Body & Soul 2021

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© Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

September 30, 2021

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month Doc Fickel, a chance stop 60 years ago — 7 Waggener Farm Park Recreation Center amenities and schedules — 12 Myths and facts about COVID-19 from trusted sources — 17

BWS BERTHOUD WEEKLY SURVEYOR “Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot”

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Index

Breast cancer can take many forms...................................5 Habits for a healthy soul ....................................................6 Chance stop in Berthoud by dentist 60 years ago...........7 Is chicken soup really a good cure.....................................8 What is a mycotoxin and what is it doing in my coffee....9 What exactly is lupus?.........................................................10 Waggener Farm Park Recreation Center. ........................12 Tapping could help you stress less...................................13 Healthy living can start with small, fun steps....................14 Warming up to cold water bathing....................................15 Myths and facts about COVID-19.........................................17

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Body&Soul 2021© is published in Berthoud, Colo., by the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor. The publishers reserve the right to edit, classify or reject any advertising or news copy. Editorial content is provided by Surveyor staff writers and the Thompson School District. Liability for any newspaper error in an advertisement shall not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. The publishers assume no liability for any advertising which is not published for any cause. The publishers assume absolutely no obligation or responsibility for subject matter in copy placed by its advertisers or their agents. It is also understood that the advertiser and the agency placing such advertising jointly and severally agree to indemnify Berthoud Weekly Surveyor, LLC against all expense, loss or damage sustained by reason of printing such copy.

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Breast cancer can take many forms from benign to malignant I

n early 2019, I was diagnosed with a radial scar that was pre-pre-breast cancer at high risk for turning into breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy and now have a small exterior scar and a few poems I wrote about the scary, emotional experience.

Invasive breast cancer, a type of cancer that starts in the breast when cells begin to grow out of control, will affect about one in eight U.S. women sometime in their lifetime, according to breastcancer.org, a nonprofit information source. As of yet, ’m not part of that statistic, since my cancer was in the pre-pre category, but luckily to annual mammograms, it was caught early.

The American ancer Society estimates that in 2021, more than 281,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed and that about , women will die from the disease. Another , new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ, or S, also will be diagnosed.

Breast cancer comes in many forms with the type determined by the specific cells in the breast that are affected.

“Most breast cancers are carcinomas, which are tumors that start in the epithelial cells that line organs and tissues throughout the body, as stated by the American ancer Society. arcinomas that form in the breast are adenocarcinomas that typically start in the cells in the milk ducts, which carry milk to the nipple, or in the lobules, the glands that produce breast milk. A breast is made up of three main parts, milk ducts, lobules and connective tissue, the fibrous and fatty tissue that holds everything together.

Two types of breast cancer include those that have spread and those remaining localized.

S is a pre-invasive breast cancer that starts in a milk duct and has not

grown anywhere else in the breast tissue, while invasive, or infiltrating, breast cancer has spread into the Surveyor surrounding breast tissue. Once the cancer moves into Columnist other parts of the body through the blood vessels and lymph vessels, it’s said to have metastasized, according to the enters for isease ontrol.

The most common types of invasive breast cancers include invasive ductal carcinoma, which amounts to 70-80% of all breast cancers, and invasive lobular carcinoma that is less frequent. Invasive ductal carcinoma spreads from the ducts to other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive lobular carciShelley noma spreads from the lobules Widhalm to nearby breast tissue.

Within the invasive category, there are a few less common special types that have different features or develop in different ways. Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive type of cancer that makes up about of all breast cancers, and inflammatory breast cancer is less common at 1-5% of all breast cancers.

There are additional types of breast cancers that affect other cells in the breast and require different forms of treatment. Their names include Paget’s disease of the breast affecting the breast ducts, nipple and areola; the phyllodes tumor in the connective tissue of the breast that can be benign or malignant; and angiosarcoma in the cells that line blood vessels or lymph vessels that can involve breast tissue and the skin of the breast. Angiosarcoma is the rarest form, making up less than 1% of all breast cancers.

A small number of cancers start in other breast tissues and are called sarcomas and lymphomas they aren’t considered to be breast cancer.

Breast cancer cells usually form a tumor, which can be detected through an -ray or physical examination that identifies a lump. ost lumps are benign abnormal growths that don’t spread outside of the breast and are not life-threatening. Oftentimes, the lumps are fluid-filled cysts, and they can increase breast cancer risk.

I started getting mammograms every year at about age 30 when a cyst was found that later became pre-pre-cancerous. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends mammograms every two years for women ages 50 to 75, so I started early and get screened more frequently as a preventative tool for being at risk for breast cancer. f you find a lump or other change in your breast even if a recent mammogram was normal — make an appointment with your doctor for prompt evaluation, as stated by the ayo linic.

My prompt evaluation makes me ever grateful and thankful for my local medical community, since I was heading toward pre-cancer, scary in itself without even being the big of ancer. ( nformation for this report came from the American ancer Society, the enters for isease ontrol and the ayo linic.

Did you know?

A study published in the journal ancer pidemiology, iomarkers and Prevention” found that about one-third of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in the United States live at least five years after diagnosis. Also known as stage breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer is the most advanced stage of the disease. Metastatic breast cancer refers to breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer also should know that improved treatments may further their chances of surviving a diagnosis, even a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. n fact, the American ancer Society notes that survival rates are based on women who were diagnosed and treated at least five years earlier. n the time since those survival rates were documented, treatments could have advanced even further, potentially improving the five-year survival rates for metastatic breast cancer.

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Habits for a healthy soul I t happens automatically, without me willing or thinking about it. A long day ends, I open the cupboard and reach for the bag of salt and vinegar potato chips. Yes, this article is titled “Habits for a Healthy Soul,” not “Habits for a Healthy Body,” but hear me out about the potato chips. They’re my clockwork craving after a stressful day. Regardless of whether they’re good for my body or my soul, I reach for that bag, not out of a conscious decision, but out of habit.

Psychologists today have realized that we don’t really think about most of our actions. Some estimate that about 5% of our daily decisions require conscious deliberation, while the other 95% of what we do takes place on autopilot. And it turns out that autopilot is programmed not by what we think but by the habits we regularly act out.

Common sense advice about physical health often comes back to regular habits: eat healthy daily, exercise regularly and take your prescriptions as directed. The same is true about our spiritual health. The habits we cultivate are what shape us for spiritual growth and healing — or for spiritual decline and death.

As Tish Harrison Warren writes in her excellent book “Liturgy of the Ordinary,” our “habits and practices shape our loves, our desires, and ultimately who we are and what we worship.”

If our habits shape what we love and worship, then a healthy spiritual life will include habits that lead us to love and worship God. What sort of habits have that effect? Here are three that I’d recommend, one for the beginning, middle, and end of each day.

(1) Listen. hat’s the first voice you hear when you wake up s it anxietyprovoking news, or attention-scattering social media? How would your life change if od’s voice was the first thing you heard each day, speaking to you through Scripture, or a devotional reading, or silent meditation? Developing a habit of listening to od first puts the rest of the day’s noise in holy perspective. If you’re not sure where to begin, try praying “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).

(2) Connect. We were created to be in a relationship with God and with other people. How would your life change if, in the middle of each day, you

reached out and checked in with just one other person?

Perhaps it’s a friend who nourishes your soul. Or perGuest haps it’s someone whom you can bless through an act of Columnist kindness. Whether you’re meeting for lunch, going for a walk, or simply sending a text, connecting with others will give health to your soul and theirs. Sometimes our need for connection goes even deeper and requires more intentionality and awareness. Meeting with a counselor, spiritual director, pastor, or coach on a regular basis can also keep your soul healthy and whole. There’s no shame in asking for help and we who serve these roles are eager to serve.

(3) Give thanks. The musician Stephen Kellogg sings, “I’ve got all I ever wanted, but I still cannot Chris believe / how I love to take for granted all the love that Brown comes to me.” We need habits of gratitude to ensure we don’t take for granted the ways God’s love shows up in our lives. find that the best time to do this is before going to sleep, looking back through the previous twenty-four hours and noting the blessings that arose in that time. Almost always, I discover that life is a lot better than I thought it was, that I have more to be thankful for than I realized and that God was still caring for me even when I wasn’t paying attention to God. find that when consistently practice listening, connecting, and giving thanks, I’m much less tempted to reach for the bag of chips at the end of the day. Or if I do reach for the chips, I do so with gratitude in my heart, so that I’m feasting mindfully rather than munching mechanically. I’ve also found that using a habit tracking app on my phone helps provide positive reinforcement for these healthy habits. I pray for all who read this that the Lord will lead you to habits that satisfy your soul as with a rich feast (Psalm 63:5).

Chris Brown is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Berthoud. To contact Chris or learn more, visit: fir t re erth ud rg.

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Chance stop in Berthoud by dentist 60 years ago changed course of town

By Rick Padden The Surveyor Berthoud would not be Berthoud were it not for a fortunate accident six decades ago. ts first subdivision, its library, museum, primary park, its nursing home, half its non-profit agencies even its paved streets all grew from the chance arrival of one man, the woman he married in , and subsequent partnerships that he formed. obert ruce oc Fickel came through town in fresh out of dental school and riding next to a dental supplies salesman who was doing the horn as the route between enver, heyenne and reeley was known at the time. t was an accident that brought me here, Fickel said onday in the living room of his four-square home on Seventh Street. e got as far as erthoud, but the dental office here just happened to be closed down. Berthoud had no dentist. said bye-bye salesman, and have been here ever since.

He’d known since he was a sophomore in high school in dina, o. when he’d ordered his first dental school

catalog, that he’d be a dentist one day.

He said there was no question in his mind that the erthoud vacancy was his to fill. oc Fickel may be thought of as one of a kind in the community, but there was another oc Fickel who preceded him one who was also a graduate of ashington University in St. ouis, o.

His uncle, .H. oc Fickel was a medical doctor practicing in Alamosa in the s, and when ruce graduated he followed his uncle to olorado, passed the dental exam and was ready to drill. ittle did uncle oc know how successful his nephew oc would be he would later have enough money to fund a full medical scholarship at their alma mater the obert . Fickel scholarship in memory of .H. Fickel. ut it was yet another oc Fickel, waiting in the wings, who helped make it all happen. ust a few blocks from ruce’s new home office at Fourth and ountain, a female general practitioner was working from her four-square home on Seventh Avenue. octor Helen c arty had a patient with bad teeth and sent him to oc Fickel for -rays one day which, as fate

would have it, he decided to deliver in person.

One could safely say that oc Fickel has put his mark on erthoud. oberts ake bears his first name, ruce Street bears his middle name and Fickel Park bears his last name. Two subdivisions also carry his name, as did the nursing home he built (early on . The Fickelc arty Foundation bears both their names, funding music, the arts and a multitude of services for area citizens. t wasn’t overnight getting from dentist’s chair to chairman of a small empire, however, the world had a war to wage. Only five months after oc opened his first office in erthoud, the apanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

He was on the old side at and failed his physical when he went to enlist in the U.S. avy, but two years later Uncle Sam sent him a telegram: report to ol. ull in Omaha for assignment and procurement. He entered the war effort as a dentist, was moved to ansas ity, o. where he examined the pearly whites of A s ( omen’s Army orp , and then on to Fort eonard ood, o. Helen stayed in erthoud, where she was the only doctor, making weekly trips up to stes Park to treat people there as well. oc finally shipped out to urope for troop support, crawling across the stormy Atlantic Ocean over a threeweek period by ship and landing in ngland before going on to ormandy a month after - ay. He arrived there just in time to care for U.S. soldiers who were pinned down by the ermans. ut one day looked up to the sky and saw , American bombers flying inland, he said, and soon we took off for Paris. As a captain in en. eorge S. Patton’s rd Army, oc commanded the th dental laboratory detachment that supported the U.S. troops that chased the enemy all the way back through ermany and on to zechoslovakia. He road across urope in a twoand-a-half-ton rolling dental lab truck with a red cross on the side. A corporal drove him up to astogne a day after the attle of the ulge ended a scene he says he’ll never forget and he still treasures a copy of Patton’s famous lood and uts speech. hen the war in urope ended, oc hung out with the brass at a villa in France at the invitation of another uncle: ajor en. A. Franklin ibler, assistant chief of staff to en. Omar radley and the th Army roup. Oh, it was quite a time, Fickel said. They had all of the finest china and silver, and incredible food and wine. And there was, just a captain. t was temporary repose, however, as the war in the

Photo by Rick Padden

“Doc” Fickel poses with one of his favorite bronze sculptures, “The Book Worm 2.” This is one of dozens of bronze sculptures Fickel created.

Pacific was still raging.

The Army shipped oc’s dental equipment to the Philippines and he was awaiting the ship on which he would follow when “Dang if the war didn’t end. was still in the Army though, and only got a month’s furlough home before being sent to aston, Alabama, and then to a hospital at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. aptain obert ruce Fickel then had a decision to make. He had a shot at making major and could have followed a military career that might have proven disastrous for the little town of erthoud, which had a population just under a thousand at the time. They try to talk you into staying in the military, of course, he said. ut decided to come home.

After two and a half years away, oc returned to erthoud, and his wife Helen had not spent a penny of the money he’d sent home during that time.

Reprinted from April 20, 2005, Berthoud Weekly Surveyor Robert Bruce “Doc” Fickel was a businessman, philanthropist and dentist. He was 93 when this article was written.

He had a bachelors degree in business from the University of Missouri; doctors in dentistry from Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. Doc and Helen had two children, son Bruce, daughter Jane, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren at the time this was written.

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p u o s n e k c i Is ch good cure a ? y u l l l f a d re n a s d l o c for

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor As fall and winter approach, so does cold and flu season though the flu virus can circulate year round. ith the coughs and sniffles, oftentimes the first food that comes to mind is chicken soup. ut is the American classic good for you That depends on if it comes from a can or is home-cooked. et’s start with chicken broth, a base ingredient not only for chicken noodle soup but for chicken casserole, chicken rice, vegetable stew and a braising liquid for chicken or vegetables. hicken broth, when cooked, is packed full of vitamins and minerals that are not only good for fighting the cold and flu but also ridding the body of food poisoning. roth helps soothe the body with heat and hydration and has been shown to ease cold symptoms. The steam from a hot bowl of it can open up airways, clear up congestion and improve breathing.

Hydration is important especially to keep organs and muscles working properly. A small amount of fluid loss can lead to increased body temperatures, while proper hydration helps the skin act as a barrier to prevent bacteria from entering the body.

The needed hydration can come, in part, from the broth, which is light and easy to eat when not feeling well. roth is a low-calorie meal good for weight management, since it contains no fat or sugar it can be served alone or as a substitute to lighten high-fat recipes.

Another advantage of broth is it’s a great source of essential fatty acids and protein, which help the body build and repair muscle, bone, skin and blood cells. t contains iron and, depending on the ingredients used to prepare it, a long list of other nutrients, such as vitamins A, , , , and and antioxidants. t has selenium that helps prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol and other complications.

To turn the broth (chicken or vegetable into chicken noodle soup, add noodles and chicken, of course, but also vegetables to increase the bulk.

The noodles provide carbohydrates, the body’s main fuel source, and help the body feel full and satisfied. egetables such as carrots, celery and onions have vitamins and and other antioxidants and minerals. The vitamins help build a healthy immune system to fight off viruses and speed up recovery from illness. hicken has lots of protein that also support

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the immune system. t’s a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as the vitamins that regulate digestion, as well as zinc, iron and copper. hicken also is high in tryptophan, which helps the body produce serotonin, a mood-enhancing chemical that also can give a feeling of comfort hence, the comfort food of chicken noodle soup. f taste buds are dulled from congestion, salt or other spices can be added to enhance the flavor profile, unless sodium intake needs to be reduced for conditions like hypertension, kidney disease and congestive heart failure. nstead, look for a low-sodium broth or one with no added salt.

To make sure the soup is healthy, opt for white meat over dark meat since it has more nutritional value and is higher in protein. Avoid using rotisserie chicken that has a high amount of fat and salt. nstead, poach a chicken breast in a stock to make sure it is lean. For the noodles, opt for whole grain or wheat over white pasta that’s high in fiber.

Also, avoid canned soups, because they typically have a high amount of sodium and several processed ingredients. n general, canned foods don’t have as high a nutritional value as freshly cooked food.

The key is to go for as fresh as possible, use white chicken meat and add in raw vegetables to a healthy chicken or vegetable broth. Then find the other comforts, like a good book or movie, and get some rest, since sleep can help boost the immune system and help quicken recovery from illness.

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What is a mycotoxin and what is it doing in my coffee?

By Amber McIver-Traywick The Surveyor You may have heard of mycotoxins and you may not but they could be affecting your health. Learning about these potentially harmful substances and where they might be lurking is the first step to avoiding exposure.

What is it?

Mycotoxins are metabolic byproducts of mold and other fungi and are known to cause serious health problems for animals like horses and livestock as well as humans. These mycotoxins have names like aflatoxin, fumonisin, patulin, and trichothecenes but there are more than 400 different types that have been identified. They can be found in animal feed and foods intended for humans. It’s estimated that around 25% of crops around the world are affected. The contamination can occur anywhere from before the food is harvested or down the line in the supply chain during transportation or storage. The conditions that the food is processed in also play a major role. Crops that are damaged or stored in warm, humid conditions have a higher likelihood to develop mold. Aside from food, mycotoxins can also be present in water-damaged buildings or other damp indoor envi-

ronments.

What does it do?

The World Health Organization says that mycotoxins in contaminated food can cause “adverse health effects” in both humans and animals, includ-

ing immune deficiency liver, kidney, and/or spleen damage; negative effects on fetal development; nausea and other gastrointestinal disturbances; hormonal imbalances; neurological problems; blood infections; skin dis-

eases; fertility problems; DNA damage and cancer.

If you have been exposed symptoms may appear quickly after acute exposure or develop over time as a result of chronic low-dose mycotoxin ingestion. Some people with chronic health issues including fatigue, allergies, headaches, itchy or painful skin rashes, anxiety, brain fog, and worsening autoimmune conditions might be suffering from mycotoxin poisoning and not know it. It’s also worth noting that people with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to mycotoxin illness.

Where do you find it?

Some foods tend to be more prone to containing mycotoxins. These include rice, dried fruit, grains like corn, oats, barley and wheat, nuts, coffee beans, sugar cane, hard cheeses, dried spices and herbs, wine and beer and meat and dairy from grain-fed animals.

If you are a coffee drinker like I am you may have perked up hearing it’s

a culprit. Research has shown that only 70 to 80% of mycotoxins found on green coffee beans are destroyed during the roasting process. Because the mycotoxin-producing mold grows on green coffee beans before they are roasted, it is a good idea to know that your coffee is coming from a safe and reliable source that screens for mycotoxins. A quick internet search or simply asking local roasters what their testing practices are can let you know what brands are a better option.

The FDA tests samples of corn and other products for mycotoxins and gives regulatory guidance including a determined amount that is considered safe for human and animal consumption.

What do I do about it?

Sometimes it feels like when it comes to health there is something wrong with everything but taking a few basic steps can help decrease the likelihood of exposure. According to Dr. Amy Myers a functional medicine expert and bestselling author, you might consider doing the following. uy your food fresh and local, directly from the source if possible. Get to know the farmers in your area at local farmers markets and talk to them about how they grow and store their products.

• Use your food promptly to avoid storing it for an extended time.

• Improve your health by eating a wide variety of anti-inflammatory foods that aid in detoxification like cruciferous vegetables. And a variety of food ensures less of any form of mycotoxin accumulating in your body.

• Take care of your immune system so it can fight back when any invaders like mold try to compromise your health. Your body is made to neutralize these types of substances as long as it is healthy and the exposure remains low.

• Be mindful of the air quality in your indoor space. Make sure there is adequate airflow and no water damage.

• Incorporate foods into your diet that are naturally anti-fungal like: Coconut oil, garlic, raw honey, turmeric, and cinnamon.

The good news is if you have been exposed or are suffering from issues related to mycotoxins there are ways to get better including lifestyle changes, supplementation, building up the immune system improving your liver health, and eliminating any mold from your home or workplace. Talking to your doctor is always a good start.

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What exactly is lupus?

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clotting, mouth sores, anemia, and memory problems such as confusion and forgetfulness.

The symptoms typically come and go, since there are flares or episodes where they worsen, and periods of remission with improvement or where symptoms completely disappear for a period of time. Some flares can be mild,

By Shelley Widhalm while others are more serious and require medical attention.

The Surveyor ew symptoms can develop, while others may happen less often. The sympMy cousin, who lost her life to lupus at age 18, had the characteristic toms can come on suddenly or begin slowly, be mild or severe, and be tempobutterfly-shaped malar rash, plus fatigue and pain was a child, but never rary or permanent, according to the ayo linic. forgot the rash and how it didn’t detract from her beauty.

To diagnose the disease, there isn’t a conclusive test to give answers, but it About half of people with lupus experience a red rash or color change across can be identified in other ways. Some methods include a medical history and their cheeks and bridge of the nose in the shape of tracking of symptoms, a review of family history of lupus a butterfly, according to the enters for isease and other autoimmune diseases, a complete physical ontrol. They have many other symptoms like exam, blood and urine tests, and a skin or kidney biopsy. prolonged fatigue, muscle and joint pain, fever, upus can be managed with treatment to help imshortness of breath and hair loss. prove symptoms, address them when they occur, reduce The disease’s many symptoms make it hard to organ damage, and prevent flares and the other probdiagnose since they can mimic and be mistaken lems caused by the disease, according to the . Treatfor symptoms of other diseases the symptoms also ment might include medications that reduce swelling vary from person to person, according to the . and pain, prevent the immune system from attacking the upus is caused by a combination of genetics organs and other tissues, reduce or prevent damage to and environmental influences and can be triggered the joints, and prevent organ damage, the states. by infections, certain medications and sunlight, The disease can cause death, though the improved according to the ayo linic. t is a chronic autotreatments allow those with the disease to live long, immune disease with no cure where the body’s imPhoto from Pinterest.com healthy lives. mune system attacks its own tissues and organs. The butterfly-shaped malar rash is a characteristic Other ways to keep the disease under control are to The disease is more common in women and af- indication of lupus. learn how to tell when a flare is coming, reducing stress, fects people of all ages, though it’s most commonly limiting time spent in the sun, eating a healthy diet, exdiagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45, accordercising moderately with doctor approval, and getting enough sleep and rest, ing to the ayo linic. upus also is more common in African Americans, according to the .

Hispanics and Asian Americans, the clinic states.

Alternatively, lupus flares can be triggered by stress, working too much, not The disease can affect any part of the body as it causes widespread inflamgetting enough rest, being out in the sun, having an infection, getting injured mation and tissue damage, most often in the joints, skin, blood vessels, brain, and stopping taking lupus medications, the states. arning signs can lungs and kidneys, according to the Lupus Research Alliance, the largest include worsening of symptoms or getting new symptoms like tiredness, pain, nongovernmental nonprofit funder of lupus research. a rash, fever, stomachache, severe headache and dizziness.

Other symptoms of the disease can include sun or light sensitivity, skin The key to dealing with lupus is understanding the disease and how to lesions that appear or worsen with exposure to the sun, chest pain, blood manage it as a chronic condition.

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Waggener Farm Park Recreation Center Cardio equipment: • Treadmills • Stairmasters • Ellipticals • Arc trainer • Recumbent bikes • Upright bikes • Rowers • ADA Ergometer and seated elliptical Machines/Weights: • Dumbbells/ ettlebells • Bench and squat racks • Cable strength equipment • Core machines • Olympic platform, bars and plates • TRX, resistance bands and exercise balls • Cable and plate loaded resistance machines Indoor track: A two-lane track circle around the gymnasium floor. alking track hours are subject to change.

Pickleball: courts available.

Basketball: middle school courts and full court Volleyball: high school regulation courts.

Aquatics:

laps

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mile

• Open swim – All pools, features and water slide onday Friday : - p.m.

Saturday Sunday a.m. - p.m.

• Family swim – Limited features and areas All pools are available to swim in between a.m. and : p.m. However, some areas may be closed or features turned off due to classes and programming.

•Lap swim onday Friday a.m. : p.m., : - p.m. ( lanes only after : p.m.

Saturday a.m.

Building square feet: 34,275 • Water walking Outdoor pool area square feet: 13,200 onday Friday a.m. - : p.m.

Saturday - a.m.

• Spa onday Friday a.m. - p.m.

Saturday a.m. - p.m.

Sunday a.m. - p.m.

Party rental: ook your child’s next birthday party at the center. The party package starts at per hour for guests. Additional guests will cost per person. The fee includes utensils, plates, napkins, and access to the pool. The bouldering wall can also be rented at an extra cost.

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor September 30, 2021 Page 13

Tapping could help you stress less

By Amber McIver-Traywick The Surveyor If you’re looking for more ways to help alleviate stress and anxiety tapping, a painless, inexpensive, and easy to do technique might be another helpful tool for you to consider.

With the compounding stressors of living through a pandemic, social and economic upheaval and many other external and internal factors people are feeling stress and anxiety more acutely than they have in the past.

The American Psychological Association recently conducted a survey of U.S. adults and found that 78% of respondents said the pandemic has caused significant stress in their life. When considering the physical and emotional toll of increased stress, nearly half of adults (49%) report their behavior has been negatively affected. Most commonly, they report increased tension in their bodies (21%), “snapping” or getting angry very quickly (20%), unexpected mood swings (20%), or screaming or yelling at a loved one (17%).

Even though much of what is going on in the world is far outside of our control, we can work on how we respond to the things that cause us stress or to react in a way we know isn’t helpful.

Tapping or Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a very simple way to bring some relief and help refocus the mind when things feel overwhelming.

EFT has its roots in the 1970s when doctors began experimenting with acupressure points. These points on the body have been utilized for centuries around the world to help the physical body. The doctors discovered that for many patients stimulating those points on the body could also help with stress, fear and phobias.

One of them, Dr. Roger Callahan patented the process and called it Thought Field Therapy. Not long after a man named ary raig simplified the technique and began calling it EFT. Acupuncture teaches that the body’s energy travels along specific pathways. ertain points on these pathways are stimulated to improve the flow of energy. The stimulation is done by inserting very thin needles (acupuncture) or by applying pressure (acupressure). Some scientists believe that it works because it stimulates the central nervous system and causes the body to release endorphins and other beneficial chemicals. FT tapping stimulates acupoints by touch rather than by the use of needles, making it similar to acupressure.

According to thetappingsolution.com, EFT is using your fingers and hands to gentle tap specific points on the body for several seconds then moving on in a series of points around the body. You can learn certain tapping sequences and gain more advanced understanding from a practitioner or discover on your own.

To understand better here is an example: You are stuck in heavy traffic at a standstill and are feeling angry and anxious as you are in a rush to get somewhere important.

• You would begin by stating what is on your mind and rating your distress on a scale of 0 to 10.

Speak a set-up statement, which identifies the issue and includes a statement of self-acceptance. In this scenario it might be something like “Even though I feel really frustrated and tense because ’m stuck in traffic, choose to feel surprisingly calm anyway egin the tapping sequence, using your fingers to tap on the specified sites.

• As you tap, use a reminder phrase to stay focused on your problem area. This could be reiterating that you feel surprisingly calm anyway.

• At the end of the sequence, rate your distress.

• Continue the process until your distress rating is very low.

Tapping procedures can differ slightly, but most use these locations: the heel of the hand, three locations around the eye, the area below the nose, the chin, the collarbone, the underarm, and the top of the head. From seven to nine taps are delivered on each spot.

Practitioners say that sometimes one round is all you need to shift your mind and thoughts to a better place and other times it takes a few rounds.

With stress linked to anxiety, weight gain, sleep problems, reduced immunity, chronic pain, cardiovascular issues and a very long list of other negative outcomes finding healthy ways to deal with stress like tapping could provide much needed relief.

As with most alternative therapies there are plenty of skeptics but whether there is a physiological reason or if it’s simply a placebo effect might not really matter if it helps someone improve their mental and physical wellbeing.

$37 in the 80513 zip code , $47 elsewhere.

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Healthy living can start with small, fun steps

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor

Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t just for those who love the gym, regularly meditate and practice the mind-body connection.

Healthy living can start with the basics, like drinking eight glasses of water, exercising most days of the week and eating a mostly balanced diet. These and other healthy habits can be incorporated by starting with small steps and not aiming for immediate perfection. The steps don’t have to be about giving up things once enjoyed, but instead can be a way to thrive in feeling great.

The first step is pretty easy: drink more water with frequent visits to the water fountain or faucet, choosing water over soda and other highcalorie beverages and bringing a water bottle when going out.

Typically, eight to 10 glasses of water are needed a day, depending on physical activity, body weight and humidity levels. More than 60% of the body is made up of water, essential for carrying out body functions, removing waste and transporting nutrients and oxygen. Water also helps with weight loss since it fills the stomach and causes it to feel less hungry.

Next, get moving but don’t necessarily call it exercise. Find something that’s enjoyable, like dancing, running, walking or going to the gym and that fits your schedule and lifestyle.

The advice varies about how much exercise to get, but a good rule is 30 minutes a day with room to skip — start by walking 10 minutes and build from there up to 30 minutes or even more. Once exercise becomes a routine, add variety to work on the entire body, such as alternating cardio exercises with lifting weights, working with resistance bands and doing other strength-building activities.

Exercise burns calories and fat, builds muscle, improves bone strength and triggers the release of endorphins, a feel-good hormone in the brain. It also can reduce stress, boost energy levels, strengthen the immune system and lower the risk of certain diseases, like heart disease, stroke and chronic illness.

Key with exercising is eating healthy by opting for natural foods over carbohydrates and sugar, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains.

Be sure to include a vegetable with every meal and choose fresh fruits and vegetables over processed foods for snacks — processed foods have a low nutritional value and high amounts of salt and added preservatives.

Think of eating healthy as adding in new foods and not focusing on what has to be eliminated, making it feel restrictive. Doing so has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Picking a mix of different colored fruits and vegetables adds to the good bacteria in the gut, improves the immune system and provides antioxidant properties that remove free radicals damaging to cells and fight inflammation.

Another healthy habit is to address stress, since stress and unhealthy habits can go together, resulting in sleep problems, headaches and depression, according to the American Institute of Stress. If stress is a constant, consider getting counseling or engaging in stress-relieving techniques like meditation to quiet the mind, deep breathing exercises, guided imagery and journaling. Find ways to

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release anxiety and handle daily pressures to further lower stress levels — exercising and eating a balanced diet also promote low levels of stress.

Additional healthy habits include getting enough sleep — the lack of it can cause premature aging and a desire to eat more food and choose unhealthy snacks as quick energy boosters — and improving posture that also improves breathing. Breathing deeply helps with physical performance — most people don’t breathe properly, taking shallow breaths and using one-third of their lung capacity.

A full breath causes the lungs to fill, the abdomen to expand and the shoulders to move minimally.

Also, learn to love yourself — a negative selfimage can weigh down mental outlook and lead to other negative behaviors like substance abuse.

Purge negative or toxic people out of your life who might be overly critical or negative. Get rid of personal negativity by being aware of thoughts and intentionally batting away the negative ones, avoiding keeping them pent up inside.

Finally, live a life of purpose, finding what gives joy and meaning, acting each day in alignment with that purpose. Include fun as part of purpose, making sure to spend time with family and friends and doing hobbies, traveling and other activities that bring about joy and contentment.

Focus on the positive aspects of a healthy lifestyle and make it sustainable and long-lasting so that eventually it becomes a habit, natural and routine.

Don’t begin with the drastic, which isn’t sustainable over the long-term and may result in reverting back to old patterns and behaviors.

Instead, start with small adjustments that eventually result in big changes.

Be sure to reward yourself for accomplishments with a new kind of treat, like a day trip, shopping venture or other favorite activity.

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Warming up to cold water bathing

By Amber IcIver-Traywick The Surveyor Cultures around the world have practiced using icy cold water to help heal the body for thousands of years. Today the practice of cold bathing is still going strong as it has become somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon in recent years as more people catch on to the benefits the practice seems to provide.

The basic premise is fairly straightforward.

Proponents say that by exposing the body to cold temperatures by either submerging yourself in a cold body of water or just by taking a cold shower that you can improve your physical and mental health.

Although at first it might seem like this alternative therapy is a little out there, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest there is a scientific explanation to many claims practitioners already swear by.

When you expose your body to really cold air or water, blood vessels constrict and your metabolic activity increases. This reduces swelling, tissue breakdown and inflammation. Once your body is no longer in the cold your tissue begins to warm up and the blood flow increases. That works kind of like a flush that sweeps away harmful metabolic waste that your body generates through wear and tear. Additionally, your lymphatic system gets activated and speeds up the elimination of toxins throughout your body. This means your body begins to heal in a supercharged way.

Some people claim they have higher energy levels from the practice and no longer need stimulants like caffeine to wake up or stay alert during the day.

Some research has shown that there is an increase in dopamine and norepinephrine, the feel-good chemicals in your brain that also reduce pain and inflammation, after deliberately exposing yourself to freezing temperatures. One study published in the National Library of Medicine found that a short twicedaily cold shower decreased depressive symptoms in participants. A similar case study of a young woman who had experienced anxiety and depression since she was 17 years old had such a dramatic change in her mental health after weekly cold water bathing that over time she was able to stop medica-

tions.

There is also some evidence that cold water bathing stimulates the immune system. Something we are all acutely aware of during a pandemic. A study conducted in the Netherlands found that people could voluntarily influence their immune systems by practicing meditation, deep breathing, and cold-water immersion techniques.

When participants were exposed to a bacterial infection, their bodies actually produced more anti-inflammatory chemicals and fewer pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to the infection. Incredibly other studies suggest that cold water bathing over an extended period of time boosts the body’s ability to fight cancer.

It might even help you to lose some weight. Research from 2009 concluded that brief immersions of around 5 minutes in water less than 59°F increased metabolism.

Someone who seems to be the living embodiment of what cold immersion can accomplish is a man named Wim Hof. Among other things, Hof is an extreme athlete who has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in just a pair of shorts and ran a half marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot. His techniques of utilizing cold bathing along with breathing techniques (aptly named the Wim Hof Method) are said to connect the body and the mind producing mental endurance and overall health. Hof also spent 112 minutes in an ice tank and came out completely unscathed so he might be on to something. He also claims that cold water immersion for as little as two minutes can in a sense reset the body. The Dutchman says that “the cold is our teacher” and that because you choose to go into a stressful environment consciously that you become the master of your mind. You can read about his techniques in his book titled “The Wim Hof Method” he also has many how-to videos online including multiple TED talks.

Aside from mind mastery, you might also see an improvement in your skin, sleep patterns, arthritis pain, lung function, cardiovascular health, and even your libido.

There are the more intense individuals who participate in cold bathing by jumping into semi-frozen bodies of water every morning (this can be very dangerous so never do it alone) and others who choose to simply spend a few minutes at the end of their morning shower with only the cold water on. However you might choose to try out the age-old practice the benefits just might make the somewhat uncomfortable experience worth it.

Skin cancer still poses a threat in winter Special to the Surveyor Skin cancer may be something on the minds of beachgoers and summer revelers frolicking around the pool. After all, when the sun is blazing hot and one’s skin reddens after mere minutes outside, it’s hard to ignore the potential for skin damage. But summer isn’t the only time of year that skin must be protected.

According to the health and wellness resource Cancer Therapy Advisor, ultraviolet radiation is just as dangerous in the winter as it is in the summer, and people should continue to care for and protect their skin as the weather gets colder. In fact, sunscreen is something that should be worn year-round.

Various lifestyle choices increase a person’s risk for skin damage and even skin cancer.

• Spending time outdoors in high altitudes: MD Anderson Cancer Centers warns that UV rays are especially intense in higher altitudes. This makes

the importance of wearing sunscreen even more vital here in Colorado. The risk for sunburn increases because the thinner atmosphere isn’t able to block many of the sun’s most harmful rays.

• Enjoying snow-related activities: Snow reflects up to 80 percent of the sun’s rays. Individuals may not realize that time spent on the slopes can result in sun damage that is just as harmful as that caused after a day at the beach.

• Heading out on cloudy days: Fog and clouds will not deter UVA rays from reaching the surface of the Earth. UVA rays, which are present throughout the year, can penetrate fog and clouds and even glass, warns the Skin Cancer Founda-

tion.

• Traveling to warm climates in winter: It’s common for people to try to escape the cold and snow by vacationing in tropical locales during the winter. Many may mistakenly think it’s a good idea to use a tanning bed to get a golden glow prior to departing. The Mayo Clinic reports that UV light from tanning beds is 12 times as intense as light emitted by the sun. Couple that with time spent in the tropical sun and severe damage can occur to unprotected skin.

Protecting skin from the sun is a year-round endeavor. When thinking about skin damage and skin cancer prevention, do not overlook the lips as well, as the skin on the lips is very sensitive. Use a lip moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15 and sunscreen on the rest of the exposed parts of the body every day.

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor September 30, 2021 Page 17

Myths and facts about COVID-19 from trusted sources From the Mayo Clinic website, Sept. 2, 2021

Vaccines are perhaps the best hope for ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s likely you’ve heard false claims about these COVID-19 vaccines on social media or from the people in your life.

Let’s set the record straight on some of the myths circulating about COVID-19 vaccines.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine is not safe because it was rapidly developed and tested.

Fact: Many pharmaceutical companies invested significant resources into quickly developing a vaccine for COVID-19 because of the worldwide impact of the pandemic. The emergencysituation warranted an emergency response but that does not mean that companies bypassed safety protocols or didn’t perform adequate testing.

Myth: I already had COVID-19 and I have recovered, so I don’t need to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available.

Fact: Getting COVID-19 might offer some natural protection or immunity from reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19. But it’s not clear how long this protection lasts. Because reinfection is possible and COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications, it’s recommended that people who have already had COVID-19 get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Myth: There are severe side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Fact: Reports of serious side effects are exceedingly rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 363 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the U.S. from Dec. 14, 2020, through Aug. 23, 2021. During this time, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) received 6,968 reports of death (0.0019%) among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine. FDA requires health care providers to report any death after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if it’s unclear whether the vaccine was the cause.

Reports of adverse events to VAERS following vaccination, including deaths, do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem.

For the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, you may experience some mild side effects, primarily injection site pain, fatigue and chills.

These symptoms get better without medical care, and usually within 24 to hours. Second doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines should still be given, even if you had one of these reactions after the first dose. While many people do not have reactions after vaccination, it is normal if you do. It does not mean you have the COVID-19 infection. It is an indicator that your immune system is responding to the vaccine. If you have a reaction, take some time to rest and allow your body to recover.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines don’t work because you can still get COVID after vaccination.

Fact: COVID-19 vaccination will protect most people from getting sick with COVID-19, ranging from 66% to 100% effective.

A very small percentage of fully vaccinated people will still get COVID-19 if they are exposed to the COVID-19 virus. These are called vaccine breakthrough cases. Some people might not experience any symptoms and some people could become sick due to COVID-19.

However, vaccination might make the illness less severe. If you are fully vaccinated, the overall risk of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 is much lower than among unvaccinated people with similar risk factors.

Myth: The current COVID-19 vaccines don’t protect against the COVID-19 variants.

Fact: In the U.S., the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant is now the most common COVID-19 variant. It is nearly twice as contagious as earlier variants and might cause more severe illness. While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are slightly less effective against the variants, the vaccines still appear to provide protection against severe COVID-19.

For example: Early research from the U.K. suggests that, after full vaccination, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 virus. The vaccine is also 96% effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant.

Early research from Canada suggests that, after one dose, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 72% effective at preventing the symptomatic COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant. One dose of the vaccine is also 96% effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant.

The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant, according to data released by Johnson & Johnson.

Myth: Children can’t get severely sick with COVID-19, so they don’t need a COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact: While all children can get the virus that causes COVID-19, most have mild symptoms or no symptoms. However, there has been an increased number of cases amongst children because of the Delta variant.

Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics has reported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases amongst people under 18 years of age. The Delta variant is nearly twice as contagious as earlier variants and might cause more severe illness.

While not as likely as adults, children can become severely ill with COVID-19. They might need to be hospitalized, treated in the intensive care unit or placed on a ventilator to help them breathe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition, children with underlying conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and asthma, might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19. Children who have congenital heart disease, genetic conditions or conditions affecting the nervous system or metabolism also might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19.

Research also suggests disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19 in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children than in non-Hispanic white children.

Some children continue to experience symptoms of COVID-19 after their initial recovery. Rarely, some children might also develop a serious condition that appears to be linked to COVID-19.

A COVID-19 vaccine can prevent your child from getting and spreading the COVID-19 virus. If your child gets COVID-19, a COVID-19 vaccine could prevent him or her from becoming severely ill.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine may also allow your child to start doing things that he or she might not have been able to do because of the pandemic.

Myth: I won’t need to wear a mask after I get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Fact: You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after you get a second dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after you get a single dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

After you are fully vaccinated, you can return to doing activities that you might not have been able to do because of the pandemic. You can also stop wearing a mask or social distancing in any setting, except where required by a rule of law.

However, if you are in an area with a high number of new COVID-19 cases in the last week, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outdoors in crowded areas or when you are in close contact with unvaccinated people. If you are fully vaccinated and have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may need to keep wearing a mask.

You also will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains and other public transportation traveling to, within, or out of the U.S., as well as in places such as airports and train stations.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine was developed to control the general

population either through microchip tracking or “nanotransducers” in our brains.

Fact: There is no vaccine microchip, and the vaccine will not track people or gather personal information into a database.

This myth started after comments made by Bill Gates from The Gates Foundation about a digital certificate of vaccine records. The technology he was referencing is not a microchip, has not been implemented in any manner and is not tied to the development, testing or distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines will alter my DNA. Fact: The first COVID-19 vaccines to reach the market were messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. According to the CDC, mRNA vaccines work by instructing cells in the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. Injecting mRNA into your body will not interact or do anything to the DNA of your cells. Human cells break down and get rid of the mRNA soon after they have finished using the instructions.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines were manufactured using fetal tissue.

Fact: Neither the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine nor the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines contain fetal cells nor were fetal cells used in production of either vaccine.

While the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may have its production based on an adenovirus and historical immortalized embryonic cell origin, the vaccine does not contain embryonic cells. In addition, the Vatican has stated to get a vaccine dose irrespective of vaccine origin.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility or miscarriage.

Fact: It’s recommended that you get a COVID-19 vaccine if you are trying to get pregnant or might become pregnant in the future. There is currently no evidence that any COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.

A small number of women have reported experiencing temporary menstrual changes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. A small study has also shown that some women experienced temporary menstrual changes after getting COVID-19. It’s not clear if getting COVID-19 or a COVID-19 vaccine causes these changes. Further research is needed.

Keep in mind that many things can affect menstrual cycles, including infections, stress, sleep problems and changes in diet or exercise.

Myth: Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s recommended that you get a COVID-19 vaccine. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness due to COVID-19. Vaccination can also help pregnant women build antibodies that might protect their babies.

COVID-19 vaccines don’t cause infection with the COVID-19 virus, including in pregnant women or their babies. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19.

While further research is needed, early findings suggest that getting an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy poses no serious risks for pregnant women who were vaccinated or their babies. The findings are based on data from the CDC’s coronavirus vaccine safety monitoring system. Also, keep in mind that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines don’t alter your DNA or cause genetic changes.

In addition, vaccines that use the same viral vector as the Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine have been given to pregnant women in each trimester of pregnancy in clinical trials. No harmful effects were found.

If you have concerns, talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Myth: I am allergic to eggs so I shouldn’t get the COVID-19 vaccine Fact: Neither the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine nor the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines contain eggs nor were eggs used for the development or production of either vaccine. However, those with severe allergic reac-

Page 18 September 30, 2021 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor tions to eggs or any other substance (i.e., anaphylaxis) are encouraged to remain after vaccination for 30 minutes for observation.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines must be stored at extremely low temperatures because of preservatives in the vaccines.

Fact: Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have reported that their vaccines contain no preservatives.

Different vaccines have different storage requirements. For instance, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine must be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius), while Moderna has said that its vaccine needs to be stored at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius). Both of these vaccines use messenger RNA, or mRNA, to teach your cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response to COVID-19. However, messenger RNA is fragile and can break down easily. Storing messenger RNA vaccines, like these COVID-19 vaccines, in an ultracold environment keeps them stable and safe.

You should not worry about these temperatures. Vaccines are thawed before injection.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.

Myths and facts about COVID-19 vaccines from CDC website, Sept. 7, 2021 How do I know which COVID-19 vaccine information sources are accurate?

Accurate vaccine information is critical and can help stop common myths and rumors.

It can be difficult to know which sources of information you can trust.

Before considering vaccine information on the internet, check that the information comes from a credible source and is updated on a regular basis.

Are all events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) caused by vaccination?

No. VAERS data alone cannot determine if the reported adverse event was caused by a COVID-19 vaccination. Anyone can report events to VAERS, even if it is not clear whether a vaccine caused the problem.

Some VAERS reports may contain information that is incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, or unverifiable. These adverse events are studied by vaccine safety experts who look for unusually high numbers of health problems, or a pattern of problems after people receive a particular vaccine.

Recently, the number of deaths reported to VAERS following COVID-19 vaccination has been misinterpreted and misreported as if this number means deaths that were proven to be caused by vaccination. Reports of adverse events to VAERS following vaccination, including deaths, do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem.

Is the mRNA vaccine considered a vaccine?

Yes. mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, work differently than other types of vaccines, but they still trigger an immune response inside your body. This type of vaccine is new, but research and development on it has been underway for decades.

The mRNA vaccines do not contain any live virus. Instead, they work by teaching our cells to make a harmless piece of a “spike protein,” which is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19. After making the protein piece, cells display it on their surface. Our immune system then recognizes that it does not belong there and responds to get rid of it. When an immune response begins, antibodies are produced, creating the same response that happens in a natural infection.

In contrast to mRNA vaccines, many other vaccines use a piece of, or weakened version of, the germ that the vaccine protects against. This is how the measles and flu vaccines work. When a weakened or small part of the virus is introduced to your body, you make antibodies to help protect against future infection.

Do COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips?

No. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain microchips. Vaccines are developed to fight against disease and are not administered to track your movement. Vaccines work by stimulating your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease. After

getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having to get the disease first.

Can receiving a COVID-19 vaccine cause you to be magnetic?

No. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection. All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals.

Do any of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States shed or release any of their components?

No. Vaccine shedding is the term used to describe the release or discharge of any of the vaccine components in or outside of the body.

Vaccine shedding can only occur when a vaccine contains a weakened version of the virus. None of the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. contain a live virus. mRNA and viral vector vaccines are the two types of currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines available.

Will a COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA? No. COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way. Both mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines deliver instructions (genetic material) to our cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the material never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept.

From John Hopkins website, Sept. 23, 2021 Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine can affect women’s fertility.

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccine will not affect fertility. The truth is that the COVID-19 vaccine encourages the body to create copies of the spike protein found on the coronavirus’s surface. This “teaches” the body’s immune system to fight the virus that has that specific spike protein on it.

Confusion arose when a false report surfaced on social media, saying that the spike protein on this coronavirus was the same as another spike protein called syncitin-1 that is involved in the growth and attachment of the placenta during pregnancy. The false report said that getting the COVID-19 vaccine would cause a woman’s body to fight this different spike protein and affect her fertility. The two spike proteins are completely different and distinct, and getting the COVID-19 vaccine will not affect the fertility of women who are seeking to become pregnant, including through in vitro fertilization methods. During the Pfizer vaccine tests, 23 women volunteers involved in the study became pregnant, and the only one who suffered a pregnancy loss had not received the actual vaccine, but a placebo.

Getting COVID-19, on the other hand, can have a potentially serious impact on pregnancy and the mother’s health. Johns Hopkins Medicine encourages women to reach out to their medical providers to discuss other questions they have about COVID-19 as it relates to fertility or pregnancy.

Myth: If I’ve already had COVID-19, I don’t need a vaccine.

Fact: People who have gotten sick with COVID-19 may still benefit from getting vaccinated. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible, people may be advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.

There is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long people are protected from getting COVID-19 after they have had it (natural immunity). Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Several subjects in the Pfizer trial who were previously infected got vaccinated without ill effects. Some scientists believe the vaccine offers better protection for coronavirus than natural infection.

Myth: Researchers rushed the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, so its effectiveness and safety cannot be trusted.

Fact: Studies found that the two initial vaccines are both about 95% effective — and reported no serious or life-threatening side effects.

There are many reasons why the COVID-19 vaccines could be developed so quickly. Here are just a few: The COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna were created with a method that has been in development for years, so the companies could start the vaccine development process early in the pandemic.

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China isolated and shared genetic information about COVID-19 promptly, so scientists could start working on vaccines.

The vaccine developers didn’t skip any testing steps but conducted some of the steps on an overlapping schedule to gather data faster.

Vaccine projects had plenty of resources, as governments invested in research and/or paid for vaccines in advance.

Some types of COVID-19 vaccines were created using messenger RNA (mRNA), which allows a faster approach than the traditional way that vaccines are made.

Social media helped companies find and engage study volunteers, and many were willing to help with COVID-19 vaccine research.

Because COVID-19 is so contagious and widespread, it did not take long to see if the vaccine worked for the study volunteers who were vaccinated.

Companies began making vaccines early in the process — even before FDA authorization — so some supplies were ready when authorization occurred.

Myth: Getting the COVID-19 vaccine gives you COVID-19.

Fact: The vaccine for COVID-19 cannot and will not give you COVID-19. The two authorized mRNA vaccines instruct your cells to reproduce a protein that is part of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which helps your body recognize and fight the virus, if it comes along. The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain the SARS-Co-2 virus, so you cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. The protein that helps your immune system recognize and fight the virus does not cause infection of any sort.

Myth: The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are dangerous.

Fact: In April 2021, the CDC temporarily paused and then resumed use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can have side effects, but the vast majority are very short-term —not serious or dangerous. The vaccine developers report that some people experience pain where they were injected; body aches; headaches or fever, lasting for a day or two.

These are signs that the vaccine is working to stimulate your immune system. If symptoms persist beyond two days, you should call your doctor.

If you have allergies — especially severe ones that require you to carry an EpiPen — discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with your doctor, who can assess your risk and provide more information about if and how you can get vaccinated safely.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine enters your cells and changes your DNA. Fact: The COVID-19 vaccines are designed to help your body’s immune system fight the coronavirus. The messenger RNA from two of the first types of COVID-19 vaccines does enter cells, but not the nucleus of the cells where DNA resides. The mRNA does its job to cause the cell to make protein to stimulate the immune system, and then it quickly breaks down — without affecting your DNA. Myth: The messenger RNA technology used to make the COVID-19 vaccine is brand new.

Fact: The mRNA technology behind the new coronavirus vaccines has been in development for almost two decades. Vaccine makers created the technology to help them respond quickly to a new pandemic illness, such as COVID-19.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine was developed with or contains controversial substances.

Fact: The first two COVID-19 vaccines to be authorized by the FDA contain mRNA and other, normal vaccine ingredients, such as fats (which protect the mRNA), salts, as well as a small amount of sugar. These COVID-19 vaccines were not developed using fetal tissue, and they do not contain any material, such as implants, microchips or tracking devices.

Myth: Now that we have a vaccine for COVID-19, we can make vaccines for the common cold, HIV and other diseases.

Fact: The thousands of viruses that cause various diseases are very different. Many change (mutate) year by year, making it difficult to develop one vaccine that works for a long period of time.

Developing vaccines for some disease-causing viruses is tough. For example, the virus that causes HIV can hide and make itself undetectable by the human immune system, which makes creating a vaccine for it extremely difficult.

The common cold can be caused by any one of hundreds of different viruses, so a vaccine for just one of them would not be very effective.

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor September 30, 2021 Page 19