Healthy Living - Winter 2013

HEALTHY LIVING Fitness ▶ Health ▶ Beauty ▶ Weight Loss

THE SKINNY ON WEIGHT LOSS Saks teen shares the story of her transformation

Quit smoking Eat better

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WINTER 2012

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KRAV MAGA

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

table of

Contents 3 4

FIGHTING FOR FITNESS

Break a sweat and learn self-defense with Krav Maga

THE SKINNY ON WEIGHT LOSS

Saks teen shares the story of her transformation

HEALTHY LIVING Winter 2012

Healthy Living is a product of the Anniston Star EDITOR Deirdre Long Features Editor, Anniston Star 256-235-3580 dlong@annistonstar.com

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KICKING THE HABIT

Ex-smokers share the challenges they faced while quitting for good

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

Make smarter food choices by reading labels

ONE YEAR LATER

The final update on our New Year’s Resolution project

THE DIGITAL AGE

A Q&A with Dr. Ken Hager of Advanced Imaging

KEEP YOUR RESOLUTIONS Exercise your willpower muscle

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

Local dermatologist gives tips for keeping fresh faces

WRITERS Meghan Palmer Brooke Carbo Brooke Nicholls Nelson Laura Johnson Brett Buckner Ann Angell Erin Williams

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PHOTOGRAPHERS Trent Penny Bill Wilson Stephen Gross

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DESIGNER Patrick Stokesberry

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TO ADVERTISE IN HEALTHY LIVING Janet Miller 256-235-9225 jmiller@annistonstar.com Copyright 2012 Consolidated Publishing Company

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

Krav Maga:

Israeli military combat crosses serious self-defense with hardcore fitness

By Brooke Carbo bcarbo@annistonstar.com

When I stepped into my first Krav Maga class at the Jacksonville Community Center one Wednesday morning, I wasn’t totally unprepared for what I’d gotten myself into.

I once caught a rerun of “How I Met Your Mother” where Ted dated a girl who took the trendy fitness classes. When he broke up with her later in the episode, Ted quickly learned that Krav Maga is not your average fitness class. He also learned what it’s like to get beat up by a girl.

I guess I thought I’d be the girl.

What I wasn’t prepared for was a pair of hands wrapped around my neck, the pressure on my trachea slowly but steadily increasing until all thoughts of TV reruns and girl power

left my head, and all I could focus on was breaking free of my would-be choker.

Learning to guard against such attacks is the heart of instructor Steve Pepper’s Krav Maga class, what he calls “self-defense for real-world threats.”

“A lot of people have never got in a fight in their life,” he said, so when they suddenly find themselves in a dangerous situation, “they freeze.”

Krav Maga, he explained, is designed to get people out of that mindset by stressing instinctual response and quick, effective counterattacks.

Developed in the 1940s as a selfdefense system for Israeli military forces, Krav Maga — Hebrew for “contact combat” — draws on the techniques of hand-to-hand combat and

Krav Maga instructor Steve Pepper shows James Bartel how to disarm a criminal during an exercise at the Jacksonville Community Center.

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

We don’t promote fighting, but we will teach you how to fight.

— Steve Pepper urban warfare street fighting.

But don’t let its violent roots fool you. Yes, the self-defense style teaches brutal, sometimes lethal techniques, but Krav Maga is not a study in fighting. It’s a study in surviving.

“We’re not here to fight, we’re here to run away,” Pepper explained. “We want to get up and keep moving, do combative and get out.”

Pepper, an ex-Marine who during his service spent time training in Israeli military facilities, has been studying Krav Maga for more than 13 years. He and fellow instructor Rande Jeske currently teach five onehour-long classes and one advanced sparring workshop a week at the Jacksonville Community Center. Pepper said they plan to expand when they move into their own facility sometime in 2013.

Although the primary objective of Krav Maga seems to be self-preservation, it also provides one heck of a workout that incorporates the benefits of both cardio and conditioning.

Throughout warm-up drills focused on anticipating and blocking attacks from fellow students with padded “targets,” Pepper keeps everyone in constant motion — jogging laps, running in place, hopping up and down like a jack rabbit, whatever you can do.

“Anyone can do this. It doesn’t matter what kind of shape you’re in,” he said.

In one particularly strenuous sequence, I took my turn running what seemed in the moment like an endless loop between assailants from whom I had to defend myself with alternating kicks and punches — a

feat more daunting than fight scene extras in action films make it appear, I assure you.

“You’re going to sweat,” Pepper said. “But you’re going to accomplish something.”

For most of the students though, the endgame is learning to defend themselves against the dangers of the real world, and that’s something Pepper takes very seriously.

“This to save your life,” he said.

To that end, there isn’t too much that hasn’t been covered in class, with the possible exception of hand grenades, Pepper said. Classes include role-playing possible scenarios, from bar fights to assailants wielding screwdrivers. He has even had students ask how to fight off attackers while holding a baby, and he’s incorporated that training into a class as well.

“You need to know how that feels,” said Pepper. After all, “even Jack Bauer had to start off somewhere.”

What: Vanguard Krav Maga of Alabama When: Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Saturdays at 9 a.m.

Where: Jacksonville Community Center, 501 Alexandria Road SW, Jacksonville Cost: One-hour class is $15 or attend unlimited classes for $60 a month Information: www.VKMAlabama.com or call 256-435-8115

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

‘I just stuck with it’ Saks teen loses 40 pounds the old-fashioned way

By Laura Johnson lbjohnson@annistonstar.com

In the past year Scarlett Ridley has learned what works in the real world when it comes to weight loss.

The 15-year-old Saks High School student is counting her calories and finding entertaining ways to exercise. Using these tried and true methods, she’s lost 40 pounds and five dress sizes since September 2011.

“It’s basically that it’s calories in, calories out,” Ridley said.

Ridley has come a long way since she began losing weight in 2011, but she’s not done yet. At 130 pounds, Ridley, who is about 5 feet 5 inches tall, said she is about 10 pounds from her goal weight.

Ridley, as of late, has dark brown hair, which changes color regularly. Her eyes are a light blue and aside from weight loss, one of her main goals this year has been learning to drive.

Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012 The process

The numbers

Ridley’s path to successful weight loss began with Atkins, a trend diet. For two months, beginning in September 2011, Ridley curbed her appetite for carbohydrates, sticking to a high-protein diet.

Ridley lost 10 pounds during her first two months on Atkins, and while she saw results quickly, which motivated her to press on, it wasn’t long before she decided to replace the Atkins diet.

“Atkins can get kind of boring,” Ridley said. “I like carbs.”

After breaking from dieting over the holiday season, Ridley returned to a more regimented diet at the start of the year. But this time, instead of following Atkins, she began counting calories.

In counting calories, Ridley found a method for sustainable weight management. Calorie counting offered more flexibility in her diet, allowing her to taste a variety of food while working toward her weight-loss goal.

“I could just eat what I want to eat and still lose weight,” Ridley said.

Her weight loss continued steadily throughout the year. Though the she didn’t shed pounds as quickly counting calories as she did with Atkins, that’s where she found her niche, losing one to two pounds a week.

“I just stuck with it,” Ridley said. “I think it’s probably 80 percent mental.”

Ridley isn’t alone in her weight loss battle.

Obesity now affects 17 percent of the children and teens in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. That percentage represents 12.5 million children and teens, a figure that is about four times the entire population of the state of Alabama.

Ridley’s weight loss has become a numbers game, the teen said. She calculates the number of calories she’s taking in and compares it to the number of calories she’s expending through exercise.

Though Ridley counts calories, she rarely scans nutrition facts on the back of her food items. Instead, Ridley keeps track of her caloric intake on her smartphone using an app called MyFitnessPal. To maintain a weight, a person must take in the same number of calories they use. If someone takes in more calories than they use, they gain weight. If they take in less, they lose weight.

To lose weight, most people need to reduce the number of calories they consume per day by between 500 and 1,000 calories. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound of weight, according to the CDC website.

Health experts recommend that people keep a food journal and, like Ridley, calculate their caloric intake.

The switch Calorie counting has been eye-opening for the teen.

Before losing weight, Ridley said it wasn’t uncommon for her load up on calories in just one meal. After school she would go to Arby’s fast-food restaurant almost every day.

That stopped when she realized how many calories were in her favorite meal — a milkshake, a turnover and a beef and cheddar sandwich. All totaled, that meal contains 1,440 calories, according to Arby’s website.

And after all of that that, the dining wasn’t over, Ridley said. The Arby’s meal would be a sort of snack for her. Once home, she would also have dinner with her family.

It was just one realization that the teen had about caloric intake. She said she was surprised to learn of all the foods that outweigh the taboo Big Mac when it comes to calories.

Now Ridley can rattle off calorie counts the way some teenage boys can rattle off sports statistics.

The history

Above: Scarlett Ridley in August 2011, one month before she started her diet. Left: Ridley in December 2012, 40 pounds lighter and five dress sizes smaller

Ridley first began gaining weight in the third grade, said her grandmother Debbie Reaves. It wasn’t long before Ridley was shadowing her grandmother as Reaves tried diets.

Ridley went on her first diet, Weight Watchers, while shadowing her grandmother at meetings the summer after her fourth-grade year.

“I have always been self conscious about my weight,” Ridley said.

Reaves said despite a few short stints of weight watching, Ridley, like many children, wasn’t conscious about her food intake before last year. Reaves said she wasn’t very conscious Ridley’s intake either.

“I liked being the typical grandmother with the sweets in the house,” said Reaves, who Ridley visits regularly.

Ridley said she also had no shortage of treats at her home. Her parents, both employees of the city of Oxford, often have sweets on hand.

Ridley admits that it’s tough to turn the sweets away, but added that she just doesn’t eat them as often anymore, a statement her grandmother can confirm.

“I have to hold back,” Reaves said of baking. “I would still do it if she would eat it.”

Reaves, and Ridley’s mother, Toni Ridley, said the teen’s successful weight loss has been inspiring. The healthy living has also prompted family members to make small changes in their own diets.

“I try to be more careful when I cook dinners,” Toni said. “It has inspired me to at least think about weight loss.”

Toni said she followed her daughter’s weight loss techniques closely, and even tried a few of them.

“She was able to do it in a healthy way and with pure determination,” Toni said. “We’re very proud of her.”

A transformation The healthier diet hasn’t just changed her dress size, it’s transformed her attitude, the teen said.

Before Ridley lost weight, the teen said she was drawn to darker clothing and music. Now she’s drawn away from those things, and said she’s now drawn to things that are brighter and more “girly.”

“I think it was just kind of a front for my insecurity,” Ridley said of her old look.

She said, too, that the weight loss has changed the way her classmates treat her.

Before she lost weight, Ridley said she was picked on for her appearance. After losing weight, she’s become accepted by some of the people who once isolated her.

Ridley said she thought she’d be bitter toward her classmates if they treated her differently after losing weight. But she’s not bitter now.

Instead, Ridley said the weight loss has helped her understand about the link between perception and appearance.

Now friends and high school acquaintances ask her how she lost the weight. The true key to weight loss, she will say, is persistence.

There’s no supplement for hard work and, the path to sustainable weight loss is simple, but difficult, Ridley said.

“It’s not about never failing … never quitting,” Ridley said.

Staff Writer Laura Johnson: 256-235-3544. On Twitter @LJohnson_Star.

Get started now Now in its seventh year, Scale Back Alabama is a statewide weight-loss contest that begins in January each year. The purpose of the 10-week contest is to help our state fight its challenge with obesity by encouraging Alabamians to lose weight, to exercise and to have fun while doing it. There is no charge for participating in the program, which kicks off Jan. 17. Cash prizes will be awarded. For more information, visit www.scalebackalabama.com.

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

Kicking the hab t

Cigarette smokers past and present share the challenges they’ve faced while trying to quit for good

By Brett Buckner Special to The Star

Frank Morris misses his fingernails most of all; their painful, ragged and bloody remnants reminding him of an ongoing struggle while serving as an odd source of comfort.

After smoking cigarettes for more than 25 years, Morris quit “for good” about eight months ago, but it took a stroke to make it happen.

“It was a nasty wake-up call,” says the 53year-old Morris. “After that, continuing to smoke seemed kind of stupid. I have kids and grandkids that I want to see grow up, so I figured it was time to get serious.”

But that’s easier said than done. Morris had tried giving up his pack-a-day habit “hundreds of times” only to return to cigarettes months, weeks and sometimes even days after swearing them off.

His health scare put everything in perspective, and through a combination of nicotine gum, patches and white-knuckle commitment, he’s been going strong.

The gum and the patches took care of the cravings, but Morris didn’t know what to do with his hands, especially when he was driving — thus the fingernails.

“I started biting and chewing my fingernails,” Morris says. “They’re always raw and sore. It’s to the point that I don’t even know I’m doing it … but it’s better than smoking.”

Morris’ struggles are all too common.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, of the estimated 24 million smokers in the U.S., 52 percent stopped smoking for at least one day because they were trying to quit. Of those, 62 percent were between the ages of 18-24.

But quitting smoking isn’t easy because

of the nicotine contained in cigarettes.

According to the CDC, nicotine dependence is the most common form of chemical dependence in the United States, and research suggests that nicotine may be as addictive as heroin, cocaine or alcohol.

Shane Nixon understands the pain of addiction, having been in recovery for “serious intravenous opiate addiction” for six years. “But that’s nothing compared to trying to quit smoking,” he says.

Nixon, with the help of Chantix, an antidepressant that helps curb the craving for cigarettes, was able to quit for eight months, but has since started smoking again.

“I hate it, yet I can’t seem to stop,” he says.

“It doesn’t even make sense … cigarettes just make you stink and kill you. It’s a very peculiar thing to pay thousands of dollars a year to die sooner from a horrible death.”

When a person finishes a cigarette, the nicotine level in the body starts to drop, going lower and lower. The pleasant feeling wears

“

Quitting smoking is easy.

I’ve done it a thousand times.

— Mark Twain

”

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

Alabama has plenty of problems. There’s one problem, however, many of us can see every time we look in a mirror.

Our Big Problem is a series of stories by The Anniston Star examining the spread of obesity and related health problems in Alabama, and the bigger questions facing our society as a result.

▶ Area schools adjust to healthier new nutritional standards ▶ Ignoring the message: More Alabamians need to heed warning about obesity and their health ▶ Report: Alabama is 6th-fattest state in country

These stories and more can be found at www.annistonstar.com/ourbigproblem © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists.

off and the smoker notices a desire to want to smoke again. If smoking is postponed, the smoker may start feeling irritated and edgy.

These are the signs of addiction, and that addiction comes with a price. Side effects include irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, slower heart rate, difficulty concentrating and increased appetite.

Smokers who try to quit often relapse because of stress, weight gain and withdrawal symptoms.

When it comes to quitting, nicotine supplements, like those used by Morris, and medications, like the one used by Nixon, are popular, but the main way of kicking the habit is what Jeanne Hollingsworth did.

“I quit smoking Dec. 25, 1981, cold turkey as they say,” Hollingsworth says. “I haven’t smoked since and haven’t really missed it.”

Hollingsworth woke up that Christmas morning feeling short of breath. She made up her mind that she didn’t want to attend her then 3-year-old daughter’s high school graduation while hauling around an oxygen tank.

As the old saying goes, smokers only have two options — quit or die.

Cigarette smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are toxic and about 70 can cause cancer.

Kristi Harper has watched from a distance as both her husband, Josh, and father-in-law, James, have quit smoking, and she can hardly contain her pride in how well they’ve done, together.

James, 72, moved in with his son and his family after the death of his wife of 50 years. James requires some assistance, so Josh, 33, who is the youngest of five children, has been taking care of his father. But the two men share more than blood and love for one another. They’re also smokers.

And while Josh’s two young children loved having their grandfather around, they didn’t love his “nasty cigarettes.”

“At the dinner table, we would hear James wheezing and coughing and then watch him go back outside to smoke … sometimes every 20 minutes,” Kristi Harper says. “Josh and James talked all the time about wanting to quit.”

Finally, on Father’s Day 2012, they did just that and both have been successful.

“I believe that if a 72-year-old man can quit and be OK,” Harper says, “then anyone and everyone should quit.”

Contact Brett Buckner at brettbuckner@ymail.com.

Your Choice. Your Smile.

“Best decision I ever made! Wish I was able to do it sooner.”

— Tom, 29

Get started now The Alabama Tobacco Quitline is a telephone and online support service for any Alabamian who is ready to quit tobacco. If you or a friend or family member are ready to stop using tobacco, the Tobacco Quitline staff is available to help. Information, referrals and support are confidential and support sessions are designed on a schedule that is convenient to the caller.

Any Alabamian can use the free phone or online support services and receive two weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy patches (if medically eligible and enrolled in support services) provided by Alabama QUITNOW. Call 1-800-QUITNOW or visit www.alabamaquitnow.com for more information or counseling.

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. Orthodontists are specialists in straightening teeth and aligning your bite. They have two to three years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile - that feels great, too.

Dr. Jay Walker has been a Specialist in Orthodontics in Anniston and Gadsden since 1984, following his dad’s footsteps, and is certified by the American Board of Orthodontists. He is northeast Alabama’s most experienced Invisalign provider, beginning shortly after the company’s founding in 2000, and has treated over 500 Invisalign patients. So it makes sense to seek his opinion as to whether Invisalign is the right choice for you. Investigate before you invest.

Joseph A. Walker, Jr., D.M.D., M.S. Specialist in Orthodontics www.walkerortho.com

630 Leighton Avenue Anniston, AL 36207 256-236-1623

320 South 3rd Street Gadsden, AL 35901 256-547-7101

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

You are what you eat Make smarter food choices by reading labels

By Deirdre Long dlong@annistonstar.com

The first step to a healthier diet is easier than you might think. All you need to know how to do is read.

“Read labels,” said Marchale Burton, the urban regional extension agent for the Calhoun County Extension Office. Burton specializes in diet, health and nutrition in a new non-traditional program. “There’s nutritional information, just take the time to look at it.”

Nutritional information is found on just about every package of food at the grocery store, and can be found inside most fast-food restaurants, or on the restaurant’s website. The nutrition facts label shows the amount of servings for each package, as well as the amount of calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Consumers should be aware of the information on these labels, and make their food choices based on them.

“Eating healthy doesn’t mean food doesn’t taste good,” she said.

“Look for low fat, low sodium and low and reduced sugar.”

But food packaging (but not the nutrition labels) can sometimes be misleading, Burton said. “Just because a cereal is low sugar doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”

When choosing meals, Burton suggests using the MyPlate system, the USDA’s food guidance system, which took the place of the older food pyramid.

According to MyPlate, for a healthy meal, half the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, one-fourth should be protein and one-fourth should be whole grains. A dairy product, shown as a glass of milk, should also be consumed.

Burton recommends people cook meals at home for to have the most control over sugar, sodium and fat, but says smarter choices can be made while dining out.

Choose a baked potato or salad instead of fries. Drink water or low-fat milk instead of soda, which can contain almost 10 teaspoons of sugar per 12 ounces.

“Pay more attention,” Burton said of living a healthier lifestyle. “And exercise.”

Wendy’s burger, salad and milk Quarter-pound plain burger (no mayo, cheese or ketchup), garden side salad with light ranch dressing, low-fat milk 495 calories 25 percent of recommended daily calorie intake* Somewhat meets ChooseMyPlate.com standards: Half a plate of vegetables, some dairy, no fruit, no whole grains

McDonald’s Big Mac Meal Burger, medium fries and 21 ounce Coke Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star 1,140 calories 57 percent of recommended daily calorie intake* Does not meet ChooseMyPlate.com standards: Virtually no vegetables (only what was on the burger), no fruit, no whole *Based on 2,000 grains and no dairy calorie-a-day diet

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012 Announcing a special hardcover book from The Anniston Star

CALHOUN COUNTY

MEMORIES

MCT Photo

Dinner at home Grilled skinless chicken breast, broccoli, strawberries, brown rice and low-fat milk 417 calories 21 percent of recommended daily calorie intake* Completely meets ChooseMyPlate.com standards: Half a plate of fruits and vegetables, 1/4 plate whole grain, 1/4 plate protein and dairy

Want to make your favorite meal a little healthier?

Send us your recipe and Marchale Burton will give it healthy makeover. • Email to dlong@annistonstar.com, subject line “Recipe Makeoverâ€? • Fax to 256-241-1991, note “Attn: Healthy Livingâ€? • Mail to The Anniston Star, Attn: Healthy Living, P.O. Box 189, Anniston, AL 36202 • Drop off to The Star’s office at 4305 McClellan Blvd.

About the book: The Anniston Star is pleased to have worked

with local historical organizations to bring our readers a beautiful hard-bound book on the history of the area. This heirloom-quality, coffee-table book celebrates The Anniston Star’s 100th anniversary and features more than 250 amazing images and newspaper front pages of Anniston and Calhoun County from the 1800s through today. Order today for only $39.95! Books are expected to ship late November, just in time for holiday gift giving.

For more information, including food plans, graphic resources, a food tracker and tips on increasing physical activity and weight management, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

39

$

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BUY NOW!

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copies at $39.95 plus $4.00 tax per book and pickup my order (mail in form only) at The Anniston Star office. Total - $43.95/book copies at $39.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling and $4.00 tax per book and have my order shipped to the address below. Total - $49.90/book

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Call 256-235-3580 with any questions.

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An international reputation John R. Kingsley, M.D., is known throughout the world as one of the most credentialed and experienced vein and vascular surgeons.

Physicians come to Alabama from around the U.S. and from many foreign countries to learn the modern diagnosis and treatment methods of vein disorders from Dr. Kingsley. Doctors from Japan, Australia, Maylasia, London, Canada, Dubai, and Taiwan have trained with Dr. Kingsley, and he travels annually to Japan and to Australia to teach and to present to vein and vascular societies. He was selected an Emeritus Fellow of the Australasian College of Phlebology.

Dr. Lee from Maylasia receiving his training certificate in Alabama.

John r. Kingsley, MD Recognized by the Consumers Research Council of America...for the past seven years as one of the top surgeons in the United States of America.

Dr. Kingsley and Dr. Tessari (Italian inventor of modern sclerotherapy) at the confirmation ceremony for the Australasian College Dr. Kingsley teaching doctors and nurses of the Tokyo Vein Clinic.

He was one of the first surgeons in the U.S. to develop and to perform modern vein treatments on patients suffering from venous insufficiency causing varicose veins, spider veins, leg pain and swelling, blood clots, leg ulcers, restless leg symptoms and leg cramping. Modern treatments are performed in a AAAHC accredited office surgery facility with physician anesthesia, such that all patients have safe and virtually painless procedures.

Dr. Kingsley is one of the first Diplomates of the American Board of Phlebology in the U.S. He is recognized as one of the pre-eminent experts in Phlebology, the study and science of vein disorders. He serves as an editor and writer for Vein Therapy News, and has published and presented more than 100 scientific publications and presentations throughout the world.

An international reputation John R. Kingsley, M.D., is known throughout the world as one of the most credentialed and experienced vein and vascular surgeons.

Physicians come to Alabama from around the U.S. and from many foreign countries to learn the modern diagnosis and treatment methods of vein disorders from Dr. Kingsley. Doctors from Japan, Australia, Maylasia, London, Canada, Dubai, and Taiwan have trained with Dr. Kingsley, and he travels annually to Japan and to Australia to teach and to present to vein and vascular societies. He was selected an Emeritus Fellow of the Australasian College of Phlebology.

Dr. Lee from Maylasia receiving his training certificate in Alabama.

John r. Kingsley, MD Recognized by the Consumers Research Council of America...for the past seven years as one of the top surgeons in the United States of America.

Dr. Kingsley and Dr. Tessari (Italian inventor of modern sclerotherapy) at the confirmation ceremony for the Australasian College Dr. Kingsley teaching doctors and nurses of the Tokyo Vein Clinic.

He was one of the first surgeons in the U.S. to develop and to perform modern vein treatments on patients suffering from venous insufficiency causing varicose veins, spider veins, leg pain and swelling, blood clots, leg ulcers, restless leg symptoms and leg cramping. Modern treatments are performed in a AAAHC accredited office surgery facility with physician anesthesia, such that all patients have safe and virtually painless procedures.

Dr. Kingsley is one of the first Diplomates of the American Board of Phlebology in the U.S. He is recognized as one of the pre-eminent experts in Phlebology, the study and science of vein disorders. He serves as an editor and writer for Vein Therapy News, and has published and presented more than 100 scientific publications and presentations throughout the world.

12

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

New Year’s Resolutions:

One year later

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

By Brooke Nicholls Nelson Special to The Star

A year ago, Healthy Living introduced the public to three local residents who had made 2012 New Year’s resolutions. Every three months we checked in with each to see if they were having success keeping the goals they had identified. For our final check, we find results that run the gamut — total success, status quo and complete failure.

The good news is, all three have recommitted to set goals for 2013, and all three are positive they can meet their own expectations over the course of the next 365 days.

They said they hope to be an inspiration to others who struggle to keep resolutions.

Dave DeSpagna, 55, of Anniston, is a glowing example of keeping commitments.

DeSpagna resolved to “be a blessing to everyone” he met, and while we do not have testimonials from every person he has encountered over the course of the year, his actions speak volumes about his success.

DeSpagna believes it is God’s will for him to pursue being a blessing, which he does by volunteering for a long list of grateful organizations including his church, Harvest Church of God, where he provides services for the food distribution ministry, the Young at Heart Senior Adult Group and the church’s annual yard sale which raises funds for missionaries in Ecuador. He is also involved with the Wounded Warriors, Boys and Girls Club and frequently writes to members of our armed forces.

DeSpagna greets every day as an opportunity to serve others. He knows he will continue to meet and exceed his be-ablessing goal for 2013 because he says God will keep him motivated.

DeSpagna’s advice to others setting resolutions for 2013?

“It doesn’t have to be something big, because even something little helps,” he said. “God will put you in the right place to do good work.”

Munford resident Anne Powers, 72, kept her resolution to “eat healthier and exercise more.” While she did not lose as much weight as she had hoped, and plateaued about halfway through the year, she did lose a total of 37 pounds and has been able

to keep her borderline diabetes at bay.

The upbeat Powers, famous for her baking skills, said she told her family she would not be doing as much baking as usual over the holidays this year.

“If I don’t bake it, and others don’t bring it,” she said. “I’m not tempted.”

Powers said she has enjoyed participating in the series of resolution updates.

“Knowing you were going to be checking up on me helped me stay out of trouble,” she said. “I’d think ‘don’t eat that, it will go straight to your hips.’”

The year has been a difficult one for Powers. With an invalid husband requiring the majority of her focus, she has not had as much time to commit to her own health.

But she hopes 2013 will allow her more opportunities to get exercise and be active.

So far as encouragement for others wanting to commit to new goals, Powers said, “Be sensible. Make it something you can stick with and not fall off the wagon. Be realistic.”

While DeSpagna and Powers enjoyed varying degrees of success, Anniston resident Norman Williams, 63, admits he failed to meet his goal to lose 60 pounds.

Motivated by the heart attack-related death of his older brother at age 55, Williams 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 gained weight in the last few years because he quit smoking and suffered an injury to his foot, which forced him to quit his job and curtail exercise.

Even though he is discouraged not to have lost weight in 2012, he said he plans to set a new goal to lose weight in 2013.

“I need to get more exercise,” said Williams. “I’ve turned into a couch potato.”

Williams says losing weight is hard, slow and not as easy to do as when he was younger. He says he knows what he needs to do –—get exercise and eat healthier. He hopes he will be able to start walking again and get back on a healthier diet.

Williams has some valuable advice for those making 2013 resolutions, advice he plans to follow as well.

“Don’t give up,” he said. “Just keep going because if you give up, you won’t ever make your goal.”

Norman Williams

Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

Left: Anne Powers has kept her resolution to eat healthier and exercise, and lost 37 pounds.

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

Dave DeSpagna

Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

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HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

‘Leaders in Technology ’

Dr. Ken Hager, founder of Advanced Imaging, works in his Gadsden office. Hager’s offices in Oxford and Gadsden offer the only 3-D digital mammography in this region.

Submitted photo

Q&A

By Dr. Meghan Palmer Special to The Star

Sometimes high energy, expertise and a good idea join forces to form a business that improves its community. Dr. Ken Hager is a radiologist who knows this first hand. In 2004 he decided to open Advanced Imaging, a full-service medical imaging facility, in Gadsden. Not satisfied with sitting on his laurels, Hager recognized the need for better medical imaging services in another area in northern Alabama. So, in 2008 the Anniston office was opened. From his experience working in the Gadsden hospital, Hager knew that only basic, outdated imaging services were available at the time, if they were available at all. He wanted to provide the next level of care in his offices. He started his enterprise with a technological bang, offering digital imaging and what is now the crowning jewel of his services: 3-D digital mammography.

Advanced Imaging is the first facility in northern or central Alabama to offer an procedure called breast tomosynthesis, also known as 3-D mammography. This procedure has only recently been approved by the FDA, and it allows for the most detailed radiographic map of the breast possible. Hager is proud of this exclusive procedure, and he would like to get as many at-risk women as possible in to benefit from it.

Q: Would it be fair to say that Advanced Imaging is the best choice for those in the Anniston area because you have superior technology?

A: Yes, frankly. We have been leaders in technology since we set up. We are the only people in the state doing this cutting-edge stuff. We have better machines, and a better network. What we can offer is as good or better than anyplace else. For instance, with our digital 3-D mammography, we have a rate of almost double the rate of breast cancer detection because we can work with the computer to search for small calcifications in the breast. The picture quality is better, and managing the database library is better.

Q: What other services do you offer?

A: We offer ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, radiography. Since day one, we have used a “spiral machine” for our CT. It can scan the whole chest in five to six

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

With Dr. Ken Hager

seconds. This machine gives several slices of an area, and the computer can reconstruct them to get images. More slices mean being able to see smaller evidence in pathology. This is happening all the time.

For example, we found renal cancer in a 30-yearold — in the old days, we would not have seen it. It was only the size of a fingernail. Now, he still has 90 percent of his kidney. He’ll get to live to see his grandkids.

Q: Is physician referral necessary for a patient to use your services?

A: Insurance companies divide services into two categories: “screening” and “diagnostic.” Screening services are considered health maintenance. When this type of imaging is done, there is no previous patient condition or suspicious symptom. Screening imaging is usually paid by the insurance company 100 percent, and there is no physician referral necessary.

Diagnostic imaging must go through a physician first. Usually a patient or doctor has found a suspicious lump or bump. This type of service gets rolled into major medical insurance.

Q: How often should a patient get a mammogram?

A: Usually, insurance companies will pay for a yearly screening. The accepted schedule for this is one calendar year plus a day. Diagnostic screening, which is related to a symptom, can be done anytime.

Q: What makes 3-D mammography so much better?

A: With digital mammography, the patient only gets about half as much radiation as they did with the old analog films. 3-D digital mammography is even better, because it can cut through what is known as “architectural distortion.” If there is scarring from previous operations, or if the breast tissue is fibrous, our machine can see right through it. It creates one millimeter-thick slices [images]through the compressed breast. This is like being able to read just one page out of a book without trying to look through the whole thing cover to cover. The idea is to find as many smaller lumps as possible for early cancer detection.

Q: How much radiation is the patient receiving per mammogram?

A: It takes very little radiation to see through a breast. The radiation you get with this machine is the equivalent of smoking three-eighths of one ciga-

rette, one time in your whole life. To put it another way, you get more background radiation exposure driving several miles to get to our clinic than you do from the mammogram. Plus, there is less image repetition in digital imaging. With analog film, if it was too dark or too light, you had to re-take the image.

With digital, you can adjust the image. It’s just like fixing a digital picture on your computer.

Q: You really promote mammography in your office. Why? A: American women have a 1-in-8 chance of developing breast cancer. That’s within the age range of 40 to 80, with chances increasing as you get older.

We promote the mammograms because there are many women out there who should get screened, and whose insurance companies will pay for the screening, who aren’t getting it.

Q: You recently added 4-D ultrasound to your office.

What can you tell me about this procedure?

A: It’s what we call a “boutique procedure,” because there is no medical necessity for it. 4-D ultrasound uses higher-end computers. We charge $99 for it.

Q: What drove your decision to open a radiology center?

A: I was a radiologist in the Gadsden hospital.

There was a need [for an imaging center]. The hospital didn’t want to do it, I had already bought the building, so I said, “Why not?” This was in 2004. In 2008, I opened the Anniston office. I can do an exam in Anniston, and get the info in Gadsden, 30 miles away, faster than I could get it to the next office in the old days. We are not the only people doing digital imaging, but we started out that way. We didn’t have to convert to digital.

Q: What is the advantage a physician might have in working with you?

A: Physicians can log into our website privately to see their patients’ files. They can pull up anything we have on their patient as long as they have access and an Internet connection. They can pull up files from Timbuktu. They are not able to see any other patients’ files; their privacy is protected. Also, results can be faxed to a doctor within minutes.

Dr. Meghan Palmer is freelance writer and chiropractor in Rogersville, Tenn.

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HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

Willpower and habits:

key to keeping resolutions

By Ann Angell Special to The Star

I once heard someone say that willpower is like a muscle. If you don’t train it, it will not get any stronger. We need willpower to resist a lot of things in our lives. But mostly we do not practice our willpower because we have gotten used to having instant gratification. We usually get what we want when we want it. No willpower involved.

With the New Year fast approaching, many of us will instantly want to eat better, look better, feel better. We always use this time of the year to look back at how sorry we have been this past year. More than ever we will want it.

Sorry, but results to your health and fitness are never instant. Even though people are always touting new and better ways to do things through infomercials and such, there is rarely anything really new in fitness and diet that we did not already know many years ago.

It is simple science that we have to expend more calories than we take in in order to lose weight. We have to cut out processed and unhealthy foods and substitute more fruits and veggies. But what is the trick to making fitness and healthy living a habit? The trick is to do it. Just like you have to exercise your willpower you have to practice good eating habits and practice good exercise habits in order for them to become a habit. It’s a lifestyle for the whole year.

The effort you have to make in order to see the results you want will not be easy.

You may have to make sacrifices of your time. But the habit is attainable. If you have to train your willpower you also have to train your habits. Try to commit to a 30-day change in your habits. You will feel better and start to see desirable results.

And once you have seen desirable results you will be more motivated to continue.

But you may need motivation from other people too. There are some people who prefer to exercise alone. But mostly

we have more fun and are held more accountable if we have a fitness friend.

You both need to find something you enjoy doing that you actually look forward to. Don’t even call it “working out.” That may be enough to make you dread it.

It can be a walk in the hills or a fitness class or even biking the neighborhood. But it has to be hard enough to get your heart rate up, to make you sweat for at least 30 minutes, maybe more.

Nothing is handed to us. We have to work for it. Fitness is the same. You have to work. But that doesn’t mean that the work cannot be fun. If it isn’t enjoyable to some extent we probably will not continue.

Same goes for eating healthy. We all know the tips for doing better. Eat more fruit and veggies. Have lots of color on your dinner plate. Drink plenty of water.

A great motivational tool in this modern day is probably within inches of you right now: your smartphone. These phones are amazing little geniuses. For free or a few bucks you can track calories or design a strength workout simply by downloading apps. Examples are imuscle 1.2, which actually has a muscle man show you up to 450 exercises and creates a workout for you, or Weight Watchers mobile app that helps you to track calories. The sky is the limit on smartphone apps that pertain to fitness and health.

You probably know all the tips to stay healthy and fit. This is not the first time you have heard them. Now implement a 30-day plan. Write it down. Make a schedule in your day to exercise and to eat right.

Without a plan our eating and exercise can go way off track. Plan your week in advance and you will less likely fail. Be sure and set goals that can be reached.

Don’t try to run a marathon tomorrow because chances are you might not make it. Be reasonable. Get busy training your habits and your willpower and make them work for you.

Ann Angell is program center manager at the Oxford Y For Now.

10:30: Go to gym Noon: meet Ashley for lunch 6pm: Dinner - grilled chicken salad, whole grain roll

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Win A

Start the new year with a new face.

We’re giving away a microdermabrasion facial service from dermatologist Dr. Stacy Haynes. Microdermabrasion is a light cosmetic procedure that gently removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the skin.

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ENTRY FORM

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is answer three questions about stories in this issue of Healthy Living.

1. What is the style of Israeli self-defense called?____________________________________________________________________________ 2. How many calories are in a Big Mac meal?_______________________________________________________________________________ 3. How many pounds did Anne Powers lose over the last year?________________________________________________________________

Name:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Email:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail entry form to: Facial contest Deirdre Long Features Editor Anniston Star P.O. Box 189 Anniston, AL 36202

HEALTHY LIVING Win a Facial Contest Entries must be received by February 1, 2013

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HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012

‘Happy Medicine’ Skin care is more than a job for local dermatologist

By Erin Williams Special to The Star

Beauty may only be skin deep, but for Dr. Stacy Haynes, it’s a process that runs from the inside out.

There is no stopping this dermatologist from examining the largest pore, soothing the most sizzling sunburn, or even popping the biggest pimple, as she has set out to do in her two decades in medicine.

“It was ‘happy medicine,’ says Haynes of her decision to focus on skin health. “It just felt good to make people look good. They can feel better about themselves.”

After graduating from Meharry Medical College, the Nashville native spent time in California as a resident before moving with her husband to Birmingham. She began practicing there in 1990.

She soon found out that her services were needed more in east Alabama after agreeing to see prisoners once a month at the Federal Corrections Institute in Talladega.

Word soon spread that a dermatologist was in town — and people were willing to do anything to get an appointment.

“They were actually trying to make appointments to come see me at the prison,” Haynes recalls. “You tell me if that’s a need or not.”

She opened her first practice, Anniston Dermatology Center in Oxford, in 1992, and a second practice in Birmingham followed the next year.

After volleying between two practices for nearly two decades she opened Haynes MediSpa in Jacksonville just last year.

As long as it’s something you enjoy…you don’t mind working all day, all night, one, two, three offices — it doesn’t really matter.

You just want to see people happy.

Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

Dr. Stacy Haynes, a dermatologist in Oxford, treats patient Pam Waldrop in her office.

HEALTHY Living WINTER 2012 “The need was for salon services, spa services — and so that’s what we decided to offer,” she says of their newest location, which offers services such as chemical peels, micro-needling, microdermabrasion and waxing.

“We just had our open house, and we had halfprice botox,” says Haynes, who keeps customers informed of special deals through text messages and social media. Naturally, “The response was phenomenal.”

The time back and forth can be a bit of a blur, she admits, but credits her “really, really good staff,” which includes three nurse practitioners, a hair care specialist, and massage therapist for their help.

“It’s not that bad. There’s a lot of time for reflection,” says the mother of two daughters, and credits “a lot of vitamins” in keeping up her energy.

Haynes also has a line of skin care products called Renew, that helps correct face and body discolorations. “I was looking for something to fill the void to still get people help with discolorations, but yet take the hydroquinone out of it,” she says of the key ingredient in most discoloration prescriptions.

Hydroquinone works well, she admits, but is being studied as a possible link to skin cancer, she said.

Her four-product collection can be purchased without a prescription and thrives on natural ingredients. With the help of a chemist, she developed the line over a year’s time. It lacks the hydroquinone, so “it’s just a little bit slower than the prescription,” but it works very well.

Her next line of products just might be coming to a scalp near you in the near future.

“You just have to look for where the need is, and that’s where the need is,” she says of treating hair loss. “You’ve gone through a cancer treatment, your hair’s just about gone — you need some help. You know your hair’s gonna come back, but there’s a transition phase.”

Working endless hours across the region over a period of two decades might lead to early retirement for some, but the joy that Haynes receives from the work she completes give her more excitement than any B12 shot could.

“It’s not a job — it’s just something that you come and you have fun,” she says. “As long as it’s something you enjoy, and it’s a passion. You don’t mind working all day, all night, one, two, three offices — it doesn’t really matter. You just want to see people happy.”

during the winter months, but because we are in Alabama we still promote sunscreen,” she says.

“People still forget — the sun is still there, it reflects off the snow, and you’re still getting the UV rays that are coming and damaging your skin.” In addition to applying sunscreen every 3-4 hours, it also “helps a bunch” to use makeup that has a skin protectant factor in its formula.

Water works: The harsh conditions outside, coupled with artificial heat blowing inside can also lead to dry skin. To keep it supple, says Haynes, nothing does the trick like a swig of H2O. “You need to drink plenty of fluids — especially water,” she says, and also advises changing your moisturizers out. “In the summertime we tell you to get Cetaphil lotion — it’s a thinner emollient base.

In the winter months we tell you to get the Cetaphil cream. It’s a thicker, heavier, oiler one — it takes a little bit longer to rub in, but it gives you better protection in the winter months.”

Keep it clean: The skin still needs to be cleansed regularly, says the dermatologist, but toner users might want to ease up on their rotation.

“Usually those are alcohol-based,” she says, which can dry out the skin. “We ask that you probably use your toner maybe once [or twice] a week,

instead of several times a week, or even every other week,” can work, depending on the condition of your skin. The same decreased use also goes for using exfoliators.

“We tell you to drop it down to once a week … in the winter months.”

Kiss kiss: “The more you lick the lips, the drier the lips will get,” Haynes cautions of the habit that many of us engage in without thinking. “They dry out more, you lick more. You lick more, they dry more.”

Keep your lips kissable by carrying around a balm with sun protection — or a lip swipe of petroleum jelly. “People swear by specific [lip protectors], but anything with Vaseline helps a lot and keeps [lips] moisturized.”

Up your supplements: Blueberries may be a little more expensive this time of year, but antioxidants are still key when consuming foods that are good for the skin, says Haynes.

“A lot of times we’ll tell everybody to go look toward vitamins,” she says, and highlights Centrum vitamins, and sun damage repair pill Heliocare as good choices for one pill a day. Also, fish oils, which contains omega-3 fatty acids that assist in cell turnover, “tend to do a really good job too.”

Skin care tips Fun in the (winter) sun: As the city’s 2010 white Christmas proved evident, the winter months in Alabama can bring weather with the predictability of a Magic 8 Ball — good luck guessing what will happen next. Through the rain, snow, and occasional sunny days, the velocity of the wind is one that can make cold weather feel like nails to an unprotected face.

“We always tell people to use heavier creams Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

Dr. Stacy Haynes, goes over a chart with staff member Kim Coleman.

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NOT TJUST TSTRONG

STRINGFELLOW

STR NG STRINGFELLOW memorial hospital

301 East 18th St. Anniston, AL 36207 Phone: 256.235.8900 StringfellowMemorial.com

This Hospital is owned or invested in by physicians.