If this is the year you resolved to become healthier, overcome fatigue and initiate a no-nonsense strategy for preventing heart disease then you won’t want to miss this event.  Award-winning medical journalist Dr. Holly Atkinson can help you achieve your goals when she presents an "Evening of Wellness for Women," Thurs. Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at Modesto's historic State Theatre. The cost is $20 to attend this general-admission event.

     Dr. Atkinson, one of the most recognizable and sought-after health care journalists in the country, is coming to Modesto courtesy of Doctors Medical Center.  During this special event, the charismatic Atkinson will share her expertise in navigating through the challenges that face women today.  This includes how to make more informed decisions about women’s health issues, how to reduce the risk of heart disease, how to become more energetic, and techniques to minimize stress.

     A regular guest on NBC, CBS and PBS, Dr. Atkinson is the current medical editor-in-chief of EverydayHealth.com -- one of the leading health sites on the Internet. Dr. Atkinson is Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine and Co-Director of the Advancing Idealism in Medicine Program at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. She is also the immediate past-president of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning non-profit organization, Physicians for Human Rights.

     “Heart disease is not just a health concern for men,” stated Carin Sarkis, DMC's Director of Physician Relations, Marketing and Public Relations.  “About one woman dies every minute from cardiovascular disease and 64% of women who die suddenly of heart disease did not have any previous symptoms.”  Sarkis lauds Atkinson's ability to reach her audiences with important information through a down-to-earth, warm, funny and inspirational style. “”The medical and health issues confronting women today can often be confusing,”, Sarkis says, “This event is designed to provide women with a no-nonsense message of how to manage stress, reduce fatigue, improve health and well-being, and reduce the risk of heart disease in a delivery method that is peppered with good humor and sprinkled with heartfelt encouragement.” 

Women and Fatigue

     Fatigue, one of the topics Dr. Atkinson covers, is one that most women today identify with. Atkinson wrote what is now considered the definitive book on the subject. After 20 years, Women and Fatigue is still going strong, and Dr. Atkinson is still getting standing ovations from women when she delivers her incredibly inspirational speech.

    A very real problem for women that, too often, families and physicians fail to take seriously, fatigue, Dr. Atkinson stresses, is not a figment of the imagination. Most of the time, there are several causes of a woman's fatigue and the good news is that something can be done about them. Dr. Atkinson discusses the major energy drainers and major energy boosters, and gives countless practical advice on how to tip the balance in favor of the boosters. Every woman will come away from this speech having laughed a lot, and learned a lot not only about how to conquer her fatigue, but how to live her best life.

Conquering Heart Disease

     Although significant inroads against heart disease have been made in the last 25 years, it is still the leading killer of American women and men. Dr. Atkinson will share the latest facts about heart disease, the recent revised weight recommendations, practical advice about diet and exercise and ways to manage stress and anger. Dr. Atkinson will also focus on the role that estrogen plays in protecting a woman's heart, and whether or not taking hormone replacement therapy after menopause is a good idea especially in light of the new findings of the Women's Health Initiative Study. She also debunks the belief too many women hold that only men have heart attacks. Following her presentation will be a very lively question-and-answer period.

 About Holly Atkinson, M.D.

    Dr. Holly Atkinson is chief of medical affairs and on-air medical correspondent for HealthiNation, the leading provider of consumer health videos across the Internet
and on video-on-demand cable TV. Further, Dr. Atkinson is Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine and Co-Director of the Advancing Idealism in Medicine Program at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. She is also an author and popular professional speaker, engaging and entertaining audiences across America on a range of health topics.

    Previously, Dr. Atkinson was a founder as well as President and CEO of Reuters Health Information, Inc. Within three years of taking the helm, she led the company to profitability and international recognition. Prior to joining Reuters, she was at Lifetime Medical Television for 10 years as Senior Vice President of Programming. She has extensive experience as a medical correspondent, including assignments with NBC's Today show and CBS News (Walter Cronkite's Universe Show and The CBS Morning News), Lifetime Medical Television, and the PBS health show BodyWatch. She is author of the best-selling book Women and Fatigue. 

    Dr. Atkinson was the founding editor-in-chief of HealthNews, a consumer health newsletter published for 12 years by the Massachusetts Medical Society, publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine. She then moved on to Everydayhealth.com, where she was founding medical editor-in-chief and the regular health columnist. Her popular weekly lifestyle column, "Notes from Dr. Holly" was a standing feature on the home page. She's also worked with New Woman magazine, Dr. Weil.com and iVillage.com.

    Dr. Atkinson devotes considerable time to non-profit organizations and charities. She is Immediate Past President of Physicians for Human Rights. She also served on the board of directors of Legal Momentum, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization devoted to advancing equality for women, for over 12 years. 

    Dr. Atkinson has a MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and a MS degree in journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Colgate University with a BS in Biology. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

About Doctors Medical Center

     Doctors Medical Center of Modesto, part of Tenet California, is a 465-bed, acute-care hospital with the main campus located at 1441 Florida Ave., Modesto. DMC offers a wide range of services, including cardiology, neurology, emergency and trauma services, women and children’s services, orthopedics, medical/surgical, behavioral health, oncology and critical/intensive care.

Doctors Medical Center is currently a leader in cardiac services as evidenced by the following commendations:

• Ranked #1 in the region for Cardiac Services (HealthGrades, 2010)
  
• Nationally ranked in the top 10% of hospitals for Cardiac Services and the recipient of the Cardiac Services Excellence Award and Coronary Intervention Excellence Award (HealthGrades, 2010)
  
• Gold Awards for Coronary Artery Disease and Heart Failure (American Heart Association,Get with the Guidelines, 2009)
  
• Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care (2009)
  
• United Health Premium Specialty Centerfor Cardiac Care, Cardiac Surgery, and Heart Rhythm Disorders (2009)

    To learn more about Doctors Medical Center, or to receive a referral to one of their 600 affiliated physicians visit www.dmc-modesto.com.

About The State Theatre

     The State, a historic, multi-use venue has been providing arts, entertainment and film to the community for 75 years. The theater, which opened on Christmas day in 1934, has operated continuously, primarily as a movie theater, and now shows art, independent, foreign and classic films exclusively. The State is also home to a wide range of live music events including country, blues and rock ‘n’ roll artists. Community groups and non-profit organizations also utilize the 550-seat venue for social, political and educational events. The theater is also available for rentals by promoters, companies and private parties.