Cary Medical Center has received the Women’s Choice Award from Women Certified distinguishing it as one of the 2013 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience in Obstetrics.   The award is based on robust criteria that include female patient satisfaction measurements as well as clinical excellence considerations.   Women Certified  represents the collective voice of female consumers and is a trusted referral source for top businesses and brands identified as meeting the needs and preferences of women.

“Cary Medical Center has a long tradition of excellence in Obstetric Care”, said Kris Doody, RN, CEO of the hospital.  “This recognition by Women Certified is further evidence that women in Aroostook County appreciate the high level of clinical quality and patient satisfaction that is delivered by our staff.”

Pictured left to right are:  Bill Flagg, Director of Community Relations and Development, Cary Medical Center; Dr. Michael Mayo-Smith, VA New England Network Director; Dr. Robert Shaw, Physician at the VA Clinic in Caribou; Kris Doody, RN, Chief Executive Officer, Cary Medical Center; Ryan Lilly, Director of the Maine VA Healthcare System; Dr. Rodolphe Camy, VA Clinic Physician; Mildred, (Millie) Forbes, Family Nurse Practitioner, formally at the VA Clinic in Caribou; Reginald Guerrette, original member of the Veterans Clinic formation group; and Gary Michaud, RN, CPHQ, Head Nurse, VA Clinic in Caribou.

The Veterans Administration Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) celebrated its 25th Anniversary on the Cary Medical Center Campus on Thursday, November 29th.  Some 100 Veterans Community leaders and representatives from the Veterans Administration and the Caribou hospital were in attendance.  Ryan Lilly, Director Maine VA Healthcare System addressed those in attendance and spoke about the strong relationship that has been built between Cary Medical Center and the Veterans Hospital at Togus.  He pointed to the growth in services that has occurred over the past 25 years and talked about plans to expand the current clinic to meet the demands of growing numbers of Veterans who are utilizing the facility and his commitment to keep the VA clinic on the Cary campus.

Ask any nutrition expert what one of the biggest challenges is in weight management and they are likely to say ‘portion control’.  A portion is the amount of food that you chose to eat, whereas a serving is the recommended amount of food or drink you should consume according to research-based nutrition guidelines.

“Average portion sizes have nearly doubled in the past couple of decades,” said Kim Malone, Registered Dietitian at Cary Medical Center.  “And it’s no coincidence that the American waistline has grown significantly over this timeframe as well.”

Twenty years ago, a bagel was 3” in diameter and was approximately 140 calories.  Today’s bagel averages 6” in diameter and is over 350 calories.  An average soda use to average 6.5 ounces for 82 calories compared to today’s 20 ounces for 250 calories.   And restaurant portions have grown from a single serving of food to two, three, or more portions on every plate.   This changing perception of what Americans think is a “normal” portion has created what nutrition experts call portion distortion – and it is literally a growing problem.

Some of the most important decisions a person makes for their health happen in the grocery store.  Numerous studies have proven that nutrition plays a significant role in the body's ability to ward off diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, as well as contributes to how a person looks, feels, and ages.  But despite this evidence, only about half of Americans actually read food labels when they buy a product for the first time according to an extensive study in 2010 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Reading labels on prepared foods is one of the best ways consumers can make informed food choices, but experts agree there are several factors that can make this a difficult task.  "People are often in a hurry when they are grocery shopping," said Kim Malone, Cary Medical Center Registered Dietitian.  "Unfortunately, many don't take time to read food labels to help them make healthy choices.  Combine that with misleading labels on many food products, the use of complex artificial ingredients, lax FDA policies, and changes in dietary recommendations and it's easy to see why people get confused."

Reading and understanding food labels can be tricky.  15-letter ingredients, deceptive food industry marketing, changes in nutrition recommendations, and lax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policies can derail even the most savvy consumer.  But learning how to make healthy food choices is one of the most important ways a person can reduce their risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.  Countless, well-documented studies have proven the power of nutrition in overall wellness, including how a person looks, feels, and ages.

One of the biggest obstacles in deciphering food labels is misleading marketing.  "Many times, people are in a hurry when they are grocery shopping so they don't take time to read the fine print," said Kim Malone, Cary Medical Center Registered Dietitian.  "Unless you're buying only fresh fruits and vegetables, it's very likely that you will purchase foods that appear to be healthier than they actually are because of exaggerated claims on the label."