Monthly Archives: April 2012

Grabbing the Qi

by Dr. Grace Tang on April 25, 2012

Dr. Grace Tang is a physician with Rex Family Practice of Wakefield. Her “A day in my life” blog series brings you an inside look at the daily routine of a family physician, both inside and outside of the office.

Acupuncture Wednesdays at work! One of my favorite days!

Betty (pictured here), my nurse, was having some knee pain. As you can see, she has realized that acupuncture is not really painful. In fact, she sat back and let the stressors of the day fall away…

To learn more about this ancient form of healing, check out this site from the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.

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Sprint Triathlon Training

by Jeanie Stasko on April 23, 2012

Jeanie Stasko is a Health Educator for Rex Wellness Centers who blogs about fitness, exercise & overall healthy lifestyle topics.

Triathlon participation is at an all time high and everyday more people pursue this multisport event as a way to encourage and maintain fitness. So swim, bike, run right? Not so fast. There is a little more to it than that. Check out this video of Tracy Doherty and Team practicing their race transitions & techniques and don’t be surprised if you want to start training for a Triathlon too!

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Visiting Surgeon in the Middle East: Part 1

by Dr. Yale Podnos on April 19, 2012

Post by Dr. Yale Podnos, a Surgical Oncologist at Rex Surgical Specialists. Dr. Podnos specializes in surgical oncology focused on liver, colon and solid organ tumors. He is also the director of Surgical Oncology at Rex Cancer Center. Last year, Dr. Podnos visited the Middle East on a surgical teaching mission. Below is the first post of his journey…

It wasn’t until at about 39,000 feet over North Africa that the thought finally came to me. “What on earth am I doing going to Saudi Arabia?” I was invited to be a Visiting Professor in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia followed by stops in Kuwait and Lebanon. My purpose was to teach surgeons there about advanced laparoscopic techniques for colorectal cases. As a surgeon and compulsive traveller, how could I refuse? Read more…

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My First Half-Marathon

by Rex Healthcare on April 17, 2012

Post by Abby Meyer. Abby graduated from Virginia Tech in the Spring of 2011 with a B.S. in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise with a concentration in dietetics. She is currently completing her dietetic internship through NCCU and is finishing up her community rotation with Rex Wellness Centers. Upon graduation from the dietetic internship in June, she will become eligible to sit for her Registered Dietitian exam, in hopes to start work as a dietitian by the fall.

13.1 miles. That’s the length of a half-marathon. As a life-time swimmer, this distance seemed insurmountable considering I rarely exercised on land. To me, running was always a foreign concept and frankly, a chore; what’s the fun in pounding pavement for hours on end only to end up with shin splints, twisted ankles, and swollen knees? The answer: the coveted running high and post-workout endorphins that are achieved from increasing your heart rate, respiratory rate, and pushing your body to new limits. Read more…

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How Do You Measure Success?

by Rex Healthcare on April 13, 2012

Post by Lindsey Sharp, M.D. of Rex Bariatric Specialists. Dr. Sharp was recently selected as the new Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery services at Rex Healthcare and he is excited to further expand the Excellence in Bariatric care at Rex Hospital.

Often times patients focus on their weight after bariatric surgery. How much weight have I lost this week, how much this month? But, weight is only one way to measure success.

In terms of health, risk of diabetes, HTN, cardiovascular disease is often linked to an individual’s percent body fat. The higher the percent body fat, the higher the risk. Body mass index (BMI) is a surrogate for body fat, as they often correlate. For example, a higher BMI often means a higher percent body fat. It is much easier to calculate your BMI is you have a standard weight scale, compared to needing a specialized scale to measure percent body fat. Read more…

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Swimming for Fitness

by Rex Healthcare on April 11, 2012

Post by Catherine Baldwin, a Group Exercise Instructor at Rex Wellness Centers.

I have heard you can’t lose weight by swimming. Do you think that is true? I say you’ll get out of it what you put into it! Don’t approach a workout with a laissez-faire attitude – you’ll get poor results. Approach your workout with a PLAN!

I am in the pool area almost every day of the week, coaching swimming, training clients, or teaching. I see people completing all different types of work outs. Some folks come in every day and swim laps. Others come in with a bag full of equipment and a printed triathlon training worksheet. Both have a goal and a plan on how to get there. Great idea! Read more…

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My Plant-Based Dinner Plate

by Rex Healthcare on April 9, 2012

Post by Diane Danchi, R.D., L.D.N. Diane is a registered dietitian at Rex Wellness Centers of Cary.

As I finished prep for dinner one evening, I looked over the fruit of my loving labors (and I DO love to cook) and suddenly thought, “Wow, this is a great example of eating via “The Plate Method!” I perused the colors, textures, flavors, then noted the plant-based foods and decided this beautiful and yummy meal needed to be shared with others.

The take home message from the government’s new “Choose My Plate” is much easier to understand than the old Pyramid, and I do love the information available at the website: www.choosemyplate.gov. However, as a professional, I do like an older tool, “The Plate Method” a little better. Read more…

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The Truth Behind 9 Medical Myths

by Rex Healthcare on April 8, 2012

You hear them all the time. Before you know it, they’re accepted as law. Medical myths often become part of our culture as they get passed from one generation to the next. But what many of us take as expert information may actually be wrong or even harmful to our health. Here’s a sampling of some medical myths and the truth behind them.

Myth: Starve a cold; feed a fever.
Fact: Good nutrition is an important part of getting well in both cases. You should drink plenty of fluids and eat enough to satisfy your appetite.

Myth: A flu shot can give you a mild case of the flu. Read more…

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Warning Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

by Rex Healthcare on April 7, 2012

Performing the same task over and over (such as typing on the computer) can cause inflammation in tendons and the median nerve, which runs from your forearm to your fingers. You may know it as carpal tunnel syndrome. Age, heredity, gender (women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome) and certain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also play a role in developing it. As irritated tendons thicken or swelling occurs in the area, the nerve can be compressed, causing symptoms such as:

numbness, tingling or pain, especially on the thumb side of the hand
the feeling of being shocked, especially in area of the thumb and nearby fingers
pain that radiates toward the shoulder
distorted muscles at the base of the thumb (in very severe cases)

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Whole Grain Recipes

by Ryan Conklin on April 6, 2012

Ryan Conklin is a Chef Manager for Culinary & Nutritional Services at Rex. His mission is to bring healthy, gourmet cuisine to the Rex community & shed the label of “hospital food.”

Thanks to everyone who came by the Courtyard Cafe this week to sample some of our whole grain dishes. What a success it was! We hope you can incorporate some of these delicious and healthy foods into your regular diet. So, without further ado, here are recipes for the two faves from this week: