Adventist Health Castle | Windward Health | Fall 2021

Staying health-forward Making your health a top priority not only keeps you healthy and prevents illnesses, but it can also help ensure that you live longer and your overall quality of life is better. Plus, you’ll spend less time and money on health issues. “Screening is vital, but the way you manage your life is just as important: a healthy diet, exercise, and avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol,” Boram “Sunny” Lee, MD, says. “How well we take care of ourselves matters, and it’s something I talk to my patients about all the time.” Adventist Health Castle endorses healthy lifestyle choices and encourages you to stay health-forward by providing simple and convenient access to proactive screenings throughout the pandemic. Wondering what screenings you should be scheduling? Making your health a priority Stay up-to-date on screenings. The specialists at Adventist Health Castle have provided a resource list for you at AdventistHealthCastle.org/CancerScreen where you can find the information you need for cancer screening guidelines. Overdue for a mammogram? Schedule it now The American Cancer Society recommends women get an annual mammogram from age 45 to 54, then every two years after age 55. Depending on your family history and other risk factors, your provider may recommend a mammogram as early as age 40. “When it comes to breast cancer, if you can feel a lump, or something in your breast just doesn’t feel right, get a mammogram and ask your primary care provider to refer you for a biopsy as soon as possible. Don’t wait,” says Jaqueline Lee, MD, FACS. Keep in mind, COVID-19 vaccines may cause temporary swelling of the lymph nodes in your armpit. Since this side effect could be mistaken for breast cancer, several oncology groups are recommending that women wait 4 to 6 weeks after getting the vaccine before getting a mammogram. “Pay attention to the timing of your mammogram if you recently got vaccinated,” says Dr. Jaqueline Lee. Get that colonoscopy on your calendar—with our direct access program When and how often should you get a colonoscopy? James Panetta, DO, recommends starting at age 45 for individuals at normal risk for colorectal cancer and continuing with regular screenings through age 75. “A colonoscopy provides direct visualization of the bowel to see if there are any precancerous polyps that need to be removed,” he says. “You should have a colonoscopy every 5 to 10 years with the frequency depending on factors like a previous or family history of cancer and underlying risk factors like ulcerative colitis.” At Adventist Health Castle, Dr. Panetta makes accessing a screening colonoscopy easy. Don’t put preventative health screenings on hold because of the pandemic. Learn more about Dr. Panetta’s direct access screening colonoscopy without an advance office visit at AdventistHealthCastle.org/DigestiveHealth t oday. Screening made easy 6 | WINDWARD HEALTH