The holidays are coming; can you still manage a heart-healthy lifestyle?

I ate how many holiday cookies?

The potluck luncheons. The fast-food bites after shopping. The family gatherings with cookies for the kids and cocktails for the adults.

There’s no way around it. The holidays are a challenge for anyone trying to stick to a heart-healthy lifestyle – or just about anyone trying to manage weight gain.

The goal for a heart-healthy lifestyle is to eat more vegetables, fruits, beans and foods with whole grains. It also means eating less meat and trying to avoid foods that are high in salt and fat.

But of course, the holidays are about celebrating and getting to enjoy some special foods and treats. So don’t beat yourself up if you stray off the healthy path a little.

McLaren Macomb Facilities Accepting McLaren Medicaid

If you have any questions regarding the participation status of any health care provider please click here, or contact Member Service at McLaren Health Plan toll free, at (888) 327-0671.

Watch out for hypertension

Is it time for a blood pressure check?

It only takes a few minutes and it could save your life. Unfortunately, it’s something many Americans tend to ignore.

That’s not a good idea. Doctors tell us that the majority of their patients with high blood pressure, or hypertension, were walking around with it for a while and didn’t know they had it.

Bradycardia: Controlling a slow heart rate

Irregular heart rhythm. It’s a common cardiac condition, but most people with this problem experience a heart beating too fast. A less common type of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) is known as bradycardia. This condition happens when the heart rate is too slow. Bradycardia is a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute. It can be caused by various problems, including problems with the heart's sinus node, which acts as a kind of natural pacemaker.

It may also be caused by problems in the conduction pathways of the heart. This means that electrical impulses are not being conducted from the atria to the ventricles, so the heart’s regular rhythm is disrupted. Other causes include metabolic problems such as hypothermia, or damage from a heart attack or heart disease.

Is it a heart attack?

Warning signs vary for men and women

It doesn’t always happen like you may think. A heart attack can sneak up without the classic symptoms.

While people often expect pain in the left arm or crushing tightness in the chest, there are other warning signs that something may be wrong.

Considering weight loss surgery?

For anyone considering weight loss surgery, education is an important first step. McLaren Macomb’s Bariatric Surgery Institute offers free seminars about surgical weight loss options. Board-certified bariatric surgeon Dr. Carl Pesta will provide information and answer questions regarding bariatric surgery and life after surgery.

Do you know about atrial fibrillation?

That strange, fluttery feeling in your chest could be serious.

It could be atrial fibrillation (A-fib), a type of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that causes the heart to pump blood ineffectively. A-fib is the most common type of persistent heart arrhythmia and it affects almost 5 million Americans.

FREE Seminar Advanced Wound Care Treatment

Heal better, feel better.

If you have a non-healing wound for 30 days or more, you may benefit from the McLaren Macomb Wound Treatment Center.

Every year chronic wounds caused by poor circulation, diabetes, or other
medical conditions keep five million people from functioning at normal
capacity. Such wounds include:

• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Pressure ulcers
• Non-healing surgical wounds
• Arterial ulcers
• Collagen vascular related wounds
• Venous stasis ulcers

Chronic wounds require specialized care and treatment.

Learn more about advanced wound care treatment at this FREE seminar.

Advanced Wound Treatment Seminar

Thursday, December 12, 2013
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
McLaren Macomb Medical Auditorium
Enter at Outpatient Entrance
(east parking lot and proceed to lower level of east tower)

This is a FREE community event but registration is required.
To register, call (855) 362-5273, or visit mclaren-woundcare.eventbrite.com

What is a heart arrhythmia?

 Did you think about your heartbeat today?

If you’re like most Americans, you probably didn’t give it much thought, even though your heart was beating constantly, anywhere from 60 to 100 beats a minute.

Normally, the heart’s electrical system causes the heart muscle to contract in a regular, controlled pattern. However, a problem anywhere along the electrical pathway causes a disturbance in the heart rhythm. This could lead to an irregular heart rhythm or a heart rate that’s too fast or too slow.

When it’s your heart, do you know where to go?

Tick, tick, tick…

A few minutes can make a big difference during a heart attack.

So it’s a good idea to know where to go for the best cardiac care. In Macomb County, you’ll want to choose McLaren Macomb and the MatGaberty Heart Center.

With decades of experience and continuous advancement, McLaren Macomb offers the most comprehensive cardiovascular program in Macomb County. It’s also the place for personalized attention from top heart specialists, along with advanced technology, including stress tests offered seven days a week for more immediate diagnosis of potential heart problems.

Looking for a few more reasons to choose McLaren Macomb for cardiac care?  Click through for a few: