WPGYN Newsletter  --  Volume 8, Issue 1,  January 2011

Index

Women Physicians -- Same Place, Same Care

Meet Dr. Solimani

Update on Calcium and Vitamin D

Top Ten New Year's Resolutions

    Cartoon

Dr. Sutherland, Dr. Litwin, and Nurse Barb

welcome old patients and new

— same place, same care

                  We’re happy to say that the transition from Women Physicians Ob-Gyn to Women Physicians Gyn has been seamless.  We accomplished it without closing the office for a single day or turning away a single patient.  Dr. Pulskamp’s and Dr. Leard’s former patients have been happy to have the same care they’ve come to expect in the same convenient location.  Barbara Dehn, our nurse practitioner, is also continuing to work with us.

Dr. Sutherland is finishing up the deliveries of the pregnant patients.  March will be her last delivery.  Be assured, however, that Dr. Litwin and Dr. Sutherland will see women both before and after pregnancies.  We will continue to do prepregancy counseling, infertility, teen care, annual exams, menopausal management, abnormal bleeding, cancer screening, sexual dysfunction, PMS, and the full range of women’s health care.  We will be referring patients to our colleague, Dr. Solimani, for pregnancy care.  See the following article for her bio. 

There have been some modifications in our regular schedules.  Dr. Sutherland is now routinely taking Wednesdays as her day off.  Dr. Litwin is taking Monday and Thursdays as her routine days off.  Nurse Barb is working Wednesdays and Thursdays.  We all continue to be flexible for emergencies and are able to offer same-day appointments for most urgent matters. 

We are happy to announce a move to electronic medical records beginning in 2011.  We expect it will take a few months to complete the transition.  In the long run, we feel this will allow us to offer our patients better care with fewer opportunities for medical errors.  Please bear with us, however, during the transition period when the paper charts may be out for scanning purposes. 

And don’t forget that an important part of your care is your routine annual exam.  Without keeping up with changes in your health and your life, we cannot safely refill your prescriptions or answer your health questions.  If you are due or overdue for your annual exam, call today for your appointment. 

Meet Dr. Solimani

Women Physicians Gyn is pleased to introduce you to a new colleague who will be sharing space in our office.  She comes highly recommended.  You may see her on emergency visits or assisting at your surgeries.  She is also delighted to take care of you during your pregnancy, whereas Drs. Litwin and Sutherland are no longer doing deliveries. 

      An Ob/Gyn with a world of experience

Dr. Nezhat Solimani is honored to announce opening of her new practice at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA. Dr. Solimani brings a unique world view and experience to her Ob/Gyn practice. After her medical and Ob/Gyn studies in her native Iran, Dr. Solimani did a fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology in France, and her Ob/Gyn residency at SUNY in Buffalo, NY, where she won several prestigious awards.

A principle focus of her practice is minimally invasive surgery for a variety of gynecologic conditions.

Dr. Solimani is contracting with multiple insurance plans, and is accepting new patients for both obstetrical & gynecological cares.

Nezhat Solimani, MD

Complete OBGYN Care

2485 Hospital Dr., Suite 221, Mt. View, CA 94040

Telephone: (650) 988-7501     Fax:  (650) 988-7552

http://www.completeobgyncares.com/

The Latest on Calcium and Vitamin D

Once again, we need to revisit the way we manage our calcium and vitamin D requirements. 

There is increasing evidence that too much calcium in supplement form could increase the risk of heart disease.  Dr. Mark Bolland from the University of Auckland in New Zealand reviewed the results of 15 clinical trials that included 12,000 patients older than 40 who were taking Ca supplements.  Compared to those taking placebo, there was a 30% higher risk of heart attack.  The exact mechanisms are unknown.  This could mean that in 1000 women taking Ca supplements for 5 years, 26 fractures could be prevented but an additional 14 heart attacks might occur. 

These studies did not specifically look at how use of Vitamin D might alter the risk of heart disease.  In the WHI study, in which women took Ca and Vit D, there was no increased risk of heart disease compared to placebo.  Furthermore, some studies have suggested Vit D might reduce risk of heart disease.  A recent systematic review in Annals of Internal Medicine suggested that moderate to high doses of vitamin D might reduce cardiovascular risk, whereas calcium alone had no significant effect.   And several experts feel the Vit D may be more important than Ca for bone health.   

Since Ca and Vit D reduces the risk of fracture, you should not forget about Ca and Vit D altogether.  Instead, you should continue to get Ca but try to get it through dietary sources.  No study has linked dietary Ca to heart disease.  A comprehensive list of dietary sources can be found at http://huhs.harvard.edu/assets/File/OurServices/Service_Nutrition_CalciumContentOfCommonFoods.pdf .  Dairy products are often the easiest way to get Ca.   If the goal is to consume 1000 mg calcium daily and you take in 3 servings of dairy and soy, you're almost there. For example:

· Milk (1 cup [8 oz]): 300 mg calcium

· Plain low-fat yogurt (1 cup [8 oz]): 400 mg

· Cheese (1 oz of cheddar or mozzarella): 200 mg

· Calcium-fortified soy milk (1 cup [8 oz]) 400 mg

And you should continue to take Vit D in adequate doses recommended by your physician.  Talk to your physician about how to weigh your personal risk factors for heart disease compared to your personal risk factors for fracture to decide what approach may be best for you.

Remember that exercise reduces heart disease as well as improving bone health.  You should include exercise 5 times a week as part of your preventative health strategy.       

            New Year’s Resolution—Exercise

I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, 
So I got my doctor's permission to 
Join a fitness club and start exercising.
I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. 
I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour...
But, by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over.

Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions

The New Year is always a good time to look forward to the changes we want (or need) to make.  Here are some ideas of top ten resolutions you might want to consider for your list.

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year. Make plans to meet up with friends for an evening of camaraderie or take the family out for a day of family fun. Such things are most likely to happen when planned in advance.  Work shouldn't always come first!

2. Fit in Fitness

The evidence is in for fitness. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better. Why not make this the time to start getting in shape? 

3. Tame the Bulge

Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese by recent studies, so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the key to success for those millions of Americans who made a New Year's commitment to shed extra pounds. 

4. Quit Smoking

If you have resolved to make this the year that you stamp out your smoking habit, over-the-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. Even if you've tried to quit before and failed, don't let it get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life!  Locally, there are a variety of free support services, hotlines and smoking cessation classes to help you kick the smoking habit. 

5. Enjoy Life More

Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular resolution in recent years. It's an important step to a happier and healthier you!  Get out and try something new! Take up a new hobby or try your hand at skiing. Go to a theater performance, or head to the local spa. The Bay Area offers a wealth of artistic and recreational activities to meet just about anyone's wishes.

6. Quit Drinking

While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once. Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey but do much better when they taper gradually, or even learn to moderate their drinking. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available.  Ask your physician for resources. 

7. Get Out of Debt

Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It's a promise that will repay itself many times over in the year ahead.

8. Learn Something New

Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year's resolutions to keep.

9. Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or joining in the fight against cancer, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help. . Or if your time is really in short supply, maybe you can at least find it in you to donate the furniture, clothing and other household items that you no longer need, rather than leaving them out by the curb to fill up our landfills. 

10. Get Organized

On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, various tips and resources should get you started on the way to a more organized life. You might check into a professional organizer who can help you reduce the clutter in your life. Or check out online resources. 

Information on this website is for educational and reference purposes only and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice.

Copyright © 2010

Women Physicians Gyn Medical Group

650.988.7550