The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is not about
dieting, it’s about a lifestyle. Weight concerns
are often highlighted around the holidays as we
are eating more and exercising less.
This is also the season when we’ll see countless
articles about holiday weight gain. It’s commonly believed that Americans gain, on average, 5-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and
New Year’s. It turns out that the average gain is
closer to 1 pound — but that, according to a
study, is a pound you never lose. After a few
decades that annual pound can lead to obesity.
Volume 5, Issue 12
Do you have a
medical or social
So how do you know if your weight is healthy? One way to begin to determine whether your weight is a healthy one is to calculate your "body mass
index" (BMI). For most people, BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness. It
is calculated based on your height and weight.
service concern?
To calculate BMI: simply divide your weight in pounds (lbs.) by your height
in inches (in) squared and multiply by a conversion factor of 703. Here is an
example:
877.223.2350 or
Weight = 150 lbs.
Height = 5'5" (65")
Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96
www.ConnectCare3.com
If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the "underweight" range. If your
BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the "normal" or healthy weight range. If your
BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the "overweight" range. If your BMI is 30.0
or higher, it falls within the "obese" range.
Another way to assess your weight is to measure your waist size. Your waistline may tell you that you have a higher risk of developing obesity-related
conditions if you are:
• A man whose waist circumference is more than 40 inches
• A non-pregnant woman whose waist circumference is more than 35
inches
Excessive abdominal fat is serious because it places you at greater risk for
developing obesity-related conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, high blood
cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. Individuals who have excessive abdominal fat should consult with their
physicians, dietician, or other health care providers to develop a plan for losing weight.
Please call:
visit our website at
Inside this issue:
The Grapefruit Risk
2
Employee Spotlight
3
Happy Holidays from
CC3
3
Pt. Testimonial
4
Volume 5, Issue 12
Page 2
The Grapefruit Risk
Most people are aware that certain medications can interact with other
medications leading to adverse reactions. But sometimes foods can interact with medications as well. Most recently, grapefruit has been getting
some press for causing serious adverse reactions with certain medications.
In a new report released in late November in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers at the University of Western Ontario said that
while 17 drugs were identified in 2008 as having the potential to cause serious problems when taken with grapefruit, this number has now grown to
43.
"The frequency of these reactions may be small, but the risks are not worth
it, especially for drugs which could cause sudden death," said lead study author David Bailey, a professor of pharmacology and one of the first to report the interactions between grapefruit juice and certain
medications 20 years ago. "Physicians need to know that this affects a number of new drugs and apply
this information to their practice and patients."
So how does a common breakfast fruit cause these problems? Grapefruits contain chemicals called
furanocoumarins that interfere with how your body breaks down drugs before they enter the bloodstream. By preventing this normal breakdown of a drug, these chemicals in grapefruit can effectively
cause a drug overdose and more severe side-effects.
Among the side effects sometimes seen with grapefruit-induced overdoses are heart rhythm problems, kidney failure, muscle breakdown, difficulty with breathing, and blood clots. Lipitor, taken by millions of Americans, is one of the drugs that have been linked to serious cases of drug
toxicity when combined with grapefruit products. Other common heart
medications - including verapamil and amiodarone - have also led to
serious interactions when consumed with grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
As little as one grapefruit or one 8-ounce glass of grapefruit juice can
cause an effect that may last more than 24 hours. Other fruits including
Seville oranges, limes, and pomelos can have the same effect, although
sweet orange varieties do not produce this interaction. For consumers,
the best advice may be to ask a doctor or pharmacist when they are prescribed a new drug whether
there are foods or other medicines that they should avoid.
The content of this newsletter is provided for informational and educational purposes only in order to assist you in making your own informed decisions about your
care and treatment options. The content of this newsletter does not constitute medical advice or opinion in any manner whatsoever. The content of this newsletter should never be substituted in place of medical advice/opinion from a licensed physician. All questions regarding your specific diagnosis and treatment should
always be directed to a licensed physician.
Volume 5, Issue 12
Page 3
Sandy Atkins, Education Coordinator,
joins ConnectCare3 Team
Sandy Atkins joined the staff of ConnectCare3 in November 2012. She resides in Mountville, PA
with her husband. She is the mother of two grown sons, both living in the local area. She also
has a granddaughter, age 7, who visits Grammy's house for a sleepover once a month. Sandy
and her husband, Mike, enjoy kayaking, hiking, biking, and a good movie. Sandy is a graduate
of Millersville University and has worked for 20 years in the non-profit field of higher education,
working with a consortium of more than 150 private, independent colleges and universities
throughout the United States. Sandy managed the consortium’s central office, worked with the
Board of Directors, served as the financial manager, and gave presentations at the consortium’s
annual member meetings. Before joining the consortium, Sandy’s background included administration responsibilities while working for a local insurance and investment broker and included preparing proposals for group health plans. Sandy is excited to be a part of the ConnectCare3 team and to provide information on how CC3 services can help patients and their families
to become better consumers of healthcare and to get the individual care and treatment that is
right for them. She is looking forward to spreading the word about ConnectCare3 benefits to
our insured groups and employees.
Happy Holidays from the ConnectCare3 Team
LaRue McManus, R.N., Nurse Navigator
Jannifer Cayless, R.N., Nurse Navigator
Karen Osborne, R.N., M.S.N., Nurse Navigator
Stephanie Mesaric, R.N., M.S., Nurse Navigator
Elizabeth McKay, R.N., Nurse Navigator
Jean Good, R.N., Nurse Navigator
Michelle Gilmore, Patient Advocate
Ann Linkey, Patient Advocate
Beverly James, Education Coordinator
Sandy Atkins, Education Coordinator
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
“Having someone out there who will listen to your fears without judgment,
who will take the time to break down medical and scientific concepts so
you can actually process and absorb the information, who will gather information on alternative treatments and providers so you make informed
decisions - well, there’s just no value you can place on that.”
~Cheryl Hansberry
Lancaster, PA
Six years after a double cervical fusion, I was at a crossroads: either continue to overmedicate and deal
with unpleasant side effects or under-medicate and be in constant pain.
I knew something needed to change, but I was afraid of going back to my treating physician to ask for
help. What if he thought I was faking or engaging in drug-seeking behavior? What if he thought I was
histrionic and exaggerating? Should I go back to the rheumatologist? Should I find another specialist?
Maybe a neurologist or orthopedist? I just didn’t know how to move through what for me had become a
medical crisis.
When I called CC3 and explained that I was using more and more medicine with less and less relief, the
first question I was asked was, “What medications are you on?” I rattled off a half-dozen and described
what symptoms each one addressed.
Then I was asked, “What’s your diagnosis?” Sadly, I couldn’t give an answer. Even though I had been
on various anti-inflammatories and analgesics over the years, I didn’t know what my diagnosis was. All I
knew was that my rheumatologist and family doctors were treating the symptom of “pain” in the various
forms I was experiencing it. Because my focus was on pain, all I really wanted was for that pain to stop. I
didn’t much care why I had pain; I just knew I had it.
I had been seeking treatment from specialists on my own, even though I knew it wasn’t the wisest way to
manage my health. The ConnectCare3 nurse helped me appreciate the value of identifying and understanding my diagnoses and the necessity of developing a unified strategy to properly deal with the
disease process.
The ConnectCare3 nurse was right. The care I was receiving from the various physicians needed to be
coordinated, and I needed to obtain a diagnosis. I made an appointment with a new doctor in my family
practice group. I gave the doctor a document I’d created which summarized past and present symptoms, the methods utilized in attempting to obtain relief, and the success or failure of those methods.
To my utter surprise and delight, this fresh interaction with the physician resulted in a completely new
action plan. Some medications were decreased, some were discontinued, and a new one was added to
take the place of ineffective ones. It took a couple of visits to get everything properly adjusted, but side
effects are now quite tolerable, and my pain state is greatly reduced. I’m living more fully and joyously
than ever.
I know my decisions would not have been as sound without the support of ConnectCare3’s staff. I would
have sought out yet another specialist and would have continued the piecemeal approach to addressing
my medical issues, without success.
Having someone out there who will listen to your fears without judgment, who will take the time to break
down medical and scientific concepts so you can actually process and absorb the information, who will
gather information on alternative treatments and providers so you make informed decisions - well,
there’s just no value you can place on that.