Healthy Living - Fall 2012

HEALTHY LIVING Fitness ▶ Health ▶ Weight Loss

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Breast cancer survivor Teresa Smith shares her story Breast cancer awareness Holiday survival guide Barefoot running Anniston Yoga Center Produced by

The Anniston Star

FALL 2012

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HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

HEALTHY LIVING

table of

fall 2012

DESIGNERS Bran Strickland, AnnaMaria Jacob, Jessica Stephens

ldavis@annistonstar.com

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• WRITERS Brooke Nicholls Nelson, Deirdre Long, Brett

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Buckner, Erin Williams

256-235-9225

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jmiller@annistonstar.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS Trent Penny, Bill Wilson, Stephen Gross, Paige Rentz

Copyright 2012

HEALTHY LIVING Janet Miller

Consolidated Publishing Company

Health

Fitness

Healthy Living is a product of the Anniston Star EDITOR Lisa Davis Features Editor, Anniston Star 256-235-3555

Contents

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An oasis of calm

Anniston Yoga Center offers classes for all levels

Barefootin’

Ditching those running shoes from time to time can help improve your stride and even take you back to childhood

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Steel Magnolias is a local breast cancer support group

THINK PINK

T hese three women beat breast cancer, and they want others to do the same

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WALK THIS WAY

What does a pedorthist do?

HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE

Tips for surviving the stress of the busy holiday season

Weight Loss 22

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HEALTHY HOLIDAY COOKING

Add pumpkin to gingerbread for a healthful sweet treat

MENU FOR HEALTH

A complete dinner that’s quick, easy and diabetic-friendly

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

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Fitness

An oasis of calm

By Deirdre Long

dlong@annistonstar.com

Like most working moms I know, there’s not a lot of time in my day for relaxation. A recent Saturday was no exception.

My husband had to work, I was at home with our two young children, who were in the beginning stages of sickness — coughs, runny noses, general grumpiness, etc. And it just so happened that this was the Saturday I was having a yard sale with my neighbor, so I was trying to help out there, too.

But in the midst of this craziness, thanks to a gracious mother-in-law who loves to babysit, I was able to escape for an hour and reconnect my body and mind with a class at the Anniston Yoga Center.

I’m no beginner to yoga; I’ve taken many classes and practiced with various videos over the years. The Gentle Hatha Yoga class is exactly what I needed to stretch and loosen my stiff muscles. These restorative stretches are great for beginners; the poses are held for only a few moments, with plenty of time for rest and meditation.

I was lucky enough to have a private session with Tamara Levi, a history instructor at Jacksonville State University, who has been teaching yoga since July.

Our stretches included many of the basics: plank, downward dog, sun salutations.

Nothing too taxing, and there were variations to most poses if one was uncomfortable. The stretches made me very aware of muscles I had been neglecting; my hips and thighs were especially resistant, which I attribute to my lack of stretching after running.

The postures — floor, standing and upside-down against the wall — were supported by blankets, blocks and straps, which can be used to ease the body into the correct position without too much strain.

“Yoga is very beneficial for your health,” said Mariya Bullock, the founder of Anniston Yoga Center. “It is not high impact; you get the health benefits, but it’s not hard on your joints.”

Bullock, who moved her studio to its current location on Noble Street about a year ago, is a certified level Kripalu yoga instructor and Yoga Alliance-registered yoga teacher, with a master’s degree in physical education and physical therapy

Anniston Yoga Center offers classes for all levels

Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

Holly Box (above) and Bailey Kiker (right) participate during instructor Mariya Bullock’s class at the Anniston Yoga Center recently. from South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University in her home country of Ukraine.

Kripalu yoga, the most prominent style of yoga she teaches, combines “meditation and movement” to help students learn to reconnect with their bodies.

“When you meditate, you’re looking into yourself and recognizing different patterns to your behavior or things you need to let go,” Bullock said. “You learn how to control breath and control emotions, which helps you control your stress.”

Beginning Oct. 6, the center will offer Yoga Basic Training, an eight-week course for beginners to observe demonstrations and receive step-by-step instructions for each technique. Students will be guided through the details and alignment of each posture with hands-on assisting as needed for one 90-minute class per week.

Anniston Yoga Center 905 Noble St., Anniston 256-403-3328 www.yogaannistonalabama.com

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HEALTHY Fitness LIVING FALL 2012

Barefootin’

Ditching those running shoes from time to time can help improve your stride and even take you back to childhood

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

By Brooke Nicholls Nelson Special to the Star

If the mere mention of being barefoot sets your toes twitchin’ and your feet itchin’, then read on.

Barefoot running is a huge fad right now. Ever since Christopher McDougall’s bestseller “Born to Run” hit bookshelves and nightstands in 2009, runners looking for ways to run pain-free have embraced McDougall’s “run free” philosophy like it was the best thing since, well, since waffle soles.

(Remember those? In 1974, first-generation Nikes had a type of sole originally created by Bill Bowerman on his wife’s waffle iron. My first “real” pair of running shoes were blue Nikes with a bright yellow swoosh and the iconic waffle soles.)

McDougall’s book, published on the cusp of what continues to be the largest running boom since the ’70s, proposes that everybody should run barefoot, because this improves and promotes a more natural gait, forcing your body to learn to run more efficiently.

He asserts that man was made to run long distances, and is able to chase down anything from “deer to an Olympic marathoner” and enjoy it. He bases most of his book on the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and their amazing feats as distance and endurance runners.

Shoe companies have understandably pushed back, since barefoot running threatens their livelihood. No shoes, no sales. Companies have created minimalist shoes that are lighter, more flexible and help mimic a more natural footfall. Vibram FiveFingers are probably the most recognized minimalist footwear; they’re the ones shaped like human feet, with individual sections for toes.

Barefoot was something I was as a child, particularly in the summer. In June, July and August, my feet were covered with one of four things: • Church shoes worn with thin, white socks with dainty lace around the cuffs (I despised them).

• Flip flops, the ones with the rubber stopper between the toes.

Cost: 25 cents at the local Woolworth’s.

• Sneakers that had already been worn the entire school year, so threadbare that my big toes peeked out.

• A deep suntan, born of hours of play outdoors unshod — hands-down my footwear of choice. The tan was usually complemented by thick calluses on the underside, a badge of honor of toughness. In fact, before the first day of school, my father would assess each of his three offspring’s calluses and award the one with the thickest layer.

I loved being barefoot. Heck, my mother was lucky to even get clothes on me during the summer, as I pretty much lived in a bathing suit. Shoes? No way.

So when, about three years ago, one of my best running partners, Will Williams, proposed we incorporate barefoot running into our weekly running regime, I stripped off socks and shoes quicker than you could say, “Runners take your mark.”

Williams’ daughter, Megan, had run cross-country in high school and continued her running career on the track team at the University of Alabama.

Megan’s high school coach had the team run barefoot on a football field.

“They would run strides, and since I had read numerous times that you should do strides at the

Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

ABOVE: Cole Nelson puts his feet up after a run. LEFT: Nelson, Brooke Nelson and Will Williams go for a barefoot run on the McClellan soccer fields. In response to the growing popularity of barefoot running, shoe companies have also introduced minimalist footwear like the Vibram FiveFingers (pictured above). end of some of your weekly runs, I thought the barefoot thing might be fun,” Williams said.

Slowly, we began to add barefoot strides into our regular run schedule. The first time, I ran up and down the McClellan football field about four times. The key was to take it slow and build up the distance over time.

Immediately, I recaptured my childhood love of being barefoot, running free.

Running without shoes pitches you onto your toes or the balls of your feet, so that you look like you’re tippy-toeing down the field. Before the advent of the barefoot/minimalistic movement, traditional running shoes

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promoted a heel strike and a rollforward style.

Over the past three years, we have increased our barefoot runs to a little more than three miles, and have moved to the soccer fields at McClellan to accommodate the longer distance.

People, particularly other runners, ask us questions about our barefooting. Here are the four most common inquiries: qq Q. Why are you running barefoot?

A. Because it feels good and it’s fun.

Q. Does it make you faster?

A. I feel faster because I feel freer. Honestly, I don’t know that running barefoot makes me any faster, but it hasn’t made me any slower. And it’s fun.

Q. Doesn’t it hurt you?

A. The first few times we ran barefoot, my feet ached. I think my feet were so used to being confined, controlled by my shoes, that they were a little stressed by the drastically different running mechanics. Now, it just feels good. It’s my favorite run each week. We do it after a punishing track speedwork session, so it’s a reward.

Q. Does it make you stronger?

A. Yes, I believe it does. I believe running barefoot has strengthened the muscles in and around my feet and ankles.

For every article promoting barefoot running, there are just as many saying it is a fad, that it is hogwash, that it is harmful.

Regardless of running style, any training program should be started with caution.

Every body is different, and what works for one runner may not work for you. We don’t run races barefoot; barefoot running is a small portion of our weekly mileage, and we always run on grassy surfaces.

Oh, and did I mention that running the way God intended is fun?

Brooke Nicholls Nelson has run 12 marathons, three ultra-marathons and too many triathlons, 5Ks, 10Ks and half-marathons to count. She is past president of the Anniston Runners Club and former race director for the Woodstock 5K. She is currently the club’s triathlon director.

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ccording to 2011 estimates reported in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a woman in the U.S. has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer over her lifetime. A woman age 40-59 has a 1 in 27 chance while a woman less than 40 years of age has only a 1 in 207 chance. Although an estimated 39,520 women in the U.S. died due to breast cancer in 2011, the treatment of breast cancer has significantly improved as evidenced by 5-year survival rates that have increased from 75% in 1979-1977 to 90% in 1999-2006.

Ongoing research and analysis of existing data have suggested that for some patients with breast cancer, surgery alone is sufficient for potentially curative treatment.

However, for the majority of breast cancer patients, particularly younger breast cancer patients, radiotherapy plays an important role.

Radiotherapy continues to be shown to decrease the incidence of local relapse and in some, to improve survival. For those with early stage disease limited to the breast who wish to conserve their breast, resection of

just the tumor (lumpectomy or partial mastectomy) followed by radiation therapy yields survival rates equal to those of complete breast removal (mastectomy). For more advanced disease, radiation therapy may be recommended even after complete removal of the breast and chemotherapy and may be directed to the chest wall on the side where the cancer occurred and to the lymph nodes in the area. There are essentially two ways radiation treatment can be given. High energy x-ray beams generated by a machine and aimed at the areas to be treated and using a high activity radioactive isotope placed into a catheter that has been implanted in a patient’s breast (brachytherapy). X-ray treatment can be used for every patient while only some patients are candidates for treatment using a radioactive isotope.

The appropriateness of brachytherapy is currently somewhat controversial and its use is discouraged in younger patients.

For both x-ray treatment and brachytherapy, advances in therapy and planning technology have improved outcomes and reduced

complications of treatment.

Chemotherapy (chemo) is a common part of the breast cancer treatment process.

At Cancer Care Centers, the physician determines whether or not a patient would benefit from chemotherapy treatment based on the constantly ongoing research done in breast cancer management. Chemotherapy is a systemic breast cancer therapy. The anticancer drugs enter the bloodstream to reach cancer cells through the entire body, not just the breast.

Breast cancer chemotherapy treatments are typically used to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

The other form of breast cancer drug treatment is hormonal therapy. Not everyone would be a candidate for hormonal therapy and the decision is based on the biology of the tumor and the expression of certain receptors on the tumor.

However, there are cases when neither of the above mentioned modalities can save a patient’s life. If cancer is diagnosed at an early stage and there are indications for the patient to receive chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy, or radiation, or a combination of the above, it can save one’s life. The timing of delivering chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and radiation is crucial. In the case of metastatic breast cancer (cancer spread to other parts of the body), treatment can still prolong survival and improve quality of life of ill patient. There are unfortunately many cases of late diagnosis and treatment delays due to many reasons including socio-economic, personal choices and due to lack of understanding the nature of the disease and what can be offered to patients. Screening and early detection and proper treatment are the key to survival.

OCTOBER

Charles P. Lattuada, Jr., MD, FACP Medical Oncology Tatyana Sycheva, MD Medical Oncology/ Hematology Michael Marks, MD, PhD Radiation Oncology

Phone: 256-847-3369 Toll Free: 888-400-9357 171 Town Center Drive, Ste. 6

Anniston, AL 36205 American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Average-risk, Asymptomatic Women Age 20-39: • Clinical breast examination at least every 3 years • Breast self-examination (optional) Age 40 and over: • Annual mammogram • Annual clinical breast examination (preferably prior to mammogram) • Breast self-examination (optional)

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HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

Strength in numbers Steel Magnolias is a local breast cancer support group

By Brett Buckner Special to the Star

“It’s cancer …”

As soon as the words leave the doctor’s lips, a life is thrown into turmoil.

Some greet the news with tears, others with silence. Some rage against unfairness of it all. Others are stoic and workmanlike, preparing for the fight, the chemo and the inevitable sickness.

But none should ever be alone.

Though cancer invades the body of an individual, it affects many lives. Those who have been through the fear and confusion and have come out on the other side can offer the thing that people need most: hope.

That is the foundation upon which the Steel Magnolias breast cancer support group was built. As a breast cancer survivor, founder and executive director Lenora Johnson has walked down that same lonely path of fear. She wants other women — as well as their husbands and boyfriends — to know they are not alone.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see a woman who feels that she is in a

“I’m a Steel Magnolia”

By Lenora Washington Johnson I’m a daughter, a sister, mother, wife and lover.

I’m tender, I’m tough I’m a Steel Magnolia!

Pink ribbons on my clothing, scars across my chest Courage in my heart and steel in every step I’m a Steel Magnolia!

God raised me up and dried my tears He filled me with amazing grace and calmed my fears I’m a Steel Magnolia!

We cross the oceans, climb mountains steep, Praying for a cure, our daughters to keep We are Steel Magnolias!

breast cancer-imposed cocoon break free, finding her strength as she soars like a butterfly,” Johnson says.

In September 1999, a cancerous lump was discovered in Johnson’s left breast. A month later, she underwent a mastectomy. But the surgery to remove the breast was only part of the healing process.

Johnson says it took her at least two years to reclaim her life and

strength. During that time, she began to notice just how little support was available to women who were either battling or had conquered breast cancer.

It was in a Golden Springs hair salon that Johnson’s friend, Liz Edwards, gave her the phone number of Regional Medical Center chaplain Jim Wilson with the simple instructions, “Call him.”

Within a month, Steel Magno-

Steel Magnolias Breast Cancer Support Group, meets at 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month, Suite 403 of the Physicians Center at Regional Medical Center, 256-231-8827 lias was born.

The group originally met in Wilson’s “very small” counseling office in Professional Plaza. Five women gathered to share their stories.

From those humble beginnings, a juggernaut was born.

Today, Steel Magnolias numbers between 28 and 35 people for their weekly meetings and has spawned a second group, Men of Steel, for men whose wives and girlfriends are battling the cancer.

“It’s not enough to let people tell their stories and have a snack once a month,” Johnson says.

“Patients have real needs that affect them physically, mentally and emotionally.”

In an effort to meet those needs, Steel Magnolias is active on many fronts. A few of these services include care packages to newly diagnosed breast cancer

patients, dining vouchers for two family members of cancer patients in surgery at RMC. Pinks Boutique, located in the RMC Physicians Center, is stocked with mastectomy bras, breast prosthesis, wigs, caps and scarves.

“Everything is free to cancer patients,” Johnson says.

Part of the Steel Magnolia mission is to keep young girls from ever having to join by sponsoring the Steel Magnolias School Girl Awareness Program. Under the direction of Margaret Taylor, this program has been responsible for teaching more than 6,000 young girls how to perform breast selfexaminations.

But perhaps the group’s proudest moment came in 2009, when they helped push through a legislative bill sponsored by the late Rep. Lea Fite that closed a gap in coverage of the Alabama Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act, which excluded women from treatment based on where they were diagnosed.

Through it all, the greatest joy for Johnson is seeing scared and confused women regain their strength.

Pretty in pink Different kind of fire truck visits Anniston Orange Beach firefighter Sam Jackson, left, shows off the ‘Cindy’ the fire truck to retired Anniston Fire Department Capt.

Jim Parish recently.

It was in town as part of an effort to raise money and awareness for women battling cancer, the Anniston Fire Department sponsored a morning of fun and fundraising.

Jackson said the truck is named in honor of the wife of a member of his department who died battling breast cancer. He drives ‘Cindy’ around the Southeast as a member of the Lower Alabama chapter of the Guardians of the Ribbon, a national organization whose mission is to support women and their families battling all types of cancer.

— Paige Rentz

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

Breast cancer

risks and prevention Mammograms • When breast cancer starts, it is too small to feel and does not cause signs and symptoms. Mammograms help doctors look for early signs of breast cancer. If breast cancer is found early, it may be possible to treat it before it spreads.

• In 2008, more than 75 percent of women over 40 reported having a mammogram in the past two years.

Women age 40 and older should have mammograms every one to two years.

Risk factors

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Symptoms Early breast cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms. But as the tumor grows, it can change how the breast looks or feels. The common changes include: • A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area.

• A change in the size or shape of the breast.

• Dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast.

• A nipple turned inward into the breast.

• Discharge (fluid) from the nipple, especially if it’s bloody.

• Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola (the dark area of skin at the center of the breast). The skin may have ridges or pitting so that it looks like the skin of an orange.

SOURCE: National Cancer Institute

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No one knows what causes breast cancer. Doctors do know that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer.

Some risk factors include: • Age: The chance of getting breast cancer increases as you get older. Most women are over 60 years old when they are diagnosed.

• Personal health history: Having breast cancer in one breast increases your risk of getting cancer in your other breast. Also, having certain types of abnormal breast cells increases the risk of invasive breast cancer.

These conditions are found with a breast biopsy.

• Family health history: Your risk of breast cancer is higher if your mother, father, sister or daughter had breast cancer. The risk is even higher if your family member had breast cancer before age 50. Having other relatives (in either your mother’s or father’s family) with breast cancer or ovarian cancer may also increase your risk.

• Radiation therapy to the chest: Women who had radiation therapy to the chest (including the breasts) before age 30 are at an increased risk of breast cancer. This includes women treated with radiation for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Studies show that the younger a woman was when she received radiation treatment, the higher her risk of breast cancer later in life.

• Reproductive and menstrual history: The older a woman is when she has her first child, the greater her chance of breast cancer. Women who never had children are at an increased risk of breast cancer. Women who had

their first menstrual period before age 12 are at an increased risk of breast cancer. Women who went through menopause after age 55 are at an increased risk of breast cancer. Women who take menopausal hormone therapy for many years have an increased risk of breast cancer.

• Race: In the United States, breast cancer is diagnosed more often in white women than in African American/black, Hispanic/Latina, Asian/ Pacific Islander, or American Indian/ Alaska Native women.

• Breast density: Breasts appear on a mammogram (breast X-ray) as having areas of dense and fatty (not dense) tissue. Women whose mammograms show a larger area of dense tissue than the mammograms of women of the same age are at increased risk of breast cancer.

• Being overweight or obese after menopause: The chance of getting breast cancer after menopause is higher in women who are overweight or obese.

• Lack of physical activity: Women who are physically inactive throughout life may have an increased risk of breast cancer.

• Drinking alcohol: Studies suggest that the more alcohol a woman drinks, the greater her risk of breast cancer.

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HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

THINK PINK T hese three women beat breast cancer, and they want others to do the same

By Brett Buckner Special to The Star

October is breast cancer awarness month, when pink ribbons appear on everything from candies to firetrucks. Every year, more than 200,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

On these pages, three local women who survived breast cancer tell their stories — their fear, their pain and the happiness that can be found on the other side. ▶

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

TERESA SMITH ‘You can laugh again’

Photo by Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

It had happened before. So many times, in fact, that Teresa Smith thought almost nothing of it. Almost.

Smith was fibrocystic, meaning that she routinely found non-cancerous cysts in her breasts, but every time she felt a lump, Smith was diligent in having it checked out by her doctor. Biopsies on these suspicious lumps had become routine to the point of annoyance.

Which was pretty much her reaction when, in 2000, she discovered another lump.

“I remember lying there in bed, thinking, ‘OK, I’m getting really tired of this,’” says the now 54-year-old Smith, who lives in Alexandria. “I went downstairs and told my husband. He felt it and said it was just my chest wall.

“Good thing I didn’t listen to him.”

Smith went to the doctor just in case.

When she went in to get the biopsy results, she knew something was wrong.

Her doctor sat down, held her hand and said, “It’s cancer.”

Smith was 41 years old.

A self-declared “people protector,” Smith hadn’t wanted to burden others with her diagnosis. Believing her biopsy wouldn’t show anything but another cyst, she had brought her mother with her to the doctor’s office, so they could go shopping afterward.

Smith asked the nurse, who was a friend of her mother’s, not to say anything. “I already did,” the nurse said.

Though she tried to contain the news, her mother called Smith’s husband of five years, Clay, and told him the news.

When the women got home, Clay was up on the roof “pretending to hang Christmas lights,” but Smith could tell he’d been crying.

“It’s the worst thing that can happen, but it’ll make you appreciate your life,” Smith says. “Nothing is really as bad once you’ve had cancer.”

Because she caught it early and the cancer was only in one breast, Smith’s prognosis was good. But rather than opting for a lumpectomy — removal of the cancerous tissue — Smith opted for a double mastectomy.

Back in 2000, breast cancer hadn’t hit close to home. There was one woman from her high school who’d had breast cancer. Smith remembered seeing her at a high school reunion, dancing and having fun.

“Then she was gone,” she says. “She left behind two little girls. Both my kids are grown, but they still need me.”

That memory helped cement Smith’s decision to have both breasts removed.

“They can’t tell you it won’t come back,” Smith says, “so I just wanted them both gone. They weren’t that great anyway, and I’m not attached to anything enough if it could end up killing me.”

Smith had breast reconstruction immediately after the double mastectomy.

Today, she is cancer-free. In her 12 years as a survivor, Smith has witnessed breast cancer awareness grow into a national campaign with pink ribbons and fund-raising efforts in the millions of dollars. She shares her story often and bluntly with anyone facing the same fear she once knew.

“Just because you have breast cancer, it doesn’t mean you’re going to die,” she says. “Losing your breasts … isn’t the end of the world, not compared to living and watching your kids grow up.”

Veronica Epperson’s OB/GYN was 99 percent sure that the shadow he saw on her mammogram was nothing. “99 percent” sure sounded good.

But on his advice, Epperson visited a surgeon. It was 1985, and even a 1 percent chance was too much of a risk to take. The surgeon found a malignant tumor about the size of a pea. Veronica Epperson had breast cancer.

“I was shocked, especially considering that whole 99 percent business,” says the now 69-yearold Epperson. “But that’s why we wanted to make sure, and it’s a good thing we did.”

Epperson had her breast removed and began a torturous 9month regimen of chemotherapy, during which she refused to let the cancer get the upper hand.

She’d have her treatment during extended lunch breaks before returning to work.

“But I’ve got to confess, when I got home, I did absolutely noth-

ing,” she says with a small laugh.

“It’s bad when they take a piece of your body, but, really, the chemo was worse.”

There’s little doubt where Epperson found the courage to beat cancer. “God gave me the strength to go on, to keep fighting,” she says, “and I was willing to do whatever it took to survive.”

Epperson has continued to fight and to share her story of survival to anyone who needs confidence and strength to face their own battle against cancer.

Even after 26 years as a survivor, the fear of cancer’s return still haunts her. “It used to be that there wasn’t a day that I didn’t think about cancer, worrying about it coming back,” she says.

“But now that it’s been so many years, I don’t think about it as much. Still … there’s not two days that go by that I don’t worry.

“It’s always there. But I’m still here and that’s what matters.”

Veronica Epperson ‘God gave me the strength’

Photo by Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

KATHY BUNDRUM ‘Early detection became my ministry’

Photo by Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

Kathy Bundrum of Anniston isn’t just a breast cancer survivor. She’s an advocate.

The 52-year-old Bundrum was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2011. Today, she can’t go anywhere without sharing her story.

Bundrum is so dedicated to early detection of breast cancer that her car tag reads “KBMRI.” The first two letters are her initials, while the last three letters refer to MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, the medical imaging technique that detected Bundrum’s cancer, and which she credits with saving her life.

“Early detection has become my ministry,” says Bundrum. “I’ll tell anyone who listens. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t share my story.”

April is what Bundrum calls her “health month,” when she gets her annual checkups. With two great aunts who have had breast cancer, yearly mammograms are part of that routine.

This past April, Bundrum’s doctor noticed “a little more density” from her screening than the previous year.

Her doctor gave her the option of waiting six months to get a second mammogram. Instead, she started doing a bit of research on her own, asking the opinion of a surgeon who had once removed a benign lump from her breast.

The surgeon suggested a breast MRI, which can capture detailed images of a patient’s breast tissue.

“I didn’t even know there was

such a thing,” Bundrum says.

After reading the MRI, it was obvious something was there.

A later biopsy proved the worst.

Bundrum had breast cancer.

Bundrum’s doctors told her that, even though the cancer was only in one breast, a double mastectomy would provide a 97 percent chance of a cure.

“There was no question,” Bundrum says. “For me, a double mastectomy was a no-brainer. In my mind, with a lumpectomy the cancer would come back, and it was going to come back more aggressive than before.”

The breast MRI allowed Bundrum to find the cancer early, rather than waiting another six months for a second mammogram. Who knows what the cancer might have done with an extra six months? “I would have still probably been a survivor, but who knows what could’ve happened if I’d waited?” she says.

“Frankly, I didn’t want to wait and find out.”

Bundrum has become an advocate for women to get breast MRI. The problem is that insurance doesn’t always cover the costly procedure. Because she had a family history of breast cancer, her insurance covered the MRI. “My question is, how many more women have to die before insurance decides to pay, before this tool is used to detect cancer?” she says. “The answer is obvious — too many.”

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HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

THINK PINK T hese three women beat breast cancer, and they want others to do the same

By Brett Buckner Special to The Star

October is breast cancer awarness month, when pink ribbons appear on everything from candies to firetrucks. Every year, more than 200,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

On these pages, three local women who survived breast cancer tell their stories — their fear, their pain and the happiness that can be found on the other side. ▶

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

TERESA SMITH ‘You can laugh again’

Photo by Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

It had happened before. So many times, in fact, that Teresa Smith thought almost nothing of it. Almost.

Smith was fibrocystic, meaning that she routinely found non-cancerous cysts in her breasts, but every time she felt a lump, Smith was diligent in having it checked out by her doctor. Biopsies on these suspicious lumps had become routine to the point of annoyance.

Which was pretty much her reaction when, in 2000, she discovered another lump.

“I remember lying there in bed, thinking, ‘OK, I’m getting really tired of this,’” says the now 54-year-old Smith, who lives in Alexandria. “I went downstairs and told my husband. He felt it and said it was just my chest wall.

“Good thing I didn’t listen to him.”

Smith went to the doctor just in case.

When she went in to get the biopsy results, she knew something was wrong.

Her doctor sat down, held her hand and said, “It’s cancer.”

Smith was 41 years old.

A self-declared “people protector,” Smith hadn’t wanted to burden others with her diagnosis. Believing her biopsy wouldn’t show anything but another cyst, she had brought her mother with her to the doctor’s office, so they could go shopping afterward.

Smith asked the nurse, who was a friend of her mother’s, not to say anything. “I already did,” the nurse said.

Though she tried to contain the news, her mother called Smith’s husband of five years, Clay, and told him the news.

When the women got home, Clay was up on the roof “pretending to hang Christmas lights,” but Smith could tell he’d been crying.

“It’s the worst thing that can happen, but it’ll make you appreciate your life,” Smith says. “Nothing is really as bad once you’ve had cancer.”

Because she caught it early and the cancer was only in one breast, Smith’s prognosis was good. But rather than opting for a lumpectomy — removal of the cancerous tissue — Smith opted for a double mastectomy.

Back in 2000, breast cancer hadn’t hit close to home. There was one woman from her high school who’d had breast cancer. Smith remembered seeing her at a high school reunion, dancing and having fun.

“Then she was gone,” she says. “She left behind two little girls. Both my kids are grown, but they still need me.”

That memory helped cement Smith’s decision to have both breasts removed.

“They can’t tell you it won’t come back,” Smith says, “so I just wanted them both gone. They weren’t that great anyway, and I’m not attached to anything enough if it could end up killing me.”

Smith had breast reconstruction immediately after the double mastectomy.

Today, she is cancer-free. In her 12 years as a survivor, Smith has witnessed breast cancer awareness grow into a national campaign with pink ribbons and fund-raising efforts in the millions of dollars. She shares her story often and bluntly with anyone facing the same fear she once knew.

“Just because you have breast cancer, it doesn’t mean you’re going to die,” she says. “Losing your breasts … isn’t the end of the world, not compared to living and watching your kids grow up.”

Veronica Epperson’s OB/GYN was 99 percent sure that the shadow he saw on her mammogram was nothing. “99 percent” sure sounded good.

But on his advice, Epperson visited a surgeon. It was 1985, and even a 1 percent chance was too much of a risk to take. The surgeon found a malignant tumor about the size of a pea. Veronica Epperson had breast cancer.

“I was shocked, especially considering that whole 99 percent business,” says the now 69-yearold Epperson. “But that’s why we wanted to make sure, and it’s a good thing we did.”

Epperson had her breast removed and began a torturous 9month regimen of chemotherapy, during which she refused to let the cancer get the upper hand.

She’d have her treatment during extended lunch breaks before returning to work.

“But I’ve got to confess, when I got home, I did absolutely noth-

ing,” she says with a small laugh.

“It’s bad when they take a piece of your body, but, really, the chemo was worse.”

There’s little doubt where Epperson found the courage to beat cancer. “God gave me the strength to go on, to keep fighting,” she says, “and I was willing to do whatever it took to survive.”

Epperson has continued to fight and to share her story of survival to anyone who needs confidence and strength to face their own battle against cancer.

Even after 26 years as a survivor, the fear of cancer’s return still haunts her. “It used to be that there wasn’t a day that I didn’t think about cancer, worrying about it coming back,” she says.

“But now that it’s been so many years, I don’t think about it as much. Still … there’s not two days that go by that I don’t worry.

“It’s always there. But I’m still here and that’s what matters.”

Veronica Epperson ‘God gave me the strength’

Photo by Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

KATHY BUNDRUM ‘Early detection became my ministry’

Photo by Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

Kathy Bundrum of Anniston isn’t just a breast cancer survivor. She’s an advocate.

The 52-year-old Bundrum was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2011. Today, she can’t go anywhere without sharing her story.

Bundrum is so dedicated to early detection of breast cancer that her car tag reads “KBMRI.” The first two letters are her initials, while the last three letters refer to MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, the medical imaging technique that detected Bundrum’s cancer, and which she credits with saving her life.

“Early detection has become my ministry,” says Bundrum. “I’ll tell anyone who listens. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t share my story.”

April is what Bundrum calls her “health month,” when she gets her annual checkups. With two great aunts who have had breast cancer, yearly mammograms are part of that routine.

This past April, Bundrum’s doctor noticed “a little more density” from her screening than the previous year.

Her doctor gave her the option of waiting six months to get a second mammogram. Instead, she started doing a bit of research on her own, asking the opinion of a surgeon who had once removed a benign lump from her breast.

The surgeon suggested a breast MRI, which can capture detailed images of a patient’s breast tissue.

“I didn’t even know there was

such a thing,” Bundrum says.

After reading the MRI, it was obvious something was there.

A later biopsy proved the worst.

Bundrum had breast cancer.

Bundrum’s doctors told her that, even though the cancer was only in one breast, a double mastectomy would provide a 97 percent chance of a cure.

“There was no question,” Bundrum says. “For me, a double mastectomy was a no-brainer. In my mind, with a lumpectomy the cancer would come back, and it was going to come back more aggressive than before.”

The breast MRI allowed Bundrum to find the cancer early, rather than waiting another six months for a second mammogram. Who knows what the cancer might have done with an extra six months? “I would have still probably been a survivor, but who knows what could’ve happened if I’d waited?” she says.

“Frankly, I didn’t want to wait and find out.”

Bundrum has become an advocate for women to get breast MRI. The problem is that insurance doesn’t always cover the costly procedure. Because she had a family history of breast cancer, her insurance covered the MRI. “My question is, how many more women have to die before insurance decides to pay, before this tool is used to detect cancer?” she says. “The answer is obvious — too many.”

13

14

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

Baby steps and roadblocks A nine-month update on our New Year’s Resolutions project

By Brooke Nicholls Nelson

Norman Williams: Exercise more

Special to the Star

In the January issue of Healthy Living, we wrote about three local residents and their New Year’s Resolutions, and vowed to check up on them every three months. In March, they were having varying degrees of success.

In July, two of the three had plateaued, but one was keeping his goal.

Nine months later, two of the three were maintaining their goals, while the third said he was almost ready to give up — except he knew the Star would be calling to touch base about his efforts.

Anne Powers: Eat healthier In January, Munford resident Anne Powers, 72, made a resolution to “eat healthier and exercise more.” In June, she hit a plateau — neither losing weight nor gaining it. She was stuck at having lost a total of 30 pounds.

“At least I haven’t gained any,” Powers said at the time. This month, Powers was pleased to announce she had lost an additional seven pounds, bringing her loss tally to 37 pounds.

“I’m proud of myself,” said Powers. “It’s not easy.”

She had hoped to be able to do more walking and other exercise, but she cannot leave home very often or for very long, as her husband is in poor health. She says she joins in when his physical therapist

comes to their home twice a week for his workouts.

“My blood sugar is doing fairly well, but it has been a little high recently,” Powers said. She attributes the rise to the stress of being a caregiver for both her invalid husband and her 90-year-old mother, who passed away in July.

Known for her baking skills, Powers admits her downfall is her sweet tooth, which she struggles with daily. “I don’t think I’ll ever lose my sweet tooth,” she said. “I could fall in a vat of something sweet and eat up every bit of it.”

But Powers is determined to keep her resolution. She hopes to be able to provide even more positive news when we contact her again at the end of the year.

Dave DeSpagna: Be a blessing When we first talked to Dave DeSpagna, 55, of Anniston, he set his goal for the year to “be a blessing to everyone” he met. Nine months later, he is proof that some people can keep their resolutions.

He believes it is God’s will for him to pursue being a blessing, which he does by volunteering for his church — Harvest Church of God — as well as the American Legion Post 111, a food distribution ministry, and Young at Heart, a senior adult group. He said he had been working really hard on his church’s annual yard sale coming up in October, which raises funds for missionaries in Ecuador.

DeSpagna says he is doing “wonderful” and greets every day as an opportunity to serve others. He is always on the lookout

for more ways to improve his community, and is particularly excited about the recent city elections.

“I believe it is time for a change,” said DeSpagna, in regards to the newly elected mayor and council. “We need to move forward. Our leaders need to promote getting people to work together for our common good.”

Despagna is a shining example of being a positive force in other people’s lives. He greets every person he passes with a handshake and wishes them a “blessed day.”

The upbeat DeSpagna said he welcomes the phone calls every three months to check on his progress with his goal. He knows he will keep his resolution, because for him it is a way of life.

In June, when we last talked with Norman Williams, 62, he said he had not lost any weight since March and admitted he was a little “disgusted” with himself. He hoped to be able to report more progress when we called again.

However, when we touched base with Williams this month, he was even more depressed about his lack of progress with to lose weight. “I’m doing good, but not doing good on the diet,” he said. “I just gave up.”

Williams’ initial resolution was to get down to what he considers his normal weight of 180 pounds. Motivated by the heart attack-related death of his older brother at age 55, he said he believed he would die, too, in less than five years

if he did not make some changes in his lifestyle and lose weight.

He said he has gained a lot of weight in the past two years, more than 65 pounds, because he quit smoking and suffered an injury to his foot, which forced him to quit his job and curtail his exercise.

At each of The Star’s checkpoints in January, March and June, Williams said he was 100 percent sure he would meet his goal to lose weight and get healthier, but in September, he was not nearly as positive.

“When you check back with me at the end of the year, I hope I can have some good news,” said Williams. “I hope I can keep my resolution.”

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

15

Health

Walk this way

What does a pedorthist do?

By Brooke Nicholls Nelson Special to the Star

Of the 206 bones in the human body, one quarter of these are in the feet, along with 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles in each foot.

It is Eric Reaves’ job, as a certified pedorthist, to identify and alleviate pain in people’s feet and ankles, primarily by making customized shoe inserts called orthotics.

“There are a lot of places that make orthotics,” said Reaves, 28, owner of Orthotic Solutions in Anniston. “But there is no place that cares more about the patient than we do.”

Reaves honed his skills at the Spain Rehabilitation Center at University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) as a laboratory technician under renowned foot and ankle surgeon John Gould. UAB sent Reaves to Oklahoma State University, one of the highest ranked pedorthist programs in the United States.

Orthotic Solutions • 600 Leighton Avenue, Suite B, Anniston • 256-238-8877 • www.alabamaorthotics.com After graduation, the Dearmanville native returned to the Birmingham area, working at Pedorthic Care in Hoover, before opening Orthotic Solutions in Trinity Hospital, formerly Baptist Montclair, in May of 2009.

Reaves noticed a lot of patient referrals came from the doctors at Anniston Orthopedics, and decided this area needed an orthotics clinic. He opened Orthotic Solutions in the summer of 2009.

Recently, the married father of one child interrupted his busy schedule of commuting from his home in Lincoln to offices in Anniston and Mountain Brook to answer a few questions about what Orthotic Solutions is all about. ▶

Photos by Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

ABOVE: Certified pedorthist Eric Reaves stands with two custom molds at his orthotic clinic in Anniston. LEFT: Technician Aaron Anderson puts the finishing touches on a set of custom insoles.

16

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

Q: How does Orthotic Solutions get patients?

A: Pretty much all of our patients are from referral, probably 99 percent doctorreferred. There are about 60 referring physicians, primarily from Anniston, Gadsden, Jacksonville, Wedowee and Pell City. Local chiropractors send us about six a month, too. Most of our patients are very active.

Most are athletes, or don’t sit down at work.

Q: What are the top three problems you treat?

A: Just about everything we see is mechanical. We look at it as if we were an engineer: If something is out of place, it causes problems.

No. 1 is plantar fasciitis. About 80 percent of our clients have plantar fasciitis, and we have about a 98 percent success rate with it. It is like a tug-of-war with the foot.

We can get rid of it, typically within eight weeks. Orthotics combat it by not allowing the arch to overextend, by maintaining the correct length and position, allowing it to heal on its own.

No. 2 is Morton’s neuroma, which occurs when the transverse arch collapses and the metatarsals come together on the nerve itself, making it inflamed. Orthotics add support to keep the bones separated and off the nerve. Women are more prone to this because of high heels and pointy-toed

Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

Pedorthist Eric Reaves shows off a pair of custom shoe inserts. shoes, which shift weight to the front of the foot.

No. 3 is Achilles tendonitis. Overextension and tightness of the Achilles tendon causes inflammation due to weakness in the ankles, which puts stress on the Achilles. We check the ankles, and reposition them in a correct position.

Q: What is the process of evaluating a patient?

A: Once the doctor sends us the patient, I watch them walk. Almost all foot pain is postural — arch collapse, ankle problems, etc. I see what type of movement is occurring that shouldn’t be there, and when we cast their foot to make orthotics, we cast in

the correct position. We treat the source of the pain, not just the symptoms.

Q: How are orthotics made?

A: Once we watch them walk, we find out what extra movement is there. We cast in plaster or a foam box, and the actual orthotics take about a week to create. The orthotics are layered starting with a plastic or cork base, getting softer as the layers go up, getting cushier to eliminate the cause of the injury. We can make shoe recommendations, too, and fit shoes properly.

Once the patient receives the orthotics, we fit them in their shoes and evaluate their walk, to make sure the position is correct.

Then I have them come back in two weeks,

and they are usually 40 percent better. We make small modifications as needed, and we see them every two to three weeks for about three months, and we correspond with their doctor throughout. They can come back to us every single day for three months, to make sure they quit hurting, if they need to, with no charge. It is all on us to make sure our product works. Doctors support us because of our follow-up.

Q: What is the cost?

A: Most insurance covers the orthotics, and the patient’s out-of-pocket cost is from $50-$60. Without insurance, orthotics are about $275. We can work out payment plans. It’s more important to us that people become pain-free, and that they get back to a normal lifestyle as quickly as possible.

Q: How long do most people have to wear orthotics?

A: Most of our patients stay in orthotics all their lives. As long as they stay in them, they don’t have problems.

Q: Should runners try the popular running craze, barefoot running?

A: As far as barefoot running, if your feet are perfect, you have perfect foot and ankle health, it’s fine. But that’s a small percent of the population. I see it more as a fad. Ten years from now, people will be using what is tried and true, what they’ve been wearing for 50 years.

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$1.50

Oil on Alabama beaches worst since spill

By JAy rEEVES AnD rAy HEnry Associated Press

Dave Martin/Associated Press

Crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill washes ashore Saturday in Orange Beach.

ORANGE BEACH — Alabama’s beaches took their worst hit yet from an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday as globs of crude and gooey tar — some the size of pancakes — lined the white sands and crews worked to try to keep a giant oil sheen just a few miles away from reaching the shore.

Scientists have estimated that anywhere

between about 40 million gallons to 109 million gallons of oil have gushed into the Gulf since a drilling rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and triggering the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

The oil washing up on Alabama’s shores was the heaviest since the rig explosion and came just as the summer beach season was picking up.

During a flight over the Gulf, Sean Brumley, an aerial spotter, said he saw an oily

sheen and brown patches of oil floating for miles off the Alabama coast. Boats trying to remove the oil before it hit the coast worked about three miles out.

“The Gulf looks like it has chicken pox,” Brumley said.

The oily sheen covered the pass leading into Perdido Bay near the Alabama-Florida state lines. Globs of brown oil floated in Please see OiL ❙ Page 11A

r.com

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THE SUMMER LIST: 46 things to do with the kids this summer, besides go to the pool.

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AnALySiS admits he avoids going to City Hall because of the arguments he might find himself in.

“It certainly is intimidating,” said Councilman John Spain. “I avoid coming down here to the building altogether just simply because I don’t want a confrontation with the mayor.”

Please see AnniSTOn ❙ Page 10A

inSiDE: Bob Davis: gauging the dysfunction of Anniston’s city council.

PAgE 3B

From top left: Councilman Ben Little, Mayor Gene Robinson, ViceMayor John Spain, Councilman Herbert Palmore and Councilman David Dawson during last Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Photos by Trent Penny/ The Anniston Star

New director fills hole in local charity Sister Jane O’Connor assumes leadership of Center of Concern

By DAniEL gADDy Star Staff Writer

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nO During an Anniston City Council meeting, the audience reaction to the council’s disagreements can vary from deep sighs and rolling eyes to whispered expletives to delighted comments like, “This is better than TV.” Council members passionately argue and threaten each other. One council member even

ConF

Sister Jane O’Connor, the new director of a long-standing charitable organization in Anniston, fires a quick response when asked about her predecessor.

“I’m taking her position, but I could never fill her shoes,” she said.

O’Connor recently took over Sister Mary Roy’s duties at the All Saints Interfaith Center of Concern. The organization helps Anniston residents in need of food, clothing and financial assistance.

Roy served as director of the center for 27 years, earning in that time not just accolades from other civic leaders but also a ceremonial “Key to the City” and The Anniston Star’s 2009 Citizen of the Year Award.

“She [Roy] is the nearest thing to a saint we’re going to find in this lifetime,” said Charles Doster, advisory board member of the Center of Concern. “She is the Mother Teresa of Anniston, but saying that brings out the worst in her.”

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

Sister Jane O’Connor took over Sister Mary Roy’s responsibilities at the All Saints Interfaith Center of Concern in Anniston.

Roy left the center after breaking her hip in March. She relocated to the Connecticut headquarters of her order, the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, where she receives medical care.

O’Connor said she hopes to meet the needs of her clients with the same compassion and love Roy displayed.

“I feel like I’m treading in the joys

and sorrows of all she experienced here,” she said.

Robin Gladd, office manager of the center, said O’Connor eased into her new job as if it was second nature.

“She just took it and started running with it,” she said. “She’s given them hope and spiritual guidance. I think they’re walking out of here better than when they came in.”

O’Connor said her success is due directly to the work of staff members like Gladd and Sandra Hall, the assistant director of the center.

“They’ve been very helpful and very friendly; I couldn’t do it without them,” O’Connor said.

In addition to food and clothing, the nonprofit Center of Concern also provides financial assistance with medical bills, prescriptions, utilities and transportation for those in need.

O’Connor transferred to the center from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Prattville, where she served as a pastoral assistant. However, she was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and reared in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. She has a master’s degree in religious education and has worked in Catholic social services in Philadelphia as well as parishes in Virginia and Mississippi.

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To subscribe to The Anniston Star call (256) 235-9253

18

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

Health

Holiday survival guide Tips for surviving the stress of the busy holiday season

By Erin Williams Special to the Star

The holidays can be a great time of fun, fellowship — and feeling frazzled. Each year, the timeframe between Halloween and New Year’s Day becomes chock full of parties, shopping and socializing, not to mention the additional stress already brought on by work and family life. Some local experts offer tips on how to survive the holiday season, with tips for staying calm, staying on a diet and staying fit.

STAY CALM Counselors Ashley L. Garrett and Ginger Caudell of Garrett Counseling & Consulting in Jacksonville offer some of their best tips for keeping calm through the stress of the holidays — or anyday.

1. ’Tis better to give.

2. Block out the bad.

“Being kind to others has been linked to better physical and mental health,” says Garrett.

Caudell suggests volunteering, which can provide more benefit than any gift could. “Focusing on the needs of others helps control the tendency to be overly focused on personal issues such as grief and sadness.”

“Feeling connected to positive things and people can help move you from a place of sadness and heartache to a place of lightheartedness,” Garrett says, adding that making a list of good times to refer to can serve as a pleasant reminder. To move away from unpleasant thoughts, Garrett advises employing the cognitive behavioral technique of “thought-stopping,” “where you consciously stop thinking about something negative and painful while replacing it with more positive statements.”

3. Get off the computer — and out the door.

“Although social network offers great support, maintaining a connection in person is vital for many relationships,” says Garrett, who encourages getting coffee with a friend or trading emails with a co-worker for one-on-one conversation.

“Strive to have positive physical touch with those you care about on a daily basis, even if it is a simple handshake.”

4. Take time to grieve.

“Just because it is the holiday doesn’t mean you always have to be happy,” says Garrett, who encourages confronting those “moments of sadness.” Furthermore, creating your own holiday memories with new traditions can bring forth new experiences for the whole family to enjoy.

“Hold close those few traditions that really mean a lot to you and dare to add something new,” says Garrett.

5. Don’t forget the kids.

With the holidays being such a compact, high-energy time, tantrums are bound to rear their heads, says Garrett. “When making a holiday schedule, include children’s input when possible. When children feel as if they have some control over their lives, they become more flexible on those things where choices are not available.”

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

19

STAY ON A DIET From the Halloween candy bowl to the New Year’s Day brunch, not to mention cookie swaps, potato pancakes and other seasonal specialties, the holidays are rife with diet traps. Nine months of staying on the straight

and narrow can go out the window at the sight of a baby quiche on a snowman plate, or that generous slice of coconut cake made by great-grandma just for Thanksgiving dinner.

But don’t fall into the trap of comforting your-

1. Drink up.

hours. While the idea of holding out for a big meal may seem Flannagan recommends intriguing in theory, Flannagan beginning your day with 16 warns that the results could be ounces of water — and continu- tragic: “The body does not think ing to increase from there. Stay- like that,” she says. A slowed ing hydrated early can prevent metabolism can follow, and crashes later. “Most people are “99 percent of the time it leads chronically dehydrated,” says to consuming more calories Flannagan, who says that lack than would have been conof water results in “quick false sumed in the skipped meal and energy fixes” like caffeine and the meal saved up for comsugar. “Thirst is often mistaken bined.” for an unquenchable hunger, 3. Limit your choices. and if you do find yourself ‘thirsty,’ I believe pure water is Bringing a dish to a meal? the only thing that will absoMake it healthy, says Flannalutely hydrate.” gan. “Be in control of your environment whether it is a home 2. Don’t “save up.” or office,” says Flannagan. If you To keep your metabolism know you have a weakness for at a regular level, Flannagan those sugary cookies or fried recommends eating a small latkes, “Do not bring them into meal or snack consisting of your environment, or arrange fiber, protein and healthy fat your environment to where at least every three waking your temptations are limited.”

self with the notion of “It’s only once a year.”

Dietitian and health coach Kim Flannagan of Remedy Wellness in Anniston offers tips for eating healthy while enjoying the fun of the season — special treats included!

Instead of baking a whole spread of holiday goodies, pick just one of your favorites that you do not expect to enjoy elsewhere.

4. Eyes on the prize.

Flannagan encourages taking the time to focus on your health plan of action now, in order to make good decisions later. “We tend to become our thoughts, so if we think often of our goals we cannot help but take steps to reach them,” she says. Also, nothing saves more money — or time — by cooking ahead and not feeling the need to stuff yourself with unhealthy foods. “Knowing that there is little to do to have a meal on the table at home makes it much more appealing than settling for a quick fix that is incongruent with your diet and health goals,” says Flannagan.

5. But give yourself some wiggle room.

The pumpkin pie that Aunt Clara only makes every Thanksgiving is worth holding out for, says Flannagan.

“Plan ahead and pick your favorite holiday foods that are not available yearround, and have a sensible portion without feeling guilty.”

Be aware, however, that one too many cheese straws doesn’t mean you should stay off the wagon until after January.

“Remind yourself that it’s not too late to make healthier decisions going forward.”

STAY FIT Dietitian and health coach Kim Flannagan of Remedy Wellness in Anniston also offers tips for staying fit and getting exercise through the busy holiday season.

1. Make exercise the priority.

Don’t have the time or energy to concentrate on both diet and fitness? “If you have to choose between focusing on your eating or exercise, choose exercise,” Flannagan cautions, adding that staying active will help soften the New Year’s blow. “If you keep up with your exercise, you will not feel like you have to start over at the New Year.”

2. Exercise in short bursts.

• Garrett Counseling & Consulting, Jacksonville, (256) 239-5662, www.garrettcounseling.com • Remedy Wellness, holistic health coaching, remedywellness.com

Between the added travel time, cooking, shopping and daily work and life responsibilities, adding in an hour at the gym may seem daunting. Flannagan encourages adding in “short bursts of exercise” that don’t even need equipment, “such as pushups, jumping jacks, squats,

planks or leg raises. Time yourself and do as many as you can in 30 seconds, take a 30-60 second break and repeat.”

3. Walk and talk.

Have that yearly heart-to-heart with your favorite cousin while hitting the walking track, or make time for your high school friends while holiday shopping, advises Flannagan. “When we desire to spend more time with others during the holidays, it can cut into our ‘me’ time that often includes exercise.” Planning an activity that’s both social and fit can kill two birds with one stone.

4. Host a fitness exchange.

While ornament or cookie exchanges are great seasonal traditions, a DVD swap centered around

your favorite fitness techniques is a present that can stay present long after the holidays are over. “This will keep you and your friends from getting bored with your regular routine and challenge your body at the same time,” says Flannagan.

5. Hold the office accountable.

Keep your co-workers moving by beginning a holiday fitness challenge. “Select a specific exercise to do every 60-90 minutes during the day,” says Flannagan. The added benefit of using exercise to both compete and relieve stress can be a big mental help. “You know how good exercise makes you feel, so rather than automatically selfmedicating with food or alcohol, be mindful of your option to exercise.”

Honoring those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer

In Honor of

To my loving wife,

Becky

Tia Barr

You are an inspirational woman that is incredibly strong, courageous, and beautiful. You are a cherished blessing to us all.

Maurine Harmon Celebrating 8 years being cancer free. Still going strong at 96.

With a positive attitude, friend’s and family’s love and support, has beat this cancer.

Loving and supporting you always,

I love you, Jerry

Our journey began four years ago. What a beautiful destination we’ve reached.

I love you very much, Hank

In our hearts, love, Mother & Daddy

Carol Woods

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New 3D Mammography at Advanced Imaging offers better chance to diagnose breast cancer earlier, at more treatable stages.

By: Tara Fulford

Advanced Imaging in Gadsden and Oxford is the first imaging center in Alabama to offer 3D mammography (breast tomosynthesis) for breast cancer screening. Breast tomosynthesis produces a three-dimensional view of the breast tissue that helps radiologists identify and characterize individual breast structures without the confusion of overlapping tissue.

The center’s Selenia Dimensions breast tomosynthesis system is made by Hologic, a world leader in digital mammography. The Selenia Dimensions system offers exceptionally sharp breast images, an advanced ergonomic design providing more patient comfort, and the ground-breaking tomosynthesis platform designed to deliver superior screening and diagnostic performance.

We believe3D Mammography (breast tomosynthesis) will benefit all screening and diagnostic mammography patients, and is especially valuable for women receiving a baseline screening, those who have dense breast tissue and/or women with a personal history of breast cancer.

Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis when combined with a conventional 2D mammography has a higher cancer detection rate than conventional 2D mammography alone. Tomosynthesis technology gives radiologists increased confidence with a significant reduction in recall rates.

The 3D Mammography screening experience is similar to a traditional mammogram. During a 3D exam, multiple, low-dose images of the breast are acquired at different angles. These images are then used to produce a series of one-millimeter thick slices that can be viewed as a 3D reconstruction of the breast.

By offering women the latest technology in mammography, Advanced Imaging expects to increase the number of area women who will be routinely screened. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Statistics indicate that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s chance of survival. If detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent.

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256-835-0835 <Facility Logo Here>

www.aiofalabama.com

256-549-0008

22

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

Weight Loss

Healthy holiday cooking Add pumpkin to gingerbread for a healthful sweet treat

By Jill Wendholt Silva McClatchy Newspapers

Looking for a colossal dose of carotenoids?

Call on the great pumpkin.

After the obligatory wedge of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner, this New World native always seems to get the boot.

But before you push that can of pumpkin puree to the back of the pantry for another year, consider its health benefits.

For starters, 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin puree has 42 calories and 3.4 grams of fiber.

Pumpkin is also a good source of potassium, iron, riboflavin, folic acid and vitamin C. But what has really grabbed nutrition headlines in recent years are two carotenoids known as alpha-carotene and betacarotene, both powerful phytonutrients.

Like the deep orange, yellow or red fatsoluble compounds found in an array of fruits and vegetables, the winter gourd’s bright orange flesh is nature’s shorthand for carotenoids. The body turns the carotenoids into vitamin A, which helps boost the immune system and reduces the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions and macular degeneration.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines included a reference list of foods high in vitamin A, and pumpkin ranked fourth out of 21 common foods. Still, studies show most American adults don’t get enough vitamin A in their diets.

Pumpkin can be cooked like any winter squash, then added to soups and stews.

But to create another layer of flavor, add the puree to a traditional dessert. These Pumpkin Gingerbread Bars are moist and cakey, flavored with the traditional molasses and powdered ginger.

Gingerbread is a good holiday choice because it is naturally low in fat and cholesterol. This recipe also is designed to keep the portion sizes in check.

Shopping tip: Canned pumpkin is available year-round. A secret: Most professional chefs prefer the convenience and flavor of canned pumpkin over making their own puree. Just make sure you choose a can of pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling that already contains spices.

Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star

PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD BARS Makes 12 servings

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 9-inch 2 eggs square pan with nonstick 1/2 cup brown sugar vegetable spray.

3/4 cup solid pack pumpkin Beat eggs with electric 2 tablespoons molasses mixer at high speed 2 min1 teaspoon vanilla extract utes. Add brown sugar 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour tablespoon at a time, beating 1 teaspoon baking powder well after each addition.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Add pumpkin, molasses 1 teaspoon ground ginger and vanilla. Beat at medium 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar speed 2 minutes.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger; stir to blend. Add to pumpkin mixture; stir well.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool 10 minutes in pan; invert onto platter.

Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Per serving 81 calories (10 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (trace saturated), 31 milligrams cholesterol, 17 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 55 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2012

23

Weight Loss

Menu for health

Ronna Gradus/Miami Herald

A complete dinner that’s quick, easy and diabetic-friendly

Sliced turkey and refried beans rolled in a tortilla and topped with a spicy tomato sauce make a quick and satisfying lunch or light dinner.

You can make it several hours in advance and store in the refrigerator. It will just need to be warmed in a microwave before eating.

Helpful Hints • Look for no-sugar-or-oiladded tomato sauce. Any type of pasta or marinara sauce can be used.

• Shredded, reduced-fat Mexican style cheese can be used instead of Monterey jack.

• Low-fat and no-fat refried beans can be found in the ethnic

section of the supermarket.

• If you do not have a microwave, place enchiladas under a broiler for 5 minutes or in a toaster oven.

SHOPPING LIST To buy: 1 small package shredded, reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce needed) 1 6-ounce container low-fat fruited yogurt, 1 can low-fat or nonfat refried beans, 1/4 pound sliced turkey breast, 1 small bottle lowsodium, no-sugar-added tomato sauce (8 ounces needed) and 1 small package 6-inch corn tortillas Staples: Hot pepper sauce

TURKEY AND REFRIED BEAN ENCHILADA 2 6-inch corn tortillas 6 ounces sliced turkey breast (about 1 to 1 1/4-cups) 1/4 cup canned low-fat or non-fat refried beans 1 cup bottled low-sodium, no-sugar-added tomato sauce 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 2 tablespoons shredded, reduced-fat Monterey jack cheese

Place tortillas on a counter top. Divide turkey slices in half and place on tortillas.

Spread refried beans over the turkey. Roll up tortillas and place in a microwave-safe dish just big enough to hold them, seam side down. Mix tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce together and spoon over tortillas.

Cover with another dish or plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Cover and microwave 1 minute.

Divide between 2 plates and serve. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 335 calories, 4.5 g fat, 2.1 g saturated fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 37 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, 29 g sugars, 425 mg sodium.

Exchanges/Choices: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat

From “Mix’n’Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes” by Linda Gassenheimer, published by the American Diabetes Association.

Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. To order this book call 1-800-232-6733 or order online at store.diabetes.org.