Breast Cancer Screening?

published on Monday, November 16, 2009 by admin

This morning, the news media reported new screening guidelines for breast cancer, revising long-standing recommendations about when women should begin receiving mammograms. This shift is aimed at reducing the risks that may be associated with a very broad screening guideline.

As you read and listen to these types of news stories, remember that there is often a difference between what is good for the public’s health and what is right for an individual. These recommendations may make sense when considering the health of all women of a certain age. However, your medical practitioner may have a different recommendation for you as an individual, based on your medical history, your family history, and other factors.

So, ask your doctor for advice about what is best for YOU before deciding about mammograms, breast self-examination, and other screening tests.

Yours in health,
Robin

Robin Swift, MPH
Health Programs Director
Clergy Health Initiative

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Ask Me 3

published on Thursday, November 12, 2009 by admin

I had an interesting experience at a pharmacy-based clinic the other day: the practitioner asked me how I preferred to receive my health information. Did I want to read printed written instructions? Listen to them? Go on the Internet?

She was the first person to ever ask me that question, and it prompted this musing. In an era of short, problem-focused medical visits, we all might be more satisfied with the outcomes of our health-related discussions if we practiced “Ask Me 3”. At every health interaction, ask the provider:

  1. What is my main problem?
  2. What do I need to do?
  3. Why is it important for me to do this?

The answers you get will allow you to raise concerns about allergies to medicine your provider may not be aware of, or a drug dosing schedule you don’t understand.

Now, if I could only get my mother to ask her doctor these three questions…

Yours in health,
Robin

Robin Swift, MPH
Health Programs Director
Clergy Health Initiative

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The Wall

published on Monday, November 9, 2009 by admin

Our health coaches at Davidson Clergy Center are beginning to advise us that we should talk about “The Wall” – that phenomenon that occurs about three months into making a planned behavior change. Suddenly, the great plan doesn’t seem so great and workable any more, and with the change of time, weather, season, workload, suddenly “back-sliding” ( a medical term) can occur. This is a normal, expected stage in making long-term change.

So, what to do if you’re confronting the Wall? Confess it! Talk to your coach and your support partners. Now that you know it’s normal, you don’t have to add guilt to the list of obstacles. Then take new action: change your exercise routine, try a new recipe, meditate, ask God for help.

What works for you? What practices have you found helpful in keeping you mindful of a decision and energized about keeping it going?

Know that in the press of the holiday season, we are cheering you on from the sidelines and keeping you in our prayers.

Yours in health,
Robin

Robin Swift, MPH
Health Programs Director
Clergy Health Initiative

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