December Special Section
2 | December 2020 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Six ways to boost your immune system this winter Brought to you by — Hydralive Therapy Reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses, like flu, this fall and winter is more important than ever. Now is the time to make sure you and your family are taking all the right steps to combat illness and enjoy your holidays with great health, enthusiasm and wellness. Here are six tips to help you do just that: 1. Get a flu shot – if you already haven’t More than 40% of Americans forgo this free service (the cost is included in your health insurance) our health department is offering to keep us protected. True, the efficacy of a flu shot is not a 100% guarantee. The flu virus morphs and regenerates every year – which makes it so virulent – but having the shot anyway reduces risks of complications even if you do happen to get sick. 2. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize When you’re out and about, you are always touching something. And we touch our eyes, nose, mouth or face every 20
seconds, so make sure you’re not doing it with un-sanitized hands. Keep hand sanitizer handy and use it often. Also, wash your hands as often as you can. 3. Fortify your body’s natural immune system Zinc and Vitamin C are your best allies during a flu outbreak. Increase your dietary intake of both these infectionfighters with foods like sweet peppers, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and winter squash (for vitamin C) and lamb, beef, spinach, legumes, seeds, nuts and dairy (for zinc). 4. Don’t compromise on sleep We know this is the festive season and you want to make the most of your evenings. Try to maintain a regular sleep timetable though, because that is when your body chemistry does all its imperceptible good work to make sure your health and immune system are functioning at an optimal level. 6. Get an IV therapy treatment IV therapy may sound like a hospital
treatment when you’re sick, but It’s an affordable health regimen to help alleviate any number of common ailments compounded by dehydration. IV therapy may help combat symptoms, replenish depleted fluids and electrolytes and boost your immune system. At Hydralive Therapy, our IV therapy treatments are a safe and effective way to deliver essential fluids and nutrients directly into the bloodstream to boost your overall wellness. We have various treatments designed for specific needs, but since everyone is unique, we’re also happy to customize a treatment for you.
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
NorthFulton.com | December 2020 | 3
What is the Eden Alternative® Approach to senior care? Brought to you by — OAKS SENIOR LIVING More and more senior living communities are becoming Eden Alternative® certified. This approach to senior living affects the whole way a community functions, including “the physical environment, organizational structure, and psycho-social interactions,” and it is a commitment to an elevated level of care. What Eden Alternative® means Our society often views aging as a “period of decline.” It is a common idea that growing older means that there is nothing more to learn or look forward to. The Eden Alternative® believes that “no matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow.” Because of this, caregivers and care receivers alike are referred to as “care partners.” We all have something to offer the world, and by creating a balance between both roles, we can learn from each other. “An Elder is someone who, by virtue of life experience, is here to teach us how to live.” – The Eden Alternative® definition of an Elder The Eden Alternative® philosophy is about caring for the “whole person,” not just providing medical care. It is about enhancing the quality of life of each Elder in every community. Why this certification matters to Oaks Senior Living At Oaks Senior Living, we believe in providing care that improves the lives of those we are privileged to serve. Our values of a person-centered lifestyle align with the goals of the Eden Alternative®. Oaks Senior Living culture centers around knowing, understanding, and honoring an individual’s life-history and preferences while building relationships. Each day is an opportunity for growth, to enjoy what has always brought happiness and an allowance of new life experiences.
4 | December 2020 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Honored by Newsweek, Wellstar North Fulton goes above and beyond Providing the Nation’s Best Maternity Care It’s Monday afternoon in Georgia, and Gail Waters is happily prepping for the week ahead. Under her leadership as Nurse Manager of Women’s and Pediatric Services, about 150 babies are born at Wellstar North Fulton each month. Even though her 20 years of service make her a labor and delivery veteran, Waters still greets each experience with a fresh perspective and an open mind. “No two births are alike,” Waters says. “The babies guide the process, and their safety is at the center of what we do. I have a great team here at Wellstar.” According to Newsweek, the efforts of Waters and her colleagues have been a tremendous success. Wellstar North Fulton has been recognized on Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2020 list. This is an honored distinction shared by only 8 hospitals in Georgia and 236 hospitals nationwide. Using best practices to offer safe care to all When new parents plan their ideal birth experience, safety is a number one concern. Nonetheless, the United States has recently set records for increasing maternal mortality rates. Wellstar is helping reverse this alarming trend by implementing best practices to improve the quality of life of mothers and newborns. These include reducing C-sections, episiotomies and early inductions. When used with discretion, these can all be life-saving measures. However, C-sections and episiotomies are also invasive procedures that come with elevated risk of avoidable injury and infection. Likewise, children born prior to 39 weeks experience higher risk of infection and developmental challenges than their peers. Wellstar’s labor and delivery teams limit C-sections and episiotomies to what is medically necessary. Additionally, Wellstar is the first health system in Georgia to eliminate all non-medically necessary inductions prior to the 39-week mark. Newsweek conducted its landmark study in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit organization that
monitors safety within U.S. hospital systems. All hospitals that received positive recognition have low rates of C-sections, episiotomies and early inductions. However, Wellstar North Fulton goes beyond the basics to ensure the best in maternity care. Unique options accommodate a variety of birth plans Over the years, parents have embraced home birth as an alternative to what they perceive as a clinical hospital experience. However, Wellstar North Fulton challenges the idea of how a hospital-based birth must look and feel. At Wellstar North Fulton, many patients choose to give birth in a traditional manner. However, they are encouraged to have an active say in their experience. Childbirth classes, now available virtually, also help parents make informed decisions about pain management, breastfeeding and the details of their birth plans. One unique option available at Wellstar North Fulton is the ability to have a water birth. According to Waters, Wellstar North Fulton’s first water birth
occurred soon after she joined the department in 2002. Today, approximately 9 percent of all deliveries at Wellstar North Fulton are water births. According to Waters, water birth is a great option for expectant parents who wish to experience natural pain management and enjoy the relaxing feeling of a warm bath. Wellstar North Fulton’s water birth option attracts patients who live not only within Metro Atlanta but also throughout Georgia and neighboring states. Patients who choose to deliver via water birth must earn a water birth certification and pass a series of screening procedures for safety. Finally, newborns delivered prematurely or with complications receive swift, expert attention at Wellstar North Fulton. The Level II NICU provides world-class neonatal intensive care. Wellstar Maternity Care remains family-centered throughout COVID-19 In order to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19, Wellstar maternity patients may have one support person
accompany them through the duration of their labor, delivery and hospital stay. This is a change from the days when large groups of relatives would gather to celebrate a birth. However, it brings an extra level of intimacy and involvement with the labor process. Wellstar’s maternity care professionals embrace this by providing meals to the guests and making them feel like part of the team. Having a child represents having hope for the future. While national birth rates have slowed somewhat during the pandemic, Waters happily reports that the birth rate at Wellstar North Fulton has been trending slightly upward, and the maternity care team is proud to continue their heartfelt work. Now distinguished by Newsweek, Wellstar North Fulton provides an ideal facility for welcoming newborns with compassion, care and expertise. To learn more about Wellstar’s comprehensive maternity care options, visit wellstar.org. Wellstar. More than healthcare. PeopleCare.
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
NorthFulton.com | December 2020 | 5
SAFEFAMILYCARE We treat and protect your family as if they are ours.
At Wellstar Avalon Health Park Family and Internal Medicine, we care for your family, safely. From wellness checkups to sick visits and chronic disease management, our team of experts listen to your needs and provide personalized treatment plans just for you. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting the care you need to stay healthy is not something you have to worry about. From temperature checks at entrances, to deep-cleaning in between patients to our personal protective equipment, we take every precaution so you can get care in a clean, safe environment. We keep families well, and we are here to care for yours. wellstar.org/avalon
WELLSTAR FAMILY & INTERNAL MEDICINE 2450 Old Milton Parkway | Alpharetta VIRTUAL VISITS AVAILABLE (470) 267-0360 | wellstar.org/avalon
More than healthcare. PEOPLE CARE
6 | December 2020 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
On that Most Dreaded of Diseases: Uncombable Hair Syndrome Brought to you by — Dr. Brent Taylor Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta This evening, I set to work planning to write an article that our local readers would find interDR. TAYLOR esting and informative and began writing about a skin cancer case that I recently treated. But as the days are getting colder and COVID is still in the air, I thought, wouldn’t it be nice have something fun and pleasant for a change? Which leads me to…. Uncombable Hair Syndrome. Yes, uncombable hair syndrome is an actual disease. First off, my sincere apologies to anyone afflicted with this malady if I misunderstand any distress it may cause. My only exposure to this condition was to a single case in my residency, the details of which I hope will excuse me for any seeming lack of sympathy: A beautiful couple presented to clinic with the CUTEST child you ever seen. He was a delight, babbling and smiling and running amok trying to grab everything he shouldn’t have. At first glance, nothing appeared wrong. His arms were free of eczema. His moles looked normal. He didn’t even seem to have a lick of lip licker’s dermatitis. Why was he in a dermatology clinic? Exasperated, his mom lamented, “I can’t comb his hair – you don’t understand it WON’T comb.” She went on to explain. No matter the mousse, the hair spray, the shampoo or conditioner, his obstinate hair willfully sprung back into a tussled mishmash of hairs going in every direction. These hairs had a mind of their own. Their position was not random. Instead, a certain hair would always try to go backward. The next, always forward. Push one in a certain direction, and it would spring back to the position that it preferred. My attending physician exclaimed “your child has uncombable hair syndrome!” Uncombable hair syndrome is a wellcharacterized medical condition. One can easily find information on the genes involved by turning to Wikipedia, but I strongly urge the reader to go to Google Image instead and type in “uncombable hair syndrome” and enjoy photos of the dandelion capped rascals running around with uncombable hair Several types of hair disorders are sometimes lumped together with uncombable hair syndrome but the classic disease occurs because the hair follicles have a notch or a triangular shape, and so the hair grows out with a ridge or a
groove resulting in a stiff hair that can only fall one way. The Latin name is pili trianguli et canaliculi, which, if you are a Latin scholar, perhaps means something. Children afflicted with this condition are typically towheaded with very light blonde to white hair. To be a syndrome, a disease must have two or more features that occur together as a disease “complex.” In this case, the two primary features are the uncombable hair of the child and the frustration of the mother. Scientists still debate whether the smirking laughter of the father playing on his phone in the background constitutes a third feature of this disease. This would make the syndrome a triad. Fortunately for our patient, his disease has an excellent prognosis. The hair of uncombable hair syndrome typically becomes uncombable early in childhood and normalizes in early adolescence, often at puberty. Our patient was otherwise completely healthy without any signs or markers of other dermatologic disease. Given that our patient is a boy, my attending’s advice was simple: “keep his hair buzzed until he’s about 13 or so.” “So you don’t have any treatment?!” said the mother. “Well, I thought the reassurance that it should normalize in 10-11 years and that you could buzz the hair in the meantime is a good treatment plan,” said my attending. The father laughed. The mother remained frustrated. The child’s hair remained uncombable. Please note that this syndrome should not be confused with the “wont comb his hair” syndrome as displayed by my son, age 2 (see photo). If you or someone you love suffers from uncombable hair syndrome, consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor is certified by the American Board of Dermatology, the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine and is a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon and vein specialist. Kathryn Filipek, PA-C is a physician assistant with more than 15 years of dermatology experience and expertise in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology.
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Thank you to our amazing patients and friends of Roswell Dental Care! Brought to you by — Dr. David Remaley Roswell Dental Care WOW! Winning the Best of North Fulton for the 6th year is amazing! This award is such an honor, and we are truly humbled and fortunate to be part of the stellar group of businesses in North Atlanta. Roswell Dental Care has been serving the Roswell, Alpharetta and Johns Creek communities for over 30 years. Dr. Hood and I, with our wonderful staff are thrilled to be voted Best of North Atlanta for another year. We would not be the practice we are without our loyal patients. We are extremely grateful for the support of our patient family and our community and we are committed to providing the level of care that helped us earn your selection. Dr. David Remaley, DDS, Founder, and our newest dental partner, Dr. Destinee Hood, are highly trained dentists and have restored many patients’ teeth and created beautiful and healthy smiles for many years. We are especially proud of each of their patients and are devoted to providing the best possible experience for them. Both of us offer patients a comprehensive list of general, restorative and cosmetic dental services designed to meet the needs of the entire family. Our goal is to continue to serve you and help our patients and their families embrace their most confident, healthy and exceptional smile. We believe a healthy and beautiful smile can be an empowering and life-changing experience for a person.
Our goal is to continue to serve you and help our patients and their families embrace their most confident, healthy and exceptional smile. Dr. Remaley, is a graduate of West Virginia University School of Dentistry with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He is a member of Peachtree Road Methodist Church, married to his wife Mary, a father of three sons and is active in local church and community activities. Dr. Hood is a graduate of Boston University School of Dentistry with a Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree (DMD). She went on to complete a residency program at Georgia Regents University in Augusta. She is married and the proud mother of 2-year-old son, Atticus. She and her husband, Zack, are active in the community and look forward to raising their family here. We are always accepting new patients! Schedule your appointment with us today, 470-288-1152.
NorthFulton.com | December 2020 | 7
Thank You for Voting US Best Dentist in North Atlanta for 6 Years!
Dr. David Remaley
Dr. Destinee Hood
WINNER 2015
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
Dr. R. David Remaley Dr. Destinee R. Hood
2016
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
WINNER 2017
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
WINNER 2018
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
WINNER 2019
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
WINNER 2020
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
Dedicated to providing exceptional dentistry and creating beautiful, healthy smiles for over 30 years. Our services include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Crowns and Bridges in a few days Porcelain Veneers Tooth Colored Composite Fillings Teeth Whitening- no sensitivity Oral Cancer Screenings on all patients Teeth Cleanings, Digital X-Rays and Comprehensive Oral Exams on all new patients Cosmetic Smile Makeovers and Full Mouth Reconstruction (Complimentary Consultation) Occlusal Guards and Bite Adjustments Snore Guards and Sleep Apnea Analysis Digital X-Rays (90% less radiation) and Intra-Oral Photos Digitally Scanned Dental ImpressionsNo more gooey impressions! Electronic Records Accept and File all Major Insurances Implants Root Canals Extractions
• Spa-like Relaxing Atmosphere • Custom Baked Cookies Daily • FREE Nitrous Oxide and Oral Conscious Sedation
$99
NEW PATIENT SPECIAL Includes Healthy mouth cleaning, x-rays and dental exam.
Excellence in Dentistry
Same day appointments available!
470.288.1152 • roswelldentalcare.com 1570 Old Alabama Rd • Ste 102 • Roswell, GA 30076
8 | December 2020 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek offers exemplary memory care Brought to you by – Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek uses Teepa Snow’s trademarked Gem Programming, Positive Personal Approach, and other techniques in caring for residents with a dementia challenge. This approach helps families relate to their loved one in a meaningful, engaging way.
They offer personal appointments and tours for families to come and learn more about the Arbor Advantage and their 60-day guarantee of satisfaction. This exemplary resort-style community offers beautiful apartments for seniors at every stage of their care needs. They have several floorplans for Assisted Living and in their Bridges Neighborhood. Families love Bridges higher engagement activities designed for early
I told the kids I would disown them... Then I saw Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek
Discover the absolute best in senior living Assisted Living | Memory Care
3180 Karen White Drive, Suwanee Hwy. 141 at Laurel Springs Parkway 770-809-6552 www.AT-JohnsCreek.com/Senior
cognitive challenges. Their Evergreen Memory Care Neighborhood is available for when higher care is needed on their dementia journey. They also offer a furnished suite when needed. Families can now focus on the relationship with their loved one in a less stressful manner and begin to feel the peace of mind that comes from knowing their loved ones are exceptionally cared for by a well-trained caring team of professionals. Call Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek at 770-676-2410 to schedule a personal tour.
Families can now focus on the relationship with their loved one in a less stressful manner and begin to feel the peace of mind that comes from knowing their loved ones are exceptionally cared for by a well-trained caring team of professionals.
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Cancer fighting drugs in your medicine cabinet
Specialist in Integrative Oncology Cancer Treatments Including: IV Vitamin C Fractionated Chemotherapy Nutrition Supplementation
A NEWSLETTER FROM
Brought to you by — Jonathan Stegall, MD The Center for Advanced Medicine Did you know that you might have some great cancer-fighting drugs in your medicine cabinet at home? DR. STEGALL It turns out that many drugs, originally approved for noncancer indications, have been found in subsequent research to have an anticancer effect. The most well-known of these is the diabetes drug metformin. In addition to its blood sugar lowering effects, metformin has also been shown to kill cancer stem cells, a key in cancer’s spread. The cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins have also been found to have an anticancer effect, by affecting the way cancer cells use fat and carbohydrates for fuel. Even baby aspirin, taken by millions of Americans each day for its cardiovascular benefits, has anticancer activity by reducing inflammation and also affects the way cancer cells communicate. These are just a few of the many drugs which have been shown in studies to have an anticancer effect. Please note that incorporating these medications in this fashion (what we refer to as “repurposing”) requires the skill of an oncologist with experience doing this. Please do not try to do this on your own! To learn more about repurposed medications, and how they can be part of an integrative cancer treatment protocol, please check out episode #10 of my podcast at cancersecrets.com/podcast.
2018
Feel good about your teeth. We provide full-service general and cosmetic dentistry for our valued patients and measure our success in our ability to always exceed your expectations.
• One-Day Crowns • • Implant Therapy
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
2020
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
Jonathan Stegall, MD 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
WINNER 2016
Honored as Honored as Honored as 1st Runner Up 1st Runner Up Winner Best Dentist Best Dentist Best Dentist 2018 2020 2019
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
WINNER
WINNER
Best Of North Atlanta
Best Of North Atlanta
2016
Presented By
Presented By
Holistic/ Alternative Medicine
Nutritionist
Oncology
• General and Cosmetic Dentistry
770 569-0613
www.northfultonsmiles.com northfultonsmiles@gmail.com 12315 Crabapple Road, Suite 121 Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
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3333 Old Milton Pkwy. Suite 560 • Alpharetta, GA 30022 (770) 551-2730 www. drstegall.com
10 | December 2020 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
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A NEWSLETTER FROM