How Stress Can Affect Your Heart
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: Health
The following was submitted by Dr. Jeannette L. Yuen, Cardiologist at White Plains Hospital
Current events, job stress, daily obligations, and relationship tensions can all severely and negatively impact good cardiac health.
“Studies have linked events such as bereavement, loss of a job, and depression with major, life-threatening events such as a heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest,” notes Dr. Jeannette Yuen, a cardiologist with Scarsdale Medical Group/White Plains Hospital. “But daily stress can also aggravate underlying conditions that can affect short-term and long-term health.”
If you have been experiencing significant stress, common symptoms to look for include chest pain, dizziness, sweating, hypertension, and shortness of breath, which may be contributing to the following conditions:
Broken Heart Syndrome
Extreme stress can lead to a condition called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart syndrome,” which is more commonly seen in women. During an emotionally stressful event, the heart is overwhelmed by a rush of adrenaline and inflammatory hormones. This weakens the heart, rendering it unable to pump blood efficiently, while other parts of the organ continue to work just as hard or harder. Additionally, there is a small risk of persistent heart muscle failure – presenting as shortness of breath or diminished physical ability. “Luckily, this condition is treatable and mostly reversible,” says Dr. Yuen. “Finding strategies to help cope with ongoing stressful and acutely traumatic events will help lessen the source of stress on the heart.”
Stress-Induced Angina
When the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen, the result is chest pain or “angina” – your heart’s way of telling you it needs more blood flow to function properly. When you become angry or stressed, your blood pressure goes up and toxic hormone surges can lead to spasms in the arteries. Left untreated, angina and the constant deprivation of oxygen and blood flow to the heart could result in spasms, a heart attack or heart failure in some cases.
Arteriosclerosis
Additionally, chronic stress and depression can also worsen arteriosclerosis, a condition that occurs when plaque builds up in arteries, therefore causing spasms and clogging your arteries. Depression can also lead to less motivation to exercise and eating more comfort foods, worsening cholesterol levels and contributing even more to the condition.
Find ways to cope:
If chronic stress has seeped into your life, talk to your primary care physician or cardiologist about diagnosing and treating a possible heart condition. Incorporating some of these calming strategies into your day can take a load off your heart, as well, says Dr. Yuen:
• Relaxing through gentle exercises and possibly through a more vigorous exercise program under the supervision of your clinician
• Finding a quiet environment to relax and recharge during stressful times of the day
• In some cases, counseling or therapy can help you identify your stressors and develop techniques to overcome them or respond to them less anxiously and more proactively
If you are experiencing sudden symptoms such as chest pain or pressure; pain in the back, arm or jaw; shortness of breath; or a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness, it’s important to call 9-1-1 right away so you can be evaluated and treated.
Dr. Jeannette Yuen is a Cardiologist with Scarsdale Medical Group, seeing patients at the Harrison location. To make an appointment, please call 914-723-8100.
Health Matters
The original version of this article was published in Health Matters, a White Plains Hospital publication.
Fair or Fowl? Trying Chicken for Breakfast
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: Health
Submitted by Elizabeth DeRobertis, Registered Dietitian at White Plains Hospital
When patients ask me the best food for them to eat in the morning, I think they're often surprised when I say “chicken.” To be honest, I haven't really had the nerve to say it to that many people, but it has been on my mind a lot.
Certain items are categorized as “breakfast foods,” while we would never dream of eating some others in the morning. But as a registered dietitian, I can tell you that starting your day with a high protein breakfast is very helpful for weight management – as opposed to such traditional breakfast foods as bagels, cold and hot cereal, waffles, pancakes, pastries and the like, all of which are very high in carbohydrates.
When we start the day with a high carbohydrate breakfast, our body needs to produce more insulin to keep our blood sugar down. When we have extra insulin circulating in our body, it actually makes us feel hungrier and crave more carbohydrates. If we start the day with a high protein breakfast, most people tend to feel more satiated and have an easier time staying on track during the day.
The only problem with this is that there are not that many proteins that we consider breakfast foods. I often recommend that my patients eat eggs for breakfast in whatever style they prefer, as they do not raise cholesterol. For variety, I often recommend other high protein options such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in the morning.
Why do we eat smoked salmon in the morning, but not other types of fish? And why do we eat eggs, but not chicken?
The answer, I suppose, is that “people don’t do that,” but I think we should start a trend of eating chicken for breakfast. There have been days where I have eaten a piece of chicken or rolled up a few pieces of turkey, and I am measurably better satiated throughout the day. (Of course, there are also days when I eat something with carbohydrates, whether it's popping a few pieces of fruit into my mouth that I'm cutting up for my daughter or – dare I admit – one of her Munchkins. By mid-morning, my stomach is literally growling.)
I challenge you to try this experiment yourself. Switch your breakfast over to something that's very high in protein, even if it's not a traditional breakfast food, and see how you feel during the day. My patients often start off worried about not having toast with their eggs, or that not having a carbohydrate breakfast will leave them too hungry. But each time the feedback that I receive is that they actually feel better and are less hungry during the day.
So why not try chicken for breakfast? Here are some high-protein, low-carb breakfast recipes, along with their calorie counts:
1. Chicken and Spinach Egg Muffins
Ingredients and Calorie Count:
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced (approx. 130 calories)
• 6 large eggs (approx. 420 calories)
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped (approx. 7 calories)
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese, optional (approx. 110 calories)
• Total calories: approx. 667 calories (about 111 calories per muffin if divided into 6 muffins)
• Without cheese: approx. 557 calories total (about 93 calories per muffin)
2. Turkey and Avocado Breakfast Salad
Ingredients and Calorie Count:
• 4 oz. cooked turkey breast, diced (approx. 140 calories)
• 1/2 avocado, diced (approx. 120 calories)
• 1 cup mixed greens (approx. 5 calories)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (approx. 120 calories)
• Total calories: approx. 385 calories
3. Salmon and Cucumber Roll-Ups
Ingredients and Calorie Count:
• 4 oz. smoked or grilled salmon (approx. 160 calories)
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced (approx. 8 calories)
• 2 tbsp. cream cheese or Greek yogurt (approx. 70 calories)
• Total calories: approx. 238 calories
4. Turkey Sausage and Pepper Stir-Fry
Ingredients and Calorie Count:
• 1 turkey sausage link (approx. 100 calories, varies by brand)
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced (approx. 12 calories)
• 1/2 small onion, diced (approx. 20 calories)
• 1 cup spinach (approx. 7 calories)
• Total calories: approx. 139 calories
5. Tuna and Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients and Calorie Count:
• 1 can of tuna, drained (approx. 120 calories)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs (approx. 140 calories)
• 1 tbsp. light mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (approx. 35 calories)
• Lettuce leaves (approx. 5 calories)
• Total calories: approx. 300 calories
These calorie counts can help you plan your meals to fit your dietary goals, keeping them high in protein and low in carbs. Good luck!
Elizabeth DeRobertis is a Registered Dietitian with the Scarsdale Medical Group. To make an appointment, call 914-723-8100.
Health Matters
The original version of this article was published in Health Matters, a White Plains Hospital publication.
Why Get the Flu Vaccine? There Are Thousands of Reasons
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: Health
(Submitted by Dr. Gary A. Zeitlin, Infectious Disease at White Plains Hospital)
You hear it every year at about this time: Don’t forget to get your flu shot. But there is a very good reason for that: simply put, not enough people are getting vaccinated.
Of course, 100% can be difficult to achieve in almost anything, but the numbers are especially concerning when it comes to fighting influenza. According to the latest available CDC data, in the 2022–23 flu season, 57.4% of children 6 months through 17 years were vaccinated, and only about 47% of adults over 18 were vaccinated. This is simply not enough.
Consider that, for the 2024 flu season in the U.S., the CDC estimates:
• 34 million to 75 million flu illnesses
• 15 million to 33 million flu-related medical visits
• 380,000 to 900,000 flu-related hospitalizations
• 17,000 to 100,000 flu-related deaths
According to the American Medical Association, some of the commonly heard reasons for not getting an annual flu shot include “I’m healthy” or “I got it last year.” The counterarguments here should be obvious: you may not stay healthy if you’re exposed to the virus, and since influenza is constantly mutating, last year’s vaccination will not be as effective as this year’s, which has been modified to take into account this year’s variety.
There is also the fact that many of us “got tired” of getting vaccinated after the multiple rounds during the pandemic. The fact remains that a flu vaccination is your best bet against what could range from some annoying sniffles to serious complications.
Incidentally, COVID is still very much around, and new boosters are available. I encourage everyone to get both vaccines, which can be received during the same appointment.
Flu vaccination is recommended for those six months and older every year for optimal protection, especially for groups at higher risk for developing complications, including:
• Adults 65 years and older
• Adults with chronic conditions including asthma, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease
• Pregnant women
Whether we ever get within striking distance of 100% compliance on getting the flu vaccine is impossible to foretell. However, the reality remains that receiving the vaccine is of considerable importance. Let’s all be a positive in”flu”ence. Schedule your shot today.
Dr. Gary Zeitlin is an attending physician and Director of the Infectious Disease Division at White Plains Hospital. To make an appointment for a flu shot, call 914-849-MyMD.
Health Matters
The original version of this article was published in Health Matters, a White Plains Hospital publication.
Hope Is on the Way for Cancer Patients
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- Written by Bill Doescher
- Category: Health
Chair Annmarie Formato and Dr. Larry Norton of Memorial Sloan KetteringThe packed house of guests at the Scarsdale Golf Club (SGC) who attended the Cancer Support Team (CST) ‘s 25th Annual Gayle K. Lee Health Education Luncheon on Thursday, October 17 came away with a most positive message: “Hope is definitely on the way for the cancer patients of today and tomorrow.”
Why? Because Larry Norton, MD, the featured luncheon speaker and one of the country’s most highly recognized and respected oncologists, told them so.
Norton had a supporting cast to back him up, including Luncheon Committee Chair Annmarie Formato, former registered CST nurse Geraldine Durkin who received a special recognition at the luncheon, and current CST nurse Caridad Aponte, who provided an opening prayer with a wonderful message of hope.
In introducing Norton to the gathering, Formato praised him for his personal work on her on a breast cancer case for 25 years.
“You’ll be fine, you will be fine.”
Among other things, Formato said, “It was 25 years ago, at the age of 32, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had just given birth to my daughter Avery, and my son Austin was only 2-1/2 years old. At that time in my life, breast cancer was a foreign language. I didn’t know anyone who had breast cancer. . .I had my surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), and I remember my surgeon telling me, ‘I don’t know who I’ll have to call to make this happen, but you must have Larry Norton as your oncologist’ . . . When I met Dr. Norton, he said, you’ll be fine, you will be fine.”
The emotional doctor-patient hug at the podium said it all. 
CST Staff
In his remarks, the renowned oncologist, MSK’s Norna S. Sarofin Chair of Clinical Oncology as well as MSK Senior Vice President in the Office of the President and Medical Director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Cancer Center there, cited important new cancer research his own organization and others were conducting. Surprisingly, he also noted that Artificial Intelligence was a powerful tool in advancing cancer research and is being used to help analyze the large amounts of data that have been gathered in search of cures and how to properly go about using them. “AI can indeed analyze all kinds of data,” he said.
In addition, without a prepared speech, Norton enthusiastically explained the advances in cancer treatment. In medical terms, he talked about the value of research into personalized cancer vaccines. In addition, Norton advocated for active patient/doctor partnerships in care. In particular, Norton discussed the important need for patients to carefully analyze all treatment possibilities, be prepared to ask their doctors good questions, and then listen very carefully.
“Take advantage of the many advances.”
Gayley Henry and Tania Weiss
“The big question for you,” Norton said, “is how to take advantage of the many advances.” In providing plenty of doctor-to-patient advice, Norton emphasized that it’s extremely important for cancer patients to find the right doctor. And he said, which drew a chuckle from those in the audience, “If you think that you don’t like the doctor you selected, chances are he doesn’t like you either.”
Obviously, a favorite speaker for the CST folks, this wasn’t Norton’s first visit to CST’s annual luncheons. He was the speaker at CST’s fourth annual luncheon in 2002 and for the eleventh event in 2009. Somewhere down the road, you should fully expect he’ll be invited again if his schedule permits. He certainly does draw a crowd, and his expert advice is always on the money. 
CST Patients
As staff was clearing the tables and smiling guests were exchanging goodbyes and leaving SGC, CST Executive Director Tania Weiss said, “It truly was a remarkable event. The luncheon is a fundraiser, and it certainly exceeded our goal. On behalf of our patients, we thank everyone who came and supported us to make this luncheon a huge success.”
The luncheon was a win-win for CST, because it increased awareness and raised necessary funds to support its main goal of helping cancer patients in Westchester County by providing professional and compassionate nursing education, rides to treatment, limited financial assistance and other supportive services – all free of charge.
Editor’s Note: Bill Doescher is a member of CST’s Advisory Board.
Next-Gen Pacemakers Now Available at White Plains Hospital
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: Health
Every year, around 250,000 people in the U.S. receive a cardiac pacemaker to help steady their heartbeat, according to research estimates. Now, many will qualify for a new type of pacemaker: an innovative, dual-chamber wireless option. White Plains Hospital is the first hospital in the state north of New York City to offer this technology to its patients.
A pacemaker is often recommended for patients whose heart rate is too slow and are having symptoms like fainting or dizziness. Traditionally, the device is implanted close to the shoulder, with wires connecting it to the heart. This new technology—the AVEIR DR dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system—means no wires are necessary at all.
As a result, “patients will now be able to have a pacemaker that they don’t see or feel. It’s working in the background and they don’t have a constant reminder,” says Dr. Marc Waase, Ph.D., a board-certified Cardiac Electrophysiologist and Director of Cardiogenetics at the White Plains Hospital Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery.
Also key: The new technology can be offered to a greater number of patients, including those on dialysis who were previously not eligible for a pacemaker. “Almost everybody who needs a pacemaker is going to be eligible for the AVEIR DR dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system,” says Dr. Waase.
That’s in part because, as a dual-chamber pacemaker, it helps both the top and the bottom chambers of the heart work together. More than 80 percent of patients require this type of pacing. (Single-chamber wireless pacemakers already exist, but these are only helpful for the small number of people who need pacing in just one chamber, Dr. Waase explains.)
Here’s how the AVEIR DR pacemaker works: Instead of being implanted in the shoulder, the leadless dual-chamber pacemaker is placed directly in the heart. During the minimally invasive procedure, which was first performed at White Plains Hospital in April 2024, a catheter is inserted into the groin. Then, two small devices are implanted directly into the top and bottom chambers of the heart. These two devices communicate with each other to establish steady heartbeat pacing.
Plus, there is no scarring and no shoulder-activity restrictions. “[In the past] we’ve limited patients’ activity with their arms—no lifting, playing tennis, playing golf. Now that restriction will be lifted because they don’t have that device in their shoulder,” says Dr. Waase. The device is estimated to last as long as 20 years, compared to a traditional pacemaker’s 10 to 12 years.
Traditional wired pacemakers will still be used in specific cases, such as for people with heart failure. And Dr. Waase doesn’t recommend patients who currently have a pacemaker switch to the new technology unless there’s an issue with their device.
Overall, as Dr. Waase notes, “This is state-of-the-art technology that gives our patients more options and is an innovative, important step forward in the care we provide here at White Plains Hospital.”
Dr. Marc Waase is a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist and Director of Cardiogenetics at the White Plains Hospital Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery. For an appointment, call 914-849-2690.
Health Matters
The original version of this article was published in Health Matters, a White Plains Hospital publication.
