Healthy Living July 2018

DON’T SNOOZE, JUST LOSE | Learn these tricks to keep fat off for good. p. 24

of Excellence in Heart Care 25

Years

It takes a team of experienced professionals committed to excellence to deliver superior heart care. For the past 25 years, The Heart Institute at Leesburg Regional Medical Center has done just that—remaining at the forefront of implementing the latest cardiac innovations and technology through the caring hands of our cardiologists and cardiac care professionals.

With more than 6,000 hearts being saved each year using minimally invasive procedures, no other heart program in our area has more experience in cardiac care.

What does that mean for you and your family? That you can trust your heart to us.

Caring for your needs is our goal and your right.

Providing psychiatric evaluations, diagnosis, psychotherapy, and management of the following mental health conditions:

• Depression

• Anxiety Disorders

• Bipolar Disorder

• ADHD Adjustment Disorder

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Memory Problems

• Substance Abuse

• Psychiatric Medication Management Services

• Psychotherapy & Counseling Services

CARAVELLA , LCSW AHMAD GHASSAN BIZRI , M.D. CATHY LAMBERT, LCSW DEBORAH HEWITT, LMHC

TINY CELLS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

John T. Williams Jr.

Orthopedic Surgeon

Alfred J. Cook Jr.

Orthopedic Surgeon

Are stem cells a miracle? Not exactly. However, stem cells are a highly effective means of repairing damaged tissue. Stem cell therapy is a non-surgical procedure that gives the body the tools it needs to heal itself naturally. Stem cells repair damaged tissue and regenerate bone, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscle. Pain lessens and range of motion increases after a simple injection—without risk of infection.

Schedule a consult today to see if you are eligible for this cutting edge therapy.

Rosacea? Psoriasis? Thinning Hair? Worrisome Moles or Growths?

The nation’s largest dermatology practice has three locations in The Villages ® community. We now accept UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage.

Buenos Aires Professional Center

1503 Buenos Aires Blvd., Bldg. 100

The Villages, FL 32162

352.753.2812

Dr. Michael Bond (Retiring January 2018)

Dr. Michael Wangia

Dr. Christine Moorhead

Scott Clark, PA-C

Nicole Hwa, PA-C

Dori Hite, PA-C (Coming Soon)

Kimberly Neumann, Licensed Aesthetician

Lake Sumter Landing™ 910 Old Camp Road Suite 166

The Villages, FL 32162

352.205.4959

Dr. Michael Bond (Retiring January 2018)

Dr. Michael Burton

Al Sy, PA-C

Kimberly Neumann, Licensed Aesthetician

Appointments: 866.400.DERM (3376)

Dr. Michael Wangia

After graduating with Honors from Howard University College of Medicine, Dr. Wangia attended University of Florida where he completed his dermatology residency serving as a chief resident. He also completed his dermatopathology fellowship training at UF where he served as an Assistant Professor of Dermatology. He was awarded “The Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Award”. Today, he is committed to providing compassionate, comprehensive and individualized dermatologic therapies.

Following a storied career, marked by excellence in patient care, Dr. Bond is retiring. Please join us in wishing him well.

FEATURES

24. Look good. Feel good. From online meals and yoga clothing, Healthy Living offers a practical guide to the world of wellness.

34. Be a successful loser.

Losing weight can be a daunting task, but by following three rules, you’ll have more than a slim chance of shedding those unwanted pounds.

42. care?Top-quality Urgent-care centers offer advantages, including decreased wait time to see a provider. However, patients often are treated by a physician’s assistant rather than a medical doctor.

DEPARTMENTS

47

48. Get ripped, not rude. Following proper gym etiquette is important.

50. Doing yoga isn’t a stretch. Men and elderly people can also strike a pose.

55.

56. Too tense? Tips for tackling stress.

58. Take a load off your mind. Expressing emotions leads to improved mental health.

61.

62. That’s the spirit! Tune in to your spiritual world.

64. Jump for joy. Happiness can directly impact your success.

67.

68. Right on the money. advice you can take to the bank.

COLUMNS

10. Publisher’s letter

11. At your service

12. Health matters

14. Healthy inspiration

16. Medical mysteries

74. Final impressions

Look Good, Feel Good

You’ve probably experienced these wonderful moments at some point in your life.

Slipping comfortably into a pair of denim jeans that wouldn’t fit a few months ago.

Wearing your bikini at the beach with pride because your tummy is now trimmer.

Giving your extra-large clothes to Goodwill since they’re now too baggy to wear.

By now, you’re keenly aware that the theme to Healthy Living’s July issue is Look Good, Feel Good. It has been that way dating back to 2010. For our staff, it’s a point of pride to put this issue together because we’re doing our part in helping readers become proactive in their health and feel comfortable in their own skin. When you feel good on the inside, you radiate happiness on the outside, attracting others to you.

Yes, undergoing a wellness reboot can be challenging and time-consuming. But building a body we’re proud of is one of

the most important investments we’ll ever make. We don’t have to go at it alone. There are plenty of tools available to help you reach your goals.

We’re sharing some of those tools in this issue. You’ll learn about fitness apps, whether home gyms are beneficial, the advantages of personal trainers, and what supplements and vitamins are most effective. This issue also shares some of the latest clothing trends in yoga and fitness so you can achieve a new you in style.

We hope our Look Good, Feel Good section encourages you to embark on a quest for better overall health.

Your genes will thank you, and those nice-fitting jeans will make you look sharp.

Doug Akers / President doug@akersmediagroup.com

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Nicole Hamel Staff Photographer nicole@akersmediagroup.com

contributing writers

Fred Hilton, Richard T. Bosshardt M.D., Dave Ramsey, BE Conrad, Hollis Lance Liebman, Cristy Nickel, Helena Judith Sturnick, Conni Ponturo, Virginia LeBlanc, Dr. Owen Ashton Thomas, Alan Steelman

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VASCULAR SURGERY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The Villages Regional Hospital, a component of Central Florida Health, recently opened a new digital vascular surgery suite, according to a press release. It features the revolutionary GE Discovery Duo2 operating table that allows surgeons to perform complex heath and vascular procedures with ease of mobility and vital precision. “The addition of this suite represents the next generation of surgical innovation right here in The Villages,” says Don Henderson, president and CEO of Central Florida Health. “The hybrid operating room is set up for both minimally invasive and more complex cases, with the goal of efficiency and better outcomes postsurgery. The new robotic unit moves with the doctors to better detect any abnormalities that might come up during surgery.” The digital vascular surgery suite has a free-floating mobile operating room table with powerassisted motion. It also provides surgeons with precise 3D imagery. This improves accuracy, lessens surgery time, and quickens patient recovery.

KUDOS TO CENTRAL FLORIDA HEALTH

The not-for-profit healthcare system that makes Central Florida Health has been named to Becker’s 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare, according to a press release. This is the fourth consecutive year the organization has received this prestigious award. “Being recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as one of their 150 Top

Places to Work for the fourth time is an honor,” says Amie Richason, vice president of human resources at CFH. “We place extremely high importance on the satisfaction, growth, and happiness of our team members.” Among the list items offered by the organization are benefits, opportunities for employees to build careers, professional development, and promotion of leadership from within CFH. “The Becker’s recognition, which includes some of the most prestigious health-care organizations in the country, is another affirmation that Central Florida Health is a place where employees can achieve professional success and personal growth through their careers,” Amie says.

Department

IT’S TIME TO STOP

South Lake Hospital is offering a smoking cessation class as part of Tobacco Free Florida with free resources through Group Quit sessions at the hospital. You’ll receive support and guidance from a trained specialist. You could be eligible for free quit aids for two to four weeks. These include nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges, if medically appropriate. You must be 18 years of age or older. Classes meet every Monday from 6:308:30pm at the National Training Center on the South Lake Hospital Campus, 1935 Don Wickham Drive, Clermont. For more information or to register for a class, call 352.241.7109.

BRUSH UP ON DENTAL HEALTH

Healthy Living recently received samples of Doctor Plotka’s special toothbrushes. Not only do these brushes have antimicrobial flossing bristles, the bristles are soft and feel like “a spa in your mouth,” according to one user. Healthy Living staff received an adult brush and a travel brush, and two staff members used the samples. Both brushes worked equally well. Brushing with Doctor Plotka’s brushes leaves your mouth feeling fresh and invigorated. Our staff members really liked them and are happy to recommend them. Dr. Ronald Plotka is the innovative dentist who came up with the idea, and you can get more information about the brushes at mouthwatchers.com or online retailers like Amazon.

GROWING MEANS JOBS

With the recent expansions of South Lake Hospital, the need for employees is a priority. If you’re a registered nurse, ultrasound technician, or medical technologist, there is a need for you at Blue Cedar Medical Pavilion in Leesburg and Joe H. & Loretta Scott Medical Pavilion, Clermont. All you have to do is apply at southlakehospital.com/careers.

Pink passion

‘The sky is the limit; we can do anything,’ says Pink Bow Foundation founder about serving homeless teens.

Nicole Hamel

Owner of the trendy Livi & Tate boutique in downtown Clermont, Marcella Imbesi remembers having an epiphany when she volunteered in a food pantry at her daughter’s

She noticed hygiene supplies

“They had very little shampoo, deodorant, tooth brushes, toothpaste,” says Marcella, who also became concerned about homeless teenage girls who missed school days because they did not have access to sanitary pads or tampons while on their menstrual cycle.

Marcella was determined to do something about it. In 2014, she started the Pink Bow Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization in Clermont, and rallied community support to gather hygiene supplies to fill

Since then, hygiene kits have been packed with fullsize shampoo, conditioner, soaps, Q-tips, combs, brushes, lotions, and more. More than 2,000 kits have been given to teens in need from social workers and guidance counselors affiliated with Families in Transition, the liaison between homeless children and Lake County Schools.

“There are just over 1,700 classified, known homeless students in Lake County. Imagine how many more are out there that are not in the school system to be counted for,” says Aimee Stanley, owner of Optima One Realty, who also is active with Pink Bow Foundation. “One of the latest reports show 62.5 percent of the unaccompanied youths in Florida were in grades 9-12, so these kids are living on streets, couchsurfing, and living at friends’ homes for however long they can.”

The pair learned some homeless teens sleep on bathroom floors of public restrooms.

“This is the segment of the homeless population that is forgotten; nobody really talks about the teenager,” Marcella says.

“Homelessness is homelessness,” adds Aimee, “but most of the focus out there is on the veteran, the single moms, and the families with small children. People assume just because someone is 18, they can handle being out on their own.”

Marcella and Aimee strive to raise awareness of teen homelessness on a national level.

“We want to be a solution by empowering teens with resources so that they can get off the streets and into society,” Aimee says. “We also want to reach out to companies and say, ‘Just give one homeless teenager a chance to learn a skill; give them something so they have a start.”

To help, visit thepinkbowfoundation.org.

Choose a team of surgeons skilled in robotics

.

The Robotic Surgery Program at Orlando Health South Lake Hospital, now accredited by Surgical Review Corporation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, includes surgeons trained in robotic-assisted surgery. Robotic surgery offers the advantages of improved surgical precision, less pain and scarring, shortened hospitalization and faster recovery.

SouthLakeHospital.com/Robotics

Help me, nurse Goodheart! I can’t see!

Hysterical blindness is not just a bad TV plot twist.

Story: Fred Hilton Illustration: Josh Clark

We’ve all seen this story, or a variation, unfold on TV or in the movies. It’s a bit over the top but it’s still exciting. It goes something like this:

Joe Hero has just seen something terribly traumatic. His life has been crushed. He’s devastated. Life, as he knows it, has been ruined. Suddenly, Joe walks into a wall and cries out: “I can’t see! I’ve gone blind.” Nurse Goodheart quickly rushes to Joe and comforts him. The kindly Dr. Wisdom diagnoses hysterical blindness. We’ll all worried about good old Joe.

Nurse Goodheart patiently cares for Joe until that magical day when Joe sits up in bed and shouts, “I can see again! Thanks to you, nurse Goodheart!” They then live happily ever after.

Corny? Of course it is, even to the point of being hokey. It’s so cornball that we tend to assume it couldn’t really ever happen.

We would be wrong. Hysterical blindness is indeed real and can happen. It is now known as conversion disorder and is a neurological or general medical condition that can cause someone to lose his or her ability to see—usually temporarily but permanently in rare cases.

There are many possible reasons for blindness but they usually are some type of psychological trauma, anxiety, or injury. Extreme emotions can cause the visual signals that go from a person’s eyes to his or her brain to cut off temporarily.

Cases are more common among young adults and females. Emotional ups and downs like depression and anxiety also prove to play a part in the cause of this disorder.

Conversion disorder is common in patients who have suffered abuse in their childhood. It is also common for people suffering other mental health problems to also suffer conversion disorder.

Fortunately, studies show that no neurological damage really occurs in cases of hysterical blindness. The pupils of the eyes work normally, reacting to light as they normally would.

In her blog, psychiatrist “Dr. Sanity” relates the story of a 16-year-old girl who temporarily goes blind after seeing

her mother in bed with a man who was not the girl’s father. Dr. Sanity brings in a bit of Sigmund Freud: “You see, this was a classic Freudian case, the kind that he used to write about with all the obligatory symbolism (e.g., the blindness symbolized the fact that she didn’t want to ‘see’ or ‘look’ at something that was too painful for her to accept).”

Still, we need to remember that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

Sources

“What Does Hysterical Blindness Mean?” brilliantclarity.com. //brilliantclarity.com/what-does-hysterical-blindness-mean/

“What Is Hysterical Blindness?” superpages.com, Health & Beauty, Optometry. //www.superpages.com/ em/hysterical-blindness/

“Hysterical Blindness in Children, Report of Two Cases,” by Dr. Ernest Wolfe and Dr. George S. Lachman, April 1938, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Network. //jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/1177758?redirect=true

“A Classic Case of Hysteria,” Dr. Sanity, drsanity.blogspot, Feb. 3, 2005. //drsanity.blogspot. com/2005/02/classic-case-of-hysteria.html

JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

Over forty years ago, Dr. Saroj Tampira followed his heart and embarked upon a career journey that finally led him to the Village Heart and Vein Center. His arrival completed the vision of the Center founder Dr. Georg Couturier to provide total care for patients with heart and/or vascular diseases. Dr.Tampira’s journey literally began with a medical degree earned at Madihol University—the number one university in Thailand. Internship and residency at the University

of Louisville Hospital followed. In 1978 he completed a Fellowship with Tulane University in New Orleans. His specialty is interventional cardiology—clearing and repairing blocked veins and arteries—and he is one of a very select group of talented cardiologists skilled enough to pursue blockages below the knee in individuals who need help.Today, many patients and procedures later, all of us in Central Florida are fortunate indeed that his heart and his journey brought him here.

Dr. Kimberly Besuden

Dr. Lauren Cooper

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And with the VitalBand watch, you have elite level fall detection, critical vital signs like heart rate and respiration rate as well as stop count, calories burned, reminders and alerts. All of which can be remotely monitored by family, caregivers or your physician.

Make the rest of your life the best of your life.

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We will be hosting seminars in The Villages in July. Call to reserve your space as seating is limited. Complimentary food and refreshments will be served.

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Both Medicare and private insurance cover chronic care and many of the conditions BrightLife monitors through our integrated devices that we set up for you.

We’ll do the work for you to see if you qualify. But even if you don’t, you can have BrightLife in your home for a simple monthly fee.

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WHEN LOSS IS A TRUE GAIN

Weight loss has become a booming industry with the high rate of obesity.

Story: Leigh Neely

Many people feel they spend most of their day thinking about what they’re going to eat, how much to eat, what foods to mix together, and so on.

This is the result of burgeoning obesity among adults and children in the United States. More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the options for weight loss are numerous, and it seems there’s a new pill, drink, meal option, or fitness plan hitting the market every day. Money spent on weight-loss products is so high, it changes every second on worldometers.info, a virtual, real-time website that provides updated world statistics.

The Global Food Chart from Nielsen Marketing Company shows the variety of diets people tend to follow, from low- fat and low-sodium to flexitarian and gluten-free. Other ways to

lose weight include ordering meals to prepare at home. According to a Nielsen report, this method is more popular with families (31.7 percent) than with millennials (10.4 percent). However, 81 percent of Americans believe using meal kits is healthier.

Nationally, there are several ways, including Jenny Craig and NutriSystem, to get meals so there’s no measuring or calorie counting, and each has its own stable of celebrity

assortment of local programs that will not only outline a specific weight-loss program for you but teach you what is needed to keep the weight off—a true problem for most dieters—after you’ve achieved your weight-loss goal. Some of these local programs are Doctors Weight Control in Clermont; Transformation Weight Loss in Mount Dora and Clermont; Metabolic Research Center in The Villages; Total Nutrition and Therapeutics in

Many people opt for bariatric surgery for weight loss, and Sean Daly, chef and director of food operations at Rational Foods, along with Dr. Jonathan Thompson, a bariatric surgeon, have created “food pouches” to help patients.

“Bariatric patients must adhere to a strict diet of liquid and soft foods preand post-surgery before they can eat solid foods again,” Dr. Thompson says in a recent press release. “We believe a convenient, non-shake option has the potential to disrupt the weight-loss recovery market.”

spokespersons who have achieved success. Weight Watchers introduced its Freestyle program, which is built on the successful SmartPoints system, according to a recent press release. Because of the flexibility and the increase in the number of “free” foods, participants are reportedly having fewer food cravings and problems with hunger.

If you’re looking for behavioral changes in your diet, there is an

The Villages; and Health & Wellness Practice in Mount Dora.

According to another Nielsen study, lunch has become a key meal of the day, and it appears consumers are focused on fresher, healthier options; however, they haven’t forgotten convenience. They still want to be able to fix a sandwich and go. With whole grain breads and organic meat, most “grab and go” lunches now are motivated by health.

Organic food pouches are available at rationalfoods.com and are similar to the fruit and veggie pouches children enjoy. Rational Foods is a spinoff from the Thompson Center, an entrepreneurial division of the University of Cincinnati.

Aside from proper nutrition, fitness is a key element in weight loss. Sine Wallace, at Wallace Fitness in Mount Dora, says, “We believe in and encourage long-term results. Overall healthy living is our approach.”

Sine is a certified health coach, a certified weight management specialist, and a certified senior trainer. “Exercise after a certain age is different.

RESTRICTED DIETARY REQUIREMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE

Source: The Nielsen Global Health and Ingredient-Sentiment Survey

“When people lose weight, they often lose muscle instead of fat. That makes them feel weak.”

— Sine Wallace, Weight Management Specialist

You don’t want to hurt yourself,” she says. “We take the individual approach to weight loss, too, and we offer free consultations.”

During these consultations, Sine says they access lifestyle, habits, ability, and limitations to create a custom training program for each client. They use a body composition machine to analyze to the seminal level how weight is being lost.

“When people lose weight, they often lose muscle instead of fat. That makes them feel weak,” Sine says. “The scale looks good, but they are not losing the right weight. We focus on fat burning so they lose fat, not muscle.”

Sine says Wallace Fitness uses a scientific, functional, and individualized plan for each client. The small, family-owned business knows its clients are friends and neighbors and wants to offer the best care.

Losing weight is a constant battle for most Americans. The amazing number of plans, programs, books, pills, and fitness styles sometimes make it difficult to choose what is best for you. Keep in mind, your goals, your age, and your body’s abilities all are important when you’re ready to live healthier.

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK

Supplements, probiotics, protein drinks: Do they help, hurt, or do nothing?

Story: Theresa Campbell

Devoted to health and wellness, Dr. John Theeck discusses nutrition, supplements, probiotics, and more when his office, Legacy Clinic in The Villages, hosts a disease prevention seminar for the public on Monday nights.

“We try to encourage patients to get all of their nutrients from food, if you can,” he says, adding plant-based supplements can help you get the nutrients you may be lacking.

Plant-based supplements also are better, he says, over artificial or chemically made supplements, which can result in side effects.

“The ultimate goal is getting nutrients to the cells,” Dr. Theeck says, since the cellular level is the core of your body’s health. “You want your cells to absorb nutrients; most cells can’t absorb chemical-based supplements.”

He has met patients who take 20 supplements a day or hundreds

of dollars’ worth of pills a month. However, Dr. Theeck touts probiotics, vitamin D3, digestive enzymes, fish oil, and a multi-green, vegetable-based supplement, Green Vibrance.

He warns certain foods can withdraw nutrients.

“Meat is filled with antibiotics, and antibiotics remove the good bacteria and the bad bacteria from your stomach,” Dr. Theeck says. “Eighty-six percent of your immune system is in your stomach, so antibiotics

LOOK GOOD FEEL GOOD

give you an antibiotic, so what’s happening is we are

“Our bodies don’t absorb certain proteins,” says Dr.

wish we learned this a long time ago.’ They

RAISING THE BAR

For those working out at the gym, it’s time to get pumped about having a personal trainer.

Many people want to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle but have no idea how or where to begin. Some may join a gym but wander around aimlessly because the fancy equipment intimidates them. Others try to do too much at tness enthusiasts t into one of these categories. If so, they should strongly consider hiring a personal trainer. tness levels forward quicker than working out on your own. Here are several reasons why hiring an experienced and skilled personal trainer

triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood-sugar and vitamin D levels, among other things.

“It allows me to recommend which foods and supplements they can include in their diet,” he says.

In addition, he takes a body composition measurement of each client, helping identify risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Body composition measures how much of a person’s weight is fat and how much is muscle and tissue.

“I do this because having too much body fat can be a health risk,” Al says. “When assessing body composition, it’s important for people to remember the scale doesn’t tell the entire story. If you lose five pounds of fat but gain five pounds of muscle, your weight stays the same, and some feel their workout program isn’t working. However, they have to remember they did change their body composition.”

ACCOUNTABILITY

The majority of people do not know where their current health truly stands. Ask them about blood pressure, body circumference measurements, or body fat, and you’ll likely receive a blank stare. As a result, it is difficult to formulate an effective health plan. Conversely, a personal trainer fully assesses clients and can provide a customized workout

Al Cardiello, a personal trainer and owner of nity Fitness and Medi Spa in Fruitland Park, orders blood work on his clients. The test is analyzed for nutritional ciencies,

Someone who works out alone likely has good intentions but rarely follows through. For instance, a worthy goal might be to walk a mile each morning, but soon the appeal of sleeping another hour breaks the habit.

A personal trainer ensures that clients commit and stick to goals.

“If a client has an appointment at 4pm, he’s going to be there because he knows I’m depending on him to be there,” Al says. “When they’re in a routine and start seeing results, they’ll want to stay in that routine.”

But what about the rest of the week when clients are away from their trainer?

“I will text and email them to remind them to work out or to make certain they are eating right and staying on track,” Al says. “That helps them stay on track and reminds them to constantly strive to achieve their goals.”

SETTING REASONABLE GOALS

Some people set difficult goals, like trying to lose 30 pounds in a month. When that goal is not achieved, they give up. A personal trainer sets achievable goals, which

encourages and motivates clients to continue workout and nutrition programs.

“It’s about setting smaller goals,” Al says. “I might give them three or four weeks to lose fi two months to lose another 10 pounds. If they can achieve two consecutive goals like that, their confi tremendously.”

INJURY PREVENTION

Spending a few seconds on a YouTube channel or skimming through a fitness magazine doesn’t make one an expert on how to properly perform exercises or use exercise equipment. Using improper technique may result in injury or exacerbate pre-existing injuries.

“Personal trainers can tell clients the right weight to lift, the right number of repetitions to perform, and how to execute certain tasks,” Al says. “And given my knowledge and experience, I can work around past or present injuries or prevent further injury by having clients work at a safe level. I also try to find out what’s causing their issues rather than merely treat symptoms like a medical doctor.”

EXCITING, NEW ROUTINES

A person who works out alone will likely continue doing the same routine and focus on improving one body part, but redundancy may lead to boredom.

Personal trainers like Al switch things up to keep exercise fun and challenging.

“I make the plan, so it requires no brainwork on the part of the client,” Al says. “They just have to show up and work hard. Every night, I sit in front of my computer and design a workout for a specific person and for a specific day. I constantly change the routine to make it fun and exciting.”

“Personal trainers can tell clients the right weight to lift, the right number of repetitions to perform, and how to execute certain tasks and given my knowledge and experience, I can work around past or present injuries or prevent further injury by having clients work at a safe level.”

— Al Cardiello

Photo: Lindsey White photographed by Nicole Hamel

WHEN THERE’S A WHEEL THERE’S A WAY. Al Cardiello right, helps a client get buff. Photo: Nicole Hamel

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT FOR FITNESS

Clothing for yoga and fitness this year has five distinctive styles, according to yogiapproved.com. The website for yoga enthusiasts likes dance-inspired activewear, matching solid colors, high-slit palazzo pants, leotards, and velour. Yes, velour, the soft jogging suits that everyone loved, are back and stylish.

There are many brands of fitness and yoga wear, and an online search will lead you to whatever you need. Whether you are a runner, aerobics cionado, or weightlifter, there’s an outfit to make you look great and feel good while doing it. However, probably the most popular item for fitness or leisure wear is yoga pants. They move with you, and come in a variety of colors, designs, and styles.

Lindsey White, who lives in Eustis, is an affiliate for two vendors: Legging Girls and My LaLa Leggings. Most are under $20, and she has sizes up to 5XL.

“I’ve been selling them for about a year,” Lindsey says. “I also teach yoga— power yoga and Binyasa yoga, along with yoga for seniors.”

Lindsey says she was attracted to the two legging brands because

she found the more expensive ones did not hold up as well for her. You can go to Chickens & Yoga, Lindsey’s Facebook page, to reach her. However, if you live in Leesburg, Tavares, Clermont, or Mascotte, there are also affiliates there. Just go the legginggirl.com and click on “Find Affiliates.”

“I tend to wear what’s comfortable,” Lindsey says. “I think they want to come back with roll-down waist leggings, and they can fall down when doing certain positions.”

Lindsey’s yoga partner most of the time is her gold wing bantam rooster named Daniel. He lives indoors with Lindsey and her family and is a wonderful pet.

“My big biker husband rocks him to sleep every night,” says Lindsey, who also has about 30 chickens and a full-size rooster, so she sells fresh eggs, too—white or brown.

Before getting into yoga, Lindsey was a rodeo rider. She heard yoga could improve her riding, and it did. After breaking her back in a fall from a horse, she eventually left the rodeo circuit and now does yoga full-time. Fitness clothing styles are about fashion and flexibility. It’s easy to see why men and women wear the stylish clothing everywhere these days.

PERSONAL ASSISTANTS

Michelle McClain is old-school. The trainer and co-owner of Not the Norm CrossFit in Leesburg prefers to keep track of her workout progress by writing statistics on paper.

But in the technological age, it’s diffi avoid the inclusion of fitness apps in workout routines. Some estimates show there are as many as 325,000 mobile health and fi available for phones, tablets, and other devices.

Of course, with so many different types of apps, their effectiveness depends on each individual’s goals, and what works for one person may not suit everyone, Michelle says.

“If you want to keep track of your workout and you’re trying to improve, then they’re very good for the informational part and to track your progress,” she says.

Michelle has used a few apps, and says MyFitnessPal is good for nutritional information such as counting calories and planning diets, and Runkeeper tracks distances and routes for runners and bikers.

Even if you’re just going out for a walk, a fitness app for your phone can track your walk in real time and share stats with friends.

MapMyFitness, part of the Under Armour sports apparel company, is a series of apps including MapMyWalk, MapMyRun, and others, according to its website.

Just as exercisers enjoy the convenience of apps, many also want the convenience of a gym right at home. Since the days of Bowflex TV commercials in the 1980s, the home fitness market has boomed with treadmills,

stationary bicycles, skiing tracks, multipurpose elliptical trainers, and more.

Again, the effectiveness of a home gym depends on the user.

“I think it’s great if you’re self-motivated and use it,” Michelle says. “But what I fi who want to buy equipment eventually realize they’re not as motivated as they once were, and they wind up selling the equipment cheaper than what they paid for it.”

Sidney Gray, a trainer at Anytime Fitness in Leesburg, agrees that home equipment requires commitment, and adds that 30-minute “quick fi not suffi

“Convenience is sometimes a negative. ‘I’ll get to it later’ turns into a catch-all,” he says. “But if you do put an effective workout program together, then the equipment can work for you.”

But home gyms can’t beat the real thing, Michelle says.

“The main thing is, we program and we coach,” Michelle says. “There’s always a trainer watching, and it’s group fi you’re not working out alone.”

Photo: Al Cardiello and client photographed by Nicole Hamel

Apps complement workouts, but home gyms require dedication.

Story: Chris Gerbasi

Gain ‘back’ your self-esteem

A visit to Dr. Jeffrey Glover means looking good because you’re feeling your best. Paid Promotional Feature

The theme of this month’s issue is “Look Good, Feel Good.” Of course, achieving that requires more than consuming protein drinks or having manicures and pedicures done for aesthetic enhancement.

It also means taking care of ailments to restore your self-esteem to the fullest.

Restoring self-esteem and functionality is a special talent of Dr. Jeffrey Glover, who opened Leesburg-based Glover Chiropractic in 2012. He has successfully treated a wide range of injuries and thus helped patients regain their livelihood.

In fact, the success stories that have taken place in his office seem endless.

• There was the guy who played bass guitar in his church band. He lost strength in his pinky and ring fingers. A few sessions of laser and spinal decompression helped him regain strength.

• Another patient played in a softball league for retirees. Back pain sidelined him for an entire month. Fortunately, after several chiropractic adjustments, he was able to begin playing again.

• One woman drove her 9-year-old son all the way from Apopka because he had been wetting the bed for five years. After

straight. They carry themselves

Dr. Jeffrey Glover

SIMPLE RULES FOR LASTING WEIGHT LOSS

Losing weight is not the hard part. The challenge is keeping it off.

Cristy “Code Red” Nickel

It’s one thing to grit your way through a few weeks of the latest fad diet or grueling exercise program, but what happens when you stop? More often than not, the weight piles right back on. Yet some people manage to keep their weight under control for the rest of their lives. What’s their secret? I’ve found that by creating just a few simple, nonnegotiable rules, you can lose the weight once and for all. I

tell all my clients,

“This is the last time you have

Here are the top three rules to start shedding those pounds right away.

DRINK MORE WATER

People, I can’t stress this enough: we don’t drink enough water! How many times have you made it to lunch, or even dinner, without drinking any water? Coffee, tea, juice, and soda don’t hydrate your body. People complain about joint pain and feeling groggy all the time. Well, water is a big part

Now, if you’re trying to lose weight, your need for water is even greater. rst step should be to drink a gallon every day. That might sound like a lot if you’re not in the habit of drinking much water. But consider this: what lled with instead of water? Soda? Snacks? Drinking enough water will help you feel full and prevent you from snacking. It works like this: you’re working hard, and your body is working hard right along with you. Eventually, it sends you a message:

Unfortunately, people often mistake that message for “I’m hungry.” We get that message and we eat a snack. However, 90 percent of the time, your body isn’t really hungry. It’s dehydrated. And those snacks you eat only increase the need for water. So it will keep sending that message, and you will keep snacking. It goes on and on.

Break the cycle. Drink a gallon of water every day.

GET SOME SHUT-EYE

Like water, sleep is a vital piece of health and well-being. Think about it: if you go too long without water, you’ll die. The same is true with sleep. You would think that would be enough to get people’s attention, but it’s not. You need the right amount of sleep just to feel normal. If you’re trying to lose weight or improve your health, your need for sleep will increase.

The fact is, if you don’t sleep enough, you won’t lose weight. When you deprive your body of sleep by staying up late or getting up too early, that registers as stress. When your body is stressed, it will decide it needs to protect you. How? By retaining water and not burning fat.

Your body doesn’t know that you’ve been out shopping for hours or you just need to get a last-minute report done. For all it knows, you’re being chased by lions. All of our unconscious functions are very primitive, and we register stress the same way no matter what the source. The bottom line is this: if you don’t get enough sleep, your body will hold on to water and store fat. They’re reserves for when you escape from those lions and have nothing to eat.

The solution is to get, at the very least, 7.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. I know your life is busy; mine is too. Just as you need to make room in your meals for a gallon of water, you need to make room in your day for 7.5 hours of sleep every night. If you want to lose weight, look your best, or perform at your peak, sleep is nonnegotiable.

GO WITH THE GRAIN? HOW ABOUT GONE WITH THE GRAIN?

Here’s where you get to make it easy on yourself. If you’re drinking a gallon of water every day and you’re getting plenty of sleep every night, there’s one more change you want to make to unlock your true weight-loss potential. Cut the grains out of your diet.

But wait a minute, grains are supposed to be healthy, right? Well, some are not unhealthy, but if you’re trying to lose weight, you will want to skip grains altogether. All of them. That includes wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley—all of it.

If you have excess fat on your body, you need to burn that fat to get rid of it. The good news is you don’t have to exercise that fat off. All you have to do is stop eating the foods that your body turns into fat. Simple carbohydrates, like sugar and grains, get turned into glucose when you eat them, and anything that your body doesn’t burn then gets

You want to burn all that fat, right? So, stop storing it up!

That leaves you with plenty of delicious food to eat: proteins, healthy fats like butter, avocadoes, and olive oil, and all the vegetables you could want. By eating more fats with your protein and veggies instead of carbs, you will train your body to burn fat instead, and then you’ll start to get rid of that excess weight.

It really is that simple. When these three rules are followed consistently, they become a habit that results in long-term sustainable weight loss. I’ve seen it thousands of times with my clients. And if they can do it, you can, too.

ABOUT THE WRITER → Cristy “Code Red” Nickel is the author of “The Code Red Revolution,” which details all seven simple rules for losing all the weight you want without pills, shakes, diet foods, or exercise. Since 1994, she has helped thousands lose weight by eating real food. She also is a speaker and nutritionist. Learn more at coderedrevolution.com.

Complete Skin Care, Close to Home

Healthy skin protects a healthy body. The risks of skin damage are high in Florida, where year-round sunshine means plenty of outdoor activities: fishing, golfing, tennis, gardening, walking and running all offer healthy – or potentially unhealthy – doses of sunshine and its harmful ultraviolet rays.

Helping people maintain healthy skin is key to Florida Dermatology and Skin Cancer Centers’ commitment to excellent care. To expand our services for Lake County residents, we recently opened a new office in Clermont, at 3725 So. Hwy 27, where we offer the same high-quality care found in our Lady Lake office.

Florida Dermatology and Skin Cancer Centers, treats all types of skin and scalp conditions. What sets us apart is our ability to diagnose and treat skin cancers, with highly-specialized physicians and the latest techniques. Owner and medical director K. Wade Foster, M.D., Ph.D., is Fellowship-

trained in Mohs surgery, which is the most effective technique for most skin cancers, with minimal scarring or risk. We also provide a full-line of cosmetic services, including fillers, facial peels, and advanced hair restoration.

Dr. Charles Dewberry, will see patients in Lady Lake. After earning his medical degree at University of Health Sciences College of Medicine in Kansas City, Dr. Dewberry completed a traditional internship in Kansas and a dermatology residency in Tampa. Certified nurse practitioner, Stephan

Thornton will also see patients in the Lady Lake location. He has a master of science degree in nursing from the University of South Florida and is a board-certified nurse practitioner.

Jared Simmons, an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner will see patients in the Clermont location. He holds a master of science degree in nursing, with a concentration in adult gerontology primary care from Florida Southern College. Additionally, he has earned certification from the National Academy of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Foster will share surgical responsibilities in Lake County with Dr. Dewberry and FLDSCC physician staff as needed.

Call our toll free number 855.353.7546 for an appointment, or visit www.fldscc.com for more information about our services and specialists.

K. Wade Foster, M.D., Ph.D.

Your advocate for life

A cancer diagnosis is the last thing you want to hear from your doctor. It’s hard to know what to do, or even what to think. Where do you go for help? How will you know what’s next?

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(L-R) Holly Lynn Soucy RN, ONN-CG and Eileen Bascombe RN, ONN-CG

Thankfully, there’s a source of guidance in Lake County. As part of the first and only program of its kind in the area, Florida Hospital Waterman now provides cancer patients with a Cancer Care Navigator as part of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute’s comprehensive services.

Cancer Care Navigators are skilled and knowledgeable nurses, specially trained to guide patients through their treatment and recovery process. They are certified by the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, and provide a number of services including connecting patients with resources and support, communicating with their healthcare teams, answering questions, coordinating medical appointments – even helping with insurance.

Their work doesn’t stop after treatment has concluded, either. They often provide follow-ups, encourage participation in support groups, and go into the community to give talks, provide educational programs, and advocate the lifesaving measures of health screenings and mammograms. heir services are completely free.

MEET EILEEN BASCOMBE AND HOLLY LYNN SOUCY.

These highly trained, experienced and compassionate registered nurses are devoted to their roles as Cancer Care Navigators. They provide personalized guidance and wholepatient support for patients with all

types of cancer. They also serve as liaisons with doctors and other staff involved in each patient’s care.

“When you’re first diagnosed or it’s a possibility that you have cancer, it is very overwhelming,” says Eileen. “Even during diagnosis and treatment, you may only hear every third or fourth word. You just can’t take it all in. We are there to help with the education needed and anticipate what will happen next to help patients and their families be prepared.”

The Navigators often meet patients when they are first diagnosed. “It’s a privilege to be there during the most vulnerable time in people’s lives,” notes Eileen. “I have been called a lifesaver.”

They may also be present during cold calls from people concerned about a possible abnormality. “We do not want to waste any time,” Holly says. As Navigators, she and Eileen immediately get to work coordinating appointments, scheduling tests and obtaining results.

Bolstering their team is oncology social worker Latanya Ruiz, who works directly with Eileen and Holly. Latanya guides patients through non-medical concerns about their home, work and family life.

NOURISHING THE BODY AND SPIRIT.

A Navigator’s role is as a wholepatient healthcare provider. This in part means making sure patients take full advantage of the complimentary resources at the Florida Hospital Waterman Cancer Institute, from free wigs to educational classes, support

groups and a library filled with up-todate information.

A variety of support groups are also regularly available for patients and families dealing with all types of cancers. “I think it’s important for people to not feel alone, to feel they are part of something,” Holly says. She sees friendships develop and blossom in support group meetings, and believes this is the best way for patients to meet others experiencing similar situations.

Navigators find that patients adapt best when they feel informed and supported. “If you can diminish the fear a little bit for one person, it makes a huge difference,” Eileen says. “Everybody’s journey is unique and every patient is an individual, so the way we help each is different.”

To learn more or schedule an appointment with a Cancer Care Navigator, visit FHWatermanCancer.com or contact:

Eileen Bascombe

352.253.3036

Eileen.Bascombe@AHSS.ORG

Holly Lynn Soucy

352.253.3626

Holly.Soucy@AHSS.ORG

It’s a privilege for us to be there during the most vulnerable time in people’s lives.

— Eileen Bascombe

Is Your Knee Pain a Torn Meniscus?

By: Andrew F. Rocca, M.D.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN?

SYMPTOMS

COMMON CAUSES

TREATMENT

Urgent care centers: What kind of care are you really getting?

“So long as I know it not, it hurteth me not.”—George Pettie, 1576

Story: Dr. Richard T. Bosshardt

George Pettie, an English writer, had it wrong. What you don’t know can hurt you. I remember when I saw my first urgent care center, shortly after I went into practice in 1989. My first thought was, “Well, that is a good idea.” It seemed a logical bridge between going to the emergency room, with the expense and long waits, and trying to get into a doctor’s office, which can be next to impossible on an urgent basis. I could imagine many medical conditions that were not true emergencies but could not wait for a routine office appointment, either. For years, I assumed that patients going to such centers saw a physician, or at least had their care supervised by a physician. Like Pettie, I was wrong.

I recently learned some very disturbing things about how urgent care is being provided in many centers. One local urgent care center has six locations. It is owned by a physician assistant (PA). Physician assistants have a very limited medical education. To become a PA, you must have a bachelor’s degree and complete the two-year curriculum to be certified as a PA. Some, but not all, PA programs require that the applicant have some “experience.” This can be as a medical assistant, nursing assistant, laboratory technician, phlebotomist (blood draw technician), or even as a Peace Corps volunteer!

Now, back to our urgent care center.

Each center has shifts staffed by a nurse practitioner (NP) and a couple of medical assistants (MAs). Pathways vary to becoming a NP, but for most, you have to have a bachelor’s degree and be a registered nurse. Then, you typically do a two-year master’s program, including classroom and clinical work, to become a NP. Some NP programs require or request that applicants have worked as a nurse for a couple of years or more before applying. You can become an MA with as little as a high school diploma or GED and some on-the-job training under a physician. Some formal programs offer a certificate in as few as nine months.

So, now you have the urgent care center owned by a PA and staffed by NPs and MAs. Where’s the physician? You know, the person who has undergone at least four years of medical school education after college, and a minimum of three years of hands-on clinical patient management in an accredited residency to become board-certified in a specialty, such as family or emergency medicine.

Well, that center employs two physicians to cover the six locations. Why? Because, hard to believe as it may be, there are still some things physicians are legally allowed to do that PAs, NPs, and MAs cannot, although those are becoming fewer and fewer. This particular urgent care center employs a couple of physicians who are basically retired but still keeping themselves in the game, so to speak,

by covering the six centers and signing charts, orders, and so on as necessary. One is in his 80s and, reportedly, spends most of his time asleep in a back room. Sadly, some physicians practice beyond any reasonable age because their financial planning for retirement was insufficient or because they can’t seem to quit practicing, even in such a desultory manner.

OK, so we have NPs and MAs serving as primary care providers for urgent problems, an elderly physician sleeping in a back room, and a PA owning the whole shootin’ match. How’s that working?

In 2012, the most common condition seen in an urgent care center was an upper respiratory condition. The overwhelming majority of these are viral colds and bronchitis, with the occasional flu thrown in. We know antibiotics are worthless for these and yet in this urgent care center, an estimated 80 percent of the patients who present with respiratory symptoms receive intravenous Rocephin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Preloaded syringes of Rocephin are lined up on the counter each day ready for the daily stream of coughs, sniffles, and sore throats. Not only is this bad medicine, it perpetuates the overuse of antibiotics that has contributed to widespread bacterial resistance to these drugs, in addition to more frequent side effects.

Each center may see up to 120 patients in a day, limiting patient visits to no more than a few minutes. Patients are limited to discussing the problem that brought them in, period. There is no time for going over anything else. There are no “Oh, by the ways...” The moment a problem becomes too time-consuming or complex, the patient is referred to the nearest emergency room. The NPs and MAs are paid a

bonus for every patient they see beyond a certain minimum, placing a premium on moving patients through as quickly as possible. I don’t care who you are or how smart; you simply cannot provide quality medical care to this many patients in a day. Things will get missed or overlooked. Mistakes will be made.

One of the ironies of this medical/business model is that it apparently provides high patient satisfaction. Many patients feel they get more face time with the providers at the urgent care center than from their usual primary care physician. This is a terrible indictment of the status of primary care, with primary care physicians spending much of their patient care time entering data into electronic medical records, and employed physicians being offered incentives to see as many patients as possible in a fixed period of time.

Urgent care centers were not intended to function in this fashion. The first ones, in the 1970s, were founded by emergency medical physicians who saw a need for walk-in clinics without sacrificing the qualifications of doctors. Today, patients at an urgent care center are unlikely to see a physician. Instead, they will see a mid-level provider who may have less clinical experience than most medical students, and much less education.

The expanding scope of practice of mid-level providers (NPs and PAs), who can now practice independent of a physician and oversee even less trained MAs, along with the profitability of these centers, ensures that nothing about the situation will change in the foreseeable future.

When you go to an urgent care center, you should know what you are getting. What you don’t know can hurt you.

New outlook, new you

Thanks to Buchanan Health Center, this dream is now a reality.

Always one to think outside the box, Dr. Tige Buchanan has successfully adapted to a constantly changing healthcare environment by combining his chiropractic practice with a fully licensed and operational medical department—all under one roof. At Buchanan Health Center, a medical team, chiropractic team, and rehabilitation team works together to provide multiple specialties and services in one location, ranging from stem-cell injections and a weight-loss program to bio-identical hormone replacement and primary care.

Through this integrated approach, they are able to accomplish their goal of helping patients achieve optimal health. It also spares patients from unnecessary travel time, money, and hassle.

“I’ve always wanted to establish this type of medical setting,” says Dr. Buchanan, who opened his practice in 2000. “When I first started, my patients had no primary care doctor and often

went to urgent care when they became sick. There was a growing need to establish this type of practice and staff it with an incredible team of healthcare providers. We work as a cooperative team to provide patients with quality medical, chiropractic, and rehabilitative care in a positive, healthy environment.”

Buchanan Health Center offers two services in particular designed to help patients look and feel their best.

The first is bioTE, an all-natural, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for men and women suffering through hormone deficiencies. Patients utilizing this service are given pellet injections that contain a natural plant source of estrogen or testosterone to reproduce the body’s normal hormones. The treatment provides sustained hormone levels up to three and four months for women and four to six months for men.

It’s an extremely valuable treatment for anyone with unbalanced hormones who are suffering from difficulty sleeping, daily fatigue, reduced mental clarity, and weight gain. Moreover, balanced hormones can decrease the

risk of serious diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteoporosis.

“We’ve been offering bioTE for the past three years and have enjoyed very good results,” says Misty Whitbey, a certified bioTE provider and an advanced registered nurse practitioner at Buchanan Health Center. “The results have been so good, in fact, that we have a 90 percent return rate for continued therapy.”

Unlike synthetic or man-made hormones that come in creams and patches, bioTE hormones have the exact same chemical structure as hormones made by your body. Also, the treatment is as equally effective for men as it is women.

“We’re the largest provider of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for men in the area,” Misty Whitbey, ARNP says. “In fact, local OB/ GYN practices refer the husbands of their female patients to us.”

In addition to helping patients feel their best, Buchanan Health Groups helps them look their best, too. Realizing that losing weight is more challenging

Patients have always dreamed about a more centralized approach to exams, and treatments.

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and confusing due to the excessive number of diets and fads available today, the team at Buchanan Health Center takes the guesswork out of dieting by teaching clients how to overcome daily struggles. That is accomplished through the practice’s medically supervised weight-loss program that follows the Clean Start Weight Loss protocol.

The goal is to reset and rebalance patients’ metabolism, making it easier to burn fat. There are three components to the weight-loss program. Patients who need to lose 20 pounds or more can opt to receive human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) injections or enroll in a non-HCG program and receive a fat-burning and B vitamin complex injection. The third component is a Laser-Like Lipo

machine that uses energy to safely and painlessly penetrate the skin and target the fat cells of specific body parts.

Patients receive a free, no-obligation consultation. Those that decide to join can enroll for nine or 12 weeks and receive a kit that includes a cookbook, food log, and shopping list. They also receive weekly coaching about exercise and nutrition.

To say patients have enjoyed success would be an understatement. In fact, one patient lost 75 pounds.

“When your metabolism changes, you get to the desired weight and no longer crave junk food because your system is working better,” Dr. Buchanan says. “Some patients are even able to reduce or go off their diabetes, heart, cholesterol, and blood pressure medications.”

The coaching and dietary guidance, as well as weekly check-ins, are big reasons for the program’s continued success.

“The closer you get to the normal range of body weight and body fat, the less likely you are to have these other problems,” Misty says. “I believe the greatest gift you can give yourself and your family is a healthy you.”

Buchanan Health Center is located at 9836 U.S. Hwy. 441 in Leesburg. For more information, call 352.787.8531 or visit buchananhealth.com.

We’re the largest provider of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for men in the area.

— Misty Whitbey, ARNP

Dr. David Wollenschlaeger (his patients know him as Dr. Dave) has put beautiful smiles on the faces of children and adults in Florida since 1990. For him ‘Word of mouth’ truly is the best advertising and all those happy smiles speak volumes.

33050 Professional Drive, Leesburg, FL 34788 352.787.6800 /// drdaveortho.com

Prescriptions plus natural medicines

Inflammation is one of the body’s most common reactions to the stress of an injury. An emphasis on alternatives to prescription drugs could reduce other issues, says Dr. Sanda Moldovan, a periodontist and nutritionist and author of “HEAL UP!: 7 Ways to Faster Healing and Optimum Health.” Dr. Moldovan says, “Prescription medications have their place, but discovering and using natural alternatives prevents potential narcotics abuse and lessens side effects.”

A few of those include:

• Oxygen/ozone therapy – The trend of hyperbaric chambers in private homes means more peotherapy also aids in immune

• Mind-body synchronization relaxation techniques are ways to shorten injury rehabilitation time.

• Micro-current and low-level laser therapy.

• Plants, herbs and teas – Current ancient plant medicines, now in better formulations and more puri-

Beginners’ gym etiquette

Valuable lessons for keeping the gym safe and fun.

Story: Hollis Lance Liebman

Let’s face it, the gym can be an intimidating place for the neophyte lifter. But it needn’t be. The gym is the great equalizer: whether you are a corporate CEO or entry-level service worker, all of us are made equal in the gym. We can’t buy our physiques; we have to earn them.

Yet that first day often can be the start of a pattern and a lifetime of good. My first introduction to the gym came by way of Nautilus machines (remember them?). A maze of machines with predetermined pathways of motion and a pin to change resistance was my fi into a world in which we have the power to change our bodies. I didn’t know where to begin, but I did know that the gym was an absolute good place. A place of improvement. A place to work on oneself. And I felt as a beginner that I had as much right to be there as anyone else.

It certainly didn’t hurt that the best-built guy in the place saw my budding interest in bettering myself and offered words of encouragement and tips from the beginning. But it isn’t like that for everybody. Often, some are so intimidated by the gym that they skip resistance training altogether and keep to the cardio area, where they won’t have to interact with anyone and can listen to their music, check text messages, and watch TV. If this describes you, then aside from not taking full advantage of all the wonderful toys most gyms have to offer, you may have limited your full potential—until now.

Here’s how to get the most from your gym experience:

BE YOURSELF. If you’re feeling confident, great; if not, who cares? Believe me, most people are too busy checking themselves out and seeing how they stack up against everyone else in the gym to pick apart your flaws. The gym is a place of work, of bettering “you,” and that goes for each and every one of us. Walk in, check in, and get to work. Before you know it, you’ll be too busy to think or care what anyone else might be wondering about you.

SUPPORT YOURSELF

way that feels natural or organic. I once trained an individual who used to wear skin-tight shirts that

to his body. He was aware of this, but he did so because he was determined to one day look good in those shirts. And he did. I am not suggesting you wear clothing that doesn’t enhance the current you, but I am suggesting you wear something that is comfortable and allows you to perform without restrictions. You’ve got to love yourself to improve yourself.

HAVE A PLAN. Know where you’re going or want to go. If you drive just to drive, you never know where you may wind up. But if you follow a map and know where your point B is, you stand a far greater chance of getting there from point A. Blindly going from machine to machine is definitely not the most linear path toward results. Don’t feel overwhelmed; “Complete Physique” (Hatherleigh Press, 2017) is your ultimate plan.

ere you’ re ju here yo here y low a m t B is, yo B of gettin get going f finitely n d result resu Comple Compl ss, 2017 2

KEEP YOUR VALUABLES ON YOUR Almost every gym I’ve ever been in has at one time or another had a break-in or theft. If you can’t afford to lose it, keep it on you and be mindful of where you place your phone and belongings.

WAY S BE KIND . D. You kno neve o you may meet between sets betwee urse) e someon iece of equipment wish to us equipment you wis ways how many sk y have left. If it’s one or two, wai it’s one or tw more, ask to work in. If won’ won’ you, move on and be person ow to in tim whe mes. For you may them and need th e versa to spot you one u one d der a barbell load.

opergymetiquetteistore-racky tiquetteistore-rac

ALWAYS BE KIND. You never know who you may meet (in between sets, of course) in the gym. If someone is on a piece of equipment you wish to use, always ask them politely how many sets they have left. If it’s one or two, wait. If more, ask to work in. If they won’t let you, move on and be the person to allow others to work in when the time comes. For you may need them and vice versa to spot you one day while under a heavy barbell load. Proper gym etiquette is to re-rack your weights at the end of a set or to unload the plates from the machines when you’re done. Leaving an army of 45s on the leg press for someone else to take off is simply rude. If you took the time to lift it, then you can take the time to re-rack it.

PECT EQUIPMEN THE will last ill th ger, and favorite machine d yo have less of a chance of ess chance w ut-of-order you actual -order ac prevent injuries a around. Believ und. Be a dumbbell dropping on your fo on you ot with t wit . A little aggression in t . is is n me of us sweat more than others e should your head leave behind a ould lea

RESPECT THE GYM EQUIPMENT. Not only will the equipment last longer, and your favorite machine will have less of a chance of wearing an out-of-order sign, but you actually can prevent injuries by placing and not throwing weights around. Believe me, a dumbbell dropping on your foot is not a good time. Always lift with care. A little targeted aggression in the gym is good; complete anarchy is not. Some of us sweat more than others, but should your head leave behind a giant wet mark after your bench press, take a moment to spray and/or wipe it up. Would you want to lay in someone else’s sweat?

A STLY , KEEP TO A PATH O STLY, PAT E ST R ESISTANCE. That is, yo That ut should take in relative ce r mity as you move from exercise

e. Let’s say you just finished th u fi press for chest. It would make est. It nse o k th m to do a machine flat press an machi l weigh ay r yes, an ere Don’t cab zag acro imityasyoumethodicallymak imityas

AND LASTLY, KEEP TO A PATH OF CLOSEST RESISTANCE. That is, your workout should take place in relative proximity as you move from exercise to exercise. Let’s say you just finished the incline press for chest. It would make little sense to walk to the other side of the gym to do a machine flat press and then all the way back to the free weight area for flat flyes, and then off again elsewhere for cable crossovers. Don’t zig and zag across the gym; keep it all in proximity as you methodically make your way through your workout.

Remember, the gym is a safe and fun place. It is your time to better you. Enjoy doing so by being safe, and stay reminded of why you are there in the first place: to better the image in the mirror.

No one like me does yoga or meditates!

Yoga is not one of those four-letter words!

Story: Alan Steelman

We are in the midst of an unprecedented mental and physical health crisis. The pace of life in the digital age and social and economic change are simply too great for many people to cope without using stimulants and other health-destroying substances.

In a country of 320 million, approximately 40 million practice yoga, mostly white females. Men may feel yoga is only for women and fear embarrassment because they can’t do the poses. Seniors may feel they’re too old and inflexible, and others have their own stereotypes about who does yoga.

We are blessed at birth with a “pharmacy in the brain.”

The four “feel-good chemicals,” endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, are available to all of us and can be accessed on a continuing basis through a consistent practice of mindful movement (yoga and meditation).

Here’s some yoga gospel:

• If you can breathe, you can do yoga! It’s the breath, not doing the pose correctly, that counts.

• Do only what you can; never go past your limit. Pay no attention to others in the class.

• Mindful breathing is the Yellow Brick Road, your own path to a calm mind.

• The time is always NOW! Forget yesterday or tomorrow.

•

The vagus nerve, the most important nerve in the body, is stimulated and distributes the calming effect of these natural brain chemicals throughout every organ in the body. Conversely, when we are constantly stressed and anxious, our entire body is being bombed with cortisol, which is “Public Health Enemy No. 1.”

Some physicians say up to 95 percent of illness is caused by undigested stress. These emotional knots and toxins, just like physical knots, are uncomfortable and healthdestroying. Most alarming is an increasingly large number of people feel they can’t cope without pills, alcohol, food, shopping, and the like.

The good news is yoga and meditation are available to all. The biggest barrier is the stereotype that yoga is for only super-fit females. Nothing is further from the truth.

• Your own natural brain chemicals are wizards. Pills, alcohol, food, shopping are as false as the Wizard of Oz was.

• Fitness is mind, body, and spirit, not just physical.

• Commit to consistent practice, the “monkey brain” never takes a break. We’re all born with a ruminating brain.

• First and foremost, seek a calm mind, and then strength, balance, and flexibility.

• You are not your age! Stop the limiting self-talk!

THE WRITER → Alan Steelman, a former congressman from Texas, is the author of “Yoga on the Yellow Brick Road: Calm Your Mind.” He is

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Releasing trapped emotions

Anxiety disorders affect 40 million U.S. adults ages 18 and older, sccording to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Here are some of Dr. Bradley Nelson’s insights into emotional causes of mental illness and why they often go undiagnosed:

• Conventional medicine diagnoses mental illness by looking at a collection of symptoms and determining which named disease matches those symptoms.

• Labeling illness this way overlooks underlying emotional issues and their relationship to other health problems.

cans takes medication to treat depression and anxiety, yet researchers worry these drugs

long-term drawbacks that outweigh

Mental illness often affects people who are highly sensitive and empathic. People can free themselves of a major underlying cause of anxiety and other forms of mental illness by learning to release trapped emotions, Dr. Nelson says. Instructions are available free at emotioncodegift.com.

Taking on stress and anxiety

Don’t let fear make your life too stressful.

Story: Dr. Owen Ashton Thomas

Stress goes by many different names: tension, anxiety, nerves. Ultimately, the best synonym for stress is fear. These common reactions to everyday events and circumstances become an overwhelming force that blocks our ability to feel good about our life. In the extreme, fear immobilizes and restricts growth.

What is it we fear? In most cases, we fear we may fail to meet the expectations of others, or worse, ourselves. We have, through our past experiences, learned that failure should be avoided at all cost. Sometimes we even doubt our abilities to cope with failure and the chaos of everyday life.

Flipping our outlook on anxiety and fear requires an awareness of who or what we really are. Are we just a bag of bones, flesh, and chemicals? Of course not. We are the latest version of a greater plan. It took billions of years of evolution to create you, just the way you are now. Internalizing this awareness is your task if you wish to avoid stress, anxiety, and fear.

PUT IT TO THE TEST

Your consistent thoughts become your destiny. Since childhood, your mind has been polluted with negative thinking. If you have ever “failed” at anything, you know the mental suffering this generates. That is why you experience stress, tension, and anxiety. Your task now is to replace negative detractors with positive affirmations.

It may seem trite, but we know we become what we think. Start affirming yourself as a powerful individual with amazing potential and ability. Once you form a new perception of yourself, what is there to fear? Stress dissolves in an atmosphere of gratitude.

Commit to this routine for 30 days, and you will notice an evolution in your self-perception. If you can train your mind to step away from fear of failure, you will find yourself facing less stress.

HERE IS A WAY TO TEST THESE CONCEPTS:

• have. It is easy to overlook the routine and the everyday blessings around us. Many individuals do not have a support system, family, stability, or health we so often take for granted. It’s an exercise of your most powerful ability, your imagination.

• Review your major failures. In most cases, failure can be perceived as an opportunity to learn and grow. Remember that most successful people failed many times while reaching for new levels of accomplishment. Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before perfecting the lightbulb. When asked about those failures, he stated he didn’t fail, he simply found 1,000 ways not to make a lightbulb. Do you consider him a failure? Failure shows us what not to do.

• Now that you know “failure” is an opportunity to become better, cultivate a spirit of gratitude. That is why we are told to be “thankful in all things.”

• Share your new awareness with someone. Teaching is

AWARENESS OF OUR TRUE NATURE

ABOUT THE WRITER → Dr. Owen Ashton Thomas, has lived and practiced general surgery in Florida since 1984. In 1999, he became chief of surgery and later established a specialty encounters with death, his 30-year experience dealing with life-and-death experiences, his own reactions to extreme stress.

Don’t hide emotion

Positivity: A different perspective on mindset and mental health.

Story: Virginia LeBlanc

When we think of mindset and mental health, positivity is most commonly thought to be among the desired dispositions. But what if it’s not? What if being too positive is merely a mask for denial, depression, and a nest-bed for harbored negativity. Women in particular rarely are coached to allow our true feelings out. Our conditioned response is grin and bear it, no matter the weight. Is it too much? Are we too obsessed with being positive in society, when the world is far from utopian? The truth of the matter is that our most prized possessions are masks that hide our true feelings. For example, when at a loss for getting to and solving the root cause of a problem, from relationships to gun control, race and gender relations, or world peace, the popular default mindset is denial. Deny it exists to maintain balance and a “positive” state of mind. But what if the healthiest thing for our mental stability is to allow an imbalance or free, unconditioned expression when called for?

The potential for positivity to become a mask people hide behind is too easy, particularly when needing to deal with personal traits, life events, and a hopeless mindset. Denial may temporarily protect our reality; however, it feeds into mental dysfunction and instability that spills over into personal and societal relations. Even messaging in tragedy is packaged with a positive twist, in an effort to find and recover positivity. What if we just called a spade a spade? The problem with the illusion of positivity is that it precludes true feelings and emotional expression, bottling them up for a pretense that eventually causes one to explode.

A CONDITIONED RESPONSE

As with most conditioning from societal beginnings, the goal is to provide a think-less, uniformed solution to lessen abnormalities and arrive at a desired consensus in being and doing. The problem here is a suppression of individualism, and simply being told “be positive” does not provide rationale nor tangible or actionable steps. When it comes to dynamic human beings and minds, a single party line will not address emotion; one size does not fit all, or even most, for that matter. People must be allowed to feel what they feel and move past it organically. A conditioned response is not the right approach, nor a solution, for mental health or to manage your reality.

POSITIVE PERCEPTIONS

The perceived absence of positivity in someone is not necessarily a weakness on their part but a lack of understanding and empathy on the judger. Down days are normal and expected; it is humanly impossible to not have them. Anyone who tells you otherwise is in denial, devoid of communal interactions, and/ or practicing an unhealthy suppression of feelings. You should be concerned. We must all learn to deal with down days in a productive manner without experiencing guilt for having them. Guilt is a powerful mask motivator with detrimental consequences to mindset and mental health.

NEGATIVE EFFECT ON RESILIENCE

Trying to manufacture positivity can be harmful and negatively affect resilience. It also can simultaneously skew perspective and alter reality. We are all built differently. We approach and handle life differently based on our experiences. Not allowing someone to organically arrive at a positive mindset impedes their healing path and potentially alters their resilience and life path.

MANAGE YOUR REALITY

When life happens, manage it. Understand that, in all honesty,

there is no such thing as balance (an elusive endeavor) in a dynamic human life, only shifts in time, energy, focus, and scope of priority. Change your perception and seek right proportions that allow you to manage your reality and steady yourself in the ring of life, while seeking happiness and finding your measure of success.

Learning to love the skin you’re in is key to a healthy mindset and a better way forward to gain and maintain resilience. To find a sustainable happiness that endures life’s ebbs and flows, feel what they feel and work through those feelings to come out on the other side of emptiness or lack. Manufactured feelings, conditioned responses, and actions based on a framework preclude reality, foster alternative facts, and damage the psyche; constantly drilling a message does not make it so, until the root cause is addressed.

From a homeopathic medical perspective, symptoms of illness (lack of positivity) is a normal response of the body attempting to regain health (positivity). If we subscribed to this perception, one would naturally discover thwarters of happiness, take off masks, and have a greater opportunity to heal from the inside out. There is no switch labeled “positivity.” Life is meant to be lived with every ebb and flow. You remove the ebb, it will not flow.

ABOUT THE WRITER → Virginia LeBlanc is an author, speaker, singer, coach, and consultant. She is a multi-disciplinary expert and scholar. Her new book, “Love the Skin YOU’RE in: How to Conquer Life through Divergent Thinking,” is written to encourage and empower

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Living spiritual

Every man lives in two realms: the internal and the external. The internal is that realm of spiritual ends expressed in art, literature, morals, and religion. The external is that complex of devices, techniques, mechanisms, and instrumentalities by means of which we live.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

Life is measured in teaspoons

How every aspect of our lives creates spiritual unity.

Story: Helena Judith Sturnick

Do you ever open your daily calendar and, gazing at how many seemingly inconsequential events are entered there, wonder what you are accomplishing with your life? And if or how your life matters? Do you feel, like J. Alfred Prufrock in T.S. Eliot’s poem, that your life is measured in teaspoons? These

questions reflect two desires: to take meaningful actions in the world, and to find our spiritual identities in those actions. Because the real issues are not complicated; the motto, “Keep it simple, stupid” (KISS) is the best advice.

Acknowledging that premise validates the following simple precepts for connecting our actions to the greater

benefit of our world and the spiritual world. Our actions, as I define them, encompass every aspect of our lives: careers, relationships, social actions, spiritual practices, and so on. Although many results have to be taken on faith (however we define that term), on occasion, we are given the gift of seeing the results of our actions. Parents, for example, find numinous rewards from watching their children grow to adulthood, just as teachers at every stage can evaluate the intellectual growth of their students. The point is that our relationships, careers, spiritual efforts, and all other activities are inextricably connected both to this world and the next. Since all creation is spiritual at the core, all constructive actions benefit both realms by multiplying the positive outcomes in both worlds.

Prayer is an awesome example of this. Perhaps you remember reading the true story of a severe auto accident that tied up traffic for hours on a California interstate. Though many drivers were angry or distraught, one woman stalled in the long line used her time to pray for the unknown victims’ welfare. Months later, a young woman recovering from the accident spoke to her doctor, pastor, and family about strongly hearing and feeling the energy of someone’s prayers as she was being removed from her car. The story ultimately received national attention (eventually, a reporter even tracked down the identity of the praying woman). In this case, both the spiritual world and our human realm benefited from prayer in action.

We can become more aware of the spiritual effect of our actions on both worlds in many ways. Here are four concepts by which various aspects of our actions and intellects can benefit the spiritual world:

THE POWER OF OUR THOUGHTS. As metaphysicians have taught for eons, the world we see is the world our thoughts create. How astounding is the concept that we create our own reality by how we think about that reality! As the artist Picasso said, “Everything you can imagine is real.” Or, as metaphysical teacher Mike Dooley puts it, “Thoughts become things.” A direct link exists between the energy of our thoughts and inner beliefs, and the existence of Universal Intelligence. The more positively our thoughts are manifested, the greater the benefit to both worlds. More than that, it is through positive thoughts (prayer, for example) that we make our living connections with spiritual realms, and since Universal Spirit is everywhere, everything we think and do is an act of creation or destruction.

THE POWER OF INTENT. intentions are of crucial importance in this context. We can define this word as a strong focus, aim, or purpose. The words of late author Carlos Castaneda put it in an interesting way: “In the universe, there is an immeasurable, indescribable force that shamans call intent, and absolutely everything that exists in the entire cosmos is attached

to intent by a connecting link.” Clearly, the stronger the positive intention, the more forceful the positive outcome.

THE POWER OF CHOICE. Through this concept in which we choose everything in our lives, we consciously select positive or negative realities (thoughts). In the former, we benefit the human and spiritual worlds by affirming positive creation. In so doing, we choose the option of participating in prayerful partnership/positive creation with the Universal Divine.

THE POWER OF MINDFULNESS. Although a great deal has been written about this concept, it can be clarified as “conscious awareness.”

I define and link all four of these points as “consciousness abounding”: conscious creation of reality (thought), conscious purpose, conscious choice, and conscious awareness. Each of these powers is essential to manifestation,

ting our physical world and the

ABOUT THE WRITER → Dr. Helena Judith Sturnick is a trained scholar, published author, university professor, national and international leadership

Falling into joy

Successful people can attribute their happiness llment to having constant joy in their lives. They notice and appreciate the little moments that contribute to greater joy. Instead of worrying about what they don’t have, highly successful individuals tend to appreciate where they are now and how they got there.

So how do we get to that same level of success if feeling joy is a foreign concept?

Start with noticing what is around you—the little joys that are everywhere: your first cup of coffee in the morning, the light as it slowly moves through the sky, your partner and family, your connection with others, where you live, or your job. This is just the beginning, but you will want to notice what you have and appreciate how being in the moment allows those joyful feelings to wash over you.

As those positive feelings begin to enter our life, they start to add color to the world around us. They allow us to be more understanding in difficult situations, to stay present in our life, and to stop looking elsewhere for our happiness. That positive energy output will draw others to you.

You will find yourself making better choices regarding food because you will begin to treat your body with love and respect. If you haven’t been active in a while, start a simple daily walk around the neighborhood. Begin with 10 minutes walking in one direction and 10 minutes back, and

every week add 10 more minutes. Once you are comfortable moving, seek more rigorous opportunities such as trying a tness class or working privately with a trainer.

Start a joy journal and write down fi give you joy. Writing first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea allows you the time to notice what you have, and those positive feelings can stay with you all day. Keep this up for 21 days to make your habit stick.

Think of your emotions and feelings as being held in a container, and that container is you. As joy and gratitude fill your life, your container grows and your ability to handle more grows as well. Negative people won’t bother you quite as much because now you take care of yourself first. Read books with positive messages and see uplifting movies and shows. Surround yourself with people who allow you to feel good and offer support in your life. Let go of the haters; they just drag you down.

Notice how you are behaving with your family and friends. Are you sharing the best of who you are with them? Get out of your comfort zone and into the world and try new foods and classes and take a friend along with you for support but get out into the world. Realize that your life is a series of choices and, at any moment, you can make different choices. Get out there and become one of the highly successful people, because you have made the decision to see what is joyful in the world.

ABOUT THE WRITER → Conni Ponturo is stop after hip replacements, spinal fusions, knee replacements, rotator cuff surgeries, and other procedures following serious injuries. Ponturo holds steps for staying connected to the natural state of joy.

ABOUT OUR PRACTICE:

The focus of our practice is to provide the very best surgical care available to patients. We are committed to achieving this goal through continuing education and training in most current robotic and laparoscopic techniques. It is our belief that all patients deserve the best medical care available. We provide the most advanced, compassionate surgical care that has helped thousands live longer, healthier, happier lives.

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OUR STAFF: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

JASON BOARDMAN M.D., F.A.C.S.

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DAVE SAYS

GETTING RID OF THE CAR

Dear Dave, How do you sell a vehicle with a lien amount that’s higher than the actual value of the car?

—Michael

Dear Michael,

First, you need to find a way to cover the difference between the amount of the lien and what you can get for the car. Let’s say the car is worth $12,000, and you owe $15,000. That would leave you $3,000 short.

The bank holds the title, so unless you give the bank the payoff amount of $15,000, you’re not getting the title. The easiest and simplest way would be if someone buys the car for $12,000, and you had $3,000 on hand to make up the difference. If you don’t have the money to make up the difference, you could go to a local bank or credit union and borrow the remaining $3,000.

I really hate debt, but being $3,000 in the hole is a lot better than being $15,000 in the hole. Then, you could turn around and quickly pay back the $3,000 you borrowed.

You’d give the total amount owed to the bank, which would give you the title, and you would sign it over to the new owner. Hope this helps!

—Dave

Dear Leslie,

Dear Dave,

My mom and dad are following your advice and working hard to get out of debt. I was wondering, is it OK to buy things while you’re paying off the debt you already have?

—Leslie

I’m glad you’re paying attention to the finances around your house. Of course, there are some things you must have. We call these “necessities.” Most things are not necessities, though. If your air conditioning breaks down or you have car repairs, those are things for which you must spend money to fix. Things like new furniture, vacations, and eating at restaurants are not necessities. They’re things you might want, but they’re not necessary—especially when you’re trying to pay off debt.

I always recommend people take a hard look at their priorities, and remember there’s a difference between wanting something and needing something to survive. It can be hard, and it may mean everyone has to go without a few things they want for a while. But if your parents are serious about getting out of debt, they’ll do it. And it really won’t take all that long.

Great question, Leslie!

—Dave

ABOUT THE WRITER → Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including “The Total Money Makeover.” “The Dave Ramsey Show” is heard by more than 13 million listeners each week on 585 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

What if your Back pain is a Spine Compression Fracture?

PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

What if you develop sudden onset severe back pain, more unbearable than you ever imagined? If your pain is new or feels different from the chronic back pain you may already be experiencingwhich is currently being treated with exercise, pain medicines, and injections - it is recommended that you should visit your doctor or urgent care center immediately, because you may have a vertebral compression fracture in your spine. If you are able to pinpoint your pain with the touch of a finger to a specific vertebra, it is important to act quickly or it may become too late to repair it.

What is a compression fracture and why is time of the essence? A compression fracture is when a vertebrae cracks and becomes compressed or somewhat flatter than it was before the fracture. Think of an elderly person with a hunchback or curved spine. A hunchback, medically known as kyphosis, is often caused when the bones become frail and brittle from osteoporosis (loss of bone density) and the vertebrae begin to fracture one by one. As these vertebrae fracture, they become misshapen. The rectangular vertebrae become triangular or wedge-shaped, eventually creating a curve in the spine.

Once a vertebrae fractures it will heal on its own, but it takes several weeks or even months to do so, during which time the pain is often unbearable. In the past, doctors would put patients in a brace and prescribe medication, often in the form of narcotics, to help ease this pain. When

the compressed vertebrae heals on its own, it heals in its compressed state or compresses even further, sometimes flattening completely and reducing the height of the individual. At this point, nothing can be done to restore its integrity since the bone has hardened or scarred, making it impossible to fix.

Compression fractures can also be caused by an impact such as a fall, or from cancer which has metastasized to the spine. Unfortunately for many, a compression fracture can be a first indication of cancer, so do not ignore this sign - get a consultation immediately. If you had an X-ray, CT, or MRI indicating a compression fracture, insist that your physician acts quickly to refer you to a specialist for a kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty.

With a procedure called kyphoplasty, kyphosis can be a thing of the past! A Kyphoplasty procedure can stop pain instantly in over 95% of patients, as well as prevent further collapse of the vertebrae.

During the procedure, the physician uses image-guidance in the form of a C-ARM (which is a live X-ray) to obtain access and inject a plastic cement into the vertebrae to restore the integrity of the bone, often stopping pain completely and preventing further damage. The procedure is performed under conscious sedation and takes approximately 30 minutes under the expertise of an experienced specialist, such as an Interventional Radiologist. Although other specialists are now performing this procedure, an Interventional Radiologist should be your first choice, since they pioneered this procedure, and any imageguided procedure should always require a person trained in radiation safety.

Interventional Radiologists believe that limiting X-ray exposure to patients is crucial, which is something

often overlooked by other physicians. An Interventional Radiologist such as Dr. Mark Jacobson, uses a mere fraction of the typical radiation exposure used by other specialists, including other radiologists. An Interventional Radiologist also uses minimally invasive surgical techniques with the least number of punctures (usually one per vertebra) and the smallest needles possible, thereby enhancing safety and reducing healing and recovery times.

In the case where a compression fracture is caused by a cancerous lesion, an Interventional Radiologist can also biopsy the bone and perform a radiofrequency ablation to alleviate pain prior to the kyphoplasty (this is not a replacement for, but complimentary to radiation treatments, because if a patient is in less pain, the treatments can be tolerated better).

This is why it is imperative to understand that not just anyone should perform your kyphoplasty, but someone trained in identifying the difference between a simple fracture caused by osteoporosis, and a fracture caused from a possible cancerous lesion. A trained expert will be able to offer to you the best options available.

ABOUT DR. MARK JACOBSON Dr. Jacobson has performed nearly 1000 kyphoplasties in his Lady Lake

only because of the number of procedures performed and numerous happy patients, but also because of his participation in the research of radio-frequency ablation of cancerous spine tumors. Local, as well as out of town physicians entrust Medical Imaging & Therapeutics for treatment of their of Medicine as an Interventional Radiology training center for physicians in the interventional radiology residency and fellowship program.

Prostate Problems?

As men mature, the prostate grows from a walnut-sized gland to sometimes as large as an orange. This growth causes outflow problems from the bladder in the passing of urine, resulting in symptoms from a slow stream, getting up at night to urinate, or even worse—the constant urge to urinate, even to the point that urination begins before they reach the bathroom. These inconvenient, and often embarrassing symptoms, can be resolved by proper treatment of the enlarged prostate.

Dr. James Young is a very successful urologist who has been practicing in Lake County since 1982. “The treatment of BPH (an enlarged prostate) has always been my focus, and that is the primary reason I moved to Florida when I finished my medical training as Chief Resident of Urology at the University of Arkansas. I looked at Florida as being the largest ‘prostate ranch’ in the United States, so I began my practice from scratch in Eustis in 1982.”

For many decades, the only treatment for BPH was a surgical procedure, the TURP, more commonly referred to by men as a “roto-rooter.” Dr. Young performed more 3,000 of these procedures, however they were very invasive, required anesthesia, hospitalization, and could have serious complications, including massive bleeding and at times, death. Then medications were approved that relieved symptoms but after a period of time, the medications lose their effectiveness or caused side effects, usually sexual in nature. There had to be a better way.

In the late 1990’s a new procedure, transurethral

needle ablation of the prostate (TUNA) was approved by the FDA. “I was never a fan of jumping on new technology quickly because, as we know, not everything delivers the results as promised,” says Dr. Young. However, after the procedure was used for five years, Dr. Young began doing TUNAs, later known as Prostiva RF therapy. This procedure was done in the office under local anesthesia with few complications. The procedure worked by inserting wires into the prostate, then low frequency radio waves were transmitted through the wires and heated prostate tissue to 115 degrees Celsius. This heat was transmitted in a conductive manner (radiate from the wires) but the heat dissipated rapidly as it traveled away from the wires. The heat was reduced by the formula of 1/r2 with r being the distance from the wires. Basically, cores of prostate tissue surrounding the wires were destroyed. Dr. Young had tremendous success with Prostiva RF therapy and ultimately did almost 3,000 procedures. His success with Prostiva gave him the distinction of being placed on

Castle Connelly’s Top Docs list for five consecutive years.

However, more than five years ago, Dr. Young heard rumors of a new technology that was similar in some ways, but completely different in others. This new therapy was FDA approved in 2015 and was known as Rezum. “Even though I have a reputation for not jumping on new technology, I completely understood the science behind Rezum, so as soon as it was available to me, I switched to this procedure immediately.

The science driving this technology is fascinating. Using low frequency radio waves, water is transformed into steam and then nine seconds of steam is infiltrated into the prostate tissue, once again in the office under local anesthesia. The major difference is the heat is transferred in a convective, as opposed to conductive manner.

As Einstein said, “Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed.” So once the steam is infiltrated into the prostate, and returns to liquid, it releases all the energy that changed the water into steam. This is a tremendous amount of energy and destroys much

more prostate tissue than the conductive heat did conveyed by Prostiva. There is much less discomfort with Rezum and when patients leave the office (usually in under 30 minutes), they experience no pain what so ever.

Since June 2016, Dr. Young has performed just under 300 Rezum procedures, almost twice as many as any other urologist in the United States and many, many more than any other urologists in the state of Florida. “The results have been so amazing and the patients have been so happy that Healthgrades.com notified me that based on my recent reviews and clicks on my site, I am now ranked in the top 100th percentile of all urologists in the United States. While I am very proud of that, it is also very humbling. I personally think this is biggest leap forward in the treatment of BPH that I will see in my lifetime.”

JAMES W. YOUNG III, M.D. Board-certified Urologist

Practicing in Lake County since 1982 with extensive experience in evaluation and management of prostate problems.

PAID

COMPREHENSIVE CARE

If you are a fi of Dr. Young, you will receive a detailed examination.

“When I see a new patient I perform physical examinations and properly evaluate the patient’s symptoms, thus diagnosing the underlying problem(s),” Dr. Young said. “Next, I describe to the patient what’s normal and then explain what is abnormal with him. Lastly, I teach him his treatment options. If I’ve done a good job of teaching, he will select the correct option for himself.”

While prescribing medications for enlarged prostate can be done by primary care physicians, only urologists are trained to thoroughly evaluate the bladder and prostate (including ruling out prostate cancer), as well as providing extremely effective minimally invasive, offi as alternatives to lifelong medical therapy.

With an offi nearly as much experience as

the doctor (many have worked with Dr. Young for 25 years), you don’t spend a great deal of time waiting to see him.

“We pride ourselves in being timely in seeing our patients. We respect our patients’ time as much as we do our own. Patients appreciate this; many of our patients tell me I have the best office staff on the planet. I consider that a huge compliment.”

So if you are waking up at night and have difficulty falling back asleep because you’re worried what may be wrong, then it is time to check in with Dr. Young and have him examine you.

“Many men accept frequent bladder urges as part of aging. And while it is part of the aging process, it’s not like death and taxes. There is something you can do

A trip down memory lane

A decade of memories at Akers. cially marks the 10th anniversary of Akers Media Group. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite memories.

A FLIGHT TO REMEMBER. I was the sole reporter on The Villages Honor Flight’s inaugural trip to Washington, D.C., in May ies veterans to our nation’s capital so they can visit various war monuments. To see the look on the faces of the World War II veterans that day

INTERVIEWING FAMOUS PEOPLE. Over these 10 years, I have interviewed people such as country music singer John Anderson, comedian Bill Engvall, and celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky.

THE UNFORGETTABLE AKERS COOKIE CAPER MYSTERY. Bloom’s in downtown Leesburg prepared beautifully designed cookies to be photographed for an article. One Akers employee couldn’t resist and gobbled them down before Fred Lopez had a chance to photograph the cookies. I

BOUNCING BALLS. Former editor Gary Corsair had an electronic arcade basketball ce. We spent hours shooting miniature basketballs into that hoop. In between games, we found time to write.

GETTING WET. For our inaugural issue of Healthy Living, we took a group photo standing in the fountain near Leesburg City Hall. Unfortunately, the fountain was empty after I did a running cannonball.

DELIVERING MAGAZINES. When the company first started, we had no distribution manager. Each employee picked a section of the county to distribute magazines. It was tiring work. Much respect to Scott Hegg, the company’s distribution manager since 2011.

THE JAXON BUELL STORY. Jaxon, who was born in 2014 with a brain that is one-fifth of normal size, was expected to die in his mother’s womb. Instead, he has defied all odds and is still alive today. I wanted his story to be perfect and spent hours revising it.

GREAT CO-WORKERS OVER THE YEARS. Truthfully, there are too many to single out in this small space. I have learned from each and every one of you.

FILLING OUR TROPHY CASES. It has truly been an honor to see both our publications excel and win awards from respected organizations such as the Florida Magazine Association and Florida Press Club.

NASAL RELIEF COLD, ALLERGY & SINUS

Michael A. Freedman, DO

S. Dwight Vaught, MD

Judith Milstead, MD

Dino Madonna, MD

Diagnosis to Survivorship

A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Our care navigators and cancer specialists are with you every step of the way through your customized care plan. Offering the latest technology and most advanced treatment options is just another way we’re conquering cancer together. And we’re only getting started. To learn more about our comprehensive cancer center or to contact a care navigator, visit FHWatermanCancer.com

Eileen Bascombe RN, ONN-CG Cancer Care Navigator