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From CTH’s Chaplain, Peggy Locke We all experience grief at some point in our life. While it can manifest in different ways, we tend to go through five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. While loss is a normal part of life, it isn’t a part of our everyday experience, making it feel especially uncomfortable and even maybe abnormal. We talked with Carson Tahoe Health’s Chaplain, Peggy Locke, who told us what she has learned about grief. The following quotes are her thoughtful words of wisdom. Hopefully, these quotes can help you the next time you experience grief. Or, maybe if you or someone you know has recently lost someone, you can share it with them to …

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Soda, pop, or coke—no matter what you call them—contain high amounts of added sugar that pose risk to your health. And it doesn’t stop with soft drinks. Regularly drinking any sugar- sweetened beverages can cause adverse health effects. “Enjoying the occasional sugar-sweetened drink isn’t detrimental,” says Matthew Gordon, MD, Family Medicine Provider with Carson Tahoe Health. “It becomes problematic when you consume them on a regular basis.” One recent report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association revealed that drinking 12 ounces of sugary drinks more than once daily is linked to reduced levels of “good” cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides—a combination which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. Drink This, Not That Dr. Gordon suggests water …

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Incorporating probiotics and prebiotics in your diet could be the key to better health. Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from symptoms of poor digestive health? It’s estimated that 60 to 70 million Americans experience gastrointestinal issues, according to the National Institutes of Health.  These problems range from bloating and gas to more serious conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and ulcerative colitis. But whether you experience occasional or chronic issues, there are things you can do to alleviate symptoms and make your gut healthier. Bacteria: Good vs. Bad Your gut is home to about 50 trillion bacteria made up of around 1,000 different species. While you might think of bacteria …

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This summer, don’t let hip and knee pain hold you back. A multitude of things can affect how your joints feel, including the seasons. If your joint pain seems to fluctuate with the weather, it’s not just your imagination. It’s possible that warmer weather can help alleviate joint pain, while in contrast, cold rainy days might make joint pain worse.  “Warmer weather tends to lead to increased blood flow through increased blood vessel dilation known as vasodilation,” explains Paul Bindert, DPT, ATC, Physical Therapist at Carson Tahoe Health. “This can alleviate joint inflammation and reduce pain.” But why can your joints feel an oncoming storm? Research is still ongoing, but it may have something to do with changes in barometric …

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This June, a new physician, Dr. Jeffrey Turner, will join our Cardiology team, bringing an entirely new field of heart care—Cardiac Electrophysiology (Cardiac EP)—to our region. Electrophysiologists are the “electricians” of the heart, diagnosing and treating abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, such as Atrial Fibrillation (also known as A-Fib) and Atrial Flutter. As the human heart beats, it pumps oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body, and carries away carbon dioxide and waste products. In a weakened or damaged heart, the electrical impulses of the heart may not function properly, leading to an irregular heartbeat. With state-of-the-art equipment and diagnostic tools, the faulty electrical impulses can be diagnosed and treated. An important procedure that will be a part of this …

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