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Promoting Health & Wellness
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Promoting Health & Wellness
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STAFF Jeremy Hunt, Editor Shelby Mertens, Staff Writer Virginia Cutchin, Guest Columnist Daniel Lin, Photographer Alyssa Antonio, Photographer Jennifer Dehoff, Design Rhonda McNeal, Advertising Director
Flourish is a publication of the Daily News-Record Copyright Š 2018 231 S. Liberty St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 For advertising information, call 540-574-6220.
Have an idea for the next issue? Send ideas or suggestions to editor Jeremy Hunt: jhunt@dnronline.com
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A Mother-Daughter Duo Increases Care Options In The Valley Allison Chupp (left) and her mother Diana Berkshire opened North Mountain Clinic, which does not accept insurance. Instead they offer services at a flat rate. Cover Photo: North Mountain Clinic co-owner Allison Chupp examines Zoey Haarer, 11 months. Cover Photo Daniel Lin
Daniel Lin
What Is Cannabidiol Oil?
Thriving Through The Holidays
CBD products have become more commonplace but what does it do?
Our life coach offers tips to manage the stressors of the season.
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What Is Cannabidiol Oil? By: Shelby Mertens Photos: Daniel Lin
J
athan Payne, a pharmacist and owner of Medicap Pharmacy off Lucy Drive in Harrisonburg, was initially skeptical of the potential health benefits of cannabidiol. Better known as CBD, the cannabis compound is extracted from flowers and buds of marijuana or hemp plants. Unlike its cousin, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, cannabidiol does not produce a high. Cannabidiol is one of more than 80 active chemicals in marijuana. Medical marijuana is claimed to be a potential treatment for a multitude of health conditions and diseases, from depression and anxiety, to arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, seizures and even cancer, according to Project CBD, a California-based nonprofit that advocates and promotes research into the medical uses of cannabidiol. CBD works in your endocannabinoid system, consisted of cannabinoid receptors, Payne said, which helps the body maintain homeostasis. CBD is typically available in oils, capsules or topical creams,
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but due to its rise in popularity, the market has exploded with all kinds of CBD-infused products, from vape pens, bath bombs, bottled water, coffee and lollipops. “It’s just something that I actually thought was a gimmick when I first heard of it,” Payne said. “I wasn’t convinced that it was a real product; so, I did a fair amount of research before I decided to carry it.” The U.S. Federal Drug Administration has yet to approve medical marijuana due to insufficient research to prove its safeness and effectiveness. While the agency says it supports more research, it has maintained some skepticism because marijuana is a Schedule I drug, a classification it shares with the likes of heroin and ecstasy. THC-free CBDs can be legally sold in all 50 U.S. states, although many states have their own laws and regulations regarding CBDs, which are sold over the counter. There are many misconceptions surrounding cannabidiols, Payne said. CBDs are non-psychoactive, containing
very miniscule, if any, amounts of THC, which is the chemical that causes the “high” when consuming marijuana. Therefore, users cannot get stoned from CBD. “You could drink the whole bottle and you won’t get high on it because there’s just not enough of a psychoactive part,” he said. Medicap Pharmacy sells CBD oil, capsules and topical cream that come from a manufacturer in Kentucky. Payne visited the company before deciding to sell their products. Seeing the products and hearing from longtime users convinced Payne that the benefits are legitimate. “I just heard stories I couldn’t believe. I never thought it would do the things that it did as far as pain relief and helping people to relax, especially with back pain and arthritic pain,” Payne said. “There’s very few things that I’ve run across in the last few years that have people’s interest the way this does because I truly believe it helps them.” Payne said most of his customers use CBD products to treat mild to moderate pain.
Medicap Pharmacy began selling CBDs in August. “The sweet spot that I see most people are taking it for are mild pain, some anxiety and mild depression,” he said. For those taking large doses of narcotics for cancer or other serious illnesses, Payne said taking CBDs cannot replace painkillers, but can reduce pain medication doses. He’s even had diabetic clients who claim cannabidiol helps control blood glucose levels. About half of the customers who buy CBD from Medicap Pharmacy have already tried it before, Payne said, and claim they have already seen benefit from it. “We have a lot of people ask for it,” he said. “There’s a lot of interest in it.” In June, the FDA approved a purified form of CBD that is strictly intended to treat seizures caused by two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement that the product’s approval is encouraging and that the agency supports further scientific research into marijuana’s medical possibilities. “The FDA
will continue to support rigorous scientific research on potential medical treatments using marijuana and its components that seek to be developed through the appropriate scientific channels,” Gottlieb stated. Kate’s Natural Products, located on University Boulevard in Harrisonburg, also sells CBD products. Owner Ralph Magri said the store began selling its first hemp oil four years ago. The store now sells not only the oil, but also capsules, topicals and gummies. Magri said cannabidiols are one of the business’s most popular products, while other health fads have come and go. “In 25 years, this is probably the one product that has jumped as it has in popularity with pretty good science behind it,” he said. Magri said that just because a CBD product doesn’t have FDA approval doesn’t mean it’s
as needed to treat neck pain from office and computer work. “Instead of taking a muscle relaxer at night, I’d just use some of that, and it does the same thing for me,” he said. “Whether it’s the placebo effect or not, I don’t know, but my neck doesn’t hurt when I wake up and I’m happy about it.” One of the biggest issues with CBD is the false claim that it can be used to treat almost anything, Payne said. Its rise in popularity means that companies have become more gimmicky in how CBD products are delivered. “Anything that’s marketed that it’s good for everything, I’m always leery of,” he said. Some of the products on the market, like water that is infused with CBD, is probably not a good idea. “I don’t know that you need that trickled in your system all day long,” Payne said. “I’m not
“You could drink the whole bottle and you won’t get high on it because there’s just not enough of the psychoactive part.” — Jathan Payne
unsafe. “We’re always fighting the misconception that it is dangerous because it does not have FDA approval,” Magri said. “If it were dangerous, the FDA would monitor it. … This product is generally pretty harmless. It doesn’t hurt you.” Magri has heard stories of miraculous effects, from people who suffered from chronic headaches and migraines. “I don’t have the aches and pains to testify, but it does seem to help,” he said. Payne said he has experienced the benefits of CBD himself. He started using it
going to promote or get into that side of it.” The FDA expressed concern over the lack of regulation of CBD products in the market. “We remain concerned about the proliferation and illegal marketing of unapproved CBD-containing products with unproven medical claims. The promotion and use of these unapproved products may keep some patients from accessing appropriate, recognized therapies to treat serious and even fatal diseases. The FDA has taken recent actions against companies distributing unapproved CBD
CBD products sit for sale at Medicap Pharmacy on Pro Point Lane in Harrisonburg.
products,” Gottlieb stated. “These companies have claimed that various CBD products could be used to treat or cure serious diseases such as cancer with no scientific evidence to support such claims. We’ll continue to take action when we see the illegal marketing of CBD-containing products with unproven medical claims.”
Payne agreed that there’s much more that needs to be learned about marijuana’s ingredients. “I think we’re going to see a lot more benefits come out about it as we move forward,” Payne said. “A lot of things that are gimmicky or fads that don’t have a benefit tend to die away pretty quickly. I don’t see this one going away any time soon.” Y
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540.442.9055 Flourish Winter 2018 3
North Mountain Clinic co-owners Diana Berkshire (left) and her daughter, Allison Chupp, pose for a photo outside their Broadway clinic.
A New Health Clinic Offers
Options For The Uninsured By: Shelby Mertens
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t’s no secret that health care costs continue to rise nationwide. A report from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, predicts health care spending will account for 19.9 percent of the U.S. economy by 2025, compared to just 5 percent in 1960 and 17.9 percent in 2016, according to a CNN article. The Kaiser Family Foundation found that the average premium has increased 19 percent in just five years, with family coverage now at an average of $19,000. Out-of-pocket spending rose 66 percent between 2005 and 2015, CNN reported. The reasons for rising health care costs include an aging population and growing costs of prescription drugs. Mother and daughter Diana Berkshire and Allison Chupp opened North Mountain Clinic in Broadway to provide a more affordable alternative for uninsured patients by offering a flat rate
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Photos Daniel Lin for service. North Mountain Clinic, located at 111 S. Timber Way, offers both urgent care and primary care. “[We wanted] to provide quality access to health care that was affordable,” Chupp said. “We don’t participate with insurance; it’s just an upfront fee to be seen.” Chupp was a nurse practitioner at Augusta Health for five years before opening her own medical practice with her mother in June. Berkshire has over 40 years experience as a business owner and nurse. “I’m the sort of person that I want to be a part of the solution, not the problem, so I see this as an alternative to health care,” Berkshire said. “One thing we saw ... is that people didn’t get health care until they had Medicare and by that time if they had diabetes or hypertension or whatever, they had so many complications that their elderly years were terrible.” While uninsured patients typically negotiate cash prices with health care providers, North Mountain Clinic charges $75 per
walk-in urgent care visit and $125 per primary care visit. “We’re looking to serve that group of people that are going to pay cash and they don’t have to negotiate,” she said. “They know exactly what they’re going to get when they walk in here. The response has been good with those folks.” Patients with health insurance can pay their co-pay and still receive a bill in the mail for additional costs they owe. At North Mountain Clinic, patients pay either $75 or $125 and walk out without any additional costs, Berkshire said. Chupp, the practice’s sole nurse practitioner, is available four days a week, and Dr. Steven A. Templeton, a family medicine physician of more than 30 years, comes in every Wednesday. Despite maybe some misconceptions, “nurse practitioners provide excellent care,” Chupp reassured.
“I’m the sort of person that I want to be a part of the solution, not the problem, so I see this as an alternative to heath care.” — Diana Berkshire
North Mountain Clinic co-owner Allison Chupp checks Broadway resident Anna Haarer’s heartbeat.
The small practice has two exam rooms. Urgent care services covers minor sprains and injuries, seasonal allergies, upper respiratory and urinary ailments, along with suturing, incision and drainage. General physicals are included in primary care services, along with preventive care such as flu vaccines. There’s several urgent care facilities in the Shenandoah Valley, but none combine primary care, Berkshire said. “We see that as important for continuity of care,” she said. North Mountain Clinic does accept insured patients, but those patients are responsible for filing their own claim with their health insurance. Medicare and Medicaid patients are not permitted to file their own claim, so the clinic will still accept those patients, but they won’t be able to get reimbursed like patients with private insurance. The clinic charges the same rate for insured clients. Health care forecasts expect that patients will continue to pay more money for care, Berkshire said. The mother-daughter duo see their flat-rate model as the future of health care. “I think it’s headed that way because the cost of health care is so high … our health care system is not working,” Chupp said. “I think something’s going to have to change.” North Mountain Clinic is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Chupp said the practice may extend to weekend hours in the future. Y
Allison Chupp examines Zoey Haarer, 11 months.
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Thriving
Through The Holidays Metro Creative
By: Virginia Cutchin, Virginia@TransitionSuccess.net
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e’ve all been there! The holiday season adds commitments, friends and relatives, concerts, gatherings, shopping, cooking and traveling to what may be an already-full schedule. This period can also intensify feelings of
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regret or loss as we reflect on the year now winding down. Feelings of obligation, loss or anticipation of the coming year can create anxiety around what for some is a joyous, rejuvenating time of year. These added stresses all claim our time, attention, money and energy. Whether you dread or look forward to the holiday season, you should know how to manage the inevitable stress that accompanies it.
and money. I believe that the more easily our habits fit into our life, the easier they will be to do and the more frequently we will do them. After all, habits are just choices that get repeated. Engaging in stress-inducing behavior often results from choices we make, consciously or unconsciously, but we can consciously choose behaviors that easily become permanent stress-relieving habits.
As an intercultural communications consultant and certified health/wellness coach, I help people thrive — however they define it, in whatever circumstances they find themselves and with whatever resources they have. I am a strong advocate for helping people develop lifestyle changes that require zero to minimum extra expenditures of time, decision-making energy
Many of you may know that our bodies under stress release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is critical to our ability to stay alert and ready to respond to external demands, but high levels of cortisol under sustained stress inhibit our ability to sleep recuperatively, digest and metabolize food properly, and maintain a consistent mood (among many other things.)
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In no particular order, here are some suggestions for managing stress (and, thus, cortisol levels) at any time of year, but
especially during the holidays: Thoughtfully reflect on the meaning of this season for you, and strive to align your activities and behaviors with your overall values and life goals. Examples are maintaining an exercise routine, or visiting with a difficult relative out of a desire to express tolerance and acceptance. Think in terms of SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timed) goals and plans. Goals should be ambitious enough to motivate us, but not so ambitious as to be unrealistic. Group necessary activities together geographically — for example grocery shopping, visiting the dry cleaner and gassing up the car all in one trip. Rehearse and visualize your desired responses (verbal or behavioral) to uncomfortable situations, or those that test your willpower: from talking to relatives about an uncomfortable subject to refusing another piece of pie. Decide — before things get hectic — what you will do to energize and relax. If you anticipate resistance to taking a few minutes to yourself, practice your response (including compromise) to that resistance. The proper response to what you think may cause you stress may just be a polite “no, thanks” or simply walking away.
Try not to admonish yourself for failure to accomplish a goal, avoid temptation or control your temper. Instead, explore the reasons for the failure and consider what would make your desired behavior more likely next time. Instead of a “to-do” list, write a “have-done” list at the end of the day. This reduces pressure and allows for spontaneity during the day. If you live alone, beware of isolation. Choose activities to keep you interested and engaged with others through a potentially difficult or lonely time. Talk about your feelings. Interact by email, phone, text or in person with two to three people every day who you know to be responsive, supportive and inclusive. Steer clear of any situation, or any conversation, that makes you uncomfortable or angry. Holiday time is not the time to try to educate or persuade others (this includes fellow drivers). Wait to start anything new — a project, a new behavior, a new discipline, a new relationship — until after the holidays. This will “build in” something to look forward to and help keep you focused on immediate obligations.
Prioritize obligations and chores according to the severity of the consequences incurred for not doing them. Multitask. Think of small tasks you can fit in between larger ones. Examples are stretching while waiting for cookies to bake; deep breathing while waiting in line at the post office; etc. Break long or difficult tasks into smaller chunks. Stimulate the brain with varied activities but be mindful of the potentially energy- and timesapping effects of interruptions. Keep your external environment (office, office desk, home including kitchen and bathrooms, your wallet, your car, the kids’ rooms) free of clutter — no piles of dishes, newspapers, clothes, store receipts or cluttered email in-box. A neat external environment will help you avoid feeling crowded and overwhelmed. Encourage family members to join you in this effort. Make time for sleep, proper breathing (stress makes us “chest breathe”) adequate water consumption (coffee doesn’t count), fresh air and rejuvenating movement (canned-goods arm curls and stair climbing count as movement). Proper rest and fuel will boost your confidence and mood.
Choose healthy items and eat them first. This will fill you up quicker and more sustainably, leaving you less room (but still enough) for less healthy-but-ohso-tempting choices. If you already have a healthy routine or healthy habits that make you feel good and energized, stick to them. If you don’t, this may not be the time to establish them. You may feel deprived and resentful. Suspend judgment — of your self-control, of a relative’s decorations or cooking technique, of others’ driving skills, of the gifts you give or get. Avoid bargaining with yourself (“OK, tomorrow I’ll go back on my diet.”). Doing so suggests that you have judged your behavior negatively.
Whatever you choose to do, do it consciously, with grace, gratitude and joy! Y
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Virginia Cutchin is an independent intercultural communications trainer and consultant, and a certified health/wellness and executive coach. Her experiences living and working in other countries, and her background in psychology, philosophy, political science and physiology/nutrition have all contributed to the creation of her Whole Life Health coaching programs. Contact her at 571-527-6363 or at Virginia@TransitionSuccess.net See her blog: http://wholelifeheath.info
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