Do you remember what you ate the last time heartburn kept you up at night? Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux, and can be extremely uncomfortable, says Mills-Peninsula registered dietitian Donna deKay.
“Some of the foods we eat – such as coffee and chocolate – increase the amount of gastric acid we produce,” she says in this video segment from Healthpoint TV. Find out what foods to avoid and how to change your eating behaviors to help control heartburn.
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Small, cute and cuddly – it’s no wonder why we love babies. And at Mills-Peninsula the feeling seems to be mutual.
In this video from Healthpoint TV, you’ll hear directly from some of the families of our most adorable patients on why they love our Family Birth Center at the brand new Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame.
Some of the highlights of the the new Family Birth Center include:
• Spacious private rooms to accommodate your entire birth experience. Outside views – some overlooking gardens
• All rooms have 100 percent fresh air (no recycled air)
• An outdoor patio area for mothers, families and visitors
• Wireless monitors allow moms to walk outside their rooms without interrupting fetal heart rate monitoring
• All rooms have sleeping accommodations for an adult family member, refrigerator and large television
• Special care nursery (neonatal intensive care unit) has six rooms with sleeper accommodations for family
• Two C-section surgery and recovery rooms
• State-of-the-art infant security system
• Mom and baby stay together in the same suite
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Deborah Tauscher, emergency preparedness coordinator, Mills-Peninsula Health Services
In our January blog post on Emergency Preparedness, we offered tips on creating a disaster communications plan. Having all the phone numbers at hand and ready when you need them saves time and gives some comfort knowing you know where to go and who to call.
In this February Emergency Preparedness blog post, we’ll focus on water. Recommendations for personal water storage are usually one gallon of water per person per day. For many years, the general recommendation was to prepare a water supply for 72 hours. But this recommendation has recently changed. The current recommendation is to create a 7-10 day water supply.
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Did you know that men and women respond very differently to exercise? That’s because of physiological differences: Men have more muscle mass, while women tend to store fat.
In fact, women over the age of 45 need at least 60 minutes of exercise a day just to maintain and not gain weight!
This video segment from Healthpoint TV features tips for women on how to stay fit from Brooke Benjamin, a Mills-Peninsula exercise physiologist.
Want to learn more? Check out more fitness demonstration videos and tips from Brooke Benjamin on our blog:
Fitness Tips to Help Avoid Back Pain
Tips for Safe Exercise During Pregnancy
Top Trends in Fitness of the Future
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Do you know how to recognize symptoms of a stroke?
In this video segment from Healthpoint TV, Michael Kohn, M.D., Mills-Peninsula emergency physician and stroke program liaison, describes the tell-tale signs of a stroke and what to do if someone is showing signs of a stroke.
To identify a stroke, look for these symptoms:
• Facial droop
• Weakness in arms or legs
• Sudden loss of vision or vision change
• Difficulty speaking
• Difficulty walking
• Severe headache
During a stroke, just one of these symptoms can be present, or they can all occur together. If you suspect a person is experiencing a stroke, the first thing to do is call 911. The key, Dr. Kohn says, is to act fast. The faster a person gets treatment, the better chance they have of recovering without serious injury.
“Today, with prompt and optimal treatment, nearly 50 percent of people who suffer a stroke can escape without serious injury,” he says. “Twenty years ago only 20 percent of stroke survivors had a good outcome.” Mills-Peninsula Medical Center was the first certified stroke center in San Mateo County and is the primary receiving hospital for stroke care on the Peninsula.
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Christina Sullivlan, Auxiliary retail coordinator, the Healing Store
Inventory is on the shelves, and the volunteers are ready to assist you at the new Mills-Peninsula Healing Store at Mills Health Center in San Mateo.
The grand re-opening of our Healing Store is set for Tuesday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day. The Healing Store is a place where people can come to get a product that their clinician may be asking them to purchase as part of their therapy. It is a convenience for patients because it can save time – eliminating the need to go online to make the purchase or drive all over town to find your item — you can simply go straight to the Healing Store after your appointment. Or, if a book is recommended by your dietician, you can get it here, too. In addition to these therapeutic items, you can also find “healing” items such as fountains, salt lamps and music to help with calm and relaxation. We are continually adding some unique gift items to the store, as well.
On opening day, February 14, we are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – stop by to find the perfect gift for your Valentine or that much needed treat for yourself. Store hours will be limited initially, as we are still in need of volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please call Christina Sullivan at 650-696-4616 or email sullivc1@sutterhealth.org. We would love to hear from you, and look forward to expanding our store hours and serving the community with more volunteers.
All proceeds of both the Healing Store at Mills Health Center in San Mateo, and our gift shop at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame, benefit our medical scholarship program.
The Healing Store is located at Mills Health Center, 100 S. San Mateo Avenue, San Mateo , CA.
Christina Sullivan, Auxiliary retail coordinator, contributed to this blog post. Christina is Auxiliary retail coordinator of both the Mills-Peninsula Healing Store in San Mateo and the Mills-Peninsula gift shop at the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame.
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Did you know that ultrasound – that simple, painless test that allows parents to see their baby growing in the womb – can also be used to view almost any area of the body?
In women’s health exams, ultrasound can be an important tool for investigating pelvic symptoms such as abnormal menstrual bleeding, says Diana Baker, M.D., radiologist at the Women’s Center at the Mills Health Center in San Mateo. “Women who have spotting in between periods, or abnormal periods should see their doctor,” she says. “Many times doctors can figure out what is going on without ultrasound, but if they need a way to look at the uterus, or the lining of the uterus, they will send you for a pelvic ultrasound.”
Dr. Baker describes an ultrasound test, how it works and what it can detect in this video segment from Healthpoint TV.
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Dr. Harriet Borofsky, medical director of breast imaging at Mills-Peninsula's Women's Center
More than 200,000 new cases are detected every year; 4,500 here in the Bay Area. One in seven women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, making it the most common cancer among women. Although breast cancer survival rates have improved in recent years, the number of new cases is rising and the risk of developing the disease also increases with age. A woman’s chance of developing breast cancer at age 60 is 10 times higher than at age 50.
“The good news is that the past two decades have seen significant, life-saving new technologies in the area of early detection and diagnosis,” says Harriet Borofsky, M.D., medical director of breast imaging at Mills-Peninsula’s Women’s Center.
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Did you know that women are twice as likely as men to get osteoporosis, a condition that can lead to bone fractures?
Daily weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, and a diet rich in calcium can help strengthen your bones. In this video segment from Healthpoint TV, Mills-Peninsula registered dietitian Donna deKay looks at how much calcium you need and how to get more of the bone-saving nutrient in your diet.
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Pediatrician James Ferrara, M.D.
As you may have read in the news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reminding consumers to carefully read the labels of liquid acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol) marketed for infants to avoid giving the wrong dose to their children. Acetaminophen is commonly used to reduce fever and relieve pain. Giving the wrong dose of acetaminophen can cause the medication to be ineffective if too little is given or cause serious side effects if too much is given.
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