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Lots o' hospitals
Although many experts say that a plethora of healthcare
providers doesn't translate into better health for an area,
having both the Martha
Jefferson Hospital
(982-7000) and the University
of Virginia Medical
Center
(officially: UVA Health System) (924-0211) in the same tiny
town can't be too bad. Each has a 24-hour emergency
room.
The
Thomas Jefferson Health
District -
This is the main health clearinghouse for public health.
Serving a five-county area including the City of
Charlottesville, it offers everything from STD
testing
(972-6217, free walk-in clinic Tuesdays and Fridays 1-3:30 for more, call 972-6228) to restaurant
inspections
(972-6259) to septic
tank advice (also 972-6259).
1138 Rose Hill Drive. 972-6219.
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are
available from at the Office
of Vital Records
in Richmond. Don't get too excited, though. Only immediate
family members can get the certificates.
804-662-6200.
The
Teen Health Center
- Provides pregnancy tests, HIV tests, gynecological exams,
and other services for anyone ages 12 to 20. Operated in the
Corner Building at 1400 W. Main St. as part of the UVA
Health System. 982-0090
Charlottesville
Free Clinic -
Offers medical care to the underprivileged. Located on Rose Hill
Drive. 296-5525
Alternative
Health
Charlottesville teems with holistic, homeopathic, and other
alt medical providers. Some people swear by their
chiropractor, some by their holistic healers, and some even
swear by their shark cartilage pills, but please don't
forget that many charlatans operate under the "alternative"
healing banner. The good news is that UVA's
Nursing School has
set up The
Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative
Therapies to
conduct research and disseminate information about
alternative medicine. 924-0113
Get Fit!
There are more
yoga classes around town than you can shake a mat at, plus
classes in Pilates and the Alexander Technique and countless
other wellness-related topics, but for the sake of space,
here are the health club biggies-- those full service spots
that are open to everyone and exist solely to keep you
feeling-- and looking-- your best.
ACAC:
It ain't the cheapest game in town, but with three
separate facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis
courts, basketball arenas, a kid zone, and a new downtown
facility, it's pretty hard to complain.
And that doesn't include the still-new kid "arena"
over at the Adventure Central location on Four Seasons
Drive. 978-3800
Gold's
Gym For
straight up fitness, Gold's is the place. Lots of free
weights, machines, classes and kid care. They've got a big facility, next to the
K-Mart on Hydraulic Road. 973-1307
Boar's
Head
Tennis, swimming, golf, and much more convenient for
west-of-townies at the Boar's Head Inn on 250 West.
972-6067 #
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Slimmer down, Charlottesville!
BY JOHN HONG, MD
DOC@READTHEHOOK.COM Weird
Al Yankovic sang, “Eat it/ Open up your mouth and feed it.” That pretty
much sums up Central Virginia because let me tell you girl, mmm, there
is enough delicious food here to make Liz Taylor become a Virginia
senator’s wife again.
Based on my own observations,
Central Virginia seems to be on the higher end of the bell curve when
it comes to being overweight and obese. I would say 90 percent of my
own patients are “robust” when it comes to weight.
Additionally, we are probably on the lower end of the bell curve when
it comes to regular exercise. Many of my patients tell me their biceps
curls consist of lifting their fork to their mouths or downing a huge
glass of a high-fructose-syrup-containing beverage, such as sweet tea
or soda. What would Arnold Schwarzenegger say about that kind of work
out? (Though he is kind of looking flabby these days as the Governator.)
I guess like Arnie, Central Virginians are busy, busy, busy— but not
like bees who do physical labor all day. Living in Charlottesville
means you are out of the desk-based rat race of a big city; it’s just
prettier. We are so workaholic when it comes to family, work, and
duties that it puts diet and exercise low on the priority list.
Also the gym options here are pretty limited and some belong on Rodeo
Drive: expensive with shorter hours. (Hmm, maybe I’ll open a gym here
and everyone will have to wear Prada. No sweating anyone! You’ll ruin
the Coach leather bench!) Actually we built a gym in our office because
of this problem, yet not everyone on my staff uses it. Ahem…
I often hear, “Oh, I’ll exercise when it gets warmer.” Have you yet
experienced the seasons here? Spring lasts for 30 seconds and then
becomes hot and humid as fast as my temper rises when I listen to AM
talk radio. Summer is so hot and humid that I feel like a Virginia
baked ham. Fall doesn’t cool down until The Great Pumpkin lands on the
red clay. So during these seasons, my patient say, “Oh, I’ll exercise
when it gets cooler.” Folks, you would have to live in the
enclosed-bubble world of The Truman Show to have this type of climate control.
So my advice to all “newcomers” of Central Virginia is this,
“Moderation in all aspects of your life and health is a good thing.”
Get enough rest, enough good nutrition, enough physical activity,
enough love, and just enough work to make it through the day. It just
might make you happier.
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This is just one tasty sample of Dr.
Hook's weekly column.
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