Body & Soul

BODY + SOUL

Health • Fitness • Mind • Spirit • Medicine • Well-Being

LAUGHTER The healthiest response to life

10 Foods you

think are healthy that aren’t

BWS

BERTHOUD WEEKLY SURVEYOR

“Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot”

© Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

Genetic Testing

What you learn could save your life

September 26, 2019

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INDEX Laughter - the healthiest response to life........................................................ 4 10 things you think are healthy but really aren’t......................................... 5 Are your eyes wise?............................. 6 The dirt on grounding........................ 7 Alpine Essence Lavender Farm..... 8&9 Float your way to a buoyant state of mind at Radi8 Float Studio............. 10 Did you know — sunscreen?............ 11 Honey has it all................................. 11 Genetic testing.................................. 12 EnChroma eyewear - colorblind correction........................................... 13 Wild Soles Reflexology...................... 14 Temperatures may drop but your outdoor workout doesn’t have to........... 15

Four wheeling throught the Mediterranean................................16 Avoid medication errors.................17 Three women..................................18

Body & Soul 2019© 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.

Liability for any newspaper error in an advertisement shall not exceed the cost of space occupied by 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.

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor September 26, 2019 Page 3

Feel the beat ...

W e humans have many similarities and many differences, but one of the things we all have is a heartbeat. Whether you call that heart sound a “lub-dub,” pulse, or heart rhythm, it is plain and simply the evidence that our hearts are beating. That beating Surveyor is a constant Columnist reminder our hearts are actually circulating the life force through our bodies every single second of every day to maintain and even help strengthen our bodies.

There is the old cliché that says some of us Dr. Caroline may “walk to the Creager, PT, DPT beat of a different drummer.”

That may well be far more accurate than we have ever imagined.

Drumming circles and drumming exercise classes have been popular during the last couple of decades and are once again gaining new followers. This is more than a trend, but rather a great way to achieve several human needs at one time.

Drumming has been used for various reasons throughout the ages. It has been used in cultures throughout the world for

communications and signals. It has also been used to intimidate enemies in times of conflict. In addition, drumming has long been used as a means of relaxation and inner reflection.

While most of us do not need to beat drums as we march into a physical battle, Photo courtesy of Keith Hancock we are doing battle Drumming at the Wildfire Street Dance. every single day as we go about our daily lower stress levels and thereby help conlives. Our bodies have to fight off all trol pain and anxiety by releasing endorkinds of bacteria and virus infections in phins. (One of the “feel-good” substances addition to defending ourselves from work released in the body.) and play. Blood tests have even shown a The point is to beat a rhythm that will reduction in stress hormones after drumhelp you feel connected to the rhythm of ming. life and others around you. Many drumWhether you drum alone or with a ming advocates even use a drummer’s group (often called a drum circle), the practice pad when they don’t have access benefits help you become more in tune to their favorite drums. with the rhythms of the natural world.

It is rare to find a drummer who won’t Many drummers say they can’t imagine tell you they feel more relaxed and much life without drums. They feel more conmore in tune with themselves and the nected with the world as well as with world around them by drumming. The other people. Memory-care patients pardrummers find different rhythms commuticularly find connection and comfort in nicate different things to them and others drumming. around them — like letting the drums do The beautiful idea about drumming is some of their speaking for them. that, with little or no instruction, anyone In other words, there doesn’t seem to can beat a drum. There isn’t even one be a “downside” to at least introducing particular type of drum that is the “right” yourself to drumming. one to use. Drumming has been shown to

r e t h g Lau lthiest a e h the ponse res ife to l

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By Bob McDonnell The Surveyor

Put more humor in your life

Deepak Chopra, noted doctor and alternative medicine advocate, says the healthiest response to life is laughter. His chopra.com website lists reasons why we should start laughing today.

The first one is that laughter is contagious.

Mirror neurons exist that cause us to smile when someone smiles at you. When someone is feeling sad, it helps to seek out a friend with whom to laugh.

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Laughter is good for the body. Laughing causes muscles to contract, thus increasing blood flow and oxygenation. This in turn stimulates the heart and lungs. Endorphins are released to help with relaxation — both physically and mentally. According to an essay on englishsummary.com, this relaxation of muscles can last for up to 45 minutes.

The Mayo Clinic seems to agree with the laughter/ health connection. An article about stress relief on www.mayoclinic.org states, “Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.”

Laughter assists in getting someone out of the downward spiral of depression. A depressed person needs to step out of the unhappy mindset. The Chopra article says,“Even forced laughter releases a cocktail of hormones, neuropeptides, and dopamine that can start to improve your mood.”

Pain can be positively affected by laughter in many cases. The chopra.com website says, “People who are laughing don’t experience less pain, however they report being less bothered by the pain they do experience.”

This theory was exemplified by the movie

“Patch Adams,” starring Robin Williams. The 1998 semi-biographical movie showed how the doctor took the humor theory to its limits, and his patients loved it.

So, what can a person do to bring more humor into his or her life?

• First of all, focus on humor. Make it a priority.

• Have a humor buddy.

Find someone you find funny and meet with them. Share a laugh with them.

• The library has shelves with books of jokes, cartoons and fiction and nonfiction works with humor as a theme. An added bonus is there is no cost involved.

• For those more computer/digitally-oriented, the internet has a seemingly endless supply of humor. A quick search on Youtube will find humor to fit anyone’s taste.

There are famous comedians’ standup routines, full versions of older television sitcoms, bloopers from movies and on-air newscast mishaps. For those so inclined, there are more than enough funny cat videos too.

In all this, have a sense for what is not funny too. This is important. Humor that is at the expense of someone else, or mean spirited, should not be used or tolerated.

Laugh with people, not at them.

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10 things you think are healthy but really aren’t

By Amber McIver-Traywick The Surveyor

Sometimes food can be sneaky, it might seem like a healthy choice when in reality it could be far from it.

Companies are in the business of selling their products and as Americans become more health conscious about the food choices they make, presenting a product as a healthier option, even if it’s really not, can be counterproductive when your goal is overall health. The following are some of the more problematic foods you might want to take a closer look at.

1.Flavored yogurts — Most people know that yogurt has some healthful qualities including it being a source of probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that makes its home in your digestive tract. However, most yogurt is not all it’s cracked up to be. To start with, some yogurts say they contain fruit and have little to no actual fruit in them, some even contain artificial fruit flavors. Significant amounts of refined sugar are added to many flavored yogurts and ironically sugar feeds bad bacteria and kills the good. When 70 percent of your immune system is actually in your gut, you want to take good care of it. Plain yogurt mixed with real fruit at home or sweetened with a little honey is a better bet.

2. Trail mix — although this can be a great pick me up in the afternoon or some extra carbs to keep you going on an actual hike many trail mixes are glorified candy – particularly the ones that contain, well candy, like M&M’s. Not all trail mixes are created equal, if they are predominantly nuts and seeds, you are good to go, if they are mostly peanuts and chocolate covered anything, probably not the best bet.

3. Anything fat free or low fat — this sneaky marketing trick generally means there are around 10% more calories and 40% more sugar in an item because fat equals flavor, and when you remove that you have to make it more appealing

somehow - sugar, salt and artificial flavoring are the solution. Science has shown dietary fat, particularly healthy fats, don’t make you fat so be wary of these foods.

4. Salad — the word just oozes the connotation of health. However, most salads you get prepared at restaurants or delis are anything but healthful – some have even more calories than a regular entrée with tons of cheese, croutons all floating in salt, fat and calorie laden dressings. For example, the steak and blue cheese salad at Panera has 680 calories, 47g of saturated fat, 1060 milligrams of salt (almost half your recommended amount for an entire day) and 40g of sugar. Choose salads that are mostly veggies, with lean protein and go easy on the other toppings and dressing for a much healthier option.

5. Smoothies — there are many nutritional benefits to smoothies however, the volume you are consuming and what the smoothie has in it can make a huge difference in its nutritional value. Many smoothies bought in stores, which can be 20 plus ounces, often don’t contain real fruit but instead use artificial flavoring and sugar. Smoothie King’s The Hulk Strawberry Smoothie contains a whopping 960 calories. Using lots of greens blended with berries at home and using water, coconut water or almond milk can lower the sugar content tremendously.

6. Juice — It sounds healthy, it’s fruit, however a 12 oz glass of orange juice contains a whopping 9 teaspoons of sugar about the same as a 12 oz can of coke or 36g of carbs, or around half of what you should consume in an entire day. Opt for a fresh piece of fruit like an orange or apple instead.

7. Sushi — Sushi CAN be a healthy choice, it just depends on the type and again, how much, you are consuming. There is a deepfried roll called “The Heartattack” for a very good reason. Popular rolls like California and shrimp tempura rolls pack an incredible caloric punch, upwards of 500 calories a roll because they are stuffed with cream cheese, fake crab meat, and battered and fried seafood. Delicious yes, healthy, not so much. Enjoy some miso and a few pieces of veggie-centric and plain fish sushi instead like a tasty salmon avocado roll.

8. Nut Butter — this is another buyer beware item. Nutella is a notorious example, they marketed the product for years as something healthy to give your kids, in reality this hazelnut spread is mostly sugar. Nut butters can be a great way to add protein to your diet as well as healthy fats your brain and nervous system need to function properly however a quick look on the ingredients list will tell you how much sugar and other additives are included in your nut butter of choice.

Ideally your nut butter ingredient list should have one thing listed, the nut.

9. Gluten-free junk food — If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s probably a duck — whether the duck is gluten free or not. People who genuinely have gluten allergies have a welcomed reprieve by getting to indulge in snack foods that are gluten free however simply because these items are sold in health food aisles they still contain ingredients like refined grains, corn starch and tapioca starch that can trigger rapid spikes in blood sugar and are low in nutrients with just as many or more calories than their gluten-filled cousins.

10. This might be cheating, but number 10 is anything that’s processed regardless of what the box or marketing says about it. Many foods that go through processing are loaded with sugar and salt — which subsequently are also physiologically addicting. A good rule of thumb is buy the bulk of your food along the outer walls of the grocery store, fresh produce, lean meat, some dairy all the things that don’t have a shelf life of 1000 years with the help of chemicals and preservatives.

All things in moderation of course help keep everything in life, including our diets in check, but having the knowledge to not sabotage your attempts at health can make all the difference.

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ARE YOUR EYES WISE?

By Corey Pratt, O.D. Special to the Surveyor Our vision is incredibly important. It allows us to do so many things on a daily basis; like driving, doing our jobs, interacting with our families and friends, or enjoying a sunset. While most of us appreciate our vision, my fascination for vision is what led me to become an optometrist. But since I first started seeing patients, I learned there are some unusual and interesting questions about our eyesight. So in the interest of education and fun, I’ve devoted this article to answering a few of the more frequent questions I’ve been asked during my time as an optometrist. #1: Do glasses make my eyes weaker?

Except for a few very rare and specific cases, this is false. Your vision is determined by the size and shape of your eyes, corneas, and ocular lenses.

Glasses don’t change these. We’ve all heard people who say once they got glasses they weren’t able to go back to not wearing them. It’s not that their eyes got weaker, it’s just that once accustomed to seeing clearly they couldn’t go back to the blur they were once used to. Also, there are normal times in a person’s life when vision will change significantly, regardless of glasses. These times are often in the preteen and teenage years, the 40s, and then again in the 60s. #2: Do carrots make my vision better?

Yes and no. Carrots do contain beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body and is essential to proper function of the retina, cornea, and conjunctiva of the eye. Studies have shown people who get good nutrition don’t develop certain eye diseases as early or as severely as those who get poor nutrition. So those veggies do help with overall eye and body health. Just don’t expect those carrots to eliminate your need for glasses. If you’re looking

for eye healthy foods, kale and spinach are even better than those carrots, although if you’re like me you might not have much luck getting your kids to eat those. #3: Does marijuana treat glaucoma?

Sorry, but no. Glaucoma is a disease that is treated by lowering pressure inside the eye, and while research has shown smoking marijuana reduces eye pressure by a few percentage points, it isn’t enough to make any beneficial therapeutic difference. The medicated eye drops we use to treat glaucoma often lower the eye pressure by 20 to 30 % or more. Plus, smoking has been shown to drastically increase the odds of developing macular degeneration.

While that research was done on tobacco specifically, there are enough similar chemical compounds between the two types of smoke that it’s likely to be the case with marijuana as well.

So, to the cannabis enthusiasts out there, don’t hold your breath (pun intended) on your eye doctor prescribing marijuana any time soon. #4: Is it ok for my eyes to use my tablet, phone, computer, etc.?

Within reason, yes. The old tale of sitting too close to the television making you go blind is a myth.

That being said, however, our eyes weren’t designed to spend all day viewing things up close. Too much screen time can cause strain, fatigue, dryness, blur at near or far and headaches. A good rule of thumb is for every 20 minutes on a screen you need to look at least 20 feet away for a few moments to let your eyes relax and to blink. Also, a blue-light filter either for your screen or in your eyeglasses can help reduce fatigue if you’re one of the millions who do have to spend a lot of time at the computer.

In conclusion, these are only a few of the many questions I’ve encountered while practicing optometry, but I hope you found them as fascinating as I do.

Here at Berthoud Vision for Life Dr. Rex Eland and I love to answer questions and educate our patients regarding their vision and eye health. If you or your family has any questions for us, we would love to hear from you. Until then, stay wise for your eyes.

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The dirt on grounding

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By Amber McIver-Traywick The Surveyor

When was the last time your bare feet touched soil, sand or a body of water? For some it may have been days, weeks, months or even years since you’ve had a connection to a natural surface.

This disconnection from our natural environment might be causing us harm but a simple practice could be the solution.

Grounding or “earthing” as it’s called, is a simple alternative medicine pracitve that’s pretty straight forward, and if you live in a rural community like Berthoud, is easy for people of all ages to do. All you need are bare feet, or bare hands and a patch of earth. Proponents of the practice say sustained contact with the earth for even 10 minutes a day can help improve overall health and ease symptoms of a variety of ailments.

The theory behind the practice goes something like this, planet earth has a mildly negatively charge. Humans also have an electrical charge, inside the human body cells that are at rest are negatively charged but human bodies happen to be good at conducting electricity and we are constantly around and moving across positively charged artificial surfaces. If we do happen to be outside we generally always have shoes with artifical soles. By grounding yourself out, like with electrical work, the electrical charge your body builds up gets shifted back to how it naturally should be a more balanced or neutral state. Think of it in term of static electricity, when you rub your sock feet

across the carpet you are building up a charge on and around your body so when you touch your finger to something and you feel a spark of static electricity you feel/see the results of that. When the body stays continuously with a positive charge damage begins to take place at a cellular level.

The practice has gained momentum in alternative health and wellness circles in recent years and is being supported by wellness gurus like Dr. Oz, Joe Mercola and David Wolfe. It has also raised the interest of the scientific community particularly in the area of environmental science. The bulk of environmental science has been focused on the negative impacts on human health, like air pollution, but there is an emerging body of research devoted to the benefits of humans and natural environments.

How exactly grounding helps the body hasn’t been proven by science but there are theories. One of these is that the body produces something called free radicals, which happen to be positively charged. These compounds in small numbers are good for the body as they help attack and destroy unwanted things like bacteria, however, when there are way too many free radicals, they cause damage and show up as inflammation. Disease linked to inflammation run the gamut from asthma to IBS, cancer to Rheumatoid arthritis.

A small body of research on grounding has seen improvements in immunity, wound healing and prevention and treatment of chromic and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Cancers and tumor development have also been shown to decrease in animal studies on grounding as it has been shown to make a measurable difference in white blood cells, cytokines, and other molecules involved in the inPhoto courtesy of ultimatelongevity.com flammatory response.

The Ground Therapy Patch Kit from a company If you can’t make it outcalled Ultimate Longevity claims to provide a side or want to spend more concentrated flow of electrons to the body to help keep the body grounded. time grounding, there are many products available that claim to help keep you grounded. Ground therapy mats you can sleep on, blankets to cover up with, mats you can place under your desk at work, there is even a kit that the manufacturer, Ultimate Longevity says provides a concentrated flow of electrons that help with localized areas of acute or chronic pain.

There isn’t much science to back these products claims but if it works for you that might night matter.

There are several studies however that show simply being outdoors actually improves a person’s immune system, cardiovascular system, and respiratory systems. Nature therapy has also been shown to improve emotional wellbeing, decrease blood pressure, improve sleep, improve relationship skills, reduce stress and aggression. Will grounding cure all that ails you, probably not, but it may be worth trying, if nothing else enjoy the proven benefits of relaxing, kicking off your shoes, and spending more time outdoors.

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By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor

Alpine Essence Lavender Farm

Mary Jo Gentert originally started her lavender farm to help her acupuncture patients relax on the massage table.

Gentert, co-owner of Alpine Essence Lavender Farm and a Jin Shin practitioner and nutritionist, realized lavender wasn’t a very productive plant, so she needed to grow more herbs, which led her to create a skin-care line. She also realized she had knowledge to share, so this fall she is opening the Alpine Essence Wellness Center to offer self-care and nutrition classes.

“It’s a phenomenal journey,” said Gentert, who owns and operates Alpine Essence Lavender Farm, 600 Evita Court, with her husband, Russ.

The journey began with Gentert’s daughter Kaitlyn, who in 1992 was hospitalized and tested for cancer, but didn’t receive a diagnosis. Her doctors told the Genterts she couldn’t take any medications for one to two years while she rebuilt her immune system, but at a time when natural medicine wasn’t main stream.

Gentert decided to learn more about nutrition and natural medicine, and in the late 1990s received certification in natural health from Front Range Community College.

In one of her classes she was introduced to acupuncture and wanted to study the subject further, so in 2005 she earned her certification in Jin Shin Jyutsu at the Jin Shin Institute in Scottsdale, Ariz. She continued her education with online

Photo by Shelley Widhalm

Mary Jo Gentert holds up the distillery equipment she and her husband Russ use to distill the essence of the herbs they grow at their farm.

courses to be certified in nutrition, aromatherapy and herbology.

“Nutrition and Jin Shin go together. If you want the body to heal, you need to help it by adding in the nutrition component,” Gentert said. “Jin Shin goes in and reopens the body to allow it to heal.

Everything in the body is in balance. When it’s not feeling well, it’s out of balance. Poor food will take it out of balance.”

In 2005 Gentert started her Jin Shin and reiki practice and soon found if she placed lavender oil on the massage table, it would help her clients relax and open up to treatment. She told Russ she’d like to grow it, because it was hard to find in quantity, so he did on their one-acre property.

“One thing led to another, and we not only grow it, we distill it,” Gentert said.

Plants are nearly 90 percent water, and that water is referred to as the plant’s essence, where the vitamins and minerals are stored. Distilling is a way to remove the plant’s essence, which produces the most benefits when applied directly to the skin.

With this knowledge, Gentert started using the lavender to make natural skin-care products for her clients and friends in 2014. She and Russ grow and distill the lavender (they have 300 plants), along with chamomile, calendula and peppermint herbs, which serve as the foundation for the products. They wanted to do more with the products, so in 2016 to 2017 they began selling them to the public.

“I truly believe we are just starting to scratch

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“I truly believe we are just starting to scratch through the surface of what may be a very special experience,” Russ said. “Neither one of us knew what this would become when we were putting the first lavender plants in the ground five years ago, but Mary Jo never lets present realities cloud future possibilities.”

The products include a face-and-body moisturizer, face toner, hair moisturizer mist, magnesium roller that helps with things like migraines and headaches, and peppermint roller that stimulates the immune system, plus air cleansers.

“What makes Alpine’s product line so special and interesting is its uniqueness. Where else have you seen straight plant material (hydrosols) used as the backbone of a skin-care and wellness line of products?” Russ said. “I can’t think of a better use of time and resources than helping folks feel better by providing a completely natural line of products derived from plants.”

Carol Pratt of Masonville has been using the skin care products for 1 ½ years and now won’t use anything else for her skin.

“The result of (the Genterts’) care and desire to provide healing and beneficial products has been amazing for me,” Pratt said. “In fact, the other day one of my sons walked into my kitchen and asked what I was putting on my skin because I was just glowing. My goodness, what a complement.”

The Genterts sell the products online at alpineessencefarm.com and at their farm, artisan fairs, farmers’ markets, and Annalise the Amaranth in Loveland.

“We started seeing unbelievable results,” Gentert said. “Things started changing on our faces. We saw wrinkles, crow’s feet and fine lines disappear, liver and age spots lighten and disappear ... acne was a big one that disappeared.”

The results are cumulative, so improvements to the skin continue on an ongoing basis.

“Plants have the power to clean out our pores and help our skin function correctly by seeking its nourishment from the inside of us,” Gentert said. “It is extraordinary watching what happens when you only use nature.”

The name lavender in the farm’s name no longer is as fitting, given that chamomile and calendula are more important for skincare.

“We distill twice as much chamomile and calendula than lavender. Chamomile and calendula are phenomenal for skin and hair. We just kept the name Lavender Farm, but it’s not really a lavender farm anymore,” she added.

Gentert provides nutrition counseling, does public speaking, and teaches private group classes. Once she opens the center she hopes to offer classes on a monthly basis. In the meantime, she and Russ are adding furniture and doing remodeling work to the basement, where they display their products, to give the center a spa-like feel, as well as the backyard. They also offer tours of the farm, which they began four years ago.

“We don’t sell lavender flowers anymore,” Gentert said. “We distill every single thing we grow. It’s all for the wellness of body. All of our products are for health and wellness.”

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Float your way to a buoyant state of mind at Radi8 Float Studio

E

arlier this month I had the opportunity to float at Radi8 “The Big Bang Theory.” With more facilities like Radi8 Float Float Studio located at 5290 Arapahoe Ave., Unit D, in Studio, which happens to also be the closest for Berthoud Boulder. I’m still figuring out exactly what happened. residents, popping up around the country floating is more acI do have to say off the bat, it was an incredible experience cessible than ever. that shifted my perspective on how exactly our bodies and our The large shallow tub is aptly called a float tank or cabin minds work. My next thought is, you have to try it, at least which you step in to — kind of looks like the egg-pod Mork once, but if you are like me you will already be anticipating came out of on the 70s TV show “Mork & Mindy.” Google it if your next session as you are crossing you have no idea what I’m talking about. the parking lot to leave the first one.

The tank contains around 1,000 lbs. of Epsom salt disSurveyor What exactly is floating? solved in the water which is 5 times denser than the ocean.

Columnist Floating is a way of achieving deep No matter your size or body makeup, you will float. relaxation by spending 90 minutes lying Sounds simple enough but the benefits and experience in 10 inches of body temperature water itself are more impressive, complicated, and as I found out and Epsom salt solution (a natural unique to every individual and float session. People have muscle relaxer) to experience zero reported experiencing everything from epiphanies to problems gravity. It helps to enhance the body’s to deep relaxation, even to the point of falling asleep, to havability to completely relax as it puts a ing out of body experiences and visions — I missed out on the stop to almost all of the stimuli from latter. the world including light, sound, smells After a quick shower located in the same private room as and touch. the tank, you are ready to float.

The idea of floating has been around You are encouraged to wear foam earplugs as the salt can since the 1950s when neuropsychiatrist be irritating to sensitive ears and also to enhance the quietAmber John C. Lilly began experimenting ness of your float. The cabin has three large buttons on the inMcIver-Traywick Photo by Amber McIver-Traywick with, what then were called isolaside, one controls the lights, one lowers and raises the domed A float tank at Radi8 Float Studio is tion tanks and sensory deprivation at lid like a light weight garage door and the third is a button filled with 10 inches of body temperathe U.S. National Institute of Mental you can push if you need any kind of assistance or want to ture water and contains nearly 1,000 Health. This however sounds much scarier than deep relaxcommunicate with the attendant. It was nice to know I had lbs. of epsom salt. ation, and leaving the distractions of the world behind you, and control of all of the above as I was laying there learning to let more like “Stranger Things.” go mentally and physically and of wanting to control everyFloating has been gaining steam over the past decade as word has spread about thing in life in general. the practice even showing up in pop culture like on episodes of “The Simpsons” and There are speakers inside the cabin and you have the option of listening to mu-

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sic for all or just a portion of your float. I opted for relaxing instrumental spa music to play for the first 15 minutes and last 5 minutes of my experience to ease into the whole complete silence thing and to help me finish up the experience.

When I stepped into the tank the first thing I noticed was that I could feel the water due to the incredibly high salt content, it feels a little slippery. I sat down, and at that moment my brain flipped a switch. I got a little panicky.

I have no idea why but the thought of laying back and floating in complete darkness and total silence, in 10 small inches of water freaked me out.

When I finally laid back after giving myself a pep talk that it was going to be a good thing I relaxed into the float.

I became very aware of just how tense my whole body was floating there and went to consciously relaxing everything.

The zero-gravity sensation is pretty incredible as you don’t really feel the water around you after a certain point as it matches your body temperature.

One thing I kept bringing myself back to was my neck, I had to consciously keep reminding myself to relax my head — something I tend to do all day long.

Although there is a small floating neck rest you can use there is no need, you lay your head back and it just floats on the surface right along with the rest of you. You can try to push your arms to the bottom, it’s kind of fun actually, but it’s a struggle.

I could hear the music through the water and after the first 15 minutes I was ready for the silence and the dark.

You have a lot of time to just listen to your breathing and really be with yourself — a rarity in the fast pace of modern life. I worked through some thoughts and emotions and tried to just take long deep breaths and relax. The experience did get a little trippy a few times, but I didn’t have a vision of embodying my cat or of being Coki Roberts like Lisa Simpson did.

When the music softly came back on and it was time to exit my cabin to shower off again I was completely relaxed in a way I’ve never felt before. It felt like the mental clutter and physical tension were left behind in the water.

An exceptional way to end a Thursday.

Proponents of floating say it helps a variety of things including chronic pain, anxiety, chronic fatigue, depression, low circulation, relaxation, meditation, rest, increased creativity, insomnia, fibromyalgia and lowering blood pressure.

Some research has even shown it helps improve symptoms of PTSD and autism.

If you are looking for a way to destress and reap a myriad of benefits, both mental and physical, and some might even say spiritual, consider floating.

For more information about Radi8 Float Studio and to schedule your own float experience visit radi8float.com/ home or call 303-484-9132.

Honey has it all

Special to the Surveyor

Honey is perhaps best known for its sweet taste. But beneath that sweetness is a complex, healthy food.

Bees produce honey from the pollen of plants through a complex enzymatic process, turning it into the beloved golden nectar.

Many properties make honey a unique food that is not just tasty, but also quite healthy. Here are some facts about honey that might get you buzzing.

• When stored in an airtight container, honey can last indefinitely. The substance is naturally acidic and low in moisture, which means it is an inhospitable environment for bacteria. There are small amounts of hydrogen peroxide in honey as well, inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. (Source: Tin Roof Teas) • Honey has antibacterial properties, so it has been relied on as a health food and topical treatment.

Burns, cuts, infections, stomach ailments, and more have been treated with honey. (Source: National Center

for Biotechnology Information) • Honey is the only food source produced by an insect that humans eat. (Source: Peace Bee Farmer) • Mead is a fermented beverage that is made from honey. It has a storied history as a beverage of choice in many different cultures.

(Source: Hidden Legend Winery) • Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life. This includes enzymes, vitamins and minerals. It also contains pinocembrin, a unique antioxidant associated with improved brain function.

(Source: Sirhowy Valley Honey) • A honey bee produces roughly 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey over the course of its life. Bees are not the only insect to make honey, however. The honey wasp, native to Mexico, also can produce honey. (Sources: Golden Blossom Honey and Inverse) • Honey will take on the flavor of the nectar from which it was made.

This nectar also will affect the color and the consistency of the honey.

(Source: National Honey Board)

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Genetic testing - what you know could save your life

By Amber McIver-Traywick The Surveyor Cancer is prevalent in our society. You would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t have a family member or friend who’s lives have been touch by this disease. But new scientific advances might make cancer less common.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that almost 40% or men and women will be diagnosed with a form of cancer at some point in their life.

If there is any good news when it comes to cancer, medical research, treatments and preventative methods have improved drastically over the past 30 years. From 1991 to 2015 the overall cancer death rate in the United States fell 26%. Those are tens of thousands of people who can say they survived cancer compared to a few decades ago.

Genetic testing is an area that is rapidly expanding our understanding of cancer and where it comes from in hopes of eventually developing a cure. Until then, understanding what your personal risk factors are and whether or not you should be tested could be a matter of life and death.

Genetic testing or counseling as it is sometimes called is a process of looking at your DNA, the chemical database that carries instructions for your body’s functions and determines if any of that information might be connected to certain cancers. The goal is to provide a clear understanding of your risk factors and based on those results formulating a plan to monitor your health.

A conversation with your doctor or medical provider can determine if you would be a good candidate for testing. Many insurance providers will cover this type of screening and some testing labs have grants and other funds available for those who do not have coverage. A small sample of blood or even saliva can be used by a lab to extract your DNA and look for genetic markers or mutations that are linked to one or many different cancers.

There are many different types of genetic tests. Some tests look for one or a few specific gene mutations. Other tests — known as multigene panels — look for many gene mutations at the same time. The best test for you will depend on your exact situation.

Knowing your family history is critical in the process of determining whether or not you should be tested. Any family members, particularly siblings and parents, but also any aunts and uncles who may have had cancer in the past as well as your ethnic background can play a role in your propensity for developing cancers.

However, it’s important to know that genetics are only linked to between 10 to 20 percent of cancers, most, according to Pamola Gale, a nurse practitioner who specializes in Genetic Risk Assessment at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, are cancers occurring in people who do not have any known history of cancer in their family. That is why annual doctor’s visits, self-exams and paying attention to and checking in with your doctor about any changes in your body is critical.

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

Genetic test results for someone who has a current or previous cancer diagnosis that comes back positive enhances that person’s risk for a new diagnosis of cancer down the road. For example if a woman tests positive for the BRCA1 or 2 genetic mutation her likelihood of also developing ovarian cancer, a cancer which currently has a less than a 50 percent survival rate as it is difficult to detect until it is advanced, goes from a 1.5% chance in the general population to upwards of a 50 percent. The good news is that in knowing those genetic factors exist a person can be proactive with the actions they take medically or by being screened regularly to detect cancers early on when they are most treatable.

Testing is important for both women and men. Cancer mortality rates according to the National Cancer Institute are much higher in men than women as men tend to wait until the disease is advanced before seeking medical help. In recent years, scientists have discovered a number of mutations that can contribute to a person’s risk of developing certain cancers including colorectal, and prostate cancer — two of the top 3 leading cancers in men.

Science is ever expanding our knowledge in this field and to date there are over 291 genes associated with cancer. This number is still only about 1 percent of the human genome — there is much more to be discovered. Even if an individual was tested in the past, particularly for those who have had cancer or a close family member who has, it is recommended to be retested due to numerous advances.

If you do happen to come back with a positive result for a certain gene mutation it doesn’t mean you are doomed to have cancer but you are armed with the understanding you have a heightened risk and with your doctors you can take extra measures to monitor your health to avoid serious problems down the road.

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EnChroma eyewear - colorblind correction

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor

Imagine the rainbow missing a few colors and then putting on a pair of special glasses and suddenly entering a full-color world.

Those struck with color blindness or color deficiency can see the colors they had only once imagined with the help of cutting-edge lens eyewear developed by EnChroma, Inc., in Berkeley, Calif.

Color blindness and color deficiency affect one in 12 men and one in 200 women and can reduce the number of shades of color they experience by as much as 90 percent.

Inventors Don McPherson, a PhD glass scientist and chief science officer of the company, and Andrew Schmeder, a mathematician with expertise in technological innovation, and the company’s president and chief executive officer, founded EnChroma in 2010. They spent more than 10 years in clinical research, applying color perception neuroscience, optics and mathematics to provide a solu-

tion to color-deficiency issues. The result of their work is a full eyewear line that enables the perception of bright, vibrant colors and helps with clarity of vision.

Their invention, though, came about by accident. McPherson, a

former glassblower and a glass scientist, created protective eyewear for surgeons in the 1990s to use with a certain type of laser in the operating room. One of McPherson’s friends borrowed the glasses while they were on a Frisbee field, and he said he could see the fluorescent orange cones on the field. McPherson, knowing people would want to see other colors, too, applied for grant funding from

the National Institutes of Health to develop glasses for the full color spectrum and not just orange. He conducted the research and Schmeder carried out the design and optimization of the eyewear.

EnChroma also created an online EnChroma Color Blindness Test to identify the presence of color blindness, as well as the type and severity, using the Ishihara Color Plate test. The test serves as a first step to learning about any colorperception issues and if EnChroma is a good fit.

To understand how EnChroma’s eyewear works requires some background knowledge about color vision. Normally white light, which contains the colors of the rainbow, enters the eye and “activates three kinds of photo pigments, one in each of the three photoreceptors sensitive to different parts of the visible spectrum: blue, green and red,” as stated on EnChroma’s website, www. enchroma.com. “Most types of color blindness occur when the eye’s green

and red color sensitivities shift, resulting in too much of an overlap.

This excessive overlap causes distinct hues to become indistinguishable,” the website states.

EnChroma developed optical-lens technology to selectively filter out wavelengths of light at the point where the overlap occurs. The lenses are designed to increase the contrast between the wavelengths for red and green to allow for the perception of a more accurate range of colors. That design can help with four of five types of color blindness, including partial red-green color blindness.

The eyewear is offered in various styles that are Rx customizable and include UV protection. The options are categorized by outdoor, indoor, fit over and children’s, and the styles include trendy, sporty and classic with names like Ellis, Monterey and Derby. The lenses can be for outdoor or indoor uses to work in different lighting conditions and are antireflective on both sides to maximize clarity and reduce haze.

“This virtually eliminates lens surface reflections to see the world the way it truly is,” according to the website.

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Wild Soles Reflexology brings healing practice to Berthoud

They moved to Berthoud in March after realizing they spent a lot of their free time in the town — it reminds Rogers of the village where she grew up, she said.

Lizzy Rogers came up with the perfect name for her Rogers went through a six-month program at the reflexology practice in an outdoor community like BerHealing Arts Institute in Fort Collins, earning her certhoud. tification in reflexology in May. She chose reflexology The name is Wild Soles Reflexology LLC, which Rogafter being treated for chronic conditions that cause her ers opened in July at her home-based studio at 655 Lene to have bladder, digestive and hormonal issues, and Lane. seeing improvements.

“Part of living in Colorado is we love hiking and we try “It’s a therapy that’s helped me control chronic pain to get out in nature when we can,” said Rogers, a certiconditions,” Rogers said. “I’ve seen it work for myself fied reflexologist. “Nature has the ability to heal you. I and wanted to share it.” like the link between the wildness of nature and healing Rogers was booked her first month of business. through the soles of your feet.”

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the response from the Rogers focuses solely on reflexology and offers 30-, 60Berthoud community,” Rogers said. “Everyone’s been and 90-minute sessions. The sessions include a complicoming back and referring their friends. That’s part of mentary herbal foot soak for relaxing, a discussion of any the reason I wanted to set up in a community like this health issues, and treatment. is because it’s so supportive.”

“Reflexology is good at triggering the body’s own healJoanna Rallo, a real estate broker who lives and ing responses and helping the body find its own natural works in Berthoud, finds Wild Soles Reflexology the balance,” Rogers said. most effective of the reflexology practices she’s visited.

Reflexology is a gentle form of bodywork that involves “It’s apparent that Lizzy loves what she does and applying pressure to specific reflex points in the feet, truly cares about others,” Rallo said. “She is extremely hands and ears, which is thought to help stimulate or sedate internal organs, increase circulation, and restore Photo by Brian Rogers knowledgeable in her field and intuitive in her sesLizzy Rogers owner of Wild Soles Reflexology sions.” body functions to their natural balance. According to After visiting Rogers, Rallo saw her energy increase Rogers, it’s a natural, non-invasive way of reducing pain, sits in her home-based studio in Berthoud. and digestive issues resolve. stimulating the body’s natural healing, and providing “I appreciate her passion for what she does and her other benefits, along with relaxing the muscles. professionalism,” Rallo said. “I’m telling all of my friends about her. We are “Western medicine is just now coming to understand the amazing benefits truly privileged to have Lizzy in our community.” of this ancient therapy with functional MRI scans finally proving the relationRogers schedules appointments 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and eveships between the reflex points and the rest of the body,” Rogers stated on her nings if requested. She can be contacted at 720-757-4548 and wildsolesreflexolwebsite, www.wildsolesreflexology.com. ogy@gmail.com.

The most recent clinical studies around reflexology focus on how it can help with cancer care, diabetic neuropathy, pain management and lymphedema, or swelling in the body, with promising results, Rogers said. It also has been shown to help with digestion, stress and sleep issues.

“Health is like a jigsaw puzzle. Lots of things come together to make a person healthy,” Rogers said. “Reflexology is a piece of the puzzle.”

Rogers considers reflexology to be complementary therapy because it works alongside other forms of treatment, like western and eastern medicine, prescription medication, and supplements. Reflexology, believed to be an eastern practice, actually was pioneered in America in the 1920s and has been linked to Egyptian uses.

“I think there’s a big future for complementary holistic therapy to join forces with western medicine to bring a more natural form of healing to people,” Rogers said. “I enjoy bringing everything I learned in western medicine over to holistic medicine or over to reflexology.”

Rogers, who was born and raised in Hampshire, England, originally studied western medicine, earning the equivalent of an associate’s degree in health and social care from Southampton University in Southampton, England, in 2007.

She worked for 15 years as a dental nurse in the United Kingdom, including while she was in school. She decided to change her focus when she and her husband Brian moved for his job from England to Longmont in February 2017.

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor

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Temperatures may drop but your outdoor workout doesn’t have to

Special to the Surveyor

Workouts are a part of many people’s daily routines. Some look forward to their exercise sessions, while others only commit after finding ways to make them as enjoyable as possible. For people who don’t enjoy working out indoors, finding ways to exercise in the great outdoors can provide the incentives necessary to commit to daily workouts.

Exercising outdoors is a great way to get some fresh air, but what about those days when the weather isn’t so inviting?

Lengthy periods of cold or inclement weather, which is common in fall and winter in many parts of the world, can interrupt daily routines and derail one’s fitness goals. However, there are ways to overcome inclement weather so outdoor workouts can be enjoyed year-round.

• Warm up for longer periods of time. Muscles typically require more time to warm up in cold weather than they do in warm weather. The Canadian Chiropractic AssociationTM notes that many people feel as though there muscles are noticeably stiffer in cold weather than in warm weather. This can make people who exercise in such weather more vulnerable to musculoskeletal injuries. One way to reduce that risk is to warm up for longer periods of time than you might in warm weather. For example, runners might want to walk slowly outdoors for several minutes before they begin jogging. Doing so can loosen and

warm up muscles that are naturally stiff in cold weather.

• Dress appropriately. The gear outdoor exercise enthusiasts wear can go a long way toward making cold weather workouts more enjoyable, and safe. Layering clothing during cold weather workouts allows people to maintain steady body temperatures throughout a workout by removing layers as they heat up if they need to. Even though it’s cold, your body will still sweat, so look for a wicking material that draws moisture away from your body. This is especially important for your core, as the outdoor recreation retailer The North Face® notes that blood pulls toward the chest and abdominal area, making this the warmest part of your body. Focus on keeping the extremities, including fingers, toes and nose, warm with materials like gloves and tall socks. Face masks can be helpful to cover the nose and neck, but make sure they’re made from breathable materials that won’t hold moisture.

• Reconsider your footwear and other support to improve balance. Frozen ground is not as easy to traverse as unfrozen ground, so look for footwear that provides added traction.

Winter running shoes that come with studded soles might be necessary. Trekking poles also can help hikers gain traction on frozen or snow-covered trails.

Outdoor workouts don’t have to end when the weather gets cold. A few simple tricks can help people exercise outdoors throughout the year.

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Four wheeling through the Mediterranean A

ugustine said, “The world is a book and those who don’t travel only read one page,” Traveling Europe is daunting for most people, not to mention for people traveling with limited physical abilities. As our loved one’s age, we want to give them the powerful gift of travel, but that can be overwhelming.

My mother is bound to a wheelchair due to Multiple Sclerosis. With her constant decline becoming more and more apparent I asked her the big question “What is on your bucket Guest list?” All the while I was bathing Columnist her, making her meals, and even assisting her to and from the bathroom. When the idea of traveling to Europe came to life, I knew all too well what I might be getting into, or so I thought.

With some planning we booked a cruise to the Mediterranean. Cruise lines offer the amenities needed for accessibility and ease of travel to multiple locations. With her physical Theron ability this would truly be a once-inLaFountain a-lifetime opportunity.

Now that we knew where we were going, my chief concern was to find a mobility device that could withstand cobblestone streets and tight spaces. With some research I came across “wheelchair in a bag” by Elite Care for $200. The chair promised Courtesy photos it could fold into a small duffle bag. The wheelchair did Sharla and Theron LaFountain at the entrance to the Emperor’s Quarters and Central Square of not disappoint. We even took a train to Pompeii, fitting the Diocletian’s Palace, Split Croatia, Built in 305 AD. wheelchair in the overhead luggage compartment. with all taxi rides in Italy, you can negotiate the price.

Now that the planning was done, we were off. Upon What is Venice without a private boat-ride down the canals? It took some arrival into Barcelona we were whisked off to our hotel at a running pace in searching, but I found an amazing local guide who gave us a full two-hour tour order to make our rooftop Paella making class. When we arrived at the class ride through Venice, complete with music, wine, tales of Marco Pollo, and the the host of the “Airbnb Experience” met us outside. Immediately, we learned old Jewish Ghetto. our new motto “where there is a will, there is a way.” Wheelchair ramps in Through it all, the one thing that kept smacking us in the face was the Europe are not regulated by grade and width, but that didn’t matter. The host generosity of people. When traveling with someone in a wheelchair there is grabbed the front of the chair and I pushed from the back. Just seeing mom taste Paella on a rooftop in Barcelona made it the best Paella I will ever taste. no option but to give up the need for control. It was the helping hands of the local tour guides (found on Orbitz Florence and Rome (our first official cruise stops) became and Airbnb), tuk tuk drivers, train a whirlwind of wine, pasta, pizza and ancient history. It attendants and servers who made our was here I would stumble across the brilliance of the motor travels possible. Whenever we needed rickshaw (tuk tuk). For about €100 ($115 dollars) you can assistance, like in Split, humanity get a two-hour tour of virtually any city. This allows you to answered. take in five to seven major tourist sites in a short span of The trip was not easy, but it was time, giving a taste of each city. The tuk tuk easily fit both worth it. Here are my tips. of us and the wheelchair-in-a-bag. These do not have to be • One, pick only a few highlights booked in advance and they are a great accessible alternaand go for it. tive to the traditional $300-$400 excursions offered through • Two, know things will take lonthe cruise lines. You can find them waiting at most city cenger than you have planned. ters, docks or train stations. It also allowed us to take the • Three, don’t be afraid to wing it seven-hour disembarkations at our leisure. a little.

In Split, Croatia, when we arrived at one of the sites • Four, share car rides and tours with the stairs, the rickshaw driver turned to me and with other people you meet. asked, “Does she want to go to the top?” He was willing to • Five, all the cities are at least grab one half of the wheelchair if I would grab the other an hour from the cruise ports, and and we could carry her all the way up, so we did. Watching it costs about €100 to get to them. my mother see all these sights was almost overwhelming.

Trains are available but they are This trip was feeding my soul as much as mom’s ... not beNOT very accessible. cause of the places but because of the beauty in the human• Six, most museums in the EU are ity of the people willing to make this gift of travel come to free to those in a wheelchair, if you life. are with a local guide (and you get to By far the most difficult city to navigate was Venice. The city is nothing but a series of canals with bridges. There is a water bus system skip the lines).

• Seven, don’t stress out. You got this. Even when it feels like you don’t. for €20 a day. The system is very accessible; the only downfall is you must We may become trapped by our own bodies to a life of limited mobility, but take it every time you want to cross a canal. Venice does have accessible water that should never trap our minds. Just as a book feeds our soul, so too does taxis, fully equipped with electronic lifts. The taxis are a little pricy but, as travel. Go read as many pages as you can, without limits.

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AVOID MEDICATION ERRORS WITH THESE TIPS

Special to the Surveyor

Prescription medications are a necessity for many people. The American Academy of Family Physicians says that, each week, four out of five adults in the United States will use prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and/or various supplements. Approximately onethird of adults take five or more medications at the same time.

The potential for adverse drug events is elevated when people are taking multiple medications at one time. For example, mixing pills has the potential to cause serious injury or even death.

Doctors, patients and pharmacies must work together to ensure that medication is taken safely.

One of the best ways to prevent errors with medications is for patients to take an active role in their health care management.

• Know your dose. Children are at an especially high risk for medication errors because they require different doses than adults, offers the Mayo Clinic.

Adults of different weights who share medications can run into trouble as well. It is key to follow the dosing instructions, as even a minor error in regard to dosage can potentially cause a big problem.

• Follow up with your doctor. Certain medications can cause side effects that only can be noticed by lab testing, such as an impact to the liver. Doctors also may be under an obligation to follow up with patients taking psychologi-

cal drugs to ensure the efficacy of treatment. Make sure you keep all follow-up appointments.

• Maintain a current list of meds. It is up to patients to share information with prescribing doctors regarding any and all products being taken to avoid harmful interactions. Using the same pharmacy for all prescriptions also is helpful.

• Be honest about height and weight. Medication labeling and package inserts typically use metric units to correlate dose to a person’s physical attributes. Individuals should know their information in metric measurements and be honest with themselves about what they weigh.

• Use medications correctly. It is important not to chew nonchewable pills or cut pills unless the pharmacist or doctor has said it is safe to do so.

Accurate dosing also requires using the right spoon or syringe, not silverware. Store certain types of medications, such as eye drops and ear drops, separately so they’re not mistaken for one another.

These are just some of the ways to prevent medication errors. Consult with your doctors and pharmacists for more assistance in staying safe.

PLEASE RECYCLE

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Three women in different stages of life talk life and health

Special to the Surveyor

Since its inception in 1965, the Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado has held to its mission of Caring for All Women. Always. Let’s hear from three patients in different life stages about how this mission plays out in providing health care to women. Below you will see responses from “Sally,” age 64, “Cally.” age 41, and “Ally,” age 18. (names are fake) 1. At your current stage of life, what do you wish you had more time/energy/ health/money for?

Ally: “I feel like I have the world of opportunity right now. I still have my family’s backing and I can pursue most anything I want ... so actually the challenge is saying no to some options.”

Cally: “I feel like I could do a much better job of taking care of my own health. I’m finding that this stage of life involves a lot of care-giving of others, and I can barely find time for a walk each day.”

Sally: “Oh, why are you assuming I wish for more? I really can do whatever I want right now. It’s wonderful to pick and choose when and what I want to do ... from going to the gym, seeing the world, or just going to Costco on a weekday. I am looking forward to turning 65 so I qualify for Medicare, because ever since I retired 10 years ago I’ve had to pay for expensive, crappy insurance.”

2. What do you think is the secret to a good life?

Ally: “I feel the key is consistency in my health habits; such as getting good sleep and remembering to exercise. Everything else in my life is fluctuating and can feel so crazy, but if I keep those habits strong it really helps me.”

Cally: “For me it’s working on my mental resiliency. Taking the long view during tough moments, so I can ask myself ‘what would my best self do?’”

Sally: “I would say taking care of yourself, because you can’t do anything unless you’re healthy. And with chronic medical needs you need to suck it up and do what you need to do — take your medicine, go to the doctor, eat well.”

3. What do you need most from a women’s health-care provider?

Ally: “I feel like transparency and having true conversations are what I value most. I have really felt trust with the providers I’ve seen at the clinic.”

Cally: “I value the way Cassie (Selby, CNM) talks to me like a real person.

She invites questions and encourages me to talk about the tough stuff regarding my health. Also, when I saw Roxanne (Slayden, NP) and spoke to her about my hormones. I literally burst into tears because she made me feel so heard.

Sally: “I am my own best advocate and I appreciate that Dr. King realizes that I know myself well. She listens and respects my point of view. She also gives me a reality check that I’m not 25 years old anymore.”

4. How do you see women’s health care changing?

Ally: “I feel like there are more open conversations happening and that is really encouraging to me.”

Cally: “I see topics like breast cancer being openly discussed, which is definitely a change since I was young. However, I think we need to keep working

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on de-stigmatizing other women’s health concerns, like pelvic prolapse. When that happened to me, and I needed extensive surgery, I found the whole experience pretty embarrassing and scary because I’d never heard of it. After receiving care at the clinic I realized it impacts a lot of women and that I can go on to have good health.

Sally: “I think it’s improved a lot. I’ve already lived two years longer than either of my parents. I’ve been with the clinic for 37 years and it’s great to see that there are more female providers, plus the introduction of midwives was phenomenal. The old-school attitudes just don’t cut it anymore.”

5. What is one realistic thing a women’s health clinic can do to improve the lives of women in our community?

Ally: “I hope doctors realize how important it is to be approachable and really listen.”

Cally: “One thing that’s always impressed me since I had my two girls over 18 years ago is the amount of education provided. I actually never attended any of the classes at the clinic when I was in those childbearing years, and I now I just wish there was education and support for my current stage of life.”

Sally: “I think it would be helpful if providers were aware of what insurance does and doesn’t cover so that they are aware of the financial impact on patients.”

The Women’s Clinic is located in Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley and can be reached at 970-493-7442.

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