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Living with Heart Failure
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Happy Holidays and New Year from your heart failure team!
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A Message from Rebecca Mountain DNP, RN
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Turning the page on a new year brings opportunity to reflect on what is important and where we might renew efforts. This issue is designed to help you rejuvenate, re-energize, and re-commit to your heart failure self-care journey. Please consider adding monthly support group to your calendar; we are here for you. Read on for a message from Anthony, a support group participant with nearly perfect attendance over the past three years.
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I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure when I drove myself to Chester County Hospital ER, thinking that the pneumonia I’d had two months previously had relapsed. I was shocked to discover that it was my heart that was malfunctioning. After six days of intensive expert and compassionate treatment, I was sent home wearing an on-demand defibrillator. I was determined to do my best to get better, and to avoid a relapse. I resolved to be a “good patient.” My wife was a tower of strength, but otherwise I was on my own between doctor visits. I went to a meeting of the CHF support group and was suddenly in a new normal, with fellow patients who knew what I was going through, and friendly medical, nursing, and dietary staff who were a source of the information and advice that I needed to keep me out of the hospital. The dietary advice was supported by demonstrations of a chef preparing low-sodium but delicious meals. When COVID hit, the meetings became virtual and understandably, attendance dropped off. I try not to miss any of the sessions because I believe that I can never know too much about this insidious condition and how to avoid it.
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Support Group is a great way to increase your knowledge and get support from others living with heart failure.
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Thursday, January 13th 2pm-3pm
Topic: MIND YOUR HEART: Mental Health and CHF
Speaker: Kimberly Joffe-Baruch CRNP, PMHNP
Thursday, February 10th 2pm-3pm
Topic: Q & A with the Multi-Disciplinary Heart Failure Team: Bring your questions for the nurse practitioner, nurse, pharmacist, dietician and social worker
Looking for more ways to learn about heart disease?
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We Would Love to Hear From You!
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We are planning for 2022 support group and would appreciate your input on topics you'd like to hear about in the new year. Complete this three question survey, and have your name entered for a chance to win a variety pack of salt-free seasonings.
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New Year's Resolutions
When people talk about New Year's resolutions, it's often implied that there are quick fixes to health, wealth and, ultimately, happiness. But, all too often, long before the summer solstice rolls around, resolution-based diets have been abandoned, gym memberships have lapsed and old habits have crept back in. Here are some tips to help keep healthy habits alive through the year.
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Breaking Bad Habits
Old habits can be hard to break, and new habits hard to make, but with these six basic steps you can develop new, healthy behaviors that stick.
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Lifestyle Changes
Following recommendations about diet, exercise and other habits can help alleviate heart failure symptoms, slow your disease’s progression and improve your everyday life. In fact, people with mild to moderate heart failure often can lead nearly normal lives as a result. Read More.>>
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Mental Health and Heart Failure
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Less Stress, More Mindfulness
Mindfulness — the practice of purposefully directing your attention to the present moment — is a great way to combat stress, anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed. Learn More.>>
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Mental Health and Heart Disease
Many forms of mental health issues can affect heart disease.
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Stress, and Strain, Body and Brain
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Buffalo White Bean Hummus with Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips
A mandoline—or a spiralizer in a pinch—is needed to get the sweet potato slices ultra-thin to turn into chips. These crisp slivers of sweet potato are dunked into a white bean hummus spiked with Buffalo hot sauce.
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Almond Snack Mix
This sweet and crunchy snack boasts plenty of fiber and heart-healthy fat. Once it's cooled, package it in single-serving bags so it's ready to tuck into lunchboxes or grab on the way out the door.
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Health e-Living Blog
Chester County Hospital's Health e-Living Blog offers a regular serving of useful health and lifestyle information.
Check out topics on heart and vascular care, nutrition, stress management, and more here.
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Virtual Wellness Calendar
Chester County Hospital is offering FREE Virtual Wellness Classes to support your health and wellness goals. Check out our upcoming events here.
You can also sign up for our monthly Health e-Living Email Newsletter to learn about upcoming events.
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A special thank you to Becky Lavin, BSN, RN, Heart Failure Coordinator and trusted sidekick, for bringing together interesting content for these newsletters. Becky is taking requests for content and topics, and you may send them to her at Rebecca.Lavin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
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If this newsletter is reaching you at a bad time, or you would like to unsubscribe for any reason, click the "Unsubscribe" button at the footer of this email. You may also email Rebecca Mountain to request to be unsubscribed.
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