In the 50-plus years of family practice here in southern Indiana, the physicians and providers at Southern Indiana Community Health Care have written a mountain of prescriptions. The cheapest and most effective one? It doesn’t come from the pharmacy, and it doesn’t have a copay. It’s the screen door. Open it, walk through it, and go enjoy the great outdoors.

It’s a great time to go beyond your screen door – July is National Park and Recreation Month. SICHC providers will take any excuse to nudge people off the couch, because here’s the truth they see in exam rooms most every week: the human body was not engineered to spend twelve hours folded into the shape of an office chair.

We were built to move—to walk, bend, carry, and work out a little. When we quit moving, things start to creak, stiffen, and file complaints. The medical term for sitting all day is “sedentary.” The Hoosier phrase might be: “fixin’ to feel terrible.”

Time to get on your feet

It’s actually pretty easy. No one is asking you to climb a mountain or run a marathon. You just need to get vertical and aim your feet for the door. 

The remarkable thing—and research backs this up—is that the benefit doesn’t live in the intensity. It lives in the consistency. Most days, a gentle twenty- or thirty-minute walk does honest work on your blood pressure, your blood sugar, your sleep, and your mood. 

Your body doesn’t know whether you’re on a treadmill or a trail. It just knows you finally got up.

Try something different

Want to try something different to fool your mind that you’re on a mini-vacation?  We are spoiled for places to do it. Indiana’s state parks alone offer something like 700 miles of trails, and a fair share of the prettiest ones are right here in our corner of the state. 

Spring Mill near Mitchell has shaded paths and a pioneer village that makes a walk feel like a history lesson. McCormick’s Creek, Brown County, Clifty Falls over by Madison, Harmonie down in New Harmony, O’Bannon Woods, the trails around Patoka Lake — any one of them will hand you sunshine, fresh air, and birdsong for the price of a modest entrance fee. That’s a bargain, considering what you might pay if a month of inactivity leads you to a medical office visit.

Want to set your sights a little higher? If you’re feeling more ambitious and want to chase one of the big national parks, you’ve got options closer than you’d think. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky sits about 177 miles south from my office in Crawford County—a comfortable day trip with a built-in air-conditioning system underground. And speaking of nearby underground air conditioning, Marengo Cave (an official US National Landmark) and Wyandotte Cave are right here in beautiful Crawford County. 

Our sole National Park, Indiana Dunes, is roughly four and a half hours away, where you can walk along the beach and call it cardio. Any of these options beats another afternoon negotiating with the recliner.

Some free medical advice before you go. 

• Take water—more than you think you need, because July and August in Indiana have opinions about humidity. 
• Wear a hat and some sunscreen; a painful sunburn is not a tan, it’s an injury. 
• Start slower than your pride wants to. If you’ve got a heart or lung condition, or you haven’t exercised since the Beatles had their last hit tune, Check with us first. That’s what we’re here for.
• And listen to your body. A little tired is the goal. A little dizzy is a signal to sit in the shade.

What’s one constant in decades of practicing medicine in southern Indiana? Nobody has ever come back from a walk in the woods and told our providers that they regretted it. They come back looser, calmer, and a shade more cheerful than when they left. That’s medicine you can’t bottle.

So this summer, take two laps around the lake, or the through the park. Just go outside through that screen door.

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has seen multiple generations of men over three decades of practice in southern Indiana.

The post Doctor’s Orders: Step Outside This Summer appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

Pregnant or thinking about it? This is a time of excitement, anticipation – and big changes. Here are six steps to promote health and reduce risks during your pregnancy.

Get prenatal care. Prenatal care is crucial. During these prenatal care visits, your provider will carefully monitor your baby’s growth and development. As experienced mothers know, your body will undergo big changes during your pregnancy, so your provider will also be checking how you are doing. During these visits your provider will work to detect and address any issues. You’ll receive suggestions and advice on how to maintain good health. 

Given that, here’s an important point: In our area of southern Indiana, making appointments and traveling to see a provider for prenatal care can be a challenge. It’s very important for you and your baby to get regular prenatal care during your pregnancy, so this is a time for you and your family (and friends) to work together to schedule and make appointments (Southern Indiana Community Health Care may be able to help – visit sichc.org/services for more information). 

Eat well and drink plenty of water. Sound nutrition is always important. But eating fresh vegetables and fruit with whole grains and lean proteins while you’re pregnant is especially important. Indiana generally in the summer and early falls offers plenty of fresh goods, so stock up. Consider taking a folic acid supplement but avoid Vitamin A supplements (unless recommended by a provider) and limit caffeine intake (caffeine appears in coffee, some teas, colas, and some chocolates and medications – note: some new research suggests that expectant mothers would do well to completely stop consuming any caffeine, due to possible miscarriage and birth defect risks). Lighten up on fatty foods like cheeseburgers, French fries, fried tenderloins and other related foods. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Exercise regularly, but also get extra rest. Walking, swimming and yoga all represent good low-impact exercises. Talk with your provider during prenatal visits about what’s good for you. It’s also totally fine to nap and rest. Regular sleep can be challenging from pregnancy-related discomforts, but it’s still important.

Avoid stress and promote emotional wellbeing. Even with the joy of becoming a mother, it’s common to experience occasional stress and anxiety, even depression, during a pregnancy. Exercise can help moderate this, and stress-reducing activities like meditation, deep breathing and yoga also can help. 

Avoid harmful substances. If you or a partner are a smoker, now’s the time to quit. The same goes for any alcohol or illegal drugs. All of these can lead to severe complications, birth defects, and development issues. Ask your provider for suggestions and help ( as well as advice about any vitamin or herbal supplements you may be taking). 

Create a safe place. Where possible and appropriate, straighten up your living areas to minimize accidents (ask for help as needed). You and your unborn baby should avoid exposure to cleaning agents that have toxic ingredients (like certain bathroom and kitchen cleaners). That includes pesticides. Wash your hands regularly.

Pregnancy can and should be a time of joyful expectation. To help ensure a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby, follow these steps (and the advice of your provider). Working now for a healthy pregnancy can help promote a lifetime of good health for your baby. (For more tips and downloadable information in English and Spanish, please visit https://sichc.org/obstetrics/)

A board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Melissa Ray has more than 25 years of healthcare experience, including service in the greater Crawford, Lawrence and Orange county regions. She offers primary and obstetrics care, pregnancy, well-baby, and well-woman services.

The post Six Steps for a Safe and Healthy Pregnancy appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

As a long-time physician serving in southern Indiana, I can tell you from experience that many people living here face unique challenges. Good health usually means we can also enjoy a higher quality of life. As we hit 60 years of age and older, what can we do to be as healthy as possible?

Move and be active – Our bodies naturally slow down as we get older. As our metabolisms slow down, it gets easier and easier to become less active. The good news is that we can reverse that trend and fire things up a bit with some regular movement and simple exercise.

Being active doesn’t mean a commitment to an exhausting workout. Simply getting out and walking three-to-four times a week for 30 minutes or more at a stretch will likely yield all kinds of benefits.

Moderate exercise just a few times a week boosts your immune system. Have a bike? It doesn’t matter whether it’s old or new – just try to ride for a half hour or more. Strive to get in a total of 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. Just that little bit can reduce inflammation and many kinds of infection.

Try to Eat Healthy – For many living in our region, this can be a challenge. I encourage people to eat as much fresh fruit and as many fresh vegetables as they can. Again, it’s very easy to grab a sack of salty chips or a can of pop or heat up a box of macaroni in a microwave and call that a meal.

Over time, that kind of diet can be pretty hard on your body. But taking a little extra time to cook some vegetables or substitute an apple or other fruit for a candy bar can have great effects in a pretty short period of time.

Why is this important? Eating meals that have vegetables, fruits and lean meat (not fried) quickly helps boost your immune system and lower inflammation. Do you wonder how to cook fresh? It’s not hard – do you have a smartphone or access to the internet? Just search for “how to cook fresh” or phrases like that and you’ll instantly find hundreds of step-by-step ways to improve your daily meals.

Here’s some straight talk about health – Good habits in eating and moderate exercise have good payoffs. But having worked in this region for many years, I know that some face all kinds of economic and living challenges. Some of our residents may not have a family history of eating healthy, or face time or other issues that make it tough.

Wherever you find yourself, self-improvement – even small steps – can make big differences. Once you take control of trying to improve your health, good things generally start happening. I know – I’ve seen it many, many times, no matter what one’s position in life is.

I’ll leave you with a hard-earned truth: find a medical professional you can trust, one who will walk with you and meet you where you are. As you enter and live in your senior years, find a professional whom you can agree to work together for your best health.

Sometimes when we’re afraid of possible bad news, we avoid facing facts. We can try to live in denial. The good news is that there are many good professionals in our region whose services are available and affordable. When you’re a senior, a checkup can be lifesaving.

Don’t cut yourself short. If you’re already practicing these tips, good for you – keep it up! If you see some places where you might improve, start today – work for at least some small steps. And find a partner so you don’t have to go it alone.

Improved, even good health can be yours. Step out on that path today and live a healthier life!

A long-time certified family medicine physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has been serving Crawford County and other people in the region for more than 30 years. He enjoys biking, gardening and cooking, often creating recipes using home-grown produce and fresh fruit.

The post Living Healthy as Seniors appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.