November Special Section
2 | November 2021 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
On the effects of being STUBBORN Brought to you by – Michelle Wilson, Wilson Legal, PC There’s something to be said for doing things that give you joy or doing things that you have been putting off that now pop up ocWILSON casionally to remind you that you haven’t done them. You know the things I am speaking of - the things that fill you with dread. This time of year it might even be related to the family who will soon be in the same home with you and asking how you’re doing on ____ or if you’ve gotten ____ done. Maybe you’ve just been stubborn. You don’t want to do whatever the thing is because if you do something BAD will happen. You’ve decided it and you’ve said it to yourself often enough that now it’s true for you. Terry wanted control of his life and his money. After all, he had worked his whole life for it. If he gave his daughter power of attorney, why, she’d spend all his money and he’d end up on Medicaid. He just knew it.
What Terry doesn’t know is that Terry does not have to name his daughter as his agent on his power of attorney. He could name his accountant or have a company who specializes in personal bookkeeping in your home, to serve for him. Without a power of attorney, the family’s only choice was to go through probate court and ask for a guardianship and a conservatorship when he lost capacity. A power of attorney could have avoided the need for a guardianship for a while. Terry’s daughter had to make the trip into town - a 30 minute drive one-way - daily for 6 months to give him his insulin since the company the facility hired to give insulin would not do it without the power of attorney. Terry’s daughter was stressed because she had to pay his bills since she could not access his checking account to pay his bills for him. You don’t have to be like Terry. You can set yourself up so that people you trust are in place to take care of health and financial decisions when you can’t. Don’t be like Terry. Get help and then - maybe you can say that you’ve gotten your power of attorney signed this Thanksgiving.
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Small Business Benefits. Are they worth it? Brought to you by – Josh Dougherty josh.dougherty@xperiencebenefits.com Why are benefits such an annual challenge for small businesses? Each year, the health insurance options change, DOUGHERTY price typically increases, and most of all, there is a significant amount of time that it takes to research these options. Although it can be a major investment of both time and money, it is a critical component of retaining and attracting quality employees to work for a firm. Studies show that primary reasons why people stay with a job is for the quality and levels of benefits. So why doesn’t everyone offer benefits? For starters, employers generally need to contribute at least half of an employee’s monthly premium to sponsor a plan. Also, small businesses do not have the options that are afforded to larger companies because of the ability to mitigate risk with a large number of people on the plan. It is extremely important to understand
your budget and have the capital to afford a plan for years on end. Lastly, employees that qualify for subsidies on a plan via healthcare.gov may elect to waive employer plans for a more affordable option there. All these items said, the answer to the posed question is “it depends”! It depends on your budget. It depends on the purpose of the policies being placed. It depends on the trajectory of your business. It depends on the amount of participation of employees within your benefits plan. It all just simply depends on your situation and analyzing all the components. So, what do you do? Speak to a local insurance broker that will objectively analyze your situation and assess whether it makes sense to offer benefits or not. Discuss options between HMO, POS, PPO, self-funded, level-funded, Chamber plans, Association plans, and much more! Explore various quotes and explore the pros and cons of different plans. Xperience Benefits is an independent brokerage and does not represent one specific carrier of insurance products. We believe in building a quality business with authentic lasting
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Call us today! 404-484-9263 xperiencebenefitsga.com Locally Owned and Operated
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4 | November 2021 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Recognizing the signs of COPD in older adults Brought to You by – Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs November is National COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Awareness Month, a disease that affects over 16.4 million Americans. The American Lung Association estimates that COPD makes breathing difficult for millions more who have not been diagnosed and have not received any treatment. Half of those with COPD do not recognize the symptoms, so it goes undiagnosed. The vast majority of people diagnosed with COPD are over age 65, and it is the most common chronic lung disease for seniors. If you have COPD, you are at increased risk of losing your balance, falling or passing out. While there is no cure, early detection and knowing the risk factors for COPD can lead to treatment through medication, oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation to help manage and live with this disease. COPD causes an inflammation of the lungs, where the airways become narrower and breathing more difficult. It’s typically accompanied by emphysema or bronchitis. Toxins from smoking are the main cause of COPD, and people with asthma who smoke have even greater risk of developing COPD. About 15 to 20% of people with COPD are nonsmokers. This could be due to exposure to pollutants, chemical fumes, secondhand smoke, fumes from vehicles, heavy dust or fires. The symptoms of COPD can often be confused with normal signs of aging, so it’s important to be alert to these signs: shortness of breath, a chronic cough with sputum, frequent respiratory infec-
tions, chest tightness, wheezing, loss of appetite, fatigue and generally being unable to keep up with normal activities. If you or your loved one is out of breath after simple everyday activities and show these symptoms, see your doctor for a spirometry – a simple breathing test. Treatment can slow progression, provide some symptom relief and even improve your exercise capabilities. At Home Helpers we understand the challenges posed by conditions like COPD and can help navigate the difficulties breathing symptoms pose to your daily routine. We know quality care management requires hands on attention to detail by a team with depth and skill. While it starts with matching a heart centered caregiver to each client, there’s also a care management liaison who provides a critical link as needs arise. Our commitment to proactive care management helps us recognize changes in our clients and work to offer solutions and ideas before issues become critical. In the midst of COVID-19, extensive training in infection control and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) helps our skilled caregivers elevate hands on care management to a new level. We’re here to help - from eight hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and live-in care. A Home Helpers caregiver has the skills to assist with all personal care, help around the house, safely speed up recovery from surgery, or provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc. For a free consultation please call Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs at (770) 681-0323.
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On that most dreaded of diseases: uncombable hair syndrome Brought to you by – Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta This evening, I set to work planning to write an article that our local readers would find interesting 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 some-
thing. 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.
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6 | November 2021 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Looking your best for the holidays Brought to you by – Dr. Bradley Hepler, The Atlanta Center for Dental Health The holiday season is a great time to take steps to look and feel your best. One way to accomplish this it to improve your dental health and your beautiful smile. Surveys show that your smile and your teeth are the first areas that people notice. As dentists, we can offer many options to improve your smile which are conservative, non-invasive, affordable and can be completed in one simple and comfortable visit. • Tooth Whitening - Dark and discolored teeth can often be lightened in about an hour with our in-office process. You may also choose take home lighten trays or whitening strips. • Cosmetic recontouring - Uneven and chipped tooth edges can be reshaped painlessly and can result in teeth with a more attractive appearance. You would be amazed at the difference this simple procedure can make. • Invisalign invisible braces - Clear invisible trays can be used for the correction of misaligned and poorly positioned teeth. Used over a period of time, we can make teeth straight and attractive without the use of conventional metal braces. • Cosmetic Bonding - We can add tooth colored restorative materials to repair worn teeth with chips and cracks and make your teeth look normal, natural, and vibrant again. • Minimally invasive porcelain veneers - Thin shells of porcelain bonded to existing tooth structure can change the color, shape and position of your teeth. They can truly
create the smile of your dreams. • Botox and Juvederm - These well known materials have many cosmetic uses and can dramatically reduce wrinkles, deep frown lines and even improve the painful effects of jaw pain. Dr. Bradley Hepler, Dr. Jeffrey Priluck and the experienced team at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health provide the most modern advances in cosmetic dentistry. Experience immediate results with procedures which can greatly enhance your smile. If you would like a complimentary consultation to discover which of these options is best for you, please call us at 770-992-2236. Dr. Hepler and Dr. Priluck are highly trained and certified to provide you with the latest and best techniques to allow you to achieve your dental aesthetic and restorative goals.
Get The Smile You’ve Been Waiting For! • General and Cosmetic Dentistry • Crowns and Implants • Root Canals and Tooth-Colored Fillings • Invisalign Most Insurance Plans Accepted
• Whitening • Sedation Dentistry • Smile Enhancements with Botox and Dermal Fillers Financing Options Available
The Atlanta Center for Dental Health
11190 Haynes Bridge Rd., Alpharetta (770) 922-2236 • atlantacenterfor dental health.com
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3 Reasons Why You Need Cryotherapy During Winter Months Brought to you by – Hydralive You may be thinking, “It’s getting cold outside. Do I really need to continue with cryotherapy at this time of year?” The answer is yes! Here’s why. 1: Cryotherapy May Help Fight Winter Weight Average weight gain during winter in the United States is 5-10 lbs. Colder weather breeds lethargy, and the temptation to stay indoors. And then comes the holidays with parties, feasts and treats. When you continue with cryotherapy sessions throughout winter, you can manage this annual weight gain by burning hundreds of calories in a single session. Cryotherapy also boosts metabolism, which in turn helps you burn more calories all day. 2: Cryotherapy Helps Fight Winter Blues Scientists theorize shorter days and lack of sufficient sunlight change brain chemicals and bring on feelings of listlessness, depression and boredom that are hard to shift sometimes. Cryotherapy is an effective treatment to shake off chronic symptoms of the winter blues. Exposure to intense cold for three minutes or less in the cryo-
therapy chamber causes physiological hormonal responses, releasing feel-good, `happy’ hormones like endorphins, adrenaline and noradrenaline. 3: Cryotherapy Helps Promote Winter Wellness Winter means cold and flu season. Controlled exposure to cold air in the Cryotherapy chamber helps to rebuild compromised immune systems at this time and fight off invasive pathogens that cause colds and flu. People suffering from arthritic joint pains and stiffness say their condition worsens during winter months. The Arthritis Foundation recommends cold therapy as an effective method of pain relief, and studies have shown cryotherapy reduces inflammation and help manage discomforts associated with the debilitating condition. Freezing temperatures put the body in “survival mode”, encouraging the blood supply to flow to the most vital organs to replenish them with more oxygen and nutrients. Once you step out of the cryotherapy chamber, the enriched and less-toxic blood flushes back into the rest of the body, leaving you feeling more energized and invigorated. Book a cryotherapy session with Hy-
dralive Therapy this winter and see what a difference it makes to the way you feel –inside and out. It may just be the pick-
me-up you need to beat the gloom of the weather and make the holiday season healthier and happier!
8 | November 2021 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Thank You for Voting US Best Dentist in North Atlanta for 7 Years! WINNER 2015
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Dr. Destinee Hood
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USE IT OR LOSE IT: Use your dental insurance benefits before December 31st or LOSE them! Brought to you by – Dr. Destinee Hood As we enter the end of the year, many people with dental benefits do not realize unused benefits do not roll over into the New Year. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure- for both your health and pocketbook! So, if you have gotten behind on your preventative visits, this is a good time to schedule one. It is also a good time to schedule that filling or crown you have been putting off, before you leave money on the table. Here are some re asons to schedule your dental visit today: • Insurance deductibles- If you have already paid your deductible, but not scheduled follow-up treatment, you may not be getting your “monies worth” of your insurance. • Fee and coverage changes- as our healthcare system changes, fees can
increase, or your plan may reduce the amount of procedures they cover in the next year. • FSA Contributions- Spend any remaining balance in your flexible spending account (FSA). If you don’t use all your FSA money by the end of the year, you’ll lose it! • Premiums are going up- Even if you don’t have any issues or pain, you and your family should have regular dental cleanings and check-ups to look for early signs of gum disease, cavities, and oral cancer. Again- PREVENTION IS KEY! Dental offices typically get booked up very quickly during this time of year, due to people maximizing their benefits along with practice holiday closings, which limit treatment days. Call today to reserve your visit before the end of the year! Visit us at www.roswelldentalcare. com or call 770-998-6736
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
NorthFulton.com | November 2021 | 9
Specialist in Integrative Oncology Cancer Treatments Including: Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Nutrition Supplementation
Jonathan Stegall, MD WINNER 2016
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
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You have cancer…Now what? Brought to you by – Jonathan Stegall, MD Cancer is a scary diagnosis. We know that cancer occurs as a result of the body’s own cells becoming so worn down and damaged that they must mutate STEGALL in order to survive. As these mutated cells grow, they form a tumor. If untreated,
cells can escape the tumor and spread to other areas of the body. This process of cancer formation and spread is quite detailed, which suggests that the treatments we use for cancer should be detailed as well. Mainstream treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are important, but on their own they leave many key details unaddressed. This is one reason why we are continuing to lose the war on cancer. If we truly want to improve our
cancer treatment outcomes, we must broaden our horizons and incorporate a wider variety of treatments. For this reason, I have created a website, cancersecrets.com. This website has lots of free content including episodes from my award-winning podcast, as well as blog posts I have written. It also has information about my bestselling book. I highly encourage you to utilize these resources if you are dealing with cancer. It could mean the difference between a good outcome and a bad one.
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10 | November 2021 | NorthFulton.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section