Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Spring 2015 - (Page 9)

"Primary care providers (PCPs) are your best partners on YOUR PERFECT DOCTOR IS ONLINE! the journey to better health. Long-term relationships with your PCP are very important," Dr. Walters says. At the UM St. Joseph Medical Group, doctors and nurse practitio- To ﬁnd a primary care physician, go to stjosephtowson.com/mhm and click the "Find a Doctor" box. ners are allies with their patients in this goal. "Nurse practitioners are focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle and wellness," says Cynthia Class-McGrew, NP, who is in practice with board-certiﬁed internists George Timothy Walters, MD LaRocco, MD, and Ruth Brocato, MD, at the UM St. Joseph obesity and alcohol, says Class- Hereford Health Park. "We provide a lot of education sur- McGrew, who advocates "everything rounding diet, exercise and, for smokers, quitting tobacco. I in moderation." use my husband as an example. I tell my patients that if my Almost one out of 10 adults in the U.S. husband can do it, you can! He had high cholesterol and high suffers from diabetes. UM St. Joseph's triglycerides. With lifestyle modiﬁcation including portion Nancy Rackson, NP, who is in practice control, revising his dietary intake and moderate exercise, he with board-certiﬁed internist Timothy Her- was able to cut his triglycerides from 400 to 82 without the lihy, MD, in Towson, sees many patients use of any prescribed medication." who have become diabetic, prediabetic GET THE FAMILY INVOLVED The whole Class-McGrew family, including the 7-year-old twin or medication-dependent for high blood Nancy Rackson, NP pressure due to controllable factors. boys, embraced clean eating, along with regular exercise. PERSISTENCE IN PREVENTION "We grocery shop weekly for fresh fruits, vegetables and lean "I view each patient as an individual, including their meats and ﬁsh," she says. Her husband, who was formerly in medical history, family history, social and lifestyle the U.S. Navy and has a family history of diabetes and heart choices, and medications. I work with each of them disease, lost 20 pounds. to change the things they can. If they don't yet have Elevated liver enzymes, which can lead to permanent liver damage, can also be caused by poor dietary choices, a disease but are on the path to it, I say, 'Let's ﬁx this. Let's focus on prevention and work together.' " Rackson likes to encourage her patients and doesn't give up on them, even if it takes time to embrace change. April Mentzer, 55, who is diabetic, had been under Rackson's care for years. Finally, Rackson found the key to motivate Mentzer, who recalls, "One day, I brought my granddaughter, Lorelai, to one of my appointments, and Nancy said to me, 'Don't you want to be around to watch her grow up?' " Since then, Mentzer has made a complete turnaround. "I lost 35 pounds, joined a health club, and exercise two to three times a week for four hours each visit. I have more energy and feel much better. My goal is to lose another 35 pounds." Mentzer also needs less medication to manage her diabetes and high blood pressure. "Nancy truly cares about her patients April Mentzer, with granddaughter Lorelai, is grateful for the support she received from UM St. Joseph to ﬁnally get healthy. diabetes each year. That's 4,660 per day, or one every 19 seconds. and keeps after you to do the right things for your health." stjosephtowson.com | Spring 2015 9 http://www.stjosephtowson.com/mhm http://www.stjosephtowson.com

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Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Spring 2015