DR. SHAMS TABREZ has become the newest member of the highly experienced team of physicians at Gastrointestinal Consultants. He received his medical degree in 1986 from the University of the Punjab. He brings with him residency training in internal medicine from the Bellevue Hospital/VA Medical Center at New York University, as well as fellowship training in gastroenterology from Yale New Haven Health at Yale University.
Dr. Tabrez is also board-certified in gastroenterology through the American Board of Internal Medicine and a former clinical assistant professor for the department of internal medicine at the University of New Mexico.
As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Tabrez specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of various gastrointestinal problems including inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic disease, GI motility, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). He also performs endoscopies, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and colonoscopies; participates in motility studies; and offers service to children 12 and up.
Dr. Tabrez enjoys teaching medical students as a clinical assistant professor at the
University of Central Florida and St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine. He credits his love for teaching for inspiring him to provide effective, personalized treatment to his patients and taking his care to the next level. “I am a firm believer in taking care of the whole human being, not just the body,” he says.
After serving the Orlando area for five years, Dr. Tabrez says he is proud to be joining Drs. Lalbahadur Nagabhairu (Dr. Lal) and Paul Goldberg. He says he is amazed with Dr. Lal’s vision for the future, which is reflected in the new, advanced surgical center located in Tavares.
“It is a comprehensive, cutting-edge center that is centrally located for patients and provides several in-house services, eliminating the need for patients to travel for treatment,” Dr. Tabrez says. “Everything we offer is the best in GI care.”
Dr. Tabrez has written articles and participated in numerous conferences and speaking engagements all over the country. He is married and has three daughters. His hobbies include traveling, reading about history and religion, and anthropology.
Gastrointestinal Consultants has offices in Tavares, The Villages, and Lady Lake. For more information, call 352.383.7703.
A ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATION WITH ONE OF OUR SPECIALISTS
From helping pioneer no-stitch/noneedle cataract surgery techniques to opening the area’s first eye surgery center, Mid Florida Eye Center has been advancing eye care in Lake County for over 25 years. Now, with Laser Cataract Surgery, our patients have more options than ever before for restoring their vision and being independent of glasses.
Laser Cataract Surgery is an option for patients who want to increase their chance of freedom from glasses. It’s the most advanced cataract surgery technique available today. The surgery is totally bladeless, giving surgeons
increased accuracy and the ability to correct astigmatism. Plus, the laser’s real-time 3D visualization, when combined with our surgeons’ expertise, results in a truly customized lens replacement procedure.
Together, our internationally renowned cataract surgeons—Dr.
Jeffrey D. Baumann, Dr. Gregory J. Panzo, and Dr. Keith C. Charles— have performed more than 140,000 successful cataract and laser procedures. They understand how to effectively leverage laser technology to achieve the best possible visual outcomes.
When paired with the right lens, Laser Cataract Surgery can dramatically improve your vision—at all distances. Thanks to our participation in groundbreaking clinical research trials, we have a diverse selection of advanced technology lenses. We’ll help you choose the one that fits your lifestyle best.
Schedule your cataract consultation today by calling 1-888-820-7878 (toll-free) or 352-735-2020 to see if Laser Cataract Surgery is an option for you.
www.MidFloridaEye.com
“For as long as I can remember I have been going to Dr. Barr’s office for regular checkups, so when I developed a small cyst in my mouth, I knew exactly who to call. The next day after having the surgery, I was surprised to get a call from Dr. Barr himself to check on me. It was such a thoughtful gesture to have the dentist call. Dr. Barr and his entire staff are kind, caring, and professional, and I recommend them to everyone looking for a dental care professional!”
— Kim Lambert
March 2013
To the believer they may be seen in the most ordinary of events such as a flower spreading its petals to receive sunlight or the birth of a child. To the skeptic, they cannot be seen even if supported by the staunchest medical or scientific evidence. But most of us stand in that gray area of wonder — asking… hoping… seeking something beyond us that might give us hope where there is none to be found.
WRITER: JIM GIBSON
HEALTHYBODY SHAPE
52 HOOPS
Boost your overall fitness with this slam-dunk routine.
WRITER: PAT BURKE
EAT FIT/NOT FAT
54 IHOP
Beware of tipping the scale with this breakfast staple.
WRITER: TABATHA ARCARO-ORTIZ, M.S., R.D., L.D/N.
LOOK
56 SPRING INTO STYLE
Reveal your inner fashionista with florals and bright colors.
WRITER: WENDY LYN PHILLIPS
INSIDE
58 NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT Is it a common cold or is it an allergy?
WRITER: MICHAEL FREEDMAN, D.O.
HEALTHYMIND
PHENOMENON 60 MIRACLES IN MEDICINE?
Does the field of medicine accept the miraculous?
WRITER: RICHARD T. BOSSHARDT, M.D., FACS
HEALTHYSPIRIT
MENCOURAGEMENT
64 MIRACULOUS LONGING
Everyone needs a miracle.
WRITER: RICHARD BURGUET
QUIET WATERS
65 QUENCHING YOUR THIRST
Living water can satisfy the deepest yearning.
WRITER: RICK REED
12
CORNER 14
HEALTHYFINANCE
ADJUST
68 CUTTING BUDGETS… WITHOUT BLEEDING TO DEATH EMOTIONALLY!
Small changes can mean big gains for your wallet.
WRITER: ELLEN B. WILCOX, GEPC for wallet. ELLEN B. GEPC
People from all over the United States and countries around the world have come to Dr. Vrej Manoogian for total knee and hip replacement. He designed “The Living Hip”, a unique hip prosthesis that is unmatched in its ability to imitate the natural functions of the hip joint. The direct anterior approach, combined with “The Living Hip” prosthesis, has provided a revolutionary treatment for patients with hip arthritis. Since opening his Mount Dora-(near Orlando, Florida) based practice in 2001, Dr. Manoogian has paid meticulous attention to the proper alignment and ligament balancing for his total knee replacements, giving his patients outstanding results. Dr. Manoogian is boardcertified and fellowship-trained.
As I sit looking into his eyes, I can’t help but wonder what it must be like to see things from his point of view. He can’t speak and has no control over his life or situation. He goes through each day completely dependent on someone to take care of him. He can’t eat when he wants to eat and can’t sleep when he wants to sleep. He is told when to sit, stand, jump, walk, bathe, and when to come and go.
When I leave him alone, he doesn’t know when I will return. He sits anxiously waiting and wondering for hours if he will ever see me again. When I return, he celebrates and rejoices as if it is the most amazing gift he has ever received.
When I am sad, he is sad. When I am scared, he is scared. When I am sick, he stays in bed with me. When he is sick, he can’t tell anyone. He is always there when I need him, and he is lucky if I am there when he needs me.
He is loyal to the point that he would give his life to protect mine, yet he demands nothing and expects nothing in return. Life seen through his eyes has great uncertainty and no guarantees. Yet, he cherishes every moment. Love, through his eyes, is not promised, yet he offers his unconditionally.
He is my dog, Myles — my miraculous companion.
Isn’t it amazing how God created such companions just for us? How many people on Earth can you find who will provide the unyielding loyalty, enduring friendship, and unconditional love a pet gives each and every day? Not many. In fact, if you can find one such friend or companion in your lifetime, consider yourself a very lucky person.
As humans, we always think of ourselves as God’s ultimate creation, but we can learn invaluable lessons from the other creatures around us. Myles trusts me completely. He takes no thought for tomorrow. He doesn’t know where his next meal will come from, or if he will have shelter from the cold and the rain. But he will.
If only we could be so trusting.
He may get scolded but he doesn’t run away, he runs to me, seeking — and giving — love. He has no ego; he has only love and adoration.
If only we could be so loving.
I thank God for my miraculous companion, Myles, and for the lessons he teaches me each and every day. Miracles are all around us you just have to open your eyes and see them.
KENDRA AKERS publisher kendra@akersmediagroup.com
DOUG AKERS vice president doug@akersmediagroup.com
JAMIE EZRA MARK chief creative officer jamie@akersmediagroup.com
EDITORIAL // DESIGN
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TABATHA ARCARO-ORTIZ
RICK BOSSHARDT M.D.
RICHARD BURGUET PAT BURKE
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FRED HILTON
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Kendra Akers publisher publisherComments or questions for our publisher? Please email kendra@akersmediagroup.com. Our goal is to provide you with the best quality publication, so your feedback is vital.
RICK BOSSHARDT, M.D., FACS
Bosshardt and Marzek
Plastic Surgery Associates
ROSANNE BRANDEBURG, MBA
Executive Director, Lake-Sumter Community College Foundation, Inc., Chairman, Lake County School Board
This month was exciting for me. I have wanted to write on miracles for a while and finally have my chance. Miracles are something close to my heart because I have had several in my life (not counting my beautiful wife, three children, and granddaughter).
My first and greatest miracle took place in August 1988. In 1985, at the age of 29, I had a cerebral aneurysm burst causing me to have a massive stroke; over one-third of my brain was saturated with blood. I was paralyzed on my left side, almost blind in my right eye, almost deaf in my right ear, and couldn’t read or write. An operation saved my life, but ten months later, I had my first grand mal seizure.
Only a person who has experienced one can know what this means. The pain was unbearable. The left side of my face would become numb, then it would feel as if my left arm and leg were plugged into a 220-volt electrical outlet. I would then stop breathing and lose consciousness. It felt as if I was being smothered to death each time. It would take me hours to regain consciousness. I could not be left alone. I lost my privilege to drive a car; I couldn’t work — and we never knew when one would occur.
The burden on my wife, Teresa, was immeasurable. Our two children were both under 6 years of age and she now had an invalid husband to care for. I could not take medication, as it made me sleep for over sixteen hours each day. This went on for two years. The seizures became more frequent and more violent. Many times I would have one immediately following the prior one and it forced me to become a hermit, living in depression in a dark bedroom while Teresa took care of our home and children… and prayed for me.
The last seizure I had was one of the most violent. Each one was like a living nightmare. I
could never comprehend where I was or what had happened as I began to recover. On this day, I envisioned two large men attempting to kill my son.
My 3-year-old son was my heart. We share the same name and we were inseparable, so I immediately viciously attacked the two men. I knew in my mind I had to kill them quickly, as they were larger than me and I knew they were stronger. The only problem was those two men were in reality my wife and mother who were trying to help me as I regained consciousness. They said I had the strength of two men and I could have easily killed them both.
After I awoke and was told what had happened, I knew what I had to do. The next time I was alone, I got on my knees and prayed to God. I told him I couldn’t jeopardize my family’s lives. I said simply, “God either you heal me now or I will have to take my own life. The next seizure I have will be my last.” And I meant it. Teresa was fasting and praying also because she knew things were getting worse by the day.
That was the last seizure I experienced. They simply stopped. I went to Shands hospital and they tried to induce a seizure and couldn’t. They ran an EEG that showed the scar tissue on my brain had disappeared. The nurse who gave us the information cried as she told us I had a miracle. Within two months, I had my driver’s license and our lives were forever changed.
Of course, skeptics will say that my body, facing its imminent death, molecularly changed the makeup of my brain, dissipating the scar tissue. Believe what you will. I believe a God, who loves me because of the sacrifice made by His Son, Jesus Christ, loved me enough to miraculously heal me. And I am forever thankful.
PATRICIA BURGOS
Environmental Program Manager Lake County Water Authority
RUTH ANN BYRD, LA, CME Aesthetic Skin Solutions
KATHERINE COOK
Founder of the Leesburg Center for the Arts
ISAAC DEAS
Interfaith Chaplain for Cornerstone Hospice
ROD ERB
Director of Marketing and Business Development, Moore Medical Group
TERRI FECHTEL
Liaison for Suncoast/ Omni Home Health
GREG FRESCOLN
Principal, First Academy-Leesburg
SHERI HUTCHINSON
Public Information Officer, Community Outreach Manager, Lake County Health Department
CAROL MILLWATER
Executive Director, Lake-Sumter Medical Society
MANDY RICHARDSON
Marketing Manager, Mid-Florida Eye Center
ERIC ROUKEY
Physicians Consulting Group
B. E. THOMPSON
Director of Development, Lifestream Behavioral Center
ELLEN WILCOX, GEPC Wilcox Wealth Management
JEFF WITTMAN
Licensed Nutritionist, Owner, Jeff’s Health and Nutrition
Jim Gibson editorComments or questions for our editor? Please email jim@akersmediagroup.com.
The Healthy Living Advisory Board consists of a handpicked group of knowledgeable individuals representing a unique cross section of Central Florida business owners, professionals and individuals. They provide a critical review of our magazine and offer recommendations of approval or adjustment based on their distinctive skills and life experiences.
Hip fractures from osteoporosis kill more women than breast cancer -- a fact that few people know. With the right treatment, however, osteoporosis is preventable and treatable. Dr. Claudia L. Thomas, a fellowship-trained Orthopaedic surgeon, applies leading-edge research to help patients reduce bone loss and fracture risks. After completing a fellowship in Orthopaedic Trauma and Spine Surgery with the University of Maryland Shock Trauma, Dr. Thomas served as the director of the Fracture Clinic at the renowned Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her specialties include non-surgical approaches to back pain and prevention of future injuries due to osteoporosis. Relieving your pain is her top priority.
If you are a post-menopausal woman, a man over 50, or had a parent who broke a hip, you may be at higher risk for osteoporosis. Call today for an appointment. EXPERTISE MATTERS.
In a December 11th press release, the Project for Natural Health Choices says consuming thirty grams of flaxseed each day can reduce risk of heart attack and stroke. Research was conducted at the University Hospital Holguin, where subjects who were diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease and hypertension were given thirty grams of flaxseed in different food sources.
After six months, researchers found this group had their blood pressures reduced by an average of ten points systolic pressure and seven points diastolic. The research team calculated these drops could translate into a reduction of about fifty percent in cases of stroke and thirty percent reduction in rates of heart attack. The results were presented at the 2012 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions last November.
Flaxseed can be found in foods like flaxseed-coated bagels, buns, and muffins. It can also be purchased and added to virtually any food. ■
Peripheral neuropathy results from damaged peripheral nerves. The disease can cause weakness, pain, and loss of coordination and feeling in the arms and legs. The disorder varies in severity, but in some cases, it can be debilitating, crippling, or even fatal. Many times, patients who suffer from this disease may feel alone and without a place to turn for help.
Fortunately, Mount Dora-based Waterman Village is now home to the Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group, which held its first meeting in December. The support group is open to all who suffer from peripheral neuropathy, their family members and friends, and anyone interested in learning more about this complex disease.
For more information, please contact Jack Koehler at 352.735.2077. ■
The Leesburg Regional Acute Rehabilitation Hospital has achieved certification from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) through 2015. This marks the sixth consecutive time the inpatient adult rehab program has been awarded CARF certification.
“The accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation and shows the Leesburg Regional Acute Rehabilitation Hospital’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards,” says Stella Mason, director of the hospital. “Our community should be proud of the fact our therapists, nurses, and the entire interdisciplinary rehabilitation team place the patient at the center of the recovery process.”
The Leesburg Regional Acute Rehabilitation Hospital has provided comprehensive care in the community for more than twenty years. ■
The Lake-Sumter State College Foundation awarded 191 scholarships totaling $150,850 to students attending the college during the spring semester. Scholarships were awarded to students pursuing degrees in nursing, criminology, public relations, business administration, education, pre-engineering, and computer technology.
“We are able to assist so many students in achieving their dream of a college education because of the generous donations we receive from the community. It is really exciting to be able to provide financial support for our students and faculty and staff through scholarships and projects,” says Rosanne Brandeburg, executive director of the foundation. ■
Delia Shanley takes advantage of all the wonderful amenities offered by The Villages. On any given day, she is likely dancing at one of the town squares or playing golf on one of the picturesque courses.
Recently, she was forced to give up those activities due to a painful bunion on her left foot. Even walking was extremely painful.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back was when I was visiting the Denver Zoo with my grandchildren and experienced tremendous discomfort,” she says. “I knew it was time to do something about the bunion.”
At the recommendation of friends, she visited Tri-County Podiatry. Dr. Felix Esarey performed a successful bunionectomy on her left foot. Much to Delia’s surprise, she felt little discomfort from the procedure.
“I have heard horror stories about bunion surgeries, so I was definitely skeptical,” she says. “However, my experience was very positive, and I never felt pain. Dr. Esarey was great about communicating with me throughout the entire process and always treated me with respect. I would highly recommend him to anyone. Thanks to him, I am dancing and golfing once again.”
Leesburg Regional Medical Center is committed to providing quality care and service excellence, which includes energyefficient operation. According to the Department of Energy, healthcare organizations spend more than $6.5 billion on energy each year and that amount is rising to meet patient needs.
Recently, the hospital and its day-surgery center underwent a major infrastructure improvement project that included advanced building controls, premium efficiency chilled water systems, energy recovery ventilators, an energy dashboard, and ongoing energy services. These initiatives have improved conditions for patients, the facility’s operations, and the environment.
“By being more energy-efficient, not only have we improved the overall environment and comfort of our facilities but operational expenses for our organization will be reduced by approximately $175,000 per year,” says David Taylor, system director of plant operations and facilities. “The return on investment is expected to level out in just four years.” ■
March is National Nutrition Month. So even if you failed to keep those New Year’s resolutions, it is not too late to start anew! WebMD offers fifteen health foods that will boost your health while lowering your grocery budget.
1) Brown rice.
2) Whole-wheat or multigrain pasta.
3) 100 percent whole-wheat bread.
4) Nonfat Greek yogurt.
5) Old-fashioned oats.
6) Frozen vegetables.
7) Russet potatoes.
8) Fresh bagged spinach.
9) Canned refried beans.
10) Canned tuna.
11) Canned or jarred marinara sauce.
12) Whole-wheat pita bread.
13) Store-brand egg substitute.
14) Frozen soybeans
15) Dried lentils. ■
“I am Dr. Richard Bosshardt. In 2008, an old friend invited me to join his team, Grupetto-USA, for the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s annual Citrus Tour. It sounded like fun. I would get to do a century (100-mile) bike ride, which was on my bucket list, reconnect with an old friend and make new ones, and incidentally, help raise money for a worthy cause. Now fast-forward four years.
“Those priorities changed. I discovered numerous people around me who have multiple sclerosis or a loved one with this disease. I learned firsthand of the devastating nature of multiple sclerosis. What started as a lark has become an annual effort to raise money and awareness to fight the disease. Would you please join me in making a donation to support multiple sclerosis research and help those with MS? Just visit http://main. nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/FLCBikeEvents?px=4393400&pg=perso nal&fr_id=19463
“As of now, multiple sclerosis is incurable, but together we can make a difference, and our efforts may one day help bring about a world free of this terrible disease. The Citrus Tour 2013 is being held April 20th and 21st.” ■
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 50,000 Americans die from this disease each year. The CDC recommends that anyone ages 50 and older undergo regular screening for colorectal cancer. Screening tests can detect precancerous polyps before they become cancerous.
And consider this powerful statement from the CDC: “If everyone who is 50 years or older were screened regularly, as many as sixty percent of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.”
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include blood in or on the stool, stomach pain, aches or cramps, and unexplained weight loss. Please contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms. ■
Parents learn early the varying cries of their offspring. I think I read somewhere it is some sort of very natural and primal instinct to recognize the cry of our own child from a chorus of others in say a jungle or the toy aisle of a Wal-Mart. We learn to decipher the difference between an “I’m hungry” cry, an “I’m scared” cry, and an “I’m pretty sure I severed my carotid artery” cry. There is also the most common “I’m entitled” cry. However, the cry parents dread more than any other — the cry that manages to hit staggering decibels in our souls — is the cry I found myself waking up to this morning. My daughter’s wails from the other side of the house jolted me out of a deep sleep. I knew the reason for the cry even as it stormed and tumbled into my room in a heap of vicious bedhead and tears.
“Mom-meeee! The tooth fairy never came!” she wailed.
It was the worst cry of them all — the “I’m the victim of a colossal parental fail” cry.
In my own defense, I have three six-year-olds in one house. Meaning, with the sheer number of teeth and the amount of blood flying out of mouths, my home could be an NHL hockey rink. I am running low on bleach and quarters these days, which is why the last tooth fairy deposit consisted of three nickels and a throat lozenge. The truth of the matter is, when it comes to the tooth fairy game, my heart just isn’t in it. I’m completely unsettled. When I think about this recent meteor shower of baby teeth, I find myself oscillating between wanting to dropkick the creator of the tooth fairy and wanting to knit her a
teeny-tiny tooth fairy sweater.
“Do you want to pull it?” my husband asked last night. My daughter’s head was back, her eyes were wide, and with my husband’s fingers in her mouth, it was like watching the Fishing Network when the fisherman is extracting a stubborn hook from a fish’s mouth. Gross.
“Nope. I’m good,” I answered.
“Why don’t you want to pull out her tooth, Mom?” my children asked from the gallery of spectators.
Why don’t I want to pull the tooth?
Well, maybe I don’t want to pull it because my fingers are still numb from the vats of Orajel I applied on your gums to grow that tooth. Maybe I don’t want to pull it because I slept roughly four-and-a-half hours in 2007 while those baby teeth slowly and painfully surfaced. Maybe it just seems weird and annoying that those baby teeth — the ones I forfeited my exercise regimen and personal hygiene for — would now just start popping from your mouths like you are some sort of freaky PEZ dispensers.
Maybe I don’t want to pull teeth out because — guess what? — new teeth are going to grow in their place. These teeth are actually going to need to be brushed more than once a week because these teeth will actually count. Of course, you won’t brush these new teeth and because Obamacare won’t cover cavities, I’ll be canceling my hair appointments to cover the cost of your fillings. My roots will grow gray, and your new teeth will grow sideways and upside down. An orthodontist named Dr. Seuss will then construct elaborate mouth devices out of paperclips that I
will end up selling blood on Etsy to pay for. Maybe that’s why I don’t want to pull your baby teeth out, all right? Sigh.
Or maybe I find the entire process of cutting roots and the pooling of blood a little too familiar — a little too reminiscent of the day we met face to face when you were so very tiny and so very in need of me. Maybe I’m not ready to lose those baby teeth markers of your innocence and toddlerhood. Maybe I’m not quite ready to see the way those missing teeth will leave holes, spaces, changing your familiar smile that I have grown to depend on. And maybe I am just not ready for the gaps in your life — the ones I will no longer fill.
Her tooth was out before I could answer. Blood filled her grin and there was a look of triumph in her eyes.
As I went in search of bleach and quarters, my sons circled my daughter congratulating her, inspecting the little baby tooth floating in her palm and remarking, “Wow, you never even cried!”
Despite the blood and pain, she never cried. Maybe, after six years of deciphering my daughter’s cries, it is now time to start learning her silences. Sigh.
Or maybe tonight, rather than watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, I will get my act together and remember to scrounge up a couple of dimes and a Tic Tac.
WRITER: FRED HILTON // PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR: ANTHONY CASTO
Ilike hot, spicy food — Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Tex-Mex, whatever. However, I do not go overboard. On the macho scale of gobbling down fiery foods, I am an absolute wimp compared to a friend of mine. He always orders the hottest thing on the menu and polishes off jalapenos like they are Tic Tacs. When he eats out, he brings a bottle of Tabasco sauce with him in case the restaurant doesn’t have any. He dumps Tabasco onto everything. When no one is looking, I’m sure he puts it on his ice cream.
My friend does not have an ulcer. Until recently, conventional wisdom was that his eating habits are sending him on the fast track to an ulcer. Today, however, it has been pretty firmly established that hot and spicy foods do not cause ulcers.
Two Australian scientists, Dr. Robin Warren and Dr. Barry Marshall, even won the 2005 Nobel Prize for medicine by showing that bacteria — not eating habits — cause ulcers.
Their research showed that the vast majority of ulcers are caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Thanks to the work of Drs. Warren and Marshall, most ulcers can be cured with a shortterm course of drugs and antibiotics. The bacterium causes more than ninety percent of duodenal (intestinal) ulcers and up to eighty percent of gastric (stomach) ulcers.
An article on Medicine.org agrees that spicy foods don’t cause ulcers. They say,
if you have an existing ulcer, it can irritate them and this could be how the old wives’ tale concerning spicy foods causing ulcers was born.
all ulcers are caused
While nearly all ulcers are caused by H. pylori, as it is commonly known, there are some other causes. Among them are certain medications and some illnesses, such as cancer or Crohn’s disease.
r those who love hot food, evidence e y preven e tive effect rs. chers
h does not have a ncy
Happily, for those who love hot food, there is some evidence that spicy food could actually have a preventive effect against ulcers. Everyday Health reports that “researchers in Singapore found that people who ate mostly Chinese food, which does not have a high amount of capsaicin, had three times the frequency of ulcers as those who mostly ate the much spicier Malay or Indian food. Researchers believe that capsaicin stimulates nerve endings in the stomach that cause the release of protective chemicals. They also think that capsaicin changes the acid balance in the stomach to one in which the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, the primary cause of an ulcer, cannot live.”
So enjoy your Tabasco sauce. It’s especially good on strawberry ice cream.
FRED HILTON spent thirty-six years as the chief public relations officer/spokesman for James Madison University in Virginia and ten years prior as a reporter and editor for The Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia. He is now happily retired in The Villages with his interior designer wife, Leta, their Cadillac Escalade golf cart, and their dog, Paris. (Yes, that makes her Paris Hilton).
Lake Eye provides world-class experience, training and technology, right here in your neighborhood. Having your doctor close to home adds more than just convenience – it provides peace of mind.
Over the past decade, our physicians have provided thousands of patients with clearer vision and protection from vision loss. From glasses to preventive care to successful, complication-free surgeries, we have dedicated our practice to restoring clear, healthy vision to multitudes of satisfied patients.
Your Lake Eye doctor is always just minutes away, available for appointments, and accessible anytime after hours – whenever you need them.
Three state-of-the-art locations serving Lake County, plus the Santa Fe Surgery Center, which is owned and run by our eye surgeons here in The Villages.
We perform the most advanced surgical techniques, offering Toric®, TECNIS®, ReSTOR®. We are the first in the region to offer LenSx® refractive “bladeless” laser cataract surgery.
Our full-service optical centers feature a complete line of designer and specialty glasses and contact lenses.
Talk to our patients and they’ll tell you: Lake Eye is the only choice for a lifetime of healthy vision. See real patient reviews on our website: www.LakeEye.com
“Men no longer need to suffer from frequent urination because they are getting older,” says Dr. James Young, a downto-earth urologist with twenty-nine years of experience at Urology Associates of Lake County in Eustis. Although the cause of these symptoms is most likely an enlarging prostate (BPH), a normal part of the aging process in men, treatment options are more numerous and less invasive than those offered to our fathers and grandfathers.
Years ago there were two options for treating an enlarged prostate: surgical excision via an open operation (knife) or much more commonly by performing a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), commonly referred to as a “roto-rooter” by patients and physicians. Both required hospitalization as well as major anesthesia and could be fraught with complications such as bleeding, infection, loss of bladder control and even death.
“In my career I have performed over 3,000 TURPs; however, I no longer perform any,” says Dr. Young. “There are presently too many excellent alternatives to consider a hospital operation for the vast majority of patients with BPH.”
“When I see a new patient I perform a physical examination and properly evaluate the patient’s symptoms, thus diagnosing the underlying problem(s),” he says. “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 BPH 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,
office-based therapies as alternatives to lifelong medical therapy.
One such option is Prostiva-RF Therapy, a procedure performed by Dr. Young in his office under local anesthesia that usually takes less than thirty minutes. Prostiva utilizes low level radiofrequency energy to ablate (destroy) the obstructing component of the enlarged prostate. “I am very happy with the results I have achieved for my patients using Prostiva-RF Therapy,” says Dr. Young, who has successfully treated more than 1,200 patients with this procedure.
“Medtronic is a $13 billion-a-year, publicly traded corporation that perfected the technology for Prostiva and produces the necessary hardware. Recently, Medtronic produced an educational DVD for international distribution to inform patients and physicians worldwide regarding the benefits of Prostiva therapy. Seven of the eight patients featured on the DVD are my patients. I am very proud Medtronic selected my practice to feature the benefits of Prostiva-RF Therapy. However it is sort of a bad news/good news thing. The bad news is neither my patients nor myself received a penny for our participation. The good news is Medtronic gave us all the DVD’s we want, so if anyone wants one all he needs to do is drop by my office at 801 Northshore Drive in Eustis, and we will give him one!”
And with an office staff with nearly as much experience as the doctor, (many have worked with Dr. Young more than twenty 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 patient’s time as much as we do our own,” adds Dr. Young. “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 getting up at night and can’t get back to sleep because you are thinking about what may be wrong with you, it’s time to check in with Dr. Young and have him check you out.
“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 about it,” he says.
JAMES W. YOUNG III, M.D.Practicing in Lake County for over 31 years with extensive experience in evaluation and management of prostate problems.
EDUCATION
Board Certification: American Board of Urology, February 1984
Medical Degree: University of Arkansas, 1977 College: University of Mississippi, 1973. B.A. Chemistry and English
RESIDENCY
University of Arkansas, 1978-82. Urology
INTERNSHIP
University of Kentucky, 1977-78. OB/GYN
CURRENT MEDICAL LICENSURE
Florida and Arkansas
HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS
Medical staff of Florida Hospital Waterman Florida 1982 – present
Vice-Chief of Medical Staff 1987–88 Waterman Medical Center
Chief of Medical Staff 1988-90 Waterman Medical Center
352.751.4990
920 Rolling Acres Road, Suite 201, Lady Lake, FL 32159
352.357.6786
801 Northshore Drive, Eustis, FL 32726
ProstateEvaluation.com
What you need to know about Peripheral Arterial Disease.
Have you ever received a diagnosis or had an injury and, when looking back, you could pinpoint the early signs? Ask anyone close to me and they will tell you I feel strongly about the importance of actively listening to our bodies — paying as close attention to our subtle aches and pains as we would the voices of our children in another room. As a physician, I see many illnesses that could have been avoided by listening closely and trusting our instincts. An example is this month’s medical topic, peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD often goes undiagnosed until it is too late because the symptoms of the disease seem minor in its early stages. I am passionate about ensuring ICE remains a place where we can help you sort through the uncertainty of your pain and get all your questions answered under one roof. Our patient-centric approach ensures all the care you receive revolves around you and your particular needs. Take stock of your aches, pains, or any changes in your health no matter how minor. You deserve it.
Yours,
Asad U. Qamar, MD
FACC, FCCP, FSGC, FACP, FSCAI Cardiologist
Mild pain and fatigue in legs and calves during a long walk is easily dismissed and it usually goes away when you sit down. It’s only human to disregard this discomfort and chalk it up to exercising too much or not enough, but should you? The pain could be the body’s way of telling you something about the health of its arteries.
Think of your arteries as an underground rail system, allowing oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood pumped from the heart to flow from the main railway — the aorta — to a growing network of arteries reaching through the arms, hands, legs and feet. As we age, these pathways can become blocked, hardening into plaque, which builds up
in the walls of our arteries. This sticky plaque, made up of cholesterol, calcium, and fibrous tissue, causes atherosclerosis — a hardening of the arteries which prevents blood from travelling freely. When this occurs in the extremities — or the peripheral blood vessels — it is called peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
At its worst, PAD can cause continuous pain and tingling in the feet, calves and toes so severe that the light weight of a bed sheet increases irritation. Other progressive symptoms include shrinking calf muscles, thickening of toenails, tight skin, and hair loss and ulcers on the feet and toes. When our arteries are not supplying our legs, calves and feet with the rich
blood that they need, people with PAD are at risk for strokes, high blood pressure, kidney problems and even amputation of the limbs.
Risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, unhealthy cholesterol and lipid levels, hypertension, family history of heart and artery disease, and artery inflammation may increase the risk of heart or circulatory disease.
Types of tests for PAD include an angiogram or echocardiogram to determine the extent of the blockage. ICE is equipped with the technology and science to find the cause of the pain, identify your risk factors and care for not only the disease, but your whole body — from head to heart to toe.
30,000,000
The number of people affected by PAD worldwide
65
The age when PAD becomes most common
20%
The percent of adults over age 65 who are affected by the disease
1 in 3
The number of Americans over 50 with diabetes who have PAD
Source: Cookmedical.com
In 2012 I was referred to Dr. Qamar by my primary care physician, Dr. Abrantes. I was having a lot of problems with my legs hurting and aching. I couldn’t sleep and when I did, I would have to get up and walk around for relief. I found that if I did lie down, I had to keep my legs moving. I had symptoms similar to ‘restless leg syndrome.’ I had not been able to sit or walk for long periods of time, and this affected my life greatly.
After scheduling an appointment and meeting Dr. Qamar, I had diagnostic testing done. Through those test, he found blockages in both legs and one in my stomach. So far, I have had stents placed in one leg
and I am scheduled for placements in my other leg and my stomach. The ICE facility is great; everyone is very nice and accommodating, they were very good to me. I have no complaints and would highly recommend Dr. Qamar, his staff, and his facility. I like him very much and would refer him to anyone who is having problems with their legs or needs to have a procedure done to clear any blockages.
Today, what I look forward to most is being able to go shopping again! I haven’t been able to do that for quite a while now. I thank Dr. Qamar this as I am so excited to have my independence and mobility back.
“TheICEfacilityisgreat; everyoneisveryniceand accommodating,they wereverygoodtome.”
— Joyce Demeter
I have been a registered nurse for 37 years. Since attending nursing school I always knew I would work in critical care, and in 1981, I entered the field of pacemaker follow-up. At that time, I was conducting aftercare similar to the manufacturers and they greatly valued the feedback I provided. I still work closely with them and enjoy the on-going education and learning we provide one another. I have been working with Dr. Qamar for 13 years. He is great to work with, talks to you, not at you and is a great teacher. In my opinion, he is generally awesome!
As the Pacer Clinic supervisor, my goal is to monitor, access, and educate patients implanted with a pacemaker or defibrillator. I develop long-term relationships with my patients, because I see them every 91
days after their surgery. My patients and I look forward to seeing each other every visit. During their appointment, I listen to them and make suggestions, recommendations, and adjustments based on how they live their lives. We have a ‘patients come first’ attitude at ICE and we try to accommodate each one the best we possibly can — in any way we can. As a clinician I recognize that, yes, my patients have a device in them, but this is what allows them to live the life they want to live. I encourage them in every way, answer their questions no matter how many they have, and enjoy working with them in order to ensure optimal health and happiness following their procedure.
— Carol J. Wheeler, R.N. Pacer Clinic Supervisor
exist?
The vast majority of Americans believe in miracles, but to what extent? Each of us faces situations in life that seem too daunting to overcome; it may be mental anguish, emotional upheaval, or we may even be facing death through terminal illness. Is there hope for each of us beyond what the laws of science say is possible? Is there a chance we can find hope in the most hopeless of times? Can we find a miracle?
WRITTEN BY JIM GIBSONLeesburg resident Barbara Martin hasn’t always believed in miracles. In fact, when you consider the fact that most of what we consider to be true miracles are of a spiritual nature, it is amazing she has come to believe in them at all. You see, for a large portion of her life, Barbara was a devout atheist.
In the early 1970s, she belonged to a local catholic church and was even close friends with the priest… but she always kept her true beliefs hidden. Her association with the church was purely for social purposes.
When she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1971, none of that changed. She didn’t seek God for help in her time of need. She simply underwent a hysterectomy and went on with her life as usual — a life that included drinking and late night parties.
Six months later when she returned for a checkup, her doctor discovered a large lump in her right breast. He diagnosed her with breast cancer and scheduled immediate surgery.
This time the diagnosis affected her profoundly. She refused the surgery and withdrew from all those who loved her. She directed most of her anger toward her husband, Edward. One evening, he attempted to comfort her and she angrily told him she planned to enjoy the rest of what time she had left on Earth. She spent that night with a girlfriend drinking heavily at a bar and even met a man she planned to date the next weekend.
The next morning, her mother confronted Barbara and told her she needed to go
somewhere and straighten out her life. Even though she still seethed with anger, she decided to attend a retreat for nuns in Tampa for one week so she could have some time alone. Once there, she immediately directed her anger toward the nuns, telling them she wanted to be left alone in her room. She told no one why she was there or that she was ill.
The next day she decided to attend the morning prayers and found herself becoming impressed with the simple faith of these sisters, most of whom had master’s degrees in education. She wondered how they had such childlike faith when they were evidently such intelligent women.
On the third day at the retreat, she was sitting under a large oak tree, and she said, “If there is a crummy God like they say there is, show me and I will believe in you forever.” Suddenly an electric shock jolted her body. Then another one quickly followed. She instantly knew in her heart that God existed. There was no deep spiritual change, just the simple thought that God was there somewhere.
In her anger, she thought, “So what, He exists. He is up there and I am down here. I still have cancer and I am still afraid of dying; nothing has changed.” She fell into deep despair as she realized it was all such a cruel joke to suddenly find faith in God just as she was about to die.
She went back to her room and cried. Sister Louise, one of the nuns at the retreat, came to her room and began to talk with her. The sister told Barbara the Lord had sent her
to speak to her. Sister Louise began to tell her things about her life no person could have possibly known. Barbara listened in utter amazement. The sister told her God wanted her to turn over everything in her life to Him… even her mind and her education. Barbara hesitated. Her mind and intellect were all she had.
Then, seeing the sister’s sincerity, she agreed and accepted God into her heart. As the sister prayed, Barbara suddenly had a clear vision of herself sinking into a deep pit. There was a man at the top and try as she could, she could not reach her hand high enough for him to pull her out.
The next day as she prayed at a special prayer meeting, she once again found herself sinking into that pit, only this time she was able to reach up and grab the man’s hand. “I held up my hands and he took them and pulled me up out of the sand. I looked into his eyes and knew it was Jesus.” He laid her head on His shoulder and she experienced “overwhelming feelings of peace and love.”
A sister came over and prayed for God to heal Barbara in both body and spirit. That night as she lay down to sleep, she felt for the lump in her breast, and it was still there, as hard and large as ever. The next morning she awoke and immediately felt compelled to feel for it again.
The cancerous tumor was totally gone. Her doctor examined her and verified that the cancer had indeed disappeared. Barbara has since written a book about the many miracles that have occurred in her life titled Little Book
of Miracles. She is a certified lay minister and speaker who spreads the word of her healing to groups around the country.
The word “miracle” has been watered down and lost much of its meaning through constant use in everyday conversation and by the advertising industry. Every cleanser is a “miracle” cleanser, every diet a “miracle” diet; it seems the miraculous has become ordinary. Just because the word has seemingly lost its meaning doesn’t mean true miracles, ones where the laws not only of science but of sensibility are suspended and truly extraordinary, scientifically inexplicable change takes place, don’t happen in the world around us virtually every day.
The scientifically minded may say Barbara Martin’s healing came about simply through her faith in the power of prayer itself and not through a divine source. They will say her belief in the fact her body was being healed simply kick-started her immune system, which in turn quickly destroyed the disease within her. Those of a spiritual nature may believe a power from beyond us, whether divine by nature or simply a spiritual source, actively intervened and healed her supernaturally. And then there are those who walk in that gray area of wonder, seeking proof that whatever their source may be… miracles do exist in the world today.
The very concept of a true miracle implies that this force, whether one of intelligence or of raw power, in some way in-
tervenes in the natural course of events and brings about change that cannot be explained empirically. This idea of a force existing beyond the natural realm of scientific observation has a foundation built at least 12,000 years ago when mankind built his first temple of worship to the power of creation in what is now southern Turkey.
A world of spirituality sprang forth that is the precursor of all the world’s major religions. Archaeologists, who once believed civilization was built on our need to congregate and farm, now believe the very civilization of all mankind may have been built instead on the desire to worship, seeking help from a force beyond our physical world.
We must also remember that although miracles are most often associated with religion or spirituality, there are instances when through using scientifically proven methods of visual imagery, hypnotism, or meditation a person produces results that are considered by many to be miraculous.
Faith has by no means cornered the market on the miraculous, but it is the place to look for miracles in abundance. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, nearly eighty percent of Americans believe in miracles and that number may be even larger on an international scale. The fact is, miracles are accepted as commonplace and are believed to occur in most major faiths worldwide.
When considering the world’s major religions, there are many different “denominations,” or beliefs, within each system. Not all members of any faith believe
exactly alike. The subsequent views on miracles in the Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and Christian faiths certainly do not constitute the view of each member of that particular group; however, this sampling can provide a broad overview of how both the spiritual and scientific communities view the miraculous in the modern-day world.
Spiritual Director Sheldon Skurow has been leading the congregation at Temple Shalom, a Reform synagogue in The Villages, for twelve years. Skurow believes miracles are evident in
“We don’t lay hands on anyone and say, ‘You are healed’; we simply put their names on our prayer list and call them out every Friday night and Saturday morning during our service,” he explains. “Then the congregation remembers them in prayer, and we have seen many miracles happen here.”
Skurow also firmly believes that both illness and healing are “ninety-five percent attitude” and attitude is affected greatly by prayer. “I believe our minds and thoughts play a role in sickness and that through prayer, many times our attitudes change and it brings about healing… and I still consider
natural processes given to us by the Creator. In a sense, either everything is a miracle or nothing is! To someone living in an earlier time, for example, telephones and airplanes might seem miraculous, but now we have learned how to harness the natural laws they represent.
“We are born with a sixth sense of spirituality that draws us to an ever closer connection with God, a growing awareness of the unity of all things. The Creator in whose image we are made gives each of us everything we need to achieve happiness, the fulfillment of our unique and divinely given purpose in this life.No matter
the Jewish faith from the time when God plagued Egypt in the days of Moses until today.
“I believe there is a Supreme Being who has a plan for our lives and I believe prayer greatly influences what happens to us during those lives,” Skurow says. “In our congregation, I have seen many, many people who were very, very sick and seemed to have no way to survive undergo a complete turnaround, and they are still with us today. I consider those to be miracles.”
Skurow notes that the healings in the synagogue are through intercessory prayer, and though the healer is the same God as the Christian and Muslim faiths, the pathway to healing is somewhat different.
that to be a miracle,” he says.
To highlight the subjective nature of miracles and prove that even their very concept varies not only from religion to religion but also within religions, Rabbi Karen Allen of Congregation Beth Sholom in Leesburg defines the miraculous in a much different light.
“Our understanding of God, and of nature, comes about on different levels or planes at different times,” she says. “A ‘miracle’ happens within the physical laws of science, though it may follow principles that are as yet outside our present understanding. The term ‘miracle’ implies something outside of natural laws, but everything that happens is simply the operation of
how much our understanding may increase, there are forces at work that we don’t understand — it is all the work of God.”
Mark Winwood is a spiritual teacher at the Chenrezig Project, a local Buddhist group located in Yalaha. Winwood practices traditional Tibetan Buddhism and explains that what most of us consider to be miracles are not accepted as such in the Buddhist faith.
“We believe in cause and effect,” Winwood says. “If someone has cancer, it is the resultant effect of some cause. That cause could be cigarettes or it could be a naturally occurring biological process.
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Whatever the cause, we don’t believe it can be miraculously cured by an outside divine power. In many cases, disease can be cured by a physician, and we also believe mental visualization can influence the mind-body connection and enhance the body’s natural processes to aid in physical healing, but we consider neither of those to be miraculous.”
Winwood says that as humans, we should take full responsibility for everything that occurs to us and how we react to it. “The very concept of a miracle implies there is a divine intervening force that takes control and has the power to be responsible for us,” he says. “That idea takes away our individual responsibility for our lives and that is just not consistent with Buddhist teachings. It is for us to do the work and achieve the awareness and enlightenment.”
Winwood states that this primary objective of awareness is a spiritual concept that must be worked at to attain and is not one that lends itself to the miraculous.
“The Buddha or the Dalai Lama did not and does not have the power to heal another person. They are just men who have attained awareness. Miracles are just not something congruent to the Buddhist faith,” he says.
“Absolutely! Muslims believe in miracles,” says Hassan Shibly, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “Our faith is built on miracles from the past that were performed by God through our prophets and it is strengthened today from miracles we see in our everyday lives.”
Shibly says that in Islam, there are three types of miracles: mujizat, karamat, and istidraj.
Mujizat are miracles performed by God’s prophets long ago in order to establish divine credence to their messages. Examples would
Its eloquence is unmatched and not a single word has been changed since it was first written. This is why in the Muslim faith we believe Muhammad was the final prophet and his ultimate miracle, the Quran, is everlasting.”
Karamat are miracles performed by pious Muslims. These are miracles that happen with regularity today. They can range from healing the sick to clairvoyance (knowing another person’s thoughts or knowing information about that person no one else could possibly know) to having various supernatural powers.
“Muslims who lead consistently good lives and serve God
be: Moses’ staff turning into a serpent and devouring the serpents created through the power of the Egyptian magicians; Jesus healing the sick and raising the dead; and Muhammad splitting the moon and writing the incomparably eloquent words of the Quran.
“The prophets were visited by the angel Gabriel and imbued with the power they needed to convince people of their day they were set apart by God,” he says. “Each prophet had the specific gift for the time period he lived on the Earth. The last unchanging miracle was performed by the prophet Muhammad when he wrote the Quran, the words of God.
can many times perform miracles,” says Shibly. “Also, many times the pious will receive messages from God in their dreams to warn them of impending danger or as a sign He is with them. My own grandmother was very ill and bedridden. In the night, Jesus came to her in a dream and waved his hand over her and told her she was healed. The next morning, she awoke healed.”
Istidraj are miracles performed by non-believers. Although those performing them are not believers, the miracles are divine and come from God. They are used to either remind all people to turn to God because of His loving nature,
We are born with a sixth sense of spirituality that draws us to an ever closer connection with God…
—Rabbi Karen Allen, Congregation Beth Shalom
se n ever …
or to help convince the person whom the miracle was performed through to turn to God.
“In Islam, we believe miracles can happen through both good and bad people. God works through all as He chooses,” he says. “But we believe these types of miracles can also be abused by the unbeliever to claim their own divinity. In the Islamic community, those who gain attention from the miraculous are frowned upon if they do not give God all the glory and live humble, sincere lives.”
Shibly says that because miracles are so readily accepted in the Muslim faith, the believer has to remain focused on God, the supplier of answered prayer. Once the believer’s focus is on God, then he or she will fulfill their ultimate purpose, which is to live a good, clean, and pious life.
“We have a saying in Arabic,” he says. “Al Istiqama Khayron Min Alfi Karama, which means ‘to be consistent and steadfast in doing good is better than 1,000 miracles.’ Our focus must remain on God and on living good, honest lives.”
According to Shibly, on a personal level, there are three distinct ways miracles affect the lives of Muslims today.
First, they continually have the miracle of the Quran to lead them on the path to God.
Second, they have the consolation that comes through having their individual prayers answered by God, making the seemingly impossible become possible.
Third, they have the spiritual realm of clairvoyance, which can come either to them personally through a dream, or through a pious person
who has been given special supernatural abilities by God.
“What is most important to remember is that miracles are intended to show us the love and power of God and are not to be exploited by any individual. In fact, Muslims who are truly pious are so humbled by God’s gift they believe it to be a bad thing if others know of any miracle that comes about through their prayers or gifts,” he says. “The most significant miracles are not the ones we read about or hear about, but rather those we experience personally.”
Because there have been so many claims of faith-based miraculous healings at Lourdes, France, the Catholic Church created the Lourdes Bureau Medical, a panel of objective physicians and specialists whose job is to scrutinize each claim for authenticity.
Our Lady of Lourdes, located in southern France, is home to a shrine built around a small grotto and spring considered by the Catholic Church to be the sight of a visitation of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The first visitation supposedly took place on February 11th, 1858, and was witnessed by a 14-year-old peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous. During a visitation on February 25th, the vision of Mary instructed Bernadette to dig a hole with her hands and drink from the water that would come forth. Bernadette dug, and a spring appeared which still flows today.
Millions of people make the pilgrimage to Lourdes each year to bathe in, be blessed with, and drink of the “healing”
waters of Lourdes. Although tens of thousands of miracles are claimed to have taken place, approximately 7,000 have been deemed inexplicable cures and sixty-eight have been proclaimed as true divine miracles by the board of medical professionals, meaning they cannot be explained in any way by medical science.
The last known miraculous cure at Lourdes took place in 1987, when a Frenchman named Jean-Pierre Bely was instantly healed of multiple sclerosis. Bely had suffered from the disease since 1972 and was paralytic and bedridden. He possessed extensive medical documentation concerning the advanced stage of his illness.
While on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, Bely received what is called the Sacrament of the Sick. According to his transcribed testimony, he became “overcome by a powerful sense of interior liberation and peace.” Although Bely felt a spiritual change, he remained bedridden and paralytic. According to the medical bureau’s physicians, the following day he experienced a wave of intense cold followed by an immediate wave of intense heat flow throughout his body. He immediately sat up on the side of his bed and had feeling return to his arms. The next night, he suddenly awakened from his sleep, stood up, and walked for the first time in over three years.
Following an extensive examination by the Bureau, the Catholic Church deemed his healing miraculous in 1999.
The woman walking back and forth across the platform at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles wore a floor-length flowing gown and her lilting soprano voice filled the entire arena, all the way to the upper balcony where the young man sat doubled over in pain.
The long elegant sleeves of her gown waved in the air as she loudly proclaimed, “I believe in miracles with every atom of my being... because I believe in God!” Her conviction had no effect on the young man; he could barely concentrate on anything she said.
Steven Lochmiller was dying. At only 21 years of age, his body was ravaged by advanced stage nodular-sclerosing Hodgkins lymphoma. A full-body scan revealed malignant tumors and swollen lymph nodes from his head to his feet. A huge tumor bulging from beneath his collarbone and the affected lymph nodes throughout his body caused excruciating pain, and he had taken five powerful codeine tablets in the last hour (his doctor had prescribed one tablet every three to six hours) just to make it to the auditorium. The pain had returned with a vengeance and he was preparing to ask his mother for another tablet — when his life changed forever.
The woman was walking toward the far end of the platform when she suddenly turned and pointed toward the upper balcony in his direction. “Someone in the upper back is being healed of cancer,” she said, and then she turned and kept preach-
Do; http://www.pewforum.org/Press-Room/Pew-Forum-in-the-News/Do-you-believe-in-miracles--Most-A mericans-
ing to the crowd that filled the auditorium to overflowing.
2013)
(2002) Little Book of Miracles, Jawbone Publishing, Newnan, GA (Accessed
“I didn’t feel any change at all,” Lochmiller says. “All I could feel was the unbearable pain in my shoulder and chest. Then about five minutes later she came to our side of the platform again and said, ‘That person with cancer who I mentioned earlier up in the back balcony, healing is there for you, but you have to accept it.’”
Lochmiller closed his eyes and prayed, “Father, if this is for me, I accept it in the name of Jesus because I am dying.”
He immediately felt as if someone reached inside him and tugged his entire ribcage forward and he was instantly pain-free.
“The woman’s name was Kathryn Kuhlman, and she was a Christian evangelist who held televised healing services,” Lochmiller says today. “As a teenager, I had watched her shows with my friends and laughed at her and made fun of her; once I got cancer, I looked at her a little differently. I wanted to live.”
Even though he insisted he was healed, his doctors just as vehemently insisted he begin radiation treatments for the tumor, which remained visible in his shoulder. He reluctantly followed their advice “even though I knew I was healed.” When they said they wanted to do further radiation treatments on the rest of his body, he refused and insisted they operate on him and look inside to see for themselves.
His surgeon operated and after a thorough internal examination, found there was no sign of cancer anywhere in Lochmiller’s body. Today, Steven Lochmiller is 60 years old, mar-
ried with two daughters, and owns his own Internet search engine optimization business in Roseville, California. Most importantly, he has remained cancer-free since his healing in 1973. He is one of thousands who received medically verified physical healings through the ministry of Protestant evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman.
In order to appease a scientifically minded medical and academic community who finds the idea of healing through a divine source to be antiquated superstition, Carlyle Hirshberg and Marc Ian Barasch define miracles simply as “remarkable recoveries” in their book of the same name. In their publication, they tell the story of one of the medical fields most celebrated cases of what physicians call spontaneous regression.
In her early forties, Rotterdam resident Geertje Brakel was diagnosed with inoperable ovarian cancer. Up to this point, Brakel had lived a very depressed, negative, suicidal, and reclusive life.
Her doctor told her she had merely months to live and something inside her changed. “Instantly, I decided I would make myself well because they could not… There was a feeling of pure life inside me
from that minute on,” she said.
Brakel refused chemotherapy and decided to institute her own healing regimen. She began a vegetarian diet and decided to change her entire outlook on life itself. She had lived her life always bound by what she thought others would think of her. She made a conscious decision to do only the things she loved and not what she thought society expected of her.
She began to laugh more, and then as optimism began to fill her, she would tell everyone she met she was going to defeat cancer and live. She began to avoid anyone who was negative in any way. She spent her days dancing to her favorite music, reading books for pleasure, and seeking out the beauty of nature.
Brakel also voiced the emotions she had held in her entire life. When happy she laughed, when sad she cried, and when angry she yelled. Scans showed the cancer’s spread had halted. For two years, she fought the disease she felt was “trying” to kill her.
At the two and one-half year mark, the cancer suddenly began to spread quickly. The doctors removed both ovaries and pronounced once again she had a short time to live, as it had metastasized throughout her body. At first, she sank into a deep depres-
sion and didn’t think she could continue the fight, but after a short time, she rallied.
She turned to a hypnotherapist and began anew. She began to ride a bicycle and love the world of nature in a whole new way. Within ten months, scans revealed all the tumors in her body had completely disappeared and today, just like Steven Lochmiller, she “miraculously” enjoys good health.
Whether it is by faith in God, reaching out to a “power” that fills the Universe, or simply the belief in our minds that we are going to survive, miracles abound in the world around us.
The best news is that it seems these miracles flourish for all of us, for the most simple-minded and the most intelligent, for old and young, for men and women, for the religious no matter what their personal faith may be, for the agnostic, and for the atheist. The hope that miracles engender knows no ideological, ethnic, or racial boundaries, and whatever force it may be that creates what we define as the miraculous… it is there for all. It takes on a very life of its own and in doing so, offers hope to all people worldwide who find themselves living in life’s darkest hour.
… approximately 7,000 have been deemed inexplicable cures and sixtyeight have been proclaimed as true divine miracles [at the grotto of Lourdes].
With two blocked arteries in each leg, Summerfield resident Jack Schuch was forced to give up his favorite activity, golf. He could barely walk because had had no feeling in either leg or foot. “I did not know where I was stepping,” he said. “I had to be careful not to fall.” Fortunately, Dr. Upadya and Dr. Yelamanchi of Cardiac and Vascular Consultants came to Jack’s rescue. The doctors used special devices through the leg to unblock the clogged arteries, and Jack was amazed at the results.
“My wife tickled my foot and I could feel it! Also, I could tell whether water was warm or cold when I entered the shower,” he says. “Dr. Upadya and Dr. Yelamanchi are excellent doctors, and I trust them with my life. That is how highly I think of and how much confidence I have in them.
Dr. Upadya specializes in interventional cardiology, cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. He is boardcertified in Internal Medicine, General Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is also board certified in Adult Comprehensive Echocardiography by the National Board of Echocardiography and in Nuclear Cardiology by the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. He completed his fellowship in general cardiology at Yale University. His professional affiliations include the American Society of Echocardiography, the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Cardiovascular Computer Tomography and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
Dr. Yelamanchi specializes in interventional cardiology and cardiovascular disease. He is board-certified in Cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is also a Fellow of the America College of Cardiology. He completed his residency in 1996 at Chicago Medical School, which is where he also underwent fellowship training as a chief cardiologist. He completed a fellowship in coronary and peripheral intervention in 2000 at the Cardiovascular Institute of the South located in Houma, La. and served as a senior research specialist in health science at the University of Chicago-Illinois. He is professionally affiliated with the American College of Cardiology.
By utilizing carotid artery stenting, Drs. Upadya and Yelamanchi helped save the life of a patient whose right carotid artery was 100 percent blocked and left carotid artery was 99 percent blocked. They possess the knowledge and expertise to help even high-risk patients with severe blockages return to a normal lifestyle.
This patient suffered from peripheral artery disease of the thigh. Drs. Upadya and Yelamanchi used atherectomy and angioplasty to successfully treat this patient. The quality of their work helped improve the patient’s circulation and decrease pain. They’ve enjoyed many successful outcomes treating peripheral artery disease.
Dr. Scot Holman and Dr. Scott Wehrly of Lake Eye are the first local surgeons to offer laser cataract surgery.
Nearly 22 million Americans age 40 and older develop cataracts, and the number skyrockets to more than 50% by the time people reach 80. Each year, three million Americans have cataract surgery and, as their knowledge of modern medicine becomes more sophisticated,
they seek out the most effective procedures available. Luckily, two of Florida’s most experienced cataract surgeons are right here in Lake County.
Lake Eye surgeons Scot Holman, M.D., and Scott Wehrly, M.D., have performed thousands of successful, complication-free cataract surgeries, preventing cataract-related blindness and restoring clear, healthy vision to multitudes of satisfied patients. Leading the way to the most advanced technology in the nation, Drs. Holman and Wehrly are Lake County’s first — and currently only — surgeons qualified to perform the latest
breakthrough in cataract surgeries, the incredible LenSx® refractive bladeless, stitch-free laser procedure, which is the most accurate cataract surgery system ever created. The doctors perform this safe 10-minute surgery locally in The Villages at the Santa Fe Surgery Center, which is owned and run by a team of local doctors including Drs. Wehrly and Holman.
Dr. Holman is proud that he and Dr. Wehrly are two of the most experienced LenSx® laser cataract surgeons in Central Florida and that Lake Eye is one of the first to provide this groundbreaking technology. “The LenSx
computer-controlled laser captures incredibly precise, high-resolution images of the eye, making it the most revolutionary advance in cataract treatment in at least a decade. It can correct cataracts and astigmatism without using surgical blades, making it completely pain-free. It takes only minutes to perform and recovery can be quicker than with traditional surgery. It is an accurate and the quickest way to remove cataracts and restore crisp vision.”
“It is a tremendous advance in safe, effective cataract removal,” adds Dr. Wehrly. “This next-generation procedure not only eliminates
BECAUSE AMERICANS ARE LIVING LONGER, MORE FULFILLING LIVES THAN EVER BEFORE, CATARACTS ARE INCREASINGLY BECOMING A TOPIC OF INTEREST.
cataracts and corrects mild to moderate astigmatism, it works seamlessly with other advances designed to restore vision, such as multifocal lens implantation.”
Understanding why the LenSx® procedure is such a remarkable breakthrough starts with understanding a bit more about what cataracts are and how they affect vision.
Just behind the iris and pupil of the eye is the lens, which, like a camera, allows the eye to focus. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which can cause vision to become hazy, colors to appear muted, and sunlight, headlights, lamps, etc. to seem uncomfortably bright.
More than just an annoyance, cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over 40, and, if left untreated, can cause blindness. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world.
Which symptoms you experience and at what stage they occur depends on the type of cataract you develop. A nuclear cataract forms within the nucleus (center) of the lens. Nuclear cataracts are commonly caused by aging and may escape detection in their early stages because their formation can sometimes cause a temporary improvement in one’s nearsighted vision — that is, until they worsen. Surrounding the nucleus of the lens is the cortex. A cortical cataract usually appears as an opaque white triangular obstruction that points toward the pupil. A subcapsular cataract occurs at the back
of the lens and should be of particular concern to people with diabetes or those taking high doses of steroid medications who are at greater risk of developing this form. Because cataracts can often go unnoticed until they create problems, annual eye exams are important, especially among people 40 and over and those in higher-risk groups.
The lens inside the eye is comprised primarily of water and protein. Protein molecules can clump together within, around, or behind the lens to form a cataract. The cause of cataracts isn’t fully understood, but research has shown a strong relationship between cataracts and risk factors such as aging, family history, exposure to ultraviolet light, diabetes, hypertension, corticosteroid and/or statin medications, hormone replacement therapy, past eye injury or surgery, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and extensive alcohol consumption. There is some speculation that cataracts are formed by oxidation within the lens, which is supported by studies noting a decreased incidence of cataracts among vegetarians and vegans, whose diets are associated with a higher consumption of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. People studied who consumed a diet containing 3.5 ounces or more of meat each day showed a higher incidence of cataracts, although it is unclear if it can be attributed to high protein consumption or a possible lack of certain antioxidants.
“As part of Lake Eye’s comprehensive eye health program, we offer suggestions to increase eye health-friendly nutrients in one’s daily diet,” says Dr. Wehrly. “We know of many foods that can increase a patient’s levels of vitamins E and C, omega-3 fatty acids, and carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which may decrease the risk of cataract formation and other health problems, as well.” Adds Dr. Holman, “Because sunlight has been shown to contribute to the formation and worsening of cataracts, Lake Eye’s optical department features a highly-trained staff to offer advice on the best prescription and fashion 100% UV protection.”
In their early stages, cataracts often don’t cause enough impairment to warrant surgery and vision can be improved using a new prescription for glasses. However, when a cataract causes significant impairment of vision, surgery presents a safe, quick, and permanent cure for cataracts and improvement of vision.
Traditional cataract surgery involves an eye surgeon creating tiny manual incisions with a blade and then removing the cataract or breaking it down using ultrasound before replacing the natural lens with an artificial one. LenSx® laser refractive surgery is different. It creates 3-D images of the eye and gives the surgeon real-time
computer guidance so that he or she can make extremely precise cool-laser incisions to the anterior capsule covering the lens, to the cornea when needed to correct astigmatism, and to the cataract itself to break it apart for easy removal and rapid patient recovery.
Most candidates for cataract surgery are eligible for LenSx® laser surgery. The LenSx® system features a femtosecond laser (a laser that emits ultrashort optical pulses) and computer image guidance for increased accuracy, speed, and precision. The LenSx® laser is the first of its kind to be cleared by the FDA for use in cataract surgery.
“The LenSx laser was designed specifically for refractive cataract surgery,” says Dr. Holman. “It provides a 3-D surgical platform so that I can easily visualize and customize the procedure for each patient, including mapping out the tiny corneal incisions needed to correct most astigmatisms. Its clear video imaging lets me plan and program treatment with precise accuracy to address even more complex issues such as anterior capsulotomies and lens fragmentation. It’s amazing.”
As a leader in the community known for remaining ahead of the curve, Lake Eye Associates was the first ophthalmology practice in Lake County to procure and receive advanced training in the LenSx® laser. Says Dr. Holman, “Lake Eye prides itself on being the most advanced, stateof-the-art practice in the area, and we wanted to be the forerunners in providing this amazing technology.
We knew instinctively that laser surgical procedures will be the gold standard of eye surgery in the very near future, but for us — and our patients — the future is now.”
“We kept a keen eye on Alcon’s [the manufacturer] development of the technology over the months, eager to offer our patients more customized options and treatment to minimize astigmatism and aberrations on the cornea,” says Dr. Wehrly. “Dr. Holman and I first undertook extensive coursework and then traveled to observe other surgeons performing the procedure, and we were hooked. The imagery and accuracy were astonishing and so intuitive. LenSx is the kind of advancement that we as eye surgeons were eager and thrilled to master. We performed our initial surgeries under the supervision of expert LenSx instructors and then went on to earn certification from Alcon.”
Dr. Holman, too, is openly excited when talking about this pioneering cataract surgery. “LenSx’s bladeless technology enables us to provide patients with better care and potentially clearer vision than any technology before it. It allows patients to be less dependent on, and in some cases give up, glasses. And for cataract surgeries, it increases the precision of the incision of the cornea and allows for better, more accurate placement of the lens. The technology creates a huge benefit to patients. We’ve been extremely happy with the results.”
With notable pride, he adds, “Dr. Wehrly and I have performed hundreds
of safe and successful LenSx procedures and we are the most experienced physicians performing this advanced laser surgery in Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties.”
When asked to pinpoint the best thing about the LenSx® laser system, Dr. Holman can barely contain his enthusiasm. “First and foremost, precision. It abandons the use of a cutting blade in favor of a cool laser for the highest level of accuracy, even in the most challenging cases and, in my experience, it is safer due to its faster performance and reduced invasiveness [compared to a blade].”
“The incisions I make with the LenSx laser are very easy to replicate, so multiple incisions of the same size and shape can be made quickly and with greater accuracy than any surgeon could create manually,” says Dr. Wehrly. “This is especially beneficial in correcting astigmatism and in the precise placement of a corrective intraocular lens (IOL).”
IOLs, which include name brands such as Toric®, ReSTOR®, and Tecnis® multifocal lenses, provide corrections that can leave eyesight better than it was before surgery, even before the formation of cataracts. The LenSx® laser can correct problems such as astigmatism, leaving a clear path for the implantation of lenses that address nearsightedness, farsightedness, and other vision problems. Marked improvement in vision is often noticed within 24 to48 hours after surgery and most patients are able to return to regular
tasks the very next day.
Dr. Wehrly states, “By using a low-temp laser instead of a surgical knife we’re able to minimize risk and remove even challenging cataracts with greater speed, safety, and accuracy than ever before. We’re thrilled to be the first provider in Lake County to offer our patients the best and most advanced cataract procedure available.”
Whether symptoms of cataracts exist or not, the doctors are quick to point out that regular exams are especially important for people age 65 and older, folks with health conditions that may affect their vision such as diabetes, and those whose vision has undergone a noticeable change. “We take a personal, in-depth interest in each patient’s care,” says Dr. Wehrly. “That’s why we go to great lengths to customize treatment from eye drops to surgery to diet and exercise. When you’re a patient, it feels good to have a local doctor who is deeply knowledgeable about you and your history. We are the only team of experts most patients will ever need for a lifetime of healthy vision.”
As with all things, seeing is believing. So see for yourself at the one of the three state-of-the-art Lake Eye Associates offices near you.
For more information, visit www.LakeEye.com.
“We’re thrilled to be the first provider in Lake County to offer our patients the best and most advanced cataract procedure available.”
— Dr. Scot Holman and Dr. Scott Wehrly
“I was never blessed with what I believe are the appropriate size breasts for my body. To make matters more stressful, I was left with a much smaller chest after breast-feeding my two children. This became a concerning body image issue for me. After conducting extensive research on breast augmentation and different plastic surgeons in the area, I decided to consult with Bosshardt and Marzek Plastic Surgery Associates.”
“The staff and doctor earnestly answered all my questions and concerns, and they also educated me on the pros and cons of my planned surgery. They took their time in discussing everything I wanted and needed to know about my procedure. I immediately
felt very comfortable with the staff and facility. They encouraged me to take time in my decision and made sure I explored every possible alternative before deciding to undergo breast augmentation.”
“Choosing to have Bosshardt and Marzek Plastic Surgery Associates perform the procedure was the best choice I could have made. I am very happy with the results of my surgery, and it has also jumpstarted my confidence into a healthier lifestyle. I would highly recommend the practice to anyone who is interested in enhancing their outer body.”
— Lindsey Thompson
CENTRAL FLORIDA harbors a wide variety of environmental allergens.
ALLERGIES
EAR, AU DIOLOGY, AND HEARING AI DS
NOSE AND SINUS CON DITIONS
FACIAL COSM ETIC SURGERY AND ENHANCEMENTS
SKIN, HEAD, AND NECK CANCER
PEDIATRIC AND YOUTH SERVICES
BALANCE CONDITIONS
SLEEP DISORDERS
VOICE AND SWALLOWING DISORDERS
THYROID AND PARATHYROID DISORDERS
WRITER: PAT BURKE // PHOTOGRAPHER: FRED LOPEZ
During my career in professional basketball, I was introduced to functional strength training as a way of developing the body to perform better. Functional strength training activates multiple muscle groups during each exercise, instead of isolating just one muscle.
I still take on the same approach in designing workouts for members at HOOPS Pat Burke’s Training Facility. Most people want to participate in workouts that will build/maintain strength, help lose/maintain body weight, and probably most importantly, are fun! Functional strength training allows for all of this.
ITEMS NEEDED: Basketball or medicine ball
STEP 1: Put your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, with one hand on the floor and the other on the top of the ball.
STEP 2: Keep your torso erect and core tight.
STEP 3: The knees and hips are extended and the spine is neutrally aligned.
We start with a warm-up and stretch. It is important that the body is ready to take on the demands of performing at an active level. We usually take ten to fifteen minutes to do light to moderate movement such as jump rope, jogging, and running in place, followed by stretching.
We begin each session with a focus on strength and usually end with cardiovascular training in the form of a competitive challenge or fun game. Exercises are timed in one-minute sets. People starting at a beginner level are able to take the minute at their pace and adjust their resistance levels accordingly.
STEP 4: Lower your body by bending the arms.
STEP 5: Return to the starting position by pushing the body up until arms are extended.
STEP 6: Roll the ball to the other hand and place new hand on top of ball.
STEP 7: Perform another push-up.
STEP 8: After each push-up, the ball will be passed to the other hand for one minute.
ITEMS NEEDED: Medicine ball
STEP 1: Hold medicine ball with two hands.
STEP 2: Take a squat position with knees bent; feet are shoulder-width apart and toes pointing forward.
STEP 3: Hold the medicine ball down next to and at the outside of your right foot.
STEP 4: Squat up explosively by extending the knees and hips.
STEP 5: During the squat extension, move medicine ball from starting position on right side of body toward the front of your chest and up toward the ceiling on left side of body.
STEP 6: Medicine ball should move in a diagonal line from lower right side to upper left side of body.
STEP 7: Upon full extension of the arms and legs, reverse the movement back to the starting squat position with the medicine ball returning to the outside of the right foot.
STEP 8: Continue same movement for one minute.
STEP 9: After completion of squat and diagonal lift movement starting on right side to left, perform the same exercise starting on the left side for one minute.
CARDIO TRAINING: It is important to activate the muscles used in the strength part of the workout in order to keep them loose and warm for the rest of training. We focus on raising our heart rate right after our last exercise. Jumping rope, running in place, and line hops are all great ways to raise your heart rate during this part of your workout.
Growing up, I have such fond memories of my mom making pancakes on the weekends. There wasn’t flavored syrup or special treats thrown into the pancakes, but my sisters and I loved them! Pancakes have been around since ancient Greece. The first record of their existence came from poet Cratinus who described them as “warm and delicious.” Versions of the pancake can be found in France where they are called crepes, as well as in Austria where they eat pancakes with fruits or applesauce.
Pancakes have long been a hit in the United States. In fact, September 26th is National Pancake Day! IHOP features a wide variety of flavored pancakes to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. So, how much guilt will it cost me if I want to feast on some pancakes this weekend? Let’s take a closer look at IHOP’s pancake selection to see if the varieties of pancakes should guide my choices.
Just the name New York Cheesecake Pancakes (four cakes) sounds delicious. But you should be very aware that a mere four pancakes will run you (sit down):
1,100 calories
400 calories from fat
44g total fat
21g saturated fat
190mg cholesterol
A better option are the Strawberry Banana Pancakes (four cakes), as they contain fewer calories, slightly more fiber, and less salt, cholesterol, and sugar. The four cakes will cost you:
760 calories
150 calories from fat
17g total fat
5g saturated fat
These nutrient totals do not include any butter or syrup that you may add to your pancakes. Just one ounce of IHOP’s regular syrup is 110 calories!
IHOP does offer sugar-free syrup that is only 15 calories per ounce. Also, many combos come with a side of bacon or sausage, which would also add to your total calories and fat intake. Happy dining!
2430mg sodium
152g total carbohydrate
8g fiber
53g sugar
26g protein
The total calories alone accounts for the majority of most people’s daily allotment of calories!
80mg cholesterol
2070g sodium
137g total carbohydrate
10g fiber
41g sugar
19g protein
Not horrible, but still a bit excessive for most on a regular basis.
IHOP did think of the health conscious and designed a Simple and Fit Blueberry Harvest Grain ‘N Nut combo. You can feel less guilt while spending your Sunday morning with:
560 calories
210 calories from fat
23g fat
3.5g saturated fat
60mg cholesterol
1040mg sodium
64g total carbohydrate
8g fiber
21g sugar
25g protein
While pancakes aren’t my first “goto” for breakfast when designing diets for people, I do think this selection is more health conscious.
TABATHA ARCARO-ORTIZ received her bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from Georgia State University. She is a clinical dietitian who has worked at Leesburg Regional Medical Center for the past twelve years. For nutritional counseling, please call 352.323.5641 to make an appointment with an LRMC outpatient dietitian or email Tabatha at tortiz@cfhalliance.org.
Ialways say Florida has two seasons: summer and “not-so-summer.” The fashion world reminds us of changes even if the newly blooming flowers don’t. While we have to wait for strawberries, oranges, and grapefruit to be in season to pick them again, we can wear the colors in that palette and be oh-so-current!
Makeup trends for spring 2013 take shape around the clothing trends they accompany. But when it comes to beauty, each new season is also about expanding your horizons, experimenting, and trying something new. This spring, your new thing just might be blue eye shadow — that’s right, straight from the ‘70s blue! Think of more of an icy look, though. If you are not accustomed to wearing blue on your perky lids, this might be the season to step out of your comfort zone. Give it a try! You could even start with a denim or turquoise eyeliner if ice blue seems to bold for you.
Strong teals will be popular on the runway in clothing, as well as makeup trends. Vibrant purples and emerald green along with a pop of yellow will be everywhere. We saw colorblocking come into play last fall, and that trend will continue. You will see bright accents against muted tones and folk-inspired florals with a tough edge. According to Fashionising.com, you can “expect a feminine, cinched in shape
and longer hem (think above the knee to mid-length). Work-appropriate it may be, but we expect to see as one of the most popular trends, a belted floral dress.” I love it! Especially in Florida, a dress is so practical because of the weather. From a figure-flattering standpoint, a dress is practical, as well — almost every body shape looks good in a fitted sheath dress with or without a belt. It is a true wardrobe investment and staple. Trying just one of these new trends can set you apart, or at least provide a fresh look to basic black we seem to see so much of in the winter months. Speaking of black, another spring dynamo duo is the classic black and white. But remember, while it is true black will make you look thinner, it can sometimes be too harsh and ages you by accentuating the lines or dark under-eye circles when the color is directly next to your face. Use black carefully!
Fashionising.com also points out: “T-shirts get a luxe makeover in delicate fabrics and slash-neck cuts.” Therefore, look for ones “off the shoulder, with cutouts, mixed materials, and even strapless,” which are appropriate for day into evening.
Additional fashion predictions posted on their site say: “The new arm candy moves from solid metal to more embellished and luxurious takes. Predictions forecast chain details,
color accents and jewel studding.” Glamorous gold will return on the scene as the sparkly metal of choice. The last big trend for a casual look is to add a “dudette cap.” This spring, you will be really with it in a baseball cap even when it is not a bad hair day.
So how is a lady to know if the trending colors and styles will work for her? Stay true to what you like the most and what makes you feel the most comfortable. If you want to try a new color and you’re really not sure if a certain color is good on your body or face, ask this question: Does it complement or compete with my natural hair, skin, and eye color? Your girlfriends will usually weigh-in with their two cents, too... positively and negatively. When it is positive, make sure you reply to every compliment with a simple “Thank you.”
Here is hoping your spring is filled with looking savvy, feeling sensational, and working strategically. Having knockout style is not just for some, it can be for you, too.
SOURCE: www.fashionising.com; http://www.fashionising.com/trends/b--spring-2013-fashion-trends-summer-2013-fashion-22683.html; accessed February 3, 2013. Photo © Shutterstock.com
It will soon be that time of year again when trees begin to bloom, grass begins to grow again, and the end of our Florida winter means warmer weather once again. For some that means the beginning of allergy season, and for others, the end of the winter colds and sinus infections. Still, some people have significant issues that affect the quality of their lives. So how can we tell whether their symptoms are part of a springtime cold or an allergy since some of the symptoms overlap, making it difficult to determine what the proper diagnosis is and which treatment to recommend?
Patients with both allergies and colds can have nasal stuffiness, a clear runny nose, sinus pressure, or a sore throat. What usually distinguishes someone who has allergies are symptoms of itchy or watery eyes, an itchy nose or throat, and other symptoms such as a rash or body itching. Also, the timing of symptoms can help. If symptoms begin immediately after exposure to an allergen, such as dust, mold, or other environmental stimuli, then allergy is most probable. Many allergies also occur in a seasonal pattern, although some can be year-round. Cold symptoms usually take a few days to develop and can include discolored nasal drainage and fever, which are uncommon with allergy.
Treatment of allergies begins with avoidance. If a known allergen can be avoided, this can go a long way to minimize symptoms. Frequent dusting of furniture and hardwood or tile floors instead of carpeting can minimize dust allergy, as well as HEPA filters and regular duct cleaning. Dust mite allergies can be minimized by washing bedding in hot water and using dust covers. Mold allergy occurs in damp places and the use of bleach can help decrease mold spore colonies.
After avoidance, medical therapy of allergy is the cornerstone of treatment. Allergies occur because of the release of a chemical called histamine. Therefore, antihistamines, which block the effects of histamine, are a major part of allergy treatment. They come in both oral and spray forms and can be combined with decongestants or nasal steroid sprays.
Also, allergy testing can identify what someone is allergic to and depending on the severity of symptoms and testing results,
immunotherapy, or allergy shots, can be very helpful as this is the only treatment that can change someone’s allergies. Allergy shots are usually administered weekly over a period of two years and can desensitize or vaccinate someone from their allergies,.
Treatment of upper respiratory infections also begins with avoidance via prevention. Hand washing and use of hand sanitizers can help prevent many infections, as can strengthening our immune system by exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep. Treatment of upper respiratory infections is largely supportive. Vitamin C, zinc supplements, saline irrigation, steam inhalation, rest, and fluid intake can certainly make a difference in the severity and duration of cold symptoms. Since viruses cause most of these infections, antibiotics are not helpful.
Most viral upper respiratory infections will improve within seven to ten days. If symptoms persist beyond that period, it is likely that a bacterial sinus infection has developed, especially if discolored drainage, facial pain, or fever is present. If this occurs, a physician may prescribe antibiotics. Fortunately, most sinus infections will improve with medication. However, if someone has more than four infections per year or has symptoms that persist despite medication, a chronic sinus infection may be present and surgery may be necessary.
Traditional sinus surgery involves using special telescopes and instruments to open and clean infection from the sinuses. Over the past five to seven years, a more minimally invasive procedure called balloon sinus dilatation has been developed, allowing physicians to open the sinuses with small balloons much like angioplasty does with blood vessels.
Many people feel they have to live with their allergy or infection symptoms but they do not. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, they can quickly return to smelling the roses once again.
PHENOMENON //
Ihave been asked on more than one occasion during my career if I believe in medical miracles. To be able to answer this question, it is important to define some terms so we are talking about the same thing. A true “miracle” is not simply an outcome that is against the odds. If this were so, lottery winners could legitimately be called the beneficiaries of miracles. A true miracle is an event that transcends time, space, and the physical world in which we live and violates universally accepted physical laws. It implies the existence of a being or force that is not constrained by the physical boundaries or laws of the natural world. For simplicity, we will call this being or force God.
People can be divided into three camps: those who believe there is no God (atheists), those who believe there is (theists), and those who aren’t sure (agnostics). For the record, I am in the theist camp. Theists and agnostics at least have to allow for the possibility that God might on occasion intervene in human events. Nearly all religious writings are full of such examples, which we call miracles. Raising people from the dead, stopping time, and turning water into wine are all recorded in the Bible. Many of the miracles recorded are medical — the blind seeing, the lame walking, etc.
Medical miracles are when an outcome that would be considered
physically, logically, and scientifically impossible does, in fact, occur. A common example of such a miracle is a person who is riddled with cancer and has failed all efforts at treatment “miraculously” finding out the cancer has suddenly vanished, leaving no trace. On the one hand, the outcome is so dramatic and unanticipated that labeling it a miracle is not surprising. On the other hand, there are ways to account for this without invoking a miracle. We know that our immune system is capable of successfully fending off cancer under certain circumstances. It may just be that some factor, or combination of factors, caused a sudden, overwhelming immune response that eliminated the cancer. The human body is amazingly complex, and we may never know all there is to know about how it functions. Then again, who is to say that God couldn’t act in such a manner that the immune system would serve as the agent?
Faith healers regularly fill large auditoriums for healing services and scores of persons claim miraculous healings of various illnesses. Proof of a true healing is problematic. In almost every instance, an alternate explanation can be offered. Skeptics often wonder why so many of the healed illnesses present as non-specific symptoms that are hard to measure, such as pain, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, feeling poorly, etc., and not something more
dramatic, such as, say, growing an arm or a leg from an amputation stump. I think most people would consider that as unequivocal proof of a miracle.
Many years ago, William Nolan, M.D., author of the best-seller The Making of a Surgeon, wrote another book, Healing: A Doctor in Search of a Miracle. A Catholic, he chronicled his search for proof of healing miracles. He attended healing services by famous faith healer Katherine Kuhlman in the U.S. and traveled as far as the Philippines to view “psychic” surgery in which “surgeons,” channeling the spirits of dead physicians, reach into the body with their bare hands and pull out “tumors.” Many of these looked, to Dr. Nolan, suspiciously like chicken livers that had been palmed in a sleight-of-hand trick. He concluded that miraculous healing did not occur.
That is a shame because, although I haven’t personally witnessed one, I believe that true “miracles” do occur. I also believe they happen infrequently and are difficult to prove. I just don’t see God as a celestial magician conjuring up fancy tricks to impress mortals. I also believe that “miracles” occur every day in medicine due to the remarkable advances in medical care. D. J. Larrey, M.D., was the head of the medical corps for Napoleon’s army in the late 1700s–early 1800s. He accomplished truly astounding results given that he practiced in an era before there were
antibiotics, anesthetics, or even a real understanding of the contribution of germs and viruses to illnesses. I imagine if we could pluck Larrey from his time and show him medicine today, he would declare such things as modern surgery, modern medicines, and any of the diagnostic instruments (MRI machines, CAT scans, etc. ) we take for granted as “miracles.”
If you want to talk miracles, how about the human body itself? Despite our advances in medicine, we still have only a rudimentary understanding of how our bodies function. We really don’t fully understand how our immune system can recognize a virus or bacteria that it encountered perhaps
decades ago and respond to it with an overwhelming show of force to keep us healthy. How does our blood clot just when it needs to and not at random other times? What stops the clotting process so we don’t become one big clot every time we are injured? How is light that strikes our retina converted to electrical signals that go to our vision center in the brain to produce an image of a beautiful sunset? The questions we have about how things function in our bodies are endless. What is ironic is the more we learn, the more questions we come up with in a never-ending cycle of complexity.
Finally, there is that intangible but oh-so-real aspect of human life: the will
to live. There are countless stories of people who had no right to continue to live but did so through the force of their will and refusal to give up, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds against survival. Many times, when we see such situations, the inescapable conclusion is that it was a miracle. You know what? Maybe it was.
Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon
Fellow: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Fellowship: Sports Medicine
“FMI has performed thousands of surgeries, but I felt like their #1 priority. ”
With knee replacements, one size does not fit all. That’s why among my many specialties, I perform the “gender knee” procedure, which accommodates different knee shapes and sizes. After all, each patient is different, so not every approach should be the same. I get to know each patient thoroughly to customize my care, beginning with effective conservative treatments and, when necessary, advanced surgical techniques.
Total Joint Replacement (including gender-specific knee)
Sports Medicine
Shoulder Surgery
Arthroscopic Surgery
Trauma & Fracture Care
Osteoporosis Evaluation
Occupational Medicine
H. ANDREW HUNTT, MD
Iwould venture to guess every one of us — at least once — has come to a place in our life where we needed a miracle. We long for help, intervention, or divine change in difficult, agonizing moments. When the problems in life are outside of our own ability to bring about change — when we realize we are powerless to resolve our problems — these are the places where we think the only solution would be a miracle. I have known even the most independent, autonomous, self-reliant people brought to the metaphorical cliff’s edge to yearn for a deity to enter space and time and alter circumstances that are out of human control. I believe this is why men, who might have never uttered a prayer in their life, call out to God when faced with death.
We need miracles in this life.
Why?
Because in this life, we are students with full course-loads and part-time jobs who, just a semester away from finishing college, find out another three-hour class is required. We are the expectant couple receiving the news that the pregnancy is about to miscarry. We are young parents hearing news that an infant daughter “is not doing well, and we are going to have to rush her into the ICU to save her life.” We are people who answer phone calls in the middle of the night when the voice on the other end says, “I have something really difficult to tell you....” We are people living in times like these. We need some kind of supernatural intervention to take place.
These life events will and do inevitably play out. Sometimes the unlikely, the hoped for, the happy-ending happens. Other times, those things we dread the most intensely come to fruition.
Those with a positive, prayed-for outcome to dire circumstances might claim they have “witnessed a miracle!” Those whose prayers ended in grief are left with unresolved disappointment and questions.
Did a miracle occur?
In one sense, the answer lies in the definition of miracle These days, the definition of a miracle can be very loose so that it includes anything wonderful that happens. People will even attribute miracles to no source in particular. It’s as if miracles just
“For this reason, the question whether miracles occur can never be answered simply by experience. Every event which might claim to be a miracle is, in the last resort, something presented to our senses, something seen, heard, touched, smelled or tasted. And our senses are not infallible. If anything extraordinary seems to have happened, we can always say that we have been the victims of an illusion. If we hold a philosophy which excludes the supernatural, this is what we always shall say. What we learn from experience depends on the kind of philosophy we bring to experience. It is therefore useless to appeal to experience before we have settled, as well as we can, the philosophical question.”
— C.S. Lewis, “Miracles”happen. Poof! Like magic. I believe miracles are wonderful experiences in life where something is brought out of nothing — like the birth of a child. I look at conception and birth and believe that apart from the power of a God to create life and spirit in the womb, there is no explanation for how it could otherwise happen. Definitions aside, I believe miracles stem from a source — a true, living, and active God.
But there are many people today who want miracles, who long for them and even call out and request them, that are reluctant or unable to accept an ordered source or deity over these humanly unexplainable events. We are a proud people, slow to give up the power in our lives — hostile toward the thought that there might be a governing authority in this universe besides ourselves. We want the miracles, just not the God orchestrating them.
However, I don’t believe miracles exist without a source. I believe we all — every one of us — intrinsically long for miracles because we long for a source. Do you long for a miracle?
Have you asked yourself why?
“Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.”
Saint Augustine
Quiet waters don’t need to be silent. I am talking about a stream, one stream in particular — a mountain stream, a babbling brook, where water softly cascaded over rocks and around small boulders on its meandering journey.
This particular stream was in the Appalachian Mountains somewhere in New York. I can still see it in my mind’s eye and hear that wondrous sound of running water. Why is it so vivid? Have you ever been thirsty — really thirsty? My time took place during a fifty-mile hike with the Boy Scouts. It was Easter vacation and the weather couldn’t have been any better. Warm and sunny days; crisp and cool evenings.
Did I mention I wasn’t a very good Boy Scout. Though I was in scouting for five years, I only advanced to First Class and only earned one merit badge. I also didn’t practice the Scout motto: “Be prepared.” I didn’t pack a canteen for the six-day hike. The guys were great about sharing water the first day. But as the hike wore on and the guys wore out, so did their goodwill — and my water supply. I tried hauling water in different items, but nothing worked.
One day was very demanding, and I needed liquid sustenance badly. I found it in the form of a mountain stream. I’m sure you’ve seen it. That stream looked like one of those streams you’d see on a postcard or in a movie. The water was clear, and as the stream flowed, it made the most delightful
sound. It wasn’t long before I had my face submerged in that cool water and was totally replenished. It was the most delicious water I ever tasted. Like the deer in Psalm 42: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
David also described his desire to be with God as thirsting in Psalm 63 when he wrote: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Their desire to be with God was stronger than my desire to find water during my hike. It makes me wonder why I’m not more driven to spend time with God. I have my daily devotion time but sometimes it’s more out of habit than desire. Those times are also important to God. But I’m the one who is missing out by not truly seeking God with a thirst that comes from the soul.
I think Jesus explained how that happens in John 4, where he asked the Samaritan woman for some water. She said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
There’s something special about the living water. That refreshing drink I had from that bubbling mountain brook didn’t
last me very long. I soon craved more. But living water can totally satisfy — if I let it.
Jesus said to the woman, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Drink deeply — and often. And it’s okay to slurp.
As our nation deals with fiscal policies ranging from the “fiscal cliff” to hotly contested spending cuts, we can be certain that most of us will be affected in one way or another. Somewhat higher tax rates for the high income set and other tax law changes finally agreed to in last-minute meetings back in January averted the so-called “fiscal cliff,” but more is on the horizon as budget debates move on to equally serious issues such as raising the national debt ceiling and corresponding cutbacks in virtually all areas of federally supported programs.
From local schools and fire departments to federal welfare costs, tightening the belt to reach a balanced budget has become top priority for our elected officials. Any increase in taxes means less disposable income and it is disposable income that drives consumer spending, which, in turn, drives our economy, including employment and conversely, unemployment. Manufacturing is affected by inventories, and inventories are determined by consumer demand. Ultimately, it all comes down to individuals having a stable job, which provides disposable income to drive consumer demand. (Yes, it’s a cycle!)
The inception of both higher taxes and several new taxes coupled with proposed spending cuts mandated by Washington, D.C. prompted me to ask my clients and friends how they plan to keep their own family budgets in line while dealing with
greater tax burdens and potentially less take-home pay.
With more than thirty years’ experience in helping my clients meet their financial goals, I have witnessed both increases and decreases in family budgets. A new baby, a new car, or a new roof definitely increases the budget and often requires financial adjustments within the family. Reaching “empty nest” status, paying off the mortgage, or receiving an inheritance generally relieves budget stress.
As I queried several of my clients and a few of my friends, several things quickly became evident. Whether you live on Pennsylvania Avenue or on Main Street, recognize that cutting spending is not pleasant, nor is it easy. We all have a “lifestyle” that we typically want to enhance, not diminish. Nevertheless, when push comes to shove, we are likely to step up to the reality of doing what is needed at least to maintain the items, events, and practices that are most important to us. The second car, the symphony tickets, and the weekend restaurant dinner with friends generally retain status quo. So then, what does the average family elect to delete or modify to rein in spending when it is crunch time for the monthly budget?
In talking to folks of all ages, I recognized a few consistent replies, but generally speaking, folks of different ages and in different stages of the life cycle had varying answers to my question.
Nevertheless, topping the list for all age groups and both sexes was item number one below! Nearly everyone also mentioned item number two.
Here is a list of items and habits that may most often be eliminated, or at least reduced, to shave the household budget quickly and noticeably without creating a feeling of deprivation. Your own budget and circumstances may require more or less drastic measures.
1. Frequent dining out, especially for the sake of convenience. When socializing with friends, opt for fewer gatherings and choose lunch instead of dinner as menu items are often less expensive at lunch. (Author’s note: This was the single item mentioned by every person interviewed, though eating out for “special occasions” was not likely to be curtailed!)
2. Drinking out, especially the second round of drinks. Choose to have that glass of wine with the meal instead of before the meal. Then there may be no need for another when the entrée is served.
3. Indulging the kids or grandkids (skateboard park membership, namebrand sneakers, elaborate birthday parties for toddlers). Some older adults I talked to mentioned continuing to support their adult children, a blessing for the kids and maybe
B Wilcox is a Graduate Estate Planning Consultant and a Registered Principal with, and offers securities through, LPL Fin ancial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Ms Wilcox is President and CEO of Wilcox Wealth Management in Lady Lake, FL, which is not affiliated with LPL. She may be reached at “mailto:Ellen@EllenWilcox.com” Ellen@EllenWilcox.com or “http://www.ellenwilcox.com /” www.ellenwilcox.com . The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice, including tax advice, or recommendations for any individual.
for the grandkids, too, but often a true burden on many seniors.
4. Choosing high-end seats for movies, shows, and performances. Try the balcony instead of the orchestra or go for a matinee instead of the primetime Saturday night performance.
5. Taking elaborate and frequent vacations to exotic or distant venues. Instead, try visiting local attractions within a single day’s driving time. This saves on overnight accommodations and extra restaurant meals.
6. Buying or contributing to the purchase of gifts for acquaintances, office mates, and others not part of the immediate family.
7. Squandering excessive gasoline consumed by repetitive or redundant driving. (“Making the head save the heels” is an adage I grew up with!) Plan errands in a circle to eliminate backtracking. Group errands together and do them on a day when the car is going in that direction anyway. Organize the to-do list before leaving home so that it makes geographical sense!
8. Shopping without a list and buying items not on it! Keep food items to a minimum, and eliminate nice-but-not-necessary home items. It may be cheaper to buy one box of crackers at full price than to buy three at a “bargain price,” which is actually a higher dollar cost.
9. Coupon shopping for items not really needed or useful.
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10. Stop shopping at “sales” unless the item is definitely necessary and useful. If it is not needed, it is not a bargain at any price.
11. Cancel unread publications and unused or ineffective organization or club memberships.
12. Sell unused or unwanted items…even collections that no longer add value to daily life. Host a neighborhood garage sale or check out online selling such as eBay.
In 2009, the average household spent $628 on fees and admissions for sporting events, fi lms, and concerts.
SOURCE: http://247wallst.com/2011/02/24/ten-things-americanswaste-the-most-money-on/2/
on me to offer workable in
similar decisions and to follow to work toward when like excess in the requires and discipline.
As a financial adviser, my clients rely on me to offer workable strategies in good times and bad. Over the past thirty years, I have helped hundreds of my clients to make similar decisions and to follow through to work toward optimum results when occasion and conscience demand. Just like losing weight, losing the excess in the family budget requires setting goals and exercising discipline.
If your household expenses available funds, resolve to do the
If your household expenses exceed available funds, resolve to do the following:
• Take a hard look at where money is going and how it is being used. Note the areas of greatest excess or those expenses producing questionable value.
• greatest excess or expenses value.
• Decide where and what to pare down or to eliminate altogether.
• Decide where and what to pare down or to eliminate altogether
• Set realistic goals.
• Map out a strategic plan for achieving those goals within a reasonable time.
• • goalswithinareasonabletime
• Use discipline and patience to meet your goals.
You will soon be on your way to success without feeling deprived and without bleeding to death emotionally. As the popular athletic brand says, “Just do it!”
ELLEN B. WILCOX is a graduate estate planning consultant. Educated at Gettysburg College, the University of Maryland in Paris, France, and Arizona State University, Ms. Wilcox brings more than thirty-three years of experience to her clients. She is president and CEO of Wilcox Wealth Management, a full service financial advisory company in Lady Lake. Ms. Wilcox may be reached at 352.259.1547.
Arrive bright and early at Wooten Park for this half marathon and 5K run event. The 5K will be a run out and back on a course along Lake Dora Drive. The 13.1-mile half-marathon course starts with a 5K loop followed by a five mile out and back course along Lakeshore Drive from Tavares to Mount Dora. Call Mark Lepow at 352.394.1320 or email mark@sommersports.com.
Get some tips from the Lake County Extension Office for closing your seasonal home or leaving your home for an extended period. This educational program will teach you a variety of things including how to prepare your home inside and out, prevent mold and mildew, and storm preparation. Registration is appreciated. Call Julie England at 352.343.4101 or email julieeng@ufl.edu.
Quilt enthusiasts or those who may be exploring the world of quilting are invited to the annual Fantastic Quilt Show put on by the Lake County Quilting Guild. A variety of art, traditional, applique, and fashion quilts will be on display at Lake Receptions in Mount Dora. Additionally, there will be demonstrations, vendors, and a boutique selling quilting items and gifts. Call Pat Arends at 352.223.3825 for more information.
Full of family fun, this 5K run/walk benefits the Pig on the Pond Educational Fund, which changes the lives of deserving students by providing scholarships to South Lake County students. Whether you are a serious athlete or a weekend runner and walker, everyone is encouraged to come out and enjoy a great course on Lake Minneola at Waterfront Park while benefiting a worthy cause. Strollers and dogs are welcomed. Cost: $25 or $15 for students. Additional information: call Cheryl Fishel at 352.516.5897 or visit www.pigonthepond.org.
Adopt a duck and you could win a $5,000 college scholarship at the annual No Duck Left Behind Rubber Ducky Race, which beings at 10a.m. at Wooton Park in Tavares. Hosted by the Educational Foundation of Lake County, proceeds benefit teachers and students in the Lake County public schools. A carnival positioned on the shores of Lake Dora is free to the public and will feature fifty booths from area schools with food, games, and souvenirs, as well as moonwalks, obstacle courses, and slides. Rubber ducks can be purchased in Lake County schools or by calling 352.326.1265.
The Wildwood Rotary Club and the Wildwood Athletic Club are hosting the first Ides of March... Madness! 5K Run/Walk. The 3.1-mile route will both start and end at Wildwood City Hall in downtown Wildwood. Runners, joggers, and walkers are welcomed. The event begins at 8a.m. Race-day registration opens at 7a.m. All participants must meet in the front courtyard of city hall. Proceeds will benefit the community and school projects. Find more info at www. facebook.com/IdesofMarchMadness5K.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a unique way with a sunset kayak tour on Lake Minnehaha. The evening starts at 6:30p.m. at Jones Cypress Cove Marina located at 12540 County Road 561 in Clermont. Upon returning to the marina, partake in a beverage tasting from the local winery and microbrewery. Non- alcoholic beverages will be served for those participants under the age of 21, and proof of age is required. The cost is $50 per person, which includes all kayaking gear, a local guide, and the evening’s festivities. To reserve your space, call 352.406.0904 or email mary@floridafromakayak.com.
Take part in this challenging 5K run. Get down and dirty while overcoming tough obstacles like barbed wire, fire pits, walls, hay mounds, tunnels, mud bogs, ponds, fences, and more. The run begins at 8a.m. at Providence Ranch, 5682 W. State Road 44, in Lake Panasoffkee. Post-race activities include live music, mud volleyball, tug-of-war, corn hole competitions, a mechanical bull, food vendors, a beer garden, and more. For info and to register, visit www.cowboycrawlfl.com or contact the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce at 352.793.3099.
Join athletes from all over the nation at Florida’s traditional triathlon season opener, the Great Clermont Triathlon. Saturday’s events include: the Sprint Triathlon (440-yard swim, eight-mile bike, threemile run); and the TriKidz Triathlon: Juniors (ages 6–10), which consists of a 100-yard swim, 2.5-mile bike, one-mile run. The seniors bracket (ages 10–15) consists of a 200-yard swim, five-mile bike, and two-mile run. Sunday’s events will include the International Triathlon (1.5K swim, 40K bike ride, and 10K run) and the International Duathlon (5K run, 40K bike ride, 10K run). Visit www.greatclermont. com for more information.
The free Lake Grief Group meets at the First Church of Christ at 10a.m. The church is located at 510 W. Minneola Ave, Clermont. The 2013 program, which began on January 9th, features thirteen weekly seminars with nationally recognized experts on grief recovery covering the journey of grief. For more information, call 352.658.1408.
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352 259 2159 or 352 728 3939 352.259.2159 or 352.728.3939 www.pma-physicians.com
1. HOLD OURSELVES AND OUR STAFF TO A HIGHER MORAL, ETHICAL AND CLINICAL STANDARD.
2.
Give you your results on a timely basis.
3.
RETURN PHONE CALLS EITHER BY OUR STAFF OR US PERSONALLY WHEN NEEDED.
4.
Call in your prescriptions on a timely basis.
5.
MAKE MEDICAL CARE AVAILABLE TO YOU 365 DAYS A YEAR (EVEN ON HOLIDAYS) BY KEEPING OUR URGENT CARES OPEN & HAVING COMPETENT PHYSICIANS AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
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Never order a test when not medically necessary.
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KEEP YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION IN MIND WHEN ORDERING PRESCRIPTIONS, OR TESTS, OR WHEN SENDING YOU TO A SPECIALIST.
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Keep your medical care under our roof as much as possible for your comfort and convenience and not make you run around to different places to get the care that you need and deserve.
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HAVE OUR PRACTICE COVERED BY A COMPETENT AND CARING PHYSICIAN WHEN UNAVAILABLE.
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Never take our patients for granted.
“Medical care to your door step”
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The continuing growth of Beacon College was evident as dozens of people gathered on Main Street in Leesburg to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the college’s newest facility, Beacon Hall. This 8,000-square-foot building will have classrooms specially designed for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities.
1. Antonio and LaJuanda Myers
2. Elizabeth Moore and Tiffany Reitz
3. Cathy Lutes, Sanna Henderson, and Brenda Meli
4. Kristin Klussmann and Caroline Le
5. Rob Stewart, Matt Brayton, and Carly Eisenstein
6. Joe Ehrli, Carly Reynolds, and Griffin Boven
7. Dr. Walter Zielinski and John Hutchinson, Ph.D.
The Mount Dora Black Heritage Festival, held at Cauley Lott Memorial Park, brought the entire community together to celebrate unity. This event kicked off with a parade, and later, attendees were treated to spectacular performances from local dancers. Numerous community leaders addressed the crowd, including Mount Dora Police Chief T. Randall Scoggins. Festivalgoers also enjoyed a wide selection of delicious food.
PHOTOGRAPHER: RON VANDEVANDER
1. Reverend Corey Jones
2. Elija Terrell
3. Joann Walker
4. Cregg Keys and Jaris Bennerman
5. Adrianne, Adrian, and Micheline Reed
6. Anaysia and Yieshia Young
7. Charlene Ritter, Melvina Nixon, and Amy Bolt
In an effort to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, Michael’s Couture Salon and other downtown Leesburg businesses hosted a block party last October. Attendees enjoyed live entertainment, face painting, a silent auction, food, and beverages. In addition, they had an opportunity to have their nails painted pink and receive a pink hair extension.
1. Robert and Sara Glenn
2. Cheri English and Lee Sutherland
3. Sue Sanders and Steve Zarrella
4. Chris Thorpe and Cari Simons
5. Kara Seng, Tina Perry, and Jacki Faunda
6. Sydney Glenn
7. Alex Dewey, Chris Kirk, Chuck Kirk, and Sherri Olson
“For years, I suffered with spider veins that continually became more painful as time went by. I work part-time, and my legs ached so badly that I found myself taking several Advil each day. I knew something had to be done. I found Comprehensive Vein Center to be the answer to my prayers. PA Tran and his knowledgeable and friendly staff went above and beyond, making a valiant effort to ensure I was receiving the best possible care.”
Benefitting
Advocating,
Date: 2/19/2013
Time: 2:46 p.m.
Exposure Program: Manual
Shutter: 1/160
F-Stop: f/5
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 35mm
FRED LOPEZ
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from painful early to mid-stage osteoarthritis of the knee, total knee replacement may NOT be your optimal treatment solution. Now available at Florida Hospital Waterman, MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing is an innovative option that spares healthy bone and surrounding tissue, resulting in rapid relief from pain, rapid recovery, and rapid return to daily activities.
Osteoarthiritis shouldn’t slow you down. If you have knee pain or stiffness with activity and have not responded to anti-inflammatory medication or other treatments, you may be a good candidate for the MAKOplasty® procedure. Call 352.253.3388 for more information or to find a seminar near you.
