In just ONE day, Singing River Healthplex received TWENTY-SEVEN referrals from doctors. The partnership between local doctors and Singing River Healthplex is benefiting patients through medical expertise combined with physical fitness preventative measure. Be Balanced was developed by certified fitness experts at Singing River Healthplex in response to a meeting with doctors about what their patients needed the most. Be Balanced is designed to help prevent falls, which are one of the leading causes of accidents and even death in the elderly. This program guarantees 100% increase in balance and 150% increase in core stability.
The SBH Health System, including the SBH Health & Wellness Center, were center stage on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. SBH employees took part in ringing the opening bell for NASDAQ.
The Healthplex (HPA) at SBH plays an instrumental role in the development and successful completion of grant-funded programs that have helped adolescents; adults; and geriatric populations struggling to control severe diseases by facilitating healthier lifestyle-choices through individualized and medically-based fitness programming.
Various sets of data are needed to support grant-funded initiatives. Typically, the medically pertinent data is first collected and tracked by a team of doctors our staff works closely with. Our staff of trainers then use our EMR-compatible SECA impedance machine to collect the other set of data used to develop our unique programs.
Our SECA scale has been instrumental in the development of unique programming to serve our patient populations. It provides 20 critical data points used by the staff to tailor the programming that has helped the patients to achieve improvements in BMI. When decoded properly and used in conjunction with the client’s/members’ individual medical history, these data provide our staff with the information needed to program and target the needs of the individual and the chronic conditions they face. The SECA Scale even allows for some real-time modifications – as these data changes occur- which has greatly benefitted our clients. The ability to track trend lines with our secured (and EMR-friendly) data storage system, and the updated analytics that are provided by doctors allows our team of dedicated professionals to create the most impactful and beneficial fitness programming for those served by the Healthplex.
Another set of data collected by HPA includes performance-based metrics. These data are collected through a battery of tests that are performed 3 times during the duration (Pre, Mid, and Post) of programs. This empowers our staff and the SBH doctors to achieve, predict and track impressive results such as those found on the charts below:
As an example, a 55-year-old was plagued with a variety of health issues related to lung, heart, and metabolic ailments. After completing the 5 week program, she was able for the first time in a decade pass all of her pulmonary function tests. After finishing the program, she continued working out and after just 12 weeks of consistent training, her health prognosis continues to drastically improve. She is even in discussions with her PCP as they are considering taking her off some of her blood pressure and diabetes medication. Stories like this are what make the Healthplex at SBH one of a kind.
No matter how healthy we are, cancer lingers as a potential threat to our futures. The bad news is that we can’t completely eliminate the risk of developing cancer, but the good news is that we can significantly reduce the risk through the lifestyle choices we make.
For a surprisingly wide variety of cancers, exercise is a proven way to lower our risk. Not only can exercise reduce the risk of initially developing cancer but it can even help you fight cancer, including advanced prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men (with the most common being skin cancer). Although 60 percent of prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65, younger men face risk too because prostate cancer can take years before it is diagnosed.
Recent research suggests exercise like a single session of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) can suppress tumor growth. Bloodwork was collected and analyzed immediately before, immediately after and 30 minutes after patients performed a 34 minute HIIT cycling session. The analysis showed that after exercising, myokine (the protein linked to tumor suppression) production was higher than before exercise. According to the researcher’s writings on these findings (Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases), the anti-cancer myokines suppressed cancer cell growth by around 17 percent.
Seventeen percent might not sound like a big deal for those that are not suffering from cancer but for those that are battling advanced prostate cancer, this is a huge deal. Every percentage counts. The study provides enough evidence to recommend that patients with prostate cancer, and likely anyone with any type of cancer, perform exercise most days to maintain an environment within their own body which suppresses cancer cell growth.
Strength training is important for all age groups, but as we age we naturally lose muscle mass. We should work all major muscle groups at least twice per week.
If I had to choose only one exercise, it would be a squat. Our ability to squat has the most impact on our day-to-day living, from going to the washroom to getting in the vehicle. Any time we get up or down, a squat is involved. If we aren’t able to squat easily, then life can begin to feel like a struggle.
Squats strengthen all the major muscle groups in our legs and also our lower back and core. Not only do squats help us with getting up and down, they improve our balance, help prevent falls, and protect the joints in the knees and hips.
Strong legs have been shown to be an important link to longevity. In one study, our ability to sit on the floor and then get up without using our hands or knees could predict mortality. In another study following healthy adults age 70 and older over six years found those with greater quadricep strength had a lower risk of early death.
One of the best things about the squat is that we can work on it anywhere, at any time. If you would like to start practicing yours, try the following two or three times a week:
1. Pick a spot-find a steady surface like the kitchen counter or table and pull up a chair. Place your hands on the surface and your feet shoulder width apart with toes pointed forward.
2. Lower into the squat- as if you were going to sit in the chair but do not sit! Take your time to make sure your weight is evenly distributed onto both feet. Ideally you should be able to wiggle your toes as the weight should be mostly in your heels.
3. Repeat- The goal will be to repeat this 8-10 times for 2 rounds. Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. Two seconds down and two seconds up. Try not to let yourself hunch over and keep your knees separated.
4. If and when you feel strong enough, try the squat without touching anything for balance. Try holding your arms out parallel with palms up as you lower and drop your arms to your sides as your rise up.
5. Once it becomes easy enough to do 15 repetitions for 2 rounds without feeling muscle soreness the next day or so, it is time to add some weight! Holding a pair of dumbbells is the easiest way to do this. Start with the low weights and build up.
SECA Scale
Exercise as Medicine for Cancer