Today we get to meet the newest provider at Lake Region Healthcare, Jordana Miller, NP. She is joining Dr. Chesley Johnson in the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department to help Dr. Johnson’s patients post-op and to provide aesthetic services including botox and laser treatments. She shares her background, her care philosophy, and a health tip based on her wound care experience in this quick “get-to-know-you” interview.

May is High Blood Pressure Education month and Dr. Dustin Sperr, primary care physician in our Elbow Lake and Evansville clinics joins us today to talk about the importance of understanding and managing blood pressure. We discuss knowing your numbers as well as the significant health risks associated with uncontrolled high blood pressure, such as heart disease, stroke, and dementia. You’ll also hear about management strategies, starting with foundational lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, and when medication becomes a necessary intervention. Dr. Sperr also shares some tips for proper technique to get the most accurate blood pressure readings as well as the value of home monitoring.

Laura Knopp, a licensed mental health therapist with the LRH Senior Life Solutions program joins us to discuss the critical importance of mental health, particularly for older adults, in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month. Laura debunks some common myths about aging and mental health and describes the strong connection between mental and physical wellbeing. She also offers practical, accessible tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), such as managing negative thoughts, using the cognitive triangle, identifying thinking mistakes, and understanding emotions with the feelings wheel.

Chaplain Aaron Christensen is our guest on this episode of Apple a Day. He joins us to discuss the importance of healthcare directives in observance of National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16th. We cover who needs one, how to make one, when to update it, things to consider when choosing your healthcare agent, and more. Listen in to learn more or visit our website to access an easy-to-use template for creating your own healthcare directive.

Mick Siems, the program coordinator for Rock Steady Boxing at Lake Region Healthcare joins us to share more about the program during April, Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Rock Steady Boxing is a non-contact boxing exercises to help people with Parkinson's disease fight its symptoms. Mick shares examples of how it improves physical strength, balance, and movement, while also providing a vital community and support network for participants.

On today’s episode we get to know Dawn Dahlgren Roemmich, a Certified Nurse Midwife joining the women’s health team at Lake Region Healthcare this month. Dawn shares her background in nursing and midwifery and her philosophy of care, which emphasizes treating patients like family and providing holistic, personalized support. Dawn also explained the scope of a nurse-midwife's practice and highlighted her special interests in natural childbirth, waterbirth, and functional medicine.

The Story of Buzzwell - Lake Region Healthcare’s New Mascot 

Lake Region Healthcare introduced Buzzwell to the community earlier this month and Kate Bjorge joins us today to share more about the story behind the new mascot. Listen in for a fun conversation about what sparked the idea, why a bee was chosen, how the name was picked, and where you can expect to see Buzzwell out and about promoting health & wellness and spreading joy & generosity across the region. 

Heart Health Month - February is heart health month and Kayla shares some practical heart-healthy tips for prevention of heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death among men and women. She also gives background on the benefits of cardiac rehab for those who have experienced a cardiac event and previews the new “Intensive Cardiac Rehab” program coming to LRH later this spring.

January is a time for resolutions as we seek a "reset" after the holidays. Natalie Knutson, Director of Wellness Lake Region Healthcare's Unity Wellness Center, joins us for a two-part series focused on lifestyle medicine as a basis for a new year reset. In this first episode, the pillars of nutrition and physical activity were the focus. In the second episode of the series, Natalie continues to explain the remaining four pillars of Lifestyle Medicine - restorative sleep, managing stress, avoidance of risky substances, and social connections - as an evidence-based approach to health along with simple ways to improve your health in each.

January is a time for resolutions as we seek a "reset" after the holidays. Natalie Knutson, Director of Wellness Lake Region Healthcare's Unity Wellness Center, joins us for a two-part series focused on lifestyle medicine as a basis for a new year reset. In this first episode of the series, Natalie shares some background on Lifestyle Medicine as an evidence-based approach to health and takes a closer look at two of the six pillars of health: nutrition and physical activity.