Shining a light on local Christmas tree growers
How one inspiring man deals with chronic pain
A NEW TWIST
Finding the spirituality of yoga at church
When it comes to your heart, only the best will do. Leesburg Regional Medical Center was recently recognized by the American College of Cardiology as an accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI (coronary angioplasty) and Resuscitation— its highest and best level of accreditation.
Our team of professionals have proven expertise in advanced cardiac care. What does this mean for you? You can trust our team to take your care to heart. Learn more about Leesburg Regional Medical Center’s cardiac services at LeesburgRegional.org.
Samuel J. Goss, D.O., FACC, is one of our invasive cardiologists at Cardiovascular Associates of Lake County. He specializes in cardiovascular disease, and performs various procedures in the diagnosing and treatment of heart disease, such as Diagnostic Catheterizations, Nuclear Stress Testing, Cardiac P.E.T. and Echo-cardiography. He is one of 6 cardiologists on our staff performing Targeted Endovenous Therapy, a radio-frequency ablation procedure for the treatment of varicose veins.
As one of the oldest and most experienced private cardiology practices in Central Florida, at Cardiovascular Associates of Lake County, we are dedicated to bringing innovation in cardiovascular care to our patients.
Since 1992, we have been your partners for life
Are stem cells a miracle? Not exactly. However, stem cells are a highly effective means of repairing damaged tissue. Stem cell therapy is a non-surgical procedure that gives the body the tools it needs to heal itself naturally. Stem cells repair damaged tissue and regenerate bone, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscle. Pain lessens and range of motion increases after a simple injection—without risk of infection.
Schedule a consult today to see if you are eligible for this cutting edge therapy.
November 2017
Featuring
22 // TAKING ROOT
By forming a community garden, one man has planted the seeds for a more educated and healthier Lake County. He wants his 1.4-acre garden to stimulate interest in the hobby and grow the next generation of gardeners.
28 // GOING HOLIDAY CHOPPING?
“Too tall.” “Too fat.” “Too uneven.” “There’s the perfect one!” Picking out a Christmas tree is a tradition this time of year and can be enjoyed at several Lake County venues.
32 // GROWING PAINS
A Lake County man has no memory of what happened in his life before suffering a near-fatal motorcycle accident 18 years ago. And despite the struggles with constant pain, he finds effective ways to manage it without medication.
LET’S SMOKE SOME BUTTS
38 A recipe for pulled pork with bacon and citrus.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CIRRHOSIS
40 What if you never drink and now your doctor says you have cirrhosis?
TAKE A BITE OUT OF FOOD OVERINDULGENCE
42 How to simplify your eating habits.
STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF
48 How to avoid stressrelated sweat.
SPIRITUALITY WITH A TWIST
52 Combining yoga and Christianity isn’t a stretch.
AN EYE ON THE FUTURE
54 A local organization helps visually impaired children gain independence.
COMMON CENTS ADVICE
58 Tips from financial guru Dave Ramsey.
In and around The Villages, a basic 400-square-foot apartment in a assisted living facility can start at $36,000 per year. Even those who have adequately planned for retirement may find this expense unbearable.
Fortunately, there is another option being offered by Hometown Builders, a local Certified General Contractor based in Wildwood.
Multigenerational is the term used to describe these specialized living spaces that can accommodate your mom or dad, your son or daughter who’s just getting started in life, or just old friends and neighbors from back home that love to visit any time of the year. Its living area that is close enough for you to check in on your loved one with ease but private enough where everyone enjoys their own space.
DOUG AKERS / president doug@akersmediagroup.com
KENDRA AKERS / publisher/editor-in-chief kendra@akersmediagroup.com
JAMIE EZRA MARK / chief creative officer jamie@akersmediagroup.com
EDITORIAL // DESIGN // PHOTOGRAPHY
LEIGH NEELY managing editor leigh@akersmediagroup.com
JAMES COMBS staff writer james@akersmediagroup.com
THERESA CAMPBELL staff writer theresa@akersmediagroup.com
CHRIS GERBASI staff writer chris@akersmediagroup.com
Typically, I use this opportunity to talk about our current issue and all the great people we are featuring. This month, I’m taking this opportunity to address our readers about a question that continues to arise. Are your print magazines going away? The answer is no, absolutely not!
JASON FUGATE creative director jason@akersmediagroup.com
VOLKAN ULGEN art director volkan@akersmediagroup.com
JOSH CLARK senior designer josh@akersmediagroup.com
MICHAEL GAULIN production director michael@akersmediagroup.com
FRED LOPEZ chief photographer // fred@akersmediagroup.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
FRED HILTON, RICHARD T. BOSSHARDT M.D., JAIME ALONSO, DAVE RAMSEY AND ANGELA BALLARD
SALES // MARKETING
TIM MCRAE / vice president of sales tim@akersmediagroup.com
MIKE STEGALL advertising executive mike@akersmediagroup.com
TATIANNA GELIGA advertising executive tatianna@akersmediagroup.com
We have seen an extremely high increase of visitors to our website this year since we introduced “Healthy Happenings,” which are daily stories posted on our site. In January, my team and I were reviewing web traffic, trends, and statistics, and we realized visitors were coming to the site in strong numbers at the beginning of each month, most likely to view the new magazine and read the newest stories. What we discovered was after the first week, those numbers declined, and then ramped up again when the next month’s issue was published.
We decided to increase the number of stories we wrote each month and post daily stories on our website to entice readers to stay engaged longer and to keep them coming back to us all month. In the past, there were so many stories presented to us that were time sensitive, and we were unable to share them because of our print deadlines. Now, we can post them on our website and share them with you through our social media pages.
The results of this decision have been astounding and extremely exciting to us. So much so that we have been telling everyone, and shouting about it from our rooftop. I believe this excitement and continued talk about our website and digital magazines placed a bit of fear in our print magazine lovers. We were asked on multiple occasions, “What does this mean for your print editions?”
JACQUELYN SINGER advertising executive jacquelyn@akersmediagroup.com
CREE HOWARD sales executive assistant cree@akersmediagroup.com
ADMINISTRATION
DEB MATLOCK / office manager deb@akersmediagroup.com
AUBREY AKERS / advertising coordinator aubrey@akersmediagroup.com
DISTRIBUTION
SCOTT HEGG / distribution manager scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com
DIGITAL SOCIAL MEDIA
GARRETT REARDON / digital specialist garrett@akersmediagroup.com
The answer is, we will continue to provide content to our readers in whatever format they prefer. “Everywhere the reader is” has been our philosophy since the inception of the magazine. The good news is, our print magazine readership is stronger than ever. A large majority of our readers still prefer to read the printed edition. We know this because we continue to run out of the printed copies every month.
The only difference now is you can get more of the great stories you love to read in Healthy Living on our website. More content has delivered more readers.
Additionally, I am happy to share with you that in August, for the ninth consecutive year, Healthy Living magazine was voted one of the Best Overall Magazines in the state by the Florida Magazine Association.
I thank you for continuing to read Healthy Living, and now for coming back to us all month long.
Until next month,
34749 akersmediagroup.com
Kendra Akers
Plants…they’re what’s for dinner. The Yum Yum Cooking School offers purely plant-based options for meals that taste great and are fun to prepare. Classes are scheduled from 6-8pm Nov. 7 for Luscious Lunches, and Nov. 21 for Superb Suppers, presented by Florida Hospital Waterman at Conry Creation Health Center, 1000 Waterman Way, Tavares. Each class includes cooking demonstrations and instructions by an executive chef and registered dietitian, followed by sample tastings. Each class costs $30, which includes food, notebook, and materials. Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com or call the hospital at 352.253.3965 for more information.
This has been a banner year for alligator bites in Florida with 16 “bite incidents” being reported so far, after seven gator bites were reported in 2016 by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Alligators are more active when the weather is very hot, according to officials at the commission, so if you live near water or golf a lot, be aware you share the land with these awesome creatures. Due to an increase in incidents, the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) was established by the conservation commission. In 2016, SNAP reported 12,772 nuisance alligator complaints that resulted in the removal of 8,118 nuisance alligators, the FWC states. If you have concerns, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866.FWC.GATOR (866.392.4286).
With construction of South Lake Hospital’s new satellite emergency department underway, lots of new jobs will be available between Clermont and Leesburg. The Health Pavilion at Blue Cedar, 22316 U.S. Highway 27, is looking to hire between 35 and 50 new employees for emergency and outpatient services, according to a news release. The Health Pavilion at Blue Cedar is 13 miles north of the main hospital campus in Clermont and is expected to open in January. In addition to emergency services, outpatient imaging and laboratory and medical offices will be available. Jobs may also be added as new physicians open practices in the facility. For open positions, visit southlakehospital.com for information.
Waterman Wellness TV offers residents in the area a chance to improve their health and well-being by watching television. The Florida Hospital Waterman shows appear on Lake Sumter Television, and each week a variety of topics and different physicians are featured. There are plenty of times to catch the program, which is available on cable and YouTube.
Times: Monday and Wednesday at 8:30am and 4:30pm; Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm; Friday at 8am, 4:30pm, and 8pm; and Saturday at 8:30am and 8:30pm.
Channels: Brighthouse Spectrum 498; Comcast 13; CenturyLink Prism TV 83; and YouTube. Programs include wellness tips and information from Florida Hospital Waterman physicians, and featured recipes are listed on the website at floridahospital.com/waterman/our-location/ waterman-wellness
Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital have achieved the Gold Award, an exceptional level of recognition, the American Heart Association Workplace Health Achievement Index recently announced in a news release.
Both hospitals are taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace. Based on science-based practices for evaluation, the Workplace Health Achievement Index measures overall quality and comprehensiveness of workplace health programs. More than 800 companies completed the index assessment this year
with 67 percent receiving gold, silver, or bronze recognition.
“It’s an honor to receive this award. It is a true testament to all of the hard work and health changes being made individually and system-wide,” says Juli Romero-Gomez, RN, coordinator of the Healthy You, Healthy Us wellness program at Central Florida Health, operator of the two hospitals.
“We look forward to a continued successful relationship with the American Heart Association and to implementing changes that support a culture of great health and wellbeing for our team members and community.”
Walking 20 minutes a day could add years to your life, a recent Cambridge University study shows.
hen Villager Susan Preston lived in Dayton, Ohio, she walked on a track. However, when a friend gave her a DVD called, “Walk Away the Pounds,” she discovered Leslie Sansone’s walk-at-home routine
When she moved to The Villages, she discovered there were classes for “Walk Away the Pounds” and decided to join. The class was packed, making it difficult to move, so she decided it might be fun to start her own class. It was a good move, and now she has been doing it for three years and teaches two classes.
“It’s a great class. You can begin at any time, and if you feel you’ve done all you can, you can leave,” Susan says. “I know the people who come to my class want to be healthy, and I want to help them.”
The classes are based on the DVDs by Leslie, who visited Lake Sumter Landing three years ago to meet those who enjoyed her walking routines.
Susan plays Leslie’s DVD, which includes music and Leslie calling out the moves to be made while participants walk in place and perform other moves. There are a variety of videos, some offering more of a challenge than others, but members of Susan’s class know they can adapt the moves to their level of skill
“Leslie tells you things on the videos that you tend to forget,” Susan says. “Things like it’s important to hold your core tight for the best effect.” One class member holds on to the back of a chair to keep her balance, and even though some of the tapes have a faster pace, walkers know they can do it at their own comfort level. “The movement is what counts,” Susan says. Weight loss is another advantage to the class. “I lost 30 pounds while doing this,” Susan says. “But I also changed my eating habits to accomplish that. Another woman in my class lost 40 pounds while doing this along with Weight Watchers.”
Susan has 10 DVDs, so there’s plenty of variety in the classes. She says her personal reason for doing it is she loves creating greeting cards, which means she spends most of her day sitting at a desk working.
“It’s a way for me to not be so sedentary, and I really enjoy it,” Susan says. “I feel blessed that people come, and I’m contributing to them
Pass the mashed potatoes and tryptophan, please.
WRITER: FRED HILTONAmong the months, November is one of the best. In this part of the world, the weather is very pleasant—not too hot and not too cold. But the real thing that makes November stand out from the crowd is the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving. For 400 years, Americans have set aside a day to give thanks and to stuff their faces.
We’ve all taken part in this annual day to celebrate gluttony. We go over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house and gorge ourselves on turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing or dressing, corn, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and other goodies. Then we settle in on the couch to watch the National Football League’s yearly holiday extravaganza. About midway through the first quarter, we’re all sound asleep.
Weird Uncle Harold, who considers himself an expert on everything on Earth, solemnly explains as we nod off: “The reason you’re sleepy is that the turkey you just ate is loaded with tryptophan, which makes you tired.”
We’ve heard the story about turkey and tryptophan for years, but it turns out that it’s not exactly on track and Uncle Harold is wrong this time.
It is true that turkey contains tryptophan, which helps the body produce serotonin, a chemical that acts as a calming agent and plays a key role in sleep. However, many meats and other protein sources produce amounts comparable to turkey. As it turns out, turkey contains no more tryptophan than other kinds of poultry.
“Turkey actually has slightly less tryptophan than chicken,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman.
“Tryptophan competes with all of the body’s other amino acids to enter the brain through a strict gatekeeper known as the blood-brain barrier,” according to LiveScience. “It’s the heaps of carbohydrates—the stuffing, potatoes, and yams smothered in marshmallows—that are the true problem, according to medical experts. Consuming carbs triggers the release of insulin, which removes most amino acids from the blood, but not tryptophan—that dearth of competitors allows tryptophan to enter the brain and form serotonin.”
Any big meal containing tryptophan and lots of carbohydrates can trigger sleepiness—not just turkey. And on Thanksgiving, the average meal has about 3,000
calories. Many other factors contribute to feelings of tiredness, such as drinking alcohol.
The best way to avoid zonking out on the couch following your Thanksgiving meal is simply not to eat so much. Maybe next year…
Sources
“Thanksgiving Myth Busted: Eating Turkey Won’t Make You Sleepy,” by Tanya Lewis, LiveScience, Nov. 23, 2013. .livescience.com/41543-thanksgiving-myth-busted-eatingturkey-won-t-make-you-sleepy.html
“The Truth About Tryptophan,” by Lisa Zamosky, WebMD. webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-abouttryptophan#1
“Does Eating Turkey Make Me Sleepy?” reviewed by Steven Dowshen, M.D., KidsHealth.org, November 2016.
kidshealth.org/en/kids/turkey-sleepy.html
“Is there something in turkey that makes you sleepy?” Science/Edible Innovations, HowStuffWorks.com. science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/question519.htm
“Does Turkey Make You Sleepy?” by Coco Ballantyne, Scientific American, Nov. 21, 2007. scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-does-turkeymake-you-sleepy/
The nation’s largest dermatology practice has three locations in The Villages® community. We now accept UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage.
After graduating with Honors from Howard University College of Medicine, Dr. Wangia attended University of Florida where he completed his dermatology residency serving as a chief resident. He also completed his dermatopathology fellowship training at UF where he served as an Assistant Professor of Dermatology. He was awarded “The Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Award”. Today, he is committed to providing compassionate, comprehensive and individualized dermatologic therapies.
This week, I am deeply moved by the loss of one of my patients. This one, in particular, left an impression on all of my staff. His relentless endearing spirit, regardless of his pain and suffering, never ceased to amaze us. When his wife called with the news, we all felt like another member of our MIT family was lost. The solemnness passed throughout every department once again as we tried to continue about our day, offering hope and kindness to our other patients, who look to us for diagnoses, treatments, and a little "extra attention" that we often provide to help them overcome their
ailments. Although it is advised not to get attached, sometimes it is impossible not to, especially if they have spent years and numerous procedures with me. Getting acquainted with my patient helps ease their anxiety. Allowing them to talk and express themselves is often something they don't get a chance to do, as they are rushed from appointment to appointment. It is inevitable that a close relationship develops. What kind of doctor would I be if I couldn't provide a comforting voice and tender touch in addition to my medical expertise? Not only do they get a lot from me, but each one unknowingly teaches me
a little something which I can apply towards my other patients. Listening is something of a dying art among physicians. Patients need to be heard.
To offer a patient therapeutic care usually involves keeping them comfortable by reducing and hopefully eliminating their pain. For those who are healthy but may be suffering from an injury or chronic pain, oftentimes there is permanent healing through injections or minor surgical repairs. But then there are those who are afflicted with a terminal illness. Although I feel privileged to assist in the management of my patients during these situations,
no matter how sick they have become overtime, we are never really prepared for the news of their passing. We all hope we can live forever, but realistically this isn't the case, and it is always a very sad day. The feeling of loss is not only for their families at home but for those of us who have tirelessly tried to ease their suffering. The tears, hugs, smiles, and laughter throughout their journey brings us close to them and their families, and so it is often a family member who calls or visits to tell us the unfortunate news, perhaps seeking the same support and comfort they received along the way as they accompanied their ailing companion.
My oncology patients come to me from many specialties. Pain may send them to an urgent care center, who sends them to me for imaging studies. A primary care doctor may order a CT or MRI because something hurts. Should a gynecologist order a mammogram and a suspicious lesion is found, as an interventional radiologist, I can perform a biopsy and send the specimen to a lab that will determine the cause. If the sample
is positive for cancer, the referring physician consults with me to determine who is the best oncologist to treat them. Very often, the patient returns to me, and I insert a port into their chest for chemotherapy or provide a PICC-line for an infusion they need for their treatments. They may return for numerous imaging tests and minor surgical procedures they will need along the way. I am overjoyed when a patient recovers and continues leading a healthy life, which is the case for many. For others, their journey is not so simple since they can develop fluid in their lungs, called pleural effusions, or they may develop fluid in their abdomen, called ascites. Using an ultrasound, I can drain lungs and abdomen in the comfort and privacy of my center. These procedures give my patients relief so their breathing will improve and they can continue to live a good quality of life during their treatment without feeling bound to their homes.
There are many advantages to choosing an outpatient center, rather than a hospital. It is small
and personable, and you will see the same doctor and staff who will develop a relationship with you, and oftentimes, your family members too. This is important because the same familiar doctor will recognize minor changes in your condition that a variety of different doctors may not. Outpatient centers rarely have contagious hospitalacquired diseases such as MRSA and pneumonia, (In our 4 1/2 years, we have had zero cases) so it is healthier for those who are immunocompromised, which is often the case for the very sick and weak. It's also comforting to return to the same center and people, knowing just what to expect! Simply to be treated in such an environment is therapeutic to the spirit and the senses, and this, in and of itself, is therapeutic, which can lead to better quality of life and faster healing. FOR MORE INFORMATION MEDICAL IMAGING & THERAPUTICS
The Summit Medical Park 769 County Road 466, Lady Lake 352.261.5502
www.mitflorida.com
Through a community garden, one man hopes to grow the next generation of gardeners.
WRITER: JAMES COMBS PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ
Judson Giddens wants you to eat your fruits and vegetables.
He wants to give you a chance to grow them, too.
Through his nonprofit organization, Florida Urban Agriculture, he is transforming land once owned by his grandparents into a community garden where locals can harvest their own food and become self-reliant. The 1.4acre property is located off State Road 33 near Mascotte.
The garden will not only promote sustainability, healthy eating, and camaraderie, but also stimulate interest in gardening and provide agricultural education.
“People who come here will receive hands-on learning and take that knowledge home with them so they can start their own garden,” Judson says. “YouTube isn’t always the best source for gardening information because you cannot ask questions. There’s no substitute for hands-on learning.”
He invites everyone to try their hand at gardening— whether they do or do not have a green thumb, whether they’re looking to swap tips for growing the perfect peppers, or whether they’ve longed to take up gardening and simply need a venue. When people watch vegetables they planted as seedlings pop up through the earth,
their enjoyment of gardening also begins blossoming.
“We’re filling a niche by creating access to fresh produce,” he says. “It’s one thing to talk about nutrition, but it’s another thing to show how nutritious food is grown.”
For Judson, the dream of a community garden was born after hearing about the high incidence of diabetes in Lake County. Lake’s diabetes death rate in 2016 exceeded neighboring Orange, Seminole, and Sumter counties, according to the website flhealthcharts.com. The disease often triggers other health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, and neuropathy.
“My grandfather died 10 years ago, and since that time nobody had been keeping up with the property,” he says. “I asked my family to let me take over the property so I could start a community garden. I wanted to do my part in helping others implement a healthy diet.”
His dream received momentum last May when the California-based retailer Seeds of Change awarded a $30,000 grant to Florida Urban Agriculture. More than 600 nonprofits throughout the country competed for the same donation dollars.
“I feel blessed to have won,” he says.
While the garden is still in its infancy, Judson said he will start with 30 raised beds of varying styles and sizes and grow Napa Valley cabbage, broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Three beds will be handicap-accessible for those who would like to garden but cannot stand or bend. Food will be grown through a process called vermiposting, which uses worms to produce high-quality compost soil.
“Worms dig tunnels in the soil, allowing air to get to the roots of plants,” he says.
Judson is particularly excited about showing people how to maximize small spaces to grow vegetable gardens near their apartments or homes. On one section
of his property is a gutter garden, where cranberry hibiscus, chaya, June plum, peaches, double mahoi bananas, and Persian lime grow in close proximity.
“Having a gutter garden will give me the opportunity to teach a concept known as urban farming, which allows people with small yards to grow numerous fruits and vegetables,” he says. “Even if you have a home in the city, it can be done in the corner of your backyard. And we’ll show them how to do that by using the least amount of water.”
In addition to the community garden, he has also built an aquaponics garden to farm tilapia and create a self-sustaining system of food, as well as a hydroponic garden, which grows plants without soil.
“The great thing is that anyone can have an aquaponics system at home,” he says. “It allows you to grow more food in half the time.”
Judson has already secured local partnerships to leverage resources and gain access to needed materials, funding, and volunteers. One partner is the Faith Neighborhood Center, a Groveland-
It will be a great opportunity to watch moms and their kids participate in a project together and learn the basics of gardening. By coming here and learning, they’ll be able to grow and eat their own unprocessed foods.
— SONDRA GREEN
based charity that provides free food, clothing, financial assistance, and medical support to needy South Lake County residents.
Judson will deliver food to the organization and allow its clients to work in the community garden. Sondra Green, coordinator of the Faith Neighborhood Center, is enthusiastic about bringing single mothers and their children to the garden.
“You’d be surprised how many people don’t know where fruits and vegetables come from or never heard of eggplant, zucchini, or butternut squash,” she says. “It will be a great opportunity to watch moms and their kids participate in a project together and learn the basics of gardening. By coming here and learning, they’ll be able to grow and eat their own unprocessed foods.”
Ace Hardware in Groveland assisted by supplying Judson with tools, rakes, and shovels to help him clear the land.
“To see this taking place is phenomenal,” says Casey Bunton, manager of Ace Hardware. “Ideally, I want to get my associates out here so they can get involved with the community garden. Whatever knowledge they gain can be passed on to our customers at the store. It’s truly a win-win situation for everybody involved.”
Judson will promote the garden by selling his produce at a farmer’s market held every Friday night at Lake Catherine Blueberries, 5849 Lake Catherine Road in Groveland.
“Judson has worked extremely hard to get his garden going, and I’m excited about having him at our farmer’s market because he’s going to grow high-quality produce,” says Dustin Lowe, owner of Lake Catherine Blueberries. “In return, I’ll donate blueberries and honey to him so he can sell them and put money back into the community garden. He promotes us, and we promote him.”
Both Judson and Dustin firmly believe that food grown and shared locally is healthier, less costly, and more environmentally friendly because it cuts down on required transportation.
Food travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to consumer, according to research conducted at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. Food from faraway states is older and sits in distribution centers for days before being shipped to stores. Conversely, with locally grown food, crops are picked at their peak of ripeness and retain more nutrient value.
“If people realized how much healthier they ate and how much money they save by growing food themselves, it would open a lot of eyes,” Judson says.
That’s precisely why he has planted the seeds for a more educated and healthier Lake County.
JUDSON GIDDENSMeet Raindrop®, a solution you can enjoy full-time.
Presbyopia, or age-related near vision loss, occurs when the eye’s lens loses moisture and flexibility, necessitating an annoying, on-again, off-again routine with reading glasses.
Now there’s Raindrop, a tiny, transparent near vision inlay. Smaller than a drop of water, the FDA-approved Raindrop fits just beneath the eye’s surface, invisibly providing elasticity to the eye to improve near vision, even in low light. Placed by your Lake Eye ophthalmologist in about 10 minutes, Raindrop can restore near vision long-term.
Lake Eye is the only regional provider offering Raindrop, so contact us to find out if you’re a candidate for this quick, safe, in-office procedure. It might be the last time you need to find your “cheaters” to read a menu or make a phone call. Wouldn’t that be refreshing?
Cutting down your own Christmas tree can be a Florida tradition, too.
In the North, many families carry on the tradition of trudging into the woods and through the snow to cut down the perfect tree for Christmas.
It’s the same in Florida, just with a chance of sunburn. Florida Christmas trees look a little different than the Northern variety, too, but a homey holiday in the Sunshine State should have a homegrown touch.
Santa Claus hasn’t been in business this long without knowing a thing or two about diversification. One of his North Pole affiliates is Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest, 35317 Huff Road, Eustis, one of the few farms in the region where customers can cut their own Florida-grown trees.
The elves who run the business are Jodi and Tom Utsman. Jodi’s parents, Jack and Judy Ewing, started the business, though Jack wasn’t sure he could grow Christmas-type trees in Florida’s sandy soil, Jodi says. He discovered the Choctawhatchee sand pine, and they sold their first Christmas tree in 1989. Family members have been involved in the business ever since.
Today, they sell a couple thousand trees from their fields during the holidays. The tree farm spans 17 acres with 1,000 trees per acre. That’s 17,000 sand pines, which are like a white pine, with full branches and long needles, Jodi says. Sand pine is the most traditional-looking Florida Christmas tree. They thrive in almost any soil, and grow up
to two feet per year, with some reaching more than 18 feet in height at Santa’s Forest.
“Ours get nice and full with the conical tree shape you’re looking for,” Jodi says.
The trees are irrigated to compensate for any droughts, and because there is no dormant cycle, the sand pines take only three to four years to reach a good size, compared to six to seven years for Fraser firs in North Carolina, Jodi says.
The farm also grows a couple hundred Arizona cypress, a bluer tree also known as Carolina sapphire, and Southern red cedars, which have bright or dark green foliage. Customers can also grab 3-foot, 3-gallon potted trees that can be displayed on tabletops and planted later.
Santa’s Forest provides bow saws, and also shakes, bales, and drills the trees if customers want a spike stand. A hayride takes customers deep into the 17 acres to choose their trees. Sand pines have soft wood and can be cut down in about five minutes, Jodi says. After customers cut the tree, they can leave it along the trail and a “tree caboose” will pick it up and take it back to the tree processing area. The choose-and-cut pricing ranges from $40 for any tree under 8 feet tall to $200 for 18-footers and higher.
“Sometimes people spend two hours out there finding just the right tree,” Jodi says.
Still, some customers prefer a more traditional Northernstyle Christmas tree. Santa’s Forest ships in Fraser and Douglas firs, blue spruce, and Scotch pines from North Carolina and Michigan. The fresh-cut trees are delivered on refrigerated trucks, immediately placed in stands with water, and stored in a refrigerated building until they are displayed.
The main difference in trees is the strength of the branch, Jodi says; sand pines have softer branches and may not be suited for heavy ornaments. The other difference is tradition.
“People from the north are used to going into the woods and cutting Douglas or blue spruce or Fraser firs, and they’re very attached to the type of tree they grew up with. It’s an emotional thing,” Jodi says.
But Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest has established its own Florida-grown tradition. The farm will open the weekend before Thanksgiving (Nov. 18-19), then close for a couple of days and reopen the Friday after the holiday. The business will be open for tree sales seven days a week through Dec. 23, and select days for its attractions, which include mazes, a petting zoo, jumping pillow, tire mountain, zip line, and horse and pony rides.
For specific hours, go to santaschristmastreeforest.com or call 352.357.9863.
26216 County Road. 448A, Mount Dora. 352-383-6900; 352-383-1792. // longandscottfarms.com.
Long & Scott Farms has long been known for its Zellwood sweet corn, along with cucumbers and cabbage. But during the holidays, the farm ships in a couple hundred Douglas firs from North Carolina for Christmas tree sales. The festivities begin Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving, when the trees and Santa Claus arrive. Tree sales continue daily and Santa appears each weekend through Dec. 10. The farm’s other businesses, Scott’s Country Market & Cafe, and Scott’s Maze Adventures, also will be open through Dec. 10.
11631 County Road. 561, Clermont 352.406.9735. // matlacktreefarm.com.
Matlack is the place for large potted Christmas tree options. The farm includes more than 40 acres of a wide variety of trees, including Arizona cypress, red cedar, loblolly and slash pines, and Christmas palms. The farm takes phone orders only, but customers may come out to the farm to look around.
15426 County Road. 48, Astatula 352.742.8180. // stanleypondfarm.com.
While the farm no longer grows Christmas trees, it does have roots in that trade, starting out in 1993 by growing Christmas trees and other varieties. The farm later shifted its specialties, and currently sells 100-, 200-, and 300-gallon ligustrum trees. However, the adventure park also stages an annual Christmas event, manager Tricia Merrill says. This year’s event is scheduled for 11am-5pm Dec. 9-10. The holiday activities include Santa Claus appearances, hayrides and horse rides, train and wagon rides, fishing at Catfish Junction, a giant jumping pillow, Skippy the Airboat and Sparky the Firetruck, rubber duck races, and more.
Instead of taking opioids or ibuprofen for relief, a local professor exercises, stays busy, and talks loud—all coping efforts to override pain.
WRITER: THERESA CAMPBELL PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ
On a scale of 10, there are days when Patrick Rader rates his chronic pain as high as nine. A good day is a pain level of five.
The Eustis native and English instructor at LakeSumter State College has been living with discomfort since his near-fatal motorcycle accident on June 24, 1999, when at age 29 he accelerated through an intersection in Denver, his home at the time, in a hurry to get to a party.
“My own stupidity,” he says. “The sign said ‘STOP.’”
He has no recollection of being hit by a truck and thrown in the air from the impact. Denver General Hospital records revealed Patrick’s right arm was separated from his body and shattered his humerus bone. His upper arm was snapped in two, splitting the bone in half below the shoulder. His shattered limb was completely torn from his torso, and six
inches of his right leg were noted as “absent.”
His brachial artery, one of the body’s largest arteries that supplies all the blood flow to the arm, was severed.
“I have been told by my orthopedic surgeon, 95 percent of the people who sever this major blood vessel die. The remaining 5 percent lose their arm. I have beaten the statistical odds by keeping a relatively functional right arm following my injury.
Never mind my survival in general,” Patrick writes in his master’s thesis titled, “The Dedication of Strangers,” where he pays tribute to the medical staff for his care after he was wheeled into the emergency room as John Doe. His wallet with his ID was later found at the accident scene.
“I was a John Doe Frankenstein–an anatomical hodgepodge of surgical steel, titanium, rubber tubing, emergency tissue transplants, and more
stitches than the sheets of my hospital bed,” Patrick says.
He endured countless surgeries and therapy sessions. Patrick also had to learn to read and write again.
While he was recovering, he went back to school and obtained his bachelor’s degree in creative writing, followed by his master’s in nonfiction.
“I had lost about 15 years of my memory with TBI (traumatic brain injury), and so all of the events were things I had to research,” he says, including facts about the accident from police and hospital reports.
As he’s gotten older, Patrick has found he wants homeopathic and natural ways for managing pain. “I hate chemicals,” he says,
not wanting to get hooked on opioids or other addictive medications.
He manages his pain by keeping busy with his work, moving around, writing, serving as a baseball umpire, and talking loud—aiming to talk over his pain. He also uses the works of late journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, founder of the gonzo journalism movement, to manage pain in what he calls the “Gonzo Way.”
“I’m working on writing what I do because, in retrospect, I have come to realize Hunter S. Thompson had a large influence on my writing in that I am definitely ‘gonzo,’” he says. “Pain is my authority, and pain says stay on the couch, pain says to collect SSI (Supplemental Security
Income), pain says use a cane, use a walker, and I’m saying [screw you] pain. I own it, and that is what makes me gonzo— that decision.”
Patrick says Thompson lived a life of excess. “He failed so miserably in managing his pain. He had a series of hip surgeries and even in his suicide note, he talks about [how] the fun had stopped.”
Patrick celebrates the June 24 date of his motorcycle accident as “the rebirth of Patrick,” and he has no memory of his life before the accident.
“I went to my 20th reunion several years ago and found out I was the editor of the yearbook in high school, president of my senior class, and top 12 in my graduating class, and
was student mayor of Eustis for a day,” says the 1987 Eustis High graduate. “I found out I did all kinds of cool stuff, and I didn’t know all that about me.”
He’s grateful for the special people in his life, including his physical therapist wife, Heather, of seven years, whom he met in rehab.
“If I was in the exact situation and I had the knowledge that I have now, I would run that stop sign and wouldn’t blink an eye,” he says. “Because the experiences that I’ve had, the people I got to meet, I wouldn’t change it, even with the pain.”
Patrick breaks out in a hearty laugher when he realizes the irony of his words. “Pain tells you to stop. I’ve learned nothing.”
By: Timothy Lane, M.D.
The goal of knee replacement surgery is to decrease pain and restore function in the knee. Although most knee replacement candidates need a total knee replacement, there is a percentage of patients who qualify for a less invasive option. This less invasive option is called an unicompartmental knee replacement, better known as “partial knee replacement.” Partial knee replacement is a procedure that surgeons have used to treat knee pain for approximately 30 years. A partial knee replacement replaces only the worn portion of the joint. It is used in individuals in whom the wear is con ned to one part of the knee –usually the inner or medial side. Therefore, the surgery is localized to the worn joint surface and involves minimal additional surgery on the knee such as ligament surgery. In contrast, total knee replacement replaces all three wearing surfaces of the knee (the lower end of the femur, the top surface of the tibia, and the back surface of the patella) and involves more extensive surgery on the supporting ligaments. Total knee replacement is the appropriate choice for individuals with more severe arthritis, while partial knee replacement is appropriate for individuals with more localized wear on the knee joint.
Because partial knee replacement is a more limited procedure than a total knee replacement, it can result in a more natural-feeling knee. In a partial kneereplacement, the surgeon resurfaces only the diseased portion of the knee, thus preserving the healthy bone and tissue. This can potentially lead to a faster recovery and lower risk of complications such as infection, blood clots, and knee sti ness.
Who is an appropriate candidate for this procedure?
Surgery for arthritis of the knee is typically performed when non-surgical forms of treatment such as medication, injection, and exercise do not provide acceptable relief of the arthritic pain. Patients who are candidates for partial knee replacment usually experience activity-related pain in the inner side of the knee. Startup pain, limping, and pain when standing and walking is common for potential candidates. Because partial kneereplacements are performed in patients with less severe arthritis than total knee replacements, patients undergoing these procedures have less preoperative loss of motion than patients undergoing full knee replacement surgery. In addition, their preoperative X-rays show less severe and more localized arthritic changes in the knee.
What is the MAKOplasty partial knee replacement?
MAKOplasty partial knee replacement is a new surgical procedure utilizing robotic technology to accomplish consistent precision surgery in reconstructing damaged joints. The MAKO device uses a preoperative CT scan to assess the bony structure and alignment of the knee. The Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System (shown on the previous page) then allows the surgeon to preoperatively plan the procedure. The surgeon can assess the sizing, positioning, and function of the partial knee preoperatively. During the surgery, the device can con rm that the components are appropriately positioned and functioning. The surgeon can assess the sizing, positioning, and function of the partial knee preoperatively. During the surgery, the device can con rm that the components are appropriately positioned and functioning. The surgeon-controlled Robotic Arm Interactive System is then used to precisely remove the worn joint surface to prepare the area for placement of the partial knee. It is this combination of CT-guided preoperative planning and surgeon-controlled robotic removal of bone that allows the operation to be done in a very precise manner. This new technology represents a powerful tool to assist the surgeon in performing more accurate and reproducible surgeries. This optimal placement can result in a more natural motion of the knee following surgery.
Are there potential complications from partial knee replacement surgery?
Even though partial knee replacement is considered a minimally invasive procedure, there are still risks associated with the surgery. Although rare, blood clots are the most common complication after surgery. Other
complications include infection, implant loosening, fractures and nerve or blood vessel damage. The main disadvantage of a partial knee eplacement is the potential need for more surgery in the future. If osteoarthritis progresses to the other compartments of your knee, a total knee replacement “revisionsurgery” may be necessary.
In summary, a MAKOplasty type partial knee replacement provides a valuable additional alternative for patients with knee arthritis. It is important to discuss the speci c risks associated with MAKOplasty and other treatment options with your orthopaedic surgeon.
Movement is meant to be pain free and moments have the power to shape our lives. Injury and pain can make it feel like your life has been put on pause. At The Orthopaedic Institute, our goal is to take exceptional care of you. From diagnosis to recovery, we can help you press play again. Our highly trained specialists understand that better movement leads to better moments.
Dr. Lane is Board Certi ed in Orthopaedic Surgery with a clinical interest in Arthroscopic Surgery and Joint Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Lane practices at The Orthopaedic Institute’s Gainesville & Lake City locations.
Dr. Saroj Tom Tampira is board certifi ed in interventional cardiology with more than 20 years’ experience. He has helped countless patients who suffered from blockage of blood fl ow to the hearts, arms, and legs be able to return to their active lifestyles and enjoy their times with family and friends.
He also helps patients who suffer from chronic leg pain and swelling due to blockage of venous blood fl ow returning to their hearts.
Dr. Tampira is pleased to join Dr. Georg Courturier and his team. This fulfi lls the goal of Heart of the Villages to provide complete care to patients with heart and vascular diseases.
New location!
The Oaks Professional Center, 8575 NE 138th Lane
Call today for a consultation at 352.674.2080 heartofthevillages.com
“Fast food is popular because it’s convenient, it’s cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu.”
—Eric Schlosser
“My favorite thing to do is teach how to cook easy, healthy, budget-friendly meals with minimal ingredients!”
Jaime Alonso
Certified Health Coach
I received my initial training and certification as a wellness coach at Spencer Institute. I continued my training as a health coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s cutting-edge health coach training program. I studied more than 100 dietary theories, practical lifestyle management techniques, and innovative coaching methods with some of the world’s top health and wellness experts. My teachers included Dr. Andrew Weil, director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; Dr. Deepak Chopra, leader in the field of mind-body medicine; Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center; Dr. Walter Willet, chair of nutrition at Harvard University; Geenan Roth, bestselling author and expert on emotional eating; and other leading researchers and nutrition authorities.
1. Rub the Boston butt with the Himalayan salt and place into a slow cooker.
2. Add the citrus juice, zest, and bacon.
3. Pour about a cup of beef stock into the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours.
5. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with a fork into a bowl.
6. Pour about 2-3 cups of cooking liquid over the shredded pork.
7. Can serve in a cabbage leaf, instead of a wrap, or over riced cauliflower.
At Total Nutrition and Therapeutics, I help you create a “sustainable” lifestyle change. Meeting you where you are in your journey and equipping you with practical tools to grow and learn new strategies; teaching you how to shop and plan meals; helping you create new ideas; and learning how to eat out are a few of the handson lessons you receive. I teach you how to live well for life!
PORK A FORK IN IT FOR GOOD EATING!5 pounds bone-in pastured Boston butt 1 box of gluten-free beef stock 2 tbs. Himalayan sea salt 2-4 strips thick-cut pastured bacon 1 orange, lemon, and lime zest and juice
The surgeons are joining with Orlando Health South Lake Hospital for free hernia screenings.
Monday, November 6th
National Training Center in Clermont at 5:30 PM.
If you feel you may have a hernia or not sure, this screening could benefit you.
RSVP to 352.241.7109 no later than Friday, November 3rd
Space is limited so make your appointment today.
Robotic – assisted surgery is minimally invasive surgery that allows our specially trained surgeons to use the da Vinci Surgical System to perform a wide range of delicate and complex procedures through a few small incisions. Benefits of robotic-assisted surgery vs. open surgery include:
• A shorter hospital stay
• Less blood loss
• Fewer complications
• Less need for narcotic pain medicine
• A faster recovery
• Smaller incisions associated with minimal scarring.
Our surgeons are all Board Certified. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Florin also serve as trainers and mentors to other physicians seeking to learn robotic surgery.
Doctors know alcoholism can ruin your liver, but what if you never drink and now your doctor says you have cirrhosis?
WRITER: LEIGH NEELY PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ
When Judy Simms was diagnosed this year with stage-4 cirrhosis of the liver, she was shocked. It wasn’t merely because she had a terminal disease, but also that this disease was most often linked to alcoholism. Judy never drank alcohol. How did she get this disease?
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is liver inflammation where the damage comes from a buildup of fat in the liver. Many people have fat in the liver, and most
of them have no problems from this condition. For others, however, the fat causes inflammation and damages cells of the liver. This means the liver doesn’t work as it should, and like any vital organ, that means it doesn’t help the body as it should.
That inflammation causes scarring in the liver, which leads to cirrhosis. Doctors are often baffled by how this happens. According to Judy, some people are warned by doctors to stop drinking. When they inform physicians
they are nondrinkers, it becomes obvious the doctor doesn’t believe them. Some experts say NAFLD could be triggered by environmental issues, while others say it runs in families.
Factors that put people at risk for NAFLD and liver damage include being 40-50 years old; hepatitis A, B, and C; obesity; insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; high cholesterol and high triglycerides; and metabolic syndrome.
“The problem we have right now is there are no hepatologists in our area. One doctor I called wouldn’t even see me,” Judy says. “That’s one of the reasons we formed the support group for those with nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, so we’d have a place to provide information, get information, and talk to others who have the same problem.”
Fran Paisley Weuest and Judy reconnected at a seminar presented by Florida Hospital Waterman that featured two hepatologists from Orlando. They recognized each other from their association with an Alzheimer’s disease support group they attended with family members. Now they’re in a group to focus on their own health.
The symptoms of NAFLD are like those of many other diseases: fatigue, unexplained weight loss, general weakness, and an ache in the upper right part of the belly. However, it can take years for these symptoms to become prominent.
A well-functioning liver is vital to life. It detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs, secretes bile back into the intestines, and makes proteins needed for blood clotting and other functions.
“Our main goal now is to create awareness of the disease and to be sure doctors know there are people in this area that have it,” Fran says. “We also want to emphasize education and research. Currently, there is little or no research being done.”
According to a press release from the University of California at San Diego, a NAFLD Research Center opened in February 2016. “This is a major step,” says Dr. Rohit Loomba, professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology and director of the center. “It creates a single entity able to address every aspect of a global disease that didn’t even exist 35 years ago.”
According to what Judy and Fran have learned, the best diagnostic tool is magnetic resonance imaging, which Dr. Loomba’s center supports. “This is a key advance because it means you can conduct clinical trials with a tool that is effective but noninvasive and get an early signal of efficacy,” Dr. Loomba says.
However, they have found some local doctors more eager to do their testing with a colonoscopy, which both women feel reveals very little. In addition, the drugs used for liver diseases generally have very unpleasant side effects, including severe diarrhea, which means many patients must spend most of their time in fear of going out in public.
“We’ve heard as much as 95 percent of those with nonalcoholic cirrhosis will eventually have cancer of the liver,” Fran says.
People with NAFLD also develop internal varicose veins, which can be fatal if they’re not detected, and the improper filtering of toxins in the blood causes what Judy calls a “foggy mind,” affecting what you remember and even making you forget what you’re saying in the middle of a sentence. It can also mean you have unbearably dry, itchy skin.
“If it weren’t for this support group, I would think I wasn’t even worth helping because of the way some doctors have made me feel,” Judy says. “When they said I had stage 4 at Mayo, they didn’t even tell me to come back.”
The NAFLD Support Group meets on the first Thursday of every month, 1-3pm, at Morrison United Methodist Church, 1005 W. Main St., Leesburg.
Over our kitchen pantry door hangs a sign with one word on it: Simplify. It is my reminder to try to avoid overcomplicating my life. It is one of those goals that is always a work in progress and never more so than in the area of what to eat.
Besides breathing, eating is the most basic activity we engage in as living organisms. You would think something so important would be instinctual and somewhat unconscious, like the beating of our heart, function of the GI tract, and so on. Instead, we have complicated it to the point where I find few people who are totally comfortable with their diet. How did it get this way?
The course of human history, which we often lump under the term “progress,” is a continual process of increasing complexity. We have gone from the Stone Age to the Computer Age in what is a mere blip in the history of our planet. The more we learn, the more complicated things become, and our diet is a perfect example. For much of human history, we were happy to have food, any food. As we segued from hunting and gathering to farming and domesticating animals for our use, we switched from basic subsistence to producing more than we could consume, which gave rise to commercial food production. Now, we have become so proficient in producing cheap, abundant food that our problem is that we have too much of it, and it is killing us.
Nutritionists, physicians, and researchers agree that the basic American diet, rich in refined carbohydrates, simple sugars, salt, unhealthy fats, and calories is a major contributor to most of our health problems as a nation: obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, immune disorders, and more. There are few health problems that are totally independent of what we eat.
The worldwide range of human diets is huge, from the Inuit, who eat a diet consisting of lots of meat and fat with little in the way of fruits and vegetables, to Okinawans, whose diet is primarily vegetarian with some fish and a little meat thrown in.
I suspect most people do not follow a particular diet or, if they do, they do so without giving it much thought. If you try to choose a particular diet, which of the countless variations do you go with? A few choices are below with some comments about them.
Most physicians and nutritionists agree that a strictly organic diet, while attractive, is probably unnecessary. There are some food items that are best if organic, but a totally organic diet is not easy and can be expensive. Online sources typically list relatively few foods where choosing organic really matters.
This can be complicated as there are so many variations on a vegetarian diet. A totally vegetarian diet, known as vegan, requires care to obtain all the necessary nutrients needed by our body. Ovo- and lacto-vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products, respectively, which avoids some of the vegan issues. Vegetarians claim many health benefits, some of which are real. For many people, a diet devoid of any meat is simply not acceptable.
It seems everywhere you look, people are turning to gluten-free diets and claiming all sorts of benefits from them. Relatively few people are truly intolerant of gluten, and some
of the benefits may be more psychological than actual. To those who feel better, the distinction is probably moot.
The archetype of this is the Atkins Diet, which was very controversial for a long time. Now, more and more studies are showing a true health benefit for some specific individuals of limiting their carb intake and eating more healthy fats. Properly done, this diet can yield many benefits, but it takes time and attention to do it properly. For some, it is very restricting and hard to stay on long term.
This is an attempt to follow the diet we presume our hunting/gathering ancestors ate. I chuckle at this one because, from what we have learned from paleontology, our caveman ancestors were not particularly healthy and did not live very long. Besides, our modern lifestyle is about as far from that of cavemen as you can get.
It would take more than this magazine to list all the named diets out there, each one with a unique twist that distinguishes it from the others. Some of these betterknown diets include the South Beach, Pritikin, Scarsdale, Fast Metabolism, Macrobiotic, Beverly Hills, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers. Each has pros and very real cons.
In my humble effort to simplify things, I would make the following suggestions:
• Try to obtain locally sourced food when you can. It is fresher and supports local businesses/farms.
• Try to eat mostly foods you prepare yourself, from simple, basic ingredients.
• Try to emphasize whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, such as olive oil.
• Try to limit your intake of dairy and animal foods like beef, pork, and chicken.
• Take time to search out sustainable sources of food, especially for such items as seafood.
• Cut down your portion sizes. Avoid eating out more than a couple of times per week because prepared foods are usually too rich in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, and portions are too large.
Don’t forget that there is much more to eating than simply putting food in your mouth. Food serves to bind us together as families, social groups, and even communities and cultures. It should be enjoyable and not a burden. It should not require an advanced degree or constant mental effort. In his book “Food Rules—An Eater’s Manual,” author Michael Pollan offers succinct advice that he summarizes in seven words: “Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.”
It’s that simple.
Has your current shower seen better days? Have you been exploring the possibility of a shower replacement? If so, don’t put yourself through the hassle of hiring different tradesmen to complete such a project. The Floor Shoppe is your one-stop shop for your shower replacement. In fact, we can help you with everything from demolition, waterproofing, and ceramic tile installation to plumbing fixtures, grab bars, and frameless glass doors.
There’s even greater news! A typical job from start to finish can be completed in as little as five days. We pride ourselves on getting the job done right and on time no matter the size or configuration of your shower. Because we take a customer-oriented approach to all shower replacement projects, we feel it is important to listen to and address all your concerns and needs.
The Floor Shoppe has been the leader in quality flooring sales and installations for more than 35 years. We’ve also been working with The Villages new construction division for 25 years and recently completed our 10,000th home.
Please visit our inspirational showroom at 9815 U.S. Hwy. 301 in the Wildwood Oaks Business Center.
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“My key to dealing with stress is simple. Just stay cool and stay focused.”
—Ashton Eaton
Stress sweat can make a bad situation even worse. There are ways, however, to stress less about sweat.
WRITER: ANGELA BALLARDStress is bad enough on its own. Unfortunately for most of us, stress is often accompanied by “stress sweat,” which tends to be particularly stinky, staining, and embarrassing. Given that there are 2 million to 4 million sweat glands distributed all over our bodies and that stressful situations are seemingly ubiquitous in modern life, trying to avoid stress sweat might seem like a futile endeavor, but thankfully it isn’t. There are simple ways you can control stress sweat even when the @#%S is hitting the fan.
But first, what makes stress sweat different from exercise- and heat-induced sweat?
The majority of the sweat glands in our skin are eccrine sweat glands. These glands are responsible for most of our heat-related and exercise-related sweating and secrete an odorless, clear fluid, made mostly of water and salt, to help control temperature by promoting heat loss through evaporation. Eccrine glands are found in large numbers on the soles of the feet, the palms, the forehead, the cheeks, and in the armpits.
Dreaded stress sweat, on the other hand, comes primarily from another type of sweat gland called an apocrine gland. Apocrine glands are found mostly in the armpits and genital region—but there are some on the scalp, too—and exist near dense pockets of hair follicles. They produce a thick fluid that empties into the hair follicle just before it opens onto the skin surface.
While apocrine sweat is initially odorless, it doesn’t evaporate as quickly as eccrine sweat and can develop an odor when it combines with bacteria that normally inhabits the surface of our skin. The odor has that characteristic smell that we often call “body odor.” While it may smell, stress/apocrine sweat doesn’t actually produce that much wetness—at least not like the amount caused by eccrine sweat.
When the body is reacting to an emotion, like anxiety, stress, or excitement, apocrine sweat is released from apocrine glands. Something interesting about stress sweat is that it’s immediate, whereas exercise or heat-related sweat can take longer to kick in.
Scientists aren’t sure why apocrine glands produce odor beyond the process described above, but there might be an evolutionary and protective reason behind it. Animals tend to emit an odor when they’re stressed, too. That odor acts as a signal to peers that something dangerous or scary is going on, and they should react accordingly. If this theory is true, it makes sense that stress sweat would be immediate and not delayed. Note that stressful situations will also increase eccrine sweating, but it’s not as immediate or as pungent.
While most of us recognize that stress sweat is a “thing,” we usually just suffer through it. This is a shame because there are ways to help control stress sweat and doing so can, in turn, make life a whole lot less stressful:
Big picture: manage your stress and learn how to control it to prevent or limit stress sweat in the first place. Think mindfulness, meditation, and life balance, and when you’ve figured that out, please let me know.
Use an antiperspirant to prevent sweat-related wetness. Antiperspirants work on both types of sweat glands. Apply at night for best effectiveness. At bedtime, you’re typically sweating the least, which gives antiperspirants’ active ingredients time overnight to form the superficial plugs that help limit sweating before you start sweating again in the morning. If you apply antiperspirant when you are already sweating, your sweat will just wash away the product before it can start to work. And, yes, you can use antiperspirants on other body areas besides your underarms. Just test it first on a small spot, especially on sensitive parts, to make sure it doesn’t cause irritation.
As always, talk to your doctor or dermatologist about any concerns.
No luck with the regular stuff? Try a stronger antiperspirant like Certain Dri, which is actually formulated for those suffering from extreme, clinical sweating—a condition called hyperhidrosis.
Also use a deodorant to fight stress sweat odor or use a combination antiperspirant and deodorant for convenience and cost savings.
Trim and groom your hair where apocrine sweat and odor is a problem. This won’t limit the sweating, but it can help your antiperspirant and deodorant reach your skin more thoroughly and, therefore, do their jobs more effectively. Trimming hair also prevents sweat and oil from hanging around and cuts down on the surface areas on which bacteria and sweat can react—remember, it’s that reaction that leads to body odor.
There are other, more sophisticated treatments to stop sweating and the odor linked to it, too. One such innovation is the medical device miraDry, which studies show reduces body odor by destroying sweat glands and hair follicles via microwaves. You need to go to a doctor’s office for the miraDry treatment, but the results are permanent and will stop sweating, odor, and hair growth in the treated area.
While stress may be unavoidable, we can alter our reactions to it for calmer, sweeter days.
Learn more at sweathelp.org.
About the author
Angela Ballard is a registered nurse and emergency medical technician in the San Francisco Bay area.
“Yoga is a way to freedom. By its constant practice, we can free ourselves from fear, anguish, and loneliness.”
—Indra Devi
A local yoga program showcases both poses and prayer.
It’s Wednesday morning. Inside the fellowship hall at Wildwood United Methodist Church, Dr. Renee Ciofu instructs participants of her yoga therapy church ministry to begin their warm-up by marching in place.
The pitter-patter of feet echoes throughout the room as they step up and down on colorful yoga mats sprawled across the floor.
“Punch forward then punch high,” she coaches them. “This helps loosen the muscles of the neck and armpit.”
With the soothing music of Mozart softly playing in the background, they spend the next 1½ hours stretching their arms to the heavens, bending their ankles and feet, and twisting their bodies into a variety of yoga poses—some of which have them folding into human triangles and pretzels.
Occasionally, Renee stops to read Scripture. One passage is from Proverbs 14:21:
“Those who despise their neighbors are sinners, but happy are those who are kind to the needy.”
While churches feed the soul on Sunday mornings, some like Wildwood United Methodist Church are nourishing the
body during the week as members trade in their Bibles for yoga mats.
And despite opposition that yoga is unholy because of its Hinduism roots, church leaders feel that infusing the ancient practice with Christianity is no stretch. Nor is it a slippery slope toward paganism.
“Christianity in its most primitive form has always been engaged with customs of the day,” says Michael Beck, the church’s 37-year-old pastor. “The practices of prayer, meditation, and stretching the body are as much a part of the Judeo-Christian religion than any other. God works in the lives of people who do yoga, people who don’t do yoga, and everybody in between. We’re taking the practice of yoga and infusing it with Christian teaching. It’s something all humans can benefit from.”
Renee, a retired chiropractor, has led the class since its inception in June.
“We don’t get ‘preachy’ or ‘churchy’ in this class, but most yoga classes have a short inspirational message interjected at some point during the class,” she says. “Each week I will read a message either directly from the Holy Scriptures or from a writer who eloquently brings a Scripture lesson to light that relates to our daily living.”
Her yoga therapy class differs from traditional yoga because participants hold poses longer and focus on
breathing to locate and release stuck energy. Renee, who is certified in Amrit yoga therapy, says the goal is to “let go of blockages caused by physical, mental, or emotional traumas that no longer serve us.”
The class has proven therapeutic for Mike Barber, a 67-year-old resident of The Villages whose nagging neck pain was not relieved by conventional medicine.
“I was dealing with headaches, as well as stiffness and lack of mobility in my neck,” he says. “After spending three weeks in this class, I started feeling much better. I’m a Christian, so I appreciate having a safe and comfortable environment to practice yoga.”
Participants do not have to be young, fit, and flexible to enjoy and reap benefits from yoga. Just ask Kathleen Geanes, an 88-year-old Wildwood resident who never misses a class.
“I was a clinical scientist and medical technologist, so I know how important it is to stay in shape,” she says. “One of my favorite poses is when I lay on my back with my feet and butt touching the wall. I could go to sleep on that one. I enjoy this class because the feeling of peace that overcomes you. You don’t worry about bills being late or anything else.”
That peace of mind is especially beneficial for Pastor Beck, whose profession defies a job description
because he is expected to be pastor, marriage counselor, financier, and a host of other occupations.
“I try to attend this class every week because it’s like a cleansing effect that happens. This is one of the ways I keep my sanity, break away from the world, and enjoy a sense of peace,” he says.
The yoga therapy church is one of several outreach ministries he created to form faith communities that reach new people in new places. Other ministries include a dog park church, a tattoo parlor church, and a burritosand-Bibles study group held inside a Mexican restaurant. Reaching out to non-churchgoers, he says, is a big reason why worship service attendance has increased from 30 people just several years ago to more than 200 today.
“In our generation, the largestgrowing demographic are none-and-dones, which means nonchurchgoers,” he says. “Millennials have a nonexistent presence in church. Churches have to adapt and challenge the paradigm of the traditional church so we can connect with people in new ways. We continue looking outside ourselves, asking who our neighbors are, and engaging in the passions and hobbies of people in the community.”
Yoga therapy church is held at 11am each Wednesday at Wildwood United Methodist Church, 300 Mason St. For more information, call the church at 352.748.1275.
Children ages 6-13 get a chance to try new adventures with the VIKING Program at New Vision for Independence.
WRITER: LEIGH NEELY PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ
Acomprehensive program called Visually Impaired Kids Investigating New Ground, or VIKING, is helping children ages 6-13 to develop independent living skills.
The program is part of New Vision for Independence, a community organization that provides rehabilitation, education, and support services to people with low vision or blindness in Lake and Sumter counties.
An intensive summer camp featured six participants, all boys, who are involved in VIKING all year. The kids bonded with each other as they discovered there were other kids just like them, says Chantel Buck, president and CEO of New Vision.
“These are kids who may not necessarily know any other kids who have a visual impairment. They go to school and may be the only one in their classroom who needs accommodations, or special equipment, or meets with a special teacher to help them perform in a standard classroom,” she adds.
The children are unaccustomed to being with other children who understand the obstacles they face. “As soon as you put six kids on the same level in the same room, the visual impairment is the least of their worries,” Chantel says.
Two of the participants are visually impaired because of albinism. “Those two boys in particular are not used to seeing others who look like them,” she says.
All the activities were adapted for exactly what participants need. “We focused a lot on daily activities. We have a small kitchenette in our office, and they prepared their own breakfasts, cleaned up after themselves, and got ready for the activities of the day.”
“We tried to make all of the life skills fun,” Chantel says. “We had an activity called Laundry Olympics, where they practiced folding towels and clothes and we made it a competition of who could fold them the neatest.”
The organization was very pleased with the results of the program and the extensive community support that included volunteers talking with the children about jobs and other opportunities for visually impaired individuals.
A florist from Umatilla taught the boys how to make floral arrangements, a sensory activity. A businessman discussed sales, and Walt Disney World representatives spoke about job exploration and donated tickets to Epcot, which was the group’s end-of-summer trip. Thrivent Financial provided funds for groceries.
“We are so grateful for all of the support we have gotten to make the program successful,” Chantel says.
The offices of New Vision for Independence are at 9501 U.S. Highway 441 in Leesburg on the campus of Lake-Sumter State College, Room 140. Call 352.435.5040 for information.
“A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.”
—Suze Orman
Dear Dave, My wife and I have had marriage problems, and a lot of them were related to money. We’re working through those issues and are on Baby Step 1 of your plan. In the process, we’re talking more and things are getting better. We have $40,000 in credit card debt, along with a combined income of around $70,000, so I talked to her about taking an extra job or two. She said she would rather I be at home so we can spend more time together in working on our marriage. What should I do?
—James
Dear James,
First and foremost, I would urge you two to begin seeing a good marriage counselor together. Money problems and fights over money are the number one cause of divorce in our country today. Continuing to deal with these issues, with the help of a good, caring counselor, will create even more communication.
I think you’ve both realized you’re going to be in a mess if you don’t address your income and money management issues. However, her concern about spending more time together and becoming closer is valid.
Since you’ve just started the rebuilding process, maybe you could put off the extra jobs for a month or two—but no longer. That should give you both time to talk, hug on each other a lot, and start developing a solid plan together for the future!
—Dave
DAVE RAMSEYDear Dave,
My wife and I have been helping our adopted daughter financially for some time. She’s 25, has been married for three years, and we don’t see this cycle stopping anytime soon. The worst part is, they will often throw in that our grandchild will go without something unless we help. We’re certain this isn’t teaching them to stand on their own feet, but we don’t know what else to do.
—DavidDear David,
You’re right about one thing. It’s time they both learned how to handle money like mature, responsible adults. I don’t know how much you tried to teach her about finances when she was growing up, but it sounds like this “needing help” thing is turning into an endless cycle.
You’re giving them money left and right, and it’s not working. You’re giving them fish, and you’ve heard that whole saying. You could also teach them to fish and then not give them any fish, but I like a third choice in this scenario— give them fish only if they take fishing lessons. They get no more money from you unless they get financial counseling together and make a serious move toward straightening up their lives.
If they try to play on your feelings by saying your grandchild is hungry, tell them to send the child over for a
meal. If they run out of money until payday, tell them to go to their financial counseling session to find answers. Right now, every time they have a problem, they call mom and dad. Guess what? They don’t have any problems as long as you’re doing what you’re doing.
Love them well. Hold their hands and say, “When I was your age, I wish someone had done this for me. I’m not going to give you any more money unless you go to financial counseling sessions regularly and together. If you do this, turn in a budget to us, and let us coach you on how to be adults and handle your own money well, we’ll help and set up a matching system. If you don’t do the matching part though, you won’t see anything from us.”
They’ve figured out if they hold your feet to the fire when it comes to this grandbaby, you’re going to open the wallet. They’re playing you right now, and it’s not to their benefit— or yours!
—Dave
About the author
Dave Ramsey is a personal money management expert, a national radio personality, and best-selling author of The Total Money Makeover. Ramsey earned his bachelor of science in finance and real estate from the University of Tennessee. A frequent speaker around the country at large-scale live events, he has a nationally syndicated talk show, The Dave Ramsey Show.
“Hey! Teachers! Leave those kids alone.”— from Pink Floyd’s 1979 Grammy-nominated “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2.”
WRITER: JAMES COMBS
Here’s a simple four-item list of what we should expect from teachers:
*Motivate students to learn.
*Involve students in critical thinking.
*Encourage students to read outside the classroom. *Conduct yourselves as role models.
That’s pretty standard stuff. I’m going to add a fifth item:
*Quit having sex with students.
No, that is not a typo. Teachers these days are getting caught with their pants down—literally. Just Google “teacher-student sex” and the list of stories that pop up is endless.
Virtually every week, a new story surfaces about a teacher-student sex scandal. The perpetrators are English teachers, band directors, cheerleading coaches, and football coaches. They are male and female, married and single. And they’re preying on the very kids they are paid to nurture and protect.
Terry Abbott, a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education, monitors teacher sex cases. According to his research, there were more than 800 incidents throughout the U.S. in 2014. He referred to teacher-student sexual misconduct as an “epidemic” in Texas, which saw a 41 percent increase in cases during a six-month period between 2014 and 2015.
Yet, as these cases become more common, some people maintain a nonchalant attitude. To them, sex happens. They say things like, “The students were willing participants” or “The students enjoyed it as much as the teacher.” When the student is a boy, you see jocks exchange congratulatory high-fives. In fact, attractive female teacher violators are often glamorized because the public feels adolescent male victims of rape are “lucky.”
Come on, men, don’t let the little head do the thinking for the big head.
Whether the students wanted it or enjoyed it is irrelevant. What’s relevant is that teachers live by a code
of ethics. They’re supposed to teach, assess, advise, and support—not take sex education to a whole other disgraceful level. Teachers are also expected to maintain appropriate behavioral boundaries. Crossing those boundaries betrays the trust bestowed on them by the student, school, and community.
So why do they do it? Is it love, lust, or loneliness? Is it some perverted way to abuse their power? Were they sexually inactive during high school and see their return to school as a second chance? Are they reliving their high school glory days? Maybe they’re just true pedophiles.
Whatever the case, they’re a disgrace to the many great educators in America who work hard to shape the lives of young children and teens. They’re (bleeping) (bleeps) if they became teachers just to fulfill some warped sexual fantasy. And they’ve thrown away so much—their marriage, their career, their reputation, their freedom—just to have sex with a minor.
I hope all the ethical teachers are paying close attention. Their perverted colleagues have provided the ultimate lesson in unprofessional and unethical behavior.
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