Champ served as WakeMed’s president and chief executive officer from 1983 to 2003. The county’s only trauma service and a freestanding Children’s Emergency Department, both located on Raleigh Campus, were two of the dedicated services established under Champ’s leadership.  Today, Raleigh Campus is home to Wake County’s only Level I Trauma Center, and the Raleigh Campus adult and Children’s Emergency Departments are collectively the busiest emergency departments in the state.

When Champ joined WakeMed in December 1983, it was a 576-bed hospital system with one full service acute care hospital. Under his leadership, WakeMed grew to a 752-bed multi-facility health care system with specialties in cardiology, orthopaedics, trauma, women’s and children’s services and neurosciences featuring a 68-bed physical rehabilitation hospital, a 114-bed full service community hospital in Cary, and smaller facilities in Fuquay-Varina and Zebulon.

Also during his tenure, WakeMed established the county’s only trauma service, the state’s first dedicated Children’s Emergency Department, North Carolina’s busiest heart center including a hotel for patients and their families, a pediatric intensive care unit, and an outpatient facility in northern Wake county that would become the location for the state’s first stand-alone emergency department.

Champ’s two decades of leadership laid the foundation for future innovations, including the addition of a Children’s Hospital, the advancement to a Level I Trauma Center, construction of three full-service, stand-alone emergency departments, as well as the addition of many inpatient beds, new services and outpatient facilities throughout the system.

Antioxidants may help to reduce inflammation, reducing your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic disease. Here are seven herbs and spices that pack a powerful antioxidant punch.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon

Nutritional Highlights: Keep a shaker of cinnamon handy because this spice is not only versatile but contains the highest antioxidant levels of any spice. In addition to its potent antioxidant profile, early studies suggested that cinnamon might be effective for lowering blood sugar (glucose) levels in people with diabetes, although more research is needed.

How to use it: For those of you with a sweet tooth, use cinnamon for extra flavor and sweetness instead of added sugar. Jazz up plain cereal, yogurt and oatmeal with cinnamon, sprinkle on toast with peanut butter or almond butter, or even use in savory dishes with quinoa or couscous.

Clove

Nutritional Highlights: Derived from the flower buds of the evergreen clove tree, this spice is rich in polyphenols, which are plant-based compounds that have antioxidant properties.

Cloves are chock-full of antioxidants. Just ½ teaspoon of ground clove contains more antioxidants than ½ cup of blueberries.

How to use it: Ground clove is a flavorful addition to applesauce, stewed pears, and baked goods like sweet breads, muffins, and cookies. For a fragrant fall beverage, simmer 1 bottle (64 ounces) apple juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 4 Cinnamon Sticks, 1 teaspoon Whole Cloves and 1/2 lemon, sliced, in large saucepot for 30 minutes. Strain. Serve warm or chilled (recipe obtained from McCormick®).

Oregano

Nutritional Highlights: Used commonly in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine, this flavorful herb contains the highest amount of antioxidants of 27 fresh culinary herbs. One teaspoon of dried oregano leaves provides as many antioxidants as ½ cup of strawberries or 3 ounces of almonds.

How to use it: Oregano goes far beyond spaghetti and pizza sauce. To flavor your eggs without the added fat, mix vegetables in with a dash of oregano instead of cheese. For an antioxidant boost, add oregano to your grilled cheese sandwich, casseroles and salad dressings.

Ginger

Ginger

Nutritional Highlights: Historically, ginger has been used to treat upset stomachs, the common cold and even motion sickness. Recently the focus has shifted to a compound in ginger called gingerol. Gingerol is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties and may help to sooth sore muscles after a hard work out. Ginger may also have cancer-fighting properties but more research is needed in this area.

How to use it: Add ¼ teaspoon ground ginger to vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. Mix into fruit smoothies or add to fresh fruit like melons, peaches and pears. Add a hint to hot or cold tea or create Asian flare by adding to marinades and sautéed vegetables.

Turmeric

Nutritional Highlights: Turmeric gives curry powder its distinctive hue. Turmeric also contains a compound called curcumin. This bright-yellow compound is the focus of research for its potential to ward off diseases such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

How to use it: Stir Turmeric into 1 tablespoon low fat plain or Greek style yogurt. Swirl mixture into a serving of lentil or split pea soup to add a color and flavor boost (recipe obtained from McCormick®). Add to any vegetable dish for added curry flavor.

Garlic

Garlic

Nutritional Highlights: Garlic enhances the flavor of everything from pasta sauce to bread, but can it prevent disease? Maybe. Research is focusing on garlic’s anticancer and cholesterol-lowering properties.

How to use it: sauté garlic and add to roasted vegetables and pasta sauce. Garlic used to flavor many foods, such as salad dressings, vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces, vegetables, meats, soups, and stews. Garlic powder can be substituted if necessary – 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder is equal to one medium fresh clove of common garlic.

Paprika

Nutritional Highlights: Contains a powerful compound called capsaicin, whose antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help lower risk of some cancers (also found in red chili peppers and cayenne). Hint: the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin you’ll find. Capsaicin may also help you to eat fewer calories during a meal by signaling your body that you’re full.

How to use it: Sprinkle over grilled or roasted meat, fish and poultry. Instead of using the salt shaker spice up your popcorn by make your own seasoning: combine paprika, ground thyme and ground pepper and sprinkle on plain popcorn.

Need a Registered Dietitian?

For more information or to make an appointment with a registered dietitian, call WakeMed Cary Hospital Outpatient Nutrition Services at 919-350-2358.

Amy Bowen, RD, LDN is a clinical dietitian at WakeMed Cary Hospital.

Scully is currently in eighth place and needs your help to become a finalist.

Log on to www.herodogawards.org and click here to vote for him in the service dog category. Voting ends on June 30. If he is the top vote-getter, Scully will walk the red carpet and be recognized at a star-studded awards show on October 2, 2012 when the winning Hero Dog will be announced.

Scully, a lab/golden retriever mix, was nominated by Canine Companions for Independence for his work helping patients who have recently suffered a stroke or brain injury. Along with his handler, Elizabeth Penny, Scully provides therapy by letting patients groom, walk or feed him and serves as “pure motivation”, especially for pediatric patients.

Created two years ago, the Hero Dog Awards celebrate the contributions of our four-legged friends who offer a comforting paw during times of need, protect our communities, and serve as first responders during emergencies.

The real winners are the patients of all ages Scully helps at Wake Med. Just recently, Scully helped a spinal cord injury patient and his 3-year-old daughter reconnect as she adjusted to the reality of his injury.  Scully has also helped patients improve their memory and word retrieval, their socialization skills, balance, and range of motions. Patients who have worked with Scully often experience more self-confidence and the motivation to participate in daily activities.

Dr. Curt Hanson of Wake Orthopaedics talks to WRAL about gradually increasing your intensity to prevent exercise-related injuries.  Any change in how or where you exercise should be done with caution.

The body can become accustomed to the controlled environment of the gym, and the differences present when exercising outdoors can cause injury.

View this video on WRAL.com.

View this video on WRAL.com.

Earlier this month, Dr. Robert Lustig told CBS News’ “60 minutes” that sugar is addictive, toxic, and it’s killing us by increasing our risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension and cancer. The pediatric endocrinologist has even gone as far as to say that sugar should be regulated like cigarettes and alcohol.

Is sugar really toxic? Does this mean you should eliminate all sugar in your diet?  Not necessarily.

There are two kinds of sugar—naturally-occurring and added sugars.  Mother Nature provides us with many naturally-occurring sugars in our foods. For example, yogurt, milk, and fruit – all healthy foods- contain sugar. Lactose is the sugar in milk and yogurt; fructose is the sugar in fruit.

Added sugars are sweeteners that are added to food and beverages during the manufacturing process. Common sweeteners added to foods include fructose and high fructose corn syrup. Desserts, sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, energy and sports drinks, are the top sources of added sugar in most American diets.

Sugar may taste sweet but added sugars are not-so-sweet for your health. Added sugars add extra calories which may lead to weight gain. Weight gain increases your risk for many health conditions, including heart disease.  Additionally, if you’re eating foods with lots of added sugars, it’s likely you’re not eating nutrient-rich foods. For example, a 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 25-35 grams of high fructose corn syrup but provides our bodies with no other nutrients. In comparison, one cup of blueberries contains about seven grams of natural fructose and also packs a powerful punch of fiber, antioxidants and important vitamins and minerals.

Recommendations on added sugar

The American Heart Association recommends that most women have no more than 100 calories per day from added sugar, which equals about 6 teaspoons (25 grams). For men, no more than 150 calories from added sugars or about 9 teaspoons (38 grams). That’s much less than you may think: 1 small candy bar, ½ cup of ice cream or frozen yogurt is equal to about 100-150 calories.

5 tips to cut back on added sugars:

1. Learn the label lingo. Both kinds of sugar are included in “sugars” listed on the Nutrition Facts panel. To determine if a food has added sugar, check the ingredient list for these words:  brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, nectars (e.g., peach nectar, agave nectar) invert sugar, lactose, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, syrup and table sugar.  Tip: If any of these words are near the top of the ingredient list, then the food contains a large amount of added sugar.
2. Make fruit your dessert. To satisfy your sweet tooth, opt for fresh fruit for dessert instead of sugary indulgences. If you buy canned fruit, choose fruit packed in its own juice or water, instead of syrup.
3. Buy plain yogurt instead of sweetened yogurt. Add fresh fruit to yogurt instead of buying sweetened yogurt, which can contain a lot of added sugar and unwanted calories.
4. Sip smarter. Avoid non-diet sodas and sweetened drinks. Choose water, sparkling water with fresh lemon or lime, low-fat or fat-free milk, 100% fruit juice or unsweetened tea.
5. Spice it up! Try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg to sweeten your food instead of sugar.

Amy Bowen RD, LDN is a clinical dietitian at WakeMed Cary Hospital.

WakeMed Mother’s Milk Bank is in dire need of donations. It is one of only 10 operational milk banks in the U.S. and distributes more than 200,000 oz. of milk per year.

Mothers seek donor milk when they cannot nurse their babies. Premature babies in intensive care units often get top priority.

Milk banking in America is on the rise because of its many health benefits and the trust in the safety of donor milk. There has never been a documented disease or illness transmission through processed human milk.

Potential donors are screened – very similar to the way blood banks screen donors. View the four-step process to donate milk. Donors must be non-smokers and must not drink alcohol within 12 hours of pumping milk for the Milk Bank. There are also restrictions on the consumption of medications.

Donors are never paid.  However, the Mothers’ Milk Bank assumes all costs for blood testing and supplies containers to store milk.

Most donor mothers find they can begin pumping extra milk (typically four ounces each day) to donate once their own children are a few weeks old and are regularly gaining weight. Donors store the milk in their home freezer, then deliver the milk to our facility.

The Milk Banks asks out-of-town donors who overnight-express milk to send the product in batches of at least 200 to 300 ounce increments to help keep down shipping costs and ensure that the milk stays frozen.  Extensive shipping information.

Milk is transported to the WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank in a frozen state.  After it thaws, the milk is pooled and heat-treated to kill any bacteria or viruses.

The Milk Bank processes the product in 2-, 4-, or 8 oz. jars and refreezes it for storage.  It is dispensed only after a sample is cultured and shows no sign of bacterial growth.

The milk is then frozen and shipped overnight-express to hospitals and to recipients’ homes.

For more information on becoming a donor, please contact the WakeMed Mother’s Milk Bank at (919) 350-8599. You may also e-mail a program coordinator at suevans@wakemed.org

Sue Evans is a lactation specialist and executive director of WakeMed Mother’s Milk Bank.

Created two years ago, the awards celebrate the contributions of our four-legged friends who offer a comforting paw during times of need, protect our communities, and serve as first responders during emergencies.

Scully, a Lab/Golden Retriever mix, was nominated in the “service dog” category by Elizabeth Penny, his handler and a licensed/certified therapist at WakeMed. He helps patients who have suffered a stroke or brain injury with articulation of speech; provides physical therapy by letting patients groom, walk or feed him; and serves as “pure motivation”, especially for pediatric patients.

He wears a special vest that identifies him as a service dog. When you see a dog wearing such a vest, please remember that the dog is working. Do not pat the dog. Service dogs like Scully get lots of love and attention from the patients they help and the family who cares for him.

“Some people say Scully is built like a linebacker, but has the temperament of a kindergarten teacher – unflappable and endlessly patient,” Penny wrote in Scully’s nomination. “The impact that he has had on my patients and my co-workers has been profound.”

To vote for Scully, visit www.herodogawards.org until June 30 and select the “service dogs” category from the pull-down menu. Scully’s photo is in the middle, a third of the way down the page.  The top vote-getter will be named “First Place Category Winner” and “Finalist” for that category. You can vote once a day!

A second round of voting will be held from July 3 to October 5 to help determine the grand prize winner. A judging panel consisting of celebrities, animal care professionals, and other advisors will also help choose the winner.

The real winners are the patients of all ages Scully helps at WakeMed for three hours a day, five days a week. He has helped patients improve their memory and word retrieval, their socialization skills, balance, and range of motions. Patients who have worked with Scully often experience more self-confidence and the motivation to participate in daily activities.

Susan Evans

The Triangle Business Journal (TBJ) honored 25 local professionals this year with Health Care Hero Awards, including four from WakeMed.

All four WakeMed finalists – Susan Evans, Rosemary Kenny, Dr. Duncan Phillips and Tiffany Young – won in their respective categories. The winners were announced on Thursday, March 22 at a special dinner at the Raleigh Marriott City Center.

Dr. Duncan Phillips

Winners were nominated by their peers and selected by a TBJ-appointed committee. All winners have made significant contributions to health care in this community.

“Our winners this year represent another class of exceptional heroes,” said Bryan Hamilton, publisher of Triangle Business Journal. “Whether serving those in need or working on breakthrough innovation in health care, these winners are changing people’s lives.  We thank each of our finalists for their years of hard work and passion to make a difference.”

Susan Evans, RN, IBCLC, is the coordinator for WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank. It is one of only 10 milk banks in the country, and for several years, was the only one on the east coast. Evans admits to getting teary-eyed when she talks to a mom who wants to donate her milk after her baby has died.

Rosemary Kenny

Rosemary Kenny is a volunteer in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where she conducts hearing tests for premature babies. Kenny says she is motivated by the importance of identifying babies who need hearing assistance, so that “we can give them the very best possible start in life.”

Dr. Duncan Phillips is a pediatric surgeon who also helps to coordinate care delivered by other surgical subspecialists within the WakeMed system. If Dr. Phillips could change one thing about health care in America, he says it would be to guarantee all children equal access to specialty medical care, no matter where they live, the language they speak, or what their parents do for a living.

Tiffany Young

Tiffany Young works as a triage, charge, and trauma nurse in the Children’s Emergency Department. Her work has taken her around the globe, including to Haiti, where in 2010 she led a team in providing mobile medical clinics to rural areas. She also trained 50 Haitian doctors and nurses and opened a Cholera Treatment Center, which treated more than 10,000 people.