South Florida’s winter weather is ideal for getting outside and accomplishing the 10,000 steps a day many people make as a fitness goal. But what exactly does hitting that goal mean for your health?
Most fitness trackers and wearable devices are programmed with a daily goal of 10,000 steps, which amounts to about 5 miles. But some experts say that goal can be too high or too low, depending on the amount of exercise a person needs to be healthy.
For the average person,10,000 steps a day can be a great goal, for others it’s a starting place, and for some it could be too lofty, says Michael C Zourdos, professor in the Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion at Florida Atlantic University.
“Ten thousand is not a magic number,” Zourdos said. “There are very few things in health and fitness that have a magic number.”
Zourdos emphasizes that a fitness goal should consider age and current activity level. Beginners should start slow to avoid muscle strain and experienced walkers should refrain from overdoing it to the point of chronic fatigue.
For most healthy persons, walking is less about the number of steps and more about intensity and increasing heart rate for a continuous period of time. You need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, to lower your risk of cardiac metabolic disease. .
“If you are fit and do 10,000 low intensity steps and replace that with 8,000 vigorous steps, it probably will be better for you,” Zourdos said.
In South Florida, a hardy beach walk can double the exercise benefits of your typical outdoor walk. Studies show that walking on sand increases the amount of energy you use.
According to research, walking on sand actually requires over two times more energy than walking on a traditional surface at the same speed. That means your body is working twice as hard at your normal pace, therefore doubling the activity and burn of your usual walk.
Movement should be a primary goal, regardless of the number of steps. Studies have shown that sitting for long periods is in itself unhealthy.
Zourdos adds, “If 10,000 steps is a benchmark to keep you motivated, go for it.”
New screening options for ADHD
Nearly 10% of children have attention deficit disorder (ADHD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet getting an official diagnosis can be a stressful journey.
PM Pediatric Care, a national operator of pediatric urgent care centers, is rolling out a new evaluation service for ADHD. The company entered the South Florida market in 2021 and has four pediatric urgent care centers in Broward County, with plans to expand into Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. One of its centers in Coral Springs is devoted entirely to behavioral health with therapists and psychiatrists.
The new ADHD evaluation services is for anyone 5 to 26 years old. It will be virtual and use observation along with screening tools sent to parents, children and teachers. “We use a two-part evaluation to give an ADHD diagnosis or rule it out,” said Dr. Jennifer Weber, director of behavioral health for PM Pediatric Care. “We look at attention disorders but we also screen for anxiety and depression and then give recommendations.”
The evaluation looks for behaviors like staying on task, distractibility, difficulty focusing and hyperactivity. It costs $1,200 and takes about two weeks to for PM Pediatric Care experts to analyze results.
At the conclusion, parents will get a detailed diagnostic report. If needed, the report will include clinical and educational recommendations for the newly diagnosed child or young adult.
Weber said the evaluation program aims to help parents through what can be an overwhelming process and provide families with future direction.
New app to prevent falls debuts in Palm Beach County
Falls were the leading cause of traumatic injuries in Palm Beach County last year, and for older adults, a tumble can affect their ability to remain independent. With that in mind, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County has launched a Prevent Falls PBC app. Residents can download the app from the Apple Store, Google Play Store, or PreventFallsPBC.org
The app has resources such as how to make your home safer, a falls prevention checklist, steps to take after a fall, and a balance screening. It also has links to fire rescue departments within the county, and listings of fall detection systems.
The Health Care District discovered Palm Beach County last year had a staggering 2,570 reported incidents, marking a 145% increase in falls since 2010.
“I look forward to seeing the positive impact this app will have on our community’s well-being,” said Joel Rosales, trauma nurse manager for the Health Care District.
To improve balance, app users are encouraged to join the Health Care District’s free tai chi classes held weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. under the pavilion at the South County Civic Center in Delray Beach in partnership with Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation. The app also has links to soon-to-be-available virtual Tai Ji Quan balance exercises.
Cleveland Clinic Weston opens new Pancreas Center
The headlines can be scary. In the last few years, celebrities Alex Trebec, Aretha Franklin and Patrick Swayze have died of pancreatic cancer. It’s a type of cancer that is difficult to diagnose early.
Cleveland Clinic Weston’s Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, however, has opened a dedicated center for people diagnosed with every type of pancreatic disorder, including cancer.
At the new center, patients can get personalized pancreatic cancer screenings. They also can get endoscopies and radiology procedures, diagnostic imaging, and minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgeries, including pancreatic cyst ablation (a procedure to break up a cyst).
Dr. Tilak Shaw, medical director of the hospital’s Pancreas Center, said pancreatic cysts are a condition he sees frequently. Most pancreatic cysts are benign, but some types are cancerous.
“We offer several novel molecular tests of cyst fluid to assess the risk of cancer. For high-risk cysts we can offer minimally invasive surgical options,” Shaw said. “For some patients, we recently started to offer endoscopy-guided ablation.”
The benefit of the new Pancreatic Center is that all specialists, from gastroenterologists to surgeons to radiologists and oncologists, are in one place within the hospital and take a collaborative approach to treat diseases of the pancreas, said hospital spokeswoman Arlene Allen-Mitchell. “You don’t usually see that level of subspecialists working together.”
Disease of the pancreas include pancreatic cysts, acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and pancreatic cancer. Specialists at the center are doing research for every type of pancreatic disorder.
Dr. Mayank Roy, surgical director of the Pancreas Center said the specialists at Cleveland Clinic Weston provide treatment for some uncommon pathologies and cancers not offered by other centers.
Jupiter Medical Center to open surgical center
Palm Beach County residents are about to have a new dedicated center where they can get surgeries for cancer, cardiovascular issues and orthopedics.
Jupiter Medical Center has cut the ribbon on the new Johnny and Terry Gray Surgical Institute, a 90,000-square-foot building with 16 smart operating rooms for complex surgeries and two hybrid operating suites for minimally invasive surgeries and procedures. The smart operating rooms have special lighting that continuously kills harmful bacteria and viruses. They also have digitally integrated equipment and technology that allows surgical team to transmit a patient’s images from the operating room to additional specialists for real-time consultation. The team members also can provide real-time communication to a patient’s family during an operation.
Patients will be able to begin using the center after the holidays. Once open, Jupiter Medical Center can accommodate a 33% increase in surgical procedures over current capacity.
The next phase is more patient rooms. In 2024, Jupiter Medical Center will break ground on a new Patient Care Tower that will connect to the Surgical Institute. The 92-bed tower will be for hospital and surgical patients and is scheduled to open in May 2025.
Future doctors?
About 100 students from Broward County Public Schools, a majority of them young men of color, had an opportunity this week to learn about health care professions.
The students took part in demonstrations at Memorial Regional and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital that spotlighted careers in trauma, surgical services, imaging, transplant, orthopedics, cardiology, and other medical specialties. The health system partnered with 5,000 Role Models of Excellence to encourage future participation in the medical field.
Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.