Fall 2015
www.bhset.net
Getting ready for
knee replacement
surgery
6 ways to
outsmart the
flu this season
Stroke
interventions:
Know your options
Performing Sacred Work Every Day
Health Extra
Wellness News from the World Over
Vaccines you need
The need for immunizations doesn’t end with the start of adulthood. There
are still several vaccines you should receive to help protect you—and those
around you—from becoming sick.
Feel the burn! You can blast through
100 calories with these activities, in as
few as 8 minutes.* Pick one and add it to
your day today!
 Play catch (30 minutes)
 Swim a lap (14 minutes)
 Play basketball (10 minutes)
 Jump rope (8 minutes)
 Cook a meal (45 minutes) Bonus
points for good nutrition!
 Ride your bike (25 minutes)
 Dance to your favorite songs
(19 minutes)
T
 end to your garden or landscaping
(22 minutes)
 Go for a stroll around the
neighborhood (22 minutes)
 De-stress with some yoga
(20 minutes)
*Based on 150-pound person.
How often you need it
Flu shot
Once a year
Td/Tdap (protects
against tetanus,
diphtheria and
whooping cough)
1 dose of Tdap + Td booster every 10 years
(pregnant women should receive Tdap during
the third trimester of each pregnancy)
Shingles
1 dose for adults 60+
Pneumonia vaccine
1 dose of two vaccines (as directed by your doctor)
for adults 65+
Note that the above recommendations are for healthy adults who received
all recommended childhood immunizations. Your doctor may recommend a
different schedule for you based on your health history and other risk factors.
The latest chocolate research
Here’s a sweet idea: A heart-healthy diet may
include a daily dose of chocolate. In a study of nearly
21,000 adults, 4 in 5 participants reported eating up
to 3.5 ounces of chocolate daily. Those who ate the
most chocolate had an 11 percent lower risk of heart
disease and a 25 percent lower risk of heart disease-related
death compared with those who ate none. They also enjoyed a
lower stroke risk.
Scientists believe the health benefits of chocolate may come from flavanols,
substances in cocoa beans that have antioxidant effects and also help lower blood
pressure, and improve vascular function. However, keep in mind that chocolate
is also high in calories, fat and sugar, so add it to your diet in moderation.
Previous research has indicated that dark chocolate has the most heart benefits.
Cleaner mouth, healthier heart?
The link between oral health and heart health has been
supported by previous research, but scientists don’t fully understand the connection. New research on mice published in May
may help shed light on why people with untreated periodontal
disease are at higher risk of developing heart disease.
Researchers uncovered a receptor on cells that interacts with
mouth bacteria. This receptor also interacts with other receptors
2
to produce a protein that increases inflammation in the body,
which has been shown to contribute to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
While periodontal disease often doesn’t cause symptoms in
its early stages, visiting your dentist for regular cleanings and
checkups can help keep your teeth healthy and identify and
treat any problems early.
FA L L 2 0 1 5
Images on any of these pages may be from © 2015 iStock and/or © 2015 Fotolia.
10 ways to burn
100 calories
Vaccine
Getting ready for knee
replacement surgery
I
f you have arthritis or another condition affecting your knee,
you and your doctor may have decided that knee replacement
surgery is your best treatment option. Like many people, you
may find the prospect of surgery a little unnerving. But you can
take heart: Joint replacement surgery is a common procedure;
more than 600,000 Americans have a knee replaced each year.*
And many patients report that their only regret is not having
done it sooner.
You play a vital role on your health care team, and steps you
take before and after your surgery can help determine the success of your treatment. Use these checklists to get ready.
Prepare your mind
Learning all you can about the procedure and what to
expect before, during and after surgery can help you feel more
prepared.
 Ask your surgeon to explain what kind of prosthesis
(artificial joint) you will receive and how it will be put in place.
Find out how long it’s expected to last and what you can do to
keep it working well.
 Ask how long you can expect to be in the hospital,
when you may be able to return to normal activities and what
kind of rehabilitation you will need.
 Discuss options for anesthesia with your surgeon
and anesthesiologist. Find out how your pain will be managed following the surgery.
 Visit the dentist. An infection in your new joint can
occur if bacteria enter the bloodstream somewhere else in your
body, such as from a dental procedure. Therefore, you should
arrange to have dental work completed before your surgery.
Prepare your home
Making a few modifications around your home can help
keep you safe during your recovery.
 Install safety bars in your shower or bath. A stable
bench or chair for the shower is a good idea.
 Secure handrails along stairways.
 If you have a low toilet, install a toilet seat riser
with arms.
 Set up a temporary living space on one floor to
avoid having to go up or down stairs. It should include a stable
chair with arms and a firm seat cushion and back. Find a footstool to elevate your leg.
 Remove all loose rugs and cords, and make sure you’ll
have enough room to move around with crutches or a walker.
 Arrange for temporary help with everyday tasks
such as cooking, bathing and doing laundry. A social worker
at Baptist Beaumont Hospital can help arrange for someone
to come to your home, if you don’t have a friend or family
member who can help you. 
* Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, www.aaos.org.
Prepare your body
Getting in shape in the weeks leading up to your surgery can help
reduce the risk of complications and shorten your recovery time.
 Exercise. Ask your doctor about exercises you can do
before surgery to help maintain the strength of your leg
muscles. Strengthening your upper body will make it easier
to use crutches or a walker during your recovery.
 If you smoke, quit — or at least cut down. Smoking
slows healing and recovery. Your doctor can recommend tools
to help you quit.
 Watch your diet and your waistline. Losing excess
weight will relieve stress on your new joint. Eat a nutritious,
well-balanced diet.
We’re ready when you are
The Joint Rejuvenation Center at Baptist Beaumont
Hospital invites you to explore the possibilities for reducing your knee pain and getting back to the lifestyle you
desire. Visit www.bhset.net/Orthopedics or call
(409) 212-7284 today to explore all the great things
we can do.
w w w. b h s e t . n e t
!
3
6 ways to
outsmart the flu
this season
T
he single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated every year, as soon as the
flu vaccine is available in your area. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends six ways you can prevent germ spread:
Avoid close contact. Keeping your distance from
friends and family who are sick can keep you from getting sick, as well.
Stay home when you’re sick. If you do get sick, staying home
2 is your best bet. Not only will proper rest help you get better,
but it also cuts down the number of people who come in contact
with the virus.
Cover your mouth and nose. When coughing or
3 sneezing, you can cut down on germ spread by covering
your mouth and nose with a tissue or even your sleeve.
Clean your hands. Cleaning your hands often is key to
4 preventing the flu. Wash your hands with soap and water
or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to kill germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. This is
5 one of the most common ways flu is spread.
Practice other good health habits. Keeping physically
6 active, getting plenty of sleep, managing stress, eating well
and drinking plenty of fluids are just a few ways that you can
stay healthy this flu season.
Another way to help avoid the flu is with the CDC’s free FluView
app at www.cdc.gov/flu/apps/fluview-mobile-app.html.
Through this app, you can see how severe flu outbreaks are in
your area during the flu season. 
1
1
4
2
3
4
FA L L 2 0 1 5
5
6
Exercise snacks: Keeping
workouts short and sweet
M
any of us lead busy lives and finding time to stay fit
may seem impossible. But, recent studies indicate
that staying healthy may take far less time than we
thought. While you may not get six-pack abs in 30 seconds a
day, short bursts of exercise spaced throughout the day may put
you on the fast track to better health.
Interval-style exercise
Often when we think about exercise, our views are of traditional exercise such as taking a 30-minute walk. But, scientists
are increasingly finding that using more condensed strenuous
exercise sessions, sort of an “exercise snack,” multiple times in
one day may be just as healthy as more traditional exercise. For
instance, instead of taking a 30-minute walk, an exercise snack
approach may have you alternate brisk and slow walking for
12 minutes, then repeat this twice more throughout the day.
These short exercises share the basic principles of interval
training, which has become very popular in the fitness world.
Any activity that rapidly increases your heart rate and leaves you
panting can be used as an exercise snack, such as:
 Swimming vigorously
 Jumping rope intensely
 Biking in bursts
 Doing jumping jacks
Recent studies have examined how this sort of exercise can
affect our health. One study in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology found that running for an average of as
little as five minutes a day could significantly lower the risk
of premature death. This study looked at those who ran any
amount versus those who did no running. Those who ran for
hours per week at a fast pace received health benefits, but so
did people who ran an average of only five or ten minutes per
day. Both groups had noticeably lower risk of premature death
than those who did not run. The researchers believe that it’s not
running itself that is the key, but instead individuals partaking
in moderately intense exercise on a regular basis — even if only
for a few minutes a day.
Another small study published in Diabetologia looked at
these exercise snacks and how they compare to a traditional,
continuous workout. It examined how exercise affected blood
sugar levels throughout the day for people who had blood sugar
problems. Findings showed that having multiple short exercises
before each meal was more beneficial for blood sugar levels than
a continuous workout once per day.
Find your pace
No matter your approach, it is recommended that you get
75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate
exercise per week. If you’re interested in trying out the exercise
snack approach to fitness, talk with your doctor at Baptist
Beaumont Hospital. He or she can help determine what
exercises are appropriate for you. 
w w w. b h s e t . n e t
5
Stroke interventions:
Know your options
Three simple questions
that can uncover stroke
Is someone you know having a stroke? Ask them
these questions:
1. “ Can you smile?” One side of the face may droop.
2. “ Can you raise both arms?” One may drift
downward.
3. “ Can you repeat this simple phrase?” Speech
may sound slurred or odd.
If you notice any of these stroke warning signs, call
for emergency assistance right away.
T
hanks to advances in medicine over the past decade, more
patients than ever are surviving strokes. However, for
treatment to be successful and minimize stroke-related
disability, seeking help immediately is critical. (See “Three
simple questions that can uncover stroke.”)
Here’s a closer look at the treatment options:
 Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can be administered via IV, or directly into the clot via a thin tube called
a catheter — a process known as intra-arterial treatment.
Considered the gold standard for treatment of ischemic strokes
(about 85 percent of strokes fall into this category), the medication works to dissolve clots that are blocking blood flow to the
brain. Most patients will need to seek medical care within three
hours of the onset of symptoms to be eligible for this treatment.
 Clot retrievers are small mechanical devices inserted into
affected arteries, trapping clots and either removing them or
breaking them up to restore blood flow. In recent years, research
has been mixed on the effectiveness of these devices. But, as some
experts point out, this may have been because studies included
earlier generations of retrievers, which weren’t as effective.
 A combination of tPA and mechanical devices
may help some patients avoid serious disability. In January,
the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that
found a dual approach using the clot-busting drug tPA and
clot retrievers helped restore functional independence in certain
stroke patients more effectively than tPA treatment alone.
 Surgical clips or coils to stabilize weaknesses in blood
vessel walls are treatment options for those experiencing a
hemorrhagic stroke, which causes bleeding in the brain.
 Balloon angioplasty and mesh screens called
stents may help open up a blocked blood vessel and prevent
a stroke from occurring in the first place. 
Telemedicine technology
Telemedicine makes it possible for healthcare providers to “see”
patients remotely with the help of computers, cameras and even
robots. It allows local medical staff to collaborate closely with
specialists, even when they are miles apart.
Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas is always working to bring
the latest advancements to our community. Our telemedicine
opportunities are rapidly expanding with the potential to improve
care in cost-efficient ways and will help healthcare providers work
together to provide personalized care, close to home.
6
FA L L 2 0 1 5
Chicken vegetable
soup with kale
This hearty soup has it all! Nutritious vegetables, grains and protein come together in a highfiber, low-fat, low-sodium soup.
Ingredients
Directions
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ cup onion (chopped)
½ cup carrot (chopped)
1 teaspoon thyme (ground)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 cups water (or chicken broth)
¾ cup tomatoes (diced)
1 cup chicken, cooked, skinned
and cubed
½ cup brown rice, cooked
1 cup kale (chopped, about one large leaf )
 Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Add
onion and carrot. Saute until vegetables are
tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
 Add thyme and garlic. Saute for 1 more
minute.
 Add water or broth, tomatoes, chicken,
cooked rice and kale.
 Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serves 3. Per serving: 180 calories, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 17 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates,
3 g dietary fiber, 85 mg sodium.
Recipe courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recipefinder.nal.usda.gov.
w w w. b h s e t . n e t
7
cycle-logo_2options_v2.ai
For questions or comments, please email
us at [email protected].
Printed With Soy Ink
Printed With Soy Ink
Please Recycle This Publication
Please Recycle This Publication
Printed With Soy Ink
Please Recycle This Publication
Printed With Soy Ink
Please Recycle This Publication
© 2015 Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas
Baptist Beaumont Hospital
P.O. Box 1591
Beaumont, Texas 77704-9941
Nonprofit Organization
US POSTAGE
PAID
Lebanon Junction, KY
Permit No. 115