Proactive Health and Wellness

How can you be as healthy as possible? Whether you’re a patient or an associate, Saint Mary’s cares about your overall well-being. Our multitude of service lines is not simply for curing disease, but also for proactively preventing disease.

Saint Mary’s Health Care stresses the importance of a healthy work environment as well as healthy people. Our Tobacco-free Campus, our participation as a Tobacco Free Partner and our dedication to LEED certification showcase our healthy environment. Our affiliation with Advantage Health Physician Network and ownership of three local health clubs are just two examples of how Saint Mary’s promotes a healthy lifestyle for everyone, including our associates.

As a dynamic and environmentally conscious organization, Saint Mary’s promises to achieve LEED certification for all our future building endeavors, such as The Hauenstein Center. LEED certified buildings use less energy, water and natural resources. They also create less waste and are healthier for the occupants by reducing their exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. LEED buildings have also been shown to create healthier work and living environments and can contribute to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. (Information obtained from the U.S. Green Building Council Web site.)

Tobacco Free Partners coordinate with community sponsors to provide free smoking cessation programs throughout the area. Saint Mary’s Health Care is one of the leading sponsors in this initiative and also designates all of its grounds, even including those of Advantage Health Physician Network, as a Tobacco-free Campus to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoke and the waste from cigarettes on our campuses.

Three Basics of Good Health

The following three areas are the basics of good health for everyone. Discover how at Saint Mary’s, our expert clinicians, nurses and support staff are able to assist you with improving your health.

Sleep

Understanding the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being can lower your risk of developing diseases that occur when people get less than six or seven hours of sleep each night. Among other things, getting a good night’s sleep keeps your heart healthy, reduces stress, bolsters your memory and may even help you lose weight. By improving your sleep habits, you can increase your chance of falling asleep faster, staying asleep and sleeping between seven to nine hours each night. If you've tried to improve your sleep habits but still have sleep problems, please contact your physician or the Sleep Disorders Center at Saint Mary’s at 752.6330. 

Nutrition

There are multiple benefits of good nutrition. By eating well, you are providing your body with the nutrients needed to maintain your health, as well as providing energy, promoting good sleep and maintaining a healthy weight. It is important to realize how what we eat affects our bodies and the way we feel. For more information regarding healthful eating, call a dietitian at Saint Mary’s at 752.6380.

Exercise

The merits of exercise range from preventing chronic health conditions to simply boosting confidence and self-esteem. Getting as little as 30 minutes of regular physical activity three to five days a week can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Tour the athletic clubs for free! Call East Hills at 616.224.5400 or The MAC at 616.956.0944 or visit www.ehac.com for more information.

More than an ounce of prevention

Saint Mary’s understands that one of the most important proactive health measures is to get an annual physical at your primary care physician’s office. The family physicians of Advantage Health Physician Network (AHPN) work closely with patients to prevent disease and afford them a long and healthy life through preventive care.

A healthy lifestyle, exercise and weight control are three of the biggest points providers at AHPN stress to their patients. For those with a family or personal history of chronic disease, AHPN takes specific measures to ensure that they are being monitored and that their disease is being managed effectively. AHPN does this with regular health maintenance exams and by keeping up with what’s going on in their patients' lives, so the health care providers can suggest small changes that will ensure good health.

The Weigh to Wellness Center for Medically Supervised Weight Loss and Management opened its doors last fall as a different kind of weight loss center. Kimberly Turke, DO, FACOI, an AHPN physician, leads the program, which features multidisciplinary care, affordable plan options and focus on long-term care and follow-up. Weigh to Wellness is housed at 1471 East Beltline NE. To learn more about the center, please call 616.913.1490.

Saint Mary’s Health Care is affiliated with AHPN to provide patients with skilled primary care physicians located across the region. AHPN offers patients easy referrals to specialists and access to the progressive medical services of Saint Mary’s Health Care. AHPN accepts most major insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network and Priority Health. To make an appointment, please call 616.913.8075.