d-mars.com Health & Wellness 18

Health & Wellness Journal Health

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wellness

November 2012

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medical

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research

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sports

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fitness

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Lifestyle

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Inspire, Inform & Educate

BEING THANKFUL

INSIDE

for Health and Wellness

The 10 Best Office Snacks

beauty

18 th Edition

Honoring Houston’s Health Medical & Wellness Professionals

When the mid-morning or afternoon lull sets in at the office, do you find yourself reaching for something unhealthy to munch on?

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Karen E. Jackson, Sisters Network, Inc., Community Hero

How to Effectively Communicate with a Stroke Survivor

By Shulunda Gibson Stroke recovery can be a challenge for the survivor as well as the family.

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Sisters Network Inc.

Giving Back Life to African American Women Across the Nation Through Breast Cancer Awareness and Support Get “Holiday Ready” with Your Whiter Brighter Smile!

By Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade Whatever the cause now you can have a whiter, brighter smile just in time for the holydays!

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Tips for Surviving Holiday Eating Without Guilt and Weight Gain

By Gretchen Scalp, RD, CDE Once Thanksgiving arrives, the holiday season can seem like a non-stop eating contest straight through the end of the year!

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2012 Top 50 Black The 7th Annual Female Success Factor Top 25 Women Health Medical & Wellness Professionals Awards of Houston Awards Presented By Comerica Bank

He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything. ~ Thomas Carlyle

Behind The

Journal

Publisher’s Message

Keith J. Davis, Sr.

SR. PUBLISHER Keith J. Davis, Sr. VICE PRESIDENT Kevin Davis

This issue follows the first annual Top 50 Health, Wellness, and Medical Professionals Awards ceremony.

We are extremely grateful to be a part of a community that consists of a wealth of distinguished healthcare professionals that provide caring compassionate service to their patients and clients citywide. We suggest that you continue to celebrate them with your support. Remember a healthy life is a gift to be thankful for and these professionals make it possible for us to “live long and prosper.”

As always, thank you for your continued support of d-mars.com. When you support d-mars.com, 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.

EDITING CONSULTANT Sharon Jenkins OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Johnny Ray Davis, Jr. ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Onyebuchi Okoh C.T. Foster Eric D. Goodwine

CONTENTS Sisters Network Inc. Giving Back Life to African American Women ............................................... 4 The Top 50 Black Health, Medical & Wellness Professionals in Houston Awards .......................... 6

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter Tony Gaines

The 10 Best Office Snacks .............................................................................................................. 18 Right Lifestyle to get the Right Weight ............................................................................................ 22 10 Easy Ways to Eat Natural ........................................................................................................... 22

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes

How to Effectively Communicate with a Stroke Survivor ................................................................ 24

LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ferland Antwine

Get “Holiday Ready” with Your Whiter Brighter Smile! .................................................................... 28

The Walk-away Wife Syndrome ....................................................................................................... 24 What Your Order of Birth Suggests About Your Health Destiny ...................................................... 30 Bath or Shower: Which is Better for You and Why? ........................................................................ 32

DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden

Exercise for Diabetes Prevention and Precautions for Diabetics .................................................... 32 The Subtle Differences Between Mental Health & Mental Illness .................................................... 35 How Can You Control Inflammation And Find Relief From The Pain? ............................................. 35

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sharon C. Jenkins Yngrid Pérez-Torrens Shulunda Gibson Michele Weiner-Davis Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade Maren Sederquist www.sixwise.com Stephen Daniels Jeff Schuman Kimberley Cohen Seth Molton Gretchen Scalp

Eat This For A Better Mood ............................................................................................................. 37 Tips for Finding a Good Long Term Care Facility ............................................................................ 38 Stop Being Hard On Yourself, Learn To Love Yourself Instead ....................................................... 38 How to Avoid Caregiver Burnout ..................................................................................................... 40 Tips for Surviving Holiday Eating Without Guilt and Weight Gain .................................................... 40

MR. D-MARS Tip of the Month “ It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

d-mars.com Business Journal 7322 Southwest Fwy, Suite 805 Houston, Texas 77074

713-272-9511 . Phone 713-272-6364 . Fax www.d-mars.com

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Sisters Network Inc. Giving Back Life to African American Women Across the Nation Through Breast Cancer Awareness and Support Deaths menopausal symptoms. More information about breast cancer is available in the American Cancer Society publication Breast Cancer Facts & Figures, available online at www.cancer.org.

Survival

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s I watched them lay my 102 grandmother to rest, I was reminded of her bout in the 1970’s with breast cancer. She bore her disease silently. Perhaps if there was a support organization available to her, she would not have had to fight this heartless killer alone. We were granted the gift of her for another 50 years after that because she was a fighter but, thousands of women across this nation did not have the support system that they needed to help them find their way to the “other side” of breast cancer until one woman said enough is enough and embraced her “sisters” in their fight. Karen Eubanks Jackson is that woman and Houston is the home of her answer to African American women across the nation who are battling breast cancer, Sisters Network Inc. (SNI).

- Sharon C. Jenkins, d-mars.com Editor

The 5-year relative survival rate for breast cancer diagnosed in 1996-2004 among African American women was 78%, compared to 90% among whites. This difference can be attributed to both later stage at detection and poorer stage-specific survival among African American women.

Only about half (51%) of breast cancers diagnosed among African American women are diagnosed at a local stage, compared to 62% among white women.

Within each stage, 5-year survival is also

lower among African American women.

Studies have documented unequal receipt of prompt, high-quality treatment for African American women compared to white women.6, 13-15 There is also evidence that aggressive tumor characteristics are more common in African American than white women.16-18 Other studies suggest factors associated with socioeconomic status may influence the biologic behavior of breast cancer.19-21 Thomson and colleagues, studying an all-white Scottish population, suggest that poor women with breast cancers are more likely to be diagnosed with estrogen receptor-negative tumors.22 Poverty likely influences disease pathology and genetic markers of disease through lifelong dietary and reproductive habits.

The Facts

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African American women. An estimated 26,840 new cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among African American women in 2011. The overall incidence rate of breast cancer is 10% lower in African American women than in white women. Among younger women (under age 45), however, the incidence rate of breast cancer is higher in African Americans than in whites. Breast cancer incidence rates increased rapidly among African American women during the 1980s, largely due to increased detection as the use of mammography screening increased.

Incidence rates stabilized among African American women aged 50 and older during 1995-2005, while rates decreased by 0.7% per year among women under age 50 from 1991-2005.

At this time, there is no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer, which is why regular mammograms are so important.

A woman’s best overall preventive health strategy is to reduce her known risk factors as much as possible by avoiding weight gain and obesity, engaging in regular physical activity, and minimizing alcohol intake.

Women should consider the increased risk of breast cancer associated with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) use when evaluating treatment options for

Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among African American women, surpassed only by lung cancer. An estimated 26,840 new cases of breast cancer and 6,040 deaths from breast cancer are expected to occur among African American women in 2011.

Breast cancer death rates among African American women increased 1.5% annually from 1975- 1992 and declined thereafter.

This decrease was larger in women under 50 (1.9% per year) than in women aged 50 and older (1.2%).4 The steady decline in overall female breast cancer mortality since the early 1990s has been attributed to improvements in both early detection and treatment.11, 12 However, the decrease in breast cancer death rates has been smaller in African American than white women.

Per 100,000 women, the incidence rate in African American women ranged from 60.9-127.3, and 111.5-139.1 in White women. However, the breast cancer death rate in African American women ranged from 20.9%-40% compared to 21.7%27.3% in White women. This difference accounts for more than one-third (37%) of the overall cancer mortality disparity between African American and white women. The higher breast cancer mortality rate among African American women compared to white women occurs despite a lower incidence rate. Factors that contribute to the higher death rates among African American women include differences in access to and utilization of early detection and treatment and differences in tumor characteristics.

About the founder Vice President Biden & Dr. Biden October Breast Cancer Reception at their home in DC/ Karen Jackson

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Karen Eubanks Jackson, Founder & CEO of Sisters Network® Inc. (SNI) is recognized nationally as a true visionary and leader in the African American breast

November 2012 cancer movement. As the Founder/CEO of the nation’s only African American breast cancer survivorship organization and a 19-year breast cancer survivor, Jackson continues to lead Sisters Network’s nationwide effort to focus the spotlight on increasing breast cancer awareness among African American women. Additionally, the organization provides standardized educational outreach programs; survivor & family support; empowerment; hope and financial assistance to thousands of women annually through its national network of over 43 survivor-run affiliate chapters.

During her personal fight to survive breast cancer, Jackson recognized a lack of “sisterhood” in traditional organizations, a staggering breast cancer mortality rate for African American women and limited culturally sensitive material. In 1994, Jackson founded Sisters Network® Inc. Today, due to Jackson’s leadership and commitment, Sisters Network, a Houston, Texas based national organization has experienced phenomenal growth resulting in representation in 22 states; over 43 survivor-run affiliate chapters, serving thousands of members and associates nationwide.

A breast cancer warrior, Jackson’s primary motivation was to break through the silence and shame of breast cancer that immobilizes African American women, restricts their ability to receive support services, interferes with early detection, and ultimately affects their survival rates. Jackson has developed numerous national outreach initiatives: The Gift for Life Block Walk®, Pink Ribbon Awareness, First Ladies Brunch and Tweens in Pink. The national slogan “STOP THE SILENCE®” was penned by Jackson in 2006. In 2010 Sisters Network hosted, Stop the Silence(r) National African American Breast Cancer 5K Walk/ Run. The walk benefits Sisters Network’s Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP.) BCAP provides assistance to women facing financial challenges after diagnosis. This program provides free mammograms and financial assistance for: medical related lodging, co-pay, office visits, prescriptions, and prosthesis.

Since 1999, responding to the need to bring those affected by breast cancer together SNI has provided conference scholarships to help train survivors as advocate leaders in their communities.

Sisters Network hosts the only Annual National African American Breast Cancer Conference in the U.S. The conference has attracted thousands of African American breast cancer survivors, their families, caretakers, and the general public. The conference general sessions are conducted by nationally recognized medical and subject matter experts. Recognizing the African American community’s

historical difficulty discussing cancer and other health concerns, Jackson created a national branding campaign: STOP THE SILENCE ® which was used on billboards and bumper stickers. The slogan: “STOP THE SILENCE®- Changing the Face of Early Breast Health Intervention”, also provided educational outreach and awareness to African American women between the ages of 25 and 45. The program was funded by the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Minority Health by a grant of $150, 000.

Jackson is a widely recognized breast cancer advocate and a highly sought after speaker and expert on the African American woman’s breast cancer experience, Jackson has traveled nationally and internationally, bringing her message to the U.S. Army’s Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center in Germany, the National Congressional Black Caucus and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as other organizations. Jackson has been featured in numerous national newspapers, magazines, television, radio programs, and Internet media outlets, inclusive of the U.S. News & World Report, the Health Network, and HBO special: Evolution to Revolution, the cover of Breast Cancer Wellness, Essence,

MAMM, Jet, Heart & Soul, Ebony, Monarch, Houston Style, Forward Times, Defender, and Web MD Health.

Jackson serves on numerous local and national committees and boards, the International Black Women’s Congress, Houston Wellness Association, Cancer Support Community, Cancer Alliance of Texas, American Society of Breast Disease, Jazz Walk of Fame Inc., Center for Health Equity & the Evaluation Research, MD Anderson. Jackson served on the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) Board of Directors, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s African American

National Advisory Board, and American Cancer Society (ACS).

She has earned certifications in the area of Breast Health Education is a graduate form NBCC “Project Lead”, ACS “Look Good Feel Better”, “Special Touch Breast Health Facilitator, YWCA, “Encore Plus,” Center for Houston’s Future “2010 Business/Civic Leadership Forum.

Jackson attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where she pursued a Bachelors degree in Sociology. She is surrounded by love from her husband of twenty-six years, Kyle Scott Jackson, daughter, Caleen Allen and granddaughters,

Brianna and Alexis. Leading by example, Karen Eubanks Jackson continues to make a difference and lives by Sisters Network® Inc national creed: “In Unity there is Strength, In Strength there is Power, In Power there is Change.” ©1995 KEJ

How Can You Help?

Jackson stated that on the subject of breast cancer advocacy for African American women, “There’s a lot of talk but not a lot of action. I am happy to say that we have our hand on the pulse of the issue in our communities across the country.

Women listen, take notes, but they are not quick to absorb the information and take action on the preventative side. I have seen growth over the years but we still have a ways to go.” You can help by: • Bringing awareness to breast cancer in your community. Awareness is still a problem in our communities.

• Provide support to women who in the

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midst of the battle and survivors who are restoring their families afterwards.

• Become a lobbyist for the cause.

• Help educate members of the African American community on the necessity of being involved in clinical trials. As a result of our hesitancy in doing so we lag behind in results oriented medicine that addresses the unique needs of African American women. SNI has an advisory board that will assist women in making the right decisions for their medical wellbeing when making a selection. They have been around for 19 years they make it a point to be informed and stay informed.

• Join SNI, become an associate member by going to www.sistersnetworkinc.org.

• The organization is a part of the Combined Federal Campaign; this is another vehicle where you and your employer can give to SNI if there is a matching program. It’s a great cause!

CFC #10756 • Volunteer to start a SNI chapter in your community.

• Funding is limited. Form a task force to address the validity of the struggle SNI faces as a 19 year old organization that services women in the African American communities across the nation. Jackson stated that, “If you give to an organization that is similar to SNI, but does not look like SNI, $100,000 they get to do what they need to do.

Yet, you give SNI $10,000 and expect the same accomplishments response, it’s not going to work. It is a reality we always face as African Americans, we always seem to get the least and the last. But we are not quiet about it, but it has not changed the system.” Make a difference by creating the change in the minds of funders about the urgent need of viable organizations like SNI to get the dollars that they need to make a continuous impact in the African American community.

• Discuss the issue of breast cancer and encourage the women in your family to get mammograms or ultra sounds on a regular basis.

• Help a sister out by being an advocate for change in your community, join the fight against this disease and “help a sister out!”

Sisters Network® Inc. National 2922 Rosedale Street Houston, TX 77004 1-866-781-1808 infonet@sistersnetworkinc.org *ACS African American 2010-2011 Cancer Facts

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The Top 50 Black Health, Medical & Wellness Professionals in Houston Awards Ceremony Presented By

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he d-mars.com Health & Wellness Journal is pleased to announce the success of its 1st Annual Top 50 Black Health, Medical & Wellness Professionals (HMWP) in Houston Awards Ceremony. Discipline and diligence are just a few of the criteria for making the list. This year’s awardees have broken barriers in their respective fields and left an indelible mark on the face of Houston. Award recipients include Living Legends: Edith Irby Jones, MD, MACP and Dr. Bernard Harris Jr.; Community Heroes: Karen E. Jackson, Dr. Milton Thomas and Dr. Betty Adams.; Trailblazers: Lovell A. Jones, PhD, Dr. Polly Sparks Turner and Stephen L. Williams MEd, MPA; Supplier Diversity Champion: MD Anderson and many other outstanding Houston HMWPs in the categories of Super HMWP, Top HMWP, and Up and Coming HMWP.

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For decades our community has been denied the privilege of access to superior health care and subsequently our providers have suffered a lack of recognition as a result. At d-mars.com, it is our mission to eradicate this oversight by becoming advocates for them and celebrating their achievements. said Mr. D-MARS

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TOP

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I am truly honored to receive the d-mars.comLiving Legend Award and to be included in the Top 50 Black Health, Medical and Wellness Professionals. I enjoyed seeing my colleagues also being recognized for their dedication to our community’s health. I was especially delighted to see the emergence of a new generation of Black health care providers committed to the Houston community.

Thanks you, MR. D-MARS!

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~ Edith Irby Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P.

SUPER HWMPs

Sterling L. Carter, PT, MS, CSCS - Sterling Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation James H. Dykes, RPh - Cullen Care Pharmacy Dr. Michelle L. Edwards, NP - PICC Health Institute Joan Jefferson-Freeman - Dragonfly Strategy, LLC Tammy Harris - Soul Grooves Paul James MD, FACS - Metropolitan Houston Surgery Associates, PLLC Lora L. Mayes, RN - Beacon Home Health Agency, LLC Petria McKelvey - PMB Precision Medical Billing, Inc Dr. Milton Moore - Moore Unique Dr. Alison Scott-Cuillier - Lasting Impressions Dental Group Dr. Donna Woolfolk - OB/GYN of Houston Stephanie Brown, APRN, FNP-C, DNPc - Y - Weight Medical Spa and Weight Loss Center

TRAILBLAZERS

Stephen L. Williams, MEd, MPA - Houston Department of Health & Human Services Dr. Polly Sparks Turner - (Retired) TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Lovell A. Jones, PhD - The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center/University of Houston

LIVING LEGENDS

Edith Irby Jones, MD, MACP - Edith Jones Wellness Center Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr. - Vesalius Ventures

COMMUNITY HEROES

Karen E. Jackson - Sisters Network Inc. Milton Thomas, MD, MBA - Amerigroup Dr. Betty Adams - Prairie View A&M College of Nursing

TOP HMWPs

Chandra Higginbotham, MD, FACOG - Nutrametrix Custom Health Solutions Dr. Carlos Vital, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI - Vital Allergy& Asthma Center Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade, BS, RN, BSN, DDS - Cosmetic Dental Texas Dr. Melanie Mencer Parks - Synergy Medical & Wellness Group Rhonda Barnes Jordan, MD, PA - Rhonda Barnes Jordan MD, PA Craig and Valencia Bell - Genesis National Healthcare, Inc Experience Our World of Marketing and Communication

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UP AND COMING HMWPs Dr. Heather Brown - Dr. Heather Brown Orthodontics Paula Ealy - Ready-To-Go Med-Sources Dr. John Codwell, III - Codwell Family Foot Center, PA Francisca Guity - Steeplechase Express Rx Tamyra Comeaux, MD - Vita Doc Rhonda Nwosu - Sparkles of Life Romona Dawson, RPh - Cullen Care Pharmacy Arlether Wilson - AWC Medical Supplies and Equipment Sandi Johnson - Operation Get Fit Dr. Sharon Joubert - Gilbert, DC - In-Line Chiropractic Care Allan and Dionne Keeton, Jr. - Healthcare Services of America Dr. Michael D. Kelly - Doctors For Women, PLLC Carmalita Landry - Cullen Care Pharmacy Gail Mathis - Ardyss International Robin and Tonja North - North Home Healthcare, LLC Dr. Letitia Plummer - Maxwello Dental Dr. Shannon Presley-Dickens - Fulton Dental Associates Lamont Ratcliff - Gulf Coast Wellness Management Marcus Roland - Central Care Community Health Center Kim Roxie - LAMIK SUPPLIER DIVERSITY CHAMPION Rodney and Marion Wilson - Brazos Dialysis University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Dr. Anjanette Wyatt - Clinical Care Pharmacy Dr. Damita Wyatt - DNA Pharmacy, Inc. Tawana W. Cadien, eMPA, RN, BSN - Candidate for US Congress, District 10 of Texas

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It was indeed an honor for me to receive the 2012 “Living Legend Award”. The d-mars. com ceremony was one the most memorable events that I have attended, where people could not only share their mutual achievements but network with each other in an open way.

~ Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr.

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It was truly an honor to be among a group of distinguished honorees for the first annual Top 50 HMWP awards. While Sisters Network’s focus is breast health awareness and survivorship, we must all work together to Stop the Silence® educate, empower and encourage our community to make their overall health a top priority. Thank you for publishing such an important information source such as d-mars.com Health & Wellness Journal,

stated Karen E. Jackson, Founder/CEO, Sisters Network Inc®

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It was an honor and privilege to have been selected as one of d-mars.com’s Top 50 Black Health, Medical and Wellness honorees. I feel that being considered a “Top” professional means more than working in your chosen field. It also means that you are scholarly, skilled, competent and intelligent. Further, it means that you have expertly carried out your duties and responsibilities as a healthcare professional with diligence, respect, integrity, honesty, and genuine love for all peoples, regardless of race, creed or color, in the quest for reaching the highest pinnacle of success. And certainly, it is the greatest honor when others present you as a “Top” professional. The event venue provided amenities that were chic and classy. Each award was stylishly and professionally packaged and presented to each individual honoree in a thorough, yet timely, fashion. You cannot imagine the honor and pride I felt throughout the evening. I am still “waiting to exhale.” Thank you for such a wonderful tribute.

~Dr. Polly Sparks Turner

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Thank you for recognizing the good work of our department to protect the health, safety and well being of the people of Houston. I am grateful to MR. D-MARS and the selection committee for recognizing the value that the Houston health department adds to this community. ~ Stephen L. Williams, MEd, MPA, The Houston Department of Health and Human Services

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The 2012 HWMP Awards was a historic and epic event. The entire evening was top notch and I look forward to 2013!

~ Sterling L. Carter, PT, MS, CSCS

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Hosted By: Yolanda Green

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I was humbled by the whole experience. It was electrifying to be in the same room with such an amazing group of well accomplished individuals. It was exactly the motivation I needed to keep pressing forward in the spirit of excellence. I’m honored to be counted among Houston’s finest African American health care professionals, says Dr. Michelle L. Edwards, Founder/CEO, PICC Health Institute

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In Houston, there is such a huge demand for caring Health Professionals and to be named and recognized as an “Up and Coming” an an honor.

I am grateful for the vision and consideration MR. D-MARS has for the community!

~Rhonda Nwosu, President, Sparkles of Life, Inc.

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I am truly honored to be recognized among other respected Health, Medical and Wellness Professionals in Houston. It is particularly important to me because it demonstrates the dedication I have for my patients and my profession and it reflects my commitment to the community. Thank you d-mars.com for this esteemed honor.

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~ Dr. Heather Brown, Owner Orthodontist, Dr. Heather Brown Orthodontics

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Congrats to MR. D-MARS for putting together a fantastic program to honor the efforts of a number of people in the greater Houston community who have devoted their lives to helping others in the area of health and wellness. This is an idea whose time was well overdue. MR. D-MARS is to be congratulated for his vision and commitment to the community at large. He has set a high bar for this type of event in content, venue and value. We look forward to the second annual event.

~Milton M. Thomas, MD – 2012 Honoree

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Greg Brown

2520 Main Street (Dowtown) Houston, TX 77002 713-874-0900 stweartcadillac.com

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Being recognized as a Community Hero in the Top 50 Black HMWPs was a memorable event. I shall always appreciate the esteem honor and respect of d-mars.com as the genuine innovator and visionary promoter of change. ~ Dr. Betty N. Adams, Professor & Dean, College of Nursing, Prairie View A&M University

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The 10

Best Office Snacks

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hen the mid-morning or afternoon lull sets in at the office, do you find yourself reaching for something unhealthy to munch on? Healthy snacks can help normalize your blood-sugar levels at crucial points in the day. Diminishing swings in blood sugar also helps to curb cravings and keep you on a successful weight-loss track.

The best MUNCHIES to have on hand?

RAW VEGGIES 1

6

3

turkey, lean roast beef, chicken, boiled ham

8

CHEESE

NUTS 15 almonds, 20 peanuts, or 30 pistachios, but be sure to stick to one serving.

COTTAGE CHEESE reduced-fat or fat-free with salsa or chopped cucumber added

10

GREEK YOGURT

reduced-fat or fat-free TOMATO JUICE

or vegetable-juice cocktail, single-serving cans

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Part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks or a serving of reduced-fat cheese (pair this with some whole-grain crackers)

4

5

COLD CUTS

3-tablespoon serving; count these toward your daily nut/seed allowance

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such as celery, green or red bell pepper strips, cauliflower, carrot sticks and/or broccoli florets. Use hummus, yogurtand-herb dip, 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter for dipping.

2

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Dried apricot halves

with almonds (7 apricot halves and 7 almonds), but be sure to count the almonds toward your daily nut/seed allowance

POPCORN Trans-fat-free microwavable popcorn, individual pack (look for varieties that are made with canola oil)

Now go get your

(HEALTHY) snack on!

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MR. D-MARS wants to say congratulations to our HWMP Awardees and Sponsors on winning The 7th Annual Female Success Factor Top 25 Women of Houston Awards Presented By Comerica Bank

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Right Lifestyle to get the Right Weight

By Yngrid Pérez-Torrens

H

ow will you lose weight this time? There are pills you can take. Maybe you’d like to try exercise alone. Maybe you’d like to starve yourself. You could try the blood-type diet. There’s always the grapefruit diet, the Hollywood diet, the cabbage soup diet, the three-day diet, and the lemonade diet. There must be an “eat as much as you want of anything you want” diet. How about surgery? And, after you’ve risked your life with starvation or surgery, what are you going to do when the fat comes back later?

Here’s something to consider: even after you’ve lost weight, you could still be unhealthy. You could still have flabby muscles, and be at risk for (or still have) hypertension and diabetes. A person doesn’t have to be obese to be in bad shape. Skinny people can be unhealthy too.

Maybe what you really want is not to lose weight, but to be healthy.

There are two main aspects to being healthy. The obvious one is physical health.

Fewer people consider mental health.

But the right health goes beyond that; it involves a balance of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual, and environmental aspects.

The staff at the Mayo Clinic (one of the major health researchers in the nation), concluded that for successful, long-term

weight loss, one has to make permanent changes in lifestyle. We need to take control of our lives and general health.

We need to change compulsive behaviors and take control of our own minds.

Take small steps, one day at a time. Get together with people who encourage you to achieve your goals. Get enough sleep and rest. Eat healthy foods including fruits and vegetables. Take a class on how to cook healthy meals. Remember that moderation is the key. Do activities that give you a sense of well-being. Get up in the morning and do at least five to fifteen minutes of exercise. Park your car far away from your building. Use the stairs.

If you need to talk to someone in the next office, walk over there instead of sending an email or a text message. If your work is mostly done sitting, get up and move around once every thirty or sixty minutes.

Adding a little bit of movement in your life not only prevents heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, it also will enhance your self-esteem, improve your mood, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

What are you waiting for? Start now!

About The Author - Yngrid Pérez-Torrens

WCPT* member- Vzlan-PT, MSNH Inventor of Back Pain Device- “Pyraback” *World Confederation of Physical Therapy

10 Easy Ways to Eat Natural By www.SixWise.com

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ant to eat green on a lean budget? These 10 trends, tips, and tools can help you save.

Let’s face it: The dream of having our very own personal spa chef whip up delicious, good-for-us grub probably isn’t happening in this economy. So we found the next best thing—great stuff that makes eating healthy affordable and, honestly, almost effortless. Check out our top picks: 1. The end of the brown rice rut Because nobody has an hour to devote to a midweek side dish, quick-cooking quinoa and whole-wheat couscous are truly revolutionary. With the same satisfying texture and nutty flavor as brown rice (plus more fiber), these 10-minute grains give new meaning to fast food.

2. Almonds by the pound If you’re sick of schlepping to crunchy coops to buy nuts, dried fruit, and grains in bulk, you’ll be happy to hear that mass grocery stores are rediscovering these money-saving bins. That means we can buy less-processed, less-pricey raw almonds, unsalted sunflower seeds, organic trail mix, and more where we stock up on milk and other basics.

3. Generation 2.0 market bag Buying fresh means buying often. And if you’re biking or walking to the market to stock up, you need a tote that’s up to the task. The new reusable, planet-friendly bags do it all—they’re big enough to carry loads of goodies, truly leakproof, and way cuter than granny carts. On the fence about bringing your own? A single reusable bag could eliminate more than 1,000 plastic grocery bags in its lifetime.

4 and 5. Our own herb stash—and mincer!

Fresh herbs add flavor and depth to a dish but practically zero calories and no fat.

They also bruise easily, spoil quickly, and aren’t cheap. So we’re all for the growyour-own-herbs window boxes that are everywhere now. Get an herb mincer to prevent bruising those delicate leaves. If you have a black thumb, herbs in a tube are a good alternative to the fresh stuff.

With a fridge shelf life of three months, your cilantro won’t go bad before you can use it up.

6. The mini movement

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One downsizing trend we’re on board with—guilty-pleasure foods (think: burgers, cupcakes) getting shrinky-dinked.

Twee portions are de rigueur on restaurant menus and at bakery counters. And with all the mini baking pans out there, we can whip up sane-size muffins, cupcakes, quiches, and more without feeling the least bit guilty.

7. Souped-up sea salts Leave it to gourmands to take a humble essential element and turn it into something spectacular. With a gazillion types of flavored and specialty sea salt— from hickory-smoked to Hawaiian Red Alaea—on shelves now, it’s never been easier to add tons of flavor and complexity to a dish. Coarse-grain sea salt has slightly less sodium than table salt and contains trace minerals that may have added health benefits. They’re definitely pricier, though, so sprinkle a hint on a finished dish instead of using it to salt your cooking water.

8. Frozen edamame These protein-packed pods were once a rare treat found only in Japanese joints. But now they’re staples in the frozen-foods aisle, serving as a healthy snack or emergency side. It’s hard to beat the nutritional wallop of whole soybeans: They’re 60% richer in calcium than peas, a source of cancerfighting isoflavones and vitamin E, and a great vegetable source of complete protein.

For a snack, sprinkle steamed edamame pods with olive oil and sea salt; pop the beans out and discard the pods.

9. A free-range chicken in every store It’s never been easier to find real chicken— the kind raised on a veggie diet sans growth hormones or antibiotics. For years, these pampered birds were exclusive to expensive gourmet markets or out-of-theway farmers’ markets, but they’ve finally gone mainstream. We’re thrilled about the health perks (fewer chemicals in our bodies), but what do we really love? It’s chicken that tastes like, well … chicken.

10. Dot-com cooking When we just can’t think up one more halfway-interesting twist on grilled chicken, the online recipe database is a virtual lifesaver. Go to Health.com, type in whatever random stuff is languishing in your fridge, and you’ve got dinner. A healthy one at that!

November 2012

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November 2012

How to Effectively Communicate with a Stroke Survivor

By Shulunda Gibson, MA, CCC-SLP

S

troke recovery can be a challenge for the survivor as well as the family. It’s often been said in the healthcare world that when one person in the family is stricken with a major illness the whole family is also. The recovery process can change the family dynamic drastically especially when the primary breadwinner or backbone of the family is the victim. Strokes can leave behind residual damages, such as, paralysis, loss of speech and language, loss of cognition, loss of ability to walk, bathe or dress oneself. Some recover from strokes or brain attacks quickly with little or no residual challenges. Others take longer--- from 6-months to one year.

This initial period when a person regains abilities is called spontaneous recovery.

As the brain heals, some or all survivors recover their abilities.

Unfortunately, recovery time is not predictable. Other factors, such as age and presence of other medical conditions, play a role. Often times, physical ability is restored faster than communication abilities.

This impaired communication, loss of language or ability to speak after a stroke is called aphasia (pronounced uhfey-zhuh). Many people with aphasia often experience depression. The biggest challenge these survivors face is knowing what they want to say but not having the words to express themselves. If you can, imagine having that feeling or frustration of not recalling the word on the “tip of your tongue,” but it never ends. With that understanding as a caregiver, you can encourage your family member in a positive manner to help them feel successful and motivated to communicate more.

As a caregiver or loved one of a stroke survivor who has communication difficulties, please remember these 10 tips from the National Aphasia Association to improve your one on one, speaking

interactions: 1. Have the person’s attention before you speak 2. Minimize or eliminate background noise (TV, radio, other people).

3. Keep your own voice at a normal level. (Often they CAN hear you but just can’t understand you.)

4. Keep communication simple, but adult. (Use short sentences and directions. Please… NO baby talk!)

5. Give them time to speak, resist the urge to finish sentences or offer words.

6. Communicate with drawings, gestures, writing and facial expressions.

7. Confirm that you are communicating successfully by asking “yes” or “no” questions.

8. Praise all attempts to speak and downplay any errors.

9. Engage in normal, age appropriate activities whenever possible.

10. Encourage independence, avoid being overprotective.

We take the ability to communicate for granted. There’s nothing like a sudden change or loss in one’s ability to speak to make us appreciate the ability to express our thoughts, wants, needs and desires.

Stroke can definitely change your life but does not have to be the end of the world.

There is life after stroke and means to overcome and cope with the unexpected challenges our loved ones face. For caregiver support, resources and more information on stroke and aphasia, visit www.aphasia.org and www.stroke.org.

Shulunda Gibson, MA, CCC-SLP

is the owner of The Speech & Voice Care Center of Houston. SVCC Houston is a private speech and voice practice for adults with communication challenges or professional voice users who want to enhance speaking skills.

For more information, call 832-356-1419 or visit www.SVCCHouston.com

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November 2012

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November 2012

The Walk-away Wife Syndrome

By Michele Weiner-Davis

D

id you know that of the over one million marriages that will end in divorce this year, two thirds to three quarters of those divorces will be filed for by women? What is this so-called, “Walk-away Wife” syndrome all about?

In the early years of marriage, women are the relationship caretakers. They carefully monitor their relationships to make sure there is enough closeness and connection. If not, women will do what they can to try to fix things.

If their husbands aren’t responsive, women become extremely unhappy and start complaining about everything under the sun... things that need to get done around the house, responsibilities pertaining to the children, how free time is spent and so on. Unfortunately, when women complain, men generally retreat and the marriage deteriorates even more.

After years of trying unsuccessfully to improve things, a woman eventually surrenders and convinces herself that change isn’t possible. She ends up believing there’s absolutely nothing she can do because everything she’s tried hasn’t worked. That’s when she begins to carefully map out the logistics of

what she considers to be the inevitable, getting a divorce.

While she’s planning her escape, she no longer tries to improve her relationship or modify her partner’s behavior in any way. She resigns herself to living in silent desperation until “D Day.” Unfortunately, her husband views his wife’s silence as an indication that “everything is fine.” After all, the “nagging” has ceased. That’s why, when she finally breaks the news of the impending divorce, her shell-shocked partner replies, “I had no idea you were unhappy.”

Then, even when her husband undergoes real and lasting changes, it’s often too late. The same impenetrable wall that for years shielded her from pain, now prevents her from truly recognizing his genuine willingness to change. The relationship is in the danger zone.

If you are a woman who fits this description, please don’t give up.

I have seen so many men make amazing changes once they truly understand how unhappy their wives have been. Sometimes men are slow to catch on, but when they do, their determination to turn things around

can be astounding. I have seen many couples strengthen their marriages successfully even though it seemed an impossible feat. Give your husband another chance. Let him prove to you that things can be different. Keep your family together. Divorce is not a simple answer. It causes unimaginable pain and suffering. It takes an enormous amount of energy to face each day. Why not take this energy and learn some new skills and make your marriage what you’ve wanted it to be for so long?

If you’re a man reading this and your wife has been complaining or nagging, thank her. It means she still cares about

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you and your marriage. She’s working hard to make your love stronger. Spend time with her. Talk to her. Compliment her. Pay attention. Take her seriously.

Show her that she’s the most important thing in the world to you.

Perhaps your wife is no longer open to your advances because she’s a soon-to-be walkaway wife. If so, read the posts on the divorcebusting.com message board. Don’t crowd her. Don’t push. Be patient. If you demonstrate you can change and she still has eyes... and a heart, you might just convince her to give your marriage another try.

November 2012

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November 2012

Get “Holiday Ready” with Your

Whiter Brighter Smile!

H

ave your teeth yellowed with age? Are they discolored due to using tetracycline, tobacco products, excessive fluoride or from consuming staining foods & beverages? Or have your teeth darkened as a result of old dental work?

Whatever the cause now you can have a whiter, brighter smile just in time for the holidays!

We offer you the most advanced and affordable ways to create your beautiful smile with our state of the art bleaching, bonding, veneers and crowns. First, we’ll need to identify whether your tooth discoloration stems from within your teeth or from external causes. Then we’ll determine a treatment plan to create the “right white” for you!

Ten Million People can’t be wrong!!

Who doesn’t want whiter teeth? After all, it’s estimated that currently, millions of Americans have whitened their teeth! Of those, ten million people made the wise decision to whiten their teeth under dental supervision.

Let our expertise work to your advantage!

All whiteners use peroxide; however, the strength found in over the counter products pales in comparison to that of our fast acting, ultra powerful whitening system.

Plus, do it yourself whiteners have the potential for undesirable side effects, such as gum irritation and even irreversible damage to your teeth and gums.

The safest, quickest and most effective way to whiten your teeth is to schedule an exam with us as soon as possible!

Get Incredible & Predictable Results!

Unlike OTC whitening, we provide you with custom fitted trays that safely deliver a more potent, proven whitening agent directly to your teeth. That’s how we get your phenomenal, predictable results, while protecting your gums!

We tailor your cosmetic and general dentistry to your needs. The dentist office of Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade always looks out for your overall well-being. That’s something you’ll never get from an over the counter whitening kit! Brighten your smile before the holiday rush! Call now!!

By Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade General & Cosmetic Dentistry 2101 Crawford, Suite 103 Houston, TX 77002 832-304-2449

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November 2012

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November 2012

What Your Order of Birth Suggests

About Your Health Destiny By www.SixWise.com

C

hildren have long-been labeled as goal-setters, rebels or spoiled risk-takers depending on their birth order, and some people do, in fact, swear that you can predict a person’s personality according to whether they’re a first born, a middle child or the baby of the family.

Now here’s something that’s a bit more avant-garde: it may also be able to predict your health.

According to “The Order of Health” in Prevention magazine, here’s what your birth order may predict about your health.

cancer, perhaps because they’re exposed to more estrogen in utero.

Oldest children have an IQ that is, on average, three points higher than their next youngest sibling, according to research in Science. In turn, researchers from the University of Glasgow found that children with higher IQs have a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

Meanwhile, oldest children are more likely to suffer from allergies, eczema, hay fever and asthma, according to a review of more than 50 studies. This may be because parents overprotect their firstborns, which means they may be exposed to fewer viruses and bacteria than their siblings.

There is also some evidence that firstborn males have an increased risk of testicular

allergies, perhaps because their immune systems got a workout from all of their older siblings’ germs. Children who grow up with older siblings are also 10 percent less likely to develop Hodgkin’s disease than only children, according to Italian researchers.

The risk to the youngest child comes largely in the form of accidents and preventable diseases. For instance, youngest kids go through puberty about three months earlier than their siblings, and this early puberty can increase their risk-taking behavior, leading them to try things like sex or cigarettes.

The Oldest Child

The Middle Child

Middle children have healthy gums -their risk of gum disease is about 5 percent lower than their siblings’.

However, middle children -- who are stereotypically the “overlooked” children -- tend to have lower self-esteem, which can lead to depression. Middle-born kids also have a slightly higher risk of suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome than their siblings.

What Else Does Your Time of Birth Youngest children have a lower risk of Impact?

The Youngest Child

Researchers are just beginning to scratch the surface of how your birth order, birth month and birth season can impact your future personality and health. But here are a couple of interesting things to know: • Children who were conceived in June, July or August have, on average, test scores for math and language that are 1 percent to 1.5 percent lower than scores of kids who were conceived during other months.

• The month and season a woman is

born affects when she’ll reach menopause.

Specifically, women born in March can expect to reach menopause the earliest, on average at 48 years and 9 months, while October babies will reach it the latest, at 50 years and 3 months.

But remember, while some researchers believe your birth order is intricately intertwined with your personality, your health and how you relate to the world, others think it’s a long shot. So, ultimately, your destiny may be in your hands, regardless of your status as oldest, middle or youngest child.

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST to stay informed in our community.

Register at www.d-mars.com

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It’s Just That Simple!

November 2012

31.

Don’t Let Your Dental Benefits Get Away

By Lasting Impressions

That Money is YOURS

I

ONLY Until DECEMBER 31, 2012

f you’re fortunate enough to have dental insur-ance, you got it one of two ways. Either you paid for it out of your own pocket (OUCH) or you re-ceived it from your employer (most likely instead of a fatter paycheck).

That money is yours - for the moment... But it comes with one sneaky little secret your insurance company hopes you’ll forget. If you don’t use it by the end of the year, it disappears right into their pockets.

That probably sounds like some sort of scam, but it’s all perfectly legal. In fact, if you look at the plan information your employer or insurance com-pany gave you you’ll see it all spelled out in paragraph after paragraph of fine print.

But chances are that was months or even years ago. And even if you read it, it’s easy to forget. That’s why I’m taking this opportunity to remind you that dental insurance isn’t like the other kinds of insurance you buy, and encourage you to make the most of it now.

The Big Difference

You see, unlike car or medical insurance, dental insurance isn’t meant to protect you from huge unexpected expenses like a major illness or a serious accident.

Instead, dental insurance provides an un-fortunately small maximum yearly amount to cover routine preventive care like checkups, cleanings, simple cavity treatment and partial coverage for more expensive procedures.

So while you hope you won’t ever need your auto insurance, your dental insurance is meant to be used right down to the last dime every single year.

And, if it’s not, anything that’s left when the year ends, goes right to the insurance company’s bot-tom line, There’s no way you can get at it.

You CAN Keep it All

Fortunately you can keep that from happening - and enjoy some extra benefits as well.

Using your dental insurance carefully can help you save real money on the preventive care you need. And it can do something more. Because, by taking

good care of your teeth on a regular basis you may be able to actually avoid more serious (and more expensive) problems in the future.

But you can only enjoy those advantages if you act now.

You see, more and more people are planning to use up their dental benefits now, while there’s still time.

In fact my staff tells me that requests for appoint-ments are WAY up, thanks to folks realizing their benefits aren’t going to last forever. And over the next few weeks it’s going to get harder and harder to schedule appointments before Dec. 31.

Plan Smart, Act Now

If you’re determined to hang on to ALL your bene-fits, it’s time for us to

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get together and make a plan to put them to work.

For example, if you still have benefits left this year, we can plan and perform needed treatment now, before annual benefits expire Or, if you’ve used most of this year’s benefits, we can plan to do some care now, to take advantage of whatever benefits you have left, and do the rest of the work once the next benefit year begins.

If that makes sense just give us a call.

But, please don’t wait.

Every year so many people want to schedule ap-pointments before the end of the year and we end up having to turn some folks down - and I’d hate to have that happen to you.

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November 2012

Bath or Shower: Exercise for Diabetes Prevention Which is Better for You and Why? and Precautions for Diabetics By www.SixWise.com

M

ost people are very loyal to their bathing method, whether it be shower or bath, and will defend said method to no end. Then there is the, slightly less common, bunch who like to mix things up, taking a shower some days and baths others.

Whether you prefer showers or baths, get the most benefits while you wash by using the tips at the end of the article.

But have you ever stopped to wonder which method is actually superior? Here we break down the age-old question of which is better: baths or showers?

Showers: The Benefits Those in the shower camp will often claim that showers are better because they use up less water. While this may be true sometimes, it really depends on the person.

A quick five-minute (or less) shower with a low-flow shower head (which reduces the amount of water released per minute) can, indeed, use up much less water than a bath in a tub filled to the brim.

At the same time, though, an indulgent 25-minute shower with the water on full blast can easily use a lot more water than a bath in a semi-full tub.

Water use aside, though, there are a host of reasons why showers are grand, including: •They’re fast. Theoretically, you can be in and out of a shower in less than the time it takes to fill up the tub.

•They’re effective. Showers allow you to wash and rinse. Baths allow you to wash, but you can’t really rinse off the soap and/ or dirt.

•They feel good. Water flowing over your body, particularly if you’ve chosen a good showerhead, can feel almost like a massage.

•You can use hot and cold water for hydrotherapy. One type of hydrotherapy (or water therapy) involves taking a warm shower followed by a short burst of cold water. The change in temperature is said to help release tension then stimulate and invigorate the body.

Baths: The Benefits That said, baths certainly have their upside as well. Bathhouses have historically been used for their therapeutic, healing properties. Bathing in these natural, mineral-rich waters was said to relax the mind and benefit rheumatic, inflammatory and muscular ailments.

By Maren Sederquist, MES, CSCS, CPT

Here’s something shower people and bath people can agree on: sudsing up with the all-natural, and deliciously scented, Vermont Soap Organics Bath and Shower Gel. Even in your own bathtub, you may have experienced some of the soothing benefits of baths, such as: •They’re relaxing. Soaking in a warm bath, particularly with some aromatherapy bath salts, is an indulgent way to soothe aching muscles and sore feet, relieve stress and take some time for yourself.

•They help your circulation. “A warm bath dilates your blood vessels and helps circulation,” says Janice Hein, supervisor of the Oasis Spa at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona, in an Arizona Republic article. “It relieves your aches and pains and can be very therapeutic.”

•They may help relieve pain. Immersing yourself in a bathtub of water helps take weight off of joints and muscles, and may be beneficial for arthritis, back pain, headaches, sports injuries and more.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Shower and/or Bath Ultimately, the question of whether to take showers or baths is up to you to decide ... but why not pamper yourself with the benefits of both, and incorporate both showers and baths into your bathing lifestyle?

To get the maximum relaxation and other benefits out of your next shower or bath, check out these simple tips: •Use water that’s warm, but not hot.

Water that’s too hot can scald the skin or cause it to become dry.

•Use shower/bath gels and soaps that are free of chemicals, such as Vermont Soap Organics All-Natural Bath and Shower Gel. •Indulge your senses. Use some aromatherapy bath salts (country lavender or peppermint magic, anyone?) and experience the proven health benefits of aromatherapy.

•Set the mood. Turn down the lights, light a candle and shut the door.

Affectionately (but firmly) remind your family that you are off-limits during this time.

•Try to conserve water. If showering, use a low-flow showerhead (or don’t turn the water on full blast). If taking a bath, don’t fill the tub up all the way.

D

o you have diabetes, or have you been told by your physician that you’re going to have diabetes if you don’t change your lifestyle? Along with changing your eating habits, exercise is essential for regulating your blood sugar.

The Diabetes Prevention Program -- a large study done in people with prediabetes -- showed that 150 minutes of physical activity a week (30 minutes, five times a week) helped prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. In this study, people also lost 10 to 20 pounds by making changes in their eating habits.

Your muscles use much of the sugar that your body produces, so it lowers blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance.

Research has shown that physical activity can: • Lower your blood glucose and your blood pressure.

• Lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol.

• Improve your body’s ability to use insulin.

• Lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

• Keep your heart and bones strong.

• Keep your joints flexible.

• Lower your risk of falling.

• Help you lose weight.

• Reduce your body fat.

• Give you more energy.

• Reduce your stress.

4 Kinds of Activities That Help:

1. Bike or do another cardiovascular activity that’s easy on your feet. 30 mins, 5 x/week.

2. Stretch 5-10 mins, 5 x/week after

cardiovascular exercise.

3. Strength train. 20-60 mins, 2-3 x/ week.

4. Be active throughout the day!

Some special things that people with diabetes need to remember: • Take care of your feet. Make sure your shoes fit properly and your socks stay clean and dry. Check your feet for redness or sores after exercising. Call your doctor if you have sores that do not heal.

• Make sure the weights you lift aren’t so heavy that you feel pressure in your eyes.

• Drink about 2 cups of water before you exercise, about every 20 minutes during exercise, and after you finish, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

• Warm up and cool down for 5 to 10 minutes before and after exercising.

For example, walk slowly at first, and then walk faster. Finish up by walking slowly again.

• Test your blood glucose before and after exercising. Do not exercise if your fasting blood glucose level is above 300 – your level can go even higher. Also, exercise is not recommended if your fasting blood glucose is above 250 and you have ketones in your urine. Wait until your blood glucose is lower.

• Eat a small snack if your blood glucose is below 100. Know the signs of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) and how to treat it.

References and Resources: *First printed in healthfitonline.com.

http://www.

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November 2012

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November 2012

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November 2012

The Subtle Differences Between Mental Health & Mental Illness

W

hile an exact definition of mental health is somewhat difficult to formulate, it is generally characterized as a state of being in which one is able to deal with and ultimately grow from the many life changes that occur over time. Everyone experiences trauma, grief, fear and loss during their life, but a mentally healthy person doesn’t repress these feelings.

Rather, they accept and try to understand them as they go about the business of everyday life. They seem to understand that this too will pass.” In other words, they roll with the punches.

Mental illness, by contrast, is characterized by an inability to cope with everyday life, whether working through some sort of trauma or not. In extreme cases, the sufferer’s reality is turned inside out, causing their mental projections to be interpreted as real. The problem is evidenced by various psychological symptoms, each of which can have paralyzing effects and affect physical wellbeing. The differences between the two states of mind can be subtle; however, practitioners of psychiatry are well trained in diagnosing mental illness, should that be the case with someone seemingly unable to cope with a situation that has arisen.

Based on calculations of the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that one out of every ten Americans suffers from some type of diagnosable mental illness. Those who suffer are unable to function on a normal level in some situations, that is, in a manner consistent with the majority of people. There are many types of mental illness, and severe cases often require treatment from a psychiatrist, as they - unlike psychologists - are able to run diagnostic tests to rule out a medical cause for abnormal behavior, and once diagnosed, are legally authorized to prescribe medication, should it be necessary to help an individual function.

The most severe types of mental illness include: • • Schizophrenia • • Manic-depressive or bipolar illness • • Major depression • • Anxiety disorders including OCD, PTSD and phobias Diagnosis of a mental illness can be

By Stephen Daniels difficult given the reliance upon the subjective descriptions of the patient. A psychiatrist has no standard tests at their disposal. He or she must determine if the symptoms described or observed in a patient meet the criteria of measured excesses or deficits regarding thoughts, feelings and behavior. They cannot simply say, ‘this person does or thinks that, therefore they have this’. In other words, what is normal for one may be abnormal for another.

Other issues surrounding mental illness such as causes and morbidity rates are also unresolved. Biological disorders are thought to be a major cause of schizophrenia. Genetic predisposition, prenatal trauma, brain injury, even certain infections are thought to be factors.

There is also evidence of a relationship between severe mental illness and other diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and substance abuse. Reasons for co-morbidity range from ignorance of or refusal to adhere to basic principles of hygiene or disease prevention to poor health caused in part by living in poverty.

Some diseases such as bipolar illness and schizophrenia may require lifelong treatment, but a measure of relief is possible. While one in five recover from schizophrenia, one in ten commit suicide.

With bipolar disorder, true recovery rates are hard to gauge since as many as half of all sufferers who seek treatment quit taking prescribed medication after a year.

With depression and the various anxiety disorders, full recovery is possible. By combining cognitive behavioral therapy with a healthy lifestyle and support from family and friends - and medication, if appropriate - people can regain control of their thought processes and emotions.

There is a fine line between a healthy mind and one that is ill. Diagnosis can be a challenge, and once a psychiatrist has a good idea of what is going on, curing the disease requires an individualized therapeutic approach and a willingness on the part of the sufferer to improve. Mental illness, like most health conditions, is best treated as early as possible to garner the best cure rates for those who are affected.

This is why help from a skilled psychiatrist can yield profoundly positive results.

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How Can You Control Inflammation And Find Relief From The Pain?

By Jeff Schuman

A

re you suffering from inflammation and want to find out how you can get some relief from the pain you suffer because of it? Then you need to learn how you can control this without a lot of difficulty.

There are a few different things that you can and should do to help you control this problem and the pain you suffer from it. The following are the most important things you need to do if you really want to find relief from the pain you suffer every day.

One: Change your diet - Many people are not aware that their diet contributes to this problem. It is important for anyone that suffers from inflammation to eat an anti-inflammatory diet.

The best foods to eat to help you control this problem include vegetables, fruits, nuts, oily fish, whole grains, some proteins and even spices can help like ginger and turmeric. It is best to avoid any foods that make your problem become worse.

The things you need to do all you can to avoid eating include saturated fats, corn or soybean oil, trans fat, sugars, dairy, refined carbohydrates and read meats. If you can eat the right foods and avoid the ones that cause your problem to become worse, then you will begin to find some relief from the

About The Author - Stephen Daniels highly recommends a nationally recognized psychiatrist to help diagnose and treat anxiety disorders, substance abuse, depression, or any combination of these mental health issues.

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pain.

Two: Medicines for your specific pain - There are medicines available, over the counter or prescribed by your doctor that may help you find relief from your pain.

You definitely want to consult your doctor before taking any medicines though to ensure it is going to be safe for you to do so.

Before you take any medicines, you have to be sure you know exactly what is causing your problem so you can find the best medicine for it. Your doctor can help you determine this easily if you take time to pay them a visit.

Three: Natural solutions - There are a few natural solutions that you can use to help you find relief from the pain you suffer daily. Trivita has many such natural health products that help with this very real and painful problem.

Anyone can find the best natural solution, you just need to look for it and then begin using it to help you relieve your pain.

These are the best ways for you to control inflammation and to find relief from the pain that you suffer because of it. You have to be the one to decide on the right solution for your pain relief because you are the only one that can decide what will help you the most to find the relief you really need.

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November 2012

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November 2012

37.

Eat This For A Better Mood...

By Seth Molton

T

here are many ways to manage and reduce stress levels, and your diet and nutrition choices can have a very powerful effect on whether those levels go up or down. Certain foods provide comfort and actually increase levels of hormones in the body that naturally fight stress.

The right food can also help relieve stress by lowering the levels of hormones that trigger it.

For something delicious and therapeutic, relax and enjoy: 1. A warm cup of something.

Sometimes, it’s the effect of a food or drink that can help reduce stress, not necessarily its nutrients. A warm cup of tea can actually calm many people, says Sandra Meyerowitz, MPH, RD, LD, online nutrition coach and owner of Nutrition Works in Louisville, Ky. There’s the soothing effect of sipping a warm drink, regardless of the flavor — but certain herbs, like lavender and chamomile, have been shown to have a relaxing effect on their own, Meyerowitz says.

2. Chocolate. Dark chocolate in the diet can reduce stress in two ways — its chemical impact and its emotional impact. Chocolate feels like such an indulgence that it can be a real treat to simply savor a piece of it, and that feeling alone can help to reduce stress, says Meyerowitz. Dark chocolate, which is also rich in antioxidants, can also help to reduce stress by lowering levels of stress hormones in the body, according to a Swiss study in which participants ate about 1.5 ounces per day for two weeks.

Just avoid excess calories in your diet by not overindulging in chocolate, advises Meyerowitz 3. Carbs. Carbohydrates have been found to increase levels of serotonin, a chemical in the body that can boost mood and reduce stress. Once serotoninserotonin levels are increased, people under stress experience improved cognitive function, meaning they can concentrate and work better. Meyerowitz notes the comforting effect of carbohydrates in the diet that can reduce stress — savoring a bowl of pasta or macaroni and cheese feels soothing and

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can help you to relax. Just make sure to choose healthy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and whole-grains for better nutrition, and limit fat-laden, caloriedense toppings.

4. Fatty Fish. This type of fish is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and an excellent way to use diet and nutrition to reduce stress because they also offer a major benefit to cardiovascular health.

Omega-3 fatty acids and fatty fish have also been found to ease depression, because the chemicals improve communication between nerve cells. Fatty fish include tuna, halibut, salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and lake trout.

5. Avocados. Avocados are not only delicious mashed into guacamole or sliced onto a salad — they’re also packed with omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy essential acids are known to reduce stress and anxiety, boost concentration, and improve mood. Meyerowitz emphasizes the importance of getting the right amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet for overall health, in addition to the benefit of helping to reduce stress.

6. Nuts. Nuts are full of vitamins, including B vitamins, and healthy fatty acids as well. According to Meyerowitz, B vitamins are an important part of a healthy diet and can help to reduce stress.

Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts can even help lower blood pressure levels.

According to one study, pistachios in particular were found to have a role in reducing stress levels. Just remember to limit servings to just a handful a day to avoid excess calories.

7. Vitamin C. Some studies have have found that high levels of vitamin C help ease stress levels. One double-blind study reported on the value of taking 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C in a slow-release formula to reduce stress and levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol. Another study looked at the stress reduction effects of taking a supplement containing 1,000 mg of C, plus B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. Eating citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, and strawberries is a good start, but you would need a supplement to reach such high levels of these nutrients.

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Tips for Finding a Good Stop Being Hard On Yourself, Long Term Care Facility Learn To Love Yourself Instead

By Kimberley Cohen

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By Seth Molton

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hat is an ideal long term care facility?

V a r i o u s answers cropped up from the aged who, after all, make up a big percentage of the recipients of caring services in the USA and elsewhere for that matter.

Most men and women in their retirement years still prefer to be cared for by their children right in the comforts of their homes. However true, there are some individuals accustomed to their independence and would rather be under the care of nursing institutions or retirement communities.

Living with your children and opting for the services of a nursing home or an assisted living facility have its advantages, but you shouldn’t discount the fact that each also has its downside.

For instance, home care will ensure you’re well taken care of because your kids or other relatives will be present 24/7 to assist you in all areas of activities of daily living (ADL),such as eating, bathing, using the toilet, dressing up, and performing house chores among others. Unfortunately, you cannot count on them to administer medications especially if you have a serious health condition because they are not trained professionally on the medical or nursing field.

Those who can afford to pay a professional would prefer home health care and, thus, hire a licensed nurse or medical practitioner to look after them, and attend to their medical needs. However helpful this is to a patient, studies done on long term care show that the government will not shoulder the expenses of caring services performed in

one’s home except if the reason behind it is medical.

Meanwhile, patients with low to no income are an exception in the eyes of the government. So even if the reason for their home care is nonmedical, the government will definitely consider paying the home care services that were provided to them.

Cost of Long Term Care Your budget for long term care will depend on your choice or type of long term care facility. If you will opt for home care or home health care, you will not spend as much as you would in a nursing home or assisted living facilities.

Besides your budget, however, your health condition is also an important factor to consider when choosing a caring facility. At home, your medical equipment is probably limited to the basic such as a sphygmomanometer, thermometer, weighing scale, and perhaps a nebulizer.

Unfortunately, these are not enough to address very serious conditions like heart diseases, cancer, respiratory problems, and many others that require complete medical facilities.

Apart from the fact that licensed nurses and therapists are employed by nursing homes and assisted living quarters, these places are equipped with the necessary medical facilities to constantly monitor the progress or deterioration of your health condition.

In 2010, it was recorded that a nursing home in America roughly cost $200 a day.

That made an annual cost of $73,000, which a retiree had to fork over from his savings account. Investing in a pension plan could have saved him a chunk of his hard earned money.

n our busy and sometimes mixed up and stressful lives we can easily overlook what we love about our days, let alone ourselves.

One of the things I hear most from others, my clients and myself, although I’m visiting this space much less these days, is how hard we are on ourselves.

Whether it’s our appearance, or that we should have done a better job or be a better person, or we aren’t good enough, or we should be further ahead, or doubting our talents, abilities, or our capacity to love or be loved, or we should be beyond this behavior or thinking, etc. The list is endless.

We minimize our existence and maximize what we don’t love about our lives and ourselves.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have the opposite? We would maximize our love and minimize our complaints. It is possible!

I certainly have had my share of hard knocks, so to speak, over the years, but I am dedicated to my continual growth, expansion and love of myself, my life, and others just as it is or we/they are, even in the midst of tough times or trying people.

How about you? Are you committed to loving yourself and your life just the way it is right now? Or, have you given up on your dreams, yourself, and love?

Love truly can calm our outer and inner existence in a moment’s reflection.

The question is are you willing to love all that is, just the way it is, including yourself?

Easier said than done? Yes, sometimes, and in certain situations it can be a real challenge to love that which in the moment we despise in ourselves, another, or our life.

Yet as difficult as it might be, these very circumstances are calling quietly and sometimes very loudly if we aren’t paying attention to our need for, and to, love.

When things are difficult, when we are second guessing, when we doubt, judge, and criticize ourselves, others, or our lives, it’s a call for love.

Stop for a moment. Really, Take a deep breath and become centered. What do you love right now about your life? About yourself?

All we need to do is stop once in

awhile throughout our day and think about what we appreciate in this very moment.

Maybe it’s your work, your family, your partner, your surroundings, your freedom, your home, etc.

What do you love about you?

Can you find things you admire about yourself?

Perhaps it’s your laugh, your smile, your kindness, your talents, your passion, your patience, your flexibility, your romantic side, your creativity, your listening skills, your voice (singing, or the ability to speak your truth).

Maybe it’s your writing, your compassion, your strength, your courage, your determination, your growth, your commitment, etc.

What about your physical appearance? Your eyes, nose, hands, legs, buttocks, feet, etc.

If you don’t have a “love yourself and your life journal”, start one.

Write down all the things you cherished about your day, and then about you as a person.

What do you admire about you as a parent, spouse, friend, co-worker, boss, sibling, grandparent, or as a spiritual being in this human experience and physical body.

What are you grateful for about your day or week? Don’t discount the small things as being insignificant; they are more significant then you believe.

It’s important to remember what’s good in our lives and about ourselves and move from criticizing and complaining to appreciating and admiring.

When we are having a good day or week, it’s easier to see what we love about ourselves, another, or in our life, but when things are testing our relationships and our physical, emotional, spiritual beings, it can turn love to loathing in a heartbeat.

When you find yourself being jealous, or judging, complaining,

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criticizing and/or doubting yourself, others, or your life, it’s a call for love.

What you don’t like is there to show you where you are withholding love on some level.

Don’t forget, you are from the greatest source of love that there is and life’s challenges are there to remind you to open your heart and find the love within.

Don’t worry, if you find yourself taking a step backward sometimes it’s offering you another opportunity to take a step forward.

Let your true instincts of love return. Reach out from the inside; love your life, another, the world and most importantly, YOU, just as you are right now.

Where can you respect yourself more? Give yourself more credit?

Recognize your growth?

Remember, whatever you are judging in yourself, another, or your day is calling for your attention, but more importantly, your love!

Today is the day to give yourself a break, to recognize your worth and to not be so hard on yourself.

Love yourself instead.

Use these techniques to assist you in seeing how you are withholding love in your life and towards others and yourself so that you can return to your natural state of being once again.

About the Author Kimberley Cohen is the Founder, Facilitator and Personal Insight Coach of The Insight Technique. She founded the Insight Technique - Your insight to genuine Happiness, Purpose and Prosperity to assist herself and others in transforming limiting mindsets. Soar through the limiting beliefs holding you back and experience the freedom of unlimited possibilities. http:// www.TheInsightTechnique.com

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How to Avoid

Caregiver Burnout By www.caregiver.com

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here are lots of issues people tend to avoid because of how the issues “appear” to outside observers. Caregiver burnout is one of them. All too often, we feel guilty discussing what life is like for the one giving care when the one receiving care is having to go through such difficulty.

We feel that it somehow is wrong to complain or call to attention the needs of the caregiver… after all; they aren’t the one hurt, ill or injured.

But the truth is caregiver burnout is a very real issue. It is also one that goes undetected far too often, resulting in bitterness and anger for the caregiver and declining care for the hurt, ill or injured.

And herein lies the biggest issue in this undetected issue: We (caregivers) feel like we should be able to do it all! Nothing could be further from the truth. But, we have bought this lie because the person we are caring for we love. They matter to us and we want to be there for them.

Because of this, attending to any “selfish” need is categorized just as that: selfish.

We need to get beyond the negativity of selfishness and get to the productivity of self-care.

No matter who you are caring for – your child, your parent, your spouse, etc – you must take care of you. Let me give you an analogy. Have you ever flown on an airplane? When the flight attendants are doing their safety briefing on the tarmac, they always tell you to put your oxygen mask on first before assisting the person for which you are caring. Why? It seems selfish, right? It seems that way, but it isn’t. If you get the mask on the person who needs you and then you pass out because you didn’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to help them at all. However, if they pass out, but you have your oxygen mask on, you can still help them.

That’s the analogy that can help address “caregiver burnout.” Here are some very important things to remember on how you can “put your oxygen mask on” throughout this process: 1. It’s OK to say no. I know this is hard to believe, but it is true. You can’t do it all. The ability to say “no” is every

bit as valuable as you ability to say “yes.” People who think they have to do it all are lying to themselves. There are limits to what you can do.

2. It’s OK to be angry. I know this sounds weird. How can it be okay for the one who is giving care to be angry? After all, they are not the one hurt, ill or injured. But... anger hits the caregiver in profound ways. And... it’s not only okay to be angry, it is healthy. The key is what you do with your anger.

Throwing a fit, saying hurtful things, getting depressed, lashing out is the destructive side of anger. What can you do with your anger? Write a letter to God, to yourself, to the person who may have caused this season of your life... only, never send the letter.

Go for a run. Hammer on a piece of wood. Whatever it is, the key is staying safe at the same time you are expressing it. Denying you are angry just makes matters worse.

3. At the end of the day, you are your responsibility. You MUST learn to take care of you. A good picture is that of putting your oxygen mask on first – if you don’t and you pass out, the person you are caring for is sure to die.

4. It’s OK to take a break. It’s okay to take a vacation. It’s okay to get out of town. You NEED to do this for you. It’s a way you can refuel. It’s a way of taking care of you. Do NOT feel guilty. You have resources to utilize - do it. Take that person up on their offer to help you. It is more important than you realize. There are other people that need to connect with you (i.e. your kids, your spouse, your extended family, etc.). Taking a break from the person you are caring for and refueling yourself with the others you love is crucial in taking care of you.

5. It’s OK to ask for help. Everyone needs help at times. There is no shame in it. Asking for help is one of the healthiest things someone can do. This is especially true when you find yourself fighting a lot with the person for which you are caring. Ask

yourself... what keeps you from asking for help? It is an important question.

The answer will give you insight into what is keeping you stuck.

6. It’s OK to delegate. People really do want to help you. There are community resources you can utilize.

Understand that trying to be all things to the one for which you are caring is the sure path to burnout.

Prioritize what is most important for

you to do and delegate the other areas to the resources at your disposal.

The person you are caring for needs you. But… they need you healthy -- not burned out. Without question, the care you give is vitally important. Don’t lose it by giving it all away at the expense of you.

If you want more information, please contact me at kristfowler.com or at 208731-0558.

Tips for Surviving Holiday Eating Without Guilt and Weight Gain

By Gretchen Scalp, RD, CDE

Yes

it’s almost time to start thinking about the holidays again: shopping for gifts, planning celebrations, and eating food! Once Thanksgiving arrives, the holiday season can seem like a non-stop eating contest straight through the end of the year! That can mean 5-6 weeks with lots of extra food!

The holiday season should be a time of celebration with friends and family, but it doesn’t have to mean that healthy, mindful eating has to go by the wayside.

A few changes in the way you think about food at special events can keep you on track during this busy and stressful time of year. * Lots of goodies and snacks can make their way into your place of work in the days or weeks leading up to the actual holidays.

Make it a point to eat 6-7 servings of fruit and vegetables every work day. Fill up on these lower calorie foods each day, and you will find yourself eating less of the calorieladen foods that seem to be everywhere! * Don’t go to an event hungry! When you are hungry, it’s difficult to resist tempting high calorie foods, and you may end up over-eating. Try having a small meal or snack before you go. This can be especially helpful when there are lots of appetizers before a meal. If you are not hungry, you can resist a lot of the extra calories that come from appetizers. * If you are at a buffet, look for a few lower calorie foods (like vegetables) that

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can fill up part your plate. Stick with one plate of food and avoid multiple trips to the buffet line. Remember, just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to try it all! * Give yourself permission to have that special dessert, but stick to just one.

When there’s a table full of desserts at a celebration, do you really need to sample them all? Pick the one you would enjoy the most and have it! You will feel just as satisfied if you savor the dessert you want, instead of trying everything. * Don’t forget about the “liquid calories” found in wine, mixed drinks and eggnog.

These can really add up fast. Once you’ve had a drink or two, try switching over to club soda with a twist of lemon or lime. * Don’t abandon your exercise plan during the holiday season. Taking 4-6 weeks off from your usual exercise routine makes it difficult to get started again after New Year’s day. If you don’t exercise at all, now is a good time to start. Starting a physical activity does not require elaborate equipment or a huge investment of your time. If you are really busy, you could start simply by walking for 15 minutes a day. If 15 minutes is all you can manage during the holiday season, that’s OK! Make your holidays more about enjoying time with friends and family. With a little preparation, you can face the holiday food frenzy head-on and have no regrets about what you eat. That could mean no guilt and no resolutions needed on New Year’s Day!

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