Before you hit the mall, don’t forget to hit the gym!  Curves in Joliet offers Silver Cross I Matter members 5-10% discounts. 

When you are out and about grabbing those Black Friday and even Thanksgiving Day specials, don’t forget to bring your I Matter discount card!  Just show it to the clerk and you could receive an additional 5-10% savings at various local business partners like The Sewing Store in Joliet.  Not an I Matter member?  Sign-up for Free today.  Happy shopping!

To encourage women to be screened for breast cancer and osteoporosis, the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health  is offering $10 off a one-hour massage or facial following a mammogram, breast ultrasound, or bone densitometry scan. 

Spa services are performed by an experienced licensed massage therapist/esthetician.  Regularly priced at $60, one-hour massages and facials are payable by cash or check at time of appointment.  Insurance will not be billed.  Spa services are only available in conjunction with a screening or diagnostic test at the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health. To schedule an appointment, call (815) 300-7076. A physician’s order is required for all tests.  Don’t have a doctor?  Call 1-888-660-HEAL or visit www.IMatter.silvercross.org for a free referral.

Plus, through the Silver Cross free I Matter™ program, Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health patients receive valuable discounts from local businesses just for getting their regular health screenings.  For more information or to become an I Matter member, visit www.IMatter.silvercross.org.

Massages and Mammograms, Oh My!

The Center for Women’s Health is located at I-355 and Route 6 in Pavilion B on the Silver Cross Hospital campus in New Lenox. Set in a soothing, spa-like environment, the Center was the first in the region to provide an advanced level of diagnostics coupled with specialized care for women in one convenient location.

Offering a variety of healthcare services designed around a woman’s needs and lifestyle, the Center’s crown jewel is full field digital mammography—the latest breast cancer testing available.  “At the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, we use only digital mammography technology to provide our patients with the best service and care,” says Marci Vasiliades, Manager of the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health. “Patients can bring their old films in and we will scan and transfer them to the digital format for easy comparison.”

Digital mammograms also simplify the procedure for women. Although compression of the breasts is still important when performing digital mammography, the compression paddles are warmer and more flexible, which ultimately provide women with a more comfortable experience.  Following the screening, women can call a 24-hour mammogram hotline to obtain their test results alleviating any anxiety.

The Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health is designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and is uniquely staffed with a Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN™).  “By having a Certified Breast Care Nurse working at the Center, we are able to offer our patients even more specialized and personalized care,” said Vasiliades. “This specialized nurse guides our patients through the next steps in their care.”

In addition to digital mammography, the innovative center offers women diagnostic breast ultrasound and breast biopsies, bone densitometry scans, and baseline heart screenings.  For added convenience, the Center recently began offering spa services for patients following their testing appointment. 

“At the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, we provide healthcare that is centered around women—their needs, concerns, and lifestyle,” says Vasiliades.  “It’s a partnership that puts each woman at the center.”

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health is offering digital screening mammograms for just $100 to women who call in before Oct. 31 to make an appointment before Nov. 30, 2012. The $100 screening mammogram includes the radiologist fee. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted at time of appointment—insurance will not be billed.  Please mention SPECIAL MAMMOGRAM when calling (815) 300-7076 to schedule an appointment with a doctor’s order.  Don’t have a doctor?  Call 1-888-660-HEAL or click here for a free referral.

Plus, through the Silver Cross  free I Matter™ program, Center for Women’s Health patients receive valuable discounts from local businesses just for getting their regular health screenings.  Not a member, join today!

What is digital mammography?
Digital mammography takes an electronic image of the breast and stores it directly in a computer. Digital mammograms are better at detecting breast cancer in women with dense breasts, or who are pre-or peri-menopausal. It provides physicians with a more accurate picture of the breast, allowing for quick and simple diagnosis.

The Center’s crown jewel is full field digital mammography—the latest breast cancer testing available. “At the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, we use only digital mammography technology to provide our patients with the best service and care,” says Marci Vasiliades, Manager of the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health. “Patients can bring their old films in and we will scan and transfer them to the digital format for easy comparison.”

Digital mammograms also simplify the procedure for women. Although compression of the breasts is still important when performing digital mammography, the compression paddles are warmer and more flexible, which ultimately provide women with a more comfortable experience.  Following the screening, women can call a 24-hour mammogram hotline to obtain their test results alleviating any anxiety.

See what it’s like to have a mammogram at the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health.  Watch Local sports broadcaster Kerry Sayers get her annual screeing.

Go ahead. Chocolate is good for your heart. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), small amounts of dark chocolate can be good for your heart. The plant phenols — cocoa phenols, found in dark chocolate, have been known to lower blood pressure and reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol levels. 

“When too much LDL or bad cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain,” says Dr. Abdul Sankari, medical director of the Cath Lab at Silver Cross Hospital.   “Together with other substances, it can form plaque that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible.  If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result.”

By knowing your cholesterol levels and other risk factors, you can work with your physician to reduce the chance of heart disease. Dr. Sankari also recommends healthy lifestyle changes to help reduce cholesterol, such as losing weight, eating heart-healthy foods, exercising on most days of the week, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol only in moderation.

In honor of National Cholesterol Awareness Month, Silver Cross is giving a complimentary sample box of dark chocolates from Dan’s Homemade Candies with a Baseline Cardiac Risk Assessment.  Individuals must call (815) 300-7076 before Sept. 30 and mention CHOCOLATE when scheduling an appointment to receive this special offer.

The popular $40 heart screening includes a 12-lead EKG; measurements of HDL/LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, blood glucose level, blood pressure level, body mass index (BMI); history and lifestyle evaluation, and a personal phone consultation with a cardiovascular nurse to review results and answer questions.Baseline Cardiac Risk Assessment screenings are available at three convenient locations: the new Silver Cross Hospital, 1900 Silver Cross Blvd., New Lenox; Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, Pavilion B, 1870 Silver Cross Blvd., New Lenox; and Silver Cross Health Center, 12701 W. 143rd St., Homer Glen.

Between fall clothes, computers/calculators, book bags, and magic markers … the back-to-school shopping list can quickly grow out of control and overtake the family budget.  We put together a list of some tips to help you this time of year.

• Save money when buying back to school uniforms, fall clothing, and accessories at local re-sale shops. The ENCORE shop, which is located on the Silver Cross Hospital campus is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cedar Closet is also another great option.  With all the savings, you can pick up some “fun” clothes for DIY projects to work on with your children or grand-children.
• Visit Advanced Eye Care for your glasses and contact needs. The doctors at Advanced Eye Carespecialize in pediatric and teen eye health. While you are there, make sure to get your eyes checked too!
• You don’t have to spend a lot of money on clothes when your hair looks fabulous. Save money on back-to-school style fixes and use your I Matter card at A Cut Above Hair Studio. The kids can get a quick trim or try a trendy new do for the school year.
• Need a doctor for a school physical? Find one here or call us at 1-888-660-HEAL (4325)

Don’t have an I Matter card? It’s easy to get one (and it helps your health!) Learn more about the Silver Cross I Matter program here and register today.

We want to hear from you, too! Share your best back-to-school cost-cutting tips in the comments section below.

Want this book? It was signed by Paula and it can be yours. Read more to learn how.

Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health will be at The first annual Ladies Night Out on Wednesday, August 22 (from 6-8 p.m.) at the New Lenox Village Commons. Visit our table and sign up for IMatter and you will be enrolled in a raffle to win Paula Deen’s autographed cook book!

Bring your girlfriends for a night away from the kids and the stress, and indulge yourself  in  wine-tasting, artisans, mini-manicures and a movie. At 8:15 p.m., the film is I Don’t Know How She Doest It, starring Sarah Jessica Parker portraying a role in which she attempts to balance work, parenting and marriage, will begin on the lawn. It’s an outside event, so remember to bring along a blanket or a lawn chair!

The Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health in New Lenox is offering a complimentary 30-minute massage or facial to patients who schedule a screening digital mammogram between July 25 and Sept. 27, 2012.  Spa services are performed by an experienced licensed massage therapist/esthetician. Call (815) 300-7076 before Sept. 15 to schedule an appointment with a doctor’s order.  Don’t have a doctor?  Call 1-888-660-HEAL or visit click here for a free referral.Plus, through the Silver Cross  free I Matter™ program, Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health patients receive valuable discounts from local businesses just for getting their regular health screenings.  To learn more, click here.

What is digital mammography?

Digital mammography takes an electronic image of the breast and stores it directly in a computer. Digital mammograms are better at detecting breast cancer in women with dense breasts, or who are pre-or peri-menopausal. It provides physicians with a more accurate picture of the breast, allowing for quick and simple diagnosis.The Center’s crown jewel is full field digital mammography—the latest breast cancer testing available. “At the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, we use only digital mammography technology to provide our patients with the best service and care,” says Marci Vasiliades, Manager of the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health. “Patients can bring their old films in and we will scan and transfer them to the digital format for easy comparison. Digital mammograms also simplify the procedure for women. Although compression of the breasts is still important when performing digital mammography, the compression paddles are warmer and more flexible, which ultimately provide women with a more comfortable experience.  Following the screening, women can call a 24-hour mammogram hotline to obtain their test results alleviating any anxiety.

Watch this to learn more about the digital mammography: