d-mars.com Health & Wellness 69

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HEALTH & wELLNESS Journal

biotech | Business | Career | Education | Healthy Lifestyles | Medical | Mental Health | Policy | RESEARCH | SPORTS MEDICINE

April 2017

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Inspire, Inform & Educate

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69th Edition

Tiffany Massie-Davis,

Owner and President of E-PIC Training Center, Inc.

E-PIC Training Center, Inc.

Has a Heart for the Community

24-25

INSIDE

22 You Are Too SKINNY or Too THIN!

28 National Eye Institute News: Helping the Retina Regenerate

27 Charcoal Toothpaste: The Gritty Truth

2  |  March 2017

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Publisher’s Message

MR. D-MARS

Are you truly at your healthiest? This is a question that only you can answer. It’s time for some self-assessment when it comes to health and wellness. You are the example for your family. You are the example for your community.

If you have not scheduled that annual check-up, then let me encourage you to do it now. It’s time to get healthy!

This month’s journal highlights Tiffany MassieDavis, President and Owner of E-PIC Training Center, Inc. (E-PIC). This training center

Behind the Journal

“The workings of the human heart are the profoundest mystery of the universe. One moment they make us despair of our kind, and the next we see in them the reflection of the divine image.”

—Charles W. Chesnutt

our services

contents 22 Healthy Lifestyles 22 You are Too SKINNY or Too THIN! 22 Are You More Than Tired?

Publisher & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr.

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION

Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Floyd ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dawn Paul ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

22 24-25 Cover Story 24-25 E-PIC Training Center, Inc. Has a Heart for the Community

Vice President, Marketing Anita Bates SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES C.T. Foster Tiffany Black

26 Education 26 Committed to Care

24-25

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Angel Rosa

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• Business Journal • Health & Wellness Journal • Community Journal • Black Pages Online Business Directory • Top 50 Black Health, Medical & Wellness Professionals • Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs • Top 30 Influential Women of Houston • Top 25 Prime & Subcontractors for Diversity • Business Connection • Business Development • Business Consulting • Graphic Design • Photography • Printing • Web Design • Online & Email Marketing • Public Relations • Social Media • Advertising • Writing • Promotional Marketing

27 Medicine 27 Charcoal Toothpaste: The Gritty Truth

Project Coordinator Taelor Smith DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tiffany Massie-Davis, RN-BSN, MSN, CNE Reggie Collier Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade National Eye Institute d-mars.com News Provider

offers AHA courses in large or small groups that are in line with the AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC. E-PIC’s purpose is to help make for a healthier Houston. In addition, the company has a true heart for our community.

As always, thank you for your continued support of d-mars. com. When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

27 28 Research 28 National Eye Institute News

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4 | March 2017

Healthy Lifestyles

You Are Too SKINNY or Too THIN!

By Reggie Collier Contributing Writer

w

hen someone tends to look drastically different or lose an excessive amount of weight, hearing comments about being too skinny or thin is something my clients, colleagues, fitness competitors and I hear so much. These types of negative comments about weight loss not only come from acquaintances, but some of the people closest to us. Even though people may be well-intentioned, it needs to be said that this diminishes the ability for one to enjoy their success and hard work. Also, it has been recognized that it is a lot easier to refer to someone as being too skinny than being too fat.

It seems when we are overweight, out of shape, or obese, no one wants to throw their two cents in as much. I hate to say it, but this is even more prevalent in the minority communities.

I try to remind my clients and friends how great they look, and others sometimes feel threatened by that. Try not to feel self-conscious when these comments are made to you. Believe it or not, others might see your weight loss as somewhat of a judgement of their unhealthy habits or obesity. Your healthy lifestyle is a wake-up call to them that they are not ready to face. Instead of facing their problems head on, their negative comments to you are what they need to feel better about themselves for remaining unhealthy.

Some of these comments come from people who have their own lifestyle issues, and you may have become a bit of a living reproach to them! However, you are definitely not judging them, you are just living a healthier life. Unfortunately, your healthy lifestyle makes them insecure about themselves. Because they don’t have the courage to start the process, they take their insecurities out on you.

Even though people seem confident, they are living a miserable life inside. Instead of taking those steps to become healthier and getting out of their comfort zone, it is easier for them to bring you down by throwing shade or making sly remarks.

We all know how the saying goes, “Misery loves company.” Don’t be their company. Don't listen to

“One of the best decisions I have ever made was committing to Reggie C Fitness.

Reggie has a way of pushing his clients beyond their goals. I’m still setting and crushing new goals 50 lbs later!”

—Treshell E.

those negative remarks. They are just going to have to adjust to the new you. As long as you know you are doing what is healthy and what is best for you, that is what truly matters. For those of us who know, it isn't about the weight or the number on the scale. It is all about how you feel when you are more energized, stronger, and happier. As the people around you get used to your new weight, they'll come to accept it as your "norm," and the negativity should dissipate.

If it doesn't, ignore the noise, and rise above it. The important thing is that you don’t let anyone take you off of that path that is helping you live the best life.

For more fitness tips from me or to experience Reggie C Fitness and be a healthier you, please visit me on the web at www.reggiecfitness.com.

Healthy Lifestyles

Are You More Than Tired? 5 Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore By d-mars.com News Provider

D

o you fight to stay awake during the day? Is exhaustion part of your everyday life? If the urge to sleep is overwhelming and irresistible, it may be a sleep disorder called narcolepsy, a condition affecting approximately one in 2,000 people in the U.S. Narcolepsy is one of the most frequently diagnosed primary sleep disorders. However, it's not always easy to recognize.

"There are five major symptoms of narcolepsy.

Many of them can be confused with other medical conditions such as depression or epilepsy, making a narcolepsy diagnosis somewhat tricky," says Dr. Raj Dasgupta, pulmonary and sleep specialist at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. "Approximately half of the people affected by narcolepsy remain undiagnosed. A diagnosis can take up to 10 years to receive. We need greater awareness of narcolepsy to help expedite the diagnosis process for patients."

Everyone with narcolepsy has excessive daytime sleepiness. That's when you feel tired all the time, making it hard to stay awake and alert throughout the day. It can be described as feeling fatigued or irritable, having difficulty concentrating, poor memory, or mood changes. Patients say it comes in waves, like a "sleep attack." These can happen during unusual situations, such as in the middle of a meal, a conversation or bike ride.

There are five major symptoms, but you don't need to experience them all to have narcolepsy.

1. Excessive daytime sleepiness: As discussed above, this is when you have an irresistible urge to sleep during the day.

2. Cataplexy: The weakening of muscles when you feel strong emotions like embarrassment, laughter, surprise, or anger. Cataplexy can cause your head to drop, your face to droop, your jaw to weaken, or make your knees give way.

3. Sleep disruption: When you often fall asleep quickly but wake up frequently throughout the night.

4. Sleep paralysis: Feeling unable to move or speak for a short time when falling asleep or waking up.

You may also feel like you can't breathe.

5. Vivid dreaming: Often frightening dreamlike experiences that seem real and happen when falling asleep or waking up. You may experience hearing sounds or words when drifting to sleep or have unwanted visions. Sleep paralysis often accompanies these vivid dreams.

Narcolepsy occurs equally as often in men and women. The symptoms often start between the ages of 10 and 25, but it can take up to 12 years for narcolepsy to fully develop. Narcolepsy is a debilitating disease, as it can cause difficulties at work, negatively impact social interactions, lower selfesteem, and create challenges performing everyday tasks. Contrary to popular belief, people with narcolepsy do not spend more time sleeping than the average person.

"It's normal to feel tired sometimes," Dr. Dasgupta says. "But if the urge to fall asleep is interfering with your job or personal life, it might be time to talk to a sleep specialist."

For more information about narcolepsy and to take the symptom screener, visit MoreThanTired.com.

This content is provided by Jazz Pharmaceuticals. – BPT

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6 | March 2017

Tiffany Massie-Davis, RN-BSN, MSN, CNE Co-Publisher

t

he American Heart Association (AHA) is an organization that creates standards and certifications for different disciplines throughout the world.

I founded E-PIC Training Center, Inc. (E-PIC) to educate, prepare, inform and consult in the areas of health and wellness.

Our company offers AHA courses in large or small groups that are in line with the AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC. Many of E-PIC’s courses combine the flexibility of online training with in-person skills practice and testing. 100% classroom training means students are with an AHA instructor for their entire learning experience. EPIC’s purpose is to help make for a healthier Houston. In addition, the company has a true heart for our community.

E-PICTraining TrainingCenter, Center, Inc. Inc. E-PIC coursesinclude: include: courses Family & Friends CPR This course teaches the lifesaving skills of adult Hands-Only CPR, adult CPR with breaths, child CPR with breaths, adult and child AED use, infant CPR and mild and severe airway block for adults, children and infants. Skills are taught in a dynamic group environment using the AHA’s researchproven practice-whilewatching technique, which provides students with the most hands-on CPR practice time possible. The Family & Friends CPR training is for people who want to learn CPR but do not need a CPR course completion card to meet a job requirement. This course is ideal for community groups, new parents, grandparents, babysitters and others interested in learning how to save a life.

Heartsaver These courses are designed for anyone with little or no medical training who needs a course completion card for job, regulatory (for example, OSHA) or other requirements. These courses can also be taken by anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency in any setting. For many Heartsaver courses, students receive a course completion card that is valid for 2 years.

Heartsaver® Bloodborne Pathogens Online This is a NEW course offered that teaches students how to protect themselves and others from being exposed to blood or blood-containing materials.

This course is designed to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for bloodborne pathogens training when paired with sitespecific instruction.

E-PIC Training Center, Inc. also E-PIC Inc. also offersTraining coursesCenter, for the offers courses for the healthcare healthcare professional which which includes: professional includes: Basic Life Support (BLS) This training reinforces healthcare professionals’ understanding of the importance of early CPR and defibrillation, basic steps of performing CPR, relieving choking and using an AED; and the role

of each link in the Chain of Survival.

HeartCode® BLS Through a variety of learning assets such as dramatizations, eSimulations, animations, self-directed learning and interactive activities, this course teaches students BLS knowledge and skills.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Instructor-Led Training – This advanced course highlights the importance of high-performance team dynamics and communication, systems of care, recognition and intervention of cardiopulmo-

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“I founded E-PIC Training Center, Inc. (E-PIC) to educate, prepare, inform and consult in the areas of health and wellness.

E-PIC’s purpose is to help make for a healthier Houston. This company also has a true heart for our community.”

—Tiffany Massie-Davis, Owner and President of E-PIC Training Center, Inc.

March 2017 | 7

• Access to course for 12 months from activation, allowing students to conveniently refresh knowledge • Certificate of completion provided • Continuing education credits available

E-PIC E-PICTraining TrainingCenter, Center, Inc. Inc. Testimonials Testimonials • “I never understood this method until now. In my 32 years of nursing, it was never explained like that before.”

• “You all are great with not making the class boring.”

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) PALS is a classroom, video-based, instructor-led course that uses a series of simulated pediatric emergencies to reinforce the important concepts of a systematic approach to pediatric assessment, basic life support, PALS treatment algorithms, effective resuscitation and team dynamics.

Acute Stroke Online The AHA’s Acute Stroke Online Course has been updated to reflect science from the 2015 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC and the new 2015 AHA/ASA Focused Update of the 2013 Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Regarding Endovascular Treatment: a Guideline for Healthcare Professionals from the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association.

This web-based, interactive course provides training on the symptoms, diagnosis, and management of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and complications of stroke.

Course content is based on information from the AHA’s ACLS EP Manual and Resource Text, covering treatment from the field to the emergency department, as well as critical care and rehabilitation.

E-PIC is an award-winning company that stays ahead of the curve when it comes to workforce training. You never know when you will need to save a life. E-PIC can help make sure you are ready with an assortment of convenient, budget-priced training options. Students can be assured that our quality courses reflect the updated changes from the 2015 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC. E-PIC’s courses are designed to prepare you for real-life situations. Join the AHA mission to save lives.

Use Heartsaver courses to learn what you need to know — by heart. For more on the AHA, please visit www.heart.org.

E-PIC differs from other training centers in that we create learning environments that cater to the person and not the professional. I truly believe and understand that every individual has a unique style of learning. My team and I are skilled at teaching the material ensuring retention, results and relevance using the methodology of AHA. E-PIC also makes a positive impact in the community. We use our skills to volunteer with organizations to teach responses in life-threatening situations. In addition to our outreach efforts, we embrace and celebrate nurses. Next month E-PIC and the d-mars.com publication will be celebrating nurses in the May Health & Wellness Journal in honor of National Nurses Week. The theme for National Nurses Week 2017 is Nursing: The Balance of Mind, Body and Spirit.

Email E-PIC at info@e-pictc.com with your favorite nurse who has a unique balance of nursing qualities and embracing the whole patient. Make sure you include name, job title, email and work location.

HeartCode® PALS HeartCode PALS is the AHA’s PALS blended learning delivery method. Blended

This NEW online course features: • Self-paced learning; course accessible 24/7

For more on E-PIC Training Center, Inc., please visit www.e-pictc.com.

learning is a combination of eLearning, in which a student completes part of the course in a self-directed manner, followed by a hands-on session.

The online portion of this comprehensive eLearning program uses eSimulation technology to allow students to assess and treat patients in virtual healthcare settings.

nary arrest, immediate post-cardiac arrest, acute dysrhythmia, stroke and acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Providers enhance their skills in treating adult victims of cardiac arrest or other cardiopulmonary emergencies, while earning their American Heart Association ACLS (AHA ACLS) for Healthcare Providers Course Completion Card.

HeartCode® ACLS HeartCode ACLS is the AHA’s ACLS blended learning delivery method. Blended learning is a combination of eLearning, in which a student completes part of the course in a self-directed manner, followed by a hands-on session. The online portion of this comprehensive eLearning program

uses eSimulation technology to allow students to assess and treat patients in virtual healthcare settings.

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8  |  March 2017

Education

Committed to Care: Higher Education Institutions Pledge Dedication to Student Success By d-mars.com News Provider

t

he future of higher education is often the subject of debate; what constitutes a valuable education for students continues to shift as student demographics change. Recently, government regulators and other external stakeholders have been questioning the value of for-profit higher education, specifically, citing forprofit colleges and universities that have not upheld their commitment to students.

For-profit education organizations like DeVry Education Group contend that their institutions are uniquely positioned to serve the new majority of students - those who juggle full-time jobs, families and other obligations in order to pursue their educational goals, typically years after they complete high school. This new normal is now the largest group of college attendees, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Some schools are working to demonstrate this unique value, and their commitment to students, by providing information to students making the decision to attend college. This includes setting and communicating new standards to help students achieve their educational and career goals, and formalizing their institution's commitment to students through public proclamations designed to hold them accountable to student and stakeholder interests.

Chamberlain College of Nursing has made standards for student support part of the very fabric of its academic offering. Through an educational philosophy called Chamberlain Care, the organization has created a culture that fosters

collaboration, cooperation and respect among all through a care-based set of beliefs, values and behaviors.

"We believe that if we provide our students with the care and support they need to be successful, they will go on to provide that same level of care as nurses," says Susan Groenwald, national president of Chamberlain. "That's why we built the Chamberlain Care model. It naturally extends outwards from each student to their patients and to the communities they serve."

Recently, DeVry Education Group and its institutions, including Chamberlain College of Nursing, announced a set of Student Commitments formed in partnership with students and stakeholders to guide education and service to students. The commitments go above and beyond standard higher education policies and practices to provide a new level of public accountability in hopes of inspiring institutions throughout the industry. They also encourage dialogue about value in education that will ultimately benefit all students, regardless of the institution they attend, and the employers who seek to hire them.

The public proclamation outlines the following commitments, which Chamberlain hopes will serve as a model for other educators to consider for strengthening the industry's commitment to students: 1. Informed student choice. Help students make informed decisions by providing information about program performance and costs, and an orientation around student support services, online learning platforms and academic policies.

2. Responsible recruitment and enrollment. Provide financial and academic advising to prospective students and benchmark and disclose recruiting expenditures

against national standards.

3. Responsible participation in the federal loan process. Lower institutional limits on federal funding and provide students with a variety of ways to manage tuition costs.

4. Financial literacy and academic transparency.

Increase student visibility into program progression, loan balance and financial position throughout their academic journey.

5. Improving student satisfaction. Conduct student surveys to track progress and actively respond to results and feedback.

6. Successful student outcomes and accountability.

Identify and proactively engage with students who may be at risk for program completion, and account for student satisfaction and quality outcomes in performance management for executive leadership.

"Our role as educators is to lay the foundation for the future generation of leaders. Part of that is providing students with as many resources as possible to successfully complete their studies," Groenwald says. "By committing to put our students first, we are ensuring that they get the most out of their education and can pay it forward in the workplace."

When leaders in higher education voluntarily invest in transparent practices to strengthen the student experience, all stakeholders benefit. For the new majority of students who face challenges at work and at home, their academic success depends on a school's commitment to them - not just their commitment to the school. Institutions like Chamberlain that put these students first are redefining the college experience and reinforcing the value of higher education today. – BPT

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March 2017 | 9

Medicine

Charcoal Toothpaste: The Gritty Truth Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade Contributing Writer

“There’s no scientific indication that activated charcoal actually works and there are better options out there that do work,” says Dr. Harms.

I

f you want a gleaming white smile, both Dr. Harms and Dr. Wolff recommend talking to your dentist about using traditional whitening toothpaste for surface stains or over-the-counter treatments for deeper stains.

“Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” says Dr. Wolff.

“I still recommend any of the mainstream whitening toothpastes or seeing the dentist. The mainstream whitening toothpastes are going to be safe. There are a number of products on the market that can be too abrasive.” If you do go the DIY charcoal-route, he advises using it sparingly and discontinuing its use if your teeth become sensitive.

Dentist charcoal Dentistwarns warns against charcoal teeth whitening trend teeth whitening Medical professionals are warning against using a DIY whitening trend that involves smearing a charcoalderived black mixture on teeth. The method, which dentists say may lead to enamel deterioration and tooth erosion, became an online sensation this month after YouTube user Mama Natural posted a video that details its execution began striking fire online. As of Monday morning, it had amassed more than 1.5 million views.

In a video, the host Genevieve brushes her teeth with the supplement for three to five minutes before rinsing and proclaiming she then had seemingly whiter teeth. She said the product can be purchased in capsule form in health food stores or online.

“This stuff is highly absorbent— some of the most absorbent material on the planet,” Genevieve said in the video. “In fact, hospitals have it on hand in case someone comes in with a poisoning because it can absorb that stuff and safely remove it from the body. The same reasoning works for our teeth. It absorbs bacteria, toxins and staining, and makes them whiter as a result.”

But while the cosmetic result of the method may hold true for some users, the long-term internal effect may harm other people’s teeth, dentists say. The American Dental Association has currently not evaluated or approved any charcoal teeth whitening products. A spokesman for the organization previously told Prevention the product is concerning because its abrasiveness isn’t known.

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Dr. Susan Maples, a Michiganbased dentist and ortho speaker who authored “Blabber Mouth!: 77 Secrets Only Your Mouth Can Tell You to Live a Healthier, Happier, Sexier Life,” told FoxNews.com there isn’t enough evidence available to know whether the supplement is beneficial and that it may be dangerous.

Worry about the long-term effects of a video like this,” Maples said. “Teeth are the only part of the ectoderm that does not replenish or heal itself— once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can color your hair, you can pierce your skin, damage your nail, shave an eyebrow— all of that comes back.”

Maples said the difference between using an approved dental tool, whether at home or at the dentist’s office, and a DIY remedy like charcoal lies in their approaches.

For example, approved products seep through the enamel and into the inner layer of the tooth called the dentin, which influences tooth color. Users and dentists don’t know how severe the charcoal supplement may be, so it may leave teeth stained or blotchy. The trendy product may also leave tooth enamel susceptible to deterioration and erosion, which can lead to sensitivity and cavities.

“When you lose enamel, teeth get sensitive and darker in color because you’re close to the part of the tooth that has the depth of the color,” Maples said. “Since you can’t grow it back, the only thing you can do is cover it up with restoration.”

To avoid these risks, Maples recommended patients who are interested in whitening their teeth opt instead for formally tested dental procedures or at-home whitening trays provided by their dentist.

“My fear with the charcoal is people will do it periodically just to do it,” she said, “and over time, we’ll see too much erosion.”

Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade is a premier dentist here in Houston. Her motto is, “Changing the World One Smile at a Time.” To schedule an appointment, please call (713) 654-7756 or visit her on the web at www.cosmeticdentaltexas.com.

10 | March 2017

Research

National Eye Institute News: Helping the Retina Regenerate NEI Audacious Goals Initiative report outlines strategies to replace or reprogram neurons in the retina new report gives recommendations for regenerating retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), crucial neurons in the back of the eye that carry visual information to the brain.

Authored by Monica Vetter, Ph.D., University of Utah, and Peter Hitchcock, Ph.D., University of Michigan, the report stems from a 2016 workshop sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI) Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI).

“Replacing RGCs is a major challenge for the AGI,” said Steven Becker, Ph.D., who coordinates the initiative—a sustained effort by the NEI to catalyze research aimed at restoring vision by regenerating the retina, the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies cause vision loss through the permanent destruction of RGCs. In humans, RGCs are incapable of regenerating on their own.

The report summarized two possible therapeutic strategies for RGC regeneration. The first would use stem cells to grow RGCs. These lab-grown cells would then be transplanted to a patient’s

A

retina. While preclinical testing has shown promise, the report details challenges to this approach.

For starters, producing adequate quantities for therapy remains difficult and takes many weeks.

And researchers are unsure how best to store RGCs for when patients need them. Another challenge is determining the optimal stage of cellular development for transplantation. Cells that are too naïve may develop into unintended cell types, while those that are more mature

might not easily integrate into the retina.

The second approach—the focus of

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the AGI workshop—is to recruit other cell types in a patient’s retina for reprogramming into RGCs. Amphibians do this naturally in response to RGC death from injury. Similarly, adult zebrafish regenerate RGCs by reprogramming cells in the retina called Müller glia. As outlined in the report, the workshop explored additional cell types for potential reprogramming, including retinal pigment epithelial cells, ciliary epithelial cells, amacrine cells, and astrocytes. According to the report, the key to unlocking these endogenous cell sources for RGC reprogramming is understanding the cues that direct their maturation and integration with other cells.

The report calls for research to better define the genetic factors and signaling pathways that promote endogenous cell reprogramming. Additionally, better characterization of the 30-plus types of RGCs is needed. Other key recommendations in the report include systematic comparisons of animal models that do and do not regenerate RGCs, criteria for evaluating RGCs, and imaging techniques to assess RGC integration in the retina.

The report appears in Translational Vision Science and Technology.

Source: National Eye Institute

March 2017  |  11

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