Thanksgiving Hours
Lacamas Medical Group will be closed on Thursday, November 24, 2001 in observance of Thanksgiving. We will open again on Friday for Urgent care from 8am – 7pm and Saturday from 9am – 2pm. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Next Page »Lifestyle Makeover: Excercise 101
According to 2010 Center for Disease Control, 25-29% of Washingtonians are considered obese with a BMI greater or equal to 30. It is clear that we need to have a lifestyle makeover. I am particularly committed to this as well. It is commonly known that a lifestyle that includes regular exercise results in better health. Being physically fit means that you can meet life’s physical demands and daily challenges. To become physically fit inherently involves exercise. Your question may be: Where Do I Begin? Answering that question is the purpose of Exercise 101.
First, make an appointment with your health care provider to insure that you are physically able to start a safe program. You may need to have your provider help you with guidelines that are specific to you. As soon as you are cleared for regular exercise, it is time to actually DO IT. Exercise has to become non-negotiable.
Though each of us have different demands on our time, such as employment, family, financial and physical constraints, there are certain basic exercise principles that apply to each of us. These principles include flexibility, cardio or cardiovascular endurance, and strength. A basic exercise program includes all of these.
Flexibility is your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. The better your flexibility, the less likelihood there is of injury. Tight muscles, tendons and ligaments lead to lower than normal flexibility. The tightness may be due to inactivity or failure to stretch on a regular basis.
Stretching should be slow and deliberate. Don’t bounce or force joint movement. Bouncing can injure the muscles being stretched because it makes the muscles respond with a reflex contraction. When stretching, slowly move to the suggested position just until you feel mild tension. Hold the position for the count of 10 and then slowly move forward about ¼ of an inch. If the new position leads to only a mild increase in tension then hold it for another 10 –15 seconds before returning to your original position. If it hurts, pull back to the prior position and hold it for approximately 10 seconds. Work on each stretching exercise for 2-3 minutes. If you are very inflexible, it may be beneficial to stretch for approximately 15 minutes several times per day.
Cardio or aerobic exercise improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. These exercises involve the intake, transportation and utilization of oxygen. Physical endurance and exercise capacity is improved by regular exercise through out a lifetime. The activity you chose should be one that you enjoy. Pick an activity that uses large muscle groups such as your arm and leg muscles. I t should be repetitive, rhythmic and continuous in nature. This type of activity causes the large muscle groups to contract repeatedly and this pushes the blood in the vessels back to the heart. The heart responds by beating more quickly and with greater force in order to pump more blood from the heart with each beat. This in turn strengthens the heart muscle wall making it more efficient. Examples of effective cardio training include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, elliptical trainer, stair stepper, rowing machine, hiking, even mini-tramp walking or aerobic breathing exercise programs.
Take at least 5 minutes to warm up before exercise and 5 minutes to cool-down after every exercise session. This is done by completing the same activity you will be doing for your regular exercise, just do it at a lower intensity. Warming up prepares your heart and muscles and helps minimize strain and injury. Cool down is just as important and should be done to keep blood from pooling in the muscles. It also helps to maintain an adequate supply of blood to the heart and brain. This is why failure to cool down can lead to fainting and dizziness.
Your heart rate will indicate how hard you are working. The maximum heart rate is the fastest your heart can beat and is approximately 220 minus your age (+/- 12 beats per minute). Research indicates that exercise at a level of less than 60% of this maximal rate does little to promote cardiovascular fitness. It is recommended that we exercise at a heart rate of 65-80% of maximum in order to attain and then maintain optimum physical fitness. This is called the ‘target heart rate’. To calculate yours you can use this equation to determine your maximum heart rate and then multiply by the percentage you are seeking, or, you can use the following table. (Be certain to count your pulse for 10 seconds when looking for the appropriate level:
| Age | Average maximum
Heart Rate (Beats/Minute) |
Target Zone
60-75% (Beats/10 sec) (Beats/min) |
Target Zone
70-85% (Beats/10sec) (Beats/min) |
| 20 years | 200 | 20-25 (120-150) | 23-28 (140-170) |
| 25 years | 195 | 20-24 (117-146) | 23-28 (137-166) |
| 30 years | 190 | 19-24 (114-143) | 22-27 (133-162) |
| 35 years | 185 | 19-23 (111-139) | 22-26 (129-157) |
| 40 years | 180 | 18-23 (108-135) | 21-26 (126-153) |
| 45 years | 175 | 18-22 (105-131) | 20-25 (123-149) |
| 50 years | 170 | 17-21 (102-128) | 20-24 (119-145) |
| 55 years | 165 | 17-21 (99-124) | 19-23 (116-140) |
| 60 years | 160 | 16-20 (96-120) | 19-23 (112-136) |
| 65 years | 155 | 16-19 (93- 116) | 18-22 (109-132) |
| 70 years | 150 | 15-19 (90-113) | 18-21 (105-128) |
| 75 years | 145 | 15-18 (87-109) | 17-21 (102-123) |
| 80 years | 140 | 14-18 (84-105) | 16-20 (90-119) |
| 85 years | 135 | 14-17 (81-101) | 16- 19 (95-115) |
| 90 years | 130 | 13- 16 (78-98) | 15-18 (91-111) |
Exercise for 10 to 15 minutes for the first 2 weeks of your exercise program (remember this is in addition to your warm-up and cool-down). If you haven’t fully recovered within one hour after your exercise session, you probably pushed it too far. You should either decrease the intensity (heart rate) or duration of exercise.
Increase your duration by 5 minutes every two weeks. Do this until you reach approximately 30 to 35 minutes of regular exercise in addition to your warm-up and cool-down. If your heart rate stays below the 70-85% range on a consistent basis you may want to either increase your intensity or ‘pace’ or you can increase your duration to 50 to 60 minutes at the 60-75% rate (plus warm-up and cool-down).
For the first month, exercise 3 to 4 days each week. After this you may increase to four to five days per week. Studies have shown that you have less chance of injury if you start your program at three days per week and then increase your frequency after the first month. Keep an exercise log; it is really helpful in monitoring your progression to fitness!)
Next Page »August 27th 9a – 2p: Back To School Sports Physicals
Lacamas Medical Group will offer walk-in back to school sports physicals on Saturday, August 27th from 9am – 2pm. Please bring your immunization record. Parents of preschoolers, call 360-838-2440 to schedule a Well Child exam.
Sports physicals cost $40 at time of service. Enter a drawing to win a free backpack!
Next Page »Memorial Weekend Hours
We will be open our regular business hours on Friday, May 27 (8am – 7pm) and Saturday, May 28 (9am – 2pm). We will be closed on Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. We hope you have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
Next Page »Christmas Holiday Hours
Lacamas Medical Group will be open Christmas Eve (Friday, December 4) from 9am to noon. We will be closed on Christmas Day (Saturday, December 5).
We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday!
Next Page »Welcome, Katherine Moon ARNP
Katherine Moon, ARNP is set to begin practicing at Lacamas Medical Group on December 1, 2010.
Katherine is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She began her professional career as a Bachelors degree prepared RN working in various settings including Medical/Surgical, Orthopedics, Neurological, Telemetry, Pediatrics and Newborn ICU. She loved all kinds of medicine and all ages of patient. Thus, it was no surprise when she completed her Masters of Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 1996. As a primary care provider in family medicine she has the option to care for patients of all ages and with various health issues from prevention to complicated disease processes.
Katherine taught Nursing fulltime at Salt Lake Community College for 6 years and then left the teaching setting to practice on a full time basis as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Since that time, she has worked in various settings including family practice, occupational medicine, urgent care and internal medicine.
Her areas of interest include Hypertension, Diabetes, Pre-Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, Metabolic issues, Lipidology (cholesterol control) and Preventative Health for both men and women of all ages. The truth is, she really enjoys all kinds of medicine. She loves teasing out an answer to any medical issue. Katherine’s philosophy of medicine is that she is treating the patient, not the lab or the textbook. Providing individualized care, based on sound medical principles, is her strength.
Katherine and her husband moved to Vancouver in 1998. Katherine’s personal interests include her husband, children (she has three at home), grandchildren (her third is due December of 2010), family and friends! She is fun loving and tries to make everyday responsibilities enjoyable! If she could get away to any location it would be to a quiet retreat in Hawaii where she finds pure relaxation!
Katherine is excited to begin treating you in her new Camas location. Call today to schedule your appointment. 360-838-2440.
Next Page »Holiday Hours – Labor Day Weekend
Lacamas Medical Group will be open it’s regular hours on Saturday, September 4th. We will be closed on Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day.
Next Page »Back to School – Immunizations and Sports Physicals
It’s that time of year again! Lacamas Medical Group will hold a FREE back to school immunization clinic on August 18 from 4 – 7pm. Free immunizations are for uninsured or underinsured school age children only. You must bring your child’s immunization record and a parent or guardian must be present.
Walk-in sports physical clinics will be held Wednesday, August 4th 4 – 7pm, Tuesday, August 17th from 4 – 7pm and Wednesday September 1 from 4 – 7pm. Bring your athletic participation packet with your section filled out. The cost is $40 and is not billable to insurance. Washougal High School and Camas High School require participants to have a current physical exam report on file in the school office prior to the first turn-out. Physical exams are good for two years from the date of exam. Washougal forms may be downloaded here. Camas forms may be downloaded here.
Next Page »Holiday Hours for July 4th Weekend
We will be open our regular business hours on Friday, July 2 (8am – 7pm) and Saturday, July 3 (9am – 2pm). We will be closed on Sunday, July 4th and Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day. We hope you and your family will have a safe and happy 4th of July!
Next Page »In-Home Sleep Diagnostics Now Available
Watermark Medical, the developer of the ARES(Apnea Risk Evaluation System) has recently contracted for services with Lacamas Medical Group to offer the latest technology available for In-Home Sleep Diagnostics. Recently, as a result of studies, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) changed their national coverage determination to include these devices for home sleep testing for sleep disorders including obstructive sleep apnea.
This marks a momentous step forward for the recognition of in-home sleep testing as an effective, cost efficient means of diagnosing sleep-related illnesses. Many people aren’t being tested or treated because of the cost and inconvenience of overnight lab testing and we are very excited to be in a position where we can now reach out to more people to help and fight these debilitating disorders. We believe that if sleep related illnesses are diagnosed sooner, patients will receive treatment which could improve their quality of life.
Sleep Apnea, which affects over 10 million Americans, with an estimated additional 10 million undiagnosed, is characterized by loud snoring interrupted by frequent episodes of totally obstructed breathing (obstructive sleep apnea). Serious episodes last more than ten seconds each and occur more than seven times per hour. Apnea patients may experience 30 to 300 such events per night. These episodes can reduce blood oxygen levels, causing the heart to pump harder and over time incur added risk levels for Stroke and Cardiac disorders. This new technology now offers patients a cost effective, easy to use, and reliable device for the home diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, useful in diagnosing outcomes for the surgical and non-surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in adults and children. To schedule an appointment to discuss your eligibility for a sleep study, please call 360-838-2440.
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