Starting Tuesday, Oct 3rd, FirstLight will be utilizing automated reminder calls to confirm clinic appointments (rehabilitation and imaging departments will go live at a later date). The graphic below will be shared on our social media websites.
Tonight from 4:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. there will be a grand opening celebration for the new Mora Elementary School. If you have a chance to stop by, please do. There will be many activities:
Click here to view the event on the school’s website
This is real life. Busy schedules and social commitments can set us up for energy imbalance. Instead of looking for the newest fads in weight loss, consider a more sensible approach to managing your weight. Try the simple step of reducing 50 calories here and there versus making major dietary changes.
According to the National Institutes of Health, consuming just 150 calories more a day than you burn can lead to an extra 5 pounds over 6 months. That’s a gain of 10 pounds a year.
If you don’t want this weight gain to happen, or you want to lose the extra weight, you can either reduce your ENERGY IN or increase your ENERGY OUT.
Here are some practical ways to cut 150 calories (ENERGY IN):
Here are some practical ways to burn 150 calories (ENERGY OUT), in just 30 minutes (for a 
150 pound person):
Remember that a combination of both is the best way to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight over the long haul.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is shining a spotlight on innovative healthcare companies and contributors around Minnesota for making a healthy difference in the communities which they serve. FirstLight and the “Helmet Headquarters” campaign (featured in May) have been spotlighted as a Trailblazer in the 2017 BlueCross Trailblazer Tour, a journey moving healthcare forward across the state.
https://trailblazer.bcbsmn.net/story/firstlight-helmet-headquarters/
A huge congratulations to Kim Tepley for putting together such a creative and noteworthy campaign and to all of those who have helped with this.
Thank you to Sandy Moore, June Juday, EMS staff, Erin Mason (Graphic Designer at Mason Jar Creative), front registration staff, FirstLight providers, and Deb Wright for your help with this campaign and achievement.
This story will be featured online and on social media. Please feel free to share and spread the great news!
Energy balance is another important part of maintaining a healthy weight. When this balance is out of equilibrium, then weight gain or weight loss occurs.
The goal is to balance energy intake with energy expenditure, and maintain a healthy weight.
Energy intake occurs in the form of calories consumed by what we eat and drink. Energy expenditure occurs by day-to-day activity, exercise, and what we burn in resting calories (respiration, digestion, etc). Eating just 150 calories more a day than you burn can lead to an extra 5 pounds over 6 months. That’s a gain of 10 pounds a year.
The healthiest way to balance your calorie budget is a combination of healthy eating and physical activity. Your calories in should equal your calories out. Of course there are other pieces of the puzzle that may contribute to energy balance in some cases. Talk with your doctor about what may be affecting your lifestyle budget.
To see what your daily calorie allowance is, use the chart below. This is a good first step in helping become better acquainted with your lifestyle budget.
STAY TUNED! Next week learn tips on energy balance in real life.
Notification #17
Beginning September 25th
Thank you for your patients and cooperation during this notification. It is anticipated to take 2 weeks, but there is always a weather factor that could change the end date, please watch for more notifications.
Julie O’Connor, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, (and now) CWS has recently been certified in Wound Care Management to help grow and improve Wound Services offered through Rehabilitation Services in our Mora and Pine City locations.
Board certification in wound management is achieved through a rigorous process created by the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM). Those professionals who obtain certification are designated as a Certified Wound Specialist (CWS). A CWS is a key member of the wound management team and works to reduce the costs associated with and improve the treatment of chronic wounds.
Established in 1995, ABWM has been dedicated to the multidisciplinary team approach in promoting the prevention, care and treatment of acute and chronic wounds. Their primary function as an organization is to monitor a national certification process, recognize ability and competency, promote and educate, and increase standards of health and wound management.
Julie started practicing physical therapy in 2004 and in 2006, Julie received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the College of St. Catherine. With Julie’s background and experience in Lymphedema treatment, which is often correlated with wound care, along with her other professional experience (pool therapy, women’s health and orthopedics), she is an asset to have within FirstLight’s Rehabilitation Services department.
Julie is joined by a team made of up of other physical therapists and physical therapy assistants who all have a wide experience in the care management of wounds. The team includes Jean Mork, PT, LSVT; Erica Hinks, PT, MA; Jenny Niedzielski, PTA, CLT-LANA; and Grace Akkerman, PTA, CWCA, LSVT, who is also certified through the ABWM.
