Ocala Health System

Keeping Your Heart Its Healthiest During Cardiac Rehabilitation

If you have suffered a heart attack, cardiac arrest, or any other serious heart condition, your doctor may recommend a cardiac rehabilitation program to help reduce your chances of heart problems in the future. Take Charge! Rehab & Fitness Program with Ocala Health is designed for patient success, and it may be the first step on your path to a lifetime of better health.  If you decide that this is the best course of action for you, the suggestions below can help you maximize the benefits of the program.

Set Up Healthy Rewards
As you start to eat better and gain more physical strength with regular exercise, you should take pride in your accomplishments so that you are motivated to do more. You might consider rewarding your progress in a healthy way by going out to a movie, shopping for a new outfit, or planning a relaxing night in with your significant other.

Plan for Success
Clear goals will be an important part of your progress throughout any cardiac rehabilitation program. You might work with your nurse or physician to outline reasonable fitness goals and diet changes, and these will help to guide your success from the start. To accomplish the goals you set, you might use tools such as a daily planner, detailed heart-healthy grocery lists, and the enlistment of a friend or family member to be your exercise partner.

Accept New Challenges
While you will want to set boundaries so that you do not hurt yourself by taking on too much physical activity, you should remain willing to take on small new challenges each week to sustain your progress. Just an extra few yards of walking or eating a couple more servings of vegetables can make a significant impact on your heart and your attitude.

For a complete look at your heart health and additional information about the Take Charge! Program, contact Ocala Health through our Consult-A-Nurse referral line at (866) 511-3768. You can also connect with us on our website to see what sets our cardiovascular services apart.

Get to Know Our Emergency Department

When you are in need of prompt medical care, it is important to understand where to turn for quick attention from an experienced ER team. You can find the fully-staffed, around-the-clock care you expect from an emergency department at West Marion Community Hospital and Ocala Regional Medical Center.

As this video explains, both hospitals are dedicated to shortening wait times, providing professional care for a wide range of conditions, and reducing the damage caused by serious emergency medical situations such as heart attack and stroke. For care to manage emergency conditions that are not life-threatening, West Marion Community Hospital offers Quick Care in addition to standard emergency services.

To check current wait times at Ocala Regional Medical Center and West Marion Community Hospitals, visit our website or text ER to 23000. For answers to your medical questions, or for a physician referral, please call our Consult-A-Nurse line at (866) 511-3768.

Understanding the Importance of Screening in Cancer Treatment

Cancer care has evolved significantly over the past several decades with improved diagnostic and treatment technologies as well as public awareness of the causes of cancer. Screening and prevention play a significant role in the fight against cancer, and programs have been put in place to make screenings more readily available to communities around the country. Below are some of the benefits of screening procedures, and their impact on treatment.

Simplifying Treatment
Screening procedures are capable of identifying cancer when it is in the earliest stages of the disease. During these stages, symptoms are generally not noticeable, so screening is the only way of knowing that cancer may be present. Making a diagnosis at this point can be incredibly valuable for care, because the cancer has not had the chance to spread to other healthy tissues. For example, lung cancer that has been diagnosed through a CT chest scan may be identified long before the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, so treatment can be targeted only in the lung tissue.

Reducing Fatalities
When treatment is utilized in earlier stages of the cancer, there is a dramatically lower risk of fatality caused by the disease. There is also a lower chance for cancer recurrence when screening and early care are prioritized in cancer treatment.

Approaching Prevention
Most screening procedures do not actually prevent cancer, but these tests do bring the field of oncology closer to managing cancer from a preventive standpoint. In addition, there are some screenings that can pinpoint a high risk for certain cancers before they actually develop. A colonoscopy, for instance, can identify pre-cancerous polyps in the colon that can be removed before cancer is ever able to grow.

If you want to learn about procedures for your unique circumstances, you can find a doctor through Ocala Health by calling our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare referral line at (866) 511-3768. For additional information about the screening procedures and treatments offered at Ocala Health, visit us on the web.

Know What Factors Are Preventing You from Healthy Living by Reading These Articles

Don’t let wayward health habits such as overeating or lack of exercise prevent you from having the fulfilling life you deserve. These articles detail how everyday behaviors factor into your overall wellness.

• Too many sedentary activities and fast food meals can quickly bring on obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains the rising occurrence of obesity in the United States.
• One major health risk of obesity is heart disease. The American Heart Association describes the consequences of excessive weight on your cardiovascular system.
• The American Stroke Association discusses how physical activity can decrease both obesity and your risk for stroke.
• The link between obesity and type 2 diabetes is well-documented. The American Diabetes Association gives readers some helpful dietary suggestions that can prevent excessive weight and the onset of diabetes.
• Did you know that not sleeping enough could also influence your risk for obesity? The National Institutes of Health reports on why you should get enough rest each night.

Ocala Health offers a wide array of preventative and treatment services for patients in the greater Ocala region. If you are suffering from obesity, call us today at (866) 511-3768 for help. Among many healthcare options, we provide bariatric surgery for eligible patients and cardiovascular treatment for heart disease sufferers.

Are You Getting Enough Sleep at Night?

Eating right and exercising regularly are central to having a strong and healthy body, but they aren’t the only habits necessary for complete wellness. Unfortunately, many people fail to consider their sleeping habits as important to their wellbeing. As a result, millions of Americans regularly deprive themselves of slumber, which can lead to significant health concerns both now and in the future. If you aren’t sleeping enough, or are suffering from a sleeping disorder, Ocala Health can help. Seeing a medical professional sooner rather than later can greatly impact your quality of life.

The Dangers of Inadequate Sleep
The health hazards of sleep deprivation can manifest in many ways. Getting too few hours of rest can result in reckless driving or work behaviors that may cause harm to yourself or others. However, the risks of insufficient sleep go beyond drowsy-induced accidents. Long-term sleep deprivation can heighten a person’s chances of experiencing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The Recommended Amount of Sleep
The amount of sleep that an individual needs for health and wellbeing varies from person to person. Most people require anywhere between seven to 10 hours of sleep each night for optimal functioning. Even if you believe you don’t need 10 hours of sleep, beware of trying to reduce your nightly quota too severely. Studies have found that trying to get by on less than six hours of sleep each night can be detrimental to one’s health.

The Benefits of Sufficient Sleep
With adequate sleep comes the reduced risk of major health conditions. However, getting enough sleep can translate into a more enjoyable and efficient life as well. Being well-rested can elevate your mood, reduce stress, and allow you to focus more easily on tasks at hand. So when it comes to experiencing a healthy and happy life, don’t forget to get a good night’s rest!

Would you like to learn more about what you can do to improve your health? Contact Ocala Health at (866) 511-3768. Our healthcare team offers a wide range of preventative and treatment options aimed at increasing your total wellbeing. If you require immediate medical assistance, we encourage our patients to use our iTriage Symptom Checker.