Well |
Previous | 1 of 17 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
|
This page
All
|
ARE YOU A WEEKEND WARRIOR? STAY INJURY-FREE WITH THESE EXPERT TIPS See page 4 for details. Be a Health Hero Conquer the basics to living a long, healthy life S P E C I A L MEN’S HEALTH ISSUE WWW.UNCMEDICALCENTER.ORG wellAn alternative to open heart surgery PAGE 6 What keeps men out of the doctor’s office? PAGE 8 Your cheat sheet for needed screenings PAGE 14 LEADING. TEACHING. CARING. FALL 2 016 On the Cover: Photo by Thinkstock Well is published four times annually by UNC Health Care. Copyright 2016 © UNC Health Care. Information in Well comes from a wide range of medical experts and is not intended to treat or diagnose any individual situation. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Send correspondence and address changes via: e-mail, publications@unchealth.unc.edu; mail, Well, Public Affairs and Marketing, James T. Hedrick Building, 211 Friday Center Drive, Suite G021, Chapel Hill, NC 27517; phone, (919) 784-2266; Web, www.uncmedicalcenter.org. Responding to Your Needs THE ISSUE YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS is devoted to the health con-cerns affecting men and the preventive measures that allow for a vibrant life. In these pages, we take a look at health concerns that tend to affect men more than women and what you or your loved ones can do to minimize your risk. We also discuss the importance of having a primary care provider and hav-ing regular wellness exams in our cover story starting on page 8. Statistically, men are more likely than women to seek medical care only after a health issue has become evident, rather than getting regular, preventive care. To address this disparity, physicians across specialties at UNC Health Care are working together to create a Men’s Health Program, and we are pleased to share infor-mation about it on page 12. Finally, we are adjusting our format to align with the way most people choose to find information about health care and their providers. As more of us turn to the internet as a main resource, we are shifting to a digital format instead of printing Well magazine. With many changes to come, please look to www.unchealthcare.org for more of the patient stories and health and wellness information you have come to expect from Well. Please feel free to contact us at publications@unchealth.unc.edu to share your thoughts about this transition and to let us know what kind of information you would like to see on our website. Also, if you are interested in receiving an e-newsletter, please let us know that as well. Kind regards, Well editorial team UNC Health Care Keep the Comments Coming! Let us know what you think of Well magazine. Send your comments or questions to Jennifer Breedlove at publications@unchealth.unc.edu. 2 Fall 2016 Well well FALL 2016 FEATURES 4 Ouch, I’m a Weekend Warrior Going “all out” on Saturdays and Sundays might do you more harm than good. 6 A Fix for AFib A groundbreaking device brings relief to heart patients. 8 Set Your Path Why (and how) men should control their own health. 12 On Your Team Get a helping hand for cancer care and beyond. 14Men: Take Screening Seriously Our helpful chart tells you exactly when it’s time to get screened for what. DEPARTMENTS 3 UNC Health Care News Regain strength faster after a heart attack with cardiac rehab. New fathers can get tips from veteran dads. Single fathers due to cancer now have a support group. PERSPECTIVES Boot Camp for New Dads First-time dads may have many ques-tions and concerns as they support moms-to-be through pregnancy and birthing classes. Boot Camp for New Dads is one of the most popular classes at the Women’s Center, and it’s just for men. New dads-to-be meet with our “veteran dads” and their newborns to learn tips and strategies and to gain advice about how to be a great father. Topics include diaper changing, how to handle a crying baby, finances, taking care of mom and much more. Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit www.nchealthywoman.org or call (984) 974-8882. Fee: $25 per dad. UNC Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Patients who have had heart surgery or a heart attack benefit greatly from participating in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Physician-supervised cardiac rehabilitation can help patients gain strength, enjoy a more active lifestyle and better learn to manage risk factors for heart disease. Cardiac Rehabilitation at UNC is a multidisciplinary pro-gram offered at the UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont and is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The program includes medi-cally supervised exercise as part of an individualized care plan approved by the program’s medical director. Patients also receive dietary counseling, psychological and vocational support, and ongoing health education classes. Certified clinical exercise specialists are always in atten-dance, as are nurses trained in advanced cardiac life support. A UNC cardiologist is present during all rehab sessions as well. All participants must be referred by a physician. For more information, call the UNC Wellness Center at (919) 843-2158. Single Fathers Due to Cancer Men who have dependent children and whose spouses or partners died from cancer are an overlooked population. The Single Fathers Due to Cancer program offers support, information and resources to fathers as they adjust to being sole parents and work through their grief and that of their children. This program is the first of its kind in the United States and grew out of UNC doctors’ work with young mothers who were dying of cancer and their families. During coun-seling sessions, mothers expressed concerns about how their husbands and children were coping with their terminal illnesses and would adjust after their deaths. The monthly support group is free and open to any single father due to cancer. Registration is required. The group meets the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at Carolina Pointe II. Fathers are welcome to bring their children, who will be supervised in a separate room and provided pizza, drinks and activities. To register, call (984) 974-8113. For more information, visit www.singlefathersduetocancer.org or email singlefathersduetocancer@unc.edu. www.uncmedicalcenter.org 3 UNC HEALTH CARE NEWS I’m a Weekend Ouch, PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK W RRIOR Going “all out” on Saturdays and Sundays might do more harm than good. BY DUSTIN BUTTARS 4 Fall 2016 Well IT’S SATURDAY MORNING! You wake up, ready to tackle the big day you have planned. A little basketball at 9 a.m., maybe some football later in the day, then a run perhaps and a hard weight-training session to top it off. Sunday comes and maybe you have some energy for another run or racquetball, a 5K race or other event. There’s no time to exercise during the week, so you fit it all in on the weekend. You want to stay in shape, after all. By Monday, fatigue and soreness have set in and you can barely move. You’ve heard that rest is crucial for recovery, so you do exactly that Monday through Friday. Perfect! Five days of rest should be sufficient for another wonderfully brutal weekend. Does some version of this sound like you? I admire your tenacity, but I’m already feeling sorry for you. This is a recipe for disaster and it often leads to debili-tating injury. Welcome to weekend warrior syndrome. Who Are Weekend Warriors? Weekend warrior syndrome is common among people with families, jobs, children or other responsibilities that take priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate inten-sity physical activity per week. Weekend warriors typically reach this amount over a one- or two-day period, rather than being active throughout the week. Same-Day Orthopaedic Care Even athletes at peak fitness can get hurt, but not every injury requires a trip to the emergency depart-ment. OrthoNow Urgent Care offers same-day ortho-paedic visits for acute sprains and strains, joint pain, sports injuries and possible fractures. UNC Orthopaedic Clinic at Carolina Pointe II 6011 Farrington Road, Suite 201 Chapel Hill, NC (919) 843-4711 Hours: Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Get Your Workouts Here UNC Wellness Centers provide the resources needed to help you reach your health and wellness goals. Whether your goal is weight loss, strength training, rehabilitation or gen-eral conditioning, our programs and staff are here to provide safe, effective workouts in an exceptional environment. UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont 100 Sprunt St. Chapel Hill, NC 27517 (919) 966-5500 UNC Wellness Center at Northwest Cary 350 Stonecroft Lane Cary, NC 27519 (919) 957-5900 DUSTIN BUTTARS, FITNESS DIRECTOR OF UNC WELLNESS CENTER, discusses a common practice that puts many at risk of injury: going all out on the week-ends after not exercising all week. He also offers some tips for how to make simple changes to your weekly routine to prepare your body for your weekend fun—injury-free. So what’s the problem? While any exercise is better than none, weekend warriors are at higher risk of acute injuries such as sprains and strains. Each day, more than 10,000 Americans visit emergency departments for sports and exercise-related injuries, accord-ing to the CDC. These injuries can linger for days or weeks, reducing your ability to be active. How to Work Out Smarter Add a few short exercise bouts one or two times during the week at least. These mini-workouts can be sufficient to miti-gate the risk of injury for your busy weekends. To fit in small sessions during the week, you could hit a gym on your way to or from work. It’s also possible to squeeze in bursts of activity at home. It doesn’t need to be much. Try a 20-minute run or interval session around the block, multiple laps up and down the stairs or a few strength-training exercises using your own body weight. It’s hard, I know, giving up weekday relaxation for a jog or body-weight training session, but you’ll thank me in the end. Even a half-hour of body-weight training such as push-ups, pullups, squats, lateral lunges and planks will keep your metabolism revving, your muscles primed for activity and your joints healthier. All of these benefits should allow you to go just a little harder, run a little faster and jump a little higher through the weekend. It may be just the edge you need to not only win a game but also finish one without being injured. { { www.uncmedicalcenter.org 5 BY SCOTT HARRIS That’s exactly what happened to Walton. Two serious internal bleeds threatened his life in 2014, and various spe-cialists around the state were unable to locate the source of the bleeding. Then a visit to cardiologists at UNC Health Care later that year rendered the search irrelevant. Thanks to their action and a groundbreaking new piece of tech nology, Walton says he feels better now than he has in nearly 20 years. “They found everything that was wrong with me,” Walton recalls. “Now I can go up the stairs. … You have a life again.” Inside the Innovative Treatment The solution that worked for Walton was the Watchman™ procedure, which involves inserting a tiny device that keeps blood clots from spreading throughout the body. FA The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the technology in 2015, and it is available for patients like Walton at UNC Health Care. “We know patients with atrial fibrillation can have strokes, and we know we can make the risk go away with anti-coagulants, but some people shouldn’t take anticoagulants because of the risk of internal bleeding, or a high risk of falls with bleeding from the trauma,” says J. Paul Mounsey, BM BCh, PhD, FRCP, FACC, a cardiologist and director of elec-trophysiology at UNC Hospitals Heart and Vascular Center at Meadowmont in Chapel Hill. “Before now, the options were either to use only aspirin as a blood thinner, which is only minimally effective x i for { {AFib A groundbreaking device brings relief to heart patients. FOR A LONG TIME, WALTON PARKER WAS SO EXHAUSTED he could barely walk up the stairs. “I could only take one step at a time,” the now 78-year-old explains. “I had no energy to do anything. I stopped playing golf.” ¶ The cause of Walton’s problems? Atrial f ibrillation, called “AFib” for short. It’s an irregular heartbeat that can raise the risk of heart failure, stroke and other problems. AFib frequently causes blood clots in the heart, which can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious blockages. Doctors typically prescribe anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medications to address the clotting, but there’s a downside: an increased risk of massive bleeding. J. Paul Mounsey, BM BCh PHOTO: PAUL BRALY OF TARHEEL IMAGES 6 Fall 2016 Well Key Heart and Vascular Information for Men 1 in 4 Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States and is responsible for one of every four male deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ½ Half of all men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms, CDC data shows. 1x/year Don’t wait for an emergency to take care of your heart: Visit your doctor annually, try to minimize sodium intake, and get plenty of exercise. The UNC Center for Heart and Vascular Care offers a full range of treatments for heart disease. To learn more, go to www.uncmedicalcenter.org and search “Heart and Vascular.” in atrial fibrillation, or open-heart surgery. With the Watchman tech-nology, we have another option.” During the procedure, doctors insert a catheter into a vein in the leg, then move the catheter to the heart, where the Watchman device is opened like an umbrella. It is perma-nently implanted in the heart’s left atrial appendage, where it acts as a barrier to blood. “Over a few weeks, it becomes incorporated into the body,” Dr. Mounsey says of the device. “The body tries to wall it off by laying down scar tissue, and that forms a wall and helps create a block.” The procedure lasts about an hour and requires just one night in the hospital. According to Dr. Mounsey and James Hummel, MD, a Meadowmont cardiologist who served as Walton’s main physician during the process, risks of internal bleed-ing associated with the procedure are as low as 2 per-cent. There is a chance the device can become dislodged during the procedure, but that risk is “very tiny” and the device can be recovered, Dr. Mounsey says. Patients usually take blood thinners for four to six weeks after the procedure but typi-cally discontinue the medica-tions after that. A Win for Walton and Others “He did great,” Dr. Hummel says of Walton. “He’s only on aspirin now. He’s mobile, and he feels much better.” Many AFib patients could be ideal candidates for the Watchman procedure, Dr. Mounsey says. Anyone with atrial fibrillation not related to heart valve disease and who is seeking alternatives to blood thinners may be eligible for the new technology. “It’s a treatment modality that should be made available to quite a large number of patients with atrial fibrillation,” Dr. Mounsey says. Walton is certainly glad it was a fit for his case. “Oh, my gracious,” Walton says. “Every [UNC Health Care] doctor I’ve seen, every procedure has sure worked for me. I’m a lucky man, I surely am.” Is It Right for You? To learn more about the Watchman procedure, visit www.uncmedical center.org/watchman. James Hummel, MD IMAGE COURTESY OF BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION The Watchman™ device, which keeps blood clots from spreading throughout the body, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015. PHOTO: PAUL BRALY OF TARHEEL IMAGES www.uncmedicalcenter.org 7 Find a Primary Care Physician UNC Health Care can help. The online Find a Doctor tool lets you search by loca-tion, language and gender. To access Find a Doctor, visit findadoc.unchealthcare.org or call UNC HealthLink at (919) 966-7890. 8 Fall 2016 Well Why (and how) men should control their own health DURING THE PAST 15 YEARS, Edmund Liles Jr., MD, has treated thousands of men as an internist with UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, and he has seen firsthand the problems and behaviors that affect men and their health. For many men, it’s tempting to ignore general health advice, such as healthy eating and getting adequate exercise. Dr. Liles knows how it is. After all, he was a man long before he was an MD. “I’m guilty,” he admits. “When the kids are in bed, I love nothing more than a snack and some TV time.” Perhaps more so than diet and exercise, one of the riskiest behaviors for men is the reluctance to go to the doctor until pain or discomfort forces their hand. Dr. Liles understands this firsthand, too. “I didn’t see a doctor until I had to get a physical to go to col-lege,” he recalls, “and I didn’t do it again until I turned 40.” Statistically speaking, Dr. Liles’ experience is typical. Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and 22 percent more likely to neglect cholesterol tests, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Equally clear are the heightened health risks men face as a result. The same federal statistics show that men are 28 percent more likely than women to be admitted to a hospital for congestive heart fail-ure, 32 percent more likely to be hospitalized for long-term diabetes complications, and 24 percent more likely to be hospitalized > Set Path BY SCOTT HARRIS Edmund Liles Jr., MD PHOTO: PAUL BRALY OF TARHEEL IMAGES Your www.uncmedicalcenter.org 9 PHOTO: THINKSTOCK for pneumonia that could have been prevented by a simple immunization. Not seeing a doctor can lead to delayed diagnosis of chronic dis-eases like diabetes and heart disease, according to Mark Gwynne, DO, family physician at UNC Family Medicine and senior medical direc-tor for Primary Care, UNC Health Alliance. “Men may not want to know if there’s something wrong, but the longer you go without a diagnosis, the more damage there is inside the body.” Your Health Needs Regular Maintenance Health care is undergoing a sea change. Preventing prob-lems before they start—instead of reacting to them after they arise—is the order of the day. Prevention, proponents say, not only improves well-being but also reduces health care costs for the system and, ultimately, patients. As it stands, though, many men are behind the preven-tion curve because they don’t have a regular primary care physician (PCP). A 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 21 percent of men did not have a usual place of care, compared with 13 percent of women. “A long-term relationship allows me to ask more sensi-tive questions,” Dr. Gwynne says. “That benefit is impor-tant. Men will come in with pain, like a pain in the knee, but there could be another underlying issue that needs to be discussed.” Two Reasons Men Stay Away It may be uncomfortable to acknowledge, but there is an 800-pound gorilla in this discussion: procedures such as pros-tate and testicular exams. Drs. Gwynne and Liles agree that wariness over these exams steers many men clear of the doctor’s office. “Without a doubt, that is part of it,” Dr. Liles says. “Some stereotypes do have some basis in truth. It’s not as much a part of the social mores for men.” Yes, invasive exams are important and should eventually be done. As unsettling as they may be for the patient, these kinds of tests are key tools in detecting cancer and other health issues. However, for the reluctant among us, there is good news. Dr. Liles offers the reminder that a patient has the final say in his own care. “Invasive exams don’t have to happen on the first visit with a new physician,” Dr. Liles says. “Take the first step, go to your appointment, discuss your health issues, make plans. “A long-term relationship [with a patient] allows me to ask more sensitive questions. ... Men will come in with pain, like a pain in the knee, but there could be another underlying issue that needs to be discussed.” Preventing health problems improves your well-being and can reduce health care costs. Mark Gwynne, DO –Mark Gwynne, DO PHOTO: BRIAN STRICKLAND 10 Fall 2016 Well A Family History How-To To a doctor, family histories are a treasure trove of information, especially once a man reaches age 40. Knowing whether a relative had heart disease, dia-betes or a certain type of cancer, for instance, can change the age when screenings begin. How, exactly, do you get a family history, and what should it contain? Start by getting as much detail from as many immediate family members as possible. “If you can, know what’s going on with all your first-degree relatives [parents, siblings and children],” says Edmund Liles Jr., MD. “Know what medications they’re taking. It’s a clue into what’s going on with them. If they passed away, find out why.” If family members are easily accessible, casual conversations can be a great tool for grabbing valuable insights. “Talk to parents about what hap-pened to their parents,” Dr. Liles says. If possible, expand the search beyond immediate family. “Aunts and uncles are important, too,” Dr. Gwynne says. “Talk to them about diagnoses they may have. What age did they have a given disease?” Just because a family member had a disease does not mean you will have it, too, but a family his-tory will help your doctor identify any increased risk factors you may have. Armed with that infor-mation, your doctor can help you minimize your risk factors and screen appropriately for early signs of disease to help you stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Track Your Family History Here My Family Health Portrait is a tool from the U.S. surgeon general that makes it easy to record your family health history online. Answer a few simple questions to assemble a family tree, then download, share with family members or send to your physician. Check it out at www.familyhistory.hhs.gov. You don’t have to do everything the first visit.” It’s more important that you establish a PCP and begin regular, basic wellness visits. Never Too Early Although having a doctor becomes more important with age, even supposedly healthy periods of life can benefit from a strong physician-patient relationship. “There are significant life changes even in your 20s,” Dr. Gwynne says. “You’re into the workforce, and there are stressors about that and living on your own. Alcohol use, depression and anxiety can show themselves. There are sexual practices to consider and still vaccinations to get.” As the years tick by, other health needs emerge. Blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring ramp up, and cancer screenings should begin. However, amid growing careers and families, the basics of health care can go neglected. “Men tend to get busy and forget about things like flu shots,” Dr. Gwynne says. (Flu vaccinations are associated with a 71 percent reduction in flu-related hospitalizations among adults, CDC data shows.) “Blood pressure may start to creep up without you noticing, and cholesterol and oral health can be forgotten.” The 50s, Dr. Gwynne says, are typically the “magic age” for health care engagement, as pain and other persistent problems tend to spur even the most hesitant patients into the system. Men who enter this period with a firmly estab-lished physician relationship are ahead of the game. A phy-sician already knows the patient, and years of preventive care provide a medical history that makes it easier to spot changes or developing concerns early when many are easier to treat. “The more you go,” Dr. Liles says, “the more you’re set-ting yourself up for success.” What to Do Outside the Doctor’s Office Improving health, of course, goes far beyond the waiting room walls. The most important person in the equation is the patient. Fortunately, men can take a number of steps to better manage their own health. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that good health begins with diet and exercise. That said, daily kale smoothies and weekly half-marathons aren’t for everyone. The key is finding good habits that stick over the long term. “Don’t join a gym if you don’t think you’ll take advantage of it,” Dr. Liles advises. “Find something that fits into your life, like a walk around the neighborhood. Be honest about what’s an actual, realistic goal.” When it comes to exercise, plenty of men judge fitness by physical strength, but cardio workouts are more impor-tant for internal health. “Weightlifting is good for strength,” Dr. Gwynne says, “but it’s not so great for preventing chronic diseases if you don’t do some aerobic exercise as well.” A hidden pitfall on the nutrition side is sugary drinks— and not just soda. Dr. Gwynne warns that sports drinks and other common beverages are equally bad choices. “Sweet tea is on everyone’s menu in the South, and all of these drinks pack a big calorie hit with little, if any, nutritional value.” To find out what you are really putting into your body, keeping a log, even for a day, can be eye-opening. “If you bite it, write it,” Dr. Liles suggests. “Take one day and write down everything you eat. People are always surprised by how much snacking they do or how much they eat at night.” Remember, it’s never too early to adopt healthy habits, but it’s certainly never too late. “If you’re in middle age, you still have another half to go,” Dr. Liles says. “It’s time to start taking care of yourself. It’s about taking the small steps, but you have to take that first step.” www.uncmedicalcenter.org 11 PHOTO: THINKSTOCK TEAM Get a helping hand for cancer care and beyond. BY SCOTT HARRIS ON YOUR 12 Fall 2016 Well Cancer, the nation’s second-leading cause of death, can pose a threat to anyone, but men have a 50 percent greater chance than women of dying from this group of diseases. Prostate cancer killed 27,861 American men in 2013, the last year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Colon, bladder, kidney and lung cancers all are more prevalent in men, thanks in part to high-risk lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking, that tend to be more common in men. With major advances in scientific understanding, cancer is easier than ever to detect and treat, but the best treatment path can differ based on the individual and the type of cancer. That is why a strong doctor-patient relationship is particularly important when cancer is involved. “Most prostate cancers are not deadly and should not be treated,” explains Eric Wallen, MD, FACS, professor of urol-ogy, who specializes in urologic oncology and robotic sur-gery at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The impact of any treatment on quality of life must be discussed with patients.” With that in mind, the cancer experts at UNC Lineberger have an ongoing commitment to shared decision-making, which means working with patients to determine the best course of action with an understanding of the patient’s goals. “Prostate cancer treatments can impact sexual function and urinary function,” Dr. Wallen says. “Pursuing treatment must involve weighing the benefits against the potential risks of treatment. We spend time with patients to make sure they understand the possible tradeoffs, and we use online and printed material to support them in the process.” An Eye on Cancer— and Everything Else, Too In general, men’s health care often finds itself missing a key ingredient: men. According to the CDC, women are 56 percent more likely than men to visit the doctor and twice as likely to seek preven-tive health care. That may be why women in the United States live nearly five years longer than men. Also, men have a higher likelihood of dying from nine of the CDC’s 10 leading causes of death, from heart disease to household accidents. Leaders at UNC Health Care are working to understand and address these disparities. A new Men’s Health Program, currently in the planning stages, will take steps to encourage men to engage more in their health and to research men’s health behavior. This endeavor involves departments across the campus, from Athletics to Public Health, and not only matches up with UNC Lineberger’s approach to treating cancer, which places a premium on the doctor-patient relationship, but it also resonates with all UNC physicians who treat men. “Men don’t live as long as women, and they have higher rates of most diseases, but this is not part of the national health care conversation,” Dr. Wallen says. “Maybe we don’t hear about it because it’s cultural—men are supposed to be strong and silent. Maybe U.S. male health behavior is more reactive than proactive.” The Men’s Health Program would attempt to identify and overcome barriers keeping men out of the doctor’s office and, in the process, make it easier for men to seek and receive the treatment they need. Program leaders also hope to con-duct research into men’s health issues and establish a health center specifically designed for men ages 19 and older that includes evidence-based interventions to prevent many of the diseases that can kill them. “Men have traditionally sought episodic care, but if you provide an atmosphere that caters to men, they would be more likely to be involved,” says H. Shelton Earp III, MD, director of UNC Cancer Care. “The idea of a Men’s Health Program does not just revolve around the prostate, although that is very important. The program will be aimed at the many diseases that afflict men and the potential to prevent them. Even though some of the leaders of the effort at UNC, such as Eric Wallen, focus on urologic diseases, we have our sights set on a larger goal: overall health.” Your Physician: The Gateway to Health Regardless of a man’s specific medical situation, the key to men’s health may be finding a primary care doctor with whom a patient feels comfortable and who can help coordi-nate care among other providers. “We hope to identify ways to get men to see doctors for wellness and preventive checkups when they are younger— to learn their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels,” Dr. Wallen says. “There are deadly diseases that can be preventable, if caught early.” A Tradition of Excellence in Men’s Health at UNC Health Care • Commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration among primary and specialty care disciplines for men’s health • Internationally renowned men’s health expertise in clinical care and research • Expertise in the study of health disparities • Nationally renowned UNC Urologic Oncology Multidisciplinary Clinic, which brings together diverse experts to treat complex male cancers • Specialized sexual health and infertility treatment and clinics www.uncmedicalcenter.org 13 14 Fall 2016 Well Screenings are important tools for staying healthy, but it can be difficult to know which ones to get and when to get them. This chart includes general guidelines for men. Because family medical history and lifestyle choices affect health significantly, it is important to allow your doctor to determine your individual screening needs. SERIOUSLY Take MEN: www.uncmedicalcenter.org 15 SCREENING AGES 18–39 AGES 40–64 AGES 65 AND OLDER BLOOD PRESSURE Men with diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems or certain other condi-tions should have their blood pressure checked more often. CHOLESTEROL Men with diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems or certain other conditions may need to monitor their cholesterol more closely. DIABETES Men should talk with a physician about their risk factors and when to start screening. COLON CANCER Risk factors such as ulcer-ative colitis, a personal or family history of colorec-tal cancer, or a history of large colorectal adeno-mas may require more frequent screenings. BONE HEALTH The risk of developing osteoporosis increases with age. If you have risk factors for osteoporosis (long-term steroid use, low body weight, smok-ing, heavy alcohol use, a fracture after age 50 or a family history of osteo-porosis), check with your PROSTATE CANCER Prostate examinations are no longer routinely done on men with no symptoms. LUNG CANCER Lung cancer is the second most common cancer, and is a leading cause of death in men. Sources: MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine; The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; American Cancer Society UNC Orthopaedics at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing UNC Orthopaedics is excited to announce the opening of a new clinic at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing. Located at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard, we are bringing our expert care to a new, convenient location. In addition to modern surgical techniques, we also champion non-surgical treatment options. Our team of caring providers can help you with a broad range of activity related injuries. • New convenient location • Expert and empathetic care • Free parking • Surgical and non-surgical options 1181 Weaver Dairy Road Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 962-6637 www.uncortho.org UNC Orthopaedics at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing Sports Medicine • Foot & Ankle NOW OPEN University of North Carolina Hospitals at Chapel Hill 101 Manning Drive Chapel Hill, NC 27514-4220 Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID UNC HOSPITALS
Object Description
Title | Well |
Creator | UNC Health Care. |
Date | 2010; 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016 |
Subjects | Public health--North Carolina--Periodicals |
Place | North Carolina, United States |
Description | Quarterly; fall 2010-; "Leading. Teaching. Caring."; Includes special editions (based on 60th anniversary issue). |
Publisher | UNC Health Care |
Agency-Current | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina (System) |
Rights | State Document see http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,63754 |
Physical Characteristics | v. : col. ill. ; 28 cm. |
Collection | North Carolina State Documents Collection. State Library of North Carolina |
Type | Text |
Language | English |
Format | Periodicals |
Digital Collection |
North Carolina Digital State Documents Collection N.C. Public Health Collection |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Related Items | http://worldcat.org/oclc/770023970/viewonline |
Audience | All |
Pres Local File Path-M | \Preservation_content\StatePubs\pubs_borndigital\images_master\ |
OCLC number | 770023970 |
Description
Title | Well |
Date | 2016 |
Description | Fall 2016 |
Digital Characteristics-A | 8.9 MB; 16 p. |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Pres File Name-M | pubs_serial_wellmagazine2016fall.pdf |
Full Text | ARE YOU A WEEKEND WARRIOR? STAY INJURY-FREE WITH THESE EXPERT TIPS See page 4 for details. Be a Health Hero Conquer the basics to living a long, healthy life S P E C I A L MEN’S HEALTH ISSUE WWW.UNCMEDICALCENTER.ORG wellAn alternative to open heart surgery PAGE 6 What keeps men out of the doctor’s office? PAGE 8 Your cheat sheet for needed screenings PAGE 14 LEADING. TEACHING. CARING. FALL 2 016 On the Cover: Photo by Thinkstock Well is published four times annually by UNC Health Care. Copyright 2016 © UNC Health Care. Information in Well comes from a wide range of medical experts and is not intended to treat or diagnose any individual situation. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Send correspondence and address changes via: e-mail, publications@unchealth.unc.edu; mail, Well, Public Affairs and Marketing, James T. Hedrick Building, 211 Friday Center Drive, Suite G021, Chapel Hill, NC 27517; phone, (919) 784-2266; Web, www.uncmedicalcenter.org. Responding to Your Needs THE ISSUE YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS is devoted to the health con-cerns affecting men and the preventive measures that allow for a vibrant life. In these pages, we take a look at health concerns that tend to affect men more than women and what you or your loved ones can do to minimize your risk. We also discuss the importance of having a primary care provider and hav-ing regular wellness exams in our cover story starting on page 8. Statistically, men are more likely than women to seek medical care only after a health issue has become evident, rather than getting regular, preventive care. To address this disparity, physicians across specialties at UNC Health Care are working together to create a Men’s Health Program, and we are pleased to share infor-mation about it on page 12. Finally, we are adjusting our format to align with the way most people choose to find information about health care and their providers. As more of us turn to the internet as a main resource, we are shifting to a digital format instead of printing Well magazine. With many changes to come, please look to www.unchealthcare.org for more of the patient stories and health and wellness information you have come to expect from Well. Please feel free to contact us at publications@unchealth.unc.edu to share your thoughts about this transition and to let us know what kind of information you would like to see on our website. Also, if you are interested in receiving an e-newsletter, please let us know that as well. Kind regards, Well editorial team UNC Health Care Keep the Comments Coming! Let us know what you think of Well magazine. Send your comments or questions to Jennifer Breedlove at publications@unchealth.unc.edu. 2 Fall 2016 Well well FALL 2016 FEATURES 4 Ouch, I’m a Weekend Warrior Going “all out” on Saturdays and Sundays might do you more harm than good. 6 A Fix for AFib A groundbreaking device brings relief to heart patients. 8 Set Your Path Why (and how) men should control their own health. 12 On Your Team Get a helping hand for cancer care and beyond. 14Men: Take Screening Seriously Our helpful chart tells you exactly when it’s time to get screened for what. DEPARTMENTS 3 UNC Health Care News Regain strength faster after a heart attack with cardiac rehab. New fathers can get tips from veteran dads. Single fathers due to cancer now have a support group. PERSPECTIVES Boot Camp for New Dads First-time dads may have many ques-tions and concerns as they support moms-to-be through pregnancy and birthing classes. Boot Camp for New Dads is one of the most popular classes at the Women’s Center, and it’s just for men. New dads-to-be meet with our “veteran dads” and their newborns to learn tips and strategies and to gain advice about how to be a great father. Topics include diaper changing, how to handle a crying baby, finances, taking care of mom and much more. Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit www.nchealthywoman.org or call (984) 974-8882. Fee: $25 per dad. UNC Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Patients who have had heart surgery or a heart attack benefit greatly from participating in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Physician-supervised cardiac rehabilitation can help patients gain strength, enjoy a more active lifestyle and better learn to manage risk factors for heart disease. Cardiac Rehabilitation at UNC is a multidisciplinary pro-gram offered at the UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont and is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The program includes medi-cally supervised exercise as part of an individualized care plan approved by the program’s medical director. Patients also receive dietary counseling, psychological and vocational support, and ongoing health education classes. Certified clinical exercise specialists are always in atten-dance, as are nurses trained in advanced cardiac life support. A UNC cardiologist is present during all rehab sessions as well. All participants must be referred by a physician. For more information, call the UNC Wellness Center at (919) 843-2158. Single Fathers Due to Cancer Men who have dependent children and whose spouses or partners died from cancer are an overlooked population. The Single Fathers Due to Cancer program offers support, information and resources to fathers as they adjust to being sole parents and work through their grief and that of their children. This program is the first of its kind in the United States and grew out of UNC doctors’ work with young mothers who were dying of cancer and their families. During coun-seling sessions, mothers expressed concerns about how their husbands and children were coping with their terminal illnesses and would adjust after their deaths. The monthly support group is free and open to any single father due to cancer. Registration is required. The group meets the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at Carolina Pointe II. Fathers are welcome to bring their children, who will be supervised in a separate room and provided pizza, drinks and activities. To register, call (984) 974-8113. For more information, visit www.singlefathersduetocancer.org or email singlefathersduetocancer@unc.edu. www.uncmedicalcenter.org 3 UNC HEALTH CARE NEWS I’m a Weekend Ouch, PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK W RRIOR Going “all out” on Saturdays and Sundays might do more harm than good. BY DUSTIN BUTTARS 4 Fall 2016 Well IT’S SATURDAY MORNING! You wake up, ready to tackle the big day you have planned. A little basketball at 9 a.m., maybe some football later in the day, then a run perhaps and a hard weight-training session to top it off. Sunday comes and maybe you have some energy for another run or racquetball, a 5K race or other event. There’s no time to exercise during the week, so you fit it all in on the weekend. You want to stay in shape, after all. By Monday, fatigue and soreness have set in and you can barely move. You’ve heard that rest is crucial for recovery, so you do exactly that Monday through Friday. Perfect! Five days of rest should be sufficient for another wonderfully brutal weekend. Does some version of this sound like you? I admire your tenacity, but I’m already feeling sorry for you. This is a recipe for disaster and it often leads to debili-tating injury. Welcome to weekend warrior syndrome. Who Are Weekend Warriors? Weekend warrior syndrome is common among people with families, jobs, children or other responsibilities that take priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate inten-sity physical activity per week. Weekend warriors typically reach this amount over a one- or two-day period, rather than being active throughout the week. Same-Day Orthopaedic Care Even athletes at peak fitness can get hurt, but not every injury requires a trip to the emergency depart-ment. OrthoNow Urgent Care offers same-day ortho-paedic visits for acute sprains and strains, joint pain, sports injuries and possible fractures. UNC Orthopaedic Clinic at Carolina Pointe II 6011 Farrington Road, Suite 201 Chapel Hill, NC (919) 843-4711 Hours: Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Get Your Workouts Here UNC Wellness Centers provide the resources needed to help you reach your health and wellness goals. Whether your goal is weight loss, strength training, rehabilitation or gen-eral conditioning, our programs and staff are here to provide safe, effective workouts in an exceptional environment. UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont 100 Sprunt St. Chapel Hill, NC 27517 (919) 966-5500 UNC Wellness Center at Northwest Cary 350 Stonecroft Lane Cary, NC 27519 (919) 957-5900 DUSTIN BUTTARS, FITNESS DIRECTOR OF UNC WELLNESS CENTER, discusses a common practice that puts many at risk of injury: going all out on the week-ends after not exercising all week. He also offers some tips for how to make simple changes to your weekly routine to prepare your body for your weekend fun—injury-free. So what’s the problem? While any exercise is better than none, weekend warriors are at higher risk of acute injuries such as sprains and strains. Each day, more than 10,000 Americans visit emergency departments for sports and exercise-related injuries, accord-ing to the CDC. These injuries can linger for days or weeks, reducing your ability to be active. How to Work Out Smarter Add a few short exercise bouts one or two times during the week at least. These mini-workouts can be sufficient to miti-gate the risk of injury for your busy weekends. To fit in small sessions during the week, you could hit a gym on your way to or from work. It’s also possible to squeeze in bursts of activity at home. It doesn’t need to be much. Try a 20-minute run or interval session around the block, multiple laps up and down the stairs or a few strength-training exercises using your own body weight. It’s hard, I know, giving up weekday relaxation for a jog or body-weight training session, but you’ll thank me in the end. Even a half-hour of body-weight training such as push-ups, pullups, squats, lateral lunges and planks will keep your metabolism revving, your muscles primed for activity and your joints healthier. All of these benefits should allow you to go just a little harder, run a little faster and jump a little higher through the weekend. It may be just the edge you need to not only win a game but also finish one without being injured. { { www.uncmedicalcenter.org 5 BY SCOTT HARRIS That’s exactly what happened to Walton. Two serious internal bleeds threatened his life in 2014, and various spe-cialists around the state were unable to locate the source of the bleeding. Then a visit to cardiologists at UNC Health Care later that year rendered the search irrelevant. Thanks to their action and a groundbreaking new piece of tech nology, Walton says he feels better now than he has in nearly 20 years. “They found everything that was wrong with me,” Walton recalls. “Now I can go up the stairs. … You have a life again.” Inside the Innovative Treatment The solution that worked for Walton was the Watchman™ procedure, which involves inserting a tiny device that keeps blood clots from spreading throughout the body. FA The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the technology in 2015, and it is available for patients like Walton at UNC Health Care. “We know patients with atrial fibrillation can have strokes, and we know we can make the risk go away with anti-coagulants, but some people shouldn’t take anticoagulants because of the risk of internal bleeding, or a high risk of falls with bleeding from the trauma,” says J. Paul Mounsey, BM BCh, PhD, FRCP, FACC, a cardiologist and director of elec-trophysiology at UNC Hospitals Heart and Vascular Center at Meadowmont in Chapel Hill. “Before now, the options were either to use only aspirin as a blood thinner, which is only minimally effective x i for { {AFib A groundbreaking device brings relief to heart patients. FOR A LONG TIME, WALTON PARKER WAS SO EXHAUSTED he could barely walk up the stairs. “I could only take one step at a time,” the now 78-year-old explains. “I had no energy to do anything. I stopped playing golf.” ¶ The cause of Walton’s problems? Atrial f ibrillation, called “AFib” for short. It’s an irregular heartbeat that can raise the risk of heart failure, stroke and other problems. AFib frequently causes blood clots in the heart, which can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious blockages. Doctors typically prescribe anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medications to address the clotting, but there’s a downside: an increased risk of massive bleeding. J. Paul Mounsey, BM BCh PHOTO: PAUL BRALY OF TARHEEL IMAGES 6 Fall 2016 Well Key Heart and Vascular Information for Men 1 in 4 Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States and is responsible for one of every four male deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ½ Half of all men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms, CDC data shows. 1x/year Don’t wait for an emergency to take care of your heart: Visit your doctor annually, try to minimize sodium intake, and get plenty of exercise. The UNC Center for Heart and Vascular Care offers a full range of treatments for heart disease. To learn more, go to www.uncmedicalcenter.org and search “Heart and Vascular.” in atrial fibrillation, or open-heart surgery. With the Watchman tech-nology, we have another option.” During the procedure, doctors insert a catheter into a vein in the leg, then move the catheter to the heart, where the Watchman device is opened like an umbrella. It is perma-nently implanted in the heart’s left atrial appendage, where it acts as a barrier to blood. “Over a few weeks, it becomes incorporated into the body,” Dr. Mounsey says of the device. “The body tries to wall it off by laying down scar tissue, and that forms a wall and helps create a block.” The procedure lasts about an hour and requires just one night in the hospital. According to Dr. Mounsey and James Hummel, MD, a Meadowmont cardiologist who served as Walton’s main physician during the process, risks of internal bleed-ing associated with the procedure are as low as 2 per-cent. There is a chance the device can become dislodged during the procedure, but that risk is “very tiny” and the device can be recovered, Dr. Mounsey says. Patients usually take blood thinners for four to six weeks after the procedure but typi-cally discontinue the medica-tions after that. A Win for Walton and Others “He did great,” Dr. Hummel says of Walton. “He’s only on aspirin now. He’s mobile, and he feels much better.” Many AFib patients could be ideal candidates for the Watchman procedure, Dr. Mounsey says. Anyone with atrial fibrillation not related to heart valve disease and who is seeking alternatives to blood thinners may be eligible for the new technology. “It’s a treatment modality that should be made available to quite a large number of patients with atrial fibrillation,” Dr. Mounsey says. Walton is certainly glad it was a fit for his case. “Oh, my gracious,” Walton says. “Every [UNC Health Care] doctor I’ve seen, every procedure has sure worked for me. I’m a lucky man, I surely am.” Is It Right for You? To learn more about the Watchman procedure, visit www.uncmedical center.org/watchman. James Hummel, MD IMAGE COURTESY OF BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION The Watchman™ device, which keeps blood clots from spreading throughout the body, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015. PHOTO: PAUL BRALY OF TARHEEL IMAGES www.uncmedicalcenter.org 7 Find a Primary Care Physician UNC Health Care can help. The online Find a Doctor tool lets you search by loca-tion, language and gender. To access Find a Doctor, visit findadoc.unchealthcare.org or call UNC HealthLink at (919) 966-7890. 8 Fall 2016 Well Why (and how) men should control their own health DURING THE PAST 15 YEARS, Edmund Liles Jr., MD, has treated thousands of men as an internist with UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, and he has seen firsthand the problems and behaviors that affect men and their health. For many men, it’s tempting to ignore general health advice, such as healthy eating and getting adequate exercise. Dr. Liles knows how it is. After all, he was a man long before he was an MD. “I’m guilty,” he admits. “When the kids are in bed, I love nothing more than a snack and some TV time.” Perhaps more so than diet and exercise, one of the riskiest behaviors for men is the reluctance to go to the doctor until pain or discomfort forces their hand. Dr. Liles understands this firsthand, too. “I didn’t see a doctor until I had to get a physical to go to col-lege,” he recalls, “and I didn’t do it again until I turned 40.” Statistically speaking, Dr. Liles’ experience is typical. Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and 22 percent more likely to neglect cholesterol tests, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Equally clear are the heightened health risks men face as a result. The same federal statistics show that men are 28 percent more likely than women to be admitted to a hospital for congestive heart fail-ure, 32 percent more likely to be hospitalized for long-term diabetes complications, and 24 percent more likely to be hospitalized > Set Path BY SCOTT HARRIS Edmund Liles Jr., MD PHOTO: PAUL BRALY OF TARHEEL IMAGES Your www.uncmedicalcenter.org 9 PHOTO: THINKSTOCK for pneumonia that could have been prevented by a simple immunization. Not seeing a doctor can lead to delayed diagnosis of chronic dis-eases like diabetes and heart disease, according to Mark Gwynne, DO, family physician at UNC Family Medicine and senior medical direc-tor for Primary Care, UNC Health Alliance. “Men may not want to know if there’s something wrong, but the longer you go without a diagnosis, the more damage there is inside the body.” Your Health Needs Regular Maintenance Health care is undergoing a sea change. Preventing prob-lems before they start—instead of reacting to them after they arise—is the order of the day. Prevention, proponents say, not only improves well-being but also reduces health care costs for the system and, ultimately, patients. As it stands, though, many men are behind the preven-tion curve because they don’t have a regular primary care physician (PCP). A 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 21 percent of men did not have a usual place of care, compared with 13 percent of women. “A long-term relationship allows me to ask more sensi-tive questions,” Dr. Gwynne says. “That benefit is impor-tant. Men will come in with pain, like a pain in the knee, but there could be another underlying issue that needs to be discussed.” Two Reasons Men Stay Away It may be uncomfortable to acknowledge, but there is an 800-pound gorilla in this discussion: procedures such as pros-tate and testicular exams. Drs. Gwynne and Liles agree that wariness over these exams steers many men clear of the doctor’s office. “Without a doubt, that is part of it,” Dr. Liles says. “Some stereotypes do have some basis in truth. It’s not as much a part of the social mores for men.” Yes, invasive exams are important and should eventually be done. As unsettling as they may be for the patient, these kinds of tests are key tools in detecting cancer and other health issues. However, for the reluctant among us, there is good news. Dr. Liles offers the reminder that a patient has the final say in his own care. “Invasive exams don’t have to happen on the first visit with a new physician,” Dr. Liles says. “Take the first step, go to your appointment, discuss your health issues, make plans. “A long-term relationship [with a patient] allows me to ask more sensitive questions. ... Men will come in with pain, like a pain in the knee, but there could be another underlying issue that needs to be discussed.” Preventing health problems improves your well-being and can reduce health care costs. Mark Gwynne, DO –Mark Gwynne, DO PHOTO: BRIAN STRICKLAND 10 Fall 2016 Well A Family History How-To To a doctor, family histories are a treasure trove of information, especially once a man reaches age 40. Knowing whether a relative had heart disease, dia-betes or a certain type of cancer, for instance, can change the age when screenings begin. How, exactly, do you get a family history, and what should it contain? Start by getting as much detail from as many immediate family members as possible. “If you can, know what’s going on with all your first-degree relatives [parents, siblings and children],” says Edmund Liles Jr., MD. “Know what medications they’re taking. It’s a clue into what’s going on with them. If they passed away, find out why.” If family members are easily accessible, casual conversations can be a great tool for grabbing valuable insights. “Talk to parents about what hap-pened to their parents,” Dr. Liles says. If possible, expand the search beyond immediate family. “Aunts and uncles are important, too,” Dr. Gwynne says. “Talk to them about diagnoses they may have. What age did they have a given disease?” Just because a family member had a disease does not mean you will have it, too, but a family his-tory will help your doctor identify any increased risk factors you may have. Armed with that infor-mation, your doctor can help you minimize your risk factors and screen appropriately for early signs of disease to help you stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Track Your Family History Here My Family Health Portrait is a tool from the U.S. surgeon general that makes it easy to record your family health history online. Answer a few simple questions to assemble a family tree, then download, share with family members or send to your physician. Check it out at www.familyhistory.hhs.gov. You don’t have to do everything the first visit.” It’s more important that you establish a PCP and begin regular, basic wellness visits. Never Too Early Although having a doctor becomes more important with age, even supposedly healthy periods of life can benefit from a strong physician-patient relationship. “There are significant life changes even in your 20s,” Dr. Gwynne says. “You’re into the workforce, and there are stressors about that and living on your own. Alcohol use, depression and anxiety can show themselves. There are sexual practices to consider and still vaccinations to get.” As the years tick by, other health needs emerge. Blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring ramp up, and cancer screenings should begin. However, amid growing careers and families, the basics of health care can go neglected. “Men tend to get busy and forget about things like flu shots,” Dr. Gwynne says. (Flu vaccinations are associated with a 71 percent reduction in flu-related hospitalizations among adults, CDC data shows.) “Blood pressure may start to creep up without you noticing, and cholesterol and oral health can be forgotten.” The 50s, Dr. Gwynne says, are typically the “magic age” for health care engagement, as pain and other persistent problems tend to spur even the most hesitant patients into the system. Men who enter this period with a firmly estab-lished physician relationship are ahead of the game. A phy-sician already knows the patient, and years of preventive care provide a medical history that makes it easier to spot changes or developing concerns early when many are easier to treat. “The more you go,” Dr. Liles says, “the more you’re set-ting yourself up for success.” What to Do Outside the Doctor’s Office Improving health, of course, goes far beyond the waiting room walls. The most important person in the equation is the patient. Fortunately, men can take a number of steps to better manage their own health. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that good health begins with diet and exercise. That said, daily kale smoothies and weekly half-marathons aren’t for everyone. The key is finding good habits that stick over the long term. “Don’t join a gym if you don’t think you’ll take advantage of it,” Dr. Liles advises. “Find something that fits into your life, like a walk around the neighborhood. Be honest about what’s an actual, realistic goal.” When it comes to exercise, plenty of men judge fitness by physical strength, but cardio workouts are more impor-tant for internal health. “Weightlifting is good for strength,” Dr. Gwynne says, “but it’s not so great for preventing chronic diseases if you don’t do some aerobic exercise as well.” A hidden pitfall on the nutrition side is sugary drinks— and not just soda. Dr. Gwynne warns that sports drinks and other common beverages are equally bad choices. “Sweet tea is on everyone’s menu in the South, and all of these drinks pack a big calorie hit with little, if any, nutritional value.” To find out what you are really putting into your body, keeping a log, even for a day, can be eye-opening. “If you bite it, write it,” Dr. Liles suggests. “Take one day and write down everything you eat. People are always surprised by how much snacking they do or how much they eat at night.” Remember, it’s never too early to adopt healthy habits, but it’s certainly never too late. “If you’re in middle age, you still have another half to go,” Dr. Liles says. “It’s time to start taking care of yourself. It’s about taking the small steps, but you have to take that first step.” www.uncmedicalcenter.org 11 PHOTO: THINKSTOCK TEAM Get a helping hand for cancer care and beyond. BY SCOTT HARRIS ON YOUR 12 Fall 2016 Well Cancer, the nation’s second-leading cause of death, can pose a threat to anyone, but men have a 50 percent greater chance than women of dying from this group of diseases. Prostate cancer killed 27,861 American men in 2013, the last year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Colon, bladder, kidney and lung cancers all are more prevalent in men, thanks in part to high-risk lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking, that tend to be more common in men. With major advances in scientific understanding, cancer is easier than ever to detect and treat, but the best treatment path can differ based on the individual and the type of cancer. That is why a strong doctor-patient relationship is particularly important when cancer is involved. “Most prostate cancers are not deadly and should not be treated,” explains Eric Wallen, MD, FACS, professor of urol-ogy, who specializes in urologic oncology and robotic sur-gery at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The impact of any treatment on quality of life must be discussed with patients.” With that in mind, the cancer experts at UNC Lineberger have an ongoing commitment to shared decision-making, which means working with patients to determine the best course of action with an understanding of the patient’s goals. “Prostate cancer treatments can impact sexual function and urinary function,” Dr. Wallen says. “Pursuing treatment must involve weighing the benefits against the potential risks of treatment. We spend time with patients to make sure they understand the possible tradeoffs, and we use online and printed material to support them in the process.” An Eye on Cancer— and Everything Else, Too In general, men’s health care often finds itself missing a key ingredient: men. According to the CDC, women are 56 percent more likely than men to visit the doctor and twice as likely to seek preven-tive health care. That may be why women in the United States live nearly five years longer than men. Also, men have a higher likelihood of dying from nine of the CDC’s 10 leading causes of death, from heart disease to household accidents. Leaders at UNC Health Care are working to understand and address these disparities. A new Men’s Health Program, currently in the planning stages, will take steps to encourage men to engage more in their health and to research men’s health behavior. This endeavor involves departments across the campus, from Athletics to Public Health, and not only matches up with UNC Lineberger’s approach to treating cancer, which places a premium on the doctor-patient relationship, but it also resonates with all UNC physicians who treat men. “Men don’t live as long as women, and they have higher rates of most diseases, but this is not part of the national health care conversation,” Dr. Wallen says. “Maybe we don’t hear about it because it’s cultural—men are supposed to be strong and silent. Maybe U.S. male health behavior is more reactive than proactive.” The Men’s Health Program would attempt to identify and overcome barriers keeping men out of the doctor’s office and, in the process, make it easier for men to seek and receive the treatment they need. Program leaders also hope to con-duct research into men’s health issues and establish a health center specifically designed for men ages 19 and older that includes evidence-based interventions to prevent many of the diseases that can kill them. “Men have traditionally sought episodic care, but if you provide an atmosphere that caters to men, they would be more likely to be involved,” says H. Shelton Earp III, MD, director of UNC Cancer Care. “The idea of a Men’s Health Program does not just revolve around the prostate, although that is very important. The program will be aimed at the many diseases that afflict men and the potential to prevent them. Even though some of the leaders of the effort at UNC, such as Eric Wallen, focus on urologic diseases, we have our sights set on a larger goal: overall health.” Your Physician: The Gateway to Health Regardless of a man’s specific medical situation, the key to men’s health may be finding a primary care doctor with whom a patient feels comfortable and who can help coordi-nate care among other providers. “We hope to identify ways to get men to see doctors for wellness and preventive checkups when they are younger— to learn their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels,” Dr. Wallen says. “There are deadly diseases that can be preventable, if caught early.” A Tradition of Excellence in Men’s Health at UNC Health Care • Commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration among primary and specialty care disciplines for men’s health • Internationally renowned men’s health expertise in clinical care and research • Expertise in the study of health disparities • Nationally renowned UNC Urologic Oncology Multidisciplinary Clinic, which brings together diverse experts to treat complex male cancers • Specialized sexual health and infertility treatment and clinics www.uncmedicalcenter.org 13 14 Fall 2016 Well Screenings are important tools for staying healthy, but it can be difficult to know which ones to get and when to get them. This chart includes general guidelines for men. Because family medical history and lifestyle choices affect health significantly, it is important to allow your doctor to determine your individual screening needs. SERIOUSLY Take MEN: www.uncmedicalcenter.org 15 SCREENING AGES 18–39 AGES 40–64 AGES 65 AND OLDER BLOOD PRESSURE Men with diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems or certain other condi-tions should have their blood pressure checked more often. CHOLESTEROL Men with diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems or certain other conditions may need to monitor their cholesterol more closely. DIABETES Men should talk with a physician about their risk factors and when to start screening. COLON CANCER Risk factors such as ulcer-ative colitis, a personal or family history of colorec-tal cancer, or a history of large colorectal adeno-mas may require more frequent screenings. BONE HEALTH The risk of developing osteoporosis increases with age. If you have risk factors for osteoporosis (long-term steroid use, low body weight, smok-ing, heavy alcohol use, a fracture after age 50 or a family history of osteo-porosis), check with your PROSTATE CANCER Prostate examinations are no longer routinely done on men with no symptoms. LUNG CANCER Lung cancer is the second most common cancer, and is a leading cause of death in men. Sources: MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine; The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; American Cancer Society UNC Orthopaedics at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing UNC Orthopaedics is excited to announce the opening of a new clinic at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing. Located at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard, we are bringing our expert care to a new, convenient location. In addition to modern surgical techniques, we also champion non-surgical treatment options. Our team of caring providers can help you with a broad range of activity related injuries. • New convenient location • Expert and empathetic care • Free parking • Surgical and non-surgical options 1181 Weaver Dairy Road Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 962-6637 www.uncortho.org UNC Orthopaedics at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing Sports Medicine • Foot & Ankle NOW OPEN University of North Carolina Hospitals at Chapel Hill 101 Manning Drive Chapel Hill, NC 27514-4220 Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID UNC HOSPITALS |
OCLC number | 770023970 |