Health & Wellness - April 2023

April Special Section

Discover the smart choice for fitness

Brought to you by – The Exercise Coach®

Start a fitness journey that’s all about you with the Exercise Coach®. We know everyone’s path to better health is different, and that’s why our workouts are designed just for you. Our advanced strength training machines adjust to your fitness level, making your workout both fun and safe.

The Exercise Coach way is safe,

works well, and saves time for people of all ages and fitness levels. Our exceptional Personal Training programs draw on a wealth of expertise spanning decades, the most reliable scientific evidence, and our exclusive strength training technology.

Choose a smarter way to work out that’s different from regular fitness options. The Exercise Coach is here to help you become your healthiest self. Call us today at 770.870.1750 to start your journey.

PROVIDED

Building a Parkinson’s support team

Brought to You by - Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

This is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Join us on April 22nd as we help sponsor the Parkinson’s Optimism Walk. You’ll feel the hope and support provided for this progressive disease by the Georgia Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association. (Visit their website at apdaparkinson.org/GA for details.)

Recent studies show Parkinson’s affects over 1,000,000 Americans, with over 90,000 new cases diagnosed annually. While there are early onset cases, the main risk factor is age - with over 90% occurring after age 60. It can be hard to diagnose and comes on slowly. When the brain cells that make the chemical dopamine stop working it impacts movement, thinking and behavior. There’s no definitive cause but aging, repeated head injuries and exposure to environmental toxins are factors. Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed, and while there may be some genetic issues it’s rare to run in families.

Tremors are a major symptom but not everyone has this. Slowness of movement, stiffness or tight muscles, balance instability, walking or gait difficulties, a decrease in arm swinging when walking, loss of smell (often months or years earlier), gastrointestinal issues, loss of facial expression, monotone or decreasing vocal strength, fatigue, insomnia, cognitive changes and depression or anxiety are all symptoms. With two or more of these, it’s time to consult your doctor about a visit to a neurologist with Parkinson’s training or a Movement Disorder Specialist.

With a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, it’s important to build a support system. While there is no cure, there are a number of treatments that can maximize your potential with this disease and not let it overwhelm your life and outlook. This includes highly individualized medications like carbidopa and levodopa, physical, occupational and speech therapy for daily lifestyle changes to maintain fitness, balance and strength building, stress reduction, good sleep habits and maintaining a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods. To help manage this you need a team of professionals that includes your Primary Care Physician, Neurologist, a Movement Disorder Specialist, Nutritionist, Therapy providers and Psychologist.

Being a Care Partner for a loved one with Parkinson’s is a critical role. As an advocate, educating yourself, managing the daily care process and coordinating with the care team is crucial. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease and can take years to progress, so it’s just as important to care for yourself. To keep up your stamina you have to take time and get some respite and additional support.

In-home care that is skilled and knowledgeable about Parkinson’s can be the key to helping you and your loved one thrive. A professional, heart-centered and well matched caregiver from Home Helpers can help with a personalized care plan and specialized support to achieve your best possible quality of life.

We’re here to help – from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and live-in care. For a free consultation contact Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs at (770) 681-0323.

Allergy season is here

Brought to you by - Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center

As spring comes, so do allergies! If you have symptoms like congestion or sinus infections, you are not alone. Each year, more than 50 million people in the United States have allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Allergies are your body’s response to the environment. You might react to things in the air like dust or

pollen. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, red eyes, itchy eyes and post-nasal drip. These can progress to infections if not treated.

Wellstar Ear, Nose and Throat knows every symptom and infection can impact your daily life. You can use simple tips to relieve your allergy symptoms and prevent infection.

How to relieve seasonal allergies

• Try over-the-counter medications

like antihistamines and medicated nasal spray.

• Rinse your nose. Over the counter saline sprays and sinus irrigations can help clean your nose.

• Check the weather report. Avoid outside activities on days with a high pollen count.

• Don’t invite allergens inside. Keep windows and doors shut.

• Stay on top of spring cleaning. Dust, wipe and vacuum surfaces.

• Don’t forget your four-legged

friends. Be sure to wash or brush your pets more often.

Expert care for allergies

When these tips do not work, Wellstar Ear Nose and Throat can help diagnose you. We help treat a full range of adult and pediatric allergy conditions at 1360 Upper Hembree Road in Roswell.

Call (770) 475-3361 to make an appointment today.

COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CARE

From diagnosis to treatment and survivorship, Wellstar is ensuring the community in this area has access to expert, compassionate cancer care.

The new Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center brings more than 12,000 additional square feet on the medical center campus dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking cancer treatments right here in the North Fulton area. Services include:

• CyberKnife radiation technology

• Physician expertise in many specialties

• Surgery, medical and radiation oncology

Find care at every step of your cancer journey here in North Fulton. wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare

Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center 4500 Hospital BLVD | ROSWELL (770) 410-4530

Summer group therapy: helping your child thrive with 4 key benefits

Brought to you by - Summit Counseling Center

It’s no secret that most kids love summer - with its long days, warm weather, and lack of school, summer break provides a welcome pause from the structure and routine of the academic year. For some kids, however, summer break can be a difficult time. Without the support, resources, and social exposure provided by school, they may struggle to maintain their mental health and well-being after the last school bell rings in May. Therapy groups during the summer can benefit all students, no matter where they fall along the spectrum of mental health, by helping provide a safe and supportive environment for children to learn new skills, build healthy relationships, and address any mental health concerns they may be experiencing.

According to a 2019 study, summer programs designed for children and youth with social and emotional difficulties showed moderate evidence of effectiveness in improving social skills, self-esteem, and overall emotional well-being while decreasing anxiety, depression, and unwanted behaviors at home (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Shaping Summertime Experiences: Opportunities to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being for Children and Youth. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press). There are several other potential benefits of therapy groups for kids during summer break, including:

1. Social support: Therapy groups can provide a sense of community and social support for children who may feel isolated or disconnected during summer break, proving particularly helpful for kids who struggle with social anxiety, shyness, or other social difficulties. Therapy groups also allow kids to receive feedback and support from

their peers, which can be great for students who may struggle receiving feedback from adults or authority figures.

2. Skill-building: Many therapy groups for kids focus on teaching specific skills, such as social skills, coping strategies, or emotional regulation techniques. Not only are these skills helpful during summer break when kids may have more unstructured time and less support from school-based resources, but they are also invaluable to have once school restarts in the fall.

3. Safe environment: If your student struggles to open up at home, therapy groups can help by providing a safe and supportive space for kids to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Additionally, participating in a therapy group can help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, as kids can see that they are not alone in their struggles and that seeking help is a normal and healthy behavior.

4. Continuity of care: By regularly practicing skills throughout the summer, therapy groups can help children maintain the progress they made during the school year and prevent any regression that may occur during summer break.

Summit Counseling Center is offering both individual and group therapy services for Kindergarten through 12th grade students throughout the summer, providing a supportive and structured environment for children to work on their mental health goals and develop new skills and coping strategies. Selection requests for our 6-week groups close on May 12th, so register your student now at tinyurl.com/ SCCSummer23!

Optometrist or Ophthalmologist?

Brought to you by – North Fulton Eye Center

Most people don’t know the difference between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist.

Optometrists provide eye examinations, mainly for young healthy eyes, for determining your glasses and/or contact lens prescriptions.

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and eye surgeons. They provide medical eye exams to determine eye conditions, diseases, and the treatment of such and can also determine your best corrected vision and provide you with a prescription for glasses or contacts.

Celebrating 40 years of eyecare in the Roswell and Cumming community. Drs. Paré, Hewitt and Park are general ophthalmologists/ surgeons. All are board certified

and trained at Emory University Medical School. Our practice specializes in medical eye exam, laser assisted cataract surgery, LASIK surgery, Corneal/Pterygium surgery, Blepharoplasty surgery (eyelid surgery) and treatment of medical eye conditions and diseases such as Dry Eye, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy and many other conditions of the eyes. Our stateof-the-art offices are in Roswell and Cumming. Our practice is built on personalized patient care with short wait times and a personal touch from our staff, opticians and physicians.

Both locations also have an optical department for your convenience.

You only get 1 set of eyes. Let us help you care for them. northfultoneyecenter.com

Not tan? Labrador overweight? POMC might be the answer!

coverage in the popular press as the “Barbie Drug.”

Are you pale? Is your labrador overweight? Then this is the article for you! Proopiomelanocortin (POMC for short) is a remarkable hormone that your brain makes and that may unlock our ability to regulate body weight and even help us get a tan without going in the sun.

If we break apart POMC’s name, pro-“opio”-“melano”-“cortin” comes from the fact that POMC is cut apart by enzymes into three main smaller proteins. First, POMC is broken into opioid hormones that regulate pain, satiety (feeling full after eating) and response to exercise. Second, POMC is broken down into melanocyte stimulating hormones that affect skin pigmentation, sexual behavior and satiety. Third, POMC is broken down into adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), a cortisol-regulating hormone that affects blood sugar, responses to stress and the immune system.

To think like a doctor, imagine what could go wrong if any one of these proteins isn’t working due to a disease. In fact, a mutation in POMC has been linked to increased interest in food and obesity in labrador retrievers and might explain why your labrador is overweight. Many labradors have been found to have a mutation in beta-endorphin, which is one of the opioid hormones that POMC is broken down to form. Beta-endorphin is also famous as a protein that contributes to the “runner’s high” – the feeling of wellbeing that we get with exercise. Similarly, low POMC has been found to make affected humans constantly hungry.

To think like a pharmaceutical scientist, imagine the medical (or cosmetic) potential of developing medicines that affect our responses to pain, our sense of well-being, whether we feel hungry, blood sugar levels, immune system health, sex drive and how tan our skin is. Just one of these functions has incredible pharmaceutical potential. University of Arizona researchers got to work on the tanning applications of POMC in the 1980s and developed a synthetic form of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) which became known as “Melanotan” (aka afamelanotide, aka Scenesse) and now is best identified as “Melanotan I.” As an aside, Melanotan II is another synthetic hormone similar to MSH, but it is not FDA approved for any use, has more sexual and satiety effects and has periodically received

Melanotan I causes the pigment producing cells in your skin – the melanocytes – to produce more melanin. Melanin is an important defense against ultraviolet radiation. The problem is that we normally make melanin in response to ultraviolet light exposure after a lot of damage is already done. Increasing melanin before sun exposure sounds very appealing. Is Melanotan I ready for the masses?

Not yet…

The package insert for Melanotan I points out that carcinogenicity studies have not been performed. These studies are often required for FDA approval. Melanotan I gained approval under special circumstances for a very specific condition called erythropoietic protoporphyria – a skin disease in which people are so sensitive to sunlight that their quality of life is severely affected. The FDA sometimes issues special approval of medications used for “Orphan” diseases when no other treatments are available and when the number of patients affected is so small that the cost of fully testing a medicine would stop it from coming to market.

We do not have enough data on Melanotan I to help us know if it is appropriate for sunless tanning. Carcinogenicity studies have not been published. Long term safety studies have not been published. Melanotan increases blood pressure, and long term effects on cardiovascular health would likely not be known for decades. Case reports of individuals who developed melanoma while using Melanotan cannot know whether Melanotan had a role in causing the melanoma because they are simply case reports and not case-controlled or placebo-controlled.

So where do things stand? Some individuals are purchasing Melanotan I and II illegally, as these chemicals are part of the steroid and tanning-bed using weightlifting community. They are purchased at great personal risk because of all the above unknowns in addition to the problems with purity and safety when illegal substances are procured. For the rest of us, the pharmaceutical companies are still hard at work. They are actively testing similar compounds to identify medicines with fewer side effects. There is reason to hope that in the future a pill may allow us to develop a tan before going on vacation and better protect ourselves from the sun. In the meantime, traditional sun safety measures are best… and our labradors will remain fat and happy!

Brought to You by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Semaglutide is changing the way we can lose weight

Brought

to you by -

Hydralive Milton

As we get older, losing weight can be more difficult and sometimes dieting and exercise alone just isn’t enough. While quick fixes and crash diets can help you lose weight, the results aren’t long-lasting. Hydralive Therapy® Milton offers a medical weight loss program with Semaglutide that includes goal-oriented plans and lifestyle changing skills to ensure your results are long-lasting.

Semaglutide is an FDA-approved medical prescription used for managing adult weight loss. When used with a healthy lifestyle that includes mindful eating habits and exercise, Semaglutide is a powerful long-term weight loss solution that can improve overall health and wellness.

The injection is administered once a week to help with long-term weight management. The injectable glucagonlike peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin that plays a major role in your appetite and digestion. Incretins (hormones released by your small intestine) are sent out by your body after you’ve eaten a meal to help lower your blood sugar by triggering insulin and blocking other sources of sugar.

Semaglutide works by slowing down how quickly food leaves your stomach and allows you to feel full for a longer period of time. By reducing hunger, lowering your appetite and increasing feelings of fullness, it will reduce your calorie intake and allow you to lose weight.

An initial consultation is required to determine if Semaglutide is right for you based on your BMI and medical and weight history. If our specialists determine that Semaglutide is right for you, we will develop your plan together so you can get started right away.

The goal of our program is to meet your desired weight by administering Semaglutide and developing a healthy lifestyle. With the help of improved sleep, diet and physical activities, many will be able to take a significantly smaller dosage and some patients will be able to stop the medication completely.

Program participants may start to see the effects of Semaglutide working after the first dose and could start experiencing weight loss within the first two weeks of their program. Everyone’s weight loss journey looks different and how much weight you have to lose will dictate the duration

of your program. However, it is typical to lose 1-2 pounds a week or 8-10 pounds a month, but results vary per person. It’s important to remember that the best results will happen when you are using your medication in

combination with a healthy diet and exercise.

If you’re ready to shed that excess weight and keep it off for good, give Hydralive Milton a call at (470) 3594815 to schedule a consultation today!

Thank You for Voting US

At Roswell Dental Care, we take pride in our ability to educate our patients about their oral health. One question we frequently hear from our patients, “Why do I get so many cavities? I brush my teeth every day!” We understand the frustration that comes from putting the work in to maintain your teeth and still ending up with cavities, we are here to help break those reasons down for you.

1. How deep your grooves are: How your teeth are shaped, including the grooves of your teeth, are inherited. These grooves are too small for your toothbrush bristles to get in and clean properly. Some teeth have deeper grooves, which increases the risk of biting surface cavities. We can prevent these types by placing sealants (plastic) over the grooves of the teeth.

2. Your oral bacteria: Did you know, you inherit the genetic layout of your oral bacteria from your mom? The types of oral bacteria can impact your oral health, including your likelihood of cavities and developing periodontal disease. Staying on a cleaning schedule with your dental hygienist will help reduce the number of bacteria you have in your mouth.

3. Your frequency of sugar intake: Your habits also play a significant role in your oral health. Your frequency of sugar intake has a direct tie into the frequency of the occurrence of cavities. The more times you consume sugar, the more opportunities for cavities to take hold.

4. Your flossing habits: Flossing removes plaque and bacteria from the sides of your teeth, so not flossing on a consistent basis increases your risk of developing cavities between your teeth.

5. Your medications: When you eat or drink anything other than water, the pH of your mouth becomes acidic. Saliva’s job is to neutralize the acidic environment. Some medications cause xerostomia (or dry mouth). If your saliva is reduced or becomes thicker, your teeth have an increased risk of developing decay, especially along the gumline. Products containing xylitol are “mouth wetters,” and xylitol prevents bacteria from adhering to tooth structure, helping to prevent the effects of a dry mouth.

The above reasons are just a few of the many complex factors that go into why cavities develop. As dental professionals, we strive to keep our patients educated in their oral hygiene. Good or bad oral hygiene plays a role in overall health, and we are here to get your oral health in excellent condition so that your overall health can be too. Drs. Hood and Remaley at Roswell Dental Care understand and customize treatment for each person. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels. Give our office a call at 770.998.6736, or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!

Brought to You by - Dr. Destinee Hood, Roswell Dental Care

Why do I get so many Cavities?!

Enjoy spring without the sneezing

Brought to you by – Urgent Team

Are you feeling tired and congested? Sneezing? Red, watery, itchy eyes? It’s the time of year when pollen and other allergens can make you miserable and put a damper on outdoor fun. When self-care isn’t doing the trick, it’s time to make a quick trip to Urgent Team Walkin Urgent Care to get your allergies under control and get you back to enjoying the warmer weather.

At Urgent Team, providers can evaluate your symptoms, recommend over-the-counter treatment options, write prescriptions for stronger medications when needed, or refer

you to an allergist for specialized treatment if necessary. They can also help if your symptoms are actually caused by another issue, such as an unexpected virus or infection. Their caregivers also treat rashes and insect bites or stings. Treatment is available for children as well as adults.

When allergy symptoms flare up, Urgent Team is close by to get care and treatment for the whole family, so you can all enjoy spring without the sneezing.

Urgent Team is open seven days a week at 5705 Atlanta Highway, near Kroger Grassland. Just walk in, schedule online with Hold My Spot® or reserve a Telemedicine visit.

There is a consensus among scientific researchers that alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing multiple types of cancer, including cancer of the head and neck, esophagus, breast, colon, liver, pancreas, and prostate. The more alcohol you consume, the higher your risk of getting cancer.

Is there a safe amount to consume?

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends not to drink alcohol at all, but if you do, limit it to two drinks for men and one drink for

women each day. One drink equals 12 fluid ounces of beer, 5 fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces of hard liquor.

It is also important to note that alcohol’s cancer-causing effect is magnified by smoking tobacco. Studies have shown that people who use both alcohol and tobacco have a greater risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus compared to those who use either alcohol or tobacco alone.

If you choose to consume alcohol, please do so responsibly!

The Georgia Politics Podcast focuses on all things under the gold dome. Show host Preston Thompson covers the most noteworthy updates to the legislative session of Georgia’s House of Representatives and State Senate.