'tips' posts

Being diagnosed with cancer is the beginning of a difficult time. The entire process – from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship – can be exhausting. And, I am sure that when you have questions that come up, you would like to have them answered, respectfully and responsively.

As health professionals we want to ensure that you, your family, friends and caregivers have access to all resources available at the Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI). For this reason, Swedish launched a customized phone line tailored to the Cancer Institute where callers can find out more information on services available.

Whether you want to know more about different treatment options, learn more about research studies or locate community cancer resources, I am here to assist you. If you are a new patient and would like to be seen by a provider at the Swedish Cancer Institute, I can help get the process started for you by connecting you with the most appropriate SCI specialist.

To put a story behind the voice over the phone, I would like to officially introduce myself to the Swedish community! I am Swedish’s Integrated Care Services Coordinator and Telephone Liaison for the Swedish Cancer Institute and True Family Women’s Cancer Center – which means I get to work with the entire network of Swedish campuses (including First Hill, Cherry Hill, Issaquah, Ballard and Edmonds) and can help you get connected to the appropriate areas of service that you may need.

I can help to answer any questions you may have, or connect you to the following:

The holidays are amazing for so many reasons, among them the extra time with loved ones and the pretty decorations draped over anything that will stand still. At the top of this list for me though is the food. I can’t get enough roasted root veggies and pumpkin-flavored…everything. Of course, the holidays have also become a time of overindulgence in such tasty treats. So how do we take advantage of these wonderful seasonal delights in a healthy way?

Since your mind is probably already filled with lists (presents, holiday cards, naughty/nice?), I’ll keep this one short:

Thanksgiving has passed but the power of gratitude is timeless. As a Health Education Specialist for Swedish, I get the pleasure of working with wonderful patients, clinicians and staff every day. For this I am endlessly thankful. But how often do I express that?

How often do you express thanks to those in your life (coworkers, family, friends, random strangers?) who get you through bad moments, bad days or bad years even? Appreciation never goes out of style and even though the official holiday of thanks has passed, let me use this time to thank you all: blog readers, Facebook followers, patients,  providers and any and everybody that is part of the larger Swedish family.

It is amazing how far a simple phrase like “thank you” can go so why don’t we say it more? Ask ...

A lot of parents have questions about the flu vaccine and many parents refuse the vaccine as they feel it does not very effective. Some parents are concerned about vaccines in general and refuse vaccinating their child as they don’t want to administer “another vaccine” to their child. The best way to prevent getting flu is by vaccination.

What is flu (Influenza)?

Flu (influenza) is not just a common cold or a stomach virus as most people think. Influenza usually occurs during the winter in our region although it can occur all year around in other parts of the world. It can be a serious respiratory illness that can lead to complications especially in children and older adults. Symptoms are generally similar to any other common cold infections and can vary from fever, runny nose, nose congestion, cough, body aches and headaches. The body aches and headaches are mostly reported by older children and adults. Children may not be able to explain their symptoms and may just be fussy.

Most children get over the flu without any complications. In some children and adults, however, it can lead to serious complications including pneumonia.

How to prevent the flu:

Influenza is ...

When people think of the Pacific Northwest, they often think of rain. Especially during non-summer months, water never seems to be in short supply in our region. So it seems strange that many of us aren’t getting as much water as our bodies need.

Every cell and tissue in your body needs water to survive and without it, you could be left high and dry. Thirst is the first sign that your body is dehydrated which means we should be drinking water even before we think we need it.

What are other signs of dehydration?

Chicken soup and orange juice are popular home remedies when a cold or flu strikes. But can certain foods really make us feel better, or is it just folklore?

“There is no clear consensus about whether or not certain foods can help us ward off or relieve illness,” explains Richard Lindquist, M.D., Medical Program Director at Swedish Weight Loss Services. “However, certain foods do contribute to overall health, and that can help us withstand exposure to illnesses.”

The body needs energy to fight off illness, and good foods like healthy proteins, and antioxidant-rich, bright colored fruits and vegetables, provide that energy. And what about Grandma’s chicken soup? 

“Although a Nebraska Medical Center study did conclude that chicken soup appeared to help participants fight off colds, I wonder whether or not other factors like a healthy diet or regular hand washing contributed to these outcomes,” says Dr. Lindquist. “However, chicken soup combined with plenty of rest and fluids can’t hurt when you’re feeling under the weather.”

One thing we can be sure of is that eating the wrong foods can certainly contribute to us become ill. “If we are deficient in protein, vitamins and nutrients, our bodies are less able to fight off illness,” explains Dr. Lindquist. “Additionally, foods that cause us to put on extra weight are detrimental to our immune system. Excess fat tissue causes inflammation in the body, which compromises our immune system and makes us vulnerable to viruses.”

Even if we’re eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones, cold and flu viruses are highly contagious and can attack even the healthiest individuals. For this reason, it’s a good idea to take other steps to protect yourself. “The best thing you can do to prevent illness is to avoid exposure to infectious sources,” advises Dr. Lindquist. “The next best thing is making sure your immune system is up to par, and that includes good nutrition.” Some tips for avoiding, or at least decreasing, your exposure to illness include:

It is that time of the year when we get together with family and friends at Thanksgiving to eat heaping platefulls of turkey with greasy gravy, green bean casserole and rich pumpkin pie with whipped cream. How about seconds! This can be a difficult scenario for someone with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). People with GERD may be bothered with very troublesome symptoms after ingesting large amounts of rich food.

What is GERD?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, as it is commonly called, is a condition where you are bothered by burning chest pain behind their breast bone. This commonly occurs after meals or during the night. You also may experience regurgitation of gastric contents up into the throat, causing coughing and difficulty breathing. It may be common for many people who usually do not have GERD problems to have some GERD symptoms following a large Thanksgiving meal. Other people, however, may have these symptoms on a much more frequent basis.

What causes GERD?

With the swallowing process, food ...