful eating. Most of the time we don’t pay attention to what we’re eating because we’re preoccupied or eating at our desk while we work. When we eat with more mindfulness, paying attention to the texture and taste of the food, we slow down and digest our food better which helps get more vitamins and minerals and aids in overall digestive health.

Move it! The Advantages of Movement and Exercise

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, only 23% of Americans 18 and older meet the federal standards for aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise.
Movement affects many aspects of our health including circulation, digestion and immunity. It also helps our bodies regulate hormone activity and detoxify.

“It sounds obvious, but the little things like enjoying the outdoors, walking, or playing with your pets are great for your overall health and also allow you to be alone with your thoughts and center yourself for whatever you’re going to face next,” says Dr. Christopher Robles, Family Medicine and Primary Care physician at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates.

Small changes, every day …. by following the three M’s you may soon look in the mirror and see the promise of a healthier you fulfilled.

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Category: Health

Published: 23 February 2021

Mark and Anne Ellman, ready to help at the Westchester County CenterWhile some of us have been focused on how and where we’ll get a vaccine, some of our neighbors have been working to administer thousands of vaccines at the Westchester County Center. Anne and Mark Ellman saw the call for volunteers to man the effort in January and quickly stepped up, though they were not immune to the mighty virus. This week, Scarsdale resident, Dara Gruenberg joined the effort as well.

Here is what they shared:

Anne and Mark Ellman

(Q) How did you get involved?

(A) In the January 7, 2021 edition of Scarsdale10583 we saw an article that said that Westchester Medical Center (WMC) was looking for volunteers for the County Center location. We provided information on-line that allowed WMC to do a background check. Several days later we were accepted into the program. Due to the substantial need for volunteers, they have asked volunteers to make a long-term commitment. There is no guarantee that volunteers will get vaccinated.

The announcement said, “Volunteers are needed to assist with operations and activities at vaccination sites, such as registration and check-in, data entry, greeting and routing participants, traffic flow, and other administrative tasks. Volunteers with specific clinical credentials to administer the vaccine are also needed. Volunteers must be 18 years of age in good health and proficient in English, with bi-lingual skills also being important. Those working at the vaccination site will be provided with training, PPE and will be able to receive the vaccine, if they wish.

Site locations will be announced in the coming days and will operate 7 days a week. Multiple shifts are available. Volunteers are asked to commit to three shifts a week during a 30-day commitment.
To register to be a part of this historic vaccine program, please click here.

(Q) Did you already have immunity? Were you concerned about exposure?

(A) Neither of us have had Covid and as far as we know, we did not have immunity.
Yes, We were very concerned about exposure and continue to be, but feel we are minimizing that risk.

(Q) What training did you have - what did you learn?

(A) The training is on the job. It is not complicated and is handled on the day of your first volunteer session. We have learned many things. Clearly, many of the people, particularly the elderly, have not been in a public space for many, many months. There is a lot of anxiety. They need to have warm eyes peering above the mask and a smile behind the mask to make them feel comfortable in such a large space with so many people. And yes, they can tell we are smiling behind the masks!

The whole experience can be overwhelming for them. That said, the County Center operation is so well run, with many, many dedicated people. Almost without exception, people leave marveling at the massive, well run operation. Yes, there have been a few days that had long waits. But considering that they are asked to handle as much as an extra 1,000 plus people in a day due to weather related cancellations, many of whom come well before their assigned time in order to beat the snow predicted later that day, the performance has been amazingly efficient. I know one of the last days I worked they said they averaged 299 people an hour for the day.

(Q) What precautions do you take when you go to the center?

(A) We double mask with one being an N95 and we wear clear goggles. We try to be very conscience of our distance to people.

(Q) What is your role?

(A) Every day is different. Welcoming and reassuring guests once they check in and enter the queue, Keeping the queue moving forward, Answering basic questions about the process, Directing newly vaccinated guests to the observation room, data entry, and other general tasks, as needed such as pushing wheel chairs or cleaning pens!

(Q) What has surprised you about the experience?

(A) It is a team effort to make the County Center vaccination program run. Of course you need the medical staff to give the actual vaccine but the National Guard, EMS, Parks Department, Law Enforcement and volunteers are all a part of what makes it work so well. The dedication of all of those involved is truly inspirational.

(Q) Have any of the people who were vaccinated had bad reactions immediately after receiving their shot?

(A) The County Center only gives the Pfizer vaccine. We have seen very few reactions to the vaccine. Generally it has been mostly anxiety and the EMS staff is always available and very present for anyone in need.

(Q) Why have you found it fulfilling?From Left to Right, Scarsdale residents Dara Gruenberg, Benazir Kannan and Marcy Krevitt.

(A) We have the time to give to the program and they need us and appreciate all that we do. The volunteers are a big part of the whole operation. It would be hard to do it without us. Most people leave and compliment us on what an amazing experience they had. The scope and scale of the national vaccination effort is historic and it is really fulfilling to help play a little part in it. Seeing so many elderly so relieved to be finally receiving their vaccines and anticipating getting their normal lives back is the best part of it.Dara Gruenberg

Dara Gruenberg, who just began this week gave her initial impressions of the operation. She said, “The County Center Vaccine Facility is a well oiled machine. The Westchester Medical Center Staff, site administrators, the National Guard, members of Westchester County Parks, EMTs and local law enforcement and volunteers all work together seamlessly to help people feel comfortable and move them through to get their vaccinations in an efficient and safe manner. Everyone is so cheerful, and people are constantly thanking one another. It is such an uplifting environment to be in especially after being so isolated this last year. It is invigorating and inspiring to be able to help in this way. I feel honored to be a part of this historic moment and full of hope that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The best part of the job is interacting with people arriving to get their vaccines and chatting with them to put them at ease.”

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Written by White Plains Hospital

Category: Health

Published: 08 February 2021

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States. “We tend to think of heart disease as a mostly male problem,” explains Dr. Smriti Deshmukh, a cardiologist at White Plains Hospital. “As a result, women who might be experiencing signs of a heart attack often don’t seek immediate care.”

In fact, it is common for women to wait more than six hours after that first symptom before going to the emergency department, according to the AHA.

What are the signs of a heart attack in women?

Women are tough! Between family and career obligations, they are used to pushing through random discomfort and seemingly common ailments like acid reflux or the flu to get the job done. This is perhaps one reason why many women delay getting to the emergency department in time to prevent damage to their hearts. While chest pain is still the primary symptom of heart attack in women, the sensation will often feel more like tightness or weakness compared to the sudden onset of crushing pain often dramatized in movies. Surprisingly, chest pain is absent in 43% of women having heart attack.

Other symptoms include:

• Discomfort in neck, jaw or shoulder
• Stomach issues
• Back discomfort or pain
• Pain in one or both arms
• Nausea, vomiting
• Feeling tired, light-headed or dizzy

Get Screened

Women are generally much better about taking care of their health needs and getting proper screenings then men, which is why it’s ironic that they fall behind when it comes to heart disease. According to the AHA, almost two-thirds (64%) of women who die suddenly from coronary heart disease had no warning signs. “In past ten years, there has been tremendous advancement in the technology used to diagnose heart issues,” notes Dr. Deshmukh. Echocardiology has become the backbone of cardiovascular workups, using sound waves to create pristine 3D images of your heart muscle and valves, she adds.

Lower Your Risk

Dr. Deshmukh suggests annual checkups with a physician every year staring at age 40 or sooner if you have a family history of heart disease. This includes checking blood pressure and blood work to screen for diabetes and other issues that may be raising a red flag on your cardiovascular health.

Should that happen, take heart: 80% of cardiac events can be prevented through lifestyle changes, say the experts. Having a healthy heart means cutting out some bad habits and adopting a few other good ones.

Dr. Deshmukh says overall weight loss is definitely one of those goals, but not the primary one. “I focus more on physical activity with my patients,” she says. “Once they get that endorphin release of being more active, they automatically adjust their diet to complement increased physical activity. That mood elevation from exercise motivates you to make better choices with food.”

Her advice:

• Keep moving. According to AHA guidelines, we should all be striving for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise every week, she says. That breaks down to about 30 minutes, 5 days a week, but no gym membership is required. Activities like gentle walking and yard work count, too. “It’s important to remember to keep moving throughout the day,” says Dr. Deshmukh. “Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car as far as you can, because that spot will always be open.”

• Quit smoking. Doing so cuts your risk of coronary heart disease in half! (In addition, a recent study showed it’s never too late to quit, since healthy remaining cells in the lungs can help to rebuild some of the damage to the lining and reduce cancer risk.) Speaking of which…

• Sitting is the new smoking! Having a sedentary lifestyle is considered to be extremely dangerous to your overall health. “Set a timer on your phone or watch so every hour you’re up and moving,” says Dr. Deshmukh. “All of it really Dr. Smriti H. Desmukhadds up, and eventually it will become habit.”

• Eat natural, whole foods. The Mediterranean style diet is one of the most highly recommended diets for a strong and vital heart. Known for its healthy fats, this diet includes lots of nuts, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and fish (with high amounts of omega-3s).

While it’s frightening to know that someone dies of a heart attack every 43 seconds, this statistic can be reversed. Know the symptoms of heart disease, get screened, and practice prevention.

Dr. Smriti H. Deshmukh, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist and echocardiologist with White Plains Hospital Physician Associates, seeing patients at 33 Davis Avenue and 2 Longview Avenue, Suite 500, in White Plains. For information or to make an appointment, call (914) 849-7105.