www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com | 5 11 | BIRTHMATTERS BirthMatters reduces teen pregnancy through reproductive health education and empowers expectant young adults to raise healthy families through doulas utilizing the community health worker model. 12 | HELPING MOTHER’S MILK FLOW Research shows that 60% of mothers have to stop nursing before they feel like they are ready. Today, nonprofits and hospitals have lactation coaches, resources, life coaches and mentors who are helping women nurse longer. 14 | EXERCISES FOR PREGNANT MOMS Pregnant women once were discouraged from exercise as gentle as taking a walk because gravity might pull the baby out prematurely. Modern science has debunked those myths, and today’s women are encouraged to maintain active lifestyles right up until the baby arrives. 16 | DOGS OPEN DOORS TO HEALING Eight dogs share the duties of Prisma’s Friends Encouraging Therapeutic Coping and Healing program. Five dogs focus on pediatrics; two dogs help with adults and one “floating” pup goes wherever it is needed. Prisma’s program is the first in South Carolina with a fully in-house facility dog program. 20 | TRUST IN ROBOTICS Beth Cook, M.D., recently completed her 500th robotic gynecological procedure at Summerville Medical Center, a Trident Health Lowcountry hospital. As of early November, almost 5,000 such surgeries have been performed at the hospital, including 3,350 obstetric and gynecological procedures. 22 | MORE OB-GYN’S ARE FEMALE Over the past few decades, an increasing number of OB-GYN physicians are female, and this ratio is growing. Nationally, approximately 60% of practicing OB-GYNs are women, according to a 2020 report by the Association of American Medical Colleges. 24 | ILLNESSES THAT MOVE FROM MOTHER TO BABY Women have a weakened immune system during pregnancy that can leave them more vulnerable to contracting infectious diseases and transferring them to their baby. Knowledge of how to best prevent and treat these maladies can help decrease potential risks to newborns. 26 | A WILD RIDE AND A WORLD-RENOWNED RACE It has been “a wild ride” since Irv Batten became director of The Cooper River Bridge Run three years ago. He joked that he can’t wait until “a normal year,” knowing that pulling together an event that is among the best organized and best conducted 10K races in the world can’t possibly include the normalcy that most people know. 31 | WOMEN IN HEALTH We are lucky to live in a community where women not only are succeeding but leading and thriving in a field that touches everyone. 50 | DNA PATH TO HEALTH The Medical University of South Carolina, in conjunction with Helix, has launched a community research project titled “In Our DNA SC.”The goal of this program is to investigate how genetics impact health and to develop ways of offering personalized health care to patients. 53 | KIDNEYS - THE BODY’S WORKHORSE Kidneys are the body’s workhorse – cleaning out toxins, removing waste and balancing bodily fluids. Because your kidneys process the vast majority of what you put into your body, it is important to be mindful of what you eat and what prescription medications, over the counter medications and supplements you take. 56 | WINTER BLUES In addition to the winter season, with shorter days and less sunlight, a lot of other factors now contribute to seasonal affective disorder. There has been an increase in cases of SAD, a type of depression, since 2020. 58 | PROCRASTINATION RESOLUTION There are science-based techniques to help people overcome procrastination, an emotional regulation problem. 60 | HOPE FATIGUE – IT’S REAL The latest mental health challenge cropping up in therapists’ offices is a deficit of optimism accompanied by a sense of being overwhelmed about important issues beyond a person’s control. A Washington Post reporter coined a name for this issue: hope fatigue. 66 | CHOCOLATE’S CURES It’s been called the food of the gods – and its nutritional and medicinal qualities have been touted from the carvings of the ancient Olmec Indians of Central America all the way to the Harry Potter films. CONTENTS DIRECTORIES OB-GYN/Pediatrician............................................................. 71 BY THE NUMBERS S.C. Kidney Disease and Transplants.................................. 54 Procrastination.................................................................... 59 IN EVERY ISSUE Publisher’s Note....................................................................... 6 About the Cover...................................................................... 7 Living Healthy Area Events...................................................... 8 The Lighter Side of Health Care. ........................................... 30 A Unique Case....................................................................... 62 Faces & Places. ...................................................................... 64 Upstate Area Nonprofits........................................................ 68 There's an App for That......................................................... 70 The Pulse on Upstate Nurses. ................................................ 72 ISSUE 6.1 JAN-APRIL 2023 UPSTATE SPONSORED MEDICAL CONTENT Rustic Jem A Boutique: Shopping Fun for Moms....................... 29 FEATURES
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