In the latest Share The Health, Dr. Sharon Joseph discusses the signs, symptoms, and treatment for the common stomach bug, or gastroenteritis.

If you do come down with G.I. symptoms, Dr. Joseph suggests we should try and stay hydrated. Drinking water is the best option, followed by a 50% mix of water and a low-sugar sports drink. If you cannot keep anything down, Dr. Joseph recommends seeing your primary care doctor. Most Bon Secours primary care locations offer same day appointments, you can find a clinic near you on our website.

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High blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure greater than 140 or diastolic pressure greater than 90.

Unfortunately, most people with high blood pressure feel no symptoms. Many many not even be aware they have high blood pressure.

While there are several safe and affective prescription medicines available, there are also some lifestyle changes which can reduce your risk and even improve high blood pressure.

• Have it checked regularly – many pharmacies and retail stores have free blood pressure machines. You can also purchase an at-home machine for under $50. Recently, several companies have even released blood pressure devices which work with your mobile smart phones – iPhones and Androids – and let you track your blood pressure over time.
• Regular exercise – walking, jogging, or more is one of the best ways to combat many health issues, including high blood pressure.
• Reduce salt intake – remember, salt doesn’t just come from the shaker on the table. Many processed and prepared foods are high in sodium as a preservative and flavor enhancer. Be sure to read labels and try and stay below 2,400 milligrams - thats just a little more than a teaspoon of salt!
• Talk to your doctor about your blood pressure. If you haven’t had a physical or check up in the last 12 months, it may be time to schedule one.

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It is still steamy up and down the East coast. Are you keeping cool and hydrated?

Dr. George Brengel of Commonwealth Internal Medicine discusses the warning signs of heat exhaustion and how to avoid it.

Dr. Brengel mentions the elderly as specifically susceptible to the effects of heat exposure. We encourage all of our friends to check on their elderly neighbors and family members while we are seeing these high 90s and 100s days.

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You can handle stress better when you are as healthy as possible, so eating nutritiously is a good defense against stress. The tips below focus on using nutrition to reduce the symptoms of stress.

• Avoid or limit caffeine. Coffee, tea, some soda pop, and chocolate contain caffeine. Caffeine causes you to feel “wound up,” which can make stressful situations seem more intense. If you drink a lot of caffeine, reduce the amount gradually. Stopping use of caffeine suddenly can cause headaches and make it hard to concentrate.
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. If you are feeling very stressed, you might be turning to alcohol for relief more often than you realize. If you drink, limit yourself to 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.
• Make mealtimes calm and relaxed. Try not to skip meals or eat on the run. Skipping meals can make stress-related symptoms worse. You may get a headache or a tight, tense feeling in your stomach. Eating on the run can cause indigestion. Use mealtime to relax, enjoy the flavor of your meal, and reflect on your day.
• Avoid eating to relieve stress. Some people turn to food to comfort themselves when they are under stress. This can lead to overeating and guilt. If this is a problem for you, try to replace eating with other actions that relieve stress, such as taking a walk, playing with a pet, or taking a bath.

For more information about eating right, see the topic Healthy Eating on the MyBonsecours web site. Visit www.mybonsecours. com and click Health Library under the myhealth tab.

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Thank you for all you do. Without you, countless many would not receive timely care. Thank you for being on call, for driving fast when it matters and for making quick decisions. Thank you for holding our hands, for helping with our pain and for always caring.

This week, we celebrate EMS week. Please join us by taking a few minutes out of your day to thank the amazing EMS crews who show up first when it all counts. You can leave a note of thanks in the comments on this blog or on our Facebook wall. Better yet, when you see an EMS worker, stop and say thanks in person, give them a hand shake or a hug.

To celebrate our EMS partners’ efforts and their impact on our community, Bon Secours is hosting EMS picnics at our area hospitals. All week long, you can nominate your favorite EMS worker at www.ipowerrichmond.com/category/contests.

Click to View Our EMS Tribute Video

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The triplets were born nearly three months premature at Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News, where advanced NICU services are not available. And in this case, like many others, the transport service was a critical component to the babies’ survival.

The Critical Care Transport is staffed by a dedicated NICU team, a service unlike any other in the community. In addition to the NICU team, there are specialized pediatric, maternal fetal and adult transport teams available for patients. The ambulance itself is specially designed and equipped, and its four-member NICU transport team is made up of a critical care nurse, a respiratory therapist and two emergency medical technicians. It’s a team that is available 24/7 – travelling within a 200-mile radius of St. Mary’s or further, if necessary.

“We see cases like the Vines’ regularly from hospitals across the commonwealth,” said Dr. Sara Gay, a pediatric intensivist at St. Mary’s Hospital and medical director of the pediatric critical care transport program. “In this particular case, the children were well stabilized at Mary Immaculate and we worked to make the transition seamless while getting them to the NICU as quickly as possible.”

Transport clinicians serve as the conduit between referring and receiving hospitals. Once deployed, the team is in immediate remote communication with the referring hospital staff, the family of the patient, and the medical staff at St. Mary’s.

“Communication is a key element to our success,” said Dr. Gay. “In this case, we were communicating simultaneously with the parents, the St. Mary’s NICU physician and nursing teams and the medical staff where mom was recovering. This ensures that we secure the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

“It was nerve-racking at first, but the transport team left us very confident that our children were in good hands,” said David Vines, father of triplets Eliana, Hannah and Ariel. “I was very impressed by their fast work and professionalism. They did an excellent job.”

In 2010 alone, the Pediatric Transport brought 327 pediatric patients and 47 NICU patients to St. Mary’s. The majority of the transports came from within the metropolitan Richmond area, demonstrating the community’s need for such a service.

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