Graceful Health

The following articles were originally published in the Brattleboro Reformer on the dates indicated.

Need Basic Resources? I Can Help!

By Jocelyne Smith, Grace Cottage Patient Resource Advocate

Is it time to choose a new Medicare D plan? Do you need help with paying for your doctor visits or your medicines? Wondering if you might qualify for heating or food assistance? Many people are surprised to find out they do qualify for some help.

My job as Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital’s Patient Resource Advocate is to advocate for you, by talking about your situation and helping you to apply for any programs that can help you stay healthy and that may reduce your financial burden.

Maybe you can’t afford to buy new glasses. Maybe you need a tooth filled and have no dental insurance. Maybe you need a blood test but you’re afraid you can’t afford it. I have information available about programs that can help, and I’m happy to help you fill out any of the application forms.

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With Support, Things Can Get Better

Claire Bemis

By Claire Bemis, RN, Grace Cottage Care Coordinator I read a report recently which stated that social isolation can be as unhealthy for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. […]

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Park pass is right prescription for healthy lifestyle

David McCormack

By David McCormack, Grace Cottage Family Health FNP

Here’s a great deal for you: come to Grace Cottage Family Health for a medical appointment, and you may receive a “prescription” for free entry into any one of Vermont’s great state parks.

The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation sponsor this program, dubbed the “Park Prescription Program,” as a way to encourage you to get outdoors and to be more active.

Vermont has more than 50 state parks, in every corner of the state, so this “prescription pass” can help you explore a new place or visit a well-known favorite.

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What Do You Know About Hernias?

Ronald Vallario

By Dr. Ron Vallario, Grace Cottage Family Health

June is National Hernia Awareness Month, and also Men’s Health Month. How much do you know about hernias? Are they dangerous? Do they happen to women as well as men? For answers to these questions, read on.

Hernia is a general term describing a bulge of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening in a body wall that normally contains it.

Although hernias can occur at various places in the body, this column will discuss abdominal wall hernias, named based on their location.

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Healthy Fast Food — Smoothies

By Cheryl Shaw, Grace Cottage Hospital Health Coach

Who doesn’t love a smoothie? They’re easy to make, so they can give a new, healthy meaning to the words “fast food” – if you choose good ingredients.

You probably already know how to make a smoothie: just chop up the larger ingredients, throw everything into a blender, and turn it on. Super easy.

Here is a list of my top favorite smoothie ingredients to inspire you. Organic options are always best, but do what you can. Mix them up and have fun creating!

Start with a Base: Here are some healthy ideas: Nut or seed milk (almond, hemp, cashew), unsweetened coconut water, unsweetened plain yogurt or kefir (if you tolerate dairy; good for probiotics/cultures!), a little coconut milk mixed with water, cooled green tea, or pure water and ice.

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Running is a Gift for Life

By Amby Burfoot

Question: Why run?

Answer: Walking and running are inherent human abilities–I call them “gifts.” Every physically unchallenged baby is born with the ability to flex the knees forward and back. That is, to walk and then to run. When we move in this way, we stay lean, fit, and healthy. When we sit too much, we grow round and unhealthy. Fifty years ago, science focused on the heart-health benefits of running, which have since been proven in thousands of medical studies. For the last decade, the most exciting research has investigated the mind benefits–low depression rates, and low Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. Healthy body, healthy mind: It’s a good combination.

Q: If running is so healthy, why are runners always getting injured?

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Easy Ways to Eat Your Vegetables!

By Elizabeth Harrison, Grace Cottage Health Coach

Eat your veggies! Where have you heard that before? Vegetables are a goldmine for adding vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your diet, and they can go a long way toward ensuring you a healthy life, important for preventing or lessening the impact of many chronic diseases.

The nutrition experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have created the perfect visual to help you get enough of these nutrient-rich foods. Picture a round dinner plate, and divide it into fourths. Ideally, one-half of that plate will be covered with equal amounts of fruits and vegetables. On the other half, you will have a mix of grains and protein, with grains taking up more space than the protein.

This illustration is a great starting point. Some nutritionists even suggest that half your plate be covered with vegetables.

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Teaching Kids to Care for Their Teeth

By Dr. Elizabeth Linder, Grace Cottage Hospital Pediatrician

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and this is a good opportunity to share a few tips to help children take good care of their teeth.

The condition of our teeth can affect general health, self-esteem, and even our ability to eat healthy food. That’s why it’s so important that we give our teeth the attention they deserve.

Dental hygiene should begin at birth. Parents can begin by cleaning a baby’s gums with a soft cloth or soft brush at least once a day.

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Advanced Neurological Rehabilitation

By Cindy Kenyon, Grace Cottage PT, and Melinda Roy, Grace Cottage OT

Grace Cottage Hospital offers several specialized inpatient therapies that help patients recover from a neurological issue such as a stroke or other brain injury, spinal injuries, surgical procedures, Parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis, or post-polio syndrome. Would this help someone you know? We’d like to explain some of these therapies to help you decide.

The first therapy we would like to tell you about is called “Neurodevelopmental Treatment,” or NDT for short. Using NDT, Grace Cottage’s physical, occupational, and speech therapists help patients recover their ability to move their bodies when neurological functions have been compromised.

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Have a Healthy Holiday Table

By Elizabeth Harrison and Cheryl Shaw, Health Coaches, Grace Cottage Community Health Team

Healthy, holiday, and delicious – can these words go together? Most definitely!

Enjoying a holiday meal doesn’t have to wreck your diet – if you start with wholesome ingredients and cook them in a health-conscious way. We are the Health Coaches at Grace Cottage Family Health in Townshend, and we love to take classic holiday recipes and give them a healthy spin. Here are a few of our holiday favorites. These side dishes and desserts can be served with your favorite entrée for a delicious, nutritious, and pretty meal.

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