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(Left to right) Drs. Short, Murphy and Strickland with Chrys Davis, MSN, FNP, of Obstetrical & Gynecological Associates, Inc.

Women’s health care involves obstetrical and gynecological specialties. These specialties are the focus of the all-female practice of Obstetrical & Gynecological Associates Inc., at Glendale Medical Center, 1101 East Glendale Boulevard, in Valparaiso.

“As women, we understand women. We treat and empower individuals to make their own health care decisions,” says Cheryl Short, M.D., Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The practice also includes Jennifer Murphy, M.D., FACOG; Crystal Strickland, M.D., FACOG; and Chrys Davis, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner.

Treating the whole patient is both the philosophy and the practice of Dr. Bethany Cataldi, D.O., at her Center for Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery LLC., located at 9120 Columbia Avenue, Suite A, in Munster.

“My philosophy in treating a patient is that treatment should be directed at treating not only the disease or pathology but also any social, environmental, and familial factors that may affect the patient’s care,” Dr. Cataldi says. “Consequently, I spend as much time as necessary with each patient in my practice. I do not delegate any patient care or treatment to my support staff or an ancillary practitioner,” she says.

As you gain weight, your skin becomes elastic, stretching over the body’s increasing fat deposits. Losing weight rapidly through bariatric surgery, for example, can result in sagging skin.

Usually this “acquired skin laxity” results when between 50 and 250 pounds are lost, says Jeffrey Flagg, M.D., a board certified plastic surgeon who has practices in Merrillville and Tinley Park, Ill. “Think of a balloon that stretches out under the skin. This happens over a period of time. But when you lose weight rapidly, the skin cannot rebound,” Dr. Flagg said.

Body contouring uses various technologies to remove and tighten up the skin and is one of the elective aesthetic surgical procedures patients can choose at Methodist Hospitals in Merrillville. The surgeries are done in a specific order over time and take between three to six months of recovery between each one.

You already know by now that eating well and exercising keep you from putting on the typical holiday pounds. And that’s important. But what’s even more important is simply having enough energy to get through the hustle and bustle of the season. With all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, wrapping and entertaining you’ll be doing in the next couple of months, you’ll definitely need a boost to keep going at full force—or at least to avoid crashing on the couch after turkey dinner.

In this special section, health care experts from all over the region give their advice on how to stay refreshed and rejuvenated during the holidays. This holiday season, don’t let stress and sluggishness get the best of you. Learn how to get refreshed.

FOOD & DRINK
You’ll learn about the best energy-inducing foods and drinks you can enjoy at home, on the go and at a party.

» Rescue your holiday diet
» Get a liquid boost

The demands of 21st century life create stress, especially during the holidays with its increased activities and family interactions. Dealing with and relieving that stress can make the difference between a positive or negative holiday experience.

While exercise is a great stress preventer and stress reliever, “there are other ways to deal with stress when it invades your world,” says Martha Lowery, Wellness Coordinator at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond. “Meditation and yoga are both wonderful ways to keep us centered as well as bring us back from the brink,” Lowry says.

Omar Shamsi, M.D., helps patients in the Healthy 4 Life program at Methodist Hospitals’ ReStart Center at the Southlake Campus. (Photograph provided by Methodist Hospitals.)

Obesity is becoming epidemic, with 21 percent of America’s population already considered obese and 3 to 5 percent morbidly or excessively obese.

Methodist Hospitals’ ReStart Center at the Southlake Campus provides hope for area residents who face this chronic, life-threatening disease through its weight loss, wellness and surgery solutions. The Healthy 4 Life program at the ReStart Center helps patients make lifestyle changes rather than “diet,” says Omar Shamsi, M.D., board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dieting has a negative connotation associated with deprivation. Instead, the Healthy 4 Life program emphasizes “how can I make changes and enjoy life,” Dr. Shamsi says. Some of these lifestyle changes provide the primary solution to weight loss. Others prepare the client for bariatric surgery, then help with nutritional challenges following surgery, he says.

Despite the intense advertising hype, “energy drinks” won’t solve the problem of the afternoon fade many people experience, nor will they boost an athlete’s performance, say local registered dietitians.

In fact, these drinks marketed to competing and recreational athletes and people with demanding work and school schedules may actually worsen fatigue and cause harmful side effects, they say.

Most energy drinks, such as Red Bull and Venom, contain 75 to 85 mg of caffeine, which is a central nervous system stimulant. Newer products such as Rock Star Energy Shots are ratcheted up to 200 mg of caffeine, while extreme products such as FIXX have 500 mg of caffeine in a 20-ounce serving, says Vanessa Provins, RD and clinical dietitian at Porter Hospital in Valparaiso. That’s equivalent to five cups, or 40 ounces of strong, brewed coffee. This high caffeine level has the potential to cause caffeine intoxication characterized by such symptoms as heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats, constant fatigue, hyperactivity, irritability and facial flushing.

Five area Sisters of Saint Francis Health Services Inc., hospitals have achieved national recognition, garnering excellence awards and top rating from HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings organization.

Saint Margaret Mercy hospitals in Hammond and Dyer; Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers in Michigan City; Saint Anthony Medical Center of Crown Point; and Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster were recognized by HealthGrades for superior patient outcomes across a broad spectrum of clinical areas.

“The latest ratings confirm that we’re headed in the right direction, thanks to the tireless work of our physicians and employees, who renew their unwavering commitment to high-quality patient care every day. I salute them,” says Gene Diamond, Northern Indiana Region CEO.

It’s estimated that about half of American women get less than 70 percent of the magnesium required for good health.

Magnesium, the main component of Epsom salt, is easily absorbed through the skin, which means bathing in Epsom salt can help reduce inflammation, improve heart and circulatory health, flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, and help the body to eliminate harmful substances. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood. Magnesium is also necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well-being and relaxation.

Magnesium is also available in the form of a supplement at Baums Natural Foods, which has locations in Merrillville, Munster and St. John. Taken daily with food, the P-5-P/Mag capsules promote immune system function, support nervous system function and offer significant benefits for heart health—an important asset for women.

Thyroid disorders affect some 27 million Americans, and women are five times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

In fact, women in their reproductive years—particularly those who have recently had babies—have a higher risk of developing infectious thyroiditis or inflammation of the thyroid gland, says an area internal medicine specialist. This gland, located in the front of the neck, is an important organ of the endocrine system. It produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which control metabolism, or the way all cells use energy.

However, “thyroid symptoms can be very nonspecific,” says Snezana Zubic, MD, with Porter County Primary Care in Valparaiso. “There is no cookbook approach, and one size doesn’t fit all. Care needs to be personalized.”

An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, is more unique and dramatic than hypothyroidism, or an underfunctioning thyroid gland, Zubic says, adding that both disorders need to be treated. “If you see a constellation of symptoms that can’t be explained by lifestyle changes, you should see a doctor,” she says.