Healthy Living October 2018

Meet your HEART VALVE expert.

When it comes to your heart you want expert care. When it comes to mitral or atrial valve treatment, you want Dr. Karen Thompson.

Dr. Thompson, a cardiothoracic surgeon with Leesburg Ocala Heart Institute and on the medical staff at Leesburg Regional Medical Center, was trained in the latest heart valve procedures by world renowned physicians at Northwestern University in Chicago.

She now brings that same level of care to our community.

Dr. Karen Thompson

HARMONY UNITED PSYCHIATRIC CARE

Caring for your needs is our goal and your right.

TRANSCRANICAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (TMS)

TMS is an FDA approved, non-invasive outpatient treatment for treatment resistant Depression AND is covered by most insurance plans!

to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. This is typically used when other depression treatments

PATIENT BENEFITS:

No Psychotropic Medication Required 100% Outpatient Treatment No Sedation or Anesthesia Required

In order to qualify for TMS Therapy, a patient must have failed to respond to at least one antidepressant. If you have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and your body has either consider TMS therapy. OTHER

TINY CELLS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

John T. Williams Jr.

Orthopedic Surgeon

Alfred J. Cook Jr.

Orthopedic Surgeon

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

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

General Dermatology

(comprehensive care for skin, hair and nail disorders including eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dry skin, moles, skin tags, adult acne, hair loss, ingrown hairs and more)

Surgical Dermatology/ Cosmetic Surgery

(including face, breast and body)

Skin Cancer Screening, Biopsies and Treatment

(including Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Photodynamic Therapy)

Cosmetic Dermatology

(including BOTOX®, fillers, chemical peels and other aesthetic procedures)

DEPARTMENTS

22. Happy anniversary, Healthy Living!

This month marks the 10th anniversary of We look back on the past decade, remembering the people, stories, and achievements that made the publication what it is today.

31. Ask the expert.

strengthen body, mind, spirit, and

46. betterCultivating health.

Okahumpka-based Bountiful Farms grows organic vegetables to help people connect with a healthier way of eating.

52. A aboutwarning sepsis.

Lake County woman is raising awareness of sepsis, a reaction to infection, in the aftermath of her husband’s unexpected death.

58. A dose of reality. Virtual reality will change the health-care industry.

60. Turn up the volume. Volumetrics is a diet that allows you to eat to lose without counting calories.

63. Survival of the sickest. One doctor’s experience with the dreaded flu.

68. Say sayonara to stress. Reduce or eliminate stress through mindfulness.

70. Take a load off your mind. The power of positive thinking.

74. Have you completely lost it? How to get your mojo back.

76. Sharing a beautiful goodbye. Don’t let the fear of death derail a beautiful relationship.

80. He makes perfect cents. Invest in Dave Ramsey’s expert advice.

82. Love and money. Keeping a balanced relationship means open communication

10. Publisher’s letter

At your service Health matters

Healthy inspiration

Final impressions

A decade of delight

Having spent the majority of my career in publishing sales and marketing, I always dreamed about starting my own publication someday.

That dream came true 10 years ago this month with the launch of Healthy Living. Our company started with a splash—literally.

It seems like it was yesterday when the original Akers team stepped into the fountain in front of Leesburg City Hall to have staff photos taken. We were wet and wild that night, and it was certainly a sign of all the wonderful times to come.

As I reflect on the past decade, I grin from ear to ear. Healthy Living has achieved so much. National celebrities and athletes such as Guy Fieri and Tyson Gay have graced our cover. We followed the weight-loss efforts of two locals—B.E. Thompson and Traci Oliver—and provided monthly updates throughout their successful journeys. The publication has placed in the category of “Best Overall Magazine” by the Florida Magazine Association every year since 2010.

All of those achievements are quite extraordinary. However,

what makes my heart fill with pride the most is when members of the community approach me and explain how Healthy Living has made a difference in their lives. Impacting lives is—and always has been—the ultimate objective of this publication.

Our success would not have been possible without our faithful readers. Throughout the years, you guys have sent us wonderful story ideas, provided us with unconditional support, and faithfully picked up your copy of the magazine at the beginning of each month. I love hearing when Scott Hegg, our distribution manager, has to refill our display racks.

Despite our accomplishments over the past decade, we’re not content to rest on our laurels. In the next 10 years, we will work extremely hard to help Healthy Living reach new heights.

Here’s to a happy and healthy October.

Doug Akers / President doug@akersmediagroup.com

Kendra Akers / Publisher/Editor-In-Chief kendra@akersmediagroup.com

Jamie Ezra Mark 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

Paula F. Howard Staff Writer paula@akersmediagroup.com

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

Anthony Rao Staff Photographer anthony@akersmediagroup.com

Nicole Hamel Staff Photographer nicole@akersmediagroup.com

contributing writers

Dr. Richard T. Bosshardt, Dave Ramsey, Joy Stephenson-Laws , Dr. Sherrie Campbell , Julie Potiker, Jennifer Longmore, Crystal Oculee, Carol Tuttle, Pamela Yellen, Jo Ann Simon

sales & marketing

Tim McRae

Vice President, Sales tim@akersmediagroup.com

Melanie Melvin Director of Marketing Melanie@akersmediagroup.com

Jacquelyn Singer Advertising Executive jacquelyn@akersmediagroup.com

Kendra Akers

Judi Murphy Advertising Executive judi@akersmediagroup.com

Shaena Chastain Sales Assistant shaena@akersmediagroup.com

administration

Deb Matlock Director of Client Services deb@akersmediagroup.com

Aubrey Akers Simmons aubrey@akersmediagroup.com

distribution

Scott Hegg / Distribution Manager scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com

digital social media

Garrett Reardon / Digital Specialist garrett@akersmediagroup.com

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

The latest editions of Healthy Living, Lake & Sumter Style, Village Style, and Welcome to Lake County

GET YOURS

Subscriptions: Order a subscription of your favorite magazine to be delivered directly to your home for just $84. Each subscription includes 12 consecutive issues of Healthy Living, Lake & Sumter Style, or Village Style. Choose 2 or more magazines for $108 per year. To order, call 352.787.4112 or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

Change of address: If you are a seasonal resident or have moved, send your address change request to general@akersmediagroup.com or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

Back issues: Order a single issue by mail for $7, or 2 or more single issues for $9. To

healthmatters

FIORDIFRUTTA!

The staff recently received samples of Rigoni di Asiago Fiordifrutta and loved it. Unlike jams and preserves, these delicious fruit spreads are sweetened with apple juice. Each jar contains more than 3 pounds of perfectly ripened organic, non-GMO fruit with 30 percent fewer calories than other brands. Fiordifrutta means “the finest fruits,” which this certainly is, and you can get a variety of flavors including pink grapefruit, black currant, and pomegranate, or raspberry, strawberry, and wild blueberry. Rigoni di Asiago Fiordifrutta is certified USDA organic, non-GMO and Star-Kosher. It is gluten-free and available in stores nationwide and online in 250g (8.82-ounce) and 270g (9.17-ounce) glass jars. For more information, visit rigonidiasiago-usa.com/.

AHA RECOGNIZES CFH

FHW TOPS OUT!

Florida Hospital Waterman recently celebrated a “Topping Out” ceremony with the placement of the building’s highest structural element. Members of the community were invited to visit the Tavares campus and sign the tower’s special beam.

Construction on the four-story tower began in July 2017 and should be completed by July 2019. It adds more than 111,000 square feet of patient care space, expands the emergency room department to 58 beds, and adds a 24-bed women and children’s unit on the second floor of the tower. Floors three and four will be shelled for future growth.

Central Florida Health, which includes Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, was recently recognized by the American Heart Association. The two hospitals received the highestlevel AHA Workplace Health Gold Achievement Award for the second consecutive year, according to a news release.

“It is an honor to receive this award for the second year in a row,” says Juli Romero-Gomez, RN, coordinator of the Healthy You, Healthy Us Wellness Program at CFH. “It is a true testament to all of the hard work and health changes being made individually and system-wide.”

More than 1,000 companies completed the assessment this year and out of those, only 75 percent received gold, silver, or bronze recognition. Benchmarking reports are sent to companies to allow them to identify areas for improvement to advance performance and recognition, helping their workforce move toward ideal heart health.

Source: Disabled-world.com

CENTRAL FLORIDA HEALTH RECOGNIZED

Central Florida Health was nationally recognized for achievements in quality care and value, according to a news release. Central Florida Health comprises Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, and the two participated along with 91 other hospitals in a joint quality improvement effort with the help of a working committee of the Florida Hospital Association.

Accomplishments included a 40 percent reduction in clostridium difficile hospital-acquired infections; a 21 percent reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infections; a 23 percent reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections; and a 21-percent reduction in methicillin-resistant staphylococcus areus infections.

The program is still in effect, though its overall goal was to improve patient safety measures by sharing and implementing best practices in FHA hospitals.

Phyllis Baum, RN, chief quality officer for CFH, served in a leadership capacity on the committee. “It was an honor to serve and to ultimately achieve these improvements,” she says in the release. “CFH hospitals remain steadfast in their ongoing commitment to continuously improve the quality of care—each patient, every day, and every time.”

GOOD GUMMIES

Rainbow Light Probiolicious Probiotic Gummies were recently sent to the staff, and two of us participated in a test. What we discovered is the delicious gummies do what they promise to do, which is improve digestive health. Being gluten-free and containing no artificial sweeteners, the gummy supplements are also dairy-free. The beauty is these supplements can be taken by children or adults. The dosage for children ages 4-12 is one gummy per day and for children over 12 to adults, it’s two gummies per day. Get information at rainbowlight.com, and check out the informative blog, Living Well, that provides lots of information about a variety

The knee-jerk reflex is what’s known as a mono-synaptic response, because there is only one synapse in the circuit needed to complete the refl

The Boklands give back

Couple values Libby’s Legacy’s mission to serve uninsured and underserved women.

Partners in life and in their work as brokers of Spouses with Houses Realty in Mount Dora, Jeanette and Linda Bokland recall their world was turned upside down when Jeanette was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.

They were living in Australia at the time.

“The diagnosis was kind of life-changing. There were just a lot of unknowns as to how serious my condition was,” says Jeanette, recalling they chose to leave Sydney to move back to the United States for her cancer treatment and recovery. She finished her treatments in August 2014.

“The type of cancer I had was not detectable in a mammogram,” she says. “It was so vague, so subtle.”

Seven weeks later, she remembers the lump felt like a lemon and it was in her lymph nodes. Jeanette had to have chemotherapy, radiation, and a mastectomy.

“It could have been worse,” she says. “Because it was not detectable in a mammogram, a lot of women don’t find it until it has metastasized to other parts of their body and then it’s usually too late.”

“Know your body,” Linda adds. She believes it’s vital for people to be proactive about their health. She served as Jeanette’s caregiver throughout the cancer treatments.

“I had so much support, and all I could think of was the women who don’t have support,” says Jeanette, who met young single moms in their 30s facing breast cancer alone.

The real estate brokers became devoted to Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation, based in Orlando, because they were moved by the nonprofit’s efforts to serve uninsured and underserved women. Libby’s Legacy founder Robin Maynard and other supporters accompany women to their doctor appointments, take notes, and are with them throughout their chemotherapy and beyond.

“Eighty percent of recovery is attitude,” says Jeanette, adding it makes a big difference to have people supporting and educating you.

The Boklands have made it their mission to support Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation. Every $100 they raise goes to pay for a mammogram. To learn more about their fundraising efforts, visit spouseswithhousesfl.com or call 352.630.2580

Story: Theresa Campbell Photo: Nicole Hamel

Jeanette and Linda Bokland

Interventional Radiology procedures performed in a

352.261.5502 | mitflorida.com | facebook.com/mitflorida

The Summit Medical Park | 769 Co Rd 466, Lady Lake, FL 32159

What is the Difference?

”If only I had found this place sooner!” “I truly felt like someone finally listened to me!”

These are phrases commonly expressed as patients exit the doors of Medical Imaging and Therapeutics. There is rarely a day without a happy, smiling face, and hardly a week without a thank you card or gift of treats for the staff. Today, I am inspired to write this message after two patients brought in delicious Puerto Rican food as a thank you to the doctor and one of his technologists. It speaks volumes of a physician when his patients go out of their way to express thanks.

Dr. Jacobson’s motivation to build MIT was prompted after many years of working in large, corporate-style medical practices and hospitals, where not only do the patients feel like they are one of many rushed through a busy and mundane system, but he himself felt like a “number” whose ideas and talents were regularly unappreciated, or simply dismissed. Often in these facilities, the doctors are pushed to increase the number of procedures they can do in a day, rather than spend time communicating with each patient they see. As a result, patients are left in the dark regarding treatment, and may leave the hospital feeling negatively about their visit and even their doctor.

This is unfortunately the case in many corporate practices, which are becoming so large they are overwhelmed by even themselves. Timid toward competition, they believe bigger is better. They become dysfunctional, with a central scheduling location that is separate from the practice, often in another town. Patients get lost in the system because the

doctors are usually lost in it as well; the Trickle Down effect.

What is happening to the solo practitioners, the smaller practices? What is happening to quality in medicine? With mergers and acquisitions, and a “bigger is better” mentality, the patients are the ones who suffer most. At MIT, the patient is often amazed a person answers the phone - someone ready to help them immediately. There is no automated system where you are told “press 1 for this and 2 for that” or to leave a message no one may hear. Patients appreciate when the front desk staff know their names after a few visits, and when they actually see the doctor, who shows them a sense of humor and a genuine interest in not only their illnesses but their lifestyles too. In Dr. Jacobson’s experience, oftentimes the missing piece of the puzzle to a diagnosis is hidden within a patient’s story. Listening about what they do at home or at their job gives him clues to help understand their anguish and pain. Family and friends are encouraged to attend consults. Dr. Jacobson asks a lot of questions, and there is a good reason why: he genuinely cares.

At MIT, imaging isn’t just about going in for a scan that might be read by a radiologist in another city, state or even country. As a center for interventional radiology, a critical finding on a scan can often result in a necessary procedure which can also be done at MIT. For example, if you have fluid in your lungs or abdomen seen on Xray, CT or ultrasound, it can be drained using image guidance. If you have a tumor in an organ, it can be biopsied using image guidance. If your MRI shows you have a spine fracture, it can be repaired. If your MRA shows blocked arteries in your legs, you can have

your angioplasty done by an expert. The list of procedures is endless!

Interventional Radiologists such as Dr. Jacobson have the training and skills required for numerous healing therapies. His expertise have made him a choice physician to train Resident and Fellow interventional radiologists from the University of Florida. His Fellow physicians enjoy and appreciate the experience and advice they can take with them as they are prepared to practice on their own.

The next time your doctor recommends an imaging study, ask them to refer you to Medical Imaging and Therapeutics. Since opening in Lady Lake five years ago, MIT has become the preferred provider for diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, and has received tens of thousands of referrals from hundreds of doctors confident in MIT’s ability to take optimal care to their patients.

ABOUT DR. MARK JACOBSON →

Dr. Jacobson hasperformed nearly 1000

“go-to provider” for this procedure, not only because of the number of procedures performed and numerous happy patients, but also because of his participation in the research of radio-frequency ablation of cancerous spine tumors. Local, as well as out of town physicians entrust Medical Imaging & Therapeutics for treatment of their patients’

of Florida College of Medicine as an Interventional Radiology training center for physicians in the interventional radiology residency and fellowship program.

When A Mammogram is Not Enough

Do you know whether you have dense breasts? Dense breasts and tumors look similar on a mammogram, so further screening like ultrasound or a breast MRI may be needed. Talk to your doctor.

Not Just Lumps: Know Your Breast Cancer Symptoms

“I found a lump in my breast.” This is the best-known symptom, but breast cancer can exhibit other signs as well. Some may be due to other, benign causes, but see your doctor if these signs do not go away or if they get bigger or worse:

1. A thickening inside your breast or in your breast skin.

2. A dimple or indentation in your breast.

3. A crust on your nipple.

4. Redness, swelling, or heat in your breast that doesn’t go away with antibiotics.

5. Nipple discharge not associated with developing breasts, infection, cysts, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.

6. Skin sores developing on your breast, usually associated with a hard lump.

What is Stage 0?

Stage 0 is also called ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS and is considered pre-cancerous. In DCIS cancer cells are restricted to the breast ducts. But if not treated, those cancer cells can spread beyond the ducts and become invasive breast cancer.

7. A bump on the breast. (These can also be benign lumps or cysts.)

inward.

9. Newly appearing blood vessels or veins on the breast or near the collarbone (if not connected to weight gain, breastfeeding, or Mondor’s disease).

swelling, or drooping, not due to breastfeeding or menstruation.

11. Your breast looks like the dimpled skin of an orange (called “peau d’orange”) and might change color. This is a sign of

12. A hard, immovable lump deep in your breast is the most common breast cancer symptom, though it may also be a cyst. See your doctor if any of these signs persist or if you are concerned.

Not For Women Only

Men can get breast cancer, too, although the condition is rare. A man’s lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 833.

Can makeyou radiation safer? Yes!

Radiation for a tumor in the left breast can also affect the heart and lung, but techniques exist to decrease that risk.

The deep inspiration breath hold involves taking and holding a deep breath during treatment. This moves the chest wall and breast tissue away from the heart.

Another technique, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), divides the breast and

tailored radiation dose that sends the best treatment where it’s needed, while protecting normal tissues.

Ask your radiation oncologist whether treatment needs.

by the numbers

1in 8

The chance a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.

90 percent

The average 5-year survival rate for people with breast cancer.

Starving Cancer

favorite “foods,” so treatment includes starving them. Most breast cancers (73%) are positive for hormone receptors (HR) and negative for human epidermal growth

Cancers with no receptors have the worst prognosis and occur in 13% of cases. Ten percent contain all receptors, while

women and I enjoy working with them. We have also humor with our meetings and that is very important, to be able to laugh and leave a meeting laughing and not crying.”

3.1 million

Breast cancer survivors in the United States.

5 percent

Women breast cancer patients diagnosed as metastatic from the start.

Bonard,

Patient-centered radiation oncology close

to home

The Villages 352.259.2200

Ocala 352.732.0277

Timber Ridge 352.861.2400

Inverness 352.726.3400

Lecanto 352.527.0106

RBOI.com

Like us on Facebook

— Judy

Breast Cancer Survivor and Support Group Leader

Alcohol is more than just a lubricant for socialization. Sometimes, it serves as a magic potion to help boost entrepreneurial spirit and formulate innovative business ideas.

That’s what Doug and Kendra Akers discovered on a warm summer night in 2008 when they conceived the idea of Healthy Living.

While sitting on their porch and sipping a few glasses of wine, they brainstormed ideas about starting a magazine rooted in health that would be unlike anything the area has ever seen.

In their minds, a health magazine that offered practical advice

for people of all ages would be extremely beneficial. However, they dreamed of something bigger than the typical run-of-the-mill health publication that offers only recipes and fitness tips. The couple wanted their publication to focus on the four pillars of health—body, mind, spirit, and finance—to help readers achieve a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle.

In October 2008, their dream became a reality with the launch of Healthy Living magazine. A decade later, the magazine continues to fulfill its original goal of helping lead people on a journey to better health.

“I have people tell me that articles we have published in Healthy Living have literally changed their lives,” Kendra says. “I have had many people approach me and tell me they love

Story: James Combs

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

Healthy Living is undoubtedly one of the area’s most widely read magazines. At the beginning of each month, faithful readers anticipate the arrival of a new issue, which can be found at local restaurants, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and businesses.

We asked four of those readers to share their opinion of Healthy Living, and they were kind enough to respond by email.

reading

Living for several reasons. Of course, the subject matter has been very informative, and there are more articles than advertisements. However, it is

than the content. The

Healthy Living because it is so inspiring and because it covers real-life issues.”

The magazine has undergone changes over the past 10 years. There have been redesigns, editorial content tweaks, and new editors, staff writers, and designers. But one thing remains the same: the magazine delivers highquality, credible health information.

“We have helped shed light on important issues such as obesity, foster care and adoption, health-care laws, medical breakthroughs, addiction, bullying, eating disorders, parenting, and relationships,” Kendra says. “It is truly a magazine for everyone.”

In this special anniversary story, Healthy Living celebrates a decade of health and wellness by looking back at some of the publication’s successes and memorable stories.

And here’s a big toast to Doug and Kendra because, like a fine wine, their publication continues to get better with age.

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

One of Healthy Living’s most popular columns was S’motherhood, where former staff writer Tiffany Roach provided a hilarious yet realistic insight into the triumphs and struggles of raising four children—three of whom are triplets. We learned about the “booby-holders” her boys wanted to buy her for Valentine’s Day, a fun-filled day at the bowling alley, and the monumental task of settling her children down while trying to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Tiffany recently reflected on her column in an email.

“You know the look a 3-year-old gives you right before he pukes all over your upholstered couch? That was me, writing S’motherhood seven years ago. For one thing, I had four kids ages 2 and under and I pretty much lived with that same look of thinly contained panic. And for another, S’motherhood grew before the spew of Mommy-Bloggers, hipster InstagramMoms, and tweeting celebrities were hurling their wisdom and insight onto the internet. Before moms were reading parenting articles on apps, they were reading S’motherhood in Healthy Living

I know this because moms in the produce aisle at the grocery would sidle up to me and grandmothers from The Villages would email me. We’d meet for coffee. They read S’motherhood and they knew it: last week, 10 years ago, 40 years ago, their boys, their daughters had done the same thing—tales of twins and mischief, stories of surviving potty training, hand-foot and mouth, and airport bathrooms. They’d confess they’d blown it; they’d locked themselves in the bathroom with chocolate cake, too. And then they’d sigh and tell me it went fast. They’d tell me to hang in there. I was going to make it. The kids would make it. And they were right.”

“Over the years, I have enjoyed

Healthy

more

writers have been diversified. The layout has been important for eye-catching and appealing allure. Thank you so much for being in Lake County. I look forward to many more years of reading your magazine.”

—Michele LaFever, Fruitland Park

Illustration of Tiffany Roach by Josh Clark

FAMILIAR FACES

Throughout the years, Healthy Living has interviewed nationally known celebrities, health enthusiasts, and sports

Jen Hendershott, a professional fitness competitor—JULY 2009.

Guy Fieri, a restaurateur and Emmy Award-winning television personality—AUGUST 2009.

Danny Wuerffel, former quarterback of the Florida Gators and New Orleans Saints—SEPTEMBER 2009.

Max Wettstein, a Leesburg native and national fitness model—JUNE 2010.

Jillian Michaels, a personal trainer, author, and television personality—JULY 2010.

Tyson Gay, an American Olympian who competes in track and field—AUGUST 2010.

Brandon Meriweather football player for the

Miami Hurricanes and New England Patriots—SEPTEMBER 2010.

Pam Tebow, a motivational speaker and mother of former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow—NOVEMBER 2010.

Curtis Stone, an Australian celebrity chef and television personality— FEBRUARY 2011.

Erin Stern, a fitness model and bodybuilder who holds two Figure Olympia titles—JULY 2011.

Nick Vujicic, an Australian motivational speaker who was born without arms and legs—NOVEMBER 2011.

Chris Powell, a personal trainer who formerly appeared on the ABC show “Extreme Weight Loss”—JUNE 2015.

Jennifer Lopez, actress, singer, and dancer—JULY 2015.

Dr. Drew Pinsky, a celebrity doctor and addiction medicine specialist— NOVEMBER 2015.

ChrisPowell

Dr.DrewPinsky

Jennifer Lopez

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS

Since 2009, Healthy Living has won dozens of writing, design, and photography awards at the Florida Magazine Association’s annual Charlie Awards, which recognize publishing excellence throughout Florida. Most importantly, the publication has placed in the prestigious category of “Best Overall Magazine” every year since 2010. Here’s a year-by-year list of those awards. The Charlie Award denotes

2009

Best Overall New Magazine—Charlie

Best Public Service Coverage— Charlie

Best Service Feature—Silver

Best Feature Headlines—Silver

Best Photo Illustration—Silver

2010

Best Overall Magazine—Charlie

Best Single Original Black-and-White Photo—Charlie

Best Service Feature—Charlie

Best Humor—Silver

Best Service Feature—Silver

Best In-Depth Reporting—Silver

Best Service Feature—Bronze

Best Feature Design—Bronze

2011

Best Overall Magazine—Silver

Best Humor—Charlie

Best Single Original Cover Photo—Charlie

Best Single Original Black-and-White Photo—Charlie

Best Cover—Charlie

Best Single Original Black-and-White Photo—Bronze

2012

Best Overall Magazine—Bronze

Best Cover—Charlie

Best Humor—Charlie

Best Photo Illustration—Charlie

Best Humor—Silver

Best In-House Ad for Outside Client—Silver

Best Photo Illustration—Bronze

Best Overall Design—Bronze

Best Feature Design—Bronze Design Excellence—Bronze

2013

Best Overall Magazine—Charlie

Best Use of Typography—Charlie

Best Cover—Charlie

Best Overall Design—Charlie

Best Humor—Charlie

Best Illustration—Charlie

Best Feature Headlines—Silver

2014

Best Overall Magazine—Silver

Best Table of Contents—Charlie

Best Feature Design—Charlie

Best Cover—Charlie

Best Photo Illustration—Charlie

Best Photo Illustration—Bronze

2015

Best Overall Magazine—Charlie

Best Feature Headlines—Charlie

“I am an avid reader of our hometown magazine! Healthy Living holds a special place in my heart. My daughter, Katie, has been featured a few times over the years as she has battled Type 1 diabetes since the tender age of 3. I’m excited about the latest article that appeared in the September issue about Katie’s new diabetic alert dog. I love each and every issue and look forward to each new copy that hits the stands. My friend Tim McRae, an employee at Akers Media Group, usually drops off my very own personal copy when he makes his rounds at First Academy (a Leesburg school). That’s hometown service from our hometown magazine!”

Best Feature—Charlie

Best Column—Silver

Best Photo Illustration—Silver

2016

Best Overall Magazine—Silver

Best Single Feature Photograph—Silver

Best Feature—Silver

Best Single Feature Photograph—Silver

Best Client Ad—Silver

2017

Best Overall Magazine—Silver

2018

Best Overall Magazine—Silver

Best Public Service Coverage—Charlie

Best Redesign—Silver

LOOKIN’ AT LORI

Lori Esarey has been an instrumental part of

on nutrition and weight loss.

you eat, and why having accountability partners is and passion have proved

over the holidays, the importance of logging everything

Joy Cowham, Tavares

Photos: Lori Esarey by Nicole Hamel

—Compiled by James Combs and Shaena Chastain

WEIGHING IN ON B.E.

In July 2011, Healthy Living revealed the weight-loss efforts of B.E. Thompson. In two short years, he went from weighing 540 pounds to 220 pounds. Our magazine provided monthly updates so readers could follow his progress.

More than anything else, his amazing weight loss helped him discover that the simple things in life make him the happiest: fitting into his favorite clothes, attending social functions without worrying he’ll break a chair, and taking walks without becoming excessively fatigued or winded.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that diet and exercise will always have to be part of my life,” the Eustis resident said in a 2011 interview with Healthy Living. “It’s not something I can do then entirely shut off. Also, I don’t want to let myself down and I certainly don’t want to disappoint my friends and family members who have been so supportive. I’m personally responsible for every decision I make.”

After all, he no longer craves calorie-filled food; he craves a healthy lifestyle.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In 2015, Healthy Living ran a series on foster care titled, “It Takes a Village.” Writer Mary Ann DeSantis provided a thorough and detailed look into the challenges, legal issues, and opportunities of foster care. She also interviewed numerous foster care families and learned how being a foster parent has enriched their lives.

The series was a hit. So much so that in June 2015, Kids Central Inc. reported there were 197 licensed foster care homes in Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit, up from 185 in December 2014.

In a June 2015 email to Mary Ann, Rosey Moreno-Jones, foster parent recruiter for Kids Central, wrote: “’We are fast closing in on 200 homes, which we have never hit before. That will be a record for us and the Circuit.”

“The 10th anniversary of Healthy Living is a cause for celebration. Each month, the articles and features articulate diverse points of view on a variety of topics, highlight people who share their personal struggles and successes, and puts forth ideas for living a healthy lifestyle. The articles about health and nutrition are an encouragement, and I often find myself trying something new as a result. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this magazine something our

community can be proud of and for giving us something we look forward to perusing each month!”

—Greg Frescoln, Fruitland Park

Photo: B.E. Thompson by Fred Lopez

WHERE IS HE NOW?

Of the thousands of stories that have appeared in Healthy Living throughout the years, one that received considerable attention was the December 2015 feature on Jaxon Buell.

Born in 2014 with microhydranencephaly, a rare abnormality of the brain that leads to profound developmental delay and severe intellectual disability, Jaxon was expected to die in the womb or shortly after birth. As a result, doctors advised his parents, Brandon and Brittany Buell, to strongly consider abortion.

Instead, they gave their son a fighting chance, and their miraculous boy has seized the opportunity by fighting back every day of his life.

Jaxon, who was born in Lake County and now lives in North Carolina with his mother, turned 4 in August. He’s no longer the small infant you may remember from a few years ago. The boy, who was born weighing 4 pounds and measuring 15 inches, is now 20 pounds and 28 inches long.

In a phone interview with Brandon, Healthy Living learned that Jaxon continues to reach milestones.

JAXON STRONG

Plus SPECIAL BLESSINGS

SWEET SUCCESS

“His motor skills have improved a lot in the past year,” says Brandon, of Mount Dora. “He can now reach for and grip toys. One night, Brittany went to check on Jaxon after she had put him to bed. She found him hugging a stuffed animal that he was able to maneuver to his body.”

Jaxon also is able to communicate more effectively, referring to Brandon as “Addy” and Brittany as “Mama.” And there were those touching words he recently said to Brittany that would melt any mother’s heart: “I love you.”

“He has learned enough that he can express himself,” Brandon says. “He laughs and smiles every day. In fact, he can smile on command.”

The young boy has become quite the swimmer. Whenever his parents put him in a pool or bathtub, he automatically starts “kicking like crazy.”

“He gets angry when we take him out of the water because he loves it so much,” Brandon says.

To this day, Jaxon’s story continues to inspire countless people, especially other parents of children born with neurological defects. Brandon is more than happy to share Jaxon’s story at prolife conventions and pregnancy resource clinic galas throughout the country.

“When Jaxon was born, not one person gave him any hope of living,” he says. “But because we’ve shared his story, we’ve been contacted by people around the country who tell us they have hope due to Jaxon. His is a positive story in what can be a dark and scary world. You cannot put a price tag or value on that. Jaxon is a true example that every life has value.”

Indeed, big miracles sometimes come in small packages.

Photos: Healthy Living cover photo of Jaxon Buell by Fred Lopez

Jaxon Buell

The local boy inspiring people around the world!

There’s joy in raising children with disabilities

A local bakery employs autistic adults

ASK THE

WHAT IS IT INTO IT FOR MY OWN USE?

CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a chemical naturally found in marijuana plants. Although it comes from marijuana plants, it does not create a “high” effect or any form of intoxication because it does not contain THC. Users feel more of a calm, relaxing sensation.

As a chiropractor, I was skeptical at first until I witnessed the oil’s positive effects. First, my dog was diagnosed with cancer and not supposed to live past the weekend. I gave my dog CBD oil, and she looked comfortable and relaxed. She lived another two months. I decided to take some when my wife was pregnant because I was stressed and couldn’t sleep. Suddenly, I began sleeping much better and woke up without feeling any hip or knee pain, which was a regular occurrence.

That’s when I started selling CBD oil at my

chiropractic practice. Patients have received excellent results. One, in particular, was a guy who was visiting from out of town. He came in one morning bent over in pain. I adjusted him and had him try a bottle of CBD oil. He went home, slept for three hours, and came back that afternoon standing up straight.

One of the greatest benefits about CBD oil is that it has an antiinflammatory effect on the entire body. That’s important because inflammation is the driver of many bad things that happen in the body. CBD oil can also relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety, assist with better sleep, and help with neurological disorders such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.

Patients who come into my practice can purchase

single doses of CBD oil or bottles. I always tell them to start with a low dosage and work their way up gradually. My patients are enjoying outstanding results, and I wouldn’t sell the product if I didn’t think it would work or benefit them.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

No prescription or medical card needed to purchase our

ARE ANNUITIES A SMART IDEA FOR YOUR RETIREMENT

If you’re looking for protection of principal, a modest return, and guaranteed “pension-like” income during retirement, then yes, an annuity can be a smart idea.

An annuity, in its simplest form, is a lump sum of money that provides income. During retirement, basically every investment you have is an “annuity.” Each account is a lump sum of money that will ultimately be distributed (income) to someone. A “true” annuity offered by a life insurance company adds additional guarantees to your objective and time horizon. For example, principal protection guarantee, interest guarantee, income guarantee, and/or death t guarantee.

Liz Cornell, CAS®

Annuities are insurance products designed to insure against the risk of outliving your money, known as “longevity risk.” Outliving retirement savings is now one of the biggest concerns retirees face. Protecting your income is an important piece of your retirement and having an annuity can

add considerable value to your overall plan. The key to retirement is getting your fixed income in place to live comfortably. That’s exactly what annuities do best.

The advantages of annuities can include taxdeferred growth, guaranteed income, better interest opportunities than CD’s, and princi¬pal protection. Many people believe having an annuity means you can’t touch your money. Not so! That is the oppo¬site of what they are designed to do. The products have changed a great deal during the last 20 years. They are more flexible than before and provide an amazing number of choices for earnings potential and withdrawal options.

But you don’t want to purchase just any annuity! There are different types of annuities offered by multiple carriers each with a variety of products. Accordingly, it’s important to work with someone who specializes in annuities. I’ve built my career educating people on how annuity products work, and I’m

a Certified Annuities Specialist©. I have been doing this for 13 years, and I know the products up, down, backwards, and sideways. FOR MORE INFORMATION

TB Financial Group specializes in:

Ladies,

do you feel like your spinning your wheels doing everything you can to feel your best and lose body fat yet not achieving your desired results? Are you ready to be “well”, to look, feel and function your very best? Personalized nutritional programs are the best prescription to get yourself on track to be the WELL WOMAN you desire and deserve to be. The team at Total Nutrition and Therapeutics are ready to help you.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF BEING A WELL WOMAN?

Many of the women who come to Total Nutrition and Therapeutics come because they are tired of not feeling their best. Whatever the reason—weight gain, hormonal imbalance, or a disease state—they are not happy with how they feel and look. This unhappiness affects not just their self-esteem, but more importantly their relationships with those around them. We take a full-body approach at TNT and concentrate on the five pillars of women’s health: mindset, nutrition (the benchmark for living well), detox, exercise, and hormone balance. Once your nutritional foundation is balanced, other aspects of your life will start to become balanced. When you feel good, your posture is different, your relationships are different, your productivity is different, and your attitude is different. You radiate positive energy wherever you go.

WHAT FACTORS PROVIDE THE GREATEST IMPACT FOR BEING WELL?

There are so many factors that affect a woman’s wellness. It all starts with your attitude and mindset. If you want it, you can have it but it starts with deciding that you want to be well. The second step is learning to fuel your body properly. To start, you must reduce sugar, eliminate processed food, eat clean and lean protein with a wide variety of nonstarchy vegetables, and incorporate healthy fat into your diet. Moving your body routinely and working to reduce toxic exposures in your environment are critical to feeling good. Yet many times you do these things and fail to achieve the result, grow frustrated, become sidetracked, and give up. Our positive mindset changes into a negative one and your efforts likely stop, leading to guilt, sadness and a sense of failure. Stop the madness and consider a new approach with a 11 year proven track record of success. Instead of guessing what you need, test. Living and feeling well long term starts with a personalized analysis of you: a thorough history, blood work, stool, dna, food intolerance and hormone

testing providing the necessary data to set up your individualized plan to live and be well. Then, learn how to carry it out every day despite your busy schedule. A well woman, feels good, looks good, and has abundant energy and a healthy hormonally balanced glow. It’s possible if you want it. Check out our testimonials at tnt4me.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more contact Total Nutrition and Theraputics at 352.259.5190 or visit TNT4ME.com.

Lori Esarey, ARNP Lori Esarey is the owner of Total Nutrition and Therapeutics and has a masters degree in nutritional medicine.

WHEN

SHOULD I GO TO URGENT CARE INSTEAD OF THE EMERGENCY

That’s a complex question. A patient should go to urgent care for any non-lifethreatening emergencies. Typically, we have a triage system called the emergency severity index (ESI). So ESI level 1 and 2 patients are emergencies, the type of patients that absolutely have to be seen in an emergency room, with cases like motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, stabbings, heart attacks. But most of the time, patients are going to know symptoms and not conditions, so that’s really important to differentiate. The ESI levels 3, 4, and 5 typically can be seen in an urgent care center. Those are patients who usually either go home after treatment or possibly go to the hospital.

Urgent care situations would be simple lacerations, sprains, strains, the common u, bronchitis, acute asthma attacks, asthma exacerbations, or COPD exacerbations. A typical patient that would go to the emergency room would be somebody experiencing chest pain, loss of consciousness, or

something called a sinkable event, like passing out; any patient with loss of limb or loss of eyesight obviously needs to be in ER and also, generally speaking, anything that’s going to require extra resources.

It’s safe to say, after almost 20 years spent in the emergency room, that 80 to 90 percent of the patients we see in the emergency room can be seen in urgent care. People show up in ER that don’t have emergencies and people show up in urgent care that should be in ER. Most ERs are bogged down with ESI levels 3, 4, and 5, and actually are seeing 10 to 20 percent of patients with true emergencies. Most urgent care centers don’t use that ESI triage system, but it’s something we do immediately in our urgent care centers.

The urgent care center also has to have the right physician there. A lot of urgent care centers are staffed with traditional family practitioners who don’t have a lot of ER experience. Our model

includes both a family practice physician and the ER physician to handle our urgent care patients, so we can recognize a true emergency from a non-emergency.

The initial concept of FHV Health founder David C. Lew, M.D. was to create an urgent care service line so we can take care of our own patients’ needs as well as others in the community. This service line is a way to provide full-scope continuity of care for our patients.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about FHV Health Urgent Care Division:

Leesburg

352.504.0220

27637 US HWY 27, Leesburg 9-7 Mon-Fri // 8-5 Sat-Sun

Lady Lake

352.350.5774

201 LaGrande Blvd, Lady Lake 9-7 Sun, Mon, Fri

fhvhealth.com

HOW DOES AN

Dr. Maen Hussein: Ascertaining which breast cancer patients do not have to undergo chemotherapy treatment is now a much better-defined process because of a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the study’s findings, almost 70 percent of women with early stage breast cancer and an intermediate risk of recurrence can now safely skip chemotherapy after their tumors have been surgically removed.

Over 10,000 patients in the clinical study received a genomic test that estimates the individual risk that cancer will recur. Known as gene expression testing, this assessment helps determine which breast cancer patients are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy following breast surgery.

Those with a high-risk score (above 25) were advised to have chemotherapy, along with hormone therapy, which is standard

treatment; those with a lowrisk score (0 to 10) would still need hormone therapy, but could forego chemo and avoid its sometimes harsh side effects.

Prior to this study, the group of patients with test results in the intermediate risk range (between 11 to 25) did not have a clear course of action with regard to chemotherapy; however, the results of the study found that, within the intermediate-risk group, all women over 50 whose tumors responded to hormone therapy and tested negative for the HER2 gene had no significant benefit by adding chemotherapy and could safely skip it. Chemo did offer some benefit for those 50 and younger who had a recurrence score between 16 and 25.

Florida Cancer Specialists is proud to have participated in this study. Its findings provide more certainty about which patients in the intermediate-risk group need chemotherapy and which do not. This is

just one example of the incredible benefit that clinical research brings to both current and future cancer patients.

While this new research is welcome news and an important advancement, the findings are still limited to a minority of breast cancer patients. Despite the excitement around this research, it’s important that patients recognize the complexity of breast cancer and seek advice from their oncologist to better understand whether their personal risk results will change their recommended treatment, given this new research.

The Heart Institute at Leesburg Regional Medical Center has provided superior care for residents of Lake and Sumter Counties for 20 years. This includes comprehensive, individualized care for each patient and expert attention for cardiac or vascular conditions.

Dr. Karen Thompson, a cardiothoracic surgeon with Leesburg Ocala Heart Institute and on the medical staff at Leesburg Regional Medical Center, is considered the area’s heart valve expert. “Part of my training was completed at Northwestern University in Chicago under Dr. Patrick McCarthy, a world-renowned mitral valve expert.”

Dr. Thompson graduated with honors from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998 and has more than 20 years of diverse experience, including extensive expertise in valve repair and replacement.

The heart has four valves that work hard to ensure that blood flows in the right direction. If any of these valves become diseased or damaged, blood might not leave the heart at a normal rate, or might flow backwards into the heart. The two that most often require a doctor’s attention are the aortic valve and mitral valve.

“Many patients come in with stenosis or regurgitation and we

CARDIOLOGY

need to determine the type of procedure needed to effectively treat their heart valve disease,” Dr. Thompson says. “Thankfully, there are many treatment options available to repair or replace valves that leak or have become weakened or narrowed.”

A heart-team approach—which includes the collaboration of a cardiologist, cardiac surgeon and anesthesiologist—is used to examine the disease comprehensively. “We study each patient’s overall health and activity level,” continues Dr. Thompson. “Images from cardiac catheterizations or echocardiograms are reviewed and a determination is made whether or not the patient needs an intervention.”

valve surgery, an incision is made in the sternum and the breastbone is divided to provide access to the heart. The surgeon then repairs or replaces the valve. The minimally-invasive procedure—though not an option for everyone—is performed with a much smaller incision. This translates into a shorter hospital stay and recovery period. In addition, the rise of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) over the last decade has offered promise as an option for those patients previously

considered unsuitable for surgical valve replacement.

The Heart Institute at Leesburg Regional Medical Center continues to lead the way in progressive heart and valve procedures. “We perform nearly 700 open heart surgeries every year,” concludes Dr. Thompson. “Our heart surgery program is robust and earns consistently excellent outcomes; I am honored to work with my team to deliver high-quality care in our community.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ARE WE RAISING OR ARE THEY RAISING US?

The is an important question, especially with the current influence technology wields in today’s society. Rev. Dr. Isaac Deas, mental health counselor and President/CEO of DEAS Consulting, LLC, has seen the consequences of a child spending too much time with electronics rather than people.

“It is an addiction and can be as difficult to break free from as a drug…In this age of computers and technology,” Deas says, “it is not uncommon for a child to spend seven to nine hours a day online and a mere fraction of that with their parents.”

Dr. Deas understands how hectic life can be for parents.

“Single parents and parents with two or more children can easily become overwhelmed by all it takes simply to put food on the table and keep the peace at home. The last thing they want to do is

fight with their children about time the kids spend on their phones. And the kids know this. They know if they keep pushing, eventually Mom or Dad will give in.

Still, the effort to limit time with electronics is needed.

“Parents who do make the effort, who limit phone use and put in the safeguards to monitor who and what their children see online may get frustrated because today’s kids can find ways around those safeguards. At the very least they’ll borrow their friends’ phones.”

When asked about warning signs, Dr. Deas says look for these signs. “If your child stays in their room a lot, has few friends, if they argue when it’s time to turn the phone off. Another sure sign you may have a problem? They refuse to show you their phone so you can see who they’ve been talking to.”

Can a problem this serious be fixed?

“Yes, it is fixable, but society as a whole needs to participate. That means schools need to limit phone use. Teachers need to take control. Parents need to regulate computers at home. You know that old adage: It takes a village to raise a child? It’s absolutely true.”

Dr. Deas says it’s vital for parents to impose consequences, stick to them, and be consistent.

“I have seen a lot in my 38 years of practice and I get up every day with this one thought: If I can change one person/one family at a time it’s worth it.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

WHAT IS THE VALUE IN SEEING A

Laura Pratesi is a Doctor of Audiology and the owner of Citrus Hearing Clinic in Clermont. Many people may be unsure of what a “Doctor of Audiology” does and to answer that question we asked Dr. Pratesi to explain.

“A Doctor of Audiology is someone who has undergone an intense four-year postgraduate degree program, with clinical duties a major part of their instruction. Ultimately, our job is to make sure patients receive the hearing and balance healthcare they need. We also coordinate with other healthcare professionals to be sure there are no underlying medical concerns that may be contributing to a hearing or balance problem. Contrary to what many believe, my job is not about selling hearing aids. My job is making sure, if a patient needs a hearing aid, they walk out with the right one.

“There are no ‘bad’ hearing aids, but I have seen a lot of bad programming. For instance, only about 55% of offices out there are doing actual ‘real-ear measurements.’ Real-ear measurement involves inserting a tiny microphone into a patient’s ear canal to know exactly how and what a patient is hearing—there is no other accurate way to check the prescription in a hearing aid. Of course, I want my patients to be comfortable with their hearing aid, for it

to look good, but mostly I want it to work.”

If we are to believe the ads we read and the commercials on TV, hearing loss, hearing aids, even tinnitus have become commonplace nowadays. We wanted to get a better feel for that and so we asked Dr. Pratesi what was going on.

“Hearing problems can be caused by so many factors. Sometimes it’s a physical cause; a birth defect, an ear infection, or a punctured eardrum. The big childhood diseases like chickenpox, mumps, or measles could be at fault. The problem can be sensorineural, in which the cochlea has been damaged, either from exposure to harmful noise levels or certain medications—there are over 300 medications that are toxic to our ears. Even aspirin can cause problems. The world we live in has made age-related hearing loss almost ubiquitous.”

Sounds like hearing problems are almost unavoidable.

“We can take steps to protect ourselves. Earplugs are a great place to start. Loud concerts, mowing the lawn, even your occupation can expose you to hazardous noise levels. Did you know hairdressers and dentists— because of the hair blowers and the drills—often have problems?

“Hearing is one of your five senses. Protect what

you have. If you suspect a problem, don’t wait. I tell everyone I know to get a baseline hearing test right now, whether they suspect a problem or not. That information will be incredibly valuable. It may discover a problem that’s just beginning. Or, at the least, provide a healthy snapshot should a problem ever arise in the future.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Dr. Laura Pratesi

One of the biggest concerns today is the escalating costs of health care. At Lakeview Internal Medicine, we have been designing ways to make the health-care system more efficient and doing certain procedures in our office to decrease the cost of health care. We can provide integrated care in one office without giving the patient the runaround. We have been slowly building up our specialist network, and it’s worked out well. Actually, patients love it. They feel that the care is more complete, and it has helped keep costs down for patients and for Medicare.

One of the biggest expenses of the Medicare dollar is visits to the hospital. At our offices, we have been giving intravenous uids to patients who have been having gastroenteritis or diarrhea, we have been giving them antibiotics for pneumonia, and we are treating wound infections in our offices instead of sending patients to the hospitals.

We have many specialists now so we can provide all this care under one roof, specialties such as doctors treating infectious disease; nephrologists, a kidney specialist; a rheumatologist for joints and muscles; endocrinologists for diabetes and all the glands; an ear, nose, and throat specialist;

and a cardiologist. Ultrasounds, blood tests, labs, echocardiograms, stress tests—they’re all done here in the office.

We also are able to prevent a lot of patients from winding up in the hospital unnecessarily, and specialists are not doing unnecessary tests on patients. And we are trying to keep abreast of the newest changes in the health-care technology arena.

Also, a multi-specialty group is better for patient care because all the records are in one place and it is easy access for the specialists and it is easy to follow for the patients. The patients are very happy because they don’t have to keep asking for their records, and our practice doesn’t have to make multiple records requests from other specialist offices.

This is the era of medicine we are entering, where we can provide comprehensive care, better care, and the most cost-effective level of care.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

HOW DOES A MULTI-SPECIALTY GROUP KEEP COSTS DOWN WHILE NOT COMPROMISING THE QUALITY

If you are a pet owner, it probably seems like yesterday when you brought that adorable kitten or puppy home. You remember it running around the yard with endless energy, exploring its new surroundings. Unfortunately, there will come a time when your furry friends slow down.

It happens to them like it happens to us. When we age, our health care needs change considerably because we’re more prone to developing health conditions that may negatively affect our quality of life.

Same with pets. If you want to ensure that your beloved dog or cat lives a longer, happier life, it must receive adequate care during its golden years.

Fortunately, Dr. Cara Erwin-Oliver of Belleview Veterinary Hospital has extensive experience when it comes to caring for geriatric pets and she is a strong believer in preventive pet health care.

“Pet care is always important, but that is especially true during a pet’s older years,” says Dr.

Erwin-Oliver, who has worked at the family-owned practice for 13 years. “Dogs become geriatric patients at approximately age 8, cats around age 9. When an older dog or cat does not feel well, pet owners sometimes chalk it up to old age. But age is not a disease. There is a reason your pet doesn’t feel good. So, let’s fix it. It is always better to prevent a problem from occurring or treat it early rather than wait.”

The doctor recommends yearly blood profiles of geriatric pets to monitor organ functions. She looks at liver enzymes, kidney enzymes, blood cell counts, glucose levels, thyroid levels, and electrolytes. Doing this helps her detect numerous diseases in their early stages such as diabetes, kidney disease, blood disorders, liver disease, thyroid disorders, and Cushing’s disease, to name a few.

“Problems start at a cellular level. Detecting these diseases early is important because we can combat many of them with proper nutrition and nutritional supplements.

Diabetes is a good example. If a dog or cat has slightly elevated glucose, we may be able to regulate it by diet alone. If that doesn’t work, we have the option to treat medically.”

Besides blood profiles, Dr. Erwin-Oliver also conducts a thorough exam of the patient, including auscultation of the heart and lungs. She performs parasite screenings to detect intestinal parasites—a major problem in Florida. She uses urinalysis to detect kidney disease, diabetes and UTI’s.

Belleview Veterinary Hospital was founded in 1993. Today, Dr. Rick Erwin and his daughter Dr. Cara Erwin-Oliver have a thriving practice located at 10725 SE 36th Avenue. FOR

Dr. Cara Erwin-Oliver

WHAT IS A FUSION BIOPSY?

We asked Edward D. King, MD, vice president of Ocala’s Advanced Urology Institute about this state-of-the-art new treatment for prostate patients.

Dr. King says, “Transrectal ultrasound—MRI prostate fusion biopsy is the new standard of care for the detection of prostate cancer.

The only definitive diagnosis comes from biopsy, and these only work if cancer cells are detected. Until now, traditional approaches were notoriously hit or miss.

A PSA blood test as well as a digital rectal exam performed by a patient’s personal physician, feeling for any obvious prostate abnormalities such as areas if induration or nodularity are the first tests.

The Prostate-Specific Antigen is a protein produced by both healthy and malignant prostate glands and measures the amount of that protein in the blood. A PSA of 4.0 or less is considered “normal.” Test results above 4.0 may indicate prostate cancer. But even that can be inconclusive. Fully 10 percent of patients who present with prostate cancer have normal-ranged PSAs readings.

Next, using a transrectal ultrasound probe for guidance, a biopsy needle is inserted into the prostate and biopsies performed in a systematic pattern with the hope that tissue samples provide answers. Unfortunately, 15 to 20 percent of the areas of cancer can be missed.

Enter fusion biopsy.

This cutting-edge technique combines the superior image results of a high-definition multi-parametric MRI—with real-time

ultrasound images allowing for visualization of areas suspicious for cancer which would otherwise be invisible on ultrasound alone.

Sophisticated software in a machine called a UroNav by Invivo overlays the super-detailed MRI images, fuses them, with ultrasound images obtained from a trans-rectal probe administered in an outpatient setting. The result allows an examining physician to guide biopsy needles with pinpoint accuracy to access any suspicious areas or lesions revealed by MRI.

One reason it is not offered by most urology practices is cost. But the benefits—the higher detection rate of prostate cancers, lower incidence of repeat biopsies, superior accuracy— are fast making it the gold standard for the detection and monitoring of prostate cancer.

Dr. King recommends patients with prostate concerns consult a urologist immediately.

If a biopsy is in order, find a clinic with a high-definition MRI and physicians skilled in fusion biopsy along with a radiologist experienced in multi-parametric MRI prostate imaging.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Edward D. King, MD

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

WHAT IS

Functional medicine focuses on the cause of diseases rather than isolating on a set of symptoms. I view the body as a whole, taking into account nutritional, lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors. Through active doctor-patient communication and an education-based approach, I give patients an opportunity to take control of their health. This is an evolution in health care, shifting the disease-centered focus of a practice to a more patientcentered approach. I don’t really treat a disease; I look at the underlying causes and work on mending the

causes. On the initial exam, I spend an hour with a patient. And prior to the patient coming in for the first visit, I send them out for bloodwork, have them answer a symptom survey that they can complete online at home, and fill out a seven-day food log. I have all this information ahead of time. When they come in, we weigh them, perform a body-fat analysis, calculate their body-mass index, and take their blood pressure. We have to know where patients are starting to get them to where they want to go as far as health. Using all that information, I create

an individualized protocol for each patient focusing on exercise, nutrition, lifestyle factors, and digestive health. At my practice, we do not use any medications, drugs, or injections. We create a partnership with each patient, and the goal of that partnership is to bring patients back to health by identifying what lifestyle factors we can change based on their unique circumstances. An individualized approach is important because every patient has a unique set of genetics and biochemistry.

I have been a chiropractic physician for 25 years and am a certified functional medical practitioner. I’m also an athlete who has competed in powerlifting, bodybuilding, and cycling. I know what the body needs to perform at an optimal level. I teach quarterly classes at my practice, which includes a 10-day BloodSugar program for patients addicted to sugar, a 10-day ammation program, or a 10-day Detox Balance program. In January I teach a 21-day Purification program using whole foods with supplementation to support patients during the lifestyle-changing process of weight management and creating a new normal for the new year.

After the initial consultation, depending on the patient, I’ll see him or her in 30 days or sometimes once a week if they need extra care, support and accountability. However, they have my email should any questions or concerns arise. I’m an early bird, so if they send me an email in the evening they’ll have an answer first thing in the morning.

Blephar-o-plasty

Rhyt-i-dec-to-my

(G REEK : RHYTIS , “ WRINKLE ” + EKTOME , “ EXCISION ”)

Trust Your Look To The Experts In Procedures Of The Face And Neck

Kindra Mittenmeyer Medical Aesthetics & Lead Aesthetician

Dino Madonna, MD

Christa Tibbals Medical Aesthetics Coordinator & RN

From farm

to table

The personal touch at Bountiful Farms makes a difference for customers.

Story: Leigh Neely

Bountiful Farms in Okahumpka is a place where you can buy organic farm vegetables, honey on tap, and tinctures made with the pure, organic items. In addition to these items, there are handmade skin creams, salves, and soap made from goat milk in cooler seasons.

Bountiful Farms owners Jessica and Gareth Gentry were chefs before they decided they wanted to grow safe, healthy food and help people understand how food can be the medication a body needs for wholesome healing.

Plantation resident Fran Gawlinski visits the store weekly for fresh vegetables, herbs, and eggs. “I love this place,” Fran says. “It’s organic, it’s fresh, and you can’t do any better than what I get here, and I’m less than a mile from home.”

The farm in Okahumpka belonged to Gareth’s grandfather, and the family now lives in his former home. The couple, along with Jessica’s sister, Ginny Feathers, and employee Chad Cook are working year-round to keep local community-supported agriculture members, residents, and restaurants in fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs. “Our concept is everybody wants really good, homegrown, home-cooked food,” Jessica says.

Farming is personal to Gareth and Jessica. A van pulls into the parking lot, and Gareth immediately heads over to help the customer. Knowing the woman was one of their cancer customers who would need help getting out of the van, he helped her into the store.

“Customer service is our number one thing here,” Jessica says. “We bring customers here, have them sit down if they need to, and I go around and get what they want. Sometimes I go gather

it, bring it in, and wash it for them to take home.”

Helping people suffering from cancer is one of the pillars of the farm.

“They come to us and tell us what’s wrong, and we grow foods especially for them,” Jessica says. “We get close to them and know them by name. Customers will call me to let me know they can’t come in because they’re sick or whatever. They know I’ll miss them.”

The farm constantly produces from September until June. July and August are the months when they till and replenish the land to begin growing again. While digging and tilling around the farm, Jessica says they have found arrowheads, pots, kettles, a sabertooth tiger tooth, a Mako shark tooth,

and pieces of railroad material. And, of course, after the digging comes the planting.

“We have over 15,000 seedlings in the greenhouses ready to go at any time,”

Jessica says. “We grow over 120 varieties of produce, so when our varieties start coming in, we’ll have anywhere from 30 to 50 types of foods to choose from here on any given day. We do it on the square-foot gardening technique, so every square foot is taken up with food. There’s very little space to walk and no

“It’s organic, it’s fresh, and you can’t do any better than what I get here, and I’m less than a mile from home.”

— FRAN GAWLINSKI

Photos: Fred Lopez

room for tractors. We pull weeds and we use a scrapper hoe.”

Everything on the farm is done by hand. All seeds are planted by hand, transplanted by hand, and taken care of by hand. There are no pesticides.

“Our security is in succession planting,” Jessica says. “If one crop is going down, it’s OK. We’ll do our best to hand-control pests and things like that, but if it’s going down, we let it go. We’ve got another one behind it.”

The one thing the two farmers do is bring in beneficial insects such as lady bugs and praying mantis.

“We bring in 30,000 to

50,000 lady bugs a year, and they help take care of anything that’s in a nymph stage, anything in a pupal stage by eating them,” she says.

The praying mantis eat the adult bugs—beetles, caterpillars, and pests like that.

There’s also a lot of history attached to what the farmers do. Bountiful Farms grows Cherokee purple tomatoes, which are one of the oldest varieties in history.

“The Cherokee Indians grew those, and they’re a reddish, purplish color. We also have heirloom Brandywine and cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers, and we added Roma tomatoes to accommodate restaurant orders,” Jessica says.

These Cherokee purple tomatoes grow well in humidity because they’re originally from the Tennessee River Valley, a very humid area according to National Public Radio’s “The Salt,” a blog which researches food history and culture.

In addition to the vegetables, the Gentrys grow blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, depending on the season. “It’s all weather permitting. We planned on growing through the past summer, but everything just drowned in June,” Jessica says.

“There was just too much rain.” Bountiful Farms also has 300 “spoiled rotten” chickens. They eat well from the garden leftovers and are given an organic layer mash. Fresh eggs are available in the store every day.

“We have a 3,000-squarefoot chicken coop for them that we built two years ago,” Jessica says. “We used to have them free-range around the farm, but we kept losing them to predators. We had to build

a giant squirrel cage around their laying place just to keep them safe.”

The hawks discovered the chickens, and then a coyote pack ran through the brood. There obviously was a need for protection so now the chickens have plenty of safe “free range” space.

The big project at the farm now is the planning and work for an on-site restaurant with courtyard dining and literally farm-to-table food served fresh daily. The restaurant will be located under a centuries-old oak tree that offers

Photos: Fred Lopez, Jessica Gentry

photo by Nicole Hamel

Jessica Gentry

a wide circle of shade where diners can enjoy their meals. Roots of the massive tree will be exposed to show everyone just what it takes for such a massive plant to grow.

“We’re going to landscape with plants for hummingbirds and butterflies so people will feel like they’re at home on their farm enjoying a meal,” Jessica says.

In addition, community-supported agriculture memberships are available. People buy shares of the farm, guaranteeing them a weekly “bounty” of vegetables.

“It’s basically a guarantee you’re going to get our crops. No one gets their produce until the members have theirs. We are shooting for 125 members this year,” Jessica says. “I also do three farmer’s markets in season at Spanish Springs, Brownwood (The Villages town squares), and in Mount Dora. For the first time this year, we’re going to hire employees to help us because of the restaurant.”

— JESSICA

“Eventually, we’d like to get into having families come out with their children, go out and pick their food, bring it in, and we’ll cook it. It’s going to be an evolution of the restaurant to get families involved in farming and know what it is.”

Herbs are grown near the store on the farm and offered free to produce customers. In addition to all this, Ginny, Jessica’s sister, is a beekeeper and produces the honey sold in the store on tap so customers can buy whatever size they want.

The honey also is used to make herbal medicinal products with Leesburg herbalist Heidi Berkovitz. The Bountiful Farms store has a nice array of herbal tinctures in stock, and also stocks an elderberry syrup made by Heidi that is vital for strengthening the immune system and protecting against infections and bacteria.

Organic fruits and vegetables, pristine local honey, herbal tinctures, and everybody knows your name. This truly is a “local” farm. If you miss the Gentrys at the farmer’s markets, just go to 27314 County Road 48 in Okahumpka.

“Eventually, we’d like to get into having families come out with their children, go out and pick their food, bring it in, and we’ll cook it. It’s going to be an evolution of the restaurant to get families involved in farming and know what it is.”

GENTRY

Photos: Fred Lopez

Regain the FREEDOM to Explore!

There’s a big, wide world out there, but if sagging lids are keeping you from experiencing it fully, it might be time to consider blepharoplasty, a safe, quick surgery to gently lift sagging eyelids that can block peripheral vision, and make you look more tired than you feel.

Shelby Terpstra, DO is a leading provider of upper and lower corrective and cosmetic eyelid surgery designed to promote better vision and a more refreshed and vital appearance.

BEFORE AFTER PICS

PATIENT STORY:

“Sagging lids [impacted] my peripheral vision, especially when I was driving. Then a friend recommended Lake Eye. Dr. Terpstra was very informative. After surgery I immediately noticed an amazing improvement. I could see out of the sides of my eyes. A wonderful side-effect is how much better I look. I love it!” – Decemma Bensyl

READ

Shelby Terpstra, DO

Board-certified Comprehensive Ophthalmologist

Kathi Adams, holding a photo of her late husband, Randy, and Dr. Jose Diaz

Blindsided by Sepsis

A Leesburg woman vows to raise awareness after her husband’s unexpected death.

Story: Chris Gerbasi Photos: Anthony Rao

Randy Adams went to a hospital for back pain and 10 days later, he was suffering what his wife Kathi believes was the beginning of sepsis, a potentially fatal condition triggered by infection.

Just that quick, the Leesburg couple’s world collapsed. For the next 14 months, they were staggered not only by Randy’s deteriorating health—including two apparent cases of septic shock—but also by endless questions about his care.

At the outset of the ordeal, Kathi knew nothing about sepsis. By the time Randy died from sepsis at age 60 in December 2017, she knew more than she ever wanted to know. Now Kathi wants the community, hospitals, and other caregiving facilities to be more aware about the dangers of sepsis—a medical emergency that requires quick detection and fast action to save the patient.

She doesn’t want anyone to experience what her “soul mate” of 23 years went through.

“He was my rock. I know life is life, and death comes, but I never thought I’d be a widow at this age and for him to go that young,” Kathi says. “He really was a good man. He loved me, and always just wanted me to be OK, along with his daughter (Katie) and his granddaughter (Chazzy).”

Kathi, who has worked as an administrator in the healthcare field, plans to become an advocate for sepsis patients and their families. She hopes to start a foundation for sepsis care in her husband’s name with the help of Dr. Jose Diaz, who runs the Pulmonary Group of Central Florida in Leesburg and was Randy’s pulmonary doctor for four years.

Sepsis is the No. 1 cause of death in the intensive care unit, Dr. Diaz says. The reason may be that sepsis offers a paradox to doctors.

“It’s easy to treat at the beginning but difficult to diagnose,” he says. “Later, when it’s full blown, it is easy to recognize but difficult to treat. So the problem is, how soon can we

recognize sepsis? The sooner we recognize it, the better survival (chance) for the patient.”

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sepsis develops when an infection you already have—in your skin, lungs, urinary tract, intestines, or elsewhere—triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Sepsis attacks the organs, and without timely treatment, it can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Limiting exposure to infections may reduce the risk of developing sepsis.

Dr. Diaz and his colleague, Dr. Felipe Ortiz, are working with Leesburg Regional Medical Center to achieve 24hour oversight to identify sepsis and get the best outcomes. A specialist provider and a nurse practitioner are available overnight in the ICU, Dr. Diaz says.

LRMC sees about 60 sepsis cases a month, says Marjorie Westerkamp, ICU director for Central Florida Health Alliance. The goal for hospital staff is to recognize sepsis and implement interventions within six hours, she says. Otherwise, the risk of death climbs the longer sepsis is unrecognized, and the patient can go into septic shock, which occurs when blood pressure plummets and breathing slows to a dangerous rate.

The hospital uses a Cerner computer alert system to track patients for SIRS, or systemic inflammatory response syndrome, which is related to sepsis. The system tracks patients’ heart rate, blood pressure, white blood cell counts, and other factors over a 24-hour period, Marjorie says. If a

patient screens positive for signs of sepsis, nurses proceed with a set of orders, including lab work for blood cultures, administering intravenous fluids, preparing antibiotics, and alerting a physician.

“So, hopefully, we can intervene before that patient goes into full-blown sepsis,” Marjorie says.

Antibiotics fight the infection, and fluids help the blood system provide oxygen and nutrients to tissue and organs—a treatment that can be lifesaving, according to the Sepsis Alliance, an advocacy organization based in San Diego. Vasopressors, a medicine used to raise blood pressure, and oxygen also may be administered.

At LRMC, a committee meets monthly to analyze staff response to sepsis cases, consider other interventions, and check mortality rates. The national benchmark is a 15 percent or less mortality rate, and LRMC fluctuates around that figure, Marjorie says.

Staff also walks through the intervention process with new nurse practitioners and looks at ways to

better educate everyone involved to make sure the best practices are in place for patients. The community also needs to be educated, she says, because people with sepsis symptoms often wait too long before seeing a doctor. Similarly, Dr. Diaz says it’s important to educate staff at nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and other care centers in Lake and Sumter counties, which have an aging population. People age 65 and older, as well as people with chronic conditions or weakened immune systems, are at higher risk for infections, which may lead to sepsis. By the time some patients are admitted to hospitals, they already have full-blown sepsis because it wasn’t recognized early enough, he says.

“We do believe there’s some room for improvement,” Dr. Diaz says. “I think, in the community, there’s more work to do…You have to continue education again and again and again.”

Kathi wants to be a part of that educational effort.

“I just want to help find the solution, as my husband and I decided to do when he was alive,” she says. “He was always trying to help other people.”

Randy was a tile setter and laborer who took care of himself, Kathi says. But he had health issues including mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic sinusitis, and hypoxia, an oxygen deficiency. His bad back often caused excruciating pain.

In October 2016, he had a kyphoplasty outpatient procedure to fix a fractured vertebra. By the time he went to bed that night, the pain had returned. Two weeks later, he needed to go to an Orlando hospital to treat it.

“I just want to help find the solution, as my husband and I decided to do when he was alive. He was always trying to help other people.”

— Kathi Adams

Within 10 days, Randy’s condition went from bad to life-threatening.

Kathi watched him swell, cough, even seem delirious. Randy told her he felt “odd” but couldn’t explain it. Looking back now, Kathi believes her husband was showing sepsis symptoms: fever, pain, discolored skin, sleepiness, confusion, shortness of breath.

At some point early on at the hospital, a doctor discovered Randy had an infection. When and where he got this infection was uncertain.

Kathi says she felt unsure about the measures taken by staff to help her husband. Her concern was compounded by a lack of communication from doctors and nurses, none of whom ever mentioned the word “sepsis.”

Sepsis is a common complication among people hospitalized for other reasons. On any given day, about one in 25 hospital patients has at least one infection acquired while receiving treatment in a health-care facility, according to a 2016 CDC report. So if a patient is not getting better after surgery, for example, they may want to insist to doctors that sepsis be considered.

Kathi felt like no one was listening to her.

“You have to be an advocate when you know your family members better than the doctors know,” says Kathi, who did her own research on Randy’s condition. “You have to be a part of that arena with the doctors and the nurses.”

The worst was yet to come. Randy went into respiratory depression and a coma, and he was put on a ventilator.

“The ICU doctor did save his life. But it should’ve never happened,” Kathi says. “Ten days in a hospital. It should’ve never happened. I don’t understand.”

A doctor asked Kathi to sign a do not resuscitate order, and she refused. After several days, Randy regained consciousness.

“He got on the phone and said, ‘Hi, honey, this is your long-lost husband that fell in love with you 23 years ago,’” Kathi says.

Randy had survived septic shock, Kathi believes, though hospital staff called it respiratory depression and never discussed sepsis with the family. “I believe they knew,” she says.

The consequences for Randy were the amputations of half of his left foot and his right leg below the knee. Sepsis patients are prone to amputations because of blood clots and circulation problems.

Randy left the hospital but soon contracted pneumonia. He was

admitted to a different local hospital, where he went into septic shock for the second time in two months, Kathi says.

Again, Randy survived, but every organ in his body had been affected. Over the next 12 months, he was in and out of hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. He was a fighter, but the damage from sepsis was irreparable. Though doctors initially didn’t say the word “sepsis,” it’s plainly typed on his death certificate.

“That man never complained through this,” Kathi says. “For somebody to go through what he went through and not complain is powerful. He just knew he couldn’t change it.”

Kathi is still haunted by questions, especially whether quicker intervention could have saved Randy. According to her, an attorney she consulted saw the MRI scan of Randy’s back that first night he entered a hospital.

Randy had a soft-tissue infection.

Asleep in one

national poll, golf has been voted the dullest sport to watch—and the best one to cure insomnia. Conversely, Cricket took second place and most sleep inducing followed by baseball and soccer, tied for third. This information is from

a survey of 1,002

Virtual reality is no longer science fiction. During the past few decades, massive strides in technology have prompted head-mounted virtual reality hardware to truly immerse users in three-dimensional worlds, with products like Facebook’s Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard transporting users to both augmented realities and fabricated fantasies.

The reality of VR

How virtual reality can help disrupt the health-care industry

Story: Melanie Hudson

VIRTUAL BECOMING REALITY

However, virtual reality is on course to alter more than digital lives. It may very well alter everyday tasks; perhaps even how daily work is done. Remote work is becoming more common, and millennials entering the workforce are expediting it. Engineers now toy with the idea of a physical workplace that comprises virtual workers all utilizing head-mounted displays to participate in virtual reality. Students at the University of Pennsylvania created a robot named DORA, for Dexterous Observational Roving Automaton, that acts as an out-of-body host for VR users.

AI AND HEALTH CARE

Those applications were only the beginning, however. There are even more exciting applications that involve health care. Artificial intelligence has made a sizeable impact on the industry with incredible advancements in deep learning. Previously unimaginable feats, such as automated diagnosis and accelerated research of big data, are now realities for doctors and patients who adopt and use artificial intelligence in treatment. Mobile applications like Sense.ly empowered telemedicine, for instance. This app is a solution for those with chronic pain or illnesses that requires constant attention.

RETHINKING MEDICAL TRAINING

The average cost of attending medical school in the United States is around $32,000 per year, according to U.S. News & World Report. Training medical students is an exorbitantly expensive affair. Using telerobotics could cut costs and reduce risk.

Some partnerships, such as Next Galaxy Corp. and VR HealthNet, have jump-started the use of VR in medical training. Their technology allows students to perform virtual procedures in safe and controlled settings. “We have developed a strong expertise in applying the principles of virtual reality to augment the training of health-care professionals in order to

improve patient outcomes and reduce cost,” says President Mary Spio, of Next Galaxy in a news release announcing their partnership.

“We look forward to initially deploying our virtual reality solutions at long-term care facilities and offering a solution to the costly training problem, and at the same time greatly improving the quality of care,” adds CEO Dr. Suresh Nellore, of VR HealthNet.

REIMAGINING SURGERIES

Virtual reality is simply making its exponential growth a possibility. Robotic surgeries coupled with VR allow surgeons, much like the workers using DORA, to take control of a robotic entity and use it as a shell to perform the procedures. In addition to telerobotic surgery, VR helps train surgeons to use VR and robotic technologies most effectively, in a simulated and safe, no-risk setting.

REPAIRING MENTAL ILLNESS

The benefits of virtual reality on patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are well documented. VR immerses patients in real-world settings, where they must encounter uncomfortable decisions and situations again and again. This may seem cruel, but, in actuality, exposure therapy has been the most effective treatment for those suffering from trauma or battling

anxiety disorders. Reliving past combat traumas with the sense of agency found in VR can ameliorate feelings of guilt and powerlessness in soldiers, for example. Traditional video games were proven to lessen symptoms of severe trauma, but clinical VR goes further and weakens the strength of the symptoms of combat-related PTSD. The effectiveness is intensified because it’s available all the time to provider a wider, most cost-effective treatment.

CONCLUSION

There are innumerable ways VR will impact how treatment is administered and diseases diagnosed. It may even shape how new doctors are educated and continue education for senior health-care professionals. It’s primed to change how medical students are trained, vastly reducing costs. Its use could be more effective to treat mental health issues such as phobias and PTSD. Preventive medicine also could be overhauled, making checking in with doctors, nurses, and nutritionists as easy as pressing a button on your smartwatch or using an app.

VR could reshape not only the way we interact with health care, but the way we understand it, too. Companies like Google and Facebook invested billions into VR collectively. As companies such as Sense.ly and VR HealthNet more aggressively integrate cutting-edge technologies, there may be no need to imagine it at all.

Turn up the volume on the volumetrics diet

Focus on the food, not the calories.

Story: Joy Stephenson-Laws

I don’t like the concept of “going on a diet.” This suggests something temporary! In fact, my concept of dieting is dying by avoiding food. We need to eat to live, and we live healthily by eating healthily.

Healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. Some diets don’t even stress healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, but insist on watching calories. For example, you can have that chocolate cake as long as you don’t go over 1,200 calories in a day. Diets like these will leave you feeling deprived and hungry because they neglect the fact that you need to fuel your body with essential nutrients.

However, I can get behind is the volumetrics diet—a diet that focuses on what you eat instead of calories ingested.

WHAT IF YOU ESSENTIALLY DIDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CALORIES?

This diet is all about low-calorie, high-volume eating. The more low-calorie density foods on your plate, the less you have to worry about eating too many calories. This results in being able to eat more food and feeling fuller.

As an example, a cup of penne pasta has 352 calories, but several cups of mixed greens carries no worry about calories. You can also add cucumber, celery, and green peppers

Without having to worry about calories. You would feel fuller if you had a chicken breast with the greens and cucumber as opposed to a chicken breast with pasta. In addition add a cup of berries for dessert with the first meal.

IT’S ALL ABOUT FOCUSING ON FOOD QUALITY INSTEAD OF FOOD QUANTITY.

With the volumetrics diet, you give your body the nutrient-dense foods that it needs.

This does not mean moderation goes out the window. Fruit contains a lot of sugar, so don’t eat unlimited amounts. But it does mean you can eat more, because you are eating healthily.

WHICH DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO MAKE YOU

“Low energy density foods contain more water, protein and fiber, and result in bigger portion sizes when compared to higher energy density foods, and have the effect of reducing hunger pangs,” according to a study that found people who ate low energy density meals consumed on average around 1,000 fewer calories a day.

The study involved female participants who limited themselves to 1,400 calories a day.

To be clear, if you were to follow the low energy density meal plan you may also not exceed 1,400 calories a day, but the you eat more food and feel more satisfied.

“Gram for gram, low-energy dense foods contain fewer calories than high-energy density foods, so people are able to eat a larger volume of food for the same (or lower) calorie intake, leading them to feel much fuller.”

The women on the diet with lowenergy density foods were more likely to lose “clinically significant amounts of weight” (more than 5 percent of their body weight).

Another study indicates choosing healthier foods rather than trying to eat less is better when trying to lose weight. The study found that people eat more as portion sizes increase; however, people trained in healthy eating and how to manage food

proportions choose healthier foods and, as a result, eat fewer calories.

“All the groups were served the same meals, but their food choices differed. The participants who went through the training consumed more of the lower calorie-dense foods [like salad] and less of the higher calorie-dense foods [like garlic bread] than the untrained controls,” said one of the leads on the study.

“Consequently, trained participant’s calorie intake was less than the control groups, whose intake didn’t differ by weight status.”

I am not saying you have to completely give up some of your favorite foods. We all deserve the occasional treat or cheat meal. But when it comes to losing weight, restriction is not necessarily the best method. Think about healthy foods you can add to your diet as opposed to what you can’t have. You may find that you actually prefer this method of eating and feel much better. Always remember to talk to your physician first.

Enjoy your healthy life!

This diet is all about low-calorie, high-volume eating. The more low-calorie density foods on your plate, the less you have to worry about eating too many calories. This results in being able to eat more food and feeling fuller.

Battling King Kong—a true-life tale of survival

I wrote this while recovering from a bout of the flu. I mean the real flu, not a cold. Flu is a cold on steroids. You can die from flu. Once you’ve had it, you never want to experience it again. It is enough incentive for me to get my flu shot annually.

Now I know how Fay Wray felt as she watched helplessly from a ringside seat as King Kong battled the horde of World War II-era biplanes, each trying to destroy the other. This past weekend, I was Fay Wray. In place of a gargantuan ape, my King Kong was a member of Orthomyxoviridae, a family of viruses that contains all the strains of influenza. The horde of biplanes was my immune system, which flung itself against the invader with no less determination and, ultimately, fortunately for me, success.

All I could do for several days was lay around as a helpless bystander and, at times, semi-conscious as the battle raged inside my body. If I am honest, there were times it was tempting to just toss in the towel and succumb to the misery and an untimely demise. “But he was so young and virile,” I could hear the mourners saying at my memorial service. “Yes, the world lost a prince, a real peach,” another would opine. Fortunately, as this musing on the weekend testifies, I survived to write again.

The hostilities began as a light tickle in my chest producing a mild, dry cough. I didn’t think much of it, perhaps just a little bit of hay fever or perhaps one of the mild viral “colds” I get once or twice a year. Within 24 hours, however, the cough had escalated with bouts of hacking so intense and prolonged that I half-expected to pop a rib or cough up a chunk of lung. I think I may have

done both. Within 48 hours, I was laid out, feverish, aching, coughing, and contemplating whether death might not be a reasonable, even desirable, alternative. Everything hurt: my muscles, my skin, even my hair and teeth. All of this due to an organism so small it would take 3,000 of them laid end to end to span an inch. Influenza was a potent David to my overmatched Goliath.

Viruses are interesting organisms. While clearly living things, they are incomplete because they require a host whose cells they hijack. They use the cells’ genetic machinery to replicate themselves. In the process, killing the cell. Kill enough cells and you kill the host. Whether influenza or HIV/AIDs, all viruses behave pretty much the same way. Although we have a number of anti-viral medications, whether we recover, or die, still depends largely on the competence of our immune system. This invaluable system throws white blood cells and lymphocyte “killer cells” against the invader. These cells sacrifice themselves in wave after wave of assaults where untold hundreds of millions perish. Eventually, if all goes well, our killer cells overwhelm the invader, internal peace is restored, and we recover.

Ironically, it is the vigorous response of our immune system that produces many of the symptoms associated with the flu: fever, aches, malaise, outpouring of mucous, and more. People with incompetent immune systems often don’t become very symptomatic; they just die. One

Story: Dr. Richard T. Bosshardt Illustration: Josh Clark

unwanted consequence of the stress to our immune system is making us more susceptible to bacterial infections. In my case, this resulted in a severe bout of bacterial bronchitis, heralded by a change in my cough from nonproductive to productive of thick, yellow phlegm. Yellow phlegm is due to its high content of dead white blood cells, more commonly referred to as pus. Unlike flu, for which there really is no medical cure, bronchitis requires antibiotics.

When to give and when to withhold antibiotics is a decision requiring experience and sound clinical judgment. Unfortunately, too many practitioners throw antibiotics at every viral illness. This is not only ineffective but also part of the reason we have created new strains of bacteria resistant to nearly all available antibiotics. We will rue the day we began using antibiotics indiscriminately both for people and in commercial applications.

I am now on the downslope of this particular bout of flu. I finished a course of steroids, am on a steroid inhaler, and antibiotics. I feel like a living cauldron of pharmaceuticals. I resent having to take them but I am glad to have them. Had I been more astute, I would have begun a course of Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) as soon as it became obvious this was not a

routine cold. Like most physicians who treat themselves, my doctor was less than astute.

My recovery is a foregone conclusion, but the cost has been high. A week of my life was miserably spent and is gone forever, including three days of missed work, and I know it will be at least a couple of weeks before I have close to normal strength and stamina. I feel like a toy grabbed by a dog and shaken half to pieces—fragile, listless, lacking energy, and trying to remember what normal feels like.

I am not one to run in to my physician at the first sniffle or tickly throat and I do not advocate others doing this. I do recommend you notify

your doctor when things take a decided turn for the worst so he or she can tell you if you need to come in or not. As I noted in a prior issue of this magazine, I look at urgent care centers with a jaundiced eye. I am not convinced they are reliable.

(As I wallow in my misery, I cannot help but muse about people who never know a day of truly good health in their adult lives, people I see every day. Too many bring this on themselves by the choices they make, but a lot of unfortunate individuals just got the short end of the stick genetically and physically and live their lives in daily survival mode for reasons that are not their fault. My prayers go out to them. I know I won’t take my health for granted for a long time.)

LESSONS LEARNED:

• If your “cold” seems unusually severe or sudden, call your doctor. It could be the flu. Tamiflu can shorten the severity and duration of the flu but must

• die from the flu.

• Get your annual flu shot at the start of flu season.

flu itself.

Get your annual flu shot at the start of flu season. Even though it does not guarantee protection (some years are better than others), it can protect you from the most likely strains in a given flu season. The risks of the vaccine are less than the risk of the flu itself.

Celebrating 20 years 1998-2018

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Plantbased thinking

Nicolette Perry, Ph.D., and Elaine Perry, Ph.D., are the authors of the new book, “Your Brain on Plants.” Through extensive research and work in their field of pharmacognosy, the mother-anddaughter team have found more than 50 plants that offer the best remedies for most of the ailments suffered by humans. Also included in the book are make-at-home recipes for food, teas, balms, and much more.

“Our aim is not just to tell you which plants work in the brain but to explain how and why they work. Understanding the individual ingredients of plants is the key to discovering how they enhance or nurture the brain.”

“Your Brain on Plants” is available online or from the publisher, The Experiment.

Pulling the plug on stress

There is a way to battle the wear and tear of stress.

Story: Julie Potiker

Stress is a major contributor to many of the physical, mental, and emotional troubles we experience daily. The scariest thing is that it often remains a hidden contributor. We are so busy trying to stay afloat and solve immediate problems at any given moment that the resulting stress is left to build and build, eventually overloading our systems as various ailments, from heart disease to depression.

I experienced this in my own life in 2006. As an attorney and a typical baby boomer—sandwiched between aging parents and my three adolescent kids (including a set of twins)—life was full of stressors, yet my first thought upon experiencing unusual symptoms was I might have a brain tumor or be exhibiting signs of a stroke. Words kept coming out of my mouth all wrong. Instead of “topsyturvy” I said “bunky-burvy.” Instead of “cappuccino,” I said “captino.” “Magical” came out sounding like “maginal,” and so on. I scheduled an appointment with a neurologist, fearing the worst.

After a series of detailed tests ensured my worst fears were not responsible, the doctor asked me about my life: what my days consisted of—my job, my volunteer work, my family, and so on. Then he asked if I’d ever heard of mindfulnessbased stress reduction (MBSR), which I hadn’t. The doctor recommended I enroll in an MBSR course to reduce stress and improve my life.

I dived head-first into mindfulness training, registering at the University of California at San Diego Center for Mindfulness. After eight weeks of study, not only did I have a new set of tools to deal with the stress in my life, I also knew there was more to learn—and I wanted to learn it. Of the dozen or so mindfulness courses I participated in, one of the most powerful practices—and the one that has become the heart of my current personal practice and mindfulnessteaching practice—is mindful self-compassion.

Mindful self-compassion teaches us to treat ourselves as we would a dear friend. It also reminds us of our common humanity. You see what is coming up when you have an emotional reaction (the mindfulness part), and then the “compassion for yourself and common humanity” part guides you to soothe those emotions at a physical level.

It also keeps you aware people all over the planet have or are having similar feelings. This expanded exploration of mindfulness is incredibly powerful in terms of addressing and preventing the feelings of isolation that may lead

The more we address ourselves with love and compassion, the more easily difficult feelings sometimes encountered tend to melt away. To be clear, the point of mindful selfcompassion practice is not to make the “bad” feelings go away; it’s to be loving and kind to yourself when you feel bad. Feeling better just happens to be a common result!

Some of the other proven results of mindfulness

• Increased emotional well-being.

Realizing there is an effective, evidence-based approach to creating such meaningful results in our lives is a relief! It’s easy to believe we are at the whim of life, especially on the hardest days, but this limiting mindset is now at risk of extinction thanks to the simple reality that mindfulness classes are accessible all over the world.

The point is: we have options, even in those moments when it feels we don’t. Knowing that can anchor us to hopefulness long enough to make a new choice. Don’t wait as long as I did so that stress become a frightening physical ailment. If you’re already there, however, take heart; there is a path forward to a more manageable way of living.

We can’t stop the world from turning or stop people from doing their respective things—particularly the ones that bug us. However, we can give ourselves the gift of being less reactive, less angry, and less stressed. Challenging and upsetting feelings happen from time to time, and as I mentioned, the point is not to make them go away but being able to let them pass easier. Wouldn’t your life be more joyful with less strife? For me, the difference mindfulness

made was lifesaving. Whether for you or not, leave enough space in your consciousness

A recipe for powerful positive thinking

It’s time to get really honest with yourself.

Story: Carol Tuttle

In your life right now, what is stressing you out? What do you wish were different? Chances are, you don’t think or speak about that issue in positive terms. And that makes sense—it’s an issue you don’t like!

Here’s the problem: when you feel stressed, your thoughts contribute to feeling more stress. For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you might say to yourself, “I’m so overwhelmed!” That thought leads you to notice everything piling up, which just continues and multiplies your feelings of being overwhelmed.

Consider the possibility that by training your mind to do more positive thinking, you may actually change stressful situations in your life.

Can it really be that simple?

WHY POSITIVE THINKING IS SO POWERFUL

Your thinking mind wants you to survive in the world. It’s always on the lookout for danger, watching for ways to keep you safe. When you’re overthinking, you get stuck in age-old patterns of looking for trouble. It stresses your body and adds anxiety to your life.

Positive thinking changes your brain chemistry and your energy. It allows you to become a calmer, more intentional version of yourself. As you offer a new you to the world, the world can show up for you in a different way.

But how, exactly, do you change your thoughts when your mind wanders to worst-case scenarios? After all these are well-worn patterns in your brain that seem impossible to change. It can be simple.

HERE’S YOUR 3-STEP RECIPE FOR POWERFUL AFFIRMATIONS

Train your brain to think positively using affirmations. Affirmations are clear, positive declarations of intent that begin with the phrase “I am.” You can create your own personalized affirmation to use like a mantra. Here’s how:

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU DON’T WANT

Yes, we’re talking about positive thinking. But starting with what you don’t want can simplify things. Most people hang out in this mental space every day; they don’t want to be late or stressed or anxious or fat. (Who would?) So they focus on what they want to prevent.

Go back to the issue that is stressing you out. How would you finish the sentence, “I don’t want…” Some examples: “I don’t want to be late,” “I don’t want to be tired and tense,” “I don’t want to struggle with food and weight anymore.”

FLIP YOUR NEGATIVE STATEMENT TO WHAT YOU DO WANT

If you could have the opposite of what you don’t want, what would it sound like? Sometimes, we don’t say what we want because we don’t actually know. Saying the opposite of what you don’t want can give you clarity about your actual desires.

State your desire in the form of “I am,” like this: “I am arriving with time to spare,” “I am calm and full of energy,” or “I am making healthy choices and feeling good in my body.”

ADD GRATITUDE

Gratitude is one of the most significant emotional vibrations. Expressing gratitude starts a cycle that allows you to manifest more experiences for which you are grateful.

ABOUT THE WRITER →

Adding gratitude looks like this: “I am grateful I arrive with time to spare,” “I am grateful I am calm and full of energy,” and, “I am grateful I make healthy choices and feel good in my body.”

More examples:

“I am grateful I’m given the strength to see this through.”

“I am grateful I’m buoyed up each day.”

“I’m grateful I have patience during this experience.”

You have your personal affirmation—now what?

Once you identify your statement of positive thinking, write it down. Put it somewhere that you will see it regularly—a note on your mirror, the lock screen on your phone, a reminder alert in your calendar. Each time you see it, say it over to yourself like a mantra.

Think of this as training. Positive thinking is a mental exercise that affects every part of your day. Just like physical exercise, repetition and consistency give you long-term payoff.

Will positive thinking really make a difference?

At first, when you practice saying your positive affirmation aloud, it may not feel accurate. First of all, you can definitely “fake it till you make it.”

Second of all, if your affirmation feels inauthentic, have you identified what you truly want to create?

For example, if you’re stressed about money, you could end up writing a positive affirmation that says, “I am grateful that I’m a millionaire.”

Is that what you really want?

Your thinking mind might say yes, but your true desire might sound more like this: “I am grateful that I have plenty of money to live my life’s purpose.”

Whatever you do, keep going, keep trying the formula, and refining as you go. Over and over, we can see that the most successful people—those who have healed their emotions and influenced the world in a positive way—have trained their thinking minds to think positively.

It’s time for you to commit to do that as well, so you can free up your mind and share your gifts with the world.

personal development. For more than 25 years, she has supported millions worldwide with her life-changing books and online courses. Her sixth book, “Mastering Affluence,” guides you through six transformative lessons to create a life you love. Learn more at caroltuttle.com.

zines.

you really like it before diving

steps to get your mojo back

Most of you are great starters but not all of us are nishers. If you’ve lost your mojo and want to be a better you, commit to a new beginning right now. Here are eight ways to get your mojo back and

CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Change the grey and uninspiring environments in your life. Do some work out of the office, redecorate your home and add more color, and leave your cubicle and go out for lunch. If you are getting tired, move to another room. Add music or white noise to create something soothing. The more innovative you are, the more mojo you have.

STRIVE TO BE YOUR BEST. Always envision your “ideal self,” that part of you encouraging you to move forward. It is holding the guideposts and possibilities for growth, happiness, and expansion. What you think determines outcomes. Strive toward meeting your ideal self at the finish line. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Work backward from the ideal self by setting small, incremental goals for each area of your life to keep your mind positive.

CHANGE YOUR PATTERNS. When you break routines, you essentially create a new life. Habits are easy, but there is no risk in a rut. You cannot grow inside the traps of familiarity and comfort. To get your mojo back, be brave! Take a new class. Change your diet, change your workout, change your wardrobe, buy different makeup, and redefine your personal style. See what happens by simply sitting on the other side of your desk, getting a new perspective by looking at a different wall or window.

SHIFT YOUR PRIORITIES. Your daily schedule is a reflection of your priorities. If you have zero fun, free time, or time for family and friends on your calendar, you are missing the best parts of life. Robots do not have mojo. To reignite your mojo, schedule time for yourself first. On a plane, they always tell you to put on your oxygen mask before helping others. Give yourself time to refuel, and then block times to add joy and vitality to your life.

CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS. You are what you think. You cannot think negatively and have powerful mojo. If you think you are fat, you will feel fat even if you’re not. Thinking negatively accomplishing nothing, it is a lazy. Discipline your mind toward the goals of what you want to look like and be like and make the effort to get there. Soon you will feel fabulous.

INVEST IN PERSONAL GROWTH. The best of the best have the best of the best as mentors, friends, family, and colleagues. Learn as much as you can from successful, happy people who will share their wisdom with you. Keep yourself in a place of personal growth by going to seminars, reading books, or making goals. This makes you interesting to other people.

CHANGE FRIENDS. The people around you heavily influence you. If you’re lacking motivation and feeling down about everything, it might be time to upgrade your circle of influence. Negativity is contagious, as is positivity. Your net worth emotionally is the average of that of your five closest friends. When you hang out with successful, happy, fulfilled people, you elevate your own mojo.

BE AUTHENTIC. There is nothing sexier than being beautiful inside and out. When you are committed to loving and respecting yourself, you exude quiet confidence. Your focus is on being genuine, kind, strong, courageous, intelligent, successful, elegant, steadfast, and fulfilled. You possess enough composure that if you cannot say something kind, you have the wisdom to remain quiet.

True mojo is not a loud energy, rather it is an understated energy. Loud is repulsive ego stuff. Your mojo is the subtle energy your personal essence leaves in the wake of your presence—something to admire because of your authenticity and strong sense of who you are.

Not all changes are easy. They require a deliberate action, which can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Getting your mojo back is critical for your quality of life, so it is cause for radical changes and shattering tired habits. Face it: feeling passionate and motivated every day for your work, family, and self is a victory for yourself and those who depend on you.

ABOUT THE WRITER → Dr. Sherrie Campbell is author of the new book, “Success Equations: A Path to Living an Emotionally Wealthy Life.” She is a veteran psychologist, inspirational speaker, and radio host. For more information, visit sherriecampbellphd.com.

Sharing a beautiful goodbye

Never close the door on a good life.

Story: Jo Ann Simon

Every day in life we are dealt a hand of cards. Some are winners, some are losers, and some give you the keys to the kingdom. I received my keys when my husband was diagnosed with ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, after a long bout of Lyme disease. This was a death sentence. I could have run out of that kingdom screaming, but I chose to stay and be positive and hopeful that perhaps this was not true, and we could find a better solution.

We worked hard on trying to find a different answer, but reality dictated that we either accept it or act as if it were not true. We chose the latter with a commitment to each other to make the most of what we had together for as long as we could. Ignoring death gave us hope.

Sharing a life with someone, no matter how long that time is, can be most delightful or dull and dreadful. It depends on what you make of

it. When times are good and there are no cares or concerns, it is easy. When a curve ball is thrown your way, it will upset the apple cart, and then the real test of love begins. I see love as the fabric of two people’s commitment to each other to be there, carry the other through tough times, and to grow that fabric so that it wraps around both of you to form a warm, cozy cocoon that will protect you from anything. If that fabric is sprinkled with optimism, and hope for a better outcome, both of you will have a strong bond that will maintain positive attitudes and give you the ability to live each day to the fullest.

Once the reality that end of life is near for your loved one, there is only one thing to do; love, love, and love some more. Share your mutual thoughts, dreams, and feelings to help soothe the pain and fear of dying. Remember the good times, tell all the stories of your short or

long life together, and reminisce about how you met and what you have shared. Tell the funny stories and laugh out loud. Tell the sad ones, too, and cry together. Let it out, it will help. Dying is not a time to end life. It is a time to celebrate a life and savor every last drop of it.

If you are lucky enough to have the time to spend until the end, capture every moment, hour, and day and store it under lock and key. It is the most valuable asset to both of you that you can ever have. It doesn’t matter if there is illness or trying times, what matters is that you are together, fighting the battle, and realizing that you will always be together in your hearts and souls. Death is supposed to be so final, but it really isn’t. It can be a state of mind, a machine being unplugged, or a life leaving this earth on the sweet wings of angels. I prefer the beautiful angels.

ABOUT THE WRITER → Jo Ann Simon is a corporate executive and a lifelong nutmegger in the state of Connecticut. She is a constant traveler, exploring the world including her favorite country, Italy. Her day job is running an electronics contract manufacturing company

your life is the one you

DAVE SAYS

The cumbersome nature of debt.

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE

Dear Dave, Why do you think all debt is bad?

Aren’t some kinds of debt, like a mortgage or student loans, good?

— Nathan

Dear Nathan,

It sounds like you’re letting me know you think some kinds of debt are OK, instead of really asking for my opinion. When you ask a question that’s really a statement, it’s called a passive-aggressive question. That’s OK. You and I will now argue as best we can in a newspaper column.

It’s not necessarily a question of what I think. I’m really just the aggregator of information we’ve gathered while walking with people through their financial issues. I’ve worked with tens of thousands of folks over nearly 30 years, everyone from billionaires and millionaires to broke people, and those in between. In the process, we’ve collected a lot of data through formal research projects—I’m talking about a huge stockpile of statistics, facts, and figures. And all that data shows debt is the biggest roadblock between people and wealth. I’m also a Christian. Having read the Bible, and what it says about money, I can tell you there’s not one place where it says debt is a good idea.

So, all that information leads me to one conclusion: debt is not a positive thing. The only kind of debt I don’t beat people up over is mortgage debt, as long as it’s a 15-year, fixed-rate loan. Houses are wildly expensive, and I understand that most people can’t save up to buy a home with cash in a reasonable amount of time. Still, that doesn’t make mortgage debt a good thing.

Any kind of debt is a burden, Nathan. It steals from your ability to save, build wealth, and be generous.

—Dave

DON’T CASH OUT RETIREMENT

Dear Dave, I owe $18,000 on my only car, and the payments are killing me. I’m also upside down on the vehicle by about $4,000. I’m 31, and I’ve got exactly $18,000 in my 401(k). Should I cash it in to pay off the car?

— Monty

Dear Monty,

If you use your 401(k), they’ll charge you a 10 percent penalty, plus your tax rate. That means you’ll probably lose anywhere from 25 percent to 50 percent to the government. I don’t know about you, but I think they already get too much of our money.

I love the fact that you want to get rid of your car payment, but I don’t want you to cash out your retirement plan to make it happen. If you can pay off the car in 18 months or less, I’d advise living on a strict, written budget, and throwing as much money as possible toward the car debt until it’s out of your life forever.

If it would take longer than 18 months to pay it off, I’d get rid of the car. To do this, you’d have to sell it for as much as you can get, then go to a local credit union for a small loan to cover the difference. If it’s your only car, you’d need to ask for an extra $2,000 to $3,000 to buy a little beater to drive until you can save up and get into something better.

I hate all kinds of debt, Monty. But being $5,000 to $6,000 in the hole is a lot better than having $18,000 in debt hanging over your head!

—Dave

ABOUT THE WRITER → Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including “The Total Money Makeover.” “The

Dave Ramsey Show” is heard by more than 13 million listeners each week on 585 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

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Love and money

6 ways to keep money from wrecking your relationship.

Story: Pamela Yellen

A few years ago, I asked readers to participate in a quiz on money and relationships. Among the findings:An amazing 31 percent admitted to keeping spending secrets from their partner, including lying about what they paid for something, hiding purchases altogether, or taking money from their partner’s purse or wallet without asking.

Almost half of the respondents said they never discussed money or financial planning before committing to each other.

Almost 70 percent reported that money causes stress in their relationships.

Based on recent research, couples are more likely to fight over finances than they are to sit down and calmly discuss money issues. Among 1,400 Americans who are married or in a serious relationship, 36 percent reported that money caused the most stress in their relationships, according to a recent Harris Poll survey on behalf of Ally Bank. Meanwhile, Northwestern Mutual’s 2018 Planning & Progress Study finds that money is the primary source of stress among Americans.

So how can you make sure that disagreements over money don’t destroy your relationship? Here are six practical and easy ways to establish good communication with your partner, help you avoid money arguments, and build more joy, trust, and mutual satisfaction:

burden of debt, discuss your financial goals: where you’d really like to be, and how you’ll get there. Rather than letting debt issues drive you apart, facing debt as a team actually can strengthen your relationship.

5. NEVER ENGAGE IN FINANCIAL INFIDELITY. Financial cheating can be devastating in a relationship. One study found that a full one-third of couples with combined finances had not been completely honest about financial issues.

Tip: If you haven’t been fully honest regarding finances, now is the time to clean it up! Begin the conversation with something like, “I know that neither of us is perfect when it comes to money. Our relationship is important to me, so I want to make sure we have a foundation of honesty about our finances.” No matter what comes up, stay calm, avoid judgment, and focus on positive solutions going forward.

6. UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE DIFFERENT SPENDING

People tend to look for a spouse who looks, sounds, and acts as they do—except when it comes to money. It turns out that penny-pinchers tend to marry reckless spenders; as a result, they report unhappier marriages than couples who have

Tip: Seek to understand rather than correct each other. If something in your partner’s attitude bothers you, share how nd a compromise, but don’t try

Talking about money with your partner may feel rst. But the rewards of clear, honest nancial communication are lasting. To keep your relationship healthy, it’s critical to discuss your differences and come up with compromises that work for both of you.

and the author of two best-selling books, including her latest, “The Bank

recognized as Best Overall Magazine for 10 consecutive years.

10 YEARS

56 AWARDS

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Charlie

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2017

Best Overall Magazine—Silver

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The politically angry American

Too many people are letting politics decide their friendships.

Story: James Combs Illustration: Josh Clark

Here are a few not-so-bold predictions for the next four weeks:

Friends will become mortal enemies. Nice people will turn into disrespectful jerks. Open minds will become increasingly narrow.

With the midterm election only one month away, these predictions likely will become a reality. These days, nothing ends lifelong friendships or tears families apart quite like politics.

That’s the harsh lesson we learned following the ugly 2016 presidential election. Countless people not only unfriended family members and friends on Facebook, they kicked them out of their lives for good.

If you were one of those people, don’t blame your behavior on the flawed candidates or the endless barrage of mudslinging advertisements. You are clearly the problem.

You’ve created some weird political litmus test that determines whether or not a friendship is worth maintaining. God forbid someone prefers a different candidate than yours or has a differing opinion on

immigration. If it bothers you so much that you’re willing to dissolve friendships, then it’s time for a new perspective on life.

See, you’ve come to a point where you embrace ideology over people. Liberals and conservatives alike are guilty of this. For some reason, you feel the only qualities in another person that matter are whether that person supports gun control (or not); whether that person agrees with transgender bathroom laws (or not); or whether that person supports building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border (or not).

Here’s the deal, Lucille. Political beliefs are not what matter most about you or someone else. What truly matters is the you who loves your children unconditionally. The you who lends a helping hand to a frail, elderly person. The you who volunteers for a charitable cause. The you whose mere presence makes another person smile.

So don’t become enraged next time you scroll through your Facebook news feed and realize several friends have posted dissenting viewpoints.

Remember, it’s their right to be wrong.

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