2016 Health & Wellness

Health & Wellness

The Herald ■ YO U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 8 9 5 DUBOISCOUNTYHERALD.COM

DUBOIS COUNTY, INDIANA

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016 SECTION B

PAGE 2 ■ HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

PHOTOS FROM PERSONAL TRAINER FOOD AND FE FIT/CREATORS.COM

Healthy dinners can be easy to make and satisfying to eat, while setting daily health goals will make your desired outcome easier to achieve.

New habits: Make, stick to healthy changes

By KRISTEN CASTILLO Creators.com “It’s never too late for a new beginning,” says Stephanie Merchant, who is the founder of The Nutrition Mom and calls herself a “former junk food junkie.”

When she was 40, Merchant was 50 pounds overweight and taking antidepressants as well as heart medication.

“I knew my future did not look bright if I stayed on that same path, and I also realized that I was setting my children up for the same,” she says. “That was my catalyst for change.”

Merchant, who says habits are formed by “example, repetition and familiarity” focused on getting healthy and eating better. She lost the weight and doesn’t need those medications anymore.

She encourages others to get healthy, too, and offers this reminder: “It’s not a temporary path to a fast goal. Decide you want it and know why.”

Developing healthy habits Consistent sleep, eating well and exercising daily are ideal goals.

“Starting and sticking to a healthy routine is a major mental challenge,” says Chris Carr, a sports and performance psychologist at St. Vincent Sports Performance.

While there’s no set timeline for each individual to successfully adapt and stick to a new routine, studies suggest meaningful change takes time.

Research based on cosmetic surgeon Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s 1960s self-help book, “Psycho Cybernetics, a New Way to Get More Living Out of Life,” indicated habits were formed after 21 days. The latest research indicates it takes about 66 days to stick with that new routine.

Even weight-loss programs are designed to yield consistent results for the long term. Jenny Craig, for example, promises participants will lose 10 pounds in eight weeks or they’ll get back their first two months’ worth of membership fees.

So how can you develop healthy habits?

Set goals “Know what outcome you want to achieve, and the process to get there,” says Carr. “Setting daily goals can help you achieve that.

Each night, write down one to three goals you want to accomplish the next day.”

Carr says goals should be what he calls SCRAM: “specific, chal-

lenging, realistic, adjustable and measurable.” Examples include, “I want to run for one mile without stopping” or “I want to turn my phone off and go to bed by 10 p.m.”

Exercise daily “Put exercise in the hierarchy of must do’s,” says Melonie DeRose, co-founder of Fe Fit, a 90-day fitness package for women, who explains exercising is a good habit, just like brushing your teeth or eating.

Have a daily plan, but don’t be too rigid or you won’t follow through.

“Don’t create a workout schedule with seven days of running or a meal plan with seven days of cauliflower if you’ve never enjoyed running or cauliflower,” says DeRose. “Don’t set yourself up for failure.”

Healthy eating “If you want to lose or maintain your weight, focus on eating meats, vegetables, eggs, cheeses and nuts,” says Shane Allen, a

certified weight loss specialist, personal trainer and sports nutritionist with Personal Trainer Food. “Avoid sugars and starchy carbs like bread, pasta, rice and gravies.”

Find a partner “Don’t sweat or eat alone,” says DeRose. “Chances are the people around you want to eat healthier, as well.”

Share your health and fitness goals with a friend or family member. Being accountable to that person with regular visits, calls, texts and food and exercise logs can keep you on track and prevent you from giving up.

Visualize success “It is important to visualize what to do,” says Carr, who suggests visualizing doing an activity, such as walking. “Just like relaxation, the more you practice, the better your concentration and focus will become.”

Mix things up “Routines are like relation-

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Snooze A regular sleep schedule is a great healthy habit too. Track your sleep patterns, including bedtimes, wake ups and restlessness.

“Go to bed and get out of bed at the same time as often as you can” even on weekends, says DeRose.

Whether you want to improve your diet, fitness, sleep or other areas, stay focused. With time, persistence and a plan, you can develop healthy habits.

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Track your routine Keeping track of your efforts to develop healthy habits can keep

you focused. “Write down positive mental aspects of your day, and how you can repeat them,” says Carr. “Also write down negative thoughts, and how you will do better the next day.”

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ships,” says DeRose. “You need to spice it up every now and then.”

For healthy success, you need to change up your routine. Add a new class, try a new fitness video or do 10 extra minutes of a core workout. That way, your mind and your body won’t get bored.

After a few weeks of one routine, change things up. Mix up meals, too. DeRose suggests adding one or two new recipes a week to your healthy meal plan. “Keep things interesting around the dinner table,” she says.

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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 3

Immunodeficiency disorder often undiagnosed

By CHELLE CORDERO Creators.com If you’ve ever heard a sneeze at the other end of a movie theater and worried that you were going to catch a cold, you may be suffering from an immunodeficiency disorder. It isn’t uncommon for patients to go years complaining of “feeling sick” (general malaise, fatigue, nausea, headaches, etc.) and being labeled hypochondriacs before receiving a diagnosis. Depending on family and personal medical history, doctors can order specific blood tests that can help pinpoint an immunodeficiency disorder. Finally getting the answer to “what is wrong with me?” can be freeing and vindicating.

Immunodeficiency disorders weaken the immune system’s ability to fight bacteria, viruses, fungi and cancer cells. A healthy immune system creates antibodies to fight off viruses, bacteria and other antigens. Healthy body cells have proteins that are considered antigens, but under ordinary conditions, these antigens are recognized as normal and accepted.

Immunity to alien antigens is usually developed by exposure or immunizations, and the body’s cells unite to protect against these harmful intruders. People who suffer from Epstein-Barr virus, chronic fatigue syndrome and nutritional deficiencies will develop more pervasive immunodeficiency disorders.

Approximately one-quarter of patients who have immunodeficiency disorders also have an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the antigens of healthy cells. Many people automatically think of AIDS when they think of

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Barcodes provide medical personnel with information used to identify patients. weakened immune systems, but that is only one of many; AIDS is the most virulent and serious of all the autoimmune disorders.

AIDS develops after human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, destroys CD4-positive T cells (white blood cells), which are crucial to the body’s natural defense mechanism.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, autoimmune disorders

affect more than 23 million Americans. A few of the most common autoimmune disorders are multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, lupus, celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It’s possible to have more than one autoimmune disorder at the same time. Some other known disorders include Addison’s disease, dermatomyositis, Graves’ disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Hashimoto’s disease, myasthenia gravis, pernicious

Play sports without injuring eyes

By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com Sports injuries account for an estimated 100,000 physician visits for kids each year, and sports cause about 40,000 eye injuries each year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Three-quarters of sports-related eye injuries are suffered by men aged 18 to 34, with baseball and basketball named as the highest-risk sports when it comes to eye damage. Additional high-risk sports include hockey, football, lacrosse, tennis, fencing and water polo. Very high-risk sports involve body contact and do not include the use of eye protectors, such as wrestling, boxing and contact martial arts.

All it takes is for a bat to shatter, a ball hit or pitched at high speed to meet an eye socket, or an opponent’s fingernail to poke or scratch the eye, and a serious injury can occur. Some are immediately recognized as severe, but sometimes the damage is hidden from view. The eye is such a complex structure that it is essential to get any eye injury assessed and treated by a specialist.

Different types of eye injuries, according to the National Institutes of Health: ■■ Blunt trauma. Blunt trauma is the cause of most sports-related eye injuries, occurring when something hits you in the eye. This may include a detached retina, a broken bone under the eyeball, orbital and lid contusions, iris injury, ruptured globe, retinal hemorrhage, retinal tears, and blood in the anterior chamber, among other serious conditions. Corneal abrasion is the most common ef-

fect of blunt trauma to the eye.

■■ Penetrating injury. This occurs when something cuts into your eye -- a fingernail scrape, shards of a broken bat or other piercing or cutting damage to the eye. The cuts or scrapes can be mild or deep.

■■ Debris in the eye. Any foreign body, such as dirt, road salt or sports-field products can move under the eyelid, block tear ducts or cause abrasions to the eyeball

or eyelids.

■■ Radiation injuries. Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, such as while skiing, boating, water skiing or other water sports, can injure the eye.

The good news is that 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing sanctioned protective eyewear See EYES on Page 4

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anemia, reactive arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome. Symptoms vary between patients based on the type of disorder and their overall health history but may include fatigue, fever, joint pain, rashes and a general feeling of illness.

After a physical exam by the doctor, blood tests and urinalysis may be conducted. Treatments may be recommended to help control the body’s ability to recognize healthy protein and antigens and continue to fight outside bacteria, viruses and toxins.

Anti-rejection drugs are often prescribed for transplant patients to allow the body to tolerate and avoid attacking the new organ.

Immunosuppressant drugs may be prescribed when autoimmune disorders such as lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis and alopecia areata are present to help suppress the inner-body attacks. Some common immunosuppressant drugs are corticosteroids (such as prednisone) and nonsteroidal drugs such as azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, sirolimus and tacrolimus. Patients who are prescribed anti-rejection and immunosuppressant medications need to be careful about contracting infections and be proactive about contacting their doctors if they develop any signs of doing so. Over-the-counter cold, flu or pain medications may make you feel

better temporarily but in reality are simply masking the cause of your discomfort.

A healthy diet is one of the best defenses of maintaining your body’s natural immune system.

Nutrients to be included in a basic diet include protein, vitamins A, C and E and zinc. Other additions to enhance the body’s defenses should include vitamin B-6, folic acid, selenium and iron, as well as both prebiotics and probiotics.

Some over-the-counter supplements, though not proven (in most cases), that may increase the body’s ability to ward off infections include vitamin supplements, herbal mixes and some popular and self-named immunity booster blends; speak with your doctor before adding over-the-counter mixes to your daily regimen to make sure they won’t cause an overdose or counteract other medications.

The best way to enhance your immunity is through a healthy diet; the guidance of a nutritionist may be advised.

Living with the unknown of an immunodeficiency disorder can be frightening, disorienting and frustrating.

Getting the proper medical advice, having knowledge and joining support groups can help. A good source of resources and information is http://health finder.gov.

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PAGE 4 ■ HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Money, muscle: Are workouts too expensive?

By JEANELLE D. HORCASITAS Creators.com Working out and committing to a healthy lifestyle can be tough, especially if it means changing your routine.

Jogging or cycling early in the morning or after a long day of work can take some getting used to. However, if you do not make exercise an active and necessary part of your schedule, it just won’t happen. Sure, you can use the excuse that you’re too busy — but a one-hour workout is actually only 4 percent of your entire day.

OK, but what about those expensive gym memberships or recreation classes? Even if you have the time, do you have the money to pay for a membership fee every month?

Although some people may consider it an investment and motivation to make sure they go to the gym regularly, you really don’t need to pay a dime to be healthy and fit. There are plenty of free resources out there to keep you motivated, accountable and, more importantly, active, strong and healthy!

Nike+ Training Club app Sometimes making the trip to attend a class or go to the gym can be a drag. However, with the NTC app, you have the option of working out from the comfort of your own home, or even going to the park or beach to get in a quick and fun workout. If you have a smartphone, you can download the app now and sign up for free.

You can find countless types of workouts under one of the following categories: “popular,” “get lean,” “get toned,” “get strong” or “get focused.” A few examples of workout options are high-intensity interval training, lifting light weights to build definition and specific, targeted workouts (abs, arms, legs).

Additionally, you can start at whatever level you feel most comfortable with: beginner, intermediate or advanced. You even have the option to customize the workout with more or less of a specific exercise. You can also check out the workout review and get a breakdown of each circuit and how long you will be doing each exercise for.

With countless, free workouts at your fingertips, it couldn’t get much better -- right? Well, it can.

Not only do you have a voice guiding you through each step of the workout, you also have the ability to pause on one of the circuits and watch a clip on how to appropriately do the exercise and then resume the workout. This component is wonderful for beginners who may not be familiar with what the workout is, and it can show you proper way to position your body to get the most out of the exercise!

This app also approximates the number of calories you burn in the workout and adds to your NikeFuel. NikeFuel is awarded once you’ve completed a workout, and it gets added to your profile.

Watching your NikeFuel bar rise higher and higher with your progress is an amazing feeling!

You can also add friends using this app and keep each other accountable, or even create your own four-week program to ensure you meet your goals. I love the NTC app because it encourages you to push yourself to the next level and be the very best version of yourself.

Nike+ Running app Another favorite is the Nike+ Running app. Similar to the NTC app, the Nike+ Running app keeps track of your runs. It tracks how many miles you’ve run total to date, shows a graph of your activity each week, tells you your average pace and the total calories burned from the run.

Additionally, this app is great because you can start challenges with your friends. This is a great way to add some friendly competition to the mix and motivate each other to meet the mileage goal.

You even get a virtual trophy if you win first place! You also get small reminders throughout the week to go on a run and stay in the race with the other competitors. The NTC and Nike+ running apps are a match made in heaven — especially if you like to mix up your workout routine and stay on track.

Although these apps are great resources for workouts, simply taking a 20- to 30-minute walk outside every day, going on a hike or even taking the stairs instead of the elevator all contribute to a happy and healthy lifestyle. So make the time to take care of and love yourself by keeping your body fit. And now that you know working out can be free and as simple as a click on your phone, there are no more excuses. It’s time to get out there and work.

Eyes (Concluded from Page 3) tailored to your sport and meeting strict standards for safety, such as those of the American Society of Testing and Materials Standards.

The National Institutes of Health advises that only 3-millimeter polycarbonate lenses should be used in protective sports eyewear.

Choose function over style, and wisely invest more in your eye protection gear.

Ignore any advice to let the eye’s tears clear away any debris, and don’t trust your own vision looking at any eye bruises or cuts to rule out any serious eye injury.

Damage within the eye can only be accurately seen and assessed by an eye doctor or ER specialist.

If left untreated, eye injuries can lead to infection, further injury or vision loss, says the Department of Health and Human Services.

If you or your child has had previous eye injuries, the corneal epithelium may repeatedly break

down, and the epithelium may be torn off.

If foreign bodies are left in the eye, blinking or eye movements can lead to abrasions. And metallic foreign bodies can rust onto the eye, permanently staining the cornea. Hemorrhage may occur from blunt trauma to the eye, and this can be paired with retinal detachment. A damaged or dislocated lens increases the chances of a cataract developing. And damage to the drainage portions of the eye can lead to glaucoma later in life.

These risks of vision loss and infection are quite serious, and again, almost all damage can be prevented with the proper use of eye protection. If any injury occurs on or around the eye, see an eye specialist right away for your method of care and injury treatment. You’ll also want your physician’s best advice on when you or your child can return to playing sports safely.

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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 5

Chronic sitting leads to diseases that kill

By MARILYNN PRESTON Creators.com Sit happens. Everyday, millions of Americans spend eight to 14 or more hours on their behinds, sitting. I’m talking to you. Think about your day: driving, commuting, working at a desk. You sit when you eat, watch TV, answer emails, read a book, play a video game, knit booties. The truth is we modern Americans sit so much it passes for totally normal behavior. We don’t even think about it, do we?

Well, start thinking. Pull up your life-shortening chair and listen to this: There are now more than 10,000 studies showing that too much sitting is a terribly destructive thing to do to your health and well-being.

Your body thrives on movement, and when you make it sit for hours at a time, you create serious damage at a cellular level.

Research shows prolonged sitting significantly raises your risk of developing heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, insomnia, arthritis, osteoporosis and so much more. It’s hard to believe chairs are still legal. If 70 is the new 50, sitting is the new smoking.

And don’t think your daily workouts will protect you. Nope.

Chronic sitting is an independent risk factor, meaning all the risk correlations hold true no matter how much you exercise. It sounds too bad to be true, but the research is clear.

And that’s why I want to spend the rest of this column, not on the sitting-kills research (which is astonishing) but on what can you do

minutes or so before I rise again.

I found a ton of anecdotal evidence online about stand-up desks — some with treadmills — curing back pain, insomnia, fatigue and more, and I’m not surprised. But too much standing can also create health problems (varicose veins, for instance) so stay tuned into your body and rest in your chair when you need to.

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Research shows that sitting all day can have a negative impact on your health. to sit less, micro move more and educate yourself about the benefits of standing: Use a standing desk If sitting kills, standing saves.

That’s why stand-up desks are quickly rising in popularity in offices, in homes, and especially at my home, where I’m happily standing now, in front of my new Varidesk, a clever, affordable design that I’ve been showing off to friends like a new puppy.

Other stand-ups I researched looked too corporate and would have meant replacing my beloved old wooden desk. The Varidesk sits on top and has an easy, springassisted lift that takes me from sitting to standing in a couple of seconds. I love it ... and I’m pretty sure it loves me.

It comes with an app for standup alerts, but I’m just using my own body awareness — gradually standing longer and longer until my legs tire, then sitting for 30

Move more One sure cure for too much sitting is getting up every hour and moving for 10 minutes or so. Is that so hard? Apparently, yes. So do what you have to do — an app, a phone alert, a kitchen timer — to remind yourself to stand, to stretch, to do neck rolls, air squats, and other energizing movements. There’s also walking to the water cooler, jumping rope, practicing your tango moves. Mercola.com is an excellent source for videos demonstrating the kind of intermittent exercises you should be doing, standing up and moving at least once every hour. “I was able to reduce my normal 12 to 14 hours of sitting to under

one hour,” Dr. Joe Mercola reports. “And I noticed one amazing thing — the back pain I’ve struggled with for many years, simply disappeared.”

Read this book If you want to understand the science behind sitting no, standing yes, moving more, read Dr. James Levine’s recent book, “Get Up! Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It.” He’s the Mayo Clinic endocrinologist and pioneering researcher who documented the perils of too much sitting in 2000, way before it was accepted as true. And now he’s a leading voice for change in the work place, at home, and very importantly, in schools, where prolonged sitting hurts kids and stifles creativity.

“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death,” Levine writes in his book.

I hope you’re convinced. Stand more; sit less. Now it’s time for me to lower my desk and rest my case.

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PAGE 6 ■ HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Golden age of fitness includes smart eating

By CHELLE CORDERO Creators.com There are horror stories about seniors struggling with their food budgets and dietary needs. Even canned cat food isn’t so cheap anymore. These days, many senior citizens find that they are not financially prepared to head into retirement; one of the biggest common concerns is having enough money to afford a healthy and nutritionally complete diet.

When the budget is hardly enough to cover the necessities, any available food money left over is stretched to buy quantity and not quality.

Aging normally brings its own health risks and problems. Malnutrition is not uncommon as people age, because of a combination of physiological and social reasons.

Bones lose density, activity decreases, dental hygiene suffers as teeth fall out, loneliness or bereavement can cause depression and gastrointestinal changes may cause loss of appetite. Metabolism slows, there is more strain on the kidneys and heart, years of hearty living wears down the body and vitamin deficiencies take their toll.

Even a lack of transportation can reduce the opportunity to go shopping in a store with decent pricing and selection. Proper nutrition is necessary to help keep the senior years golden.

Loading the food pantry and dinner plates with nutrientrich, low-calorie foods is vital to healthy eating. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that people ages 50 and older concentrate on fruits,11⁄2 to 21⁄2 cups of vegetables, 2 to 31⁄2 cups of grains, 5 to 10 ounces of protein foods, 5 to 7 ounces of dairy foods, 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk, 5 to 8 teaspoons of oils and small amounts of solid fats and added sugars. Staying fit and eating right can add productive years to an adult’s life. Seniors need to stay active with regular physical activities such as walking and keeping busy with work, hobbies or socializing with others. They should also stay active mentally, doing things like reading, card games and puzzles.

Everyone can stretch their shopping dollars by checking grocery fliers for prices and special offers, as well as cutting and using coupons. Write up a weekly menu

based on sale prices and seasonal specials, then make a detailed list and stick to it in the store. Buy only the quantities that can be safely used and stored before going bad. Read the nutrition labels; sometimes the cheaper product is stingy with the nutrients you should be eating. Compare store brands against name brands; many are just as good, but cost a lot less. Use common sense about the cost of transportation versus store location and shop where you get the best prices. Some communities will provide shuttles to shopping centers for seniors and other select groups; inquire if your community does that and know what shopping would be available to you.

If you are able to treat yourself and dine out once in a while, check out early bird and senior specials. Concentrate on ordering low-fat and low-sodium dishes, read the nutrition guides that are sometimes included in menus and make healthier selections. Don’t be shy about asking for take-out containers to bring home any leftovers for lunch the next day.

You can reduce your dining en-

Loading dinner plates with nutrient-rich, low-calorie food is vital to healthy eating.

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tertainment expenses if you can organize a small group to participate in a dine-a-round where each person cooks a healthy portion of the meal and you go from kitchen to kitchen or take turns hosting the shared dishes in one other’s homes for an inexpensive evening out with dinner and friends.

Several senior centers host free or reduced-rate meals for low-income seniors. There are also food delivery programs available that will bring groceries or meals to your door, sometimes for free. Call your local municipalities, senior centers, or local houses of worship to find out

what is available in the area. To help maintain a healthy level of physical activity, contact local shopping malls, community centers, libraries and local YMCAs to find out about walker programs, swimming sessions and low impact exercise programs.

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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 7

Study: Type of thyroid cancer should be reclassified

By DAVID TEMPLETON Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PITTSBURGH — People diagnosed with a particular type of thyroid cancer and aggressively treated for it actually didn’t have cancer after all.

That’s the conclusion of 24 endocrinology pathologists from seven countries, which the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine empaneled to reconsider the diagnosis and treatment of Encapsulated Follicular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

The panel reviewed numerous tumor-cell samples and did an exhaustive review of the medical literature, among other efforts, before concluding that the condition was precancerous but not cancer itself.

The panel determined that the precancerous nodule that causes a lump in the neck rarely recurs or leads to complications once removed, with no further treatment necessary.

“We’ve known for a significant amount of time that this type of cancer is very indolent (inactive) with low potential to spread to the

neck or outside of it, or to recur, or to cause death,” said Yuri E. Nikiforov, a professor of pathology and director of Pitt’s Division of Molecular and Genomic Pathology. “Still we had to call it a cancer.”

That’s because the nuclei of cells in the nodule look like that of cancer cell under the microscope, he said. But considering it a cancer represents an overdiagnosis resulting in overtreatment, including removal of the entire thyroid, radioactive iodine treatment and annual re-examinations.

Nikiforov led the effort to organize the panel and then served as lead author of the study published online Wednesday in JAMA Oncology.

The panel of experts said these specific thyroid nodules that cause a lump in the neck must be removed but additional treatment is unnecessary with less than a 1 percent chance of recurrence and low potential for complications.

“For that reason, we concluded we shouldn’t call it a cancer and shouldn’t subject patients to the psychological stress of that name, along with a second surgery to

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remove the rest of the thyroid, radioactive iodine treatment, with follow-up examinations, and bloodwork every year for the rest of their lives,” Nikiforov said.

“The risk of being harmed by this disease is extremely low.”

To his knowledge, he said, the study represents the first time in the modern era of medicine that a type of cancer has been reclassified as a noncancerous: “I hope it will set an example for other expert groups to address nomenclature of various cancer types that have indolent behavior, to prevent inappropriate and costly treatment.”

Certain types of prostate, breast and lung cancers, he said, also are indolent forms that could be reclassified by following the blueprint the thyroid panel established in the JAMA study, he said.

In the United States, 65,000 peo-

ple are diagnosed annually with thyroid cancers including 12,000 people diagnosed with the encapsulated-follicular-variant cancer.

It can occur at any age but most commonly is found in middle-aged females with a female-to-male ratio of 5-1.

The study provides physicians sufficient basis to refrain from treating the condition as a cancer, he said: “Patients who have such a diagnosis should contact their doctor with the request to have their diagnosis reviewed and reclassified, according to what the study recommends.”

He also said the panel will present its results to the World Health Organization to have the condition reclassified. “When you publish such a consensus paper, a doctor has the right to rediagnose it,” he said. “I have cases on my desk today and tomorrow I will

start calling them as the new entity, and the word cancer will no longer be given to these patients.”

Gene Finley, deputy director of medical oncology for the Allegheny Health Network, said the welldesigned study involving many experts in the field supports a trend in thyroid-cancer treatment in backing away from aggressive treatment.

“You don’t need to do much to manage people with thyroid cancers, and you need to be intellectually honest and rethink how you are classifying individuals so you don’t stigmatize them with the label of cancer,” he said. “The paper makes a good point that this subgroup of patients doesn’t require aggressive therapy.

“This is part of a general trend of de-escalating treatment of thyroid cancer in general and all to the good,” he said.

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PAGE 8 ■ HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Get healthier by replacing fat with muscle

By TAWNY MAYA MCCRAY Creators.com Today our motivation for working out is less about how we’ll look in a bathing suit and more about doing things that are good for our bodies and minds — and can still result in us rocking a killer beach bod. With everything from CrossFit, boot camps and boxing to yoga and one-on-one training, there are a number of ways to keep our bodies healthy and fit.

“I’m anti-thigh gap,” said Gwendolyn Mets, 37. “Skinny has never been a goal for me, I just think it sends the wrong message to young girls.”

Mets, who admits she’s been slim her whole life, experienced a sudden weight gain two years ago when she had to undergo a hysterectomy. She gained about 35 pounds in less than six months, leaving her with low energy and low confidence.

“I feel like I was trapped in my own skin,” she said. “Then one day I woke up and thought, ‘I don’t want to feel this way anymore.’ That’s when my fit journey began.”

She said she never enjoyed going to the gym and running on a treadmill. She needed something with more intensity, so she decided to take up boxing. She soon found that her new activity was a great fit for her, since it’s high impact, high energy and it hits every muscle group. Mets worked up to a boxing routine of five to six days a week for an hour or two and has seen a huge transformation with her body. In nine months she’s dropped 50 pounds and gone from a size 12 to a size 6.

“I’m leaner, stronger and have abs for the first time in my life,” she laughed.

Mets added that she also overhauled her diet, and now eats five times a day plus juices daily. An example of what she eats in a day consists of oatmeal with bananas and green apples and a veggie shake that includes apples, car-

rots, spinach, kale, parsley and cucumber for breakfast; a protein shake mid-morning; egg whites cooked in coconut oil, sauteed spinach, kale and a baked sweet potato for lunch; sauteed zucchini, carrot strips and tofu in ginger sauce in the late afternoon; and whole grain bread with peanut butter in the evening.

“This isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle,” she said. “It took me a while to figure out what foods worked for me and what I needed to eliminate. It’s a process.”

The foods she has eliminated include pasta, rice, white potatoes, corn and meat.

Tamara Fanning, 37, has owned her small boutique gym, Get Fit On Adams, for eight years.

The gym encompasses everything from group circuit classes to oneon-one and small group training, and has an option for the client to work out independently. Fanning has 18 one-on-one clients and 15 clients who do group classes and work out independently in the gym. She said her clients are all working out to be fit rather than just to get skinny.

“My clientele want to carry their groceries up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath, learn to balance so they can kayak, or just feel stronger and healthier every day,” she said.

Fanning said when beginning any workout routine, it’s important to take measures to ensure you don’t injure yourself. Hiring a personal trainer is one way to go about that.

“We are educated professionals that know the human body and how to guide it into a better state of health and fitness without injury,” she said. “I have never had a client injured in the 18 years I have been a trainer, but I have heard many horror stories.”

According to a Washington Post article from 2014, one reason muscle is trending, experts say, is the increased media attention on female athletes. Using the 2012 Summer Olympics in Lon-

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don as an example, the article states that not only did female athletes outnumber their male counterparts for the first time; they also received more screen time and on-air mentions than men. The article pointed out that coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi reflected a similar change.

Fanning said she finds it re-

freshing that the trend today is working out to be fit, because it has the potential to create a healthier population.

“It is super-important to be fit for basic quality of life; it makes for a happy life,” she said. “You feel better, you have more energy, and you spend less time at the doctor’s office.”

Mets, a mom to a 6-year-old boy

and 5-year-old girl, said while all that has been true for her, her goal from the beginning has been to be the best version of herself for her kids.

“I want them to see mom as happy as possible and as healthy as possible,” she said. “I never want my daughter to feel that beautiful is a number on her jeans or a scale.”

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HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 9

Make smart eating decisions when traveling

By CHARLYN FARGO Creators.com For most of us, eating healthy on the road can be challenging.

There’s the temptation of snacking, trying foods that may or may not be healthy choices or settling for fast food.

A recent Environmental Nutrition newsletter offers some strategies for when traveling: ■■ 1. Pack some healthy choices to take with you whether you are traveling by train, plane or automobile. Use a small insulated cooler with ice for perishables. Make sure snacks and meals include good sources of fiber and protein.

The fiber slows digestion, helping you stay full, and the protein is filling and can help curb overeating later.

■■ 2. Choose lean proteins such as lean jerky, string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, hummus or nuts and seeds. Research shows that high-quality protein can improve satiety, control weight and prevent chronic disease.

■■ 3. Add a fiber-rich food such as dried or fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, precooked oatmeal, whole grain crackers and popcorn.

■■ 4. When dining out, look for better sandwiches — those with lots of vegetables, grilled chicken or turkey and hummus. Or choose a healthy salad with colorful vegetables, grilled chicken, beans, nuts or seeds and the dressing on the side.

■■ 5. Beware of descriptors like crispy, crunchy, battered, breaded or tempura.

■■ 6. Be sure and hydrate with

water, tea (mint tea can help an upset stomach; chamomile tea soothes anxiety).

■■ 7. Make your own homemade trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, seeds and high fiber cereal.

This recipe for grilled lemon chicken with feta rice, from Cooking Light magazine is high in protein, low in fat and quick to make. Best of all, it fits into a healthy Mediterranean diet and can be packaged for road trips.

Grilled Lemon Chicken With Feta Rice 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 2 teaspoons minced garlic Cooking spray 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 2 (81⁄2 ounce) pouches precooked brown rice 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh basil Combine chicken, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon oil and garlic in a zip-top bag; turn to coat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over mediumhigh heat. Coat pan with cook-

ing spray. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade Sprinkle chicken with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper; grill 6 minutes on each side.

While chicken cooks, heat rice according to package directions. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a

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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Motivational mantra: Don’t stop, can’t stop, won’t stop

By JULIA PRICE Creators.com Working out is the best way to stay healthy and happy, but sometimes getting to the gym feels like such a hassle. You may feel tired, have low energy or be short on time. Maybe it’s cold and rainy out and your favorite Netflix show is calling your name. But the thing is, working out produces chemicals called endorphins, which are released when you exercise. Endorphins make you feel great, activated and help to increase your overall mood. This can increase your energy levels, overall productivity and general well-being.

Sometimes, knowing this is not enough. That’s when you need to find some additional motivation.

Luckily, the Internet is filled with motivational content. If you use Instagram, you can type, “motivation,” or, “inspiration,” into the search bar under the “tag” section. As soon as you hit search, your feed will be filled with mantras that get your butt moving and ready to exercise. You can conduct similar searches on Twitter and Facebook, but Instagram seems

to be more organized and easy to use when it comes to finding great quotes.

There’s a fast-growing trend of spreading inspiration, and some of the big names out there are working hard to keep their social media filled with new ways to keep you on track. New York Times best-selling author Lewis Howes (@lewishowes on Instagram) has a mix of classic and unique mantras that are as inspiring as watching Rocky Balboa enter the ring. You’ll be pushed into the next gear -- whether you’re ready to be or not! He also has a podcast, called “The School of Greatness,” so if you’re better at listening than reading, check it out. Amanda Bisk (@amandabisk) is another empowering force to be reckoned with! She’s a former

pole vaulter who has transitioned into teaching yoga, and her photos are mantras themselves. They remind us all that we only have one body and we better use it right!

You can also try YouTube for some tough love. Coach Flowers’ video has over 1 million views,and he’s definitely a tough cookie, but his words are powerful. You can also try searching for “fitness,” “motivational speeches”

or “workout mantras,” and you’ll have hundreds of videos to choose from. If you don’t find a voice that truly speaks to you, continue to search until you do.

To get you started, here are three mantras that you can try repeating in moments of need: ■■ “Don’t stop when you are tired; stop when you’re done.” — Manuel Tratter.

■■ “Strength does not come

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HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 11

Fitness at your fingertips: Keep tabs on your health

By Sharon Naylor Creators.com Today’s interactive fitness and wellness trackers have added extra efficiency to diets, exercise, stress reduction, sleep and even water consumption for better health. Fitbit, Jawbone UP, Withings and other tech tools have become part of the American lexicon for those seeking to improve their wellness levels, lose weight and enjoy life more.

According to a recent Pew Research Center report, about 69 percent of U.S. adults track at least one health metric, from steps taken in a day to calories consumed.

While many use automated trackers like Fitbit, some still attempt to track their daily progress in their heads. However, thinking, “I walked enough today” doesn’t deliver the accuracy of a Fitbit reporting that you are 2,000 steps shy of your daily goal. Seeing the numbers on screen can encourage you to jog after lunch or inspire you to take the kids outside for a bike ride, hike or to walk the dog.

The benefits of personal health trackers are well-recorded, with a Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research study revealing that keeping a food diary can dramatically increase weight loss.

Dr. Jack Hollis, lead author of the study, says, “Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records.” The act of entering food items consumed into a personal health tracker can keep you honest about your dietary habits, and serve as a deterrent against eating that cupcake at work.

As part of a wellness plan, sleep is also an important factor.

According to the National Sleep Council, “We spend up to onethird of our lives asleep, and the overall state of our sleep health remains an essential question throughout our lifespan.” Yet, quality of sleep throughout the natural cycles of light, deep and REM sleep affects overall health, with deficits contributing to heart disease, diabetes and depression, among other health risks. Online sleep trackers and apps allow you to record your sleep cycles, track your sleeping hours and work towards a plan for healthier sleep.

Some apps may even point out a risk of sleep apnea, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

Additional personal health trackers give you an opportunity to see your exertion statistics, from steps taken to calories burned, distance traveled and other indicators. You can tailor your stat reports to the sport or activity of your choice. The tracker will then create spreadsheets that let you track your progress overtime, boosting your self-confidence when you look back months later on your improvements in exercise duration and distance. Or, if you’ve been underperforming, deliver a no-nonsense, just-the-facts motivation to pick up your pace and recommit to your efforts.

You can personalize your health statistics via your choice of tracker, such as choosing between the Fitbit Charge that has a pedometer reporting your steps, distance, number of floors climbed, sleep tracker and a caller ID for incoming calls, and the Fitbit Flex that can be worn day or night, and has no display other than a series of lights. You’ll then access your data via a Bluetooth or wireless USB connection and viewing your dashboard online.

If you’re motivated by competi-

tion, a number of trackers will let you compare stats with friends, which can elevate your performance when you know that other eyes are on your statistics. Wendy Bumgardner, walking expert on About.com, says, “If you have friends who use a Fitbit, you can see how you compare with them for steps, distance, active points and very active time. You can also join groups and compare yourself to the group.”

And various trackers will allow you to enter your weight and body mass index for a reliable record of your weight loss or gain.

These statistics are of tremendous use to your own wellness goals, and they also provide a valuable record for your doctor during your checkup or during medical monitoring for a health issue or illness or injury recovery.

When your tracker records your steps and heart rate automatically, you don’t have to conduct the work of recording yourself, and your tracker becomes a silent partner in your wellness goals.

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When it comes to health conditions like diabetes, knowing that you have personal health tracking capabilities can allow you to feel more in control, and for stress, anxiety or depression, moodtracking apps can help you adjust your activities and help diminish worrisome thoughts.

Some additional types of trackers include ones for productivity, keeping you on track to achieve a goal, and an app to remind you to improve your posture, which may help ward off back, neck and hip pain.

Each of these personal health trackers aid in your wellness goals, and to further help, services like IFTTT combine multiple statistic types from your trackers and online entries to create a comprehensive report of your health and wellness, as well as areas in need of improvement in the future.

Talk with your doctor about the health and wellness details you should be tracking, and ask about his or her recommendations regarding health trackers and apps.

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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Untreated moderate to severe scoliosis may progress From Mayo Clinic News Network

it checked periodically may be all that’s needed. Most of the time, these small curves don’t get worse over time.

When the curve is in the 20to 40-degree range, however, and a child has at least two years of growth remaining, that’s when a brace typically is a good choice.

Wearing a brace doesn’t cure scoliosis or reverse the curve, but it usually prevents the curve from getting worse.

The most common type of brace is made of plastic and is contoured to a child’s body. It fits under the arms and around the rib cage, lower back and hips. To be most effective, the brace must be worn day and night. Children who wear a brace for scoliosis usually can participate in most activities and have few restrictions. If necessary, kids can take off the brace to participate in sports or other

Dear Mayo Clinic: Is wearing a brace full-time the only treatment option for a child with scoliosis? What are the risks of not getting treatment?

Answer: Although braces commonly are used to treat scoliosis, they aren’t the only option. The right treatment choice depends mainly on a person’s age and the size of the curve. Mild cases of scoliosis may not need treatment.

But, moderate to severe scoliosis that is left untreated can lead to pain and increasing deformity, as well as potential heart and lung damage.

Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine with rotation. It most often develops during the growth spurt just before puberty. If the spinal curve is small — less than about 15 degrees — then having

Cell transplants backed for diabetes

By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer

plans to seek a Food and Drug Administration license for the therapy.

In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the pancreatic cells responsible for making insulin, a hormone crucial to converting blood sugar into energy. About 1 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes and depend on regular insulin shots to survive but still can experience complications due to swings in their blood sugar.

Diabetics who get kidney transplants sometimes also receive pancreas transplants at the same time, essentially curing their diabetes. But it’s an uncommon and grueling operation, so scientists for years have worked on a minimally invasive alternative: Infusing patients with just islet cells, the insulin factories inside the pancreas.

The questions: How best to ob-

WASHINGTON — Transplants of insulin-producing pancreas cells are a long hoped-for treatment for diabetes — and a new study shows they can protect the most seriously ill patients from a lifethreatening complication of the disease, an important step toward U.S. approval.

These transplants are used in some countries but in the U.S. they’re available only through research studies. Armed with Monday’s findings, researchers hope to license them for use in a small number of people with Type 1 diabetes who are most at risk for drops in blood sugar so severe they can lead to seizures, even death.

“Cell-based diabetes therapy is real and works and offers tremendous potential for the right patient,” said study lead author Dr. Bernhard Hering of the University of Minnesota, whose team

physical activities. A child stops wearing the brace once his or her bones stop growing. A brace won’t help older teens and young adults who are diagnosed with scoliosis after they have stopped growing or patients with severe curves. In those situations, most doctors recommend surgery.

In general, surgery is also the first step in treatment for curves that are large — usually greater than 50 degrees. The standard surgery for scoliosis is spinal fusion.

This procedure corrects the curve of the spine by connecting two or more of the spinal vertebrae.

Metal screws and rods are used to hold the vertebrae together, so they can heal into one solid unit.

A newer surgical option is anterior vertebral body tethering.

It involves inserting screws into the vertebrae affected by scoliosis. The surgeon attaches a cord to each of the screws and then pulls and secures the cord. The vertebrae are cinched together on one side and splayed open on the other, correcting the curve. This aligns the spine and gives the vertebrae space to grow in properly.

This surgery is used mainly for cases of significant scoliosis in children with growth remaining.

Mayo Clinic is one of only a handful of centers where this surgery is performed.

If moderate to severe scoliosis is not treated, it usually continues to progress at an average of one degree per year. Significant spinal deformity leads to noticeable changes in appearance, such as

shoulders that are not level, ribs on one side of the body that stick out farther than on the other side, uneven hips, and a shift of the waist and trunk to the side. It also can cause increased back pain, and, in rare occasions, the rib cage may press against the lungs and heart, making it more difficult to breathe and harder for the heart to pump.

If you notice that your child’s spine seems to be curved, or if you spot other signs and symptoms of scoliosis — such as uneven shoulders or an uneven waist, one hip higher than the other, or one shoulder blade that seems more prominent than the other — make an appointment to have it evaluated as soon as possible.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 13

Self-care can strengthen weak fingernails From Mayo Clinic News Network Dear Mayo Clinic: My fingernails are thin, and they tear and split easily. Is there anything I can do to make them stronger?

Answer: Weak fingernails often can be strengthened with some basic self-care steps. If you try those techniques and you don’t see any improvement after about a month, though, consider talking to your doctor or seeing a dermatologist.

Your nails are part of your skin. They are made up of layers of the protein keratin and grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. As new cells grow, older cells become hard and compacted, and eventually are pushed out toward your fingertips. Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges, grooves, spots or discoloration.

Fingernails may become weak or brittle due to harsh conditions.

For example, regular use of nail polish remover that contains acetone can wear nails down over time. Repeated exposure to very hot or very cold temperatures also can be hard on your nails.

Cell (Concluded from Page 12) tain those islet cells from deceased donors, and who benefits most from transplants?

When glucose levels drop too low, most people with Type 1 diabetes experience early warning signs — slurred speech, tremors, sweating, heart palpitations — so they know to eat or drink something for a quick sugar boost. But even with optimal care, about 30 percent eventually quit experiencing those symptoms, a condition called hypoglycemia unawareness. They can be in grave danger if their blood sugar plummets when no one else is around to help.

Continuous glucose monitors can counteract that problem, but even those don’t help everyone.

The National Institutes of Health targeted that fraction of highest-risk patients, funding a study that gave 48 people at eight medical centers at least one islet cell transplant.

A year later, 88 percent were free of severe hypoglycemia events, had their awareness of blood sugar dips restored, and harbored glucose levels in nearnormal ranges. Two years later, 71 percent of participants still were faring that well, concluded the study published by the journal Diabetes Care.

The goal wasn’t insulin independence, which requires more functioning islet cells than merely restoring blood sugar awareness.

But some patients — 52 percent after one year — no longer needed insulin shots and others used lower doses.

Another key: The transplants have long been used experimentally but different hospitals use different methods to cull the islet cells from a donated pancreas and purify them — and it wasn’t clear which worked best, explained Dr. Nancy Bridges, chief of the transplant branch at NIH’s National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The FDA made clear that there had to be a standard method for islet cell transplants if they were ever to be approved — which is necessary for insurance coverage — so the researchers developed that recipe, Bridges said.

Side effects include bleeding and infection, and recipients need lifelong immune-suppressing drugs to avoid rejecting their new cells.

Frequent contact with chemicals, such as those in many cleaning products, may weaken nails. If your nails are immersed in water for long periods of time, that can make them more prone to splitting.

To help make your nails stronger, be as gentle as possible with them. Wear gloves when you wash dishes or handle cleaning products. If you use nail polish remover, choose one that is acetone-free.

Use a daily moisturizer on your nails and cuticles. Applying a product designed to harden nails also can help them resist tearing and splitting, and may make them stronger.

Weak nails sometimes can be the result of an infection. To prevent bacteria from growing under your fingernails, keep them clean and dry. Don’t bite your fingernails or pick at your cuticles.

These habits can injure the nail bed, allowing bacteria or fungi to enter and cause an infection. If you have a hangnail, carefully clip it off. Don’t pull it off. You might rip live tissue along with the hangnail, causing damage and raising your risk of infection.

FOTOLIA/TNS

If you have a hangnail, carefully clip it off instead of pulling. Keep your nails neatly trimmed and round the tips in a gentle curve.

Keep your fingernails neatly trimmed and round the tips in a gentle curve. If you want a manicure, choose a salon that displays a current state license. Work only with a technician licensed by a

state board. Don’t have your cuticles removed during a manicure.

That can lead to a nail infection.

Also, make sure your nail technician properly sterilizes all tools used during your manicure to pre-

vent the spread of infection.

If your efforts to strengthen your fingernails don’t help, or if nail problems seem to be associated with other symptoms, see your doctor or a dermatologist.

He or she may recommend the nutritional supplement biotin.

Some research suggests it might help strengthen weak or brittle fingernails.

Depending on your medical history and overall health, among other factors, your doctor also may conduct a more comprehensive evaluation to see if weak nails could be related to another underlying problem. For example, some nail changes may point to a skin disorder that can affect the nails.

These could include, to name just a few: psoriasis, a common skin disease that causes skin cells to rapidly build up; lichen planus, an inflammatory condition that can affect your skin; and dermatitis, another inflammatory skin disorder. All of these can show up in your nails.

Your doctor can assess your fingernails and help you determine if additional investigation might be appropriate for you.

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PAGE 14 ■ HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Athletic apparel among the top fashion trends

By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com Not everyone wearing yoga pants out and about in town has just been to the yoga studio. Athletic apparel, including yoga pants, leggings, tracksuits, stretchy tees and stylish athletic shoes, has become a top trend for fashion.

French Vogue included “athleisure” looks in a recent issue, and when celebrities like supermodel Cara Delevingne or Jennifer Lopez are photographed in designer athleticwear, fashion and entertainment blogs report on it.

In the apparel industry, according to a survey by Barclays, athletic apparel will increase 50 percent by 2020, creating a $100 billion market. And demand for yoga pants, leggings and shirts is outpacing the growth of yoga as a sport, says the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

Sales of yoga apparel were up 45 percent in 2013, and yoga participation increased just 4.5 percent.

Americans like to look as if they live a fit and healthy lifestyle — even if they have never set foot in a yoga, barre, boxing or fitness studio.

Yoga leggings and tees, and other sporting-style clothing befitting the coined term “athleisure” are popular on many levels. In function, they are comfortable, flattering, easy to care for, versatile and budget friendly. Yoga leggings cost far less than a pair of designer jeans or a skirt, and a yoga-motif tee can hide a bit of a tummy while running errands or meeting friends for lunch.

In addition to the functionality of athleticwear is a mindset of projecting an image as a healthconscious, on-trend person and fitting into the community of yoga and fitness enthusiasts.

When one wears a branded yoga tee shirt bearing the name of an elite fitness center or yoga studio, there’s a sense of belonging to a fitness community and belonging to an economic level that allows one to spend one’s days in yoga and kickboxing classes. Marketing geniuses have brought to the fitness apparel

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realm the psychological benefit of “belonging.”

With the growth of athletic apparel so strong, including men’s sports pants that look like slacks, stores like Kohl’s are reportedly devoting more floor space to athleisure clothing and accessories. And online fashionista sites have created new sportswear sections, like Neta-Porter’s new “Net-a-Sporter.”

Sporting companies like Nike and Adidas are partnering with celebrities such as Pharrell Williams to tout the athleisure look for men, women and children, and top-tier designers like Tom Ford, Chanel, Tory Burch and others show sporty styles in their collections. Kate Spade & Co. recently announced their new athleisure partnership with Beyond Yoga, bringing the signature punchy colors, prints and unique strap designs of the Kate Spade brand to fitness apparel.

These apparel leaders’ immersion in the athleisure realm provides a wealth of fashion runway color, pattern, city-chic and street-inspired style, plus sequined sports jerseys that blur the lines between on-the-field wear and dressy, upscale wear. It is indeed about blurring lines. Casual and everyday apparel lines have blurred, and sport-motifs have bled into dressier looks.

While it has attracted the trendsetting millennial audience, the pairing of comfort and style also attracts an older-than-millennial audience that wants ease of dressing in their busy lives, but also want to look fresh, healthy, young and trendy.

According to the experts at Magic Online, the digital home of the UBM Advanstar Fashion Group, staying healthy never goes out of style. Healthy living and athleticwear fit the movement toward all things organic, locally grown, non-GMO and pesticide-free. Wearing organic fabrics connects to one’s values, and athleticwear’s global style connect us with the larger world

Athleisure clothing brings yoga and sportswear into everyday wear.

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This clothing style feels good, does good when lines are connected to charitable missions, and makes a good impression in or out of the fitness studio.

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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

HEALTH & WELLNESS ■ PAGE 15

Still many questions about Zika’s threat

By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer WASHINGTON — Zika may stand convicted of causing devastating birth defects but there still are lots of questions about how much of a threat the virus poses to pregnant women, and what to do about it.

Part of the answer has to do with geography: So far, mosquitoes aren’t spreading Zika in the mainland U.S. That means for now, the main advice for pregnant women here is to avoid travel to Zika-affected parts of Latin America or the Caribbean. But that could change as mosquito season gets into full swing at home.

“It would not be surprising at all, if not likely, that we’re going to see of a bit” of local Zika transmission, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health told Fox News Sunday.

Here are some questions and answers about what experts know, and need to learn, as the first mosquito-borne virus known to cause birth defects inches closer to the U.S. Q: Just what birth defects can Zika cause?

A: Zika had been considered a nuisance virus until a massive outbreak began last year in Brazil and doctors there reported babies being born with unusually small heads, called microcephaly. Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Zika was indeed the culprit — and that it caused a particularly severe form of microcephaly, with serious underlying brain damage, as well as other brain-related abnormalities.

Studies increasingly show Zika gets into a fetus’ developing brain and kills cells, or stops them from growing further, and even can kill the fetus. But even if the brain seemed to be developing normally, still other studies have found stillbirths, poor fetal growth and other problems.

Q: If a mother-to-be becomes infected, how likely is her baby to be harmed?

A: No one knows yet. One modeling study of an outbreak in French Polynesia suggested 1 percent of babies born to women infected during the first trimester alone would have microcephaly.

In another study, ultrasound exams spotted some sort of abnor-

mality, not just microcephaly, in nearly 30 percent of women who had Zika during pregnancy. Studies better designed to answer that question are under way now.

Q: Does it matter when during pregnancy the mother is infected?

A: Specialists think the first trimester is especially vulnerable, because that’s when organs develop. But the brain continues to grow throughout pregnancy and some studies have found signs of trouble even if infection occurred much later.

Q: Can the fetus be harmed even if the mother didn’t know she was infected?

A: Again, that’s not clear. Most adults report either mild or no symptoms from Zika, but it could just be that they didn’t notice.

Q: Then how would pregnant women know if they’d been infected?

A: Any who did travel to Zikaaffected areas should tell their doctors, who can order the appropriate testing to help determine their risk. There is no treatment for Zika, but those who were infected may need ultrasound exams to check how the fetus is developing.

Q: Are mosquitoes the only risk?

A: They’re the main way Zika spreads, and the reason for CDC’s advice for women who are pregnant or attempting conception not to travel to Zika-affected areas. But the virus can be spread through sexual intercourse, too, as it lasts longer in semen than in blood. So if a man is exposed while his partner is pregnant, the CDC advises abstaining or using condoms until the baby is born.

Q: Is there any risk to future pregnancies if a non-pregnant woman is infected?

A: The CDC says women who traveled to a Zika-affected area or who became infected should wait eight weeks before attempting conception. She may be advised to wait longer if the father-to-be also was exposed or infected.

Q: How could Zika begin sreading in the mainland U.S.?

A: All it takes is the right kind of mosquito biting a returning traveler who’s infected, and then biting someone else nearby.

That’s why CDC wants all return-

ing travelers to take steps to avoid mosquito bites for three weeks after they return home — by using insect repellent, covering up, or staying indoors.

Q: Do officials expect widespread outbreaks in the U.S.?

A: No, but they do expect local clusters of cases — just like has happened in previous years with a Zika relative named dengue fever

that’s spread by the same mosquito, a species named Aedes aegypti.

It’s not just a threat in the South but reaching into parts of the Midwest and Northeast.

Q: When will we see a vaccine?

A: Not for a while. NIH’s Fauci hopes to begin small safety steps of a candidate by September but that wouldn’t make any dent in

the Latin American outbreak.

Q: Are there risks beyond to a developing fetus?

A: Zika also has been linked to a nerve disorder called GuillainBarre syndrome that can be triggered by various infections, and there have been occasional reports of other neurological problems. Researchers need to explore those further.

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PAGE 16 ■ HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

A cure for SIDS? Doctor to test his theory

By NICOLE BRODEUR The Seattle Times SEATTLE — The heartbreak of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is being turned into hope, as parents who have lost babies to the medical mystery are helping to fund a new research study to be launched by a Seattle doctor who hopes he is close to a cure.

Dr. Daniel Rubens, an anesthesiologist at Seattle Children’s hospital, has partnered with The Lullaby Trust in the United Kingdom and pediatrician Dr. Peter Fleming of Bristol University to conduct the “Oto-Acoustics Signals in SIDS,’ or OASIS study.

The two-year study will launch in May. The hypothesis: That an innerear defect puts babies at risk of SIDS, since it dulls the impulse for a baby to automatically rouse and reposition itself when it is having

trouble breathing. That lack of oxygen, Rubens believes, causes a buildup of carbon dioxide in the body, and the baby suffocates.

“It’s difficult because nobody really knows what this baby is doing 10 minutes before he or she dies,” Rubens said. “It’s like a car crash.”

Partnering with researchers in the U.K. will give Rubens access to data from the standardized hearing test administered to all babies born there. That data will be compared to death records from babies who have been classified as having died from SIDS. “We’re going to see what the difference is between these babies and those who don’t have a SIDS problem,” Rubens said.

The United States doesn’t have a standardized hearing test for babies; practices vary state to state.

The OASIS study is being funded, in part, by money that

poured into Rubens’ SIDS Research Guild after a column I wrote about him last year received international attention.

Much of it was from parents who had lost children. He also received support from the Fred H. and Mary S. Dore Charitable Foundation, formed by the wellknown political couple who lost a daughter to SIDS. SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old, and about 2,000 babies born in the United States die each year from SIDS, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

“It totally motivates me,” Rubens said, “when you’re talking to a parent on the phone and they tell you what they’re going through, and they really want to help.

“They really want an answer, and it sparks them to become strong supporters now.”

Rubens, 53, has been research-

ing SIDS since 2007. His work is fueled, in part, by his love for his daughter, Hannah, 17, a student at Ballard High School, and by his work putting babies under anesthesia.

“I am very drawn to this,” he said. “I look after babies when they are asleep and when I hear about a SIDS death, I wonder, €˜Why did that happen?’

“I feel a very strong pull to understand, to really get it, to figure out what is happening to these babies,” he continued, “to do the research and demonstrate that this is correct so we can do something about it.

“It’s slow steps,” he said with a sigh. “And part of me gets very impatient.”

Rubens and Fleming are partnering to review the death records of babies who have been classified as having died of SIDS and compare them with newborn hearing

tests of control babies born during the course of the study.

Rubens will also partner with Dr. Marta Cohen, a pediatric pathologist at Sheffield Childrens hospital in the U.K. to review CT and MRI imaging of the inner ears of infants who die unexpectedly.

And at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Rubens will continue his work with Dr. Nino Ramirez to study inner-ear and vestibular system dysfunction in animal models.

The goal of the study is to develop a standardized hearing test for infants born in the United States that would identify babies at high risk for SIDS. “This is tricky,” Rubens said of developing a test, “so we need to do it properly and slowly and carefully.

“You’ve got to doggedly stick with it, carefully, and it will come in time.”

Loneliness increases risk for heart disease, stroke

By MELISSA HEALY Los Angeles Times The scourge of loneliness has been with us since time immemorial, but only in recent years has its toll on human health gained appreciation. New research shows that feeling lonely or socially isolated bumps up a person’s average risk for coronary heart disease and stroke — two of the developed world’s most prolific killers — by 50 percent.

As a risk factor for heart attack, clogged arteries or stroke, those statistics put loneliness on a par with light smoking, anxiety and occupational stress. And they make social isolation a more powerful predictor of such vascular diseases than are either high blood pressure or obesity.

Moreover, the study found, the toxic effects of loneliness strike men and women equally, researchers found.

Added to research linking loneliness to higher rates of cognitive decline and poor immune system function, loneliness begins to look like a blight not just on society but on our collective well-being.

The new research, published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal’s publication Heart, aggregated the findings of 23 separate studies that asked people to characterize their level of social engagement. Each of those studies then tracked participants for periods ranging from three to 21 years and noted whether they had a first stroke or were newly diagnosed with, or died from, coronary heart disease.

All told, the studies suggest that people who suffer from loneliness or social isolation were 29 percent more likely than those who are not to develop coronary heart disease — suffering either a heart attack or requiring medical intervention to clear blocked arteries. And they were 32 percent more likely than the socially engaged to have a stroke.

Loneliness and social isolation were variously defined in the studies, which were conducted in Europe, the United States, Japan

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and Australia. But most asked subjects about the extent of their social networks or supports, the frequency of their social contacts, the quality of their social relationships, and their feelings of loneliness. Across the 23 studies, anywhere from 2.8 percent to 77.2 percent of study participants were declared lonely or socially isolated.

Lonely people take many paths to reach their isolated state. Some have mobility problems, depression or physical or mental illness that keeps them from getting out — or up — to develop and maintain friendships. Some have outlived their spouses or siblings or have left — or been left behind by — friends or relatives in a transient society. Others were surrounded by people but state they nevertheless felt lonely or unsupported.

The problem is that people who

fit all those descriptions tend to engage in fewer healthy behaviors such as exercise, visiting a doctor, and following his or her recommendations. And they’re more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drinking alcohol to excess and eating too much or too little.

As a result, it’s hard to know whether loneliness is a contributor to, the result of, or just another symptom of poor health. And for the same reason, it’s hard to know whether programs aimed at getting the socially isolated to reengage will improve their health, and how.

What is clear is that physicians, who expend enormous energy trying to reduce their patients’ risks for heart disease and stroke, can ask those same patients about feelings of loneliness and the health of their friend- and family-net-

works, wrote psychologists Julianne Holt-Lundstad and Timothy B. Smith, both of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Where they’re deficient or strained, physicians can refer patients to mental health programs that may help or counsel their patients to volunteer, join a club, sign up for classes or reconnect with friends.

“Given projected increases in levels of social isolation and loneliness in Europe and North America, medical science needs to squarely address the ramifications for physical health,” Lundstad and Smith wrote in an editorial published in Heart. Among

other issues, researchers should explore the role of technology and social media in enhancing — or eroding — social engagement, they added.

And while professional help may ease the pain of loneliness, there may be nothing like the ties of family and friendships — in their cost, their depth and their effectiveness, added Smith and Holt-Lunstad. So preventing their unraveling is important as well.

“Efforts to strengthen existing family relationships may prove more effective than interventions by hired personnel,” wrote HoltLundstad and Smith.

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